Free Missing by Darrell Maloney Page A

and they strayed or changed course?”
         “Then we’ll still find them. It’ll just take a little longer.”
         “Who are the people sitting in the other three cars, colonel?”
         “My communications and search and rescue coordinators. With your permission, we’d like to set up a mobile command post. So we can coordinate our operations from this end as well as from Kelly.”
         “Can your comm people splice into our own command center and share our antennas?”
         “Of course. That would save us a lot of time.”
         The colonel turned and made a motion to the vehicles behind him.
         As one, all the car doors opened and several persons exited. Trunks and hatchbacks popped open and every man grabbed boxes, rolls of maps, and laptop computers.
         Frank said, “Follow me, colonel.”
         He turned and headed back to the gate, with the others in tow.
         Frank was well aware that some in the compound might not like it that he was bringing in a dozen members of the United States Army. Some in their group might find it suspicious. And in such force, the Army might try to control things, as they were wont to do.
         But these weren’t normal circumstances. Three of their own were missing and might be injured or worse. Frank figured that if they wanted to replace him as assistant security manager when this was all over, then so be it. But for now, his role as he saw it was to do whatever he had to do to get their people back.
         Right now the Army had the resources, and therefore the best hand.
         So Frank would let them play their cards.
         “Karen, this is Frank. The Army is here to help. I’m bringing them in.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 16
     
         Hannah shivered in the cold night air.
         Joel pressed his body closer to hers. His head rested on her chest, his arm draped gently across her midsection.
         Under different circumstances, he might have found significant delight in snuggling so closely with a beautiful woman.
         But this wasn’t for pleasure. This was to share the warmth of their body heat. In the terrible situation they were in, it was really the only thing they could do to make each other more comfortable.
         “I’m terribly thirsty,” she said.
         “I know. So am I. Try not to think about it. That’ll help a little bit.”
         “Okay. I’ll try.”
         Joel had a sudden thought, and reached into one of the zippered breast pockets of his flight suit.
         He took out half a pack of Juicy Fruit gum.
         “Here. Chew on a stick of this. It won’t quench your thirst, but it’ll help keep your mouth moist. It’ll be easier for you to forget how thirsty you are if your mouth isn’t dry. And it’ll help you to keep talking. That’s what I need more than water.”
         She turned her head to look at him.
         “You need for me to talk more than you need water?”
         It sounded so odd to her.
         “Yes. When I regained consciousness after the crash I saw that one leg was already gone. I was able to stop the bleeding, and then I took a good look at the other leg.
         “It’s obvious that it’ll have to be taken too. It’s completely crushed.
         “Oddly enough, I can’t feel either of them. I guess that’s probably a good thing.
         “Anyway, I’ve always been a very physical guy. I’m a runner, five miles a day. I play for my unit’s football and softball teams. Last summer my football team won the base championship, and I was the quarterback.”
         He started to choke up.
         She felt bad for him, and ran her fingers through his hair. Like she did for little Markie when he was troubled or sad.
         “Anyway, I looked down at my legs and realized that’s all gone now. I’ll never run again. I’ll never play in the big