Biowar

65

Marie Telach felt a tremor run through her body as the gunship circled south.

She’d nearly killed one of the Marines.

“God, help me,” she whispered to herself. “Thank you.”

“Marie, that helicopter we were counting on is still on the ground,” said Sandy Chafetz from her station. “They have some sort of mechanical problem.”

Telach turned to the runner, not quite comprehending. Fatigue and shock over what had nearly happened had temporarily blanked her head; she couldn’t think straight.

But she had to.

“What sort of problem are they having?” Telach asked.

“Bad oil pressure or something. I don’t know if it’s bullshit or not, but they refuse to budge. What should we do?”

“Where’s the asset we had as backup?”

“Navy helicopter. Won’t get there until nightfall. Might be safer to wait until morning, when we get the Special Forces people in. They said they’d have a Blackhawk ready to go at first light.”

Another decision she had to make. Could she trust her judgment?

“Marie?”

“I want him out of there as soon as possible,” Telach told the runner. “ASAP. Have them get in there even though it’s dark.”

“Your call.”

“Yes, it is,” she said, but it was only a whisper.