"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

By Atonia and Jo

Jo writing Maximus, Caroline, Bud, Marie, Lachlan, Hope, Cort, Daisy, Ben, Zack

Atonia writing Terry, Dee, Alex, Linda, Jack, Tarwyn, John, Bethany, Dino, Max, Sophia

PART 9:   

“Bollocks!” Max exclaimed, looking down over the vineyards. Much damage had been done. Supports were down and half the vineyard was flooded. The harvest that never happened was strewn up and down the rows.

Amos agreed with him. “There is much work to be done here.”

“Is it salvageable?” Max turned and asked from under his umbrella.

“Ah, yes, Sir. We may lose some vines…hard to say until we can get out there and have a look.”

Rain prevented the boards coming down from the great windows in the tasting room and retail area. Max looked toward the house in the distance. Sometime that morning they would make

the trek back and hope the golf carts had managed to survive the storm. There had been no

time to secure them in the garage.

Max took a few steps toward the vineyard and stopped under a tree. This was Sophie’s inheritance, regardless of who presently owned it. Whatever it took to restore the vineyard…

it would be done.

In rainproof gear Terry and Dee began the hike out of their subdivision.  Their street was truly impassable and the main road in wasn’t much better.

“Careful there,” Terry reached for Dee’s hand and helped her over a fallen limb. Near the entrance the power lines were down and trucks and workmen were already out trying to clear away tree debris and get the lines back up. The air was filled with the sound of chain saws.  “What did you say?” Terry leaned down.

“I said, let’s try John’s apartment. Better than a hotel.”

“Okay, we’ll see if Bud can get there.”

Bud had to try several routes before he could get close to Terry’s and was relieved to see them coming along the sidewalk.  Rolling down his window, he smiled, “Need a lift?”

Terry grinned despite his predicament. “I sure am glad to see you. Think you can get us to John’s apartment?”

“We can certainly try.  The way John’s apartment is situated would put it in the lee of the storm so hopefully it’s all right.  You got a key?”

“Yeah, I got a key. I picked up my keyring like I was going to drive. My vehicle looks like a pancake.”

Cort, Zack, and Caroline rode as far as they could on horseback, then when it was no longer

safe to do that, they dismounted and slogged through the deep mud.  Caroline noticed Cort was carrying some tools but said nothing.  She was having a hard time just breathing through the thought that she and Maximus had only been married a couple of days. 

They followed the general path of the mud flow, skirting along the edges of it.  Enough trees

had fallen to create a blockade that had sent the mud and water off to the side away from the graveyard.  Maximus would be pleased about that...if he still lived and could ever be pleased about anything again.  A strangled sound stuck lump-like in her throat and Zack reached out, holding onto her arm.

She lost all track of distance.  Everything had changed so much that if it hadn’t been for the mudflow itself giving them direction, she would have had no idea which way to go to look for him.  Her thigh muscles began to ache from the effort of picking up her mud-layered boots with each step. 

“Zack, are you managing this all right?” she asked, suddenly realizing how hard it must be for him.

His jaw had been tightly set but he managed a small smile and said, “Hanging in there, Caroline.  We have to find him.”

Yes, she thought, they did have to find him.  One way or another, he must be found.

In lieu of plastic sheeting, Tarwyn had taken a box of large black garbage bags upstairs and standing on a small chair she was taping them over the windows.

“Tarwyn?” Jack came up the stairs calling for her.

“In here,” she answered.

“What are you doing up there?”

“Taping up the windows. Give a girl a roll of duct tape and a garbage bag and she can fix it.”

Jack lifted her down and kissed her. “Joaquin and I are off to Home Despot.”

“Ah, that’s Depot, Jack. Hopefully there won’t be any despots there.”

“We have hopes of finding plastic sheeting and some gas before we return. The  generators

won’t run without fuel, a small thing I forgot.”

“Jack, pick up a wet/dry shop vac…um, I’d better write that down.” She went ahead of him down the stairs. “If you can plug us into the generator, I can do something about that soggy carpet up there.”

