The Perseid Collapse (37 page)

“He sort of has a point.” Alex shrugged, patting Charlie on the arm.

“Thanks.”

“Ten minutes,” said Alex, checking his watch.

“We’ve got about two miles in the reservation. Another seven or so to the river.”

“It’s only 5:20,” said Ed.

“I want to get to the edge of the reservation and rest—watch the outskirts of Medford. We do a little surveillance and enter the city around 7:30. Puts us near Cambridge after dark,” said Alex.

“Why don’t we just leave from here an hour later? Walk straight through,” protested Ed.

“There’s a catch. Once we enter Medford, we have to move with a purpose. No window shopping.”

Charlie and Ed shook their heads in confusion.

“It’s a saying. We can’t look like we’re out for a stroll. A Special Forces team en route to a critical national objective doesn’t stop for breaks. You’ll be thanking me for the rest. Trust me.”

Alex had an entirely different reason to leave immediately, one that had nothing to do with timing. There was no way Charlie would make it to the Charles River—not at the pace they had to maintain in the city. There was no way to say this without an argument. Charlie would insist he could make it, and they’d be left carrying a two-hundred-pound sack of meat when they could least afford to.

Charlie had more than earned the right to be here. He’d been indispensible so far, but it was time for him to assume a different role in the mission. He needed to stay behind to guard the Jeep. Since there was no way to make this suggestion directly, Alex would take a more subtle approach. Sort of.

“Ed, I don’t want to sound too crass, but you should leave your keys with the rucksacks. If we get separated, or I can’t reach your body for some reason—”

“Can’t…can’t reach my
body
?”

“Sorry, man, but we have to think of everything. We have no idea what we might find down there. You could fall through a hole. Get cut off from us in an ambush and killed. The same could happen to any of us.”

“The Jeep’s not exactly invisible from the road. Someone could find the packs,” said Ed.

“Nobody will find the packs. If anyone finds the Jeep and somehow figures out that it’s functional, they’ll never guess that we hid backpacks on the island. They’ll be too preoccupied trying to figure out how to hotwire it,” said Alex, kicking off his clandestine campaign.

“Why did you wait until now to bring this up?” said Ed, holding up the keys.

“I just thought of it. Sorry, I’ll run them out to the packs as soon as I get all of the backup handheld frequencies programmed.”

“I can take care of the keys,” said Charlie, swiping them from Ed.

“Thanks, man,” said Ed.

Charlie set his rifle against the Jeep and waded through the thick brush. Alex pulled Ed behind the Jeep when the sounds of snapping twigs and rustling branches faded.

“I’m going to book ass through the reservation,” said Alex.

“What? What are you talking about? Didn’t you just say—”

“That was all bullshit,” said Alex, “well, most of it.”

Ed paused for a moment. “No. You’re not—he’ll go ape shit.”

“There’s no other way. You know how he his. He’ll kill himself doing this,” said Alex.

“He didn’t have to come along,” said Ed.

“I understand that, but we have to face some realities here, really quickly. If he drops halfway through the city, we’re double fucked, unless you’re willing to ditch his ass in exchange for Chloe’s safety.”

“This isn’t all on me,” said Ed.

“I didn’t say it was. If I have to choose between dragging Charlie along and Ryan?” he said, glaring at Ed.

“All right,” he groaned. “What do you need me to do?”

“Do your best not to complain. We have to make this look like a normal speed. I’ll keep reinforcing how we’re going to pick up the pace once we hit Medford—like hard-core Special Forces operators.”

“Was all of that cover story bullshit just for his benefit?”

“Negative. You’re still the team’s geek. We say our third guy landed in the reservoir. Couldn’t get untangled and drowned.”

“No way this will work.”

“Trust me. It’ll work—if we don’t kill him by accident in the next fifteen minutes. You didn’t see him at the bridge. Looked like he was having a heart attack or something,” said Alex.

“You looked a little rough yourself,” said Ed.

“You didn’t see the inside of the church. I’m running him into the ground. Stay hydrated.”

The bushes near the front of the Jeep shook for a moment and parted, revealing a huffing, red-faced Charlie. A dark brown sweat stain formed a thick ring around his neck. Alex raised a thumb in approval, and Charlie nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve. Ed cast Alex a disapproving look, shaking his head.

“Shouldn’t you get those frequencies programmed?” he whispered.

