Chapter 3- Roof Of the World

Chapter 3

Roof of the World

The Andes, Near Venezuela

The helicopter set down with a rumble and snow and dust blew in all directions around it.  The twin rotors began to slow down and a hatch opened on the side.  A light streamed down, illuminating the darkness.

            Two air force men with flashlights and side arms walked down the ramp.  Both were attentive, alert.  The taller one of the two walked quickly, legs bent as if hunting roe dear.  The other one, smaller and wiry, stood loosely, as if walking in a dangerous neighborhood.

“It’s all clear out here.” Said Roburn, the taller of the two men.

“Confirm.” Came a voice over the radio.

“Yeah I confirm that one.” Said Storm, the smaller of the two.  Storm smiled back at Roburn and the two fanned out, taking up covering positions.  The rest of the team began to walk down the ramp quickly.  Major Dalton took the lead, no weapon drawn.

“Allright, let’s get a move on.  We need to have eyes on the crash site in less than thirty minutes.”

“Can do sir.” Said Wooderson.

“Lt Chung, you’ll take Jones and Hunter ahead and find the crash site.  Secure the site but do not, repeat, do not take any other action.  We’ll catch up with the heavy equipment.”

“Permission to tag along with the Lieutenant.” Asked Captain Barrow.

Major Dalton looked over at the army Captain for a moment.  “Ok, but the lieutenant calls the shots.”

“No sweat.” Said Captain Barrow.  “Ok Lieutenant, lead the way.”

Lieuteant Chung nodded and began to move quickly through the darkness.  The two non-coms shrugged and began to follow him.  Within seconds they were swallowed up by the darkness.

“Captain Ostrow, keep the bird warmed up and secure.  I’m not expecting any trouble but better safe than sorry.” Radioed Major Dalton.

“Roger that.” Came the reply.

“Permission to join you guys.” Came the voice of the co-pilot.

“Keen aint he?” muttered Sergeant Harrison.

“Permission granted.  Newman, you stay aboard and run comms from the bird.  Ok let’s get moving.” Said Major Dalton.  He looked over to Captain Dietz who nodded back at him.

“Ok people, they aint paying us by the hour.” Hollered Sergeant Harrison.  “Let’s pick up the pace.”

            A knot of humanity tightened and then began the long trek up the side of a mountain.  The lights of the waiting helicopter already receding behind them.

“Jesus Christ it’s cold out here.” Said Lt McPherson.

“What did you expect?  We’re on a mountain top in the middle of the night.” Came the snappy retort from Wooderson.

“I expected it Sarge.  I just don’t like it very much.” Fired back McPherson.

“Should have brought yourself a fur coat.”

“Fur is murder Sarge.”

“Pipe down you two.” Said Dalton.

McPherson smiled in spite of herself.  She kept up the fast pace.  She didn’t tend to over estimate her own physical condition, she was a scientist as much as an air force officer.  But she was quietly confident in terms of pure cardio, she was ahead of the pack here.

            Dalton kept it steady and was in good shape himself.  He did everything with a slow precision and so far he had lived up to what Marcus had said about him.  She was less impressed with Dalton’s long time ally and partner, Captain Dietz.  He seemed too small, he truly seemed to be an old man amongst the youngsters.

            Captain Barrow had been more fun than she had expected but she had found herself shy around him and wasn’t sure why.  She supposed it was because he was from the army, where women were still regarded as an entertaining luxury.  Hannah had worked hard to get accepted here in the air force and, so far, she’d only managed it here and there.

            Sergeant Harrison, for example, still regarded her with some mistrust.  He tended to follow her orders but often would stand still on orders for a second or two, testing her will.  He would never be out and out insubordinate, she knew he was a career non-com with twenty years in the air force.  But at the same time, he regarded her as an inconvieance and a potentially dangerous one at that.

            This was quite unlike Sergeant Wooderson.  The two had built up a good working relationship, sprinkled with a lot of witty banter and chat.  One of her fellow female officers had suggested that she was flirting with him and Hannah was mortified to think that she might have been.  Sergeant Wooderson was at least fifteen years older than her and a non-com too.  But they had a good, friendly working relationship and a little flirting here and there seemed to keep it moving along nicely.

