Mando Bk. 02: Good Badass Bitch Ch. 10-11

Chapters 10 and 11

CHAPTER 10: NINJA HAWK FLY AGAIN

GINO'S STORY

Falcon, I don't have time for missiles! Danny yells at me. They're moving in too fast. Take this NPC grenade and hit the farthest chopper with it. It will cook our asses if it explodes too close.

It is a red-tipped grenade loaded with two ounces of the same kind of explosives that were in the cabinet at the school. I jump from the hummer and whip the grenade the chopper farthest from us while Phantom floors the gas pedal in hopes of clearing the blast radius.

But just after the mini-bomb leaves my hand the closest chopper chooses that moment to rise and seals our doom. I turn and tell my feet to flee fast. I'm to close. I'll cook if I'm not at least fifty yards from the explosion. When the grenade hits the chopper's nose, it explodes, throwing a five thousand degrees F. heat blast in all directions. Seconds later the explosion of the secondary gasses reaches fifty thousand degrees due to the small amount of NPC used.

No matter how fast I run, there's no time to escape the blast. I burst into flames and shoot through the air like a flaming comet. I bounce off the hood of our jeep, landing hard on the dry rocky ground and roll twenty yards before coming to a stop face down. I roll frantically on the ground to put the fire out, but I'm more charred than a burned steak. Darkness engulfs me. I could heal myself if lucid, but my consciousness is in limbo.

I am dying and don't know what to do about it. Sounds fade into my awareness from far away. First a door slam, then another one. Danny is the first to reach me. "Oh my God it Is G-Falcon!"

She drops beside me but is afraid to touch me. I don't know I look like a well done bar-b-cued roast. All skin had burned away leaving raw charred flesh exposed. Kammy hurries up, and I hear Danny blurt in anguish: "There's no pulse. There's no pulse! His heart has stopped! Oh my god, Kammy, we can't roll him for resuscitation, and can't press the back of that charred chest. What will we do?"

Kammy talks to me softly in Chinese. Even though Danny is begging me to stay, I float out of my body and hover over it. I see Danny crying and hear her begging and pleading for me to live.

"Gino, don't leave me. I just found you. Please stay. I don't want to live another day without you. I love you so much".

In a panic her voice becomes drill sergeant firm. "STAY WITH ME! That's an order damn it! Listen to Boss Bird get your ass back here NOW!" She's crying so hard her face looks like it's melting. She's broken, desperate for my return, but I don't know how to reenter my body.

"I'm begging you, Gino, please don't die. Live for me. For us. For all those people we can help. Please, I love you so much it hurts. I can't stand the thought of being without you. Oh, Gino, don't go. Don't leave me. Stay with me. PLEASE!"

I'm confused. My mind is foggy. I'm desperate to clear it and understand. What's happening to me? Is that burnt thing with legs me? Am I dead? Why is Danny so upset? What's she saying?

I listen attentively to her words sand realize she talking to me. Then I tune into Kammy. Her words tell me the story and Danny confirms it. Understanding blooms slowly at first, then the fog fades faster and faster as I allow Kammy to guide my chi into recovery.

"Gino, your body is damaged. My chi will awaken your chi to get it flowing. Relax and do nothing."

She addresses my Chi like she's talking to a person. "Gino,'s Chi, your path has been disturbed and disrupted. You are weak without direction. Take energy from me. Draw from my Chi for the energy and power required to rebuild your path. Flow freely. Repair Gino 's body and restore it. Rush through me to him like a raging river until you are strong enough to flow without assistance." She takes a deep breath, focuses on my body and encourages me to take charge and restore myself.

I listen and wonder. Restore or resurrect?

"Gino,, heal yourself, will it so. Let your chi flow to its fullest power. Draw from mine."

I follow her instructions without having to think or decide. I will myself to restore wholeness and heal my body. My chi takes over.

I watch in awe as my body initiates restoration. As flesh and bone knit themselves back together, it gets easier and faster . I'm drawn back into my shape. I relax.

Danny hurries back to the jeep to clear a place for me in the back.

Together, she and Kammy lift me by my feet and shoulders and carry me to the jeep. Once Danny arranges me on the floor she hunkers down beside me. My body is restoring itself quickly now. My Chi flows through me with such power and purpose it's like being inside a power plant. The intense energy and vibration flooding my body and soul is like a pulsating blue-white light. It's getting stronger by the second.

