Out a back country road, on the way to the rendezvous, the suits
weren't even using their lights, having gogs themselves, and hanging
back maybe a tenth of a mile. The road was dirt, with muddy ditches
on both sides from the rain the day before, also figured into the guys'
plan, Jess and Flee knowing the road from, ahem, experience, and
Pute previously reporting on how much rain the area had received.
        At the spot, Jessy turned her Jeep across the road, she and Flee
jumped out and into Josh's Jeep that he pulled out of the cross road,
and the girls and boys were out of there in a flash with no lights on,
Josh using a pair of their gogs, as fast as they could git.
        The agents sped up and drove their car into the ditch to get
around her Jeep, but couldn't get back up onto the road in the muddy
dirt, so plowed through the corn field, almost getting stuck a few
times before making it up on the cross road, then took off after the
guys. But the guys were long gone.
        Jess called Kit with the news and he called Jul. They got both
planes started. It was still plan A, and on to Harrison Airport in the
Ohio Southwest boonies. Stefi monitored Pute for the com, and the
suits were reporting that they had lost the girls, and where, to Cincy.
Kit called the Tower for taxi instructions as Stef talked with Julian,
who would tell their pilots to get going and to wait in the air over
Harrison, then they let Jess know the news from Puter.
        Back in the Jeep, the girls got their wigs on, just in case. But
the agents were too far behind and weren't calling cops. Josh had
made several turns by then and they were in the clear, Jess looking
back with the other gogs the guys had brought. Kit had the third
pair, if needed.
        Cincy was absolutely livid. He told the agents to get the fuck
to Greater Cincy Airport, the airport they were nearest. He was still
at Lunken with another agent, watching Romeo, the 310. But they
didn't even have a good description of the escape vehicle. Jess was
slipping through his fingers. "These agents should be FIRED!" Pute
was picking up the last of Cincy's putering back to DC, as Kit and
Stef taxied out to takeoff, Jul and the others behind them in the
Lear. Cincy did call police to report the abandoned vehicle, so Jess
- or someone - would have to show up to get her Jeep back. And
he told the agents to check on the Navajo when they got to the
airport.
        Kit phoned Jess to give her the rest of the news - still in their
'pidgin' code - before takeoff as Josh negotiated the back roads to
the last interchange to get on I-275 and across the Ohio River
before getting back onto the back roads to Harrison.
        Kit and Stef were in the air and over to Harrison in minutes.
The guys drove in and they all were the only ones there, Kit
leaving the engines idling.
        The goodbys to Josh were heart rending. He told them he had
given his notice at work and would be out soon and not to worry.
He finally took their check, Kit kissing his Son on his forehead as
Flee stayed in Fox's copilot seat to jump on the brakes, if needed.
They were thanking Josh again and again and telling him to come
with them, but he told them he still had a few loose ends there, but
promised he would be out soon. Flece came back out when Ev took
the captain's seat, and she gave Josh a real zonker on the lips before
Jessy's "buena vaya" and kiss.
        Josh said, "I still don't really know what you guys are up to,
but count me in!"
        "Terrific, Son!" Kit said and they hugged once more, then Kit
ascended the steps into Fox, took the right seat, the others jumped
aboard and he started taxiing them out, the girls closing the door
only after waving back until they were out of the ramp's lamplight.
        Felecia told them that Pute was telling them, "would advise
some deck" as Jessy went forward to the captain's seat. The agents
had informed Cincy that the Navajo was gone from Greater
Cincinnati Airport. He had a twin of about the same speed and
pilots available to him by then, but he wasn't sure his quarry were
even in the Navajo. So he got the Chieftain's letter and numbers -
the agents did from the FBO - and called ATC to find out where it
was flying to and they told him Harrison. So he dispatched the
plane and agents to check that out since it was so close. His only
other hope of picking up the trail again was when someone would
show up to get the Jeep out of impoundment, which Cincy wasn't
putting much stock in. They would check it out for fingerprints and
whatever, but would only find the girls', whom they knew about.
The guys had wiped down the Jeep thoroughly back at the trailer
that morning. And Cincy's update to DC was the last Pute had for
them before takeoff, well, before "give me Cy".
        "So..." Stefi asked as Jess and Kit donned the gogs after Kit
checked the chart on where to land first, "...where are we going?"
        "A stop in Wyoming," Jess answered as she took the controls
at Kit's OK, "then Alaska. We'll get back to Truchas on the 6th, or
about. And hey, by the way, guys, thank you from the tops of our
hearts for sticking your necks out on this. And great job!" as she
and Cody took them off, leveled them off and flew circles around
Josh's wagon a little while to make sure he was safe, then buzzed
him and headed West, with a tweak Northwest, at 70 feet.
        Evan and Julio gave their 'you're sure welcomes' and cheers
over the successful mission and Stef said, "wha heck, Jess, nice
speech, by the way. And this all's very cool, guys, but...why are
they after you?"
        "Drugs, Stef," Ev said matter-of-factly, filling his pipe.
