Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Willy Tamarack
Title: Surfers Rule
Part: 9 of 11
Universe:
Summary:
Keywords: (love story, adventure, war viol)
Language: English


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   @(C) 1996-2015 Willy Tamarack Commercial use in any form requires the
written permission of the author and will ensure a portion of the proceeds
goes to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

   Surfers Rule

   by

   Willy Tamarack

   With thanks to the founding fathers and the U.S.  Constitution

   Chapter Twenty-five

   End of July 2000

   Pucallpa, State of Ucayali, Peru

   Randal Hopps was still pissed.  It took them over five minutes to rejoin
with the Dragonflys.  Not that it would have made any difference.  The
Orion informed them the target was flying holding patterns around the
airfield.  And then when it starts to look like it just might work, the
target leaves the airfield and heads east...Like he knows they are coming.

   The debrief was in the CIA guys office and it was crowded.  The Orion
was downloading their radar picture of the event.  Lots of loud talking and
some even smoked, the locals mostly.  No one was attempting to get the
crowd under control.  Randal Hopps had walked into a bee hive of activity
that would solve nothing.  The Orion video of the radar picture began to
stream on to a large monitor.

   The read out from the Orion reported the target was flying at a hundred
and fifty knots, heading two six zero and approximately five hundred feet
above the ground.  Every so often it appeared as two targets and the read
out became unreliable.  Randal Hopps watched.  From the first contact, the
target headed straight for the airfield and crossed the border three
minutes before sunrise.  The target was fifteen miles from the airfield
before the A-37s scrambled.  They beat the Citation off the ground by eight
minutes.

   The CIA guy was raising his voice, "Okay...Okay...Everyone shut up, will
you !"

   The six or so in the room quieted down.  Randal stood against the wall.
The CIA guy looked over at him.

   "You get anything ?" Randal shook his head back and forth.  The CIA guy
began.  "Okay, they caught us this morning with our pants down.  That won't
happen tomorrow morning..." It was going to be a pep talk.  Randal felt
they needed a little more than a pep talk.  The last engagement only came
when they met them at the border.  He'd talk with the CIA guy when the pep
talk was over.  This time they'll draw this guy well into Peru before
springing the trap.  They were going to wipe this asshole out.

   *****

   It was late afternoon at the hacienda and raining like Cindy had rarely
seen.  She was bare ass naked, standing out on the second floor balcony. 
The sweet scent of marijuana was hanging in the humid air.  The balcony had
large wooden frames that would have been the doors to the bedroom beyond if
Isabel hadn't stopped all construction at the hacienda in the weeks after
Alfred failed to return.  What was completed, just the shell, was in
disarray and being consumed by the jungle around it.  Within days of
meeting "Malibu" and "Surfer Girl" Isabel sent the Bahia brothers, Palo Jr.
and Edwardo, out to become care takers and prepare for what was to follow.

   Craig, equally naked, was inside the bedroom, laying on his back on an
air mattress.  The humidity was hovering near a hundred percent.  He was
bathed in perspiration.  Cindy was dripping sweat out on the patio.  She
took a drag off a marijuana cigarette and exhaled toward the sky.  The rain
was letting up, the sky getting brighter to the west.  She called back to
him from the patio.

   "This is gonna work...Right !?"

   "You bet.  They cinched it this morning by running after us.  They had
no chance of running us down but they tried.  They should have just watched
and then set a trap for us.  We've put them on edge.  Ed and Maria got only
one Dragonfly so today was a first for working with two A-37s and I'm sure
it didn't go as smoothly as previous missions.  So tomorrow, they'll be
airborne pre-dawn and probably in a holding pattern west of the airfield we
used today.  They'll stay in the holding pattern until we approach the
airfield and then they'll follow us.  That's what they've done in the past.
That's what they'll do tomorrow." Craig took a swallow of Jack Daniels. 
Cindy wandered inside, taking a drag off the joint.

   Craig continued, "The old man was right about this place.  It's just
about perfect.  They're looking for us hard now.  They're trying to find
out who we are.  The old woman better have sealed the deal 'cause this
place just might get smoked the day after tomorrow."

   "How can you be so sure about ending it tomorrow ?" She was sitting on
the same air mattress Craig was lying on.

