"Maloney, Mack - Wingman 07 - Skyfire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maloney Mack)

"And you got Dominique back," he said, his voice lower in volume a notch. "And that certainly was a critical thing."

"So what's the bad news?"

Hunter took several seconds before replying.

"Well, as you know, Elizabeth Sandlake got away," he said. "And Fitz's intelligence boys think Juanita Juarez did, too."

Jones Shrugged; he knew all about both women. Elizabeth Sandlake, the brilliant but unbalanced woman, was the mastermind behind the castle's operations. And Juanita Juarez, the incredibly beautiful but murderous ally of Duke Deviliian, had somehow become Sandlake's second in command.

"There's no doubt that both escaped?" he asked.

"None whatsoever," Hunter said. "Fitz and his guys checked and double-checked all the prisoners and all the enemy KIA's. No one fits their descriptions."

"Damn . . ." Jones whispered. "Those are two ladies I'd

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rather not have running around loose."

Hunter nodded grimly. "And then, there's my airplane . . ."

Jones searched his friend's eyes and thought he detected the slightest hint of their moistening. He knew that next to Dominique, Hunter's F-16XL was the most valuable thing in the world to him.

"Do we have any idea how or where they took it?" Jones asked, knowing the question was pointless.

Hunter shook his head no and leaned back in his seat. He quickly drained his glass of beer and poured another.

"Don't worry," Jones told him. "Well get it back. It may take a while-but we'll do it."

Hunter just shrugged and unconsciously sank lower in his seat. Once again, Jones watched his friend's face carefully for several moments as they drank in silence. Finally, he spoke again.

"But I must say, I'm a little puzzled by your reaction, Hawk," the senior officer said. "Frankly, I thought you'd go storming out of here, hot on the trail of both Miss Sandlake and your airplane . . ."

Hunter smiled wanly and stared across the barroom for a long tune before responding.

Finally he said: "I guess that's what most people would expect. And believe me, there's a part of me that wants to do exactly that."

"But?"

"But not this time," Hunter said, turning back to the general.

The Wingman took a deep breath and washed it down with a long swig of beer.

"General, we've been through a lot together in these past few years." he continued. "You know me as well as any man alive. You know how I feel about this country. You know I'd never stand by and let anyone trample on what it stands for."

Jones nodded, sensing what was to come.

'ХWe've fought and won a lot of battles," the pilot went