        "Maybe, Ev. But, hell, we don't really know, Stef," Kit told
her. "It started when Jess and I first left Cincinnati. Jess thinks it's
some sort of watch they have on her."
        "A watch!?" Stefi responded. And Jess turned around and
shrugged with a 'go figure'  look on her face under her gogs. "That
didn't look like any watch to me!" Stef added.
        "It's gotten watchier," Flece contributed.
        "It picked up after we met the President," Jess hoped would
satisfy Stef, the daughter of a judge. And it did, though she was
figuring like the others that the three were entangled with that new
government thing, but just wondering when the guys might trust
them with the story. She nodded with a smile back to Jess.
        "What a getaway, Hotey!" Jess beamed over to Kit and leaned
over for a kiss. They radio'd Julian in the jet that it was over and
"muchas gracia'd". And they saw them, overhead in the distance,
head out for New Mexico. It was just ethereal.
        Well, Josh had no problem from any law or anyone else on his
way back to Katy's. And Julian and the guys had no problem on
their way back to "Bood-que" or driving back to the ranch. Our six,
of course, had drugs and sex on the way to Cody. Mm mm. Some
wild bunch, no? That, of course, was after landing at a deserted
airport in the wilds of Indiana to resume their flight at normal
altitude on radar and autopilot. Meanwhile, the agents had reported
back to Cincy that there was no Navajo at Harrison and Cincy
embellished upon his panoply of expletives, especially after getting
ATC's word of no radar track out of Harrison. But he had the ID on
the plane, at least, and would monitor where it would show up - if
it was going to, he ruminated.
        They landed at the ranch outside Cody around 3A, called Josh
to hear he was OK, waking him up from Kate's bed, then called Jul
and Ri to hear they were back fine as they rolled "Fox" back into
the barn after getting the Jeep out. Then they drove to town and got
three hotel rooms downtown for "naps", after getting Pute onto
getting another plane delivered to the Cody airport.
        On to Alaska before lunch in "Bravo", the Cessna 401 Pute
found for them, they stopped in Seattle for a late meal. Then it was
Alli's again in Juneau for late dinner, the tub and bed. O, is life just
so fine for some. Next morn, they flew on up and into Rockhead
Village.
        There were planes parked everywhere, and a city of RV's. No
one there knew who was in the Cessna until they stepped out. Then
their friends rushed out, led by Elaine. And the party was on. Wiley
and Orv were up flying, though, so it was pretty tame. They called
Josh again, letting him know they got in OK and where. And the
girls called homes.
        They got a big RV arranged for them all and settled in, then
after short naps joined in on some of the construction.
        Well, the old war birds touched down for lunch and things got
roudier. They went wild seeing the girls again - and Kit too. They
told their partners about all the funny accidents and stuff, for starts.
        Everyone else got back to flying or work after the long lunch,
so our heroine and hero had a session with Sundance on Putero in
the RV, though there really wasn't any news. Jess and Sunny just
liked to com with each other. They checked all the agents' news
after that, and the suits were in the dumps. "Aw, the poor 'some'
bitches," Jess chuckled.
        Julian and the guys were right back at the Platinum when they
called there - Wallace and Junior relating how the surprise had hit
them - and millions more were blown and dug out already. They
told Essy how much she was missed up at "Rockhead", especially
by the guys, and that her suitors were just crestfallen. And they
thanked Jul and Ria one more time for sticking their necks out in
Kentucky.
        Evan, Stef, Juli and Flece came back in from flying and there
was some time left in the day - considering how light it stayed by
then (almost all night) - to clear some more firs in the way at their
cabin site, and they took rifles with them in case of griz and all.
They rejoined everyone in the B'ar for another raucous eve and Jess
was asked to play, naturally, though dam if the guitars weren't back
at Truchas. But there were plenty others up there. And the socks
were obliterated way off, and flying through the B'ar air, as a matter
of fact.
        In the morning, the guys flew to Anchorage and went on a
regular run into Russia in the Caribou with Amelia and Hank. They
dropped off another half-million bucks for Rachel and Doc Rob in
Provideniya and saw lots of their new friends. They asked Frank
and Trevor to join them for dinner in Anchorage with 'Meal and
Hank before flying back to Rockhead late that night, "Bravo" flying
just great.
        There was sex all night, so they woke up late that next morn
and the other four left J and K to some "private time". There was
com with Sundance, then a check on the market. They were up
almost $12M since last check, Pute and Cyby, on the modems
continuously, doing just wondrous things with the money. And Jess
layed Quixote back down for some more special time.
        Later they watched all the landings, takeoffs, touch and go's
and go arounds through the B'ar's big thick windows (thick for the
cold and drinking accidents) as they chomped through a huge
breakfast, then went back up to their homesite trail and just about
got it all done.
        That eve, they heard about a deal on a Spad - a World War
One fighter - to rebuild, so bought it to be sent up. Then they
checked out the Curtiss Jenny project in one of the hangar-barns.
