***
Harry and Angie had moved back to within a few hundred yards of the helicopter crash site. Harry listened to the start up of the engine and the initial lift off. Something wasn't right. The helicopter wasn't ascending much and the sound seemed to indicate movement in their direction. Ahmad must be looking for them. Harry dove beneath a clump of spruce trees just as the helicopter passed overhead. Harry turned and saw the armed guard peering out of the open door. Their search couldn't last very long because darkness would soon be complete.
After the helicopter had passed, Harry arose from their hiding place still holding on to Angie. He moved toward the lakeshore trying to get a look at the crash site. His feet were bleeding again, and after a short rest he was again conscious of the pain. His movements now were more of a flitting from tree to tree, always aware of the helicopter sound. As they neared the marshy clearing, Harry began scanning for movement. There should be at least one person left on the ground. Harry kept to the heavier cover as they inched toward the lakeshore. He set Angie down in a thicket of trees just yards from the shore saying, "I need you to listen. There's at least one more person here on the ground. I'm going to circle back and see if I can find him."
Angie was about to protest when she heard a change in the helicopter sound. It was getting closer again. "Stay hidden under the trees," Harry advised, picking up broken branches. He hefted them in his right hand and put them down again. Reaching up into a dead tree, he broke off a limb two or 3 inches in diameter and about 6 feet long. The sound of the limb breaking seemed loud even with the racket of the approaching helicopter.
Angie watched as Harry carried the limb like a spear and moved to the edge of the clearing. The helicopter was now almost overhead and still visible in the darkening sky. The helicopter circled over the marshy clearing before landing near the crashed chopper. They quickly loaded some of the specimen boxes without shutting down the helicopter. Taking off again and just feet above the ground, they started to head out over the lake. Harry stayed hidden until the helicopter passed just in front of him and then stepped out. The helicopter was only about 30 feet in the air and almost directly in front of him. Harry sprinted forward and heaved his spear at the tail of the helicopter. His javelin throw carried the force of his 260 pounds and found its mark. The limb was somewhat rotten but the weight and force of momentum struck the tail rotor squarely. One blade shattered and the next blade jammed, which, in turn, fractured the drive shaft to the tail rotor.
The helicopter yawed immediately and Dr. Ahmad's pilot responded as he had recently done in the company helicopter by cutting the power. Dr. Ahmad never had time to question the pilot. Their forward momentum carried them out into the lake and the helicopter crashed in a somewhat controlled fashion in about 12 feet of water. With the door open, the helicopter began taking on water and sank in just seconds. Harry watched in the failing light as people began swimming toward shore. Harry waded out and grabbed the first one, Dr. Ahmad's bodyguard. He dragged him ashore and quickly secured his arms using the guard’s belt. Harry also removed the guard’s pistol from a holster beneath his arm.
Angie had come out from hiding and Harry handed her the pistol saying, "If he even wiggles, shoot him."
Harry moved back into the shallows and pulled the pilot onto shore, binding him also. He patted the pilot down but found no weapons. Harry asked, "Where's Dr. Ahmad?"
The pilot between coughs said, "Still in helicopter. Wasn't wearing seat belt. Must have hit head."
Harry nodded toward Angie, then advised the prisoners. "She will shoot…" With that, Harry stripped off his shirt, jacket and pants before diving into the lake naked. Harry could see the site of the helicopter mostly because of the bubbles reaching the surface. One blade still stuck up into the air, but otherwise the craft had sunk completely. With powerful strokes Harry reached the helicopter. He took a few deep breaths and then dove into the blackness. The top of the helicopter was only a few feet below the surface and Harry used his hands to pull himself into the door opening. Dr. Ahmad was floating motionless at the top of the cab. Harry tried to pull him out the door but Ahmad’s leg was tangled in something. Harry needed air.
Pushing back to the surface, Harry filled his lungs with a few big breaths before again diving below the frigid surface. Dr. Ahmad was now half out the door. Harry pulled himself back into the cab of the sunken helicopter and felt for the restraining object. The seatbelt Dr. Ahmad had not worn was tangled around his ankle. Harry reached along his leg and pulled the scalpel free from his stocking. He used his teeth to remove the scalpel’s protective plastic sheath and began cutting the seatbelt loose. In a few seconds, Dr. Ahmad began to float free and Harry pushed him toward the surface. Breaking the surface, Harry recharged his lungs and began hauling Dr. Ahmad to shore.
