Nine           Standing at his picture window overlooking the lawn, Bob Carver gazed toward the vast expanse of blue sky, watching and listening for the sounds of the helicopter approaching.  His wife Clara stood behind him, her face etched with concern.           �What could have happened?� she wondered aloud.           �I don�t know.  There is a lot of rough territory out there, but they�re experienced police officers and one of them is an experienced hunter, familiar with the wilderness.  I thought it would be completely safe for them to take a fishing trip to the pond.  You know, I could see one or even two horses getting away from them, but I can�t imagine how all four got away.  Something happened, that�s for sure.�           �They seem like such nice boys,� she said.  �I hope they�re okay.�           �So do I.�  He turned back to the window and saw the faint speck in the sky that he knew was the approaching helicopter.  �There he is.�  Turning back to his wife, he said, �Honey, I want you to stay inside the house and lock all the doors and windows.�           His request puzzled her.  �You think there is foul play involved?�           He placed his hands on her shoulders and tried not too look as worried as he felt.  �Probably not, but I want to make sure you�re safe while I�m gone.  Don�t open the door for anyone you don�t know, for any reason.  If you see anyone you don�t know lurking around, or if you hear anything that sounds suspicious, call the sheriff and let him know what�s going on.�           �I will,� she promised.  Her heart had accelerated.  �Your policeman�s instincts have kicked in, haven�t they?� she asked.           He was quiet a moment before he answered.  He did not want to frighten her, but there was a deep sense of dread in his stomach.  �I have a bad feeling,� he admitted.  �I don�t want to speculate or even assume anything because there isn�t any evidence at this point that something bad has happened, but there�s a lot of land out there with plenty of game, and I�m wondering if poachers may have come onto the property for some out of season hunting.  The boys are cops.  If they saw something that was against the law, they might have tried to interfere.�           They could hear the sound of the helicopter now as it neared the open space on the lawn, and he started toward the door.           �We�ll be back as soon as we can.�  As he passed the rifle case, he stopped and retrieved the key from his pocket.  Inserting it into the lock, he opened the case and removed one of the rifles he kept there, safely locked away from his grandchildren.  After locking the case again, he handed the key to his wife.  �You know how to use these.�           Her face paled.  �Bob!  You really do suspect someone was involved in this, don�t you?�           �I don�t know,� he answered, honestly.  �I�m not trying to scare you; I just want to make sure you�re prepared for anything that might happen.  It�s just a precaution.  Don�t forget; check all the doors and windows to make sure they�re locked.�           �I will,� she promised.           He opened the door, and with an encouraging smile, he stepped outside and pulled it closed behind her.  She immediately locked the deadbolt, and then moved to the window to watch as her husband jogged toward the helicopter that was settling onto the grassy lawn.  Her flowers and ornamentals were flattened by the breeze generated from the rotors, but she barely noticed.  She could see Dan Harrelson�s face in the window of the rear seat, and he opened the door and slid to the other side to make room for Bob.           As soon as he was inside and the door was fastened, the pilot lifted the helicopter into the air, and she watched as it banked toward the wilderness areas of the property.           �Any word?� Hondo asked as Bob settled into the seat beside him.  He had been hoping that they would wander in on foot, embarrassed at having been thrown from their mounts, but one look at Bob�s face dashed those hopes.           �No sign of them.�           His eyes dropped to the rifle that Bob had propped against the seat beside him.  �I see you brought a rifle.  You expecting trouble?�           �Let�s just say I have a gut feeling that something is very wrong, and I want to be prepared for anything.�           Hondo reached under the seat and withdrew his M-16.  �I have the same feeling.  How long will it take to reach the camp site?�           Bob shrugged.  �No idea.  I�ve never gone there by helicopter before.  It�s a good eight hours by horseback, but by air I would imagine it would be considerable shorter.�           They fell silent as the helicopter skimmed above the tree tops, and they each looked out their own window, searching the ground below for any sign of the three young men.                                                            -()-           The early afternoon sun was warming up the areas of the property that were less densely forested, and Luca felt the sweat trickling down his back between his shoulder blades with a nagging tickle.  With the agility of youth, he was able to reach every spot on his back that needed a good scratching, so he was able to reach the spot with little effort and the tickle was quickly relieved.  He was tired and hungry and thirsty, and knew that his friends were just as miserable as he was.           He was constantly aware that he was the only one of the three police officers who was unarmed, except for the satchel with the grenades.  He would have felt better with a rifle or a pistol.  Street walked in front of him with Willis�s handgun while T. J. brought up the rear.  He did not have to look to imagine how his friend and partner looked; he knew he would be walking several paces behind him, carrying the rifle with the barrel raised in case of accidental discharge, and that he would be fully alert, casting frequent glances over his shoulder to make certain they were not being followed.  Every so often, Midge uttered a mournful whine.  The dog trotted beside her master, as hot and tired and hungry as her human companions.  Dom could hear her panting, and knew that her tongue was probably lolling out the side of her mouth, unable to understand why they had nothing to eat or drink.           In the lead, Willis stepped over a long stick as he guided them through the wilderness area.  Street also stepped over it, but Luca stooped and picked it up.  It was nearly six feet high, and as he walked he trimmed off the side shoots, and carried it like a shepherd�s staff.  If nothing else, it would be a suitable club should the need arise.  But for the moment, all was quiet.  Quiet, that is, except Willis.  Buoyed by the capture of Phipps and the news that they drug dealers were not looking for him, he had kept up a steady stream of chatter ever since leaving the blackberry bush behind.           �I still cain�t believe you took Phipps down so easily!� he said for what Luca believed must have been the sixth time.  �You boys must be good at your jobs.�           Street shrugged.  �Well, we do our best.�           Willis glanced over his shoulder with a wide grin, revealing teeth that were in bad need of cleaning and repair.  �Don�t you go gettin� modest!  You boys is good, �n you know it!  How long�ve you been doin� this sort of work?  Long time, I bet.�           �Couple of years,� Street replied.  When Willis turned back to the direction they were headed, Street cast a weary glance over his shoulder at Luca and rolled his eyes.  �So, how much farther?� he asked.           �You�re a long way out in the wilderness,� Willis reminded him.  �When you fella�s got yourselves lost, you did a bang-up job of it!  Gonna take a while to get back.�           �Yes, I know, but how long?� Street prodded.           �No idea.  I�ve never traveled this way before.�           �Then how do you know you�re going the right direction?� Luca asked.           Willis pointed to the sky.  �You let the sun guide you.  Carver�s ranch house is due-west.  We�re goin� the right direction.�           Bringing up the rear, T. J. muttered to himself, �I should�ve realized that.  Been huntin� in the woods since I was a kid.�           �Did you say something?� Luca asked, but before T. J. could answer, a familiar sound brought them both to a stop, and the two young men looked at one another for several moments, listening intently to make certain the sound was what they thought it was.  Apparently unaware of it for the moment, Street and Willis continued to press forward.           When he was sure, Luca shouted, �Chopper!�           Street and Willis both stopped and turned their eyes skyward, searching for it.           �I don�t see --� Street began, then suddenly stopped to listen, detecting the faint sounds of the helicopter.  �Yeah, you�re right.  It�s moving toward us.�           �You boys got good ears,� Willis said.           All four men turned their eyes skyward.  They were in the trees, but the canopy was not so dense to prevent them from seeing patches of blue sky.  For the moment, they were unable to spot the helicopter and knew that it was still beyond their range of vision.  Uncertain whether or not the occupants might be able to see them, they began looking for cover, something to get under to conceal them from view.           �Over there,� Street suggested, pointing toward a low outcropping of rocks that jutted outward from a low rise of ground.    It was low and shallow, but seemed adequate.           Luca dropped his staff as they rushed toward it, knowing that it would be in the way.           �Better put the dog in first,� Street said.  �That white fur will stand out.