“I did that before we left Scarborough,” said Alex.

Ed cocked his head. “I hope you’re not planning to ditch my ass at some point.”

“Not unless you keep pissing me off.” Alex winked. “Here he comes.”

“I put the keys in Ed’s pack. Hot out, huh?” Charlie panted.

“Perfect—and you tied an IR chemlight to the bag. I think we’re ready to step off,” said Alex.

“Chemlight? Shit—I didn’t think to do that,” said Charlie.

Alex rubbed his chin and grimaced, weighing the fake decision. “Don’t worry about it. If we get here before sun-up and can’t find the packs, we’ll just set a perimeter and wait until it’s light. That should be fine. Right?” he said to Ed.

Ed pretended not to hear Alex’s question.

“No. No. We need to be able to make a quick departure. The situation out there is too fluid. I’ll run one back,” said Charlie, handing his rifle to Alex. “Am I even carrying any?”

“You should have two of them in one of the side pouches on your vest. I wrapped a small strip of duct tape around the center,” said Alex.

“Okay. I remember those,” he said, patting his vest and turning.

“Better make sure. You don’t want to make two trips,” said Alex.

Ed shot him a glance, and Alex mouthed,
What?

“No. I remember you giving them to me,” he said over his shoulder. “Be back in a minute.”

Alex waited until Charlie disappeared beyond the foliage.

“I give him one mile.”

Chapter 36

EVENT +37:06 Hours

Middlesex Fells Reservation, Medford, Massachusetts

A droplet of sweat dangled from the brim of Alex’s hat, flying over his shoulder when he checked on Charlie. The man had to be close to his breaking point. A dark ring of sweat had formed around the top of his thick nylon tactical vest, spreading past the protruding chest-mounted magazine pouches and extending halfway down his half-rolled shirtsleeves. The shadow of perspiration had even reached his pants, darkening his crotch and upper thighs. Sweat poured in a steady stream from the tip of his hat as he sucked at the CamelBak valve. Alex suspected that Charlie’s body had expelled more fluid in the past thirty-two minutes than it had accepted. He couldn’t possibly last much longer at this pace.

He tapped Ed on the shoulder and slowed the pace enough for Charlie to catch up.

“How we doing back here, Charlie?”

He knew the answer from the look on Charlie’s beet-red, pained face.

“I think…I think I’m going to need a short break,” he huffed. “Just five minutes to adjust my gear, catch my breach. Less than that, probably. Just a quick one.”

“All right. We should get all of our breaks in now, before we hit the city. We won’t be able to stop there,” said Alex. “Ed, let’s hold up for a few minutes.”

Charlie stopped midstride, nearly falling over. He put both hands on his knees and breathed deeply, blowing air out of his mouth.

“Grab some earth for a second,” said Alex, lowering himself to the ground.

Ed slid his backpack to the worn, grassy trail and took a seat on the ground next to Alex. He shot Alex a dirty look when Charlie buried his head in his hands and sighed. Alex shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s hotter than balls out—another reason I’m in no hurry to hit Medford. Trees are the only thing keeping my undies dry, even with the leaves gone,” said Alex, smirking at Ed.

“Too late for that,” said Charlie into his hands. “My nuts are chafing like a son-of-a-bitch. That’s why hunting season’s in the fall. Fuck this weather.”

“I think it’s still hot down south when the season hits,” said Alex.

“Well, they’re idiots for living down there,” said Charlie, laughing at himself.

“Ed?” said Alex.

“Miserable, but good to go. Pace is about right. I could pick it up if we had to,” he said.

“We’ll keep the pace where it is. We’ve got about another mile and a half to the edge of the reservation. Then an hour of rest before we push through to the river,” said Alex. “Everyone ready?”

“I guess,” said Ed.

“Yep. I’m good,” muttered Charlie.

Alex raised himself off the ground using one hand. He readjusted his rifle, positioning it across his chest for quick access. Charlie struggled to get up, and Alex offered him a hand, picking up his pack at the same time. He helped Charlie slide into the pack, pulling on a few of the straps to tighten it.

“Thanks, man. I feel like an old-timer. I really hope I’m not slowing us down,” said Charlie, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

“This is a good pace for now. Remember to drink while you walk. Little sips. You’re leaking water like a sieve,” said Alex, patting him on the back.