            Of course Captain Ostrow was a pilot so he liked her.  He was quite flirty, in a brash cocky pilot style and Hannah found herself warming to him, despite her better judgement.  His quiet co-pilot, Wharton, was a mystery to her but she’d gained a bit of respect for him when he offered to follow them up the mountain.  On the other hand, he was already lagging behind.

            Roburn and Hunter were both your run of the mill air force security and ops personnel.  As long as they had direction and a little bit of encouragement they were ok.  The occasional sexist response aside, Hannah had no problem with either of them.  Sergeant Jones, on the other hand, didn’t like Hannah at all.  It wasn’t anything as easy to understand as simple mistrust of a young officer.  No, Jones seemed to take a personal dislike of her.

            Finally there was Newman and Storm.  A bit of a strange double act, Storm liked to pretend to be a dumb Southern caricature but was quite deft and had a wicked sense of humor.  Hannah had gotten to like him and relied on him for difficult tasks,  Newman was a technical whizz who didn’t like to be micro-managed.

            Hannah dropped back briefly, watched by Wooderson as she went.  “You ok Lieutenant?” she asked.  Wharton looked up from his reverie and she saw a look of surprise on his rounded face.

“Me?  Oh yeah I’m fine.  Thanks.”

“You look short of breath.  They cooping you up in hangars too often?” she ventured.

“Yeah, something like that.”

She looked on at the distance and saw it, lights ahead.  “See that?” she said to Wharton.

“Yeah, fires burning.”

“That’s a crash site.” She said, the excitement ringing in her voice.

“This is your first real crash site investigation isn’t it?” he asked her, his smile showing he already knew the answer.

“Yes it is.” She said bashfully.  But it isn’t yours, she thought.

“Ok team, hustle up.  We gotta get a move on.” Said Dalton.  He paused to speak on his radio communicator.

“Lieutenant Chung, report your sit-rep please.”

            The rest of the team formed up around the Major.  Dietz dropping into his familiar place, just to the right of the Major.  Harrison and Wooderson took up the flanks.  Hunter and Storm moved slightly ahead.  Storm had drawn his side-arm.  Wharton and McPherson stood behind.  McPherson turned and watched behind them.

“Lieutenant Chung, report your sit-rep over.”

There was a crackle and then a response.

“Repeat your last, over.” Said Major Dalton.  Hannah felt her heartbeat pick up.  Something wasn’t quite right.

“This is Lieutenant Chung here.  We’ve secured the crash site  but, well.  It’s secure.  No survivors at the site.  Over.”

“What’s going on?” asked Major Dalton.

“We’ve had some problems here.  The weather and the storm, we’ve lost Jones.”

“Damn it.” Said Dalton.  “Ok we’re on our way down.”
“This is Captain Barrow here, he cant have gone far there is a sheer cliff to the north.”
“Belay any attempt to find him.  We need the secure the crash site.” Replied Dalton.

“Copy that.” Came Barrow’s response.

“Ok people let’s get down there.  Harrison, best break out the first aid.”

“Yes sir.” Said Sergeant Harrison.  The team moved down the mountain-side towards the crashed army transport plane.

            Pieces of burning metal were scattered in all directions but the largest pieces of wreckage were huge.  The transport had broken up and scattered itself into a familiar pattern, a long groove cut into the mountain-side.

            Captain Barrow and Hunter were stood near a huge chunk of metal, steam and smoke was rising from it.  As Hannah moved down the mountain side, she felt the heat from the burning plane and looked around.

“Oh fuck me.” She said out loud.

            A severed human hand was lying in her path.  She gingerly stepped around it as she went.  Wooderson looked over at her but said nothing.  As they approached closer, it became clear that it was highly unlikely anyone could have survived such a severe crash.

“Ok, where’s Chung?” asked Major Dalton.

“I’m here sir.” Said the young Lieutenant.  He was breathing harshly but seemed more exitable than scared.  “Cant find Sergeant Jones at the moment but we’ve got the crash site secured, just like you asked.”

“Ok good.  Let’s all take a moment and then get to work.”

“I found something odd though sir.” Said Lieutenant Chung.  “Tracks that lead away from the crash site.  Someone survived.”