�           T. J. crawled beneath the overhang and attempted to coax Midge inside with him, but after being inside the cave all night, she wasn�t having any part of the close quarters.  �Midge, come!� T. J. said, sternly.           She turned and shuffled several feet away, whining her distress.           Luca wrapped his arms around her furry body and pushed her beneath the overhang, where T. J. took hold of her collar.  He then squeezed in beside her, and the two men patted her reassuringly.  Street and Willis then crowded in, their bodies pressed close against the rocky ground behind them.  It was not a good hiding place, but the overhang shielded them from the air, and that was all that mattered for the moment.           For several moments, they listened as the sounds of the helicopter drew nearer.  Street was sitting on a sharp pebble, and he shifted his body to reach under him to remove it, but found that it was apparently the tip of a much larger rock that was buried beneath the hard ground.           �I don�t suppose you guys can move down a little, could you?� he asked.  �I�m sitting on a very sharp rock.�           �I�m right up against the side,� T. J. replied.  �There�s no more room down here.�           �I feel like a sardine in a can,� Luca muttered.           �I feel like a shish-kabob, speared right through the rump roast,� Street said.           Luca and T. J. began laughing, but Willis was too frightened.  �How can you guys make jokes at a time like this?� he asked, incredulously.  �Those guys will kill us if they see us, and you�re making jokes about it?�           �They�re not going to see us, Willis,� Street assured him, still trying to shift away from the rock.  �Damn, I wish they�re hurry up and get past!�           The whirring sound of the helicopter was directly overhead now, and the four men fell silent, waiting for it to pass.  Peering upward from their hiding place, they watched the silver underbelly as it glided above the treetops and proceeded away from them.  They remained hidden until the sounds had faded away.           Street immediately pushed himself out of their hiding place, rubbing his hand on the sore spot on his hip.  �Looks like they haven�t given up.�           �Yeah,� Luca agreed.  �At least we don�t have to worry about that spotlight.�           T. J. released Midge, who exited the small depression like a cannon.  �Still, we�ll have to stay under cover as much as possible, and keep a sharp ear out in case they come back.�           Keeping a wary ear to the sky, they resumed their journey toward civilization.                                                            -()-           �See anything?� Hondo asked as he pressed his face close to the window of the helicopter and viewed the beautiful but rugged terrain below.           �Nothing but trees,� Bob Carver answered from the other side.           �You�re sure this is the path they would follow if they were trying to get back?�           �Positive, but the property is huge with a lot of bluffs and trees that could make it difficult for them to travel in a straight line.  And you can see for yourself how dense the trees are in some areas.  We could go right overhead and never see them.�           �If they�re okay, they would try to attract our attention,� Hondo said with confidence, unaware that they had just flown directly over the men they sought.                                                                       -()-           �There it is,� Carver said some time later as the helicopter reached the open meadow and approached the small body of water.  �You can see their supplies just inside the trees over there,� he added, pointing with his forefinger.           Hondo pressed his face against the window to observe the campsite.  Just inside the sparsely populated tree line, he could see the fire pit and the canvas tents, but there did not seem to be any indication that there were humans nearby.  His eyes turned to the pond itself, searching for fishermen standing on the bank, but again there was no sign of life.           Noticing the marshy area near the pond, the pilot asked, �Is the ground solid in that meadow?�           �Yeah.�           The helicopter�s rotor blades generated violent ripples on the surface of the water as it settled onto the flat stretch of land between the pond and the campsite.  As soon as the runners touched the ground, Hondo opened the door and he and Bob got out, bent at the waist, even though the blades were well above their heads.  While the pilot waited, the two men jogged toward the area in which the three SWAT officers had made camp.  They slowed to a cautious walk before they reached it, observing the devastation with apprehension and unconsciously tightening their grips on their weapons.           �What the hell happened here?