Ed cast him a critical look as he passed them. Alex mouthed a kiss and winked as he stepped around Charlie.

“All right, ladies, step it out,” he said, picking up the pace, resigned not to look behind for ten minutes.

Eleven minutes later, Alex risked a glance back to find Charlie more than twenty-five yards behind the group. This had to be it. His walk was labored, and he sucked air through his mouth. One way or the other, Alex would send him back. Another five minutes might kill him.

“Hold up,” he said and jogged back to Charlie.

“I’m-I’m good,” Charlie barely managed.

“Charlie, look at me,” said Alex.

Charlie raised his head, tears streaming down his deep-red face, building momentum with each bead of sweat they absorbed.

“I d-didn’t want to let you guys d-down,” he stammered.

“You didn’t let anyone down, Charlie. Let’s get this off you,” he said, removing Charlie’s backpack. “Come on, let’s grab a seat. There’s a tree trunk with your name on it right over here.”

Alex helped Charlie to a decayed tree at the edge of the trail. He dropped Charlie’s pack and opened one of the top Velcro compartments, pulling a spare water bladder from the pouch. He removed Charlie’s drenched ball cap and opened the CamelBak spigot, holding the bladder above his head and showering Charlie’s sweat-matted hair with water.

“God, that feels like heaven. I’d jump in the reservoir back there if I didn’t have to take all of this shit off and put it on again,” said Charlie.

“I thought about it too,” said Ed.

“You guys aren’t the only ones,” Alex admitted. “I want you to drink the rest of this water. I think you’re a few steps away from heat stroke.” Alex paused a moment. It was now or never.

Sorry, Charlie
.

“We need to get you rehydrated, rested up—and send you back to the Jeep,” said Alex.

Charlie looked down. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

“We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you, Charlie. There’s no doubt about that, but you have to sit this one out. We need you one hundred percent combat effective for the ride back to Maine, and we need the Jeep to be here when we get back. We might need you to bust out of here and pick us up further south. Most importantly, I need to make sure you return to your family.”

Alex kneeled in front of Charlie and grabbed both of his shoulders. “Look at me, Charlie.”

Charlie slowly looked up, eyes filled with tears.

“I couldn’t ask for a better friend, Charlie, which makes this a tough call. I know how much being here means to you.”

“I’ll still be here,” said Charlie, straightening up a little.

“And you’re still the team’s sniper,” added Alex.

Charlie wiped his eyes. “You guys should get going. I can find my way back to the Jeep. The kids are waiting for you.”

“We can spare fifteen minutes to make sure you’re back in business,” said Alex.

“Thanks, man. I’m really sorry about this. I really thought I could make it. I’m glad we figured this out now. Not later.”

“Me too, and quit apologizing,” said Alex, patting him on the shoulder. “You sure you can get back all right?”

“I’ll take it super easy. East Dam Road all the way to the southern tip of the reservoir. We marked off the only confusing point with one of the IR chemlights. I’ll be able to find that. It’s a no-brainer from there. Follow the reservoir until Middle Reservoir Road—another chemlight—and turn left. The island thingy is right there.”

“Sounds like your noggin is working fine,” said Alex.

“As good as before,” added Ed.

“Nice.” Charlie winked.

“We’ve gone over the radios, but let’s do it one more time,” said Alex, taking his handheld out of a pouch on his vest. “I have eight channels preprogrammed. One through eight. We’ll start out with the first preset. Hit the privacy button and select code 129. If there’s too much interference from other users on that channel, go to the next preset channel and do the same.”

“Code 129?” asked Ed.

“Yes. Keep shifting channels until we can talk on a quiet frequency. The bad news is that we’ll probably be out of range by nightfall. These transmit at three watts, which kicks up the range a bit, but with the urban environment, we’ll be lucky to get three to four miles. Each radio has an out-of-range icon here,” he said, holding it up and pointing. “They periodically check in with each other to see if they can communicate. The signal ID is unique to the radio set we’ll be using, including the spare in the Jeep.”

“That’s pretty sweet,” said Charlie.

“It is pretty sweet. It’ll come in handy on the return trip. You’ll know when we’ve wandered back into range,” said Alex. “If at any time you feel like you’ve gotten lost with the frequency shifts, hit the home button, here. It’ll send a burst transmission through every frequency, looking for our radio set’s signal ID. It’ll automatically tune you to the nearest radio’s frequency channel.”