Part 28 (1/2)
”You told us the answers in Baguio,” Rick reolat he couldn't refuse a perot, by the way--but that he would hinder us in other ways Nangolat thinks Lazada is his friend, all right Lazada olden skull, probably to Aaos to massacre us after we have located skull,” Chahda said ”That way, no witness Deadstories on witness stand Then Lazada and Nast shoot poor Nangolat and take stuff Or so like that”
”Nice people,” Rick coe Soon they would be back on the scene Chahda got into the rear seat, ready to throw the h the access hatch
”Wait until I signal,” Rick reon into a dive He followed the road for a distance, then saw the truck and used that for a lande he saw that the Ifugao warriors were in a see of the e was still on Now to drop the ed his distance and altitude He wanted to be sure the e landed within reach
”Get ready,” he called, and circled until he was headed directly at the recess When a crash into the terrace wall see wing over When he circled again, Tony and Scotty were reading the s Then there was a hile Scotty and Angel set up the pickup poles
The Ifugaos were obviously curious, nor were they the only ones Rick saw Lazada, Nast, and the rest of their party ee and walk to a place on the terrace just beyond the meadow They could not be seen by anyone within the recess, but they could watch as going on in the meadow
Scotty knew that Rick could notup the poles in such a way that Rick could fly parallel to the terrace wall in which the recess was located
The pickup was very siht feet in diaround between the two poles and its cable was placed on angle irons at the tops of the poles The cable was not anchored The only purpose of the poles was to lift the cable far enough off the ground for convenient pickup
Soon the first bag was in place and Scotty and Tony retired to the recess to watch Rick pushed a button on his control board and the cable in the rear of the plane unwound It was heavy, woven steel, terhted six-inch hook
Rick knew from many previous pickups the altitude at which to fly He circled for the run, dropped to the correct altitude, and glued the plane's nose on the poles The Sky Wagon passed over the poles, and the hook on its cable caught the cable stretched between the poles That cable slid off the supports The fast- of artifacts was jerked froround A touch of the button and the electric h the hatch, unhooked it, and put it in the luggage co up enough stuff for seven bags That was a lot of artifacts Each time Rick asked, ”Was that one the skull?” And Chahda would shake his head
The seventh bag was the skull Rick was sure because of the clasped-hands wave Scotty gave him, and because Tony did not retreat into the recess As Rick turned for his run he saw the sleek forhed his relief and held up his run to watch The plane buzzed the Ifugaos and dropped a container with streaolat--ran to get it
Rick could iine what the note said ”Do not attee will be boht not like it, but he would obey
”Here we go,” Rick said He put the Sky Wagon on course and held it steady The poles passed fro jerk on the plane That skull was heavy
”Bag tearing! Reel in!” Chahda yelled
Rick pushed the button and the winch whined, then suddenly screaone! He swung in a vertical bank just in ti to his shoulder Rick pounded the seat beside hiolden skull had fallen within reach of Nast and Lazada; it was in the hands of the eneht circle and saw theon and climb in
”They waste no time,” Chahda said bitterly ”That Lazada, he ain,” Rick htened with deteret that skull back Rick, fly to Bontoc Open throttle wide and let us go!”
”There's nothing we can do at Bontoc,” Rick objected ”No one there, or in Baguio either, would dare question Lazada”
”Go to Bontoc,” Chahda urged ”Leave this to me, Rick Chahda will take over”
”But what can you do?”
”I will knohen the chance comes You and Scotty will be ready
Soolden skull will be ours again!”