“I should think pulling it up would be the thing to do.”

“That’s probably going to happen but maybe we can keep the mildew at bay.”

Bethany called Alex for John.  “Hey, Alex, just wanted to know how you came though the storm?”

“Hey, Bethy, we came through pretty good. The boards are coming off the windows now. Pool

is a disaster and the back pergola is gone. Don’t know what else yet but we’re high and dry. How’s the sheriff?”

“He’s okay, doing better all the time. He was anxious about you since we haven’t heard

anything outta you.”

“Sorry about that. Linda’s been on the phone with representatives from the refinery down in Port Arthur. Seems it flooded out and now we’ve got an oil spill.”

“Oh, jeez, not good. I’ll let John know. Have you heard from anyone else? You know Lachlan’s plane went down in the storm?”

“What? What the hell was he doing flying in a f..., um, hurricane?”

“I don’t know. Hope’s here with us. We’ll let you know when we find out something.”

“Yeah, do…’cause I’m worried about him now.”

Bud got Terry and Dee to John’s apartment.

“Listen, Bud, let me know about Lachlan, if we need to launch a search and rescue…we can…like immediately. One call to Dino and we’re airborne, okay?”

“I’m going out to the airfield now, see what I can dig up about it.  Checking on my apartment and house is gonna have to wait.  I’ll call soon as I find out what we need to do.”

Dee unlocked the apartment and walked in. It was dark but miraculously they had power when she flipped a light switch. She began stripping off her wet clothes and headed for the shower. Terry came in behind her, doing the same thing. They were wet, cold and exhausted. However Terry’s worry button was pushed and he kept thinking about Lachlan.

Caroline slipped and when Zack grabbed for her, they both went down sideways into the mud.  Hooking his saw over a branch, Cort pulled hard on them to get them out. 

“Real deep,” Cort commented, looking down at the mud.

That’s what Caroline was most afraid of…that somewhere under all that her husband lay dead.  Cort saw the look.

“We’ll find him, Caroline.  We will.”

Because of the effort to get back on their feet in the mud, no one had noticed Marcus had gone on ahead until suddenly he was back, an eager look on his face.  Caroline knew her dog.  “He’s found him.”  Her voice cracked.  But…oh, God…there were so many horrid but’s.

Cort pushed quickly on ahead of the others.  “I see him!” he called back. 

Maximus was in the middle of the worst area they’d yet seen.  Not a single tree remained unbroken.  Cort bit his lip as he tried to hurry toward him, climbing over snapped tree trunks, jagged-edged limbs, always in the deep mud.  He could only see the top half of Maximus and

that was leaning forward over a large log and as he got closer, he could tell his eyes were closed.  It looked possible that his lower half had been crushed between several large, broken trees.

When Caroline and Zack got up to where they could also see, she let out a strangled cry.  He looked very dead. 

It was hard going to get close to him and Cort sliced his left palm on a jagged piece of trunk as he tried to climb over it.  Marcus had circled around, and was several feet behind Maximus, standing on a large log, his eyes intently on his master.

Maximus was so coated with mud you couldn’t tell the color of his clothes.  His face was coated, too, but looked like he’d made some attempt to brush a bit of it away from his eyes.  He was alive, Cort thought, when he ended up here, he was alive. Was he still?

Bud called Terry.  “Best these guys can determine, Lachlan’s plane went down somewhere past the Twin Oak Reservoir.  I have no idea where that is except it’s somewhere between here and Waco.  The planes here have been damaged by the storm and nobody’s started to look for him yet.  So, yeah, Terry, looks like we need to get on the stick ourselves.”

“Okay, I’ll put in the call to Dino.” Terry turned around to Dee, who was already under the covers. “Looks like I’m going after Lachlan. Sleep for both of us, luv.”

He held his phone to his ear. “Dino, how’d we fare?”

“I’m speaking to you from the airport. Ain’t nothin’ in the air.”

“I said how did we FARE?”

“As I’m speaking, I made it okay. House is another story. How about you?”

