"I hit him," Job complained angrily. "I hit him right on the nose with a rocket. It was like hitting a bull buffalo with a slingshot. He just turned and came straight at me."
Sean wiped the water from his eyes and face with the palm of his hand. "Titanium armor plate," he explained quietly. "They are almost invulnerable to conventional fire, both the pilot's cockpit and the engine compartment are tight and solid. The only thing you can do when one of those bastards comes at you is run and hide."
4 He flicked his sodden hair back out of his eyes. "Anyway, you pulled him off us. He was just about to blast us with that dirty great A cannon." He swam across to Claudia.
"You shouted at me," she accused. "You were quite rude. You called me a dilly bird."
"Better abused than dead." He grinned at her, and she smiled back. Is that an invitation, sir? I would let mind a little abuse--from YOU.
underwater, he slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her. My God, how I have missed your cheek and sauce."
She pressed herself against him. 641 (WY VC111i2W after you were gone she whispered.
"Me too," he confessed. "Up to then, i thought I couldn't stand you. Then I realized I just couldn't do without you "I feel weak when you say that. Tell me you really mean it."
"Later." He hugged her. First lets just try and get out of here alive." He left her and paddled across to Job's Side Of the leafy cavern.
can you see the bank?"
job nodded. Looks like the raid is over. They are coming Out of the bunkers."
from under the concealing branches. He saw Sean peered out about on the near bank. "They'll be troops moving cautiously picking up the pieces for a while before they realiZe we've scarP end but keep an eye on them."
He paddled across to Dedan, who was watching the far bank.
"What do you see? "They are busy with themselves." Dedan pointed- A stretcher party was working along the bank, picking up the dead and the wounded, while work details had already begun repairing the damaged fortifications and replacing destroyed camouflage- Nobody looked out moss the' river
Them was other debris floating downstream with them, severed branches and damaged equipment, empty oil drums, enough to draw attention away from their flimsy refuge.
"If we can avoid discovery until nightfall, we should have floated down beyond the army. Just keep both eyes wide open, Dedan."
"Mambo, " he acknowledged, and concentrated his attention on the bank.
Sean swam quietly back to Claudia and hung on to the branch beside her.
She reached out for him, immediately.
"I don't like you to be away for even a moment," she whispered.
"Did you really mean what you saidr" He kissed her, and she kissed him back 80 fiercely her teeth bruised his lower lip. He enjoyed the mild pain She broke the embrace at last and immediately demanded "Did you mean chI can't do you," he answered. you can do better than that."
"You are the most magnificent woman I've ever known."
"That's not bad, but it's still not what I want to hear.
"I love you," he admitted.
"That's it, oh Sean, that's it. And I love you too." She kissed him again, and they were oblivious to all else, their mouths blending and their bodies clinging wetly together below the surface.
Sean did not know how long it was until Job disturbed them.
"We are going ashore," he called.
t The push of the current had forced the floating tree to the outside of the next river bend, and it was already dragging on the submerged sandbar. When Sean lowered his feet, he touched bottom.
"Walk it into deeper water," Sean ordered. Still concealed beneath its leafy bulk, they heaved and pushed it out until they felt it come free of the sandbar. The current picked it up again and drifted it into the next stretch of the river.
Sean was panting from the effort as he hung on to a branch above his head, only his head above the surface. Claudia paddled across to him and hung on to the same branch.
"Sean," she said. Her mood had changed. "I haven't been able to ask you, mostly because I don't want to hear the answer." She broke off and drew a deep breath. "My father?" she asked.
Sean was silent as he sought the words to tell her, but it was Claudia who spoke again.
"He didn't come back with you, did he?"
Sean shook his head, and his sodden locks dangled into his face.
"Did he find his elephant?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Sean answered simply.
"I'm glad," she said. "I wanted that to be my last gift to him."
Now she let go of the branch and slipped both her arms around Sean's neck, laying her cheek against his so she did not have to watch his face as she asked the next question.
"Is my father dead, Sean? I must hear you say it before I will believe it."
With his free arm he held her tightly and gathered himself to reply.
"Yes, my darling. Capo is dead, but he died a man's death-the kind he would have wanted-and Tukutela, his elephant, went with him. Do you want to hear the details?"
"No!" She shook her head, holding him tightly. "Not now, perhaps not ever. He is dead, and a part of me and my life dies with him."