n single file. Jodi followed for part of the way then doubled

back to create a return track as they entered the trees.

Before leaving the campsite, Clearwater used some of the pink soap

leaves and melted snow to scrub the dye off Kelso's face, neck and

hands then helped Jodi do the same. The clean-up was designed to

prevent a knee-jerk reaction by her rescuers. If they suddenly found

themselves confronted by what looked like a Mute they might shoot first

and feel foolish afterwards. It then occurred to Steve that when her

painted body came to light it would inevitably lead to more awkward

questions. Jodi agreed and was soon standing naked and shivering by

the small fire. They all pitched in and with everybody scrubbing away

like crazy, she didn't stay cold for long.

Kelso's injuries meant they couldn't do the same for him but that,

decided Steve, was his problem. The mexican would be hospitalized as

soon as he got on board and Karlstrom, alerted by the RX code attached

to the mexican's serial number would ensure he was surrounded by a wall

of silence.

While Steve went over the scenario with Jodi to make sure she was word

perfect, Cadillac and Clearwater had given Kelso a last examination,

making sure his splints and bandages were still firmly in place to

avoid further dislocation of his limbs during his aerial journey. And

when that had been done, Cadillac helped Steve check the campsite to

make sure all evidence pointed to it being occupied by the two people

that would be found there. Clearwater having persuaded Jodi to kneel

down, proceeded to massage her neck in an effort to soothe the pain

from the whiplash injury she'd suffered in the crash and which had

flared up again during the big scrubdown.

At one point Jodi appeared to fall briefly asleep but when she opened

her eyes she was able to move her head freely without the slightest

twinge of discomfort.

'That is amazing!'

'Not to the Plainfolk,' said Cadillac.

'It's all in the mind,' explained Clearwater. And she took hold of

Jodi's hands and looked deep into her eyes.

'When the time comes to act, heed the voice within you and you will be

able to summon up the strength required to achieve that which is asked

of you."

At the time, this had struck Steve as a slightly odd thing to say but

they had then gone out to stamp Jodi's number across the landscape and

he had not given it a second thought.

CHAPTER SIX

Now, in the early afternoon of the following day, the plan was coming

to fruition. Steve, who had been listening with the others to the

chatter of The Lady's wingmen as they spoke to each other, knew the

giant numbers sighted on the ground had been confirmed as being those

issued to Jodi and that a recovery operation was now underway.

He watched Jodi ready the handset as one of the Skyhawks which had been

circling high above her spiralled down and made a low pass over the

dying flare.

Nate Stinson, the pilot, dipped his wings as he sped past Jodi. She

waved as it banked away in a climbing turn to her right. Levelling out

at five hundred feet, Stinson kept the starboard wing down and let the

Skyhawk's nose travel along the horizon in a gentle 360-degree turn.

Jodi switched on the handset as the blue and white machine flew over

the snow-covered pines beneath which Steve lay hidden.

'2-0-9-6-5-3-4-1 calling Sky-hawk.

How do you read, over?"

'Blue One to 5-3-4-1. We have you in the frame and read you five by

five. Your call-sign is Snow Bird, repeat Snow Bird. Need your

sit-rep to facilitate recovery.

Stand by while we patch you through to Sun-Ray Lady, over."

'Roger, Blue One. Snow Bird standing by..."

Switching channels, Stinson called up The Lady and received

confirmation that his black box was relaying Jodi's transmission. The

exchanges were being taped and a digital voice transducer was

simultaneously translating it into text onto one of the many video

screens. Sun-Ray Lady was Hartmann's call-sign.

'Blue One to Snow Bird. Sun-Ray Lady now on line.

Proceed with sit-rep. Blue One listening out."