“House gone, I’m in John’s apartment and we’ve got a problem. Lachlan was flying yesterday and his plane went down somewhere past Twin Oak Reservoir. Waco can’t raise him No contact since yesterday. We need to get up and quickly.”

“Like I said, Tio, nothing is flying outta here. The airport is a disaster area. The control tower was hit pretty bad. I’m at our hanger now and the fuckin’ roof is gone, all the crap inside is blown about but our pretty little birds are okay. What the fuck was Lachlan doing in the air?”

“Working, mate, you know how that is. Find somebody to talk to. We gotta do it. Fly here.”

“You gotta airport?”

“Damned if I know.”  Terry rubbed his eyes.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do here. Find out, if I get out, if there’s a place to land.”

“All right.” Terry looked up the number for the airport and found out one landing strip was open. He would be allowed to bring in a helicopter.

A few minutes later Dino was back on the phone. “I got permission to take off.”

“I got an airport. Have you got a pilot?”

“You’re talkin’ to him. See ya in about 30 minutes.”

Terry called Bud back. “Bud, come and get me, airport in 30 minutes.”

Bud blew out a sigh of relief.  “Dino came through, eh?  Yeah, I’ll be there soon as I can.”

Cort took the last few steps toward Maximus very slowly, afraid he was dead. His chest rested

on the big log in front of him, his arms over it, hands hanging limply down, his head down a bit, too.  Holding his breath, he reached out and touched Maximus’ neck.  Ahhhh! He let the breath out.  He was alive. He called that out to Caroline and Zack as they approached and she made another choked sound.

Maximus’ lids fluttered up as Cort called out.  Unable to move hour after hour, soaked in cold mud, he was freezing.  Lifting his head a little, he made a sound and Cort quickly said, “We’re here, Maximus.  Caroline, Zack, and I are here.”

“And...the dog?”  He almost choked on a little attempt to chuckle.

“Marcus is here, too.  He led us to you.”

“Good dog,” Maximus sighed.  “Always finds me…by tree.”

Cort stepped back to study the situation Maximus was in, trying to decide how best to go about freeing him.  Caroline made it up to him, planting kisses all over his muddy face.

“Jack, you be careful up there!” Tarwyn called to him as he positioned the roll of plastic sheeting. He was moving around without a problem. Heights didn’t bother him and he was as surefooted as anyone who’d spent his life on a heaving wet deck.

She backed up, trying to watch him over the tree limbs. Joaquin was tackling them with a chain saw. Unable to stand and watch him without cringing every step he took, she went around back of the house and uncovered the gas grill. Whatever she was going to make for dinner would have to be cooked out there. The tank was nearly full when she checked it. Finding a broom she cleared off the bricked patio area. Thankfully the rain had stopped.

“Terry, when are you going to sleep?”

“When I can, luv. This is not the first time I’ve gone without. If you need anything call a brother.”

“You be careful and call me, Terry. I know how you are.”

“I’ll call. I love you.” He kissed Dee soundly and she grabbed him around the neck.

“I’ll be right here when you come back. I love you too. Take care of you.”

“I will.” He patted her cheek and rose to leave.

Dino brought the helicopter to a soft landing at the airport and Terry and Bud climbed aboard.

“Afternoon, Bud,” Dino greeted with a grin. “Ready for little ride?

“Big, little, whatever, Dino.  I’m just glad you could make it in to help us.”

Terry moved into the co-pilot’s seat. “Been awhile since you flew this thing yourself. You sure you remember how it’s done?”

“You want it?’

“No,” Terry smiled and buckled himself in. “I was able to get a map of the area we will be searching.”

“Yeah, let me see that.” Dino took it from him. “A topo…doesn’t look too promising, does it? I see the reservoir. Ah, shit, Tio…we’ll be all day.” He handed the map back to Terry.

“You got somewhere to go?” Terry raised a brow.

“I got nowhere to go. I was able to grab some clothes and stuff ‘em in the trunk of my car. Guess that’s where I’m livin’ now. Houston was bad hit.”

Terry turned around to Bud. “Have you been by your house yet? Any damage?”

