CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

It sounded like war. Niki couldn’t tell how many helicopters were in the air, but there were more than the original three. The tail of one of the Canadian helicopters exploded into fragments, sending it spiraling out of control, crashing nearby, the impact vibrating the ground beneath their feet and clearing a swath of trees. A second helicopter was blown into such small pieces that it looked like fiery-rain cascading into the forest. The third helicopter went down in a blaze, yet the sky still teemed with multiple craft sending deadly showers of bullets into the enemy soldiers on the ground.

Trees went up in flames like giant candles and smoke filled the air, blurring the scene playing out above. The sounds of helicopters, gunfire, explosions and wildfire roared unnaturally through the usually placid high country, making Niki feel she was someplace foreign, not in her tranquil mountain paradise.

Several more passes from the two large, previously unseen, helicopters and ground resistance ended. The loud thump of the huge helicopters quickly waned, but was replaced with a similar, but less intimidating sound.

No one moved. Though they no longer had enough ammunition to defend themselves against anything, everyone held their post. For what felt like an eternity they stood rigid, listening to shots that became fewer as each moment passed. Slowly the gunfire and curses diminished until all that remained was the thump of a helicopter’s rotors and the crackling of flames and the snapping off of burning trees.

The weary and terrified group heard a small helicopter land in the camp clearing, but no one left the shelter to investigate. Soon, four soldiers cautiously emerged from the trees, their weapons held ready for use.

“U.S. Army! Is there anyone alive?”

They could see the American Flags on the soldiers’ sleeves, but everyone remained silent, afraid the terror wasn’t over, that it was a trick or hopeful illusion. Niki held her position out of view of the soldiers.

“We’re looking for Blackburn and Stephens’ family members!”

“Who sent you?” Deuce shouted back.

“Bob Blackburn and Cal Stephens are at the Blackburn Ranch. If we don’t report in soon those two will probably be heading out here on horseback,” the soldier shouted, impatience and annoyance tainting his voice.

Deuce put his weapons down, eased out of the shelter and cautiously approached the soldiers. Taking no chances, Niki sighted in on the soldier closest to Deuce, her hands shaking as she gripped the rifle. When Deuce shook the man’s hand she exhaled and let the rifle barrel drop.

The four soldiers entered the enclosure and quickly assessed the situation. Niki stared at the men with a mixture of hope and guarded fear, but was unable to move or speak. As much as she wanted to believe it was over, she just couldn’t. Too much had happened to let go of her caution and fear.

“These really are the good guys. We’re safe now ,” Deuce whispered as he pried her fingers off her rifle stock.

Setting the gun down, he pulled her into his arms and held her until he could feel her begin to breathe normally. He eased Niki back so he could see her face and assess the damage. Brushing the stray strands of hair which had escaped her lopsided ponytail back behind her ears with his fingers, he wiped the black smudge off her cheek. The blood on her forehead had dried, so he assumed the cut wasn’t deep. He was angry, but those responsible were dead, so there was no one to punish for making her bleed.

“Bernie’s going to get the help he needs now and Joe’s fine. He just got hit a few inches above his prosthetic leg.”

The mention of Joe and her grandfather brought Niki back from the brink of shock. Wiggling out of Deuce’s embrace, she raced to her grandfather’s side, grabbed his weathered hand, kissed it and held it to her cheek. He looked weak and tired, but he was alive. They were all alive.

“I’m so proud of you. If my mule-headed boss ever accuses you of being a helpless city girl again, I’ll beat the tar out of him as soon as you let me out of this darn bed.”

“That won’t be necessary, Bernie. I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong.” Deuce slipped his arm around Niki’s shoulders and pulled her close. “In fact, I’m afraid to turn her loose on any city after what I’ve seen. I just hope she can forgive me for being such a jerk.”

Niki was so stunned by his comments that all she could manage was to stare at Deuce, her mouth agape.

