Unwitting Alliances - Hunter Blake Series by Peggy Lea Baker

Chapter Thirteen

  A rising sun began to illuminate the Mexican desert. Lifting off, Hamilton hovered long enough to take one last look at the carnage then headed north toward the United States. He knew where to cross the border relatively unnoticed, especially at a low altitude. Once stateside he wouldn’t need to be quite so cautious, but given what had just happened, staying alert was always a good thing, especially when flying a borrowed helicopter.

  “Somebody will be tracking this thing, unless...” He studied the avionics then hit a button. “Here we go,” he said, impressed with the state-of-the-art equipment. “Nice rig.”

  He began to formulate a rough plan of rescue. It had been nearly a year since he’d been to the remote location referred to as ‘the clinic.’ A group of previously abandoned buildings, it was located on a little-used graveled road tucked into a mountainous region of northwestern Arizona. As such, it was very much out of the way and an ideal place to hide anything or anyone.

  Hamilton stayed on course as the morning sun began to cast elongated shadows, revealing the rugged terrain below. Although stark, there was a measure of unique beauty about it. Here and there, the barren earth displayed layers of exposed minerals, telling an intriguing story of tectonic history.

  By the time he’d reached the vicinity of the old clinic, the sun had finally risen and was bright in the clear morning sky. He approached the area staying high until he caught sight of what appeared to be a cluster of abandoned buildings nestled into a protected and rocky area. “There you are.” He flew a wide circle and continued to stay high until he identified a place to set down. It wasn’t too far from the dusty road leading to the abandoned buildings. He made a shallow approach staying out of sight behind a nearby rocky hilltop, hoping no one heard his arrival.

  Climbing out of the rig, Hamilton looked around and listened for anything unusual. Satisfied he’d not been observed, he began strapping on some gear. With the air temperature warming up and bright morning sunshine, he donned sunglasses and a baseball cap then patted the pockets of his jacket for a couple of items he generally carried with him.

  He pulled out a specially-made pair of high-powered binoculars that could fit in the palm of his hand. Using them he surveyed his immediate surroundings, to make doubly sure no one was watching. Trusting his years of training and expertise, he headed down the dirt road toward the clinic, remaining alert to any unwelcome surprises.

  He had no idea how many people were here or what to expect. Someone named Samantha was all Randy was able to tell him. And since he also managed to mention Carolyn’s name before he died, Hamilton was especially concerned for Samantha’s safety.

  “Samantha,” Hamilton said softly. “Who are you and why do I need to rescue you? And why did they bring you here? Especially after...” He stopped whispering to himself as he came around the base of the hill within view of the clinic and crouched down.

  He observed the weathered chain link fence surrounding the property and noticed most of the buildings had become dilapidated and showed evidence of the fire that he’d heard had ravaged through most of them a couple of years ago. One building, however, was in better condition. “Looks like someone’s been doing a little renovating.”

  An ambulance was parked on the near side of the one building, backed up to a wide door. Hamilton pulled out the binoculars and made a careful sweep of the grounds and buildings. He saw no evidence of surveillance cameras or listening devices. He waited a moment longer before slowly standing up

  The door to the building opened suddenly and he crouched down again, watching through the binoculars. A man dressed in hospital scrubs came out and opened the back doors of the ambulance then hurried back inside. Hamilton waited and watched. Moments later, the man returned pushing a gurney. Someone was on it and strapped down. A woman, also dressed in scrubs, exited the building and together they slid the gurney into the back of the vehicle and slammed both doors shut.

  “All set?” he could hear the man ask the woman.

  “Pretty much,” she responded. “Just need to take care of a couple more things first. Don’t want to leave any evidence behind that we were here. I’ll just be another five or ten minutes.”

  “I can help,” the man replied. They both disappeared back inside, but apparently not in much of a hurry.

  Hamilton did not recognize either one. Looking around one more time, he stood up and wasted no time trotting to a wide opening in the fence minus the mangled gates that lay nearby. Keeping the ambulance between him and the building, he reached the driver’s door and quietly opened it. Sliding in, he glanced in the back and noticed a woman lying motionless on the gurney. “I sure hope you’re Samantha,” he said, then reached for the ignition, assuming the key would already be there. It was not.

  Quickly searching the most likely hiding places, he found it tucked into the visor. Checking both side mirrors, he turned the key and the engine roared to life. Shoving the vehicle into gear, he peeled out of the facility, spewing loose dirt and gravel just as the man and woman ran shouting from the building.