“No idea.  Hospital, you, airport, you, airport.  No time to check.”

“I’m wondering about John’s house too. Too many things to worry about,” Terry sighed and looked out of the side window.

Dino got permission for takeoff and rose into the air, banking off to the right.

Cort decided to start with the tree pinning Maximus to his front.  He moved a couple of feet to Maximus’ left and began sawing at it. Zack and Caroline tugged on some of the smaller pieces

of brush and limbs on his right.  Maximus tried to stand straight but he was so battered and exhausted he couldn’t manage.  Caroline kept a worried eye on him as she pulled at the brush. 

Cort noticed how much Maximus was shivering and took off his own coat, putting it around him.  Maximus’ jacket was not only soaked through with mud, but had been ripped in many places and Cort was concerned as to what his back would look like.

The tree was large and it took a while for Cort to saw through it, but finally he did then moved down to Maximus’ other side to saw there.  An hour had passed, then another half hour and Maximus’ head sagged down again, his eyes closing. 

“Darling?” Caroline said, touching his cheek.

“I am here,” he whispered, not opening his eyes.

Zack had taken over sawing when Cort was halfway through the second cut and when the saw broke through the bottom of it, the two men pulled the big section of the trunk away from in front of Maximus, which also removed the support he’d been leaning on.  He was still up to his hips in mud and debris and all three of them pulled and tugged at it, sometimes scooping at the mud with their hands. Maximus had to keep his upper body straight now and he clamped his teeth together, concentrating on trying to do that.  As the debris came away from in front of

him, he leaned backwards on what was still there, trying not to topple forwards. Finally his

legs were freed and Cort and Zack pulled his boots up out of the mud, one foot at a time.  He started to fall and they caught him, helping him sit on the big cut piece of the tree.

Cort looked back up the mud flow the way they’d come.  It was a long distance back to the horses and he wasn’t sure Maximus would be able to make it.  Everyone was exhausted and

they all sat where they could, trying to rest a moment. 

Cort’s cell in his pocket rang and he fished it carefully out with his muddy fingers.

Evidently the phone service was working again.

“Daddy!”

“Hope, darlin’, are you an’ Lachlan all right?”

“I’m fine, Daddy.  Uncle Bud picked me up and took me to the hospital last night.  But, oh, Daddy…it’s Lachlan.”

“What, baby girl? Is he hurt at the blue house?”

“He flew, Daddy.  Said he owed his boss a favor and took a cargo out to Abilene and…and his plane’s down, Daddy.  Nobody knows where he is.”

“Oh, God…,” Cort sighed, his shoulders sagging.

“Uncle Bud just called.  He and Uncle Terry and Dino have just left the airport in a helicopter to look for him.  I…I…needed you to know.  Are you ok?  And Daisy?”

“We’re fine, house is mostly fine.  I’m with Zack an’ Caroline out in the woods.  Maximus got carried away in a big mud flow an’ we’ve just found him an’ will be tryin’ to get him back home.  You let me know, sweetheart, the moment you hear anythin’…anythin’ at all.”

“Any idea what flight pattern he might have used, Dino?” Terry asked, unfolding the map.

“No idea and the weather might have forced him off a set pattern. I can’t go any higher up, Terry. Wind’s too strong.

“That’s okay, low is good. This river, the Navasota, runs toward the Twin Oaks reservoir. We can follow it up. Northwest, Dino.” Terry looked down. They’d just passed over a small village. The hurricane damage was clearly visible. “I’d say we had a little tornado damage last night too.”

“Had some in Houston, on the outskirts. Looks empty down there.”

“Yeah,” Terry looked down again. In the distance sunlight glistened off the river. A lot of skinny pine trees were bent to the ground. No plane sighted.

Lachlan stayed where he was, figuring it was safer than venturing out in broad daylight.  He

had on his flight jacket but didn’t understand why he wasn’t in uniform under it.  If the Nazis found him dressed as he was, he could be hung as a spy.  All day he drifted in and out, in and out.  During one period when he was awake, he thought he heard a helicopter and burrowed even more deeply under his cover of leafy branches.