   "After tomorrow there will be no doubt what we intend.  Right now they
think we're dopers, smuggling shit.  Tomorrow when the first of us hoses
off a couple a hundred rounds of twenty mike mike they'll know we just want
to kill them.  If it doesn't happen tomorrow, it's not going to happen.  Ed
briefed the old lady on that after breakfast this morning.  This is a one
shot deal and tomorrow is the day.  Sunday, the day of our Lord." Craig
crossed himself.  Cindy got up.  It was starting to rain hard again.

   Ed Merril was down the hall in another bedroom, taking an early
afternoon nap.  Isabel and Maria were already down stairs preparing the
evening meal.  The team was scheduled to eat at seventeen hundred hours. 
The rain was coming down hard again so Ed, just wearing a pair of boxer
shorts, got up off the air mattress and walked to the balcony off the
bedroom he was sharing with Isabel and Maria.  Rain water was coming off
the roof like a waterfall.

   Ed sprinted toward the stairs and took them two and three at a time.  He
flew out the front door of the hacienda and stood under the roof line,
letting the water coming off the roof give him a free shower.  The water
was cool.  The down pour lasted several minutes and Ed felt clean after
leaving the trickles now coming off the roof.

   He smelled marijuana and looked up at Craig's bedroom balcony.  Cindy, a
joint in her hand and still without clothes, waved to him.  He threw her a
wave while walking back into the building.  After climbing the stairs he
dried himself and dressed in some shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.  He was
whistling as he bounced back down the stairs.

   Maria and Isabel were using bath towels as aprons and cutting up meat
and vegetables on a rough, cement counter in this huge unfinished kitchen.
Ed wandered over to the counter and pulled the bottle of Jack Daniels out
of a cardboard box.  He looked in on the Bahia boys, who were sacked out in
the dinning room, off the kitchen.

   "I see Malibu and Surfer Girl are back.  They learn anything interesting
?" After Ed went down for a nap, Craig and Cindy had driven down to the
command post and warmed up the radar for several minutes or so, going from
standby to active every thirty seconds or so.

   "There was no activity around the airfields.  Three minutes, on for a
total of seventy seconds." Maria answered.  Isabel was sitting down on a
crude chair made from the packing crates that some of the equipment came
in. Ed could tell she was on edge.  It showed in her face.  She'd aged a
bit from that easy going, rich lady he met in Southern California.  Ed was
especially disappointed that their relationship had soured during recent
days.

   While Isabel could bring all these resources together, her influence
ended now as Craig, Cindy, Maria and Ed got ready to brief for the final
time.  The outcome was beyond her control from now forward.  Ed was taking
another sip of "Jack." She knew from habit that this would be his last.

   Isabel was scared.  Tomorrow had finally come and, try as she might, she
couldn't control the outcome.  Her air force would call the shots tomorrow.
Two men she barely knew.  They would decide the outcome based on factors
she could hardly imagine.  She could hardly call it off and walk away from
it all now.  It would be like walking away from Alfred.  Whatever happened
tomorrow would live with her for the rest of her life.

   And even if she did call it off ?!  She couldn't stop them now.  Her
daughter wouldn't hesitate before siding with the Norte Americanos.  The
pros from Torrance were about to ante up the ultimate.  She'd like to
believe they were doing it for the money.  Craig had explained very clearly
that they would have to hide forever, probably never go back to the states.
That was a lot to give up.  Consequently, he was asking for a lot.  Malibu
and Surfer Girl were in it for the money.

   In the beginning, they were in love and lust...Young again.  It was
exciting, an adventure...She knew what Ed thought of these people; they
were lower than scum.  That was what was driving him, old fashion chivilry.
Alfred remained in her fantasies even if Ed was in her bed.  And Ed had
figured that out.  Alfred's memory was driving her but what was driving her
daughter ?  Isabel had no idea what her daughter was thinking in these last
hours ?  She looked down at the other end of the counter.  Ed and Maria
were bantering back and forth about nothing of consequence.