“Let’s move out,” the soldier interrupted. “We don’t have room for everyone. We’ll take the old man, the injured guy, the children and their mother. The rest can wait for us to return, but it’ll be morning by the time we get back. All the firepower we came here with has already bugged out to other pockets of resistance and left us with local civilian helicopters for clean-up that aren’t adequately equipped for night navigation of unfamiliar mountainous terrain.”

“If you can spare a radio and a few supplies and our horses haven’t taken off for Montana, we can start out on horseback,” Deuce stated. “I doubt we can get Niki to leave her crazy old horse behind anyway, assuming he’s still around.”

Niki couldn’t help but smile. He tried to sound so tough in front of the soldiers, but he knew how much the horse meant to her. It would break her heart to leave Storm behind, even knowing they would track him down and bring him back to the ranch eventually.

The soldier yelled out orders and within minutes a radio, water, food, flashlights and sleeping bags were piled at Niki’s feet. The soldier handed Niki two side-arms and a box of ammunition.

“Hope you don’t have to use these, ma’am, and I’ll need them back, but it’s always smart to be prepared. It’s impossible to know for sure at this point if any of those Iranian soldiers held back in case you tried to slip away. Keep this between us or I’ll probably be court-marshaled for giving army-issued weapons to a civilian, but these are extraordinary times and you all look like you’ve been through enough and clearly you can handle a simple side-arm.”

“Thanks.” Niki stared at the guns in her hands. They should have felt foreign, but they didn’t. She methodically checked the load and safety and without even thinking, stuck one pistol behind her back through her belt and set the other one on the sleeping bag at her feet.

She left the supplies and located her grandfather. She walked alongside the stretcher as he was carried to the waiting helicopter. “Do as Sarah and the doctors tell you and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The old man smiled and reached for her hand. “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself and Deuce. He may be tough, but he needs you more than he’ll ever admit. You’re good for each other, you know.”

Niki nodded, but didn’t answer, not trusting her voice. She was happy her grandfather was finally getting the medical help he needed, but she still felt on the brink of falling apart. She stayed by his side until a soldier insisted she step back.

“Give old Doris a call and invite her out if you have your heart set on it. I’ll even try to be nice.”

Niki smiled and kissed his cheek as the soldiers loaded the stretcher into the helicopter, removing him from her reach. She hugged Lacy and April, who were waiting to board, and told them how brave they had been and how proud she was of them. The girls returned her hug and she could feel their tears on her cheek as they begged her to come with them. Their concern touched her deeply, but even if there was room on the small helicopter, Niki would have stayed with Deuce and Frank to bring the stock out of the mountains.

“Sarah, tell Bob we’re fine and we’ll be out as soon as we can. Take care of Papa until I can get there.”

Sarah promised she would make sure Bernie received the best care possible, hugged Niki and climbed into the helicopter.

As the doors closed, Niki could see the woman holding her daughters tight and she thanked God the family had survived and would soon be reunited. She waved as the helicopter lifted off and watched until it was out of sight.

She barely registered Deuce’s hands around her waist until he lifted her off the ground and set her on Storm’s back.

“You’ve got to quit doing that. I’m perfectly capable of getting on and off my own horse.”

“Just trying to help¾let’s go home,” he said as he held out her new straw cowboy hat, which now looked like it had been through the small war it had.

She pushed the crumpled crown back into shape and dusted off the dirt and slapped it on her head.

“Nice hat,” he grinned.

“Thanks,” she said as her eyes surveyed the damage around them.

The area that had once been their camp looked like a garbage dump. Everything was broken, shredded or burned. She stared at the trees burning around the camp and the smoke drifting slowly up into the sky.

“We’ll send some guys back in with pack horses to clean up the mess.” Deuce watched the varied expressions on her dirty face change the longer she contemplated the damage.

“What about the fire?”

“There’s no wind, so between the meadow, cliffs and creek it won’t go far. Besides, the nights are so cold right now it’ll lay down tonight and snow could come at any time.”

Niki nodded. Gently nudging Storm with her heels, she rode away, refusing to look back. She knew the men followed, so now all she wanted to do was put distance between them and the place that had nearly claimed all their lives.