  Bursting through the fence opening, he raced up the road for the helicopter parked about a quarter mile away. Minutes later, he braked to a skidding stop and jumped out. Flinging open the rear doors, he jumped into the back and examined the body on the gurney. A moan was all he needed to know the woman was still alive.

  Gently shaking her, he called her name. “Samantha. Samantha. You need to wake up. We don’t have much time!”

  He jumped from the ambulance and ran to the helicopter. Soon the engine began to whine as the overhead and tail rotors began turning. He ran back to Samantha.

  “You need to wake up.” He shook her. “Samantha. Focus on me. I’m here to help you,” he said while rummaging through compartments in the ambulance.

  “Mmm,” she moaned groggily struggling against the restraints.

  “Come on. We need to get you out of this thing and into the helicopter. We don’t have time to sit around.” He quickly loosened the straps. “Wake up, Samantha. We have to go!”

  “My head,” she said, still dazed.

  “You need to focus!” he said firmly taking her face in both hands. “Look at me!”

  She frowned and moaned again trying to figure out what was going on.

  Hamilton helped her to a sitting position. She was dressed in scrubs and wearing socks, but no shoes. Quickly searching compartments, he grabbed more socks and some hospital booties.

  “Hold these!” he ordered, and pulled her up and off the gurney. “We gotta move!”

  “I...,” Samantha struggled to comprehend where she was. “My head,” she said again and closed her eyes, trying to sit down.

  “No! You need to wake up!” He pulled her to the back of the van. “Samantha. Look at me. I’m here to help you.” He lifted her down then scooped her up and over his shoulder. Struggling under her weight, he worked his way to the helicopter, its blades now fully rotating.

  He managed to get her strapped in, tossing the extra socks and booties in with her. Racing around to the other side, he jumped in and checked the display readouts just as the man and woman ran into view with weapons drawn.

  The downwash of the overhead rotor was already kicking up sufficient dust and particles forcing them to shield their eyes, unable to fire any significant shots.

  Samantha slowly became more alert. “What’s... happening?” she asked, squinting out the cockpit windshield. “What’s going on? Where am I?”

  “We’re in the middle of the desert and I’m rescuing you,” was all he said as he worked the controls. Lifting off, Hamilton skillfully guided the aircraft up and disappeared over the crest of the hill to avoid the continued gun fire from below. He set his course northward.

  Two hours later, Hamilton began circling a remote area in the high desert region of southeastern Oregon. He carefully set down in a narrow wash lined with granite rock formatio
ns. Shutting down the aircraft, he climbed out and stretched before helping Samantha.

  Still unsure what was happening, she just stood and looked around at the formidable surroundings. “Where are we? And who are you?”

  “We’re safe for now,” he said. “But we need to hurry. We need to get moving.”

  “Moving? Where?”

  “To a safer place,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  She took a few steps on the coarse decomposed granite covering the ground then stepped on a larger rock. “Ouch.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t find any shoes,” he said. “Hold on.” He grabbed the extra socks and the booties from the helicopter. “Put these on. It should help a little.”

  “Who are you?” she asked again pulling on the extra footwear. “And... what happened? Why are we here?” She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t feel good.”

  “I know. They had you drugged, but we have to get going. We have a ways to walk.”

  “They? Who are they and why would someone want to drug me?” She shook her head again, trying to clear the fuzziness.

  “I can explain later,” he said, “but we really need to move. Come on!”

  She stared at their surroundings again. “Why do we have to walk anywhere? Where are we going? I... don’t understand... and what did you say my name was?”

  “Samantha. That’s all I know. Just come with me. You’ll be fine.” Hamilton started up the gully looking back. “Samantha! Let’s go!”

  Reluctantly, she began to follow. “Are there snakes out here?”

  “Probably.”

  She struggled to pick up her pace, doing her best to walk in the coarsely crumbled granite with her makeshift footwear. She managed to catch up to Hamilton and stayed on his heels as they continued on. It was nearly midday with the air temperature rising. “I’m getting tired and thirsty,” she said after they’d walked for about twenty minutes. “And it’s hard walking in these socks and booty-things. How much further?”

  “Not far.”

  “How far is not far?”

  “About a quarter mile, maybe less.”

  “About how many miles have we already walked? And why are we walking when you could have landed your helicopter a lot closer to wherever it is we’re going?”

  He let out a sigh. “It hasn’t been all that far, it just seems like it because we’re on foot and the going is slow. I don’t want anyone spotting the helicopter right away, okay?”

  “I guess, but why can’t you tell me where we’re going?”

  He kept moving without a word.