   How could they do that ?  She was tighter than a drum...Could think of
nothing else but tomorrow.  And right then she saw it.  Her daughter had
become a part of this team like she could never be.  Maria had flown eight
flights with Ed.  She had taken the pictures of the airfields.  Their faux
targets.  And only when they had their "engagement," as they called it, did
Isabel realize what danger her daughter had been in.  She could have been
sacrificed for this fantasy of hers...That was about to become reality.  So
tomorrow morning Maria will be sitting right next to Surfer Girl, wearing a
headset and handling the frequency changes.  The Bahia boys had more
influence on tomorrow than she did.....

   .....Earlier that afternoon, when they arrived back from the command
post, Craig had taken her aside after Cindy went up stairs.

   "Isabel, you've done an amazing job amassing these assets.  But now it's
time to use them.  I'm taking the lead, any problems with that ?" Isabel
shook her head.  She wanted someone else to take over.

   "Your work is done, Isabel.  Cindy is the on scene commander period,
understand !?  Keep your opinions to yourself, Isabel.  Let the two of them
do their jobs." Isabel was not only the third wheel, but was a seventh
wheel !  She felt impotent.....

   .....Ed was laughing.  Maria was cutting up some vegetables for the
stew. The Bahia boys were up and hungry.  Craig was the first one from
upstairs to appear.  Cindy was stoned as shit when she wandered into the
kitchen five minutes later.  Ed noticed immediately.  It was nerves.  Ed
had seen it in 'Nam; going in after the tough ones.  They weren't in their
twenties and bullet proof any more.  Ed moved toward her.

   "Hey !  Surfer Girl, make me feel warm and fuzzy here, honey." She
turned and looked right into his eyes.

   "Three's in, old man." Her eyes were intense, her posture changed
instantly.  Ed pulled her to him and danced her around the kitchen.  Craig
and Maria started laughing.  So did the Bahia brothers.

   Craig stopped it moments later.  "Okay, lets eat while Isabel tells us
how we're getting the fuck out of Dodge..."

   *****

   The CIA guy's office was a mess with paper plates and left over
sandwiches.  There were just four of them now.  They had watched the
Orion's radar picture of the penetration this morning but it told them
nothing.  The penetration originated and terminated in two different places
about eight miles apart.  From there they could go in any direction and
were thirty miles from the short, skinny runway that interested them.

   They had enlisted the help of the Brazilians.  They were going to send
one of their interwater way patrol boats to investigate the area around the
short, skinny runway.  It would take two days and they were leaving
tomorrow morning for the skinny runway's location.  They would take some
armed marines with them as these dopers usually carried a good variety of
weapons.

   A phone rang.  It was the CIA guy taking the phone call.  After a few
moments listening, he called out, "Okay, it's now confirmed.  The land,
surrounding this airstrip in the middle of nowhere, is owned by Morales
Exporters, S.A.  No intelligence agency has anything on them.  As far as
anyone is concerned they're clean...A good, law abiding company.  Must I
remind you that we shot this company's chief executive out of the sky a
year or so ago ?  This is a little too much of a coincidence." The CIA guy
took a long gulp of coke-a-cola.

   The retired air force colonel was still drinking coffee.  "Are you
telling me that this company is directing all this ?  I find that hard to
believe, spook.  How do they keep something like that secret ?  This has to
be the dopers.  Either way, tomorrow it ends.  We blow their airplane out
of the sky.  I'm going to miss all this excitement and the easy money."

   "Yes, it is very good money and lately it's been unable to get the job
done.  So let's put in a little extra effort tomorrow.  Did you coordinate
with the Dragonflys ?"

   "Yes, they understand what's expected of them.  They'll be like rabid
dogs."

   "Good...Let's be rid of this problem tomorrow, shall we !?" The CIA guy
stood.  "You hungry ?"

   Chapter Twenty-six

   29 July 2000

   Western Brazil

   The piece of plywood was leaning up against the wall.  There were
colored arrows and triangles all over the surface facing the seven of them.
The two airfields were marked in black as were the border and major land
marks.  Craig was standing near the make-shift chalk board.  "...turn every
intercept into the same geometry.  We turn away from them and run.  Watch
the speed, Cindy.  They'll be coming, balls to the wall, honey."

   "Don't worry, Malibu.  I've got another pair of eyes now." She threw her
arm around Maria's shoulder and gave her a little squeeze.  Isabel noticed
the bond between her daughter and these people who were actually going to
go to war for her.  The old man, whom she slept with every night they were
away from Manaus, was going to commit murder for her tomorrow.  She would
have a hard time sleeping tonight, worried about tomorrow's outcome, but
knew the old man would sleep like a baby.  She noticed he was drinking
bottled water now but smoking more.

