She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 55

At Bamako base, the trucks were parked inside a fenced in lot, but here they were left in the open. It made their planning almost ridiculously easy. Jake circled Brown Bessy, making sure her cargo was still secured and that she was ready to go. When he got back to the front he saw the quartermaster coming his way.

Fear spiked through him. Their plan, such as it was, had already been discovered and they were to be sent home, without evening helping Gabriel. He steeled himself, he'd... He didn't know what he'd do but he'd think of something. Violence was unthinkable, not that Jake stood any chance against the man, who was more heavily muscled. Still giving up was also not an option.

They met in the middle of the tarmac and looked at each other for a long minute. The quartermaster spoke first. "So Itishi tells me we are finally going to tell diplomacy to take a hike and do what we came here to do."

Relief rippled through Jake and his face broke into a smile. "Yeah, that's plan, sir. We are going to help them, artificial lines on the ground notwithstanding."

"I'd muster the entire camp, but some wouldn't agree." He rattled off several names, many of them locals. "They'll go if you ask. I'd go as well, but I can be more help here, keep the heat off as long as possible."

"Thanks."

By the time Jake had Brown Bessy heading out off the tarmac there were five trucks behind him. Abioya and Åse were in Brown Bessy with him, Pierre, Chatura and Helvig behind them, Itishi and the others behind.

He headed straight for the border. On their side a UN peacekeeper stood beside a little used road, holding his hand up for them to stop. Jake ignored it. The man gave them a quizzical look and then turned back to his guard depot to check with his superiors.

On the far side of the no mans land was a low wooden barricade. A soldier stood behind it, armed with a rifle. He, too, held out his hand for them to stop.

Jake gunned the accelerator, not too fast but fast enough to send the message that they weren't planning to stop. The man's eyes went wide. There was a short game of chicken, which Jake won. The man dashed from the road. The truck hit the wooden barrier and barely felt the impact. The crew cheered and they were through, the six trucks heading south into Sierra Leone.