Mark Spaid - Falcon Down

“What do you want?” Dave asked. Tatiana cringed at her husband asking questions and hoped it wouldn’t be perceived by this man as a challenge.

“A change in Russia… a return to the days of Comrade Stalin.

“Why are we being taken prisoner?” Dave asked. Tatiana nudged Dave to stop talking.

“Because you’re here.” He turned and said something to one of the gunmen then left and got into a car in front of the bus. The cell phones were collected and a search was conducted of everyone’s person. A pocket knife was recovered and the search was over. The man who collected the phones went to the front and when the bus driver opened the door, he threw the bag of phones out on the curb.

“I’m a little scared, Warren,” Ariel said.

“Probably not as much as me.”

“Are they taking you because you’re a famous physicist?”

“Who said I was famous?”

“I did.”

“A one-person fan club… I guess I can handle that.”

“Promise me you won’t leave me at any time.”

“We’ll all need to stick together to get through this one.”

“Promise me, Warren.” He looked at her and grinned.

“I, Warren Andrew Peabody do solemnly swear…”

“Warren!” She whispered testily.

“I promise, Ariel, okay.”

“That’s better.” She hugged his arm and he pulled her close to him but he was no hero who was going to protect his woman. If anything, it was probably the other way around he thought as his knees began shaking.

“I don’t like this, Jo,” Andy said.

“I hate it.”

“Just another time for us to be in the soup,” Andy said and Jozette nodded as the bus pulled away led by the car containing Kulagin and a half-dozen others with guns. The two gunmen were up front standing, looking over the crowd. Trent and Vladimir were sizing up the situation looking for an opening… a plan. They weren’t talking, they knew that’d be squelched immediately but they were making eye contact and talking with their eyes and expressions. The one gunman had his weapon pointed to the floor. The other was pointing his straight ahead but Trent and Vladimir knew that the two would be hesitant to open fire in the bus for fear of killing one or both of the presidents. That was the prize cargo and they knew Kulagin would not be happy if anything happened to his hostages. There would be a bullet in the head for both guards if anything happened to Presidents Deniken or Lexington.

“Ask them if I can speak to President Lexington,” Trent said to Vladimir. The gunmen saw the two security agents talking and shouted something in Russian and Vladimir made Trent’s request. After a moment the gunmen said something to Vladimir and nodded. Kulagin would’ve never allowed Trent a visit but these two gunmen weren’t Kulagin.

“Okay but be quick,” Vladimir said and Trent went immediately back to where Ellen was sitting.

“Hello, Trent, how are things up front?” Ellen asked with a grin.

“Not so good, Ma’am.”

“Where are they taking us?” Bonnie asked.

“No idea, Ma’am. I have to go back soon so listen. The Russian guy and I are going to attack the guards. Keep the President safe.”

“I will,” Bonnie said.

“She’ll be fine,” Clarise said. Trent nodded and as he turned to leave, he looked at President Deniken. Sergei gave a slight nod and a wink. Trent sat down across the aisle from Vladimir. The bus was going about fifty miles an hour led by Kulagin’s car. Trent glanced at Vladimir and held his hand down so Vladimir could see his fingers. It indicated they would go on three. Given their relative position Vladimir would go after the gunman with his gun pointed at the floor and Trent would take the one with his weapon pointed straight ahead.

“Get down, Ma’am,” Bonnie said.

“I’m not going to let you take a bullet for me.”

“It wasn’t a request, Ma’am,” Bonnie said and pushed Ellen down and laid across her. Across the aisle Vasily Boronovitch did the same thing to Sergei. It happened very quickly. Trent leaped at the gunmen and grabbed the gun. They were struggling with it as Trent was trying to keep it from pointing at the president and the gunman tried to shoot Trent. It was pointed at the ceiling and Johnny Rodriguez stood up to be between the gun and the President. Clarice did the same thing in front of the President. The last thing the gunman wanted was to shoot either president but he had to regain control. Finally, the gun was lowered and four shots rang out. One went through the bus in the back and one hit Clarice in her left arm. She was a last-minute substitute for Andrew. Johnny Rodriguez was shot in the upper left chest and Little Wolf in the leg. Johnny and Clarice fell back in their seats and Little Wolf moaned and grabbed his leg.

“Brave!” Julieta shouted and Jozette and Andy knew it meant something bad.

“Little Wolf!” Jozette said as she started to get up but Andy pulled her back down. Trent managed to get the gun away, slugged the gunmen in the head and he fell on the floor out cold. Vladimir was struggling also and the gun went off hitting the driver in the head. He fell on the steering wheel and the bus began to swerve. Trent gave the butt end of the gun to the other gunman and he also fell to the floor. The bus was crossing the center line as cars honked and ran off the road. Vladimir pointed to the driver and Trent threw him out of the seat and took control of the bus.

“Open the door,” Vladimir said and when Trent opened the door Vladimir threw out both gunman and the driver out into the ditch as Trent sped along. Kulagin had stopped his car and was standing in the road ahead with his gun drawn and the rest of his gunmen pointing at the bus. “Hey, Yankee, what do you do now?”

“This,” Trent said and floored the bus. Kulagin and most of his men got out of the way but two of them were launched into the air and the car was totaled.

“Great job, Yankee, but where do we go now?”

“That’s your problem, we’re in your country now… Russkie.”

“You know, they’ll find another vehicle and chase us.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, so you need to find a safe house for us.”

“Clarice,” Bonnie said as she got off Ellen and stood up

“If this is what falling on one’s sword is like then I’ll have to reassess my stance on that subject,” Clarice said. She was holding her left upper arm. Dave went to her aide. Dave was an EMT and good with first aid. He examined the wound and the bullet only grazed the arm. Dave put on a tight bandage and put the arm in a sling. Then he went to Johnny Rodriguez and that was not so good. There was a bullet in the left upper chest and Johnny was barely conscious.

“Are you a doctor?” Johnny asked.

“No, I’m afraid not… just an EMT.”

“I’ll take what I can get.” Dave examined the wound and placed a bandage over it. “How bad is it?”

“Not good, the bullet is still in there. Are you having trouble breathing?”

“A little.”

“The bullet may have punctured the lung. Stay still and try not to exert yourself.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem. I don’t have the strength to hold up my head.”

“Miss Jozette, Mr. Andy; Little Wolf’s been hit in the leg,” Julieta said. Andy and Jozette went to their son and Dave followed.

“High, Mom and Dad, what are you doing here,” Little Wolf said in his typical fashion of making people feel better about a situation even when it was him in danger.

“Dave,” Jozette said.

“It’s lodged in the upper leg here but it missed the artery and the bone.”

“How do you know?” Andy asked.

“Because he’d be howling in pain and bleeding like crazy.”

“I know you don’t complain about pain, Son,” Jozette said, “but be honest with me now, please.”