Danny covers my naked back and butt with her shirt. When I speak, she gasps and yells to Kammy. "Phantom, he's awake.! Get us out of here!" She tumbles over to the front seat, probably so the passengers won't see her weep. Since she's made up like a man it'd confuse them to see her weep over me.

The NCP grenade vaporized the four gunships. That hurtle is over, but what's next?

twenty-seven minutes later I sit up and look around. "Is everyone all right?" Both girls jump when I speak..

The oldest answers. "Yes, but are you?"

My lips go from a straight line to a healthy ten-ten smile. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" That's when I realize I'm naked. "Girls, give me one of your Arab robes please. My clothes were destroyed by the blast."

They gawk at me while taking off their robes without answering. One girl hands me both robes and I get dressed. "Girls, I know your mother and brother were shot. Did either of you get hit?"

"No,, but mom 's pale and looks like she's in a lot of pain. Can you help her like you did for yourself?

Kammy's scream interrupts us. "Jeeps on our ass coming up fast. They looked pissed enough to turn us into lead pudding or blow us to the third planet past heaven."

Danny responds by barking an order. "Keep the pedal to the metal and the jeep pointing toward our chopper. We'll handle the sand men. We're almost there. Drive straight up the ramp when you reach the chopper. She calls the chopper pilot on her mobile sat phone. "Captain, the first cloud of dust coming toward you is us. Start the engines and lower the ramp. We've got armed sand men on our ass, and they are shooting to kill."

The rotors of our chopper begin their spin as the back drops down for the seven people who'd rather be on their way to Chicago for a deep dish pizza than in Morocco. Kammy zips up the ramp and screeches to a jolting stop. The terrorist soldiers in the jeep riddle the ramp door with bullets as it closes. Their jeeps are kicking up clouds of rocks and dust as they race toward the chopper belting and belching bullets at us like swarms of angry bees.

Danny jumps from the jeep and rushes to the co-pilot seat yelling at the pilot. "UP UP UP! Four jeeps full of armed, angry men are on our asses."

We are on the way up and out of firing range when the four terrorist jeeps roll into the space we just left. The soldiers shoot rifles at the helicopter, and one rattles a stream of bullets from a mounted fifty caliber gun, but the pilot is a seasoned combat veteran and outmaneuvers them with the ease and grace of a ballerina. We are out of range in seconds and swinging around to head to the landing point.

Danny gives the captain the coordinates.

The pilot gets Danny's attention. "The ship is in the other direction, sir."

"Surface to air missiles are in that direction too, Captain. These are your coordinates. Shall I take it?"

"No, sir. I've got it. I'm allergic to SKUD missiles."

***

I examine the VP's wounds. The bullet has pierced the liver, alright. "Madam VP, look at me."

The blood loss has drained her strength. She turns her droopy eyelids up to see who is talking to her. "I'm fine." Her voice is weak and tired. She's anything but fine.

I slide her over to where Larry is strapped in, put a hand on each and relax. Bloody holes in the clothing cover the wounds making the healing invisible But when both sit up the sisters realize what happened.

. "Larry! Your leg is healed! Mom, you're alright!" They burst into tears of double relief; relieved to be out of captivity, and relieved their mother and brother are alright.

I give the others a quick look over. "Any more wounds that need attention?"

Sheila, the fourteen-year-old answers. "Rope burns. I-I mean we all have burns on our ankles, wrist, and necks."

I take charge. "Madam VP, buckle back in. Everyone, join hands with the person on each side of you."

Once their fingers were knitted together. Their eyes focus on me, silently asking, what next?

"Relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, and how wonderful it is to be in a bullet and knife free zone. Close your eyes if you like."

I take one hand of the first and last person to complete the circle and relax. When I glance at their ankles, wrist, and necks a few minutes later, I smile. No rope burns. "All right, guys. You're better now. Calmer and more relaxed, too. The adrenaline is slowing down enough for you to unwind a bit." I lean out so I can see our rescued escapees. "Is everyone feeling good enough to scarf down a plate of spaghetti, Caesar salad, and a slab of garlic bread?"

The jubilant family doesn't have to think about the menu or order wine. A grinning Kammy distributes bottled water to eager hands. "We are out of Muslim airspace; free to cheer, laugh, barf, or faint," she tells them.

The four ex-hostages laugh and cheer. "We're out!" the kids chant. "We're out, out, out! Without a doubt, doubt, doubt."

Danny is pointing ahead of us to the right. "Captain, the landing ring is two hundred meters starboard, see it?"