   "Ed...What's next ?" Craig barked.

   "Depending on how the geometry turns out, we get either a ten mile call
or a seven mile call.  If it's seven ?  Smoke's on.  At five miles, it's
smoke off and start the turn.  Two `g's, takeoff power.  Start looking and
ask for a snap.  Tactical lead's up for grabs until someone gets a tally
ho. Shooter, cover from there on out."

   "What are you doing, Surfer Girl ?" Craig snapped.

   "Looking for reinforcements entering the fight.  Then provide vectors
for home plate.  Cover escape and check six."

   "Final item.  Surfer Girl and I have planned a little surprise for our
adversaries tomorrow...Darlin' !"

   Surfer Girl rose and motioned to the Bahia boys who were standing up
against the wall, struggling to understand what was being said.  They knew
their key though and moved quickly into the dinning room.  They returned in
just a few moments with all four of their arms cradling one of the willy
pete rockets.

   "With the help of the Bahia boys, I removed the willy pete from the
warhead and formed it to fit over the end of the rocket motor.  It should
approximate what a heat seeking missle would look like." Cindy explained.
Ed was rolling his eyes at the ceiling while Craig was using his finger to
act like the missile against his other hand.  Cindy was pumping her fists
in the air.  Isabel was clapping.  Ed needed another drink.  Maria was
laughing.

   Craig called out to Cindy, "Set them to single fire for tomorrow, babe.
Okay, folks, it's night night time.  First jeep leaves at zero four
hundred. Be on time !" The group quickly broke up and headed for their
rooms.  It was just eighteen thirty hours.

   *****

   The flight line was shrouded in shadows except where the large over head
lights were shinning.  There was not even a hint of light to the east.  The
rest of the crew was on board going through a systems check while the first
officer inspected the exterior of the Citation.  As soon as the first
officer boarded, Randal Hopps established communication with the P-3 Orion
then hit the starter, bringing the left engine up to idle.  The P-3 was
directing them to several frequencies and told them that the Dragonflys
were already airborne.  Their systems operator was making note of the
frequencies and setting up the radar.

   The Citation was rolling when the word came from the Orion that the
second pair of A-37s was ready to go.  After gear retraction, Randal Hopps
kept the Citation's nose low to the horizon and accelerated before pulling
about two "g"s turning out of traffic.  He was heading direct and wanted
the radar and camera software booted up again.

   The systems guy complained that it all checked out on the ground but
never the less he performed the checklists once again.  Twenty minutes
until rendezvous.  Randal was just now pulling back the power.  They were
smokin' toward the rendezvous with the Dragonflys.

   *****

   They had gathered with coffee and cigarettes, a little after zero four
hundred hours.  Maria loaded up the pilots, along with their crew chiefs,
and drove them down the hill, dropping them off near the airplanes.  She
drove the jeep back up the hill to the main house to pick up Cindy and
Isabel.  Down the traverse again, stopping to ask if the pilots needed
anything ?  Maria then drove right down the center of the runway toward the
command post.

   Captain Ricardo Caeres had anchored the barge last evening around sunset
and slept aboard.  He was up early and sitting inside the command post
inspecting the radar and radio units when he heard the jeep coming down
from the hacienda.  Now he could see the muted lights of the jeep coming
toward him.  Better safe than sorry.  If he knew a little more about what
was going on here ?  But he didn't.  The captain took cover around the edge
of the wall and kept an eye on the approaching jeep.

   Maria turned right almost ninety degrees and bounced down the bank that
leveled the runway at this end.  She skidded on to the trail and cut the
engine.  Isabel told the younger women to wait where they were and moved
off toward the command post.

   Captain Caeres recognized Isabel immediately and stepped out from behind
the command post wall.  "I am here, Isabel." Isabel guided the captain to
the chair he'd been sitting in a few minutes ago.  Isabel then waved toward
the jeep.  Both of the girls ran at a sprint to the command post and
quickly turned on the radar and radio sets.  Surfer Girl had the same AK-47
she used for the dope run all those years ago slung over her shoulder, for
luck she said.