There was something he needed to do, someplace he was supposed to be.  It seemed vaguely to him he’d told someone he’d be there, wherever there was.  There was even a sense of urgency about it, but if he had no idea what it was all about or where he was supposed to go, lying low was still the best option.  After dark he’d try to find out where he was and if he were in Germany, well, he’d have a long walk ahead of him.  Right now he didn’t feel much like walking.  He was rather nauseated, in fact, and closed his eyes.

“Do you think you can stand?” Cort asked Maximus as the General sat on the cut away section of the tree trunk.

“I must stand,” Maximus replied.  “There is no other way unless I do.”

Cort turned his head, looking around.  Maximus was right.  Where they were was inaccessible by vehicle or even horse.  He also looked at Zack, who seemed just about at the end of his strength.  No wonder.  He wasn’t fully recovered from his own injuries and here he’d been, helping Cort ready things for the hurricane then slogging through deep mud for a long time as they searched for Maximus, then pulling on debris, scooping mud.  He wouldn’t be able to help carry Maximus and Cort didn’t want to ask him to try because he would try. 

Maximus slowly rose to his feet, pushing with his hands on the log to help him stand.  Caroline hovered on his left, Cort on his right.  It hurt to stand. His entire body was battered, bruised, and very, very cold.  His jeans had several long tears in them where jagged branches had snagged him as he tumbled in the mud flow, and the flesh beneath was cut and scraped as well.  His back had been pounded, too, as he was hurtled into things by the rapidly-moving mud and then by the night spent bent over the log with no protection from whatever the storm might throw at him.

Parting his lips, he tried to breathe quietly in and out, adjusting himself to the level of pain standing brought to his body.  Caroline watched his face, aware of the cost.

There was no need to go back up the path of the mud flow as there had been when trying to

find Maximus, so Cort plotted out the shortest course to the edge of it, which lay about six yards away.  It took a long time to go those six yards as the mud was deep and filled with sharp, protruding branches and split sections of tree trunks.  When they finally made it, Cort and Caroline still helping Maximus as much as they could, and all four of them and Marcus stood

on ground that was more solid, yet still saturated with moisture and filled with puddles and debris, Maximus had to stop, exhausted from the terrible effort of it. 

“I…I am sorry,” he said, his voice barely audible, “but I…”  He swayed and started to fall. 

Cort caught him and eased him down. 

Zack had sat heavily on the sodden ground, holding his head in his hands, his body trembling with fatigue. 

Cort licked his lips.  “I’m goin' to try to bring the horses,” he told Caroline.  “I think I can

make it with them through this part of the woods.  He squatted beside Maximus.  “I’ll be back soon’s I can.”  But Maximus didn’t answer.

They made it to the reservoir with Dino flying as low as he dared over the sparse landscape. There was more vegetation and trees along the river and around the reservoir.

“All right, let’s form some kind of grid.” Terry took a pencil and began blocking off the map. For hours they’d been in the air being buffeted by gusts and straining their eyes downward.

Bud had a pair of binoculars to aid him in the search.

Dino was keeping an eye on the clouds forming around them too. “We’re in for some more

rain.” His eyes went to his fuel gage, not for the first time.

They were making another sweep toward the river. “Bud, look down there right below us. Something with color.”

“Where?” Dino asked.

“Hold steady,” Terry answered him.

“It’s…yes, it is!  It’s a plane…there…partially submerged,” Bud cried, pointing out a window.

Dino found a place to land about a hundred yards away and the three of them were out, running toward the wreckage.  As he ran, Bud’s phone rang.

“Cort…yes…just now.  We’ve spotted wreckage and are on our way over.”

“Listen, Bud, I know you’re right in the middle of somethin’ big there but I wanted to let you know what’s goin’ on out my way.
 

“You sound out of breath, Cort.  What the fuck’s happening?”

“I am out of breath.”  Cort paused, leaning against a tree.

“Where are you?” 