Dragging the unconscious body of Dr. Ahmad onto the rocky shore, Harry laid him facing downhill and began CPR by first checking for a heartbeat. There was none. Harry performed a pericardial thump by striking Dr. Ahmad on the chest and began CPR compressions. With every compression, water drained from Dr. Ahmad's mouth. When the flow of water decreased Harry told Angie, "Start giving mouth-to-mouth on my call."
Angie looked at the gun she was holding and then at the unconscious maybe un-living form of the man who had abducted her and called her his angel. Touching him was going to be tough. She was brought back to the present when Harry told her, "Set the gun down by my feet and start the mouth-to-mouth. You'll have to pinch his nose shut to make it work."
Angie did as directed, and when Harry stopped his chest compressions she blew into the cold mouth of Dr. Ahmad for all she was worth. When Harry said, “Off” she stopped blowing and lifted her head. Harry pressed Ahmad’s chest rhythmically five times, then stopped to allow Angie to fill Dr. Ahmad's lungs with her life breath. After several minutes Angie asked, "Is there any hope?"
Harry responded, "This cold water should have stimulated the diving reflex which would have protected his brain. If we can get his heart started, he might make it. Not sure about the head injury."
They continued in their rhythm trying to push oxygen into Dr. Ahmad's lungs and blood from his heart through his lungs and into his brain. The nighttime cold was settling in and Harry was working naked except for his operational shoes. Angie was cold wearing her dry dress and the raincoat. She wanted to make Harry stop the CPR and get dressed, but they continued his chest compressions and the rhythm of her breathing for Dr. Ahmad.
After what must have been 10 or 15 minutes, Harry suddenly stopped Angie as she was about to transfer her air to Dr. Ahmad. Harry felt Dr. Ahmad's neck and said, "We have a pulse."
A gasping, rattling issued from deep within Dr. Ahmad's chest. His first few tentative breaths were followed by violent coughing. The dead Dr. Ahmad was coming back to life. He remained unconscious but was definitely breathing on his own. Harry pulled Dr. Ahmad into a sitting position and had his two associates move tightly against him in an attempt to provide some warmth. At this point Angie insisted, "Harry, you must be freezing. Put some clothes on."
Harry obeyed, then heard a distant voice in the darkness. He asked, "Who's that?"
Angie replied first saying, "Someone started yelling for help about the time the helicopter crashed."
Harry turned towards Dr. Ahmad's pilot and asked, "Who's back there?"
The pilot's teeth were chattering so bad he had trouble responding, "The charter pilot. He's tied to a tree."
Harry handed Angie the gun and said, "I'm going to check it out. If they move shoot them. We really need a fire.” Angie simply nodded.
Harry left Angie and moved off in the direction of the voice. He had dropped his scalpel after freeing Dr. Ahmad and was now without any weapons. At least moving provided some warmth. The night was dark except for the stars and Harry moved by keeping his orientation with the stars and separating the total darkness of the woods from
the dappled darkness in the marshy area. At least his feet didn't hurt. The cold was good for something.
Creeping along the edge of the marsh to an area close to the first helicopter crash Harry projected, "Where are you?"
A voice to the left said, "Over here. What's happened?"
Harry moved slowly in the darkness feeling his way. His hand touched first the tree limbs and then the head of someone against a tree. The voice said, "I was afraid they were going to leave me here."
Harry responded, "They were." Before undoing the belt binding the man's hands, Harry patted him down and removed a small automatic pistol from his coat pocket. He then undid the belt and asked, "What's the pistol for?"
The man replied, "Dr. Ahmad said he thought there had been some sabotage and told me to come prepared. I would guess it was more than sabotage."
Harry snorted and said, "You would be correct. My name is Harry Williams. I have been trying to stop Dr. Ahmad's terrorist plot."
" Marty O'Hara. I operate a small charter outfit outside of Thunder Bay. I thought Dr. Ahmad ran a cellular phone outfit. I've provided charter service for his company for many years."
Harry explained, "The Telephone Company is a front for his development and use of brain worms. I need to contact the authorities. Any ideas?"
"Don't imagine the radio in my helicopter would be of much use. What do you mean by brain worms?"