   While the radar was coming up to speed and going through boot up, Cindy
studied the older gentleman sitting on the cot.  He'd only been too happy
to move when he saw what this blonde Norte Americana was carrying over her
shoulder.  He stared back at her.  The silence was broken by a short,
distant whistle.

   Without breaking eye contact with the captain, Cindy told Maria to go
pick up the boys.  Maria left at a sprint.  The jeep turned right, climbed
up the berm and rushed down the runway.

   Ten minutes later she was back with the boys.  Craig was out of the jeep
on the run.  Ed had his arms around the Bahia brother's shoulders in the
back seat.  They were all smoking just outside the command post a few
moments later.

   Craig walked in and right by Cindy, asking, "Any activity ?"

   "Negative, Malibu." He stopped short of Isabel and her friend.

   "Captain Caeres, welcome aboard.  As I told Senora Morales a little
earlier, it's time for the pros from Torrance to shake the stick.  The
senora has done an excellent job and we're confident that we'll have the
upper hand this morning.  We look forward to serving under your command as
we travel back to Manaus." The Captain was a little older than Craig would
have liked and looked confused.

   "Malibu, he doesn't understand much English.  I have not told him yet."

   "It's a little late for that now, wicked widow.  Translate what I said
but keep him down here for takeoff.  Let him figure it out on his own,
comprende ?" Isabel nodded her head.  "You're driving solo, can you handle
it ?" Isabel nodded her head again and immediately started talking to
Captain Caeres.  In just a few moments the briefing started to sound like a
debate.  It went down hill from there and only quieted down when Cindy
called out.

   "They've come to play, Malibu !" Craig hadn't been convinced that they
would.  The old man was the one who was so sure and he rushed inside the
command post followed closely by the Bahia brothers.  They all formed a
half circle behind Cindy and Maria.  It was official sunrise.

   "They're using three twenty-four point six again today." Maria reported.

   Craig knelt beside Cindy.  She removed one ear of her headset and leaned
toward him.  "Jam the shit out of them as soon as the smoke goes on." Cindy
nodded.

   Craig looked over at Isabel and gave her a thumbs up.  She smiled weakly
and moved toward Ed.  They were embracing.  Craig gave Cindy's shoulder a
good, hard squeeze and leaned over to watch the adversaries set up their
holding patterns.

   *****

   The Citation was at twenty thousand with the power way back.  Sunrise
had come and gone with no target in sight.  The Dragonflys were holding off
to the north of them at a lower altitude.  They had been airborne for more
than an hour and a half now, on station for over an hour.  They were
getting tired of drilling holes in the sky.  The Orion had been silent for
over thirty minutes.

   He'd been so sure last night.  But then looking back on the Malibu
encounters; occasionally they took a day off.  Another half hour and he'd
call the whole thing off.  His radar barely reached the border.  He
considered moving east but resisted the temptation.  The Orion was looking
out there for them.  At least he had an auto-pilot, the Dragonfly drivers
were hand flying all this time.  Randal instructed the first officer to
figure a bingo fuel from the airfield.

   *****

   The jeep was moving at a leisurely pace, heading for the south end of
the runway.  Ed was having a last cigarette and sitting in the back with
the Bahia brothers.  Craig was sitting up front with Isabel driving.  As
soon as she stopped, the Bahia brothers jumped out of the jeep and sprinted
for the airplanes.  Craig took Isabel aside and gave her a big hug.  "Wish
us well, dear.  And please make sure that Ricardo is ready to go when we
get back."

   "Don't worry, Malibu.  Captain Caeres is my god-father and will do
anything in his power to protect me.  Sorry, I just couldn't tell him."

   Malibu gave her another hug and was off.

   "Well, wicked widow, looks like this is it.  We need to do a little
talking on this slow boat to China you've set us up with.  Pray that Alfred
watches over us, Isabel." Ed gave her a hug and was trotting after the
older Bahia brother who was carrying the ladder to his airplane.

   The symbolism was not lost on Isabel as she pulled the jeep over by the
trail.  She was sending men out to do murder in her husband's name.  A
chill came over her.  When they started their engines she had to put her
hands over her ears.  The Bahia brothers were rushing around underneath the
A-1s.  She looked at her watch.  It was zero seven thirty.  They would be
right on time.  The Bahia brothers were running toward the jeep with their
tools and bundles of the netting they were using to camouflage the
airplanes.

