“So Agus is going to think either you’ve left the island, or it’s too dangerous to go after you.You’ve already injured some of his men.”She took a deep breath as if bracing herself.“He hates my mother.She had him arrested twenty years ago and ruined his marriage to the chief’s daughter.He wants to punish her, and now he knows who I am.”
They all glanced at Vance, but he just stared defiantly back.
“We can set up the extraction at the cliff top,” Mila continued.“While you head there, I’ll make my way to the village of Desa Agung at the top of the mountain.”She pursed her lips.“Maybe I can take the car and say I found it abandoned.I’ll tell people the wave knocked me unconscious, which is why I’m only just arriving.”
He didn’t like that she was making fantastic points.
“And how is Agus going to know you’re there?”Joker asked.“Phone lines are down.”
“He has loyal men at each village.The last time I was in Desa Agung I was visiting a family and heard the father talking to him on the radio.I can ask him to contact Agus.Say I’m worried about Vance and want to make sure he’s safe.”
Smart, and something Agus would believe.
“And how is Agus going to get there?We stole his car,” Radar pointed out.
“He’s got two four-wheel drives and several off-road motorbikes,” Vance piped up.“He showed me his garage when I was there.”
Finally the man was being useful.
Mila looked at Dobby.“I just need to figure out how to time everything so Agus doesn’t get the call until we know when the chopper is coming.”
She was missing one thing.“What about you?”
“I’m not your mission.”Her smile was sad.“I know you’d take me if you could, but I’ll figure something out.”
“You expect us to leave you behind while we get extracted?”Dobby asked.Not happening.The rest of his team were shaking their heads, too.
She shrugged.“The road to the northern coastal village is just before Desa Agung.I can drive there after I confirm Agus has left and maybe the chopper could swing by there to pick me up.”She glanced at Joker.“It wouldn’t need to land, would it?Someone could throw down a ladder.I’ve seen it done in movies.”
Dobby growled.“This isn’t the fucking movies.”
Joker slapped him on the shoulder.“It isn’t, but it would work.”
“It’s dangerous, and we don’t know when we’re getting the all-clear.”A weak argument, but he didn’t want Mila risking herself.She’d been through too much already.
The blacks and greys of the night were shifting into colours defining his team more clearly.First light wasn’t far away.“I’ll go with you.”
“You can’t.If you’re seen, Agus will know the team is still on the island.You need to be with the others.With two of you carrying the stretcher, you’ll need two people to defend them and Vance if you get spotted.”
He hated she was making very valid points.
“We’d make it work,” Axle said.
Good.Finally some backup.
“I have to go in alone,” she insisted.Her face was a picture of determination and damned if he didn’t admire her more for it.
Radar held up a hand to stop the arguing.“It’s time I called base.They might have an update.”
Dobby nodded his assent, his gut tensing.It went against everything he was to let a civilian risk herself for a mission.
Particularly when the civilian was as kind and selfless as Mila.
Mila got to her feet.“I need to use the bathroom.”Her face flushed.
“Don’t go too far,” he told her.
“I won’t.”
