Private Rogue

Chapter 69

I had rarely been happier to see the shimmering lights of a city. We’d used the chopper’s course plotter to get us to Kabul, relying on pilot’s instinct and grasp of general direction when the computer’s Cyrillic threw up navigation waypoints we couldn’t understand.

“OAKB, Kabul International, OAKB, Kabul International, this is Mi-4769,” I said, giving the chopper’s call sign.

“Go ahead, Mi-4769,” the air traffic controller said.

“Mil Mi-24, requesting landing,” I replied. “We’re running low on fuel.”

It wasn’t a lie. These choppers weren’t designed for long distances and we’d pushed the aircraft to the limit.

“Copy that, Mi-4769,” the air traffic controller replied. “Proceed on heading two-nine. You’ll see the helipad to the northwest of maintenance building Alpha Two.”

“Copy that, OAKB control,” I replied.

I banked right, changing to a heading almost thirty degrees off compass north. We flew low over the city, which was coming to life with the approach of dawn. The fluorescent lights of a few cafes shone here and there, and a line of trucks queued outside the city’s famous bird market. Newsstands and bakeries were opening up and traffic was starting to build in the main thoroughfares.

Then I saw the outline of the control tower at Hamid Karzai International Airport, and the transit lights for helicopter approach to the airport. I swung us left a touch, adjusting to put us in the center of the path. There were no other aircraft in sight when we flew over the airport car park and some warehouses. I saw a large hangar with ‘A2’ painted on its roof, and beyond it the helipad lit for our landing.

The GlobalRanger that had taken me from Kabul to Kamdesh was in one of the stands near the helipad. As we approached, I saw Feo and Dinara step out of the aircraft.

“Your people?” Floyd asked.

I nodded. “Good people.”

I slipped the tail round and set the Hind down on the pad.

“Smoothly done,” Floyd remarked as I powered down.

We climbed out of the cockpit and jumped onto solid ground. My friends hurried over. Dinara was crying, but her tears ran down her face into a beaming smile. She hugged me and kissed me on the cheeks over and over.

“Jack Morgan,” she said. “Don’t you ever do that again.”

“You’re a tough old bear,” Feo said, pulling me away from Dinara and wrapping me in a suffocating embrace. “You make me proud. If I didn’t know otherwise I would say you were Russian.”

“I’m flattered,” I said.

“You should be,” he replied, as I stepped away. “How did you get a flying tank?” he asked, nodding toward the Mi-24 Hind.

“We asked politely,” I replied with a smile. “This is Joshua Floyd. Joshua, this is Feodor Arapov and Dinara Orlova. Colleagues from our Moscow office.”

“Good to meet you,” Floyd said.

Feo shook his hand and pulled him into a crushing hug. “You cheated death, my friend. No need to pretend you are a stranger who is only worthy of a handshake. Did Jack save you?”

“Actually it was the other way round,” I replied, as Floyd broke free of the man’s embrace. “Joshua got us inside a cave just before the second rocket hit.”

“Then we are all in your debt, Captain Floyd,” Feo said.

“We’ve arranged your flight back to New York,” Dinara said, leading us toward the GlobalRanger. “A G650 is ready to depart whenever you are.”

She leaned into the cabin of the helicopter and produced a black flight case about the size of an oven.

“We’ve received a report from Justine, which is in here, along with some clothes and equipment you might need,” she said.

“You ready to fly,” I asked Floyd.

“Are you kidding? I can’t wait to see Beth and the kids,” he replied.

Dinara shot me a knowing look, but neither of us said anything.

“We’ll take you to the terminal,” Feo said.

“That Hind is full of gear,” I told him. “You might want to check it before you leave. See if there’s anything you like.”

“A little plunder?” he said with a deep laugh. “It’s good for the soul.”

I took the flight case from Dinara. “Thank you for everything.”

“Anytime,” she replied, before kissing me on the cheek.

“Let’s go,” Feo said. “Time for you lucky men to head home.”