“Not exactly sure.  Somewhere on Maximus’ land.  Bud, there was a huge mud flow in the night an’ it took Maximus with it.  He was gone all night in the storm.  Caroline rode over to my place this mornin’ an’ Zack an’ I’ve been with her, lookin’ for him.”

Bud stopped his sprint.  “Oh, fuck…no.”

“We found him an’ he’s alive.  He was pinned in the mud an’ debris up to his waist.  Was like that all night, nothin’ to keep the storm back.  Anyway, we got him loose but he’s about shot.  I’m tryin’ to get to the horses an’ see if I can get them close.  Zack’s had it, too.”

“Is Maximus injured?”

“Some.  Hard to tell yet.  Too much mud.  He made it to the edge of the mud but collapsed.  Caroline an’ Zack are with him.  I’ll keep you posted if you keep me posted.”

Terry had stopped when he heard Bud ask if Maximus were injured.

Not Maximus, Terry frowned and waited for Bud. “What happened to Maximus?”

Bud’s eyes veered from the wreckage to Terry.  “Mud slide…flow…some fuckin’ something to do with mud…out at Maximus’.  He got washed away in it, Terry, and Cort says he was out all during the storm, trapped in debris. They’ve found him.  He didn’t seem to know more than that, not yet.  He’s alive but hurt some. Evidently Zack’s been helping.  Too much for him yet.”  Bud sighed.  “Well, we’re not there. We’re fuckin’ here so let’s get over to the plane.”

It hadn’t burned.  Bud was glad of that.  But both wings had been sheared off.  The three men waded out, climbing aboard through a big hole in the fuselage.  The cockpit was empty.

Bud touched the wheel.  “Blood,” he said quietly, turning to look at Terry.  He stepped on something a bent down to retrieve it.  Lachlan’s wallet.  It must have fallen out of his pocket during the crash.  There was another area of blood near the cockpit door.

Terry took in the blood and turned away from the plane. With Dino on one side and him on the other they began searching for Lachlan. Terry was looking at the water too, almost afraid of what he might find.

“Lachlan!” they were all calling out to him.

Caroline had Maximus’ head in her lap.  “Darling?” she whispered.

“Mmmmm,” he murmured.

“Cort’s gone to try and bring the horses up.  You just rest right where you are now, all right?  There’s nothing you need to do but rest.”

How was he going to get up on a horse?  How was Zack?  She pulled out her cell and called Ben’s number. 

Ben had been trying earlier to get a signal unsuccessfully, had gotten frustrated with the phone and thrown it across the room.  Now he was mounted on Ranger, checking for damage around his land, thinking he might ride over to Cort’s or Maximus’ and see how they had fared.

It was getting late in the day by the time Jack was off the roof and helping Joaquin move the

logs cut from the tree branches out of the front walk way. All leaks in the roof and the windows had been covered up.

Jack came through the house looking for Tarwyn. She was outside under an umbrella finishing up their dinner. A light rain was falling.

“Jack, you’re a mess! Look at you.”

“I’d rather look at what you’re doing…steak?”

“Yep, steak and boiled potatoes. There’s salad inside. Can’t get too fancy today.”

“Is it ready?”

“Yes, if you’ll carry that pot inside, I’ve got the steaks.”

“We have plenty of wood for the fireplaces.”

“That’s good. Where’s Joaquin? I cooked for him too.”

“He’s gone out to his cabin to build a fire. Where he will lie on our sofa and sleep in our bed.”

Tarwyn glanced up at Jack. “How was I to know a hurricane was gonna hit us right after I gave the furniture away? I’m sorry, honey. I did save your chair and we have a place to sleep tonight.”

Jack’s mouth was watering. “Woman…I am more in need of food right now than an easy chair.”

The lingering bank of dark clouds was making what was left of daylight fade faster.  Cort had gotten to the three horses and had been trying to get back through the shattered woodland to where he’d left Maximus, Caroline, and Zack.  He was riding his horse and leading the other two, and that made forward motion all the harder. Finally he got back, seeing that Maximus

was still lying down, his head in Caroline’s lap.  Zack had slumped over and was draped against a log, his cheek resting on his folded arms.

