Welcome to the latest installment of the exciting Adventures of Chase Cooder - Bush Pilot! In this episode Chase and Box learn secrets about the dig, learn about crimes being committed, and more! So climb aboard, buckle up and enjoy the ride!
* * * * *
Ruane lay on top of Chase. They had just finished making love and were about to begin round two when the phone rang.
"Let the machine get it, baby. I want you in my ass."
They were kissing when the answering machine came on and they heard Box's voice.
"Anna's missing! Call as soon as you get this!"
"Who's Anna?" Ruane asked.
"Box's new squeeze."
"Pig."
"Damn it. I need to call him." Chase pecked Ruane and squirmed out from under her. He padded across the room to Ruane's desk, punched the speakerphone button, and called Box.
"Hel..."
"Box, Chase. You're on speakerphone. Ruane's here. What's up?"
"Anna's missing. So are two of those guys that were in front of the fire. Remember them?"
"Yes. How long?"
"Long enough to know something's wrong."
"Check around? Make some calls?"
"Not even going to answer that," Box snorted.
"I know, I know. Never assume and all that, though. So what do you know?"
"I know she's been gone less than twelve hours, but she's missed two meals. She never misses work. Two of those guys went gone about the last time Anna was seen. Also, Maureen and Parker aren't around, but I don't know if that's connected or not."
"Why would it be?"
"Don't know, Chase. But I noticed Maureen and one of those guys exchanging glances."
"Well, that would be par for the course with Maureen." Chase smiled inwardly.
"Maybe, but there was something about it. Wasn't flirting."
"What else?"
"May not mean anything, but there's a dig up the mountain. Some type of archeological find being excavated."
"A dig? Didn't Parker say he was an archeologist?"
"I thought he said symbologist."
"That's right. He said he did archeology early in his career then retrained."
"It's thin. Anyway, I want to find Anna and I have a feeling I'm gonna need help," Box admitted.
"On my way, Box. See what else you can find out and you can fill me in when I get there."
Chase hung up and looked at Ruane, who was lying naked on the couch.
"So I guess that means round two is delayed."
"Sorry, Ru. I promised Box."
"I'm going with you."
"No. You should stay here and run the business. I'll be back before you can say 'do my ass'."
Ruane got up and approached Chase. She grabbed his cock and pressed against him. "I don't want to wait days before you fuck my ass, baby. I can help and you know it. I'm going with you and that's that. Business is light for the next few days, so I'll make some calls and shuffle some pilots. Call forwarding, my laptop and I'm set."
She put her hand on Chase's cheek and said, "I love Box too, baby."
Chase and Ruane grabbed their clothes, took a quick shower and made some calls to cover their contracts. They grabbed their war bags, refueled, changed the fuel filter and took off for Snapper Lake Lodge.
* * *
Miles from Snapper Lake Lodge, on Knob Mountain, Maureen was enraged at the grey-eyed, hawk-nosed mercenary.
"What the fuck did you bring her for!" Maureen spit out, her breasts heaving. Even angry, her sexuality shone through.
"Stand down, Maureen. It has nothing to do with you," Dirk replied with menace in his eyes.
"The fuck it doesn't! She wasn't part of the plan. I'm
supposed
to get Parker to the
lodge
. Hauling him and Anna up here puts us in danger."
"I said shut up. Haven't you ever heard of a subplot? Don't worry, Maureen, I did my homework. It's all mapped out."
"Ah, shit! You're a fucking fool," she said, grabbed her hair with both hands and turned a full circle. "Do you know who she's
with
?"
"What do you mean?"
"Anna's tight with that huge mountain man back at the lodge. He's going to notice she's missing real quick and come looking for her. And sooner than you think, you idiot. All you did is get them looking for us."
"We can handle it. Chopper will be here early tomorrow morning."
"You fucking better," Maureen spit out, surprising herself that in her anger she had lost her fear of the man, at least temporarily. She turned and walked over to where Parker and Anna were seated, their hands bound in front and their legs hobbled by a short rope secured around their ankles.
"I'm sorry, Anna. I had no idea these clowns planned this. I was just supposed to get Parker here."
"Why?" Parker asked with some steel in his voice that surprised Maureen.
"Oh, Parker, I don't know the details. I was told they wanted to talk with you at the lodge and that they have something they want you to look at."
Parker didn't reply.
"You know Box will be looking for me," Anna said. She was concerned, but not panicked. Kidnapping had always been a possibility in her family and she was well trained in martial arts and survival techniques. She even had a GPS implant under the skin of her right underarm. Not that it would do a lot of good in the short run since Box didn't know about it.
"I know. And I want to assure you both that nobody wants to hurt either of you." She noticed Dirk talking on his cell phone.
Dirk walked over to the trio and said, "Maureen, we're going. Watch them closely. Don't untie them. We'll be back in a couple of hours."
Maureen watched the two mercenaries ride off on four wheelers that were eerily quiet.
* * *
Flying in the right seat of the restored 1967 DeHavilland Beaver, Ruane looked over maps of the area surrounding Snapper Lake Lodge. Chase saw her puff some air up, blowing some stray hairs out of her face. Moments later he watched her tuck that gorgeous red hair behind her left ear. He smiled. He loved watching Ruane in the small moments. She tilted her head, caught him looking, and gave him a wink and a smile.
Once back on the ground Chase, Ruane and Box sat at the table in the private dining room. "So, what have you got?" Chase asked.
"We're missing a Land Rover and two four wheelers. So that suggests three drivers. We got five people unaccounted for; Anna, Maureen, Parker, and two of the three guys. Assume the two guys are drivers. That leaves Maureen and Parker."
"Don't take this the wrong way, Box, but...Anna?" Chase asked in a soft, gentle voice.
"I thought of that. No. Doesn't fit the Anna I know."
"Okay."
"There's a dig up Knob Mountain. Rumors of a major find. They found a temple and some mysterious instrument they're keeping under wraps," Box continued.
"Who's dig is it?"
"International group. French woman is leading it."
"Any word on the nature of the mysterious instrument?" Ruane asked.
"Nobody's talking much about it. Some kind of object with weird symbols and shapes all over it and it's supposed to have special properties."
"That could be the Parker Dill link. You think those guys are after it and want him to evaluate it?" Chase directed toward Box.
"Maybe, but why take Anna then?"
"Could be a different issue altogether," Ruane offered. "Do you know who she is, Box?"
"Yeah. She's Anna."