"Roger that, sir."

The chopper lands, drops the ramp, and Kammy backs our ride down it without bumping the bumper on the ground before her wheels hit. Danny waves the pilot off, and Kammy drives up beside us. "Going my way?"

Two warriors and four worn-out retired hostages hustle back into the ATV. Danny taps Kammy on the shoulder. "Take us to the Jet, Phantom, I'm hungry."

Once we're airborne Danny swivels around in her co-pilot seat enough to see and talk to the VP. "Mam, the newscast I just heard said your husband is in the hospital in Madrid. We can take you there next if you like."

"Oh!" She breaks, tears starting to fall on her cheeks. She sniffs. "Oh! In all the excitement and worrying about our own skins, I forgot to ask about Sherman. How is he?"

"Critical condition Mam." Danny gestures in my direction. "Let's take Falcon's healing hands to him so he can walk out of the hospital in ten minutes."

She gushes. "Oh my god, Chief, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you." Then she hurries to her children. "Gather around guys, I've got news." They eagerly flanked their mother. "What mom?"

Marian gushed, "Guys, dad is alive!". Smiles play with their lips and I can see how hard it is for the VP to dump bad news atop of good. "But he's in critical condition in a Madrid hospital."

"But Mom, can Mr. Falcon help him like he helped us?" All three switched their gaze from Mom to me.

Their imploring looks turn my heart to peanut butter and honey. What else could I say but: "Just as fast as we can." I pause. "We'll check with the hospital and let them know to expect us."

Hearing about their dad being in critical condition, they break into prayers. "God please let daddy hold on until Mr. Falcon gets there."

"Oh God, we can't lose Daddy. Please, God."

"God, speed us up so we can get there in time to save him."

After a good cry and worry fest, the VP claps her hands. "Group hug, guys. Mom needs some love." The group hug knits the family tighter together more than the kidnapping already had.

Meanwhile, Danny calls the hospital. After a brief discussion she ends the call and says to me, "Falcon, he's in dangerous territory."

"I understand. Let's get there ASAP." The kids aren't going to be fatherless. Not if I can stop it..

Mando crawls out of the copilots seat and shouts to get the family's attention. "We have snacks and drinks in the galley. Follow me and make your tummies happy. We'll bring something for your mother."

"Great!" Madam VP blurts before facing Danny. "But sir, who are you?" She makes a general wave in the team's direction. "The team I mean."

Danny laughs. "We are an independent international rescue and extraction and team. I'm Chief Hawk, the driver is Phantom Hawk, and you've met Falcon, also known as Ninja Hawk."

The kids' mouths mimic a fish out of the water. "You men are THE Hawk?"

"Wait a minute, I thought there was just one Hawk!" Sheila, the fourteen-year-old brunette exclaims.

I laugh and punch the befuddled girl on the shoulder. "Never can tell when more than one Hawk has to fly. You'll see one when one is enough, two if that'll do, and three if need be."

Suddenly, Danny realizes she forgot about Chuck. "Oh crap! I haven't reported in." She rushes to the cockpit and calls him on the satellite phone. "Chuck, we are airborne, and Madrid bound, then Italy. The packages are safe."

"Fan-dam-tastic!" He exclaims with both excitement and relief filling his voice. The heavy burden is lifted from his chest. "Wait! Italy? Madrid? Weren't they being taken to Malaga, Spain? Or a Carrier?"

"Change of plans, sir. We're on a tight schedule. We're going to Madrid for the family to see their father and husband. If we wait, they may not see him alive. After this failed attempt at the DFA plan, we're concerned about Eagle's safety, so we'll go there next and be on site if needed. Please inform those waiting for the packages in Spain of the change in itinerary."

"Good. Very good. But Goddammit it, Mando, we watched the whole thing that happened outside through the infrared sat cam. What in the hell was Falcon throwing? Nothing exploded but those bastard's heads. Those misguided fools were dropping by the thousand! And by god, it looked to us like their heads were split open! Were they?"

"Roger that, sir. Falcon gave them splitting headaches."

"But, but, but Mando! Our boys estimate close to fifteen thousand bodies. Thirteen and a half minimum. We sat on our asses here and watched one man alone do that damage outside the compound. How the hell is that possible? And how in the world did you get them to kill each other? The generals about had coronaries and canaries." He's talking so fast Danny has to stop him.

She simpers. "Hold on Chuck. Slow down a mite. You're talking faster than I can listen."