        "Tres cool," Jess commented, as they went over it all with
Wi, Orv and the guys.
        "Uh, Jess," Wiley said, "you might be interested to know that
this is the one that I started flying in."
        "O my God, Wiley...that is too tres cool," and she hugged
him and gave him a kiss.
        "O the hell," Orv retorted, "he'll say anything to light you up,
Jess." But it was true. Both statements. And Orvy got a hug and
kiss too. Then it was on to the big bon fire to eat, drink, sing and
talk around for the night.
        Business was fabulous. They were the right placers, right
timers and right stuffers for the right reasoners. Reservations were
piling in for the resort, and even the regular air service was closer
to turning break even. Which was really good news to the guys.
The recips wouldn't last forever, though, Wiley and Orv reminded
them, parts no longer available and such. That was why they had
been getting the good purchase prices on the old planes. But they
would have to be getting turbines, probably beginning that next
season. And could cannibalize their own equipment to keep the old
classics running. Or make parts themselves, or have them made, if
they got really ambitious.
        They kept working on their cabin site those last days, and
'Meal came up the last day again to take Jess and Cody up for
another glacier lesson. Very special stuff. Back down the mountain
later, Jess and Kit took some private time to tell Sundance that the
plans to announce the WPG on the 10th were still on target. The
government was still trying to stop the concert, but judges had ruled
in favor of the Navajo, though leaving room for appeals; and it
looked headed for the Supreme Court. And meanwhile, the horror
and terror of the war and other catastrophic zones had been
subdued substantially with all the fund money, then going on $4oo
million. It was already historical.
        The Alaska farewells were almost getting routine, as were
the half-million dollar checks, another left with Elaine for more
construction. They returned to Albuquerque in a long day's flying,
dropped Evan and Stef off there for the Jeep and flew up to Santa
to wait for them at the La Fonda, taking a taxi from the airport,
and catching some champagne with BR, who met them there.
        He couldn't believe the Platinum news. He had always heard
some rumors through the years about El Dorado, but always had
thought it just a legend. They talked quietly at their secluded table,
hearing about his work for the Navajos, of course, and relating all
the Alaskan news until Evan and Stef arrived and they dinnered.
After that it was a little shopping, then on to the hacienda.
        The familia all excitedly welcomed them home, everyone
having a comment or more about graduation, the speech, the
getaway or the jet. Later, Es turned on the radio and it was on:
live feed from Monument! And they listened to it out on the
veranda as they talked until bedtime.
        Felecia stayed with Julio in Mari and Jul's living room for a
long time before she joined the four already in the feathers in the
other cabin. There still was that respect for Maria and Jul. Kit got
up in the middle of the night again, Jess following him. They went
out to the barn, in their naked skins again, to check out Juliet-Papa,
waiting there under the tarps.
        Kit told Jess that he wouldn't be hurt - yeah, sure - if she and
Flee wanted to pull out. "It could be getting real dangerous soon,
highness."
        "How many times are we going to have to go through this,
rockhead?! D'you want us to fucking go?"
        "No, but...yes," he answered about as convincingly as Jim
Carrey doing Bogart with Grace at the DC3 in the fog at the
Casablanca Airport.
        "Yeah, right," she poked him. "Really, Cody, don't even try
to lie to me. I know you want to do the right thing and keep us
safe, darlin'...but that's not you. And you would screw up without
us," she added, touching his glans. "I've already told you this."
        "Hey now," he answered, then felt the goose bumps on her
breasts, cold from the air. "I might not...."
        "We aren't going, Cody," she told him emphatically. "Flee
and I talked it over. I've thought about it a lot. It's just as important
to us as it is to you. And dammit...I still want to be with you...not
that I should be tellin' you..." struggling a little herself with the
feelings and words, whispering some of them even, then kissing
him.
        "You are..." he came back, "the best dream there's ever been
in this entire world, precious....I just wish I knew how to tell you
...." They kissed some more, then walked out to the pond to wait
around for the Chief and Swan, there near their swans, ducks,
peacocks and herons, then, with the frogs croaking, Kermit having
found a mate, apparently, all in the three-quarter moonlight. They
looked up at the stars as they talked, Jess in his arms, about how
things might go, now that the real show was so close.
        "I have fallen in love with you, Kit...all over again, even,"
she told him during a pause, catching him off guard. She turned
around, wrapped her arms around him and began tenderly kissing
him. He started to attempt a response, but she put a finger on his
lips, then climbed up on him, wrapped her legs around his waist
and proceeded to, within moments, put him inside of her and they
did the act out there around the pond. Ecstasy came over and kept
nudging her head into them as they loved away. Julian also got a
smiling look at them as he was taking a mid-night check of things
around the cabin and outside.
        Jess was thanking Lion and Swan outloud as they came. And
they were laughing at Ecstasy bumping into them. Kit walked them
back to the cabin with Jess still wrapped on him and they got back
into bed like that, the other three complaining vociferously about
their pards' freezing bodies before they all got back to sleep. After
some more sex.

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