"I'll explain later. Let's check out the Huey and see if its radio works. Hopefully we can get some jet fuel for a fire."
Marty said, "It's upright but was set down pretty hard. Somebody took out the tail rotor."
"Do you have a fix on its position?"
"Just to the left of Polaris and about 50 steps. Do you want me to lead?"
Harry said, "Yup, I'll count."
Marty moved off keeping track of the North Star as he traversed his mental path to the helicopter. As they neared the downed chopper a faint red glow was visible from the instrument panel. It made identification easy but also meant the master switch had been left on and now the battery was almost dead. The radio would be worthless. The door was ajar and Harry forced it wider open. In the dim light they looked for a container to carry jet fuel, but a large coffee thermos was all they found. Harry said, "Fill this with jet fuel from the belly sumps. I'm going to strip the interior blankets."
Marty shook as much coffee out of the thermos as he could. Crawling beneath the damaged helicopter, Marty felt for the fuel sumps and began filling the thermos. The helicopter shook as Harry pulled insulating interior blankets from the airframe without taking time to undo the snaps carefully. By the time Harry had removed six of the liner blankets Marty had filled the thermos. Harry had a large pile of the soundproofing blankets and was debating how to carry them. Marty recommended using the helicopter door, so Harry pulled the emergency jettison handle, freeing the hinge pins. The door fell free with a little help from Harry. They piled the blankets on the door and worked their way back to the shoreline.
Walking sideways, carrying the door between them like a table piled with the blankets, the going was slow. When they returned to the shore, the coldness of the night was even more evident and wisps of fog obscured the stars at times. Harry gently wrapped one of the blankets around Angie who was shivering despite her pacing back and forth holding the gun. Harry introduced Marty and Angie. He then charged Marty with trying to cover the unconscious Dr. Ahmad and his associates, who were developing hypothermia.
Harry took the paper chart which he had pulled from the helicopter and began tearing half of it into one-inch strips about 10 inches long. He then created a small depression and put the remaining part of the chart down as a liner. He partially soaked the strips in the jet fuel and poured about half the remaining jet fuel into his paper container on the ground. He laid the strips so that the wet portion was in contact with the small pool of jet fuel. Harry then took Marty's small 38 caliber pistol out of his pocket and removed one of the shells. He used his powerful fingers and teeth to remove the bullet and carefully dumped the gunpowder on the dry portion of the paper strips. Placing the now empty round in the chamber, Harry told Angie to step back. Holding the tip of the barrel next to his gunpowder, paper and jet fuel mixture, Harry pulled the trigger. The hammer struck the primer, which ignited, sending a shower of sparks out the gun barrel. A few of the sparks landed on the gunpowder and ignited it. The smoking flame of the gunpowder gradually transferred enough heat to light the paper. Bending down and blowing ever so gently, Harry nursed his fire along. The jet fuel gradually caught and the fire spread toward the pool of jet fuel.
It was a smoky fire but provided heat and a little light. Harry asked Marty to gather some firewood. Taking the large helicopter door, Harry propped it up behind Dr. Ahmad trying to reflect more heat onto his unconscious body. He then stood next to Angie and shared her blanket. The wood Marty added provided a nice crackling sound to their fire, and the darkness was much less oppressive dispelled by the fire’s warm glow.
The stillness of this night was shattered with a sudden low-level fly over by two military jets. They passed over and pulled into a vertical roll followed by another pass-over. The noise was enough to arouse the unconscious Dr. Ahmad. As his vision cleared, he saw Angie in the light of the fire. He spoke slowly and somewhat garbled saying simply, "My Angel."
Angie replied, "That would be Mrs. Harry Williams to you."
***
The End
The concept of brain worms is based on an actual case we had at my hospital. Their medical use as a means of producing and secreting essential human factors such as dopamine and insulin is a potential which we have not yet tapped.
I hope you enjoyed the reading of this as much as I enjoyed the writing. My surgical career ended when I developed rheumatoid arthritis but the closing of that door opened the door of writing and living in worlds of my imagination. I still enjoy life despite my medical issues and will continue writing both fiction and medical works.
I would like to thank my wife for her support and encouragement.
Contact me with comments or questions at:
[email protected] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doc-Kaluza/172455206099307?v=wall
Cover by Vila Design
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