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for the oversize plane Chang had appropriated from New Babylon. It sat at the
end of the runway, big and plain as day. "How do you figure that?" Mac said.
"God must be blinding these guys. You can see it from a mile away, maybe
more."
"Look there," Albie said.
Almost directly below them was a serpentine line of several hundred exiting
the mile long Siq that led into and out of Petra.
They were headed for the concertlike setup in the middle of the desert. As Mac
focused on the airstrip and began his descent, he saw the chopper hopping from
inside Petra to the end of the runway from where Abdullah would ferry them in.
"You think Smitty would want to get a closer look at this deal?"
Albie said.
"Why? Would you?"
"Sure ."
"I'm game. We protected that far out?"
"In the air we are. Might be takin' a chance on foot."
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"Let's go in the copter."
"This is an answer to prayer," Abdullah said a few minutes later.
"I so want to see what is going on out there."
"It's a risk though, Smitty," Mac said. "You've got a pretty good cover,
lookin' like you belong out here. Albie and I have had our covers blown, and
we got no disguises, no aliases, no fake marks, no nothin'. You'd better
decide if we're worth being seen with."
Abdullah could not hide a smile.
"You rascal," Mac said, grinning. "I set myself up for a shot there, didn't I?
And you almost took it."
"I was not about to shoot you, Mac."
",Verbally you were. You sure were."
"I guess I have decided I would rather not be seen with you when we get back
to Petra."
"Cute. But seriously now . . . "
"I believe God will protect us. We should stick together, look official, but
not make it plain that we do not have marks."
"Your turban covers you, and we've got caps. You think that's enough? Should
we be armed?"
"I have no idea how many GC will be there," Albie said, "but I'm guessing once
we get there we're going to be vulnerable. Guns won't help is what I guess I'm
saying. "
Abdullah rubbed his forehead. "We should stay in the chopper. If we can see
and hear from there."
"And if we're approached?"
"You speak Texan at them and they will be puzzled long enough for me to lift
off."
"Oh, you're hot today, Smitty."
"Who would want to come close to a helicopter when the blades are turning?"
Abdullah studied his friends. It was clear they were as curious as he was.
"Should we check in with someone?" Mac said.
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"Who?" Abdullah said. "Your mommy?"
Mac nodded, conceding that Abdullah was developing a sense of humor, but not
rewarding him with more than that. "Rayford's in the air somewhere. It's on
us. What're we gonna do?"
"I'm in," Albie said.
Abdullah nodded.
Mac climbed in the back of the chopper. Abdullah slid in behind the controls.
Albie sat next to him.
When they were in the air, Abdullah shouted over the din, "We could check with
Chang. Have him put something in the computer."
Neither responded, so Abdullah abandoned the idea. He wondered if they were
being foolish. Down deep he knew they were. But he could not stop himself from
going.
It was clear to Mac that this show was set up exclusively for the rebels from
Petra. He tried to get out of Abdullah why anybody would want to leave the
safety of that city, but it was an unanswerable rhetorical question.
Abdullah was clearly taking his time, but the chopper
quickly overtook the walking masses and set down about a hundred feet from the
stage, whipping up a cloud of
dust that a light breeze carried directly to the people on the platform. They
stared at the chopper.
Mac saw several armed GC looking and talking among themselves.
One approached, a young, thickchested man who would have been stocky even
without the bulletproof vest that became apparent as he drew near. Abdullah
had shut down and the blade had just stopped.
"Just sit here and look at him," Mac said. "Make him make the first move."
Vest Chest stood with his weapon dangling, totally nonthreatening, but he
looked expectantly at Albie, who sat in the second seat by the door. "You
going to open
up?" the young man said.
"Not if we don't have to," Albie said. "The AC still has this thing cooled."
"You have to," the Peacekeeper said.
Albie looked back at Mac. Mac nodded. Albie opened the door.
Mac leaned forward and spoke in a gruff voice, "You don't want to be too close
to this machine, son! Engine's still hot, and she's been known to spit some
oil. And we might want to fire her up again, just for a little air."
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