He hid. He didn’t know why he was doing it, but every instinct in his body pushed him behind a group of tall palms and bushes. He then spread himself flat on the ground and held his breath. The moon was out, but he was in the shadows.
The sounds of the rotors grew and David finally spotted the helo as it passed in front of the moon. Its lights were off. Usually helicopters only did that when they didn’t want to be seen. It was probably military.
David didn’t even hear her. Lena walked right by him, only a few feet in front of his hiding spot. She was alone, wearing some sort of helmet with a clear visor over her face, and walking straight toward the runway. A moment later the helicopter touched down, blowing sand and small shells into the air with its rotor wash. Someone from the helicopter ran out to Lena and then followed her back into the Communications building.
They emerged only seconds later, carrying a large man slouched over their shoulders. It looked like the man was completely limp: either unconscious or worse. If David could have pressed himself completely underground, he would have. Something felt terribly off about this. It was hard for David to see clearly in the darkness. The sound of the rotors made it impossible to hear much more. He held his breath and lay completely still as they passed the bush.
Then he saw the man’s face. It was Bill, the man David had eaten dinner with just several hours earlier. Bill was supposed to have told Lena that he wanted to be sent home to see his sick wife. The moonlight illuminated his thick mess of white hair. They were dragging him to the helicopter. Holy shit. Was he alive?
Lena and the man from the helicopter slowly carried Bill under the spinning rotors and into the cabin of the aircraft. She then left the helicopter and walked back up toward David. His blood chilled. It looked like she was heading right toward his bush. Each step took her closer and closer. The sound of the helicopter was still loud. If he yelled, no one in the building would hear him.
Just as David thought that Lena had spotted him, she stopped and turned toward the runway. The helicopter lifted off and dipped its nose, accelerating and climbing into the night. David could just barely make out the outline of the aircraft, but he was pretty sure that it wasn’t a Seahawk, like the one his sister in the Navy flew. This helicopter looked different. It was smaller and had an enclosed tail. Like the Maryland State Police helicopters that he saw around DC. Or maybe a Coast Guard helicopter. Could that be a Coast Guard helo? No way. Not this far from home. So who was it? And what the hell was Lena doing dropping off an unconscious Bill into the backseat?
With the helicopter out of sight, Lena walked back towards the Communications building. David couldn’t see the entrance from his hiding spot, but he lay in the bushes for a full ten minutes to be sure she was inside.
What did this mean? What was going on? Had Bill gone to her and tried to get off the island? Was this their way of moving him? Had they killed him? David was less sure of who he could trust now than at any time since his kidnapping. He definitely could not trust Lena. Was this Red Cell even legit? Should he try to get off the island or get word out somehow? He had no idea how he could do that.
David finally got up and quickly dusted some of the sand off his clothes. He walked as quietly as he could back to the barracks, looking at the Communications building as he went by to make sure Lena didn’t pop out. There were no windows that he could see through, but there were glass slits at the top of the building that were emanating light.
He arrived at the barracks and opened the door as slowly as possible. He did not want to be seen.
He heard the crunch of someone walking on the gravel coming from the path behind him.
David’s heart raced as he slipped inside and closed the door. He didn’t know if he had been spotted, but it sounded like someone was following him. He tiptoed up the stairs onto the second floor. Coverless halogen bulbs lit the hallway. The brightness ruined his night vision and forced him to squint. He fumbled for his room key as he got to his door.
Footsteps echoed from the concrete stairway David had just walked up. He was almost inside.
“Hello, David,” Lena said. She walked towards him.
There was nothing he could do about the look on his face. That look of instant shock and fear at seeing the one person he hoped not to. He then gave the best impersonation of nonchalance he could muster.
“Hello. What are you doing up here?” He didn’t know what else to say.
She was all business. “I would ask you the same thing, David. Why are you up so late outside your room? Were you outside?”
“Um, yes. I thought I heard… a helicopter.”
“Did you?”
“Yeah. It woke me up. I just went to the door on the ground floor to see if I could see it.”
“And did you? See it?”
“Nah. It was too dark. Do you know what it was doing here? The helicopter?” His fingers hovered around the metal door handle.
“Did you go outside?”
“No. I just looked from the door. Why? Is that okay? I don’t want to break any rules.”
She cocked her head and said, “The helicopter was taking Bill back to his family. His wife is sick. He wanted to get home and see her. I helped him to do so. The helicopter was the best way. I can’t say more. Security. You understand.”
“Oh, sure. Sorry. Well, that’s great that you were able to help him. I’m feeling pretty tired. I should get to bed