Bruce and Lilac were almost home free. They had been rescued from a seemingly impenetrable fortress. They were so close to a trusted INTERPOL office. But with only miles to go, they were blocked from their destination. With Bruce, an expert helicopter pilot in the cockpit, will our heroes be able to make it to safety?
"Hold on to your lunch!" said Bruce, laughing as he plunged the helicopter down amongst the trees between two hills. For a short distance he sped through the jungle, risking the vegetation to make their pursuers think he had landed.
Knowing that his actions could get them all killed, he was eager to gain altitude. The expert pilot pulled up a little as soon as he was around the hill.
"Heads or tails?!?!" Bruce shouted back to his passengers. Without hesitation Lilac shouted. "Tails!"
Instantly Bruce took a sharp turn towards the ocean. Skimming rapidly over the water, he asked "why tails?".
"Why in honor of our trip to England of course!" laughed Lilac.
"I should have known," replied Bruce, unable to suppress a laugh.
"I told you that you would be able to laugh about it one day!" said Lilac.
"As long as we never do it again!" exclaimed Bruce, and Lilac believed him. It had taken a while for her best friend's good humor to return after that adventure. Being stuck in a dog kennel was not his idea of fun.
"Where are we going?" asked Agent Pireza, the leader of the INTERPOL group.
"You are going to Ilha Grande, if I can get there without being spotted. When I drop you off, lay low and listen for aircraft."
"We should all stay together. We were assigned to rescue you," Agent Pireza reminded Bruce.
Ignoring the agent's protests, Bruce continued. "If you don't hear anything, send two of your fastest men to the village. Try to arrange a secure communication, these guys monitor the normal channels. I'll drop you off a few miles out, so we won't put anyone else at risk if we're seen."
"Where are we going next?" asked Lilac.
"I'm going to head over to a cluster of islands I explored a few years ago. Nobody lives on any of them. I plan to lose our friends there, then try to make it somewhere safe. Maybe even back to Rio. If we can get some backup from INTERPOL soon, it'll make life a lot easier."
Ilha Grande Island was already spreading out in front of them. Bruce went inland, brushing the treetops. He then dropped quickly into a small clearing, and turned the motor off.
"Everyone out," he announced, looking pointedly at Lilac. In reply, she sat very still, arms crossed and staring back.
The agents were quickly exiting. They wasted no time in dragging the prisoners out. Then they unloaded the injured men, careful to prevent further pain.
"You too, Lilac," said Bruce.
She glared at him. "You know full well that you will have to drag me out of here, and then I still won't let you leave without me. Are you willing to put these people's lives at risk? And maybe an entire village too?"
Bruce sighed. "Is there any way that I can convince you?"
Lilac smiled, knowing that she had already won. "No! Now let's go, I would like to have a pizza for supper!"
To be continued!
Cover image made in Canva Pro using their gallery