   Back in the command post, Captain Ricardo Caeres heard the sound of the
engines starting.  These were big engines, powerful engines.  What the hell
is going on here !?  He'd asked Maria several times.  She failed to
acknowledge him even once.  It was like he didn't exist.

   The blonde girl with the AK-47 had just spoken a single word.  It
sounded like the english word, "three." She must be talking with them ? 
But what were they doing ?  The noise of the engines was getting louder and
louder.  The sound was coming closer and closer.

   The huge, camouflaged war machine was just a few feet off the ground
when it roared past the command post.  It's gear were just coming up as it
cleared the end of the runway.  A tremendous blast of wind blew into the
command post.  Ricardo jumped up off the cot and rushed to the open end of
the structure.

   A very large, stubby winged aircraft was skimming just above the river
heading for the far side.  More noise behind him.  He turned to find
another of the planes flying by the structure, it's gear just coming up.

   Captain Ricardo Caeres uttered something that sure sounded a lot like,
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph !" His god-daughter was going to avenge Alfred's
death !  She was going to strike a blow for her dead husband !  An eye for
and eye.  Committing an act of war against forces that were guided by the
United States of America.  His god daughter had the balls of a man or maybe
it was the strongest of loves ?  He moved closer to Maria and reached for
her shoulder.....

   Chapter Twenty-seven

   Cindy watched the Captain crouch down near Maria's shoulder.  The radar
picture was there for all to see.  Ed was rejoining on Craig and in the far
distance the adversaries could be seen holding near the objective.  She
pulled one side of her headset away from her ear and in fluent Spanish told
the Captain, "Senora Morales will be back in just a few moments.  We will
need you to prepare the barge for departure as soon as possible.  The Bahia
brothers are very quick learners and will help you.  Do you understand,
Captain ?"

   "Si." The Captain stared at her.  Where did these people come from ? 
"Surfer Girl, is it ?" The blonde nodded her head.  Maria still had the
headset on her head, listening intently.  To what he had no idea ?

   He looked up at the sound of the jeep, bouncing down toward the command
post.  The Captain stood, watching the radar picture slowly change as the
A-1s joined up and became one.  The one return moved down the river to the
southwest.

   *****

   "Arm'em up."

   "Twoop."

   "Three.  Chatter mark."

   Ed was in fingertip when Craig gave him the signal and rolled right with
him as they climbed up over the jungle and leveled off at about five
hundred feet above the jungle canopy.  When Craig rolled wings level, Ed
was right beneath him, tucked in tight.

   "Lead."

   "Twoop."

   "Three."

   They wouldn't change frequency again unless this one became unusable. 
Airspeed was set at one hundred fifty knots.  Heading was two four eight,
directly toward the airfield they visited yesterday.  The remains of last
night's thunderstorms had created a broken ceiling at between six and eight
thousand feet, Craig figured.  The clouds above that were just starting to
reform and climb into the vertical.  Below that was mostly clear except for
some widely scattered rain showers.  Visibility was well in excess of seven
miles.  Perfect weather for their adversaries.

   *****

   The radar operator couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice.  "Here
he comes, heading right toward you.  Contact at fifty four miles.  Airspeed
one fifty.  Extremely low altitude, estimate below five hundred feet. 
Heading settling down to two five zero." His supervisor was moving toward
his console.  "Target now fifty two miles from your position.  Align
holding to zero seven zero."

   Randal Hopps rolled the Citation to the left and aligned his inbound leg
to zero seven zero.  The contact was still too far for them to paint with
their own radar.  Have patience, Randal, he's coming right toward you.  On
board radar just picked up the A-37s, heading toward the Citation's anchor
at eighteen thousand.  Randal flew out in front of the Dragonflys and put
the A-37s several miles behind them.  The A-37s got a quick visual and
rejoined in trail with no assistance required.  The Citation turned back to
the west.

   The Orion radar operator transmitted.  "Still heading right toward you.
Forty two out." The Citation continued westbound and started a descent. 
There was plenty of time.  The target hasn't crossed the border yet.  Time
crawled by.