� Carver asked as he walked slowly among the tattered remnants that were once the supplies used by the three campers.  �It looks like a war zone!�           Harrelson�s blue eyes perused the battered tents and dented cookware, taking everything in with the attention of an experienced leader.  With the toe of his shoe, he lifted the edge of one of the tents to inspect the tattered bullet holes in the fabric.  �Someone used an awful lot of firepower here,� he commented, his voice quiet.  He knelt down and picked up one of the spent shell casings to examine it.           Bob�s eyes moved slowly over the area of cropped grass where his horses had been tethered.  �You think the boys were here when it happened?�           Hondo shook his head.  �No idea.�  He lifted his eyes, looking around the campsite.  �Well, there are no bodies and I�m not seeing any blood on the ground or on any of the equipment, but I suppose it�s possible that whoever did this took them out of here for some reason.  Or else they escaped into the woods.�           �Or they were shot off their horses as they fled,� Bob said the words that Hondo had been thinking but avoided saying.           Hondo grimaced slightly.  �Yeah, there is also that.  But why?  What was the purpose in all this?�           �And who?� Bob added.  �Who was trespassing on my land, and what were they up to?  Are there any prison escapees that could be passing through the area?�           �Not that I�ve heard of, but even if there was, it�s unlikely that prison escapees could acquire this kind of firepower.  No, this is something else.  Some other reason.  I suggest we spread out and comb every inch of this area.  My men are out here somewhere, and I intend to find them.  Just make sure we don�t lose sight of each other.�           Still gripping their rifles, ready to defend themselves if necessary, the two men spread out to search the outer perimeters of the campsite.                                                         -()-           �This looks familiar,� Street said.  They had left the cover of trees and were walking through a lush meadow carpeted with green grass and colorful wildflowers.  �I think we rode through here on our way to the pond.�  He pointed toward a large tree standing in the center of the grassy field.  �I remember thinking it odd that that weeping willow tree is standing out there by itself.�           �Hey, I think you�re right,� Luca agreed.  �I was noticing --�           A deafening explosion would have made Luca jump out of his skin had it not lifted him clean off his feet.  For several seconds, he experienced the disconcerting sensation of being airborne, along with three other human bodies, and then he landed heavily on the ground amid a shower of grass and dirt.           For a split second, he had the alarming impression of being back in Viet Nam, the only other place he had encountered this type of explosion.  The flash-back was gone in an instant, and as his mind caught up with the physical assault on his body, he realized that he was lying on his belly, spread eagled in the grass and flowers on a ranch in California.           Quickly, he took a mental inventory of his extremities:  both arms and both legs still attached and still functioning.  No major discomforts anywhere, except the ringing in his ears.  Rising up on his elbows, he looked for the others.           T. J. was lying on his abdomen a short distance away.  As their eyes met, wide and startled, Luca realized that his partner had just experienced the same kind of flashback to the War as he had, and they looked at one another for several moments, silently acknowledging the experience they had heard other war veterans speak of.           Midge had been trotting well ahead of them as she tried to flush out quail and was therefore clear of the blast, but the concussion was strong enough to send her sprawling to the ground with a yelp of surprise.  Scrambling to her feet again, she looked around as if to orient herself, and saw her master lying on the ground.  Badly frightened and with her tail tucked between her legs, she whined in fear as she returned to her owner�s side and snuggled close for comfort.            Street had landed on his back a little farther out, and quickly rolled over onto his abdomen, his eyes darting from point to point, seeking out the person who had ambushed them.  It was unclear to Luca if Jim had experienced a flashback as well, but the milder officer was typically better at hiding his emotions.           �Is everyone all right?� he asked.           �Yeah,� T. J. replied, his arm wrapped around his trembling dog.  �Just a little shaken.  For a second there, I thought . . . � he began, then broke off without finishing the sentence.           �Yeah, me too,� Luca agreed.  