He slows down a little, but the excitement in his voice and volume doesn't drop. "You three did the job of five thousand, by god! You won an entire war with Frisbees!"

Danny laughs. "All is fair in love and war."

"No joke," Chuck retorted before asking, "Mando, I was wondering if you were the only sniper? We saw Falcon come out of the compound and take a dive off the jeep. Were you the only other person? Other than the driver? You were weren't you? There were really only three of you? For real?

Danny has the phone on speaker, and we are all laughing ourselves silly. "Falcon was the pitcher, sir. I was smart enough to be a thousand yards away from that party. I kept him covered in the pen, dropped a missile or two, and swatted a few flies with gas pellets and then cleaned our mess up when we were done".

Chuck chuckles. "I know you well, Mando, and know for certain that you were the eyes in the sky and the ghost shooter that cleared those towers, barracks, searchlight, and sprayed hell and gas in that compound. Oh, and sent all those parachutes with the blinking lights. What was that gas and what the hell was the explosion that lit up the entire mountain?"

"Puke gas. It's common enough for riot control. One breath and it's puke and stomach cramp time. I like it better than tear gas. It is effective isn't it?"

"And the two explosions that whited out our picture?"

"The second one took care of four gunships that were about to catch us in their compass and roast our ass in a crossfire, and the first one? Have your tech move the satellite camera back to the compound and see for yourself." Her lips bloom into a proud smile.

"That bomb did the work of a cleaning and disposal crew to give the USA' plausible and complete deniability, and to prevent reverse engineering our weapons."

"Great. We saw very little after you left the compound. Hold on, let me inform the boys here sitting on the edge of their seats biting their nails." He yells at the men in the room. "Fellows, the packages are safe and en route to Madrid to see Sherman."

They cheer. "Damn it, Mando, this is General Hogue. How the hell did you do that? And what kind of bombs or missiles were you throwing at those barracks that had such a small signature? We don't have any that generate such a low file"

She is giggling. "Those were implosion missiles, sir."

"Where from?"

"Me, sir. I make our explosives and design our weapons, sir. Everybody has to have a hobby."

"Hobby my ass! That was skill, daring, superior mission strategy, and perfect execution. What was that Tasmanian devil thing with the swords? I couldn't believe my eyes! After those head bouncing discs I shouldn't have been surprised, but I sure as hell was."

"That's a fact just as sure as five and five is ten, Mando. This is Admiral Holder. When Falcon took a dive off that Hummer we thought -- or I did at least- he was dog food. Then he killed the bastards with mass hypnosis or something that had them killing each other. How in hellfire is that possible?"

She is still laughing. "He's a weird duck, that one, Sir. She doesn't mention that we used supersonic sound and LSD to scramble their brains so they'd obey our instructions. "Remember, Admiral, I told you there was only one man that could go in alone and get the job done, and that's the man you saw."

He joins her laugh. "That son of a bitch could make us obsolete, by God."

Another General laughs and chimes in. "Boy that was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. If we weren't watching it live I would have sworn the video was photo shopped."

"General Hogue here, Mando. What the hell did you blow up down there? We saw four guns ships, and then a second explosion that fuh- turned our pictures to a while screen. After the last explosion, the four gunships were gone. Did one missile take out all four?"

"Yes, sir. They gave us no choice. Drastic times call for drastic measures."

"I know that's right. Hold it. The new picture of the compound is up." He gasps. "This can't be right. There is nothing here but a clean area about five hundred yards wide. Hold on, Mando." He instructs the tech to confirm the coordinates and comes back on the line. "By God that's the same coordinates, but it's a clear field. No building, no bodies, no trees; nothing."

"Right sir. You have complete deniability and they have none of our equipment to reverse engineer, nor any bodies to autopsy to discover the cause of death or to identity."

"Damn nice, son, but choppers left no wreckage either. How did that happen?"

"A very dangerous explosive happened, sir, and came close to destroying us with it. It's a weapon of last choice and not for conventional warfare sir."

"I'll buy that, but the ground seems to be reflecting the moonlight. Is that my imagination?"

"You're seeing right, General. The ground is solid glass."

"Did you say glass, Mando? How did that happen?" He thundered.

Danny is enjoying their childlike excitement and curiosity. "Magic, sir. And heat. We created a blast furnace hot enough to turn sand to glass."

"I'd like to hear more about that later. You certainly used unconventional means; no doubt about it."