  “You’re just going to leave me out here, aren’t you? And why am I dressed like this? What happened to my clothes?”

  “You do like to ask a lot of questions, don’t you?”

  “I haven’t asked a lot of questions,” she said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” he replied. “I must have been hearing voices because it seems like someone hasn’t stopped talking and asking questions for the past twenty minutes. The drugs must be wearing off.”

  Samantha made a face behind his back. “Well, if you were me, wouldn’t you want some answers? If someone would just answer my questions, I wouldn’t ask as many.”

  “Not much further,” he said.

  Samantha continued to struggle to keep up as the gully narrowed and the trail started up an incline. By the time they crested the top Samantha had to stop. She gazed out at an expansive but barren landscape. “Now what?” she asked.

  “What? I think I’m hearing voices again,” he said, this time with a smile. “Come on. This way.”

  Following the base of a hilly granite rise, Samantha finally saw a beat up and rusty looking old travel trailer situated beneath a draped camouflage netting. As they approached, she could also see a wire mesh fence surrounding it.

  “I’d sure like to soak my feet right now. They’re hot and sweaty and I can feel every rock and pokey thing.”

  “I know, but like I said, it was the best I could do at the time.” He stopped. “You want me to carry you the rest of the way?”

  “Oh, now you ask when we’re right here!” She gestured toward the trailer.

  Without a word Hamilton hoisted her over his shoulder.

  “Put me down!”

  “No. The sooner we get there, the sooner you can stop complaining.”

  She pounded on his back. “If you’d just answer my questions, I might not complain as much!”

  “Somehow I doubt that.”

  “Well, I don’t trust you!”

  “I’m not so sure I trust you either!” He lowered her to the ground. “We’re home.” He discreetly pulled a small black device out of his pants pocket, pushed a button then put it back.

  Samantha stood staring in disgust at the dilapidated trailer.

  “Not bad, huh?” He grinned.

  “Are you kidding me? I’m not going inside that thing. It’s probably full of spiders and scorpions.”

  “It will give us shelter until we leave. I’ll check for unwanted tenants. Come on.”

  “So, when are we leaving? And how did you know about this place? You bring innocent, unsuspecting women here often?”

  “More questions. You need to trust me,” he replied.

  “I already told you I don’t. I don’t even know your name. Who are you?” she glared at him.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “Yes I do.”

  “No... you don’t.” He glared back. “The less you know about me the better. Now, come on.”

  He opened a makeshift gate and waited for her to enter, then secured it and headed to the trailer.

  Samantha stood back. “You check it out first. I’ll wait here.” She watched him step inside. Shading her eyes against the bright sunlight, she surveyed their surroundings more carefully. All she could see were dry, low-rolling, scrub-covered hills in one direction and the rocky outcroppings behind them.

  Loud banging and feet stomping preceded a yell as Hamilton jumped back out the door.

  “What!” She ran to the fence, ready to take off.

  He burst into laughter. “Nothing. I just wanted to mess with you.”

  “That is not funny and I’m in no mood for jokes!” she said. “You dragged me out here in the middle of nowhere. I have a headache and I’m tired and hungry, and I’m sure there are spiders in there! I hate spiders! Why are you taunting me?”

  Hamilton looked at her and simply said, “Well, it’s either stay inside the trailer or stay out here. Take your pick.”

  “Why do we have to stay here at all? Why can’t we just go someplace else, like a hotel or something?” She frowned. “Why here of all places?”

  “Because until I find out who you are and where you’re from, this is the safest place I know,” he said. “Hopefully later tonight or by morning you will be able to remember more. In the meantime, you should lie down and rest.” He gestured toward the trailer door. “That would help.”

  Samantha didn’t care for her options but realized she was at his mercy for now and gave in with grave reluctance. “Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll go in but you’d better be ready to kill any spiders… or… anything else creepy-crawly.”

  “I promise.” He grinned. “I’m not going to hurt you. I want to help, but you’ll have to figure out a way to trust me.”

  Once inside, Hamilton produced two tightly rolled sleeping bags from an overhead bin. He checked each for creepy-crawly things then offered one to Samantha.

  She looked at him. “You just happened to have two sleeping bags in here?” She eyed him suspiciously. “Are we spending the night?”

  “Yes,” he replied.

  “I’m not sleeping in here with you.”

  “That’s fine. You can bed down outside and sleep under the stars. Makes no difference to me.”

  She glared at him. “Well, if I did stay in here, wher
e’s the bed?”

  “Oh. Sorry.” He pulled out a gaucho sofa seat situated on one side of the trailer, then rearranged the cushions to cover the wooden platform. “There you go. A bed.”