Realizing that Willis had not checked in, he looked for him and discovered that he had landed in a shallow depression in the ground, possibly an old buffalo wallow from days-gone-by.  �Willis, you okay?� he called.           �I think my leg�s busted!� he groaned through clenched teeth.           He was too far away for any of them to reach without endangering themselves, so he called, �Just stay put.  You�re in a fairly protected area, so just lie still.  We�ll get to you as soon as we can.�  Turning away from the injured man, his eyes scanned the terrain, searching for their attacker.           �Does anyone see him?� Street asked.           Before anyone could answer, another grenade landed nearby, showering them with dirt again, and they covered their heads with their hands until the shower stopped.  Midge leaped away from the blast, but T. J. held her by the collar and kept her down.           �Easy, baby, easy,� he said soothingly to the dog.           Whimpering painfully, Willis curled his body into a tight ball, trying to make as small a target as possible.  �They�re gonna kill us!�           Street�s eyes finally came to rest on a clump of shrubs near the tree line.  �It came from over there,� he said, pointing toward the shrubs.           As Luca�s eyes darted from one clump of brush to another, he finally saw a slight movement and recognized it as human.  �There!� he said.           T. J., still lying on his belly, swung the rifle into position and opened fire.  Empty shell casings popped from the chamber as the bullets ejected rapidly from the muzzle, and Luca saw the figure hunker down for cover.  Leaves and twigs were ripped from the shrub�s limbs, but it was impossible to determine if the man, presumably Booth, had been hit.           T. J. ceased firing and silence settled over the area.  Dust drifted along the gentle breeze, and all the sounds of nature had stopped.  Beside her master, Midge�s ears had come up at the sound of the gunfire, and she looked at him, awaiting his order to fetch the game.  The order did not come, and this seemed to puzzle her.  Her ears twitched first toward her master, then toward the direction he had been firing, still waiting for orders.           Remembering the grenades in the satchel, Luca looked frantically for it.  He had been carrying it when they had been attacked, but it had somehow vanished from his hands during his flight through the air.  He finally spotted it lying in the grass several dozen yards away, too far to try to reach without endangering himself.           �Can Midge fetch that satchel?�           T. J. followed Luca�s pointing finger and saw the canvas bag that contained the grenades.  �Midge, bring it here,� he said, giving her the signal to fetch.           Eagerly, the dog bounded through the grass, grasped the object in her mouth, and brought it back, wagging her tail happily.  Booth either did not see the dog for the slightly uneven terrain, or he was still seeking a better position.  Midge pressed the satchel into her master�s hand, and he patted her vigorously.           �Good girl!�           He passed the satchel to Luca, who shoved his hand inside and withdrew a grenade.  Pulling the pin, he lobbed it as hard as he could toward the clump of shrubs.           Because he was lying down and unable to get the force behind the throw that he needed, the impact landed a bit short and the resulting explosion sent a shower of grass, leaves, dirt, and twigs high into the air just in front of the tree line, but their attacker was not among the airborne debris, and there was no immediate sign of him.           As the sound of the explosion faded, the three SWAT officers lay quietly on their elbows and scrutinized the clump of shrubs carefully, trying to determine if Booth had been injured in the explosion, or if he was trying to trick them into the open.           �I don�t see him,� Street said, quietly.           �He�s either hunkered down or he�s searching for a better position,� T. J. told him, his eyes continuously sweeping the area, noticing the stand of trees behind the brush that curved in a half-moon shape toward their left.  It was the same stand of trees that they had emerged from a short time ago.  �He has a lot more cover than we do.  He probably backed up into the trees.�           �Yeah, and is probably radioing that helicopter where to find us!� Luca added, drawing the rapt attention of the other two.           �Then we�ve got to take him down,� Street concluded.                                                         -()-           Back at the campsite where Bob and Hondo were still investigating the mysterious activity and the disappearance of the three young men, a sound, distant and muffled, echoed along the hills and valleys, a sound that resembled rolling thunder.  Bob and Hondo both looked up in surprise, listening to the rumbling sound.           �Thunder?