March 12, 2128: As hot as it is in the daytime, it’s even colder at night. None of us expected that in the Sahara. We have our flight jackets, and when the wind becomes merciless, we get back under cover of the canopy. But sleeping only happens in the twilight of dawn and sundown when the temp is mild. Sand is everywhere.
March 13, 1053: Our eyes are starting to get bad. Hard to write. Blisters all over our faces from the wind and sun. Wearing helmets helps.
Where are you guys? We keep looking for signs of an air search, but we haven’t seen a thing. We have our flares ready.
March 14, 1134: It seems clear that rescue isn’t coming. I’ve sent Insley and Kurtz to look for help, heading due north. Hopefully, they’ll run across a road or town. If they keep walking long enough, we know they’ll hit the Mediterranean, but how far is that?
March 14, 1945: I thought I knew what it felt like to be alone, but I was wrong. Now I know.
March 15, 0717: I’ve been out of water for ten hours now. I gave most of my supply to Insley and Kurtz for their journey. Food is gone, too, not that I could eat. My mouth is as dry as this sand.
Even though it’s only been a day, I have to assume they won’t be coming back. At least, not in time. I hope they make it.
March 16, 0856: So thirsty. Don’t know if I can make it through another day. Tell my wife and boys I love them.
March 17, 1129: So thirsty.
“That’s it,” Juan said, smoothly pocketing the logbook. He could only imagine the pain, desperation, and loneliness Hodgin must have gone through. Who knows how far Insley and Kurtz got before they succumbed to the elements.
Nazari didn’t seem moved at all by Hodgin’s suffering. “Now we know that the cases are still intact. Keep digging so we can get into the bomb bay.” He checked his satellite phone, then gestured at two men. “Come with me.”
Juan looked at Eddie and Linc, then back at Nazari. “Where are you going?”
“Why is that your business?”
“Well, we’ve just found out that we’re going to be digging out nuclear weapon cores. I just wanted to know if there are any other surprises you haven’t shared with us.”
Nazari stroked his beard in thought before speaking. “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb wants this recovery as much as we do. They also know the location of this airplane and crossed over the Algerian border from Libya yesterday. We don’t know the size of their force, but they should be coming from the east. I’m going to that escarpment to scout for any signs that they are getting close.” He pointed at a bluff about three miles away.
“We should all go,” Juan said, “in case we need to engage them.”
“No. You five keep digging.”
Juan was protesting for the sake of appearances. In reality, he liked the improved balance of forces. It would be him, Linc, and Eddie against Nazari’s remaining two soldiers.
With his two men, Nazari walked toward a Scorpion, the number 3 dune buggy that was parked closest to the B-47. But instead of getting into the passenger seat, he hopped up into the top seat behind the .50 caliber machine gun. He swung the barrel so that it was pointed at Juan and racked the bolt.
“Drop your weapons!” Nazari yelled.
Juan exchanged surprised glances with Eddie.
Linc looked coiled to go on the attack. “I’m pretty sure I don’t need a translation to know what he just said.”
Juan put up his hands. “What are you doing?”
Nazari didn’t blink. “I said drop them.”
&nbs
p; Juan nodded, and they did as they were told. Linc reluctantly unslung the AK-47 from his back, and Juan and Eddie unslung theirs slowly and threw them to the ground. Nazari’s men grabbed the guns and backed up, piling them on the hood of Scorpion 3.
“Now that you know what we’ve come for,” Nazari said as he gestured for one of his soldiers to take his place at the machine gun, “you might get it into your heads to sell the nuclear cores for yourself.” He jumped down as another of his men climbed up and took position behind the .50 caliber M2.
“If you don’t trust us,” Juan said, “why did you hire us?”
“Because you had the only means to get us here before the Libyans. And since I need to go see if they are anywhere close, I can’t leave you with three-to-two odds. As I mentioned, you seem to be a man who will do what it takes to get the mission done.”
“Your mission is the same as my mission.” Both the truth and a lie, depending on how you parsed the phrase.