009. Escape

The surgeon stepped forward. Caroline eyed him studiously. Guerrero had chosen forty men for her to train, and the surgeon was not among them. Nevertheless, she proceeded as she had with all her other pilots-in-training.

'Have you ever flown a plane before?' she asked.

'No.' was his reply.

She smiled and nodded, 'Well then, you're no more or less experienced than the rest of these men.'

Caroline helped him into the forward cockpit of the Airco. It was clear to her that his age was his enemy; he was obviously uncomfortable in that confined space. She leaned close to his ear.

'Are you sure about this?' she whispered.

He nodded. Caroline introduced the surgeon to the basic controls and ran the pre-flight checklist. She explained to him what to expect in the event of an air raid; information the surgeon took in sombrely. After this brief introduction, Caroline climbed in the rear cockpit and taxied the DH.4 out to the strip. She eased the throttle forward and began the long take-off roll required for an old workhorse like the '4. The lift-off was somewhat less than perfect but well within expectations. As they banked over Guerrero's camp, the surgeon indicated that Caroline should pick up her speaking tube. She complied.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

'I lied before,' the surgeon said, 'I fly very well.'

Caroline was slightly perturbed, 'Who taught you?' she asked

'The RAF...with a little help from your father.'

'Wait, you knew my father?!'

'Yes. We were very good friends.'

It finally dawned on Caroline who the surgeon really was. 'You...are you Zacharie DuPont?!'

She heard him laugh weakly, 'The day your father died I made him a promise. I promised him that if ever you found your life threatened I would do everything in my power to help you...'

'What are you saying?'

'Guerrero will kill you. As soon as his men can fly, he will kill you.'

'John Brady...' she began.

'Your friend is leaving today...'

'He's leaving me here with that bastard?!'

'Yes.'

'Bastard!'

Caroline relinquished control of the DH.4 to the surgeon. It was true: he was a competent flyer, if a little out of practice. He banked the ex-RAF bomber to the north east.

'Where are we going?' Caroline asked.

'A small strip built by Americans.'

The two fell silent. Caroline slumped back in her seat and concentrated her attention on the sound of air rushing past the '4's wooden fuselage, and the whine of the aircraft's engine. The minutes ticked by. After an hour or so, DuPont pointed to a large rock formation some distance away. Caroline nodded in understanding. As the '4 began its gradual descent towards the strip, Caroline noticed a small biplane sitting on the ground.

'Friend of yours?' she asked.

'And yours.' DuPont replied.

As the DH.4 touched down, a pair of figures emerged from the undergrowth. Caroline recognised them both instantly. After the '4 had rolled to a stop, Caroline disembarked and greeted them warmly.

'Good to see you again, Mrs. Carol.' Andres Ramos said.

'And you, Andres,' Caroline said, and, turning her attention to Mohsen, 'Where's Rex?'

'Captured.' was his reply.

'Captured?!' she said, shocked.

'By the Germans.' Ramos added.

It took Caroline a few minutes to process this new information. John Brady had not been joking about Germany's presence in South America. There was no way of telling whether Rex was alive or dead. Somewhat weakened, Caroline lifted her head.

'Well...are we going to get him back?' she asked firmly.

Ramos began to smile. 'Yes,' he said, 'With a little help from Neville...'

He stuck his index fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle. An army of forty men equipped with Lee-Enfield rifles emerged from the undergrowth. One of the men, dressed in his pristine army greens, stepped forward. He saluted Caroline.

'Colonel Edmund Wright, 39th Infantry Division, at your service, ma'am.'

Caroline nodded and leaned in to whisper in Ramos' ear, 'You had the British Army come to South America to rescue one man?'

Ramos chuckled, 'I may have implied it was for "Queen and country".'

Colonel Wright cleared his throat to draw their attention, 'We have an armoured battalion standing by and a squadron of Royal Air Force bombers en route to assist us. Your husband asked that you be transported back to Lima as soon as possible, Mrs. Carol...'

'Are you kidding?' she laughed, 'I wouldn't miss this for the world!'

She felt a heavy hand on her shoulder. It was Zacharie DuPont's.

'It is in your best interests to return to Lima, Mrs. Carol.' he said.

Caroline hung her head in resignation. After a moment, she turned to face the Colonel. She gave him a piercing look.

'You get him back.' she said.

Colonel Wright nodded, 'Yes, ma'am.'

Caroline was escorted to a waiting jeep. As she was driven away from the dirt landing strip by a young private, she watched as Colonel Wright's men were marshalled into action. Meanwhile, Andres Ramos and Mohsen climbed into the antiquated Albatros, which Caroline watched fly overhead a few minutes later. The Albatros banked eastwards, presumably heading towards the place where Rex was being held. She slumped back in her seat and thought of him, held in captivity.

'Be alright.' she whispered.

'Did you say something?' the private asked.

'Just you drive, buster!' she snapped.

Silently, she mouthed the words, 'Be alright.'

TO BE CONTINUED...