Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 22 - The Importance of Flying - II

  They emerged into a small clearing in the forest. There wasn't nearly enough room for a helicopter to land, from what Alden could see. He expected to keep moving, but Viper took a seat on a nearby root and waited. Alden sat down too, as far away as he dared.

  "Olet taas kuollut," came a whisper from nearby.

  Viper twisted around in shock, raising his gun. Alden froze in terror.

  Rook emerged from the shadows, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. "That was sloppy," she remarked calmly.

  "Jesus, Tess," Viper grumbled. He holstered his pistol. "Even tonight?"

  "Always."

  "Bravo, you win, I didn't clear the fuckin' LZ." Viper sat back down again. "One of these days I'm actually gonna shoot you."

  "On that day, you will have your first miss." She looked at Alden as if she were examining a dead fish. "I didn't realize we had cargo."

  "Boss needs a sample, and he was convenient."

  Rook leaned against a tree. "They will cut him up," she added. Alden couldn't hear a single note of sympathy in her voice. Was she on his side? If not, why bring it up?

  "Probably. Once we unload him, it's not our job anymore. We'll finally be out of this boring-ass town."  

  "It is better than the deserts."

  "I just want anywhere we don't have to put up with so many civvies," Viper grumbled.

  In the distance, Alden could hear the drumbeat of an incoming helicopter. It was getting loud, fast. He tensed up. Was this his moment to run? Viper and Rook seemed distracted. Once the chopper arrived, did he have any hope of escaping?

  Alden rose up just a centimeter. Instantly, he found himself staring down two barrels. Both Viper and Rook had drawn their weapons.

  "Don't." Rook glared at him. "I do not feel like running right now."

  "It's been a long-ass day," Viper added.

  Alden sat back down. "Aren't I important, if you want me in a lab somewhere? You can't shoot me."

  "Sure we can. There's plenty of places you can shoot a man without him dyin' anytime soon. Tessa knows all of them. If you want to try to run, you'll learn a couple too." Viper looked up at the sky and thumbed his radio. "Snakecharmer, python."

  Pause.

  "Snakecharmer, we're set for dust-off. Drop it. Over."

  The helicopter hurtled into view. It raked across the canopy with the nose tilted up, braking hard and fast. It came to a stop just above the small clearing. Two ropes were thrown out either side, unspooling and dropping down to the forest floor.

  Viper hauled Alden to his feet. They crossed to the ropes, where both Rook and Viper produced small metal clamps that hooked into their combat vests.

  "Hang on tight," Viper grunted. Alden grabbed onto his chest with all the strength he could muster. Viper clamped them onto the rope.

  "Viper set."

  "Rook set," came a reply from the other side of the chopper, barely audible under the beating thump of the chopper blades. At her echo, the helicopter lifted into the sky, taking them with it. The ropes slowly retracted upward, steadily carrying Alden toward the open doors.