  “And you expect us both to sleep on that?”

  “I thought you wanted to sleep outside,” he said with a grin.

  Samantha put her hands on her hips and glared again.

  He stopped grinning. “I would have fixed the dinette into a bed, but a support piece is broken. So, yeah, we’re sharing this one. But you’ll have your sleeping bag and I’ll have mine,” he said. “So don’t get any ideas, if you know what I mean. I’m not easy.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud!” she said in disgust. “That’s the last thing on my mind. And besides, I don’t do… that sort of thing.”

  “Not ever?” He seemed genuinely surprised.

  “Will you please stop? I just want to get off my feet. They hurt.”

  He pointed to the bed. “Then sit. I’ll see what I can scrounge up for a meal.”

  “We have food?” She sat down on the edge of the bed to rub her feet.

  He bent over and opened a small icebox door pulling out some sealed packets. “Gourmet style,” he said with a slight flourish.

  “What are those?” she asked. “And why keep them in a refrigerator that obviously isn’t cold? Are they perishable? Do you even have electricity out here?”

  “More questions,” he said. “It’s not a refrigerator, and no, we do not have electricity. We do have a propane gas stove that works, but this is just an icebox, with no ice. I keep stuff in there so the creepy-crawly things can’t get to them.” He was obviously enjoying himself.

  Samantha moaned.

  “Okay,” he said. “These are MREs. The military uses them.”

  “Why call them ‘emories’?” she asked.

  “No. They’re M-R-E’s, meals ready to eat. You know, M-R-E… meals… ready…”

  “Okay, okay... but are they any good?” She was doubtful.

  “I guess we’ll find out. Let’s see... we’ve got corned beef hash, sliced ham, brownies, crackers, and applesauce. What sounds good to you?”

  “None of it,” she said staring at their choices, “but I’ll try the corned beef hash, I guess, and some crackers.” He opened the packages. After a tentative taste he grinned. “Not bad.”

  “I’ll just bet.”

  “Seriously. Take a bite.”

  Grimacing, she put a very tiny piece of corned beef in her mouth then gave him a sheepish look. “Well... okay. I guess I can eat that.” They eventually ate some of each, except the applesauce, which had gone bad, and washed it all down with bottled water.

  “You need to rest,” he said after cleaning up. “I’m sure your body is still trying to deal with whatever drugs they gave you.”

  “They,” she repeated. “Who are they and why did they take me? What did I do?”

  “I have no idea, but that’s not important right now. What is important is that you are safe with me.”

  “Safe with you. I don’t feel so safe. Besides, if I lie down, what are you going to do?” she asked as he arranged the sleeping bags on the bed.

  “I have some things to do outside while there’s still daylight. I’ll be in later. Just rest.”

  Hamilton cranked open louvered windows at the front of the trailer and similar windows alongside the bed to take advantage of a very slight breeze. “It’ll be cozy, but I think we’ll be fine.” He waited for Samantha to get settled before heading out the door.

  “You’re not going to run off are you? And leave me here?” she called after him.

  “No.”

  “Are you sure we’re safe?”

  “I’m sure,” he said to her through the open window. “Try to rest. I’ll protect you from all the creepy-crawly stuff.”

  “Wait!” she called out again.

  “Now what?” he asked stepping back to the window. “I’ve got things I need to do.”

  Samantha rose up to look at him through the window. “Why won’t you tell me your name? You do have a name, don’t you?”

  “Most people do.”

  “If I’m going to die out here, I’d at least like to know who my abductor is.”

  Hamilton didn’t answer right away and Samantha figured he wasn’t planning to, so she lay back down. Finally she heard him say, “Brad. You can call me Brad.”

  “Thank you... Brad.”

  “You’re welcome. And by the way, I did not abduct you. I rescued you from people who did abduct you.” He stepped away.

  “Please don’t leave me here to die,” she said softly as tears welled up.

  “I’m not going to leave you here to die, Samantha. I really am trying to help.”

  In spite of his promise, tears still rolled down her cheeks. “But I don’t understand what’s happening,” she said quietly. “I wish I could remember more.”

  “I know,” Hamilton responded. “You were drugged. But eventually you’ll begin to remember things. When you do, let me know. In the meantime, resting is the best thing you can do. Drink some more water then try to get some sleep. I’ll be in soon.”

  Samantha took a swig from her water bottle then stretched out attempting to get comfortable on the lumpy foam seat cushions now serving as a mattress.

  “Brad,” she said before dozing off.