The Outside Job, Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They left Anchorage early, on the way north.  It was bitterly cold, but the air was dry enough to dry the back of one’s throat when inhaling.  The electronic sign outside a bank along the road indicated it was 24 degrees below zero.

“Any sign we're being followed?” Rick asked.  Both passengers were in the rear seat, to keep a better eye on the road.

Rebecca shook her head.  “Nothing that’s obvious. Hatch, are you getting anything?”

“I would normally monitor for indications of the type of transponder they’d use to listen into local government frequencies, but they’d have to be pretty close for me to get anything.”

“So a mobile intercept is unlikely?”

“Pretty much. This rig would be great from a stationary location outside their office, but a car-to-car signal is doubtful. That’s why I put a tracer on their car, last night.”

Almost in unison, Rick and Rebecca exclaimed, “You did WHAT?”

“I put a bug on their car. It was parked outside their office, so it’s not like I had to go searching for them.”

Rick smiled grimly. “That’s my pal.”

Rebecca looked from one guy to the other, and just shook her head.

There was a muted beep from the box next to Hatch.  “Don’t get too cocky, buddy. They’re following us, maybe a half-mile back.”

Rebecca said, “It’s going to be hard to pick them out in the dark, with traffic on the road.”

“That’s what they’re counting on,” Hatch said. “But at least we know where, and how far away, they are.”

Rick nodded. “You let me know if they get any closer. I'm going to keep pacing traffic, so we don’t draw attention to ourselves.  They’d be stupid to try anything dangerous during the morning drive.”

He looked over to see that Rebecca had placed her pistol under the arm rest. “Expecting that kind of trouble?” he asked.

“I don’t trust that, uh, woman any farther than I could throw her … although it would be fun to try.”

“What? To trust her?”

“No. To throw her.”

“You’re not normally this blood-thirsty, are you?”

“No, Rick, but she’s already threatened me, and now she’s messing with all of us.  Wait – what was that?”

THUNK. They all heard it, that time.

All of them looked around, and Hatch said “They’re not any closer, yet.”

Rick looked thoughtful. “What if they use a second car?”

“Then we might be in trouble.  Is that what you heard, Rebecca?”

“No, there was a pop that could have been a shot.”

Rick accelerated briskly.  “Let’s see if anyone speeds up to keep pace with us.”

As they moved away from the pack of cars they’d been driving with, a black pickup also sped up. “There!” Rebecca said, pointing. “Watch that one.”

The truck was trying to match their speed, weaving around traffic. Other drivers were honking and flashing their lights as the big pickup cut them off. The pickup would gain ground in their direction, then get held up behind commuters.

“What are they doing?” Hatch asked. “It looks like they opened their window, but at this temperature? They must be nuts.”

“No, that’s not it.  They might … wait. Oh, crap, that’s a rifle, Rick. Get us out of here!” she cried.

As he punched it, there was a small flash from the rifle. There was another thunk, and the back window suddenly had webbed cracks spreading down from the top.

“That’s it,” Rebecca said. “I’ve had enough of this.”  She lowered her window and had her 1911 in hand. “I should have brought a rifle, though.”

“Were you expecting trouble?” Hatch wondered.

“No, if I was expecting trouble, I’d have brought it.”

Hatch looked at Rick. “Buddy, I may have already told you this, but I like her.”

“Tell me about it after we get away from–”  

SPANG.

“Damn! That was aimed at my door, I think,” Rick said. “Where does this exit go?”

Rebecca said, “It’s the old highway – goes past the colony farms into Palmer.”

Rick took the exit at a fast clip, braking only enough to slide around the corners. The pickup followed, although more slowly. Rebecca’s cell phone rang. “What now?” she muttered. “Hello?”

“Beck, it’s Jamie. Is that you guys that just took the old highway exit going sideways?”

“Yeah, we’re being followed. They’re shooting, and all I’ve got is my .45.  Wait – how do you know that?”

“It’s called flying, girlfriend. Hang on a sec.”

They heard the sound of a plane's engine, overhead.  Landing lights on, it swooped toward their pursuers.  The truck swerved as its brakes were applied, scattering gravel on the shoulder. It fishtailed and seemed headed for the ditch, for a moment, but recovered as the plane turned away.

“That got their attention,” Jamie said. “Are you guys okay?”

“They’ve hit the car a couple of times already, but we’re okay. So far. Can you do that again?”

“Already turning around, but this Beaver isn’t a sports car. I’d do better from behind, but can’t get my lights in their eyes that way.”

“You slowed them down, which helps already. Thank you.”

“Oh, I was up here, anyway. As long as the air’s this dry, I'm not frosting up. If THAT starts to happen, I'm setting this thing down pretty definitely … and hope the tires are still flexible enough to take a landing at these temps.”

“I'm just glad you’re up there. The last thing we need is for … well, whoever that is … to be shooting at us while we head past all these farms. Somebody’s going to get hurt.”

“I’ve got your six, literally. But I can’t stay up here forever. It’s too cold for aerobatics, my fuel supply isn’t bottomless, and the winds will start picking up toward sunrise. If I didn’t have that hangar to keep Baby warm at night, I wouldn’t be up here at all.”

“Understood, Jamie. Just know there are three very grateful people in this car.”

“That’s okay. I’ll stay here until you reach Palmer, but I’ll have to head back home after that.”

* * * * *

Hatch said, “I know we’re worried about playing tag with the truck, but does anyone want to know what happened to the Ng’s car?”

“Okay,” Rick said, “I give up – what happened?”

“They went on past, and it looks like they’re going to be in Palmer by the time we get there. Maybe waiting for us, because they know where are now.”

Rick growled deep in his throat, and said, “Not if I see them, first.” They headed on north, as the first glimmer of morning light was visible behind the mountains to the east. Palmer was just ahead.

To be continued ...

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