leader's debris, ingesting burning, smoking parts into his jet intakes. Within two seconds, he too was spinning out of control.
While Hunter pulled up from his swift and deadly attack, Crunch and Elvis looped their F-4's beneath the remaining four Starfighters and quickly had two of them in their sights. A pair of Sidewinders later, two more '104's were spiraling downward. Now only two enemy aircraft remained. Their desperate pilots tried to outmaneuver the United Americans -but there was nowhere to hide in the crystal clear sky. A perfectly aimed cannon shot from Hunter sent one of the Starfighters plunging to a fiery grave; another Sidewinder shot from Crunch took care of number six.
"I suppose that's another bottle of Scotch we owe you," Crunch radioed over to Hunter as the F-4's and the Harrier formed up.
"That one was on the house," Hunter deadpanned. "But we're not done yet," Crunch told him. "Those Starfighter drivers have a lot of buddies waiting for them back in Dodge City. Looked to us like there were at least another two dozen flying around the airport there."
"That's quite a fleet for just one gang of air pirates," Hunter observed. "Could be an alliance of some kind."
"Maybe," Crunch agreed. "Though I imagine they probably wind up fighting each other as much as anyone else. In fact, they're probably all screwed up back there right now, wondering who we were and what the hell is going on."
"Well, they're sitting right in our path, so we've got to deal with them sooner or later," Hunter said as the three jets turned back toward the Topeka airport. "And I'd prefer to do it sooner."
Two hours later, they were airborne again.
Flying low to avoid radar, their wings flush with a gaggle of ordnance, the three pilots were returning to the Dodge City airport, intent on launching a preemptive air strike. The purpose of the surprise, hit-and-run mission was to keep the air pirates off balance as well as gauge the size and disposition of their air force.
But it was Hunter and the Wreckers who were to be surprised.
They met no opposition going in-no Starfighters, no AA fire, not so much as a beep on their SAM detection equipment. And then, when they reached the target twenty minutes later, they were amazed to find the airport was deserted.
"They sure cleared out quick," Elvis said, not quite believing what they were seeing. .
"They sure did," Hunter replied. "Almost too quick.
Chapter 14
The Hind helicopter eased onto the mile-long, dirt runway and settled down in a swirl of red dust and sand.
Duke Devillian, his pudgy body moist with excitement, climbed out of the chopper even before its huge rotor blades had stopped turning. The Skinhead pilot felt a jolt of glee run through him for an instant when it appeared Devillian might actually walk right into one of the twirling razor-edge blades, his perception screwed up by his hideously crossed eyes.
But no such luck -the terrorist’s leader ducked at the last possible moment, then scrambled on his hands and knees until he was out of danger.
"You would have been eaten alive by ants if that had hit me,"
Devillian screamed, pointing first at the rotor blade, and then at the Skinhead, all the while not quite sure himself how he could have made good on the threat.
The 'Head simply gave him the finger, then proceeded to shut down the Hind's main systems. He had been practically chained to Devillian for the past forty-eight hours as the man insisted on flying all over the southwest plains, looking for innocent victims to kill. Now the Skinhead pilot was just happy the long trip was over, knowing that Devillian would have to look for his daily dose of blood and mayhem somewhere else.
Devillian quickly regained his composure and walked like a king across the unique expanse of land that housed his secret Fortress of the Burning Cross.
Selecting the bizarre location for his base was a stroke of strategic
While Hunter pulled up from his swift and deadly attack, Crunch and Elvis looped their F-4's beneath the remaining four Starfighters and quickly had two of them in their sights. A pair of Sidewinders later, two more '104's were spiraling downward. Now only two enemy aircraft remained. Their desperate pilots tried to outmaneuver the United Americans -but there was nowhere to hide in the crystal clear sky. A perfectly aimed cannon shot from Hunter sent one of the Starfighters plunging to a fiery grave; another Sidewinder shot from Crunch took care of number six.
"I suppose that's another bottle of Scotch we owe you," Crunch radioed over to Hunter as the F-4's and the Harrier formed up.
"That one was on the house," Hunter deadpanned. "But we're not done yet," Crunch told him. "Those Starfighter drivers have a lot of buddies waiting for them back in Dodge City. Looked to us like there were at least another two dozen flying around the airport there."
"That's quite a fleet for just one gang of air pirates," Hunter observed. "Could be an alliance of some kind."
"Maybe," Crunch agreed. "Though I imagine they probably wind up fighting each other as much as anyone else. In fact, they're probably all screwed up back there right now, wondering who we were and what the hell is going on."
"Well, they're sitting right in our path, so we've got to deal with them sooner or later," Hunter said as the three jets turned back toward the Topeka airport. "And I'd prefer to do it sooner."
Two hours later, they were airborne again.
Flying low to avoid radar, their wings flush with a gaggle of ordnance, the three pilots were returning to the Dodge City airport, intent on launching a preemptive air strike. The purpose of the surprise, hit-and-run mission was to keep the air pirates off balance as well as gauge the size and disposition of their air force.
But it was Hunter and the Wreckers who were to be surprised.
They met no opposition going in-no Starfighters, no AA fire, not so much as a beep on their SAM detection equipment. And then, when they reached the target twenty minutes later, they were amazed to find the airport was deserted.
"They sure cleared out quick," Elvis said, not quite believing what they were seeing. .
"They sure did," Hunter replied. "Almost too quick.
Chapter 14
The Hind helicopter eased onto the mile-long, dirt runway and settled down in a swirl of red dust and sand.
Duke Devillian, his pudgy body moist with excitement, climbed out of the chopper even before its huge rotor blades had stopped turning. The Skinhead pilot felt a jolt of glee run through him for an instant when it appeared Devillian might actually walk right into one of the twirling razor-edge blades, his perception screwed up by his hideously crossed eyes.
But no such luck -the terrorist’s leader ducked at the last possible moment, then scrambled on his hands and knees until he was out of danger.
"You would have been eaten alive by ants if that had hit me,"
Devillian screamed, pointing first at the rotor blade, and then at the Skinhead, all the while not quite sure himself how he could have made good on the threat.
The 'Head simply gave him the finger, then proceeded to shut down the Hind's main systems. He had been practically chained to Devillian for the past forty-eight hours as the man insisted on flying all over the southwest plains, looking for innocent victims to kill. Now the Skinhead pilot was just happy the long trip was over, knowing that Devillian would have to look for his daily dose of blood and mayhem somewhere else.
Devillian quickly regained his composure and walked like a king across the unique expanse of land that housed his secret Fortress of the Burning Cross.
Selecting the bizarre location for his base was a stroke of strategic
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