Peter O'Donnell - Cobra Trap

"Willie! She's here—Dinah can hear her!"

Two minutes later they were on the strip of open ground between track and jungle, standing among the chattering refugees as a Piper Tomahawk circled above them, quickly losing height. "She's checking the winddirection by the locomotive stack," said Willie. "I got them to chuck some green stuff on the coal to thicken it up."

Collier said, "Why is she-?" and broke off. The plane had moved upwind and was turning in a slow roll. Something fell, and immediately blossomed into a small parachute which slanted back towards the train as it descended. "Very considerate," said Collier. "She doesn't want us to have to climb trees." He took his wife's hand. "There's a small parachute with a little package coming down, and it's going to land pretty close. How did she get it out of the plane, Willie? You can't just open a window, can you?"

"There's a roof door on the Piper Tomahawk," said Willie. "It's open now. That'll be a hand radio she's dropped, with a bit of weight for stability." He began to move forward, calling in Spanish to the little group of men watching, telling them to remain where they were. Since he had achieved the miracle of summoning help his authority had been unquestioned, for these were very frightened people. It was on his instructions that the children were now confined to the coaches and in the care of the women.

The parachute came down just ahead of the locomotive and close to the jungle fringe. Willie cut the padded bag from the shrouds and took out the little radio. Above, Modesty had banked round and he could see her looking down. He waved and received an answering wave before the circuit took her from his view. Walking back to join Steve and Dinah he checked that the batteries were firmly connected and drew out the short aerial. At once her voice came clearly to him. "I'll be dropping the container next, Willie. Three fishplate spanners, some weaponry and sundries. How long will you need to get that train moving?"

With the sound of her voice his heart lifted and the whole world became brighter, for he felt suddenly complete. Three spanners! He was grinning with relief as he spoke into the integral microphone. "A couple of hours if we hit no snags, Princess."

He had rejoined the Colliers now, and they were listening as she spoke again: "Then we'll need a holding operation. At the moment you have only about halfanhour. Have you been up on that eastwest ridge to look at the approach, Willie?"

"Sure, Princess, first thing after I'd got through to Sagasta. It's not good. There's a track leading up from the pass to the railway, meeting it about a quartermile west of where we're stuck. But with you and me up on the ridge with a bit of firepower we could hold 'em quite a while. Long enough, I reckon."

"Not that simple, Willie. I made a sweep south before I came here, and I've seen the Cobra column. They're going to reach the pass in less than halfanhour. What their late comrade didn't tell his inquisitors is that they have two armoured cars. The stuff I've brought will stop footsoldiers but not armour. Are Steve and Dinah listening?"

"Yes. Sorry, Princess."

"No, that's fine. I just want them to know it's all going to be okay. Now here's the plot. I'll drop the container next circuit. You get the driver and fireman and any other likely man busy with the spanners. Show Steve exactly what has to be done, and put him in charge. Have him wear one of the revolvers from the container to establish his authority, then you meet me on the ridge, just east of that stand of tall trees. You'll have to hump the rifles and as much ammo as you can carry, but you can take it slowly. I'll bring the first aid kit and the radio. Leave your radio with Dinah so we can keep in touch. We'll want to know when the train's ready to go so we can disengage. All clear?"

"You'll be coming up the ridge from the far side?"

"Yes. With you being so loaded, I'll probably be there before you. Okay, stand by for the drop."

Again the Piper moved upwind along the railway. Again it rolled, and this time as the parachute opened a large cylindrical canvas container hung from it. Willie said, "Lend a hand, Steve, and bring Dinah with you."

Collier took his wife's arm. As they moved with Willie towards the area where the container would land Dinah said, "Why is she going to bale out so far away?"

Collier said in a startled voice, "Bale out?"

"Well, what else, honey? She can't land here."

"Oh God, no, of course she can't. But what about the plane?"

"She'll think of something," said Willie. "Waste not, want not."

"Eh?"

They had reached the container, and Willie ignored the question as he dropped to one knee and began to unfasten the straps. "Help me sort this stuff out, Steve. You 'eard what Modesty said. I'll show you what's to be done, then I'm off. The rest's up to you."

Collier said miserably, "Jesus, I'm useless at this sort of thing. I'll make a colossal cockup of it."

Dinah put her arms round him and kissed him on the chin. "You said the same thing twenty years ago when you were looking after me in Panama, and you've been saying it ever since, but you always turn up trumps, Steve."

"This is different—"

"Shut up and listen. You're not required to do anything manual, you simply use your voice and your terrifying personality. You're going to strut about giving orders in a loud, hectoring manner. I know that's not you, but I also know you can ham it up. You're great at that. Now come on, give me a snarl, tiger."

Collier bared his teeth. "Grrrrr! Like that?"

"Promising, but could do better. Now work yourself into the skin of the part while you're helping Willie. It's an act, Steve, and it's right up your street, so bloody well do it."

Willie lifted an M-16 rifle from the container and sighed inwardly as he glanced at the blind girl. There were times, before Steve, that he never allowed himself to think about now. She was still lovely, and he had never ceased to admire her quality. He laid the rifle aside and lifted out the great spanners. "Let's get to work," he said.

Ten minutes later he stood beside the track where the rails were buckled. The container was now slung across his back and secured by the straps, leaving his hands free. In it were two M-16 rifles with ten 20round staggeredrow box magazines, one Colt.45 revolver, two pairs of field glasses, some plastic explosive with detonators, four grenades and a coil of nylon rope. A small haversack at his hip held a bottle of water, chocolate, packets of dates, and some amphetamine tablets.

Collier, in shirtsleeves and with a revolver holstered at his hip, was barking out orders to the driver, fireman, and ex-Minister of Agriculture who were using the fishplate spanners. Other men were filling holes blown in the flintstone base of the track. Above, the Piper was still making wide circuits out beyond the ridges and back, with Modesty reporting progress of the rebel force. Dinah stood beside Willie, listening to the medley of sounds.

He said into the radio, "It's all going okay 'ere, Princess. I'll be on my way now."

Her voice came back. "Me too, Willie love. We'll need time to pick a good spot. See you soon." The Piper banked away, climbing.

As Willie put the radio in Dinah's hand she said, "What did you mean about Modesty and the plane when you said "Waste not, want not"?"

"Well, she's got to bale out, but she'll try to work it so-" Willie broke off as Collier came towards them, face set and gleaming with sweat, jaw jutting, eyes narrowed, a man transformed. He was gazing south, to where the Piper had climbed high above the ridge and was beginning to dive. They could hear the rising scream of the engine at full throttle, and now the Piper was vertical, hurtling towards the ground like a divebomber.