� Bob asked, noting the clear blue sky.           �No.  That was an explosion,� Hondo said.  He turned a slow circle, trying to gauge the direction, but there were so many hills and bluffs for the sound to bounce off of that it was difficult to pinpoint.           �Think the boys are involved?�           Hondo shook his head silently, listening.  A moment later, they heard the second explosion, and he pointed.  �There!�           By mutual, unspoken consent, both men sprinted toward the helicopter, and a moment later they were airborne again, gliding above the treetops toward the sound of the explosions.                                                              -()-           �How do you suggest we do that?� Luca asked in response to Streets conclusion.  �If we get up and he�s faking us out, he�ll nail us with that Tommy gun of his.�           T. J., always on the lookout for the best vantage point, was scanning the area in hopes of finding a suitable spot.  Finding none, he said, �I�m going to have to try to get to a point where I can see him.�           The other two turned their heads to look at him.  �It�s risky,� Street said.           �I know, but do you have a better idea?�           They were quiet for several moments, thinking.  �It might work if Jim and I act as decoys.  We can run this way,� Luca said, pointing to his right, �while you go toward the trees on your left.  We have the grenades and the pistol.  If we can keep him pinned down, maybe he won�t realize that we�re splitting up.  We can get him between us that way.�           �Just remember there are only five bullets in this gun,� Street reminded them.           �That should be more than enough,� Luca said.           �If the pistol even works,� Street added.           �Well, there is that,� Luca acknowledged the fact that the pistol was untested.  �I�ll be hurling grenades at him too, and that should be enough firepower to keep him down while T.J. gets into the trees.  All we need is a few seconds.�  Reaching into the satchel, he removed the extra ammunition and passed it to T. J.  He then removed one of the grenades.           �You�re going to have to throw hard,� T. J. said.  �We all agree, he�s probably pulled back into the trees, so you have to get it far enough to make him duck so he won�t see me changing position.�           Luca nodded in agreement.  �Sure wish I had my vest,� he lamented.  �If he�s waiting us out, he�s likely to open fire on us the moment we stand up.�           �Yeah,� T. J. agreed.  �Ready?�           Luca and Street both nodded.           �Midge, stay,� T. J. commanded.           The dog whimpered her objection, but stayed down where he had placed her.           Luca jumped up, pulled the pin on one of the grenade, and hurled it as far and as hard as he could.  It landed well behind the tattered shrubs, its resulting explosion sending a shower of debris into the air and sifting back down through the trees.  It was an excellent shot, sure to have sent Booth to the ground for cover.           At the same time, T. J. scrambled to his feet and sprinted toward the cover of the trees, bent at the waist to minimize detection.  The same uneven terrain that had protected Midge now helped conceal him from Booth.           Street also jumped up, and he and Luca ran to their right.  Luca shoved his hand into the satchel for another grenade, while Street took aim at the general area of the clump of shrubs behind which Booth had been hiding and fired off three successive rounds, pausing a few seconds between each shot to space them out.           Just as Luca pulled the pin on the second grenade, he saw a muzzle flash just inside the tree line at an eleven o�clock position.  Booth had taken cover behind a tree, and as the bullets sprayed the ground behind him, ripping up chunks of sod, Luca hurled the grenade toward the muzzle flashes.  This time, mingling with the sound of the explosion, they heard a howl of pain and surprise, and he knew his shot had been effective.  With a groan and a loud cracking sound, a large tree limb broke and fell to the ground.           �Yes!� he said to himself as he reached into the satchel for the remaining grenade, but if the man was badly injured there was a good chance he would not need it.  With their legs pumping furiously, they were nearing the tree line.           As they rushed into the cover of the trees, Street and Luca paused to look toward T. J., and saw that their partner had made it safely into the trees.  They saw him give a triumphant wave.           Street shoved playfully at Luca.  �Great shot, Flash.�           Luca grinned.  �That was pretty good, wasn�t it?� he agreed.           Street held up the pistol triumphantly.  �It works!�           Sobering then, they moved through the cover of trees toward the spot where their attacker had been.