   "They're thirty out and just crossing the border," came from the Orion.
Randal waited a full three minutes before turning back east.  In just
moments the Citation's on board radar painted the target.  At times it
looked like two targets.  Randal put the target on the nose and commanded
the radar to lock on.

   The computer blanked the readout until it settled.  Altitude, five
hundred feet above the ground.  Airspeed, one hundred fifty knots. 
Heading, two four nine degrees.  Distance, twenty miles.  The set up was
perfect.  The target was a dead man.  Randal pushed the throttles up
passing fifteen thousand.  They rocketed through ten thousand minutes
later.

   *****

   "They're fifteen out and real fast.  Three targets in trail." Cindy
reported, dripping sweat.  Maria was still listening intently.  The Bahia
brothers were standing off to the side watching the computer screen. 
Isabel was standing between the girls just staring at the screen.  The
Captain had left the command post to bring the barge to the end of the
runway.  The quiet was eerie.  "Leader at twelve miles, slowing."

   Craig couldn't help but willed away the impulse to shove the power to
the wall.  Instead he rolled to sixty degrees of bank and pulled his nose
around to south.  Only seventy degrees of turn or so.  It went fast.  Now
he walked the throttle to the wall.  The bursts of nose down trim were
getting larger.  The airplane was accelerating.

   Ed was working like mad to keep the nose down as they accelerated.  He
snuck a peek at the airspeed, through two ten.  "Ten miles and starting to
bunch up," came the call from Cindy at the command post.  They were close.
Another peek.  Two forty.  An inner clock told him to reach for the smoke
switch.

   "Seven miles, master arm on !" Cindy's voice was high pitched.

   Ed flipped the smoke switch on.  He then checked the master arm was on
and that he was in "guns" on the weapon's selector.

   *****

   The TV picture was just starting to settle down.  The Citation was seven
miles back and slowing through two hundred.  The A-37's were weaving back
and forth behind the Citation, waiting for a tally ho.  Randal Hopps was
looking through the heads up display when the smoke began.

   The systems operator called out, "Shit !  He's on fire or smoking or
something !" Seconds later the Peruvian liaison officer informed him that
the Dragonflys had a talley ho and were on their way.

   Randal turned to try to get the liaison officer to slow them down.  The
first officer was calling out that he had the Dragonflys in sight as they
accelerated ahead of the Citation.  Randal turned forward and took control
of the Citation, pushing up the power to keep up with the A-37s.

   *****

   "The dogs are loose." Came through loud and clear, followed by.  "Five
miles...Five miles." Ed flipped the smoke off and started his turn to the
east.  Craig was already established in his turn, looking back over his
shoulder to that point behind them where the bad guys should show up.

   Ed rotated in his seat and strained to look back over his shoulder.  He
was half way through the turn when he caught sight of Craig a mile or so
away.  He looked out to where the bad guys should be.  And fuck !  There
they were !  Ed blinked twice and both times the dots reappeared, leader
and trailers.  He paused just a moment then transmitted.

   "Two's tally both, leader, trailer.  I'm engaged with the trailer." Ed
was pushing the Skyraider through the sky at over two hundred and seventy
knots.  The dots were becoming airplane shapes.

   Craig looked across and found Ed well below his altitude.  He projected
out until...There they were !  Easy to pick up with the gray overcast
behind them.  Craig looked around for the Citation.  He had to be in the
neighborhood, probably floated out to the west.

   *****

   Randal saw that the smoke stopped abruptly at five miles.  The target
was invisible once again.  The A-37s said something about losing their
talley ho.  But it was broken communication and immediately forgotten when
the systems operator screamed out, "There's two of them now and they've
split up !  I'm locked on to one of them...Turning west." Randal Hopps
turned the Citation further to the west.  He could see the A-37s racing to
where a thin smoke trail was disipating in the sky.  The TV was locked on
to it's target and it was easy to make out the silhouette of an A-1
Skyraider.

   The Skyraider was turning to the north and that meant that they were
bracketing the Dragonflys.  Eventually they would turn in behind the
Dragonflys.  He turned to the liaison officer but he was talking rapidly
into his microphone then was yelling that he could not communicate with the
Dragonflys.  Randal turned back and searched for the Dragonflys.  The Orion
was calling them and reporting that there were two targets, turning back
toward them.  Did they want the other Dragonflys launched ?