“How is he?” he asked, sliding out of his saddle.

“In and out,” she replied, but Maximus cracked open a lid.

“Hor…horses?”

“Three of them, Maximus, an’ we need to get goin’ before it’s night. I’ll never find my way out

of here when it’s dark.”

“D…dog.  Tell Marcus…home.”

“He’s right, Cort,” Caroline said.  “Marcus will know how to go home.”

“Well, let’s see if we can get him in the saddle first.”  Cort heaved a big sigh.  He, too, was worn to the bone but was still the fittest among them.

“I…I’ll help,” Zack said softly, struggling to his feet.

Between the three of them, they got Maximus upright and leaning on the horse.  Cort laced his fingers together for Maximus to step in, and with both Zack and Caroline pushing, got him up into the saddle.  Caroline stepped up on a tree trunk and settled herself behind him, her arms around his waist and helping with the reins.  Cort had to help Zack mount then he himself was

in the saddle again.

“Home, Marcus!” Caroline said loudly.  “Home!”  Marcus looked up at his people on the horse then headed off diagonally through the woods and not the way Cort had just come.

After wading around through the water near the plane for a while, Bud, Terry, and Dino decided to try searching the field.  It was large and flat, filled with tall grasses, but so wet and boggy for a long distance it was impossible to find any semblance of tracks.  Bud looked at the sky.  It would be dark soon.

“What do you want to do?” he asked the other two men.

Dino surveyed the field and shook his head. “We’d better get out of here. It’s going to be dark soon and we’re not going to find anything in the dark. He wasn’t in the plane and so he was mobile.”

“He was mobile but wounded, Dino.” Terry let out a big sigh. “I hate to call it off today but I understand your point.”

The three of them trudged back to the helicopter. Once on board, Dino had a little trouble getting it started but they lifted off and circled around low over the field before heading back following the river

After sleeping for hours, Dee got up and made her way down to the strip of shops and restaurants. She ordered two takeaway meals and carried them back to the house.  The Mexican restaurant was the only one open and operating aside from the pub on the corner. The streets were strewn with debris but the power company had the stop light working. She wanted more than anything right now for Terry to be back. Their situation was dire, having lost everything

in their house. She was thankful, though, that John had not gotten rid of his apartment.

John was being well taken care of with Bethany and Hope there in his room. Bethany gave

Hope as much to do as she could, knowing how distressed she was over Lachlan. She had her reading to John.

Lachlan heard the helicopter when it took off and came low up the river.  He huddled down, waiting for the sound of it to disappear in the distance.  No bullet for him, no prison camp, not this evening.  Why then did something down inside him feel sad when the sound of it was gone?  He tried to shake the feeling off, labeling it foolish, but it nagged at him as though trying to attract his attention to a half-remembered dream.  Lying there, he waited for the sun to go down. 

Caroline knew Maximus would not have stayed in the saddle but for her arms around him. 

But she did have her arms around him and that’s what mattered.  He was alive and she was holding him.  Her own exhaustion was nothing to her compared with that.

Marcus disappeared over a rise, then returned, barking.  Shortly the three horses had topped the rise, too, and could see Caroline’s barn.  “Thank You,” Cort breathed. 

They rode right up to the house, through the garden, trying to get Maximus as close to the door as possible.  It took the three of them to get him off the horse and inside. Caroline quickly spread towels thickly on the bed and Cort and Zack laid him down.  Maximus seemed barely aware of where he was. 

“I can handle it from here,” Caroline said.  “You need to be getting Zack over to your house before it’s totally dark.”  She hugged them both.  “Thank you, thank you more than I can say.”

“You’re sure?” Cort asked, looking at the General’s quiet form.  “You can manage?”

“I can manage.  Daisy needs her husband home and Zack needs a bed.  I’ll call you if I need anything.”

Again Cort had to help Zack into the saddle and, taking the reins of the horse Zack was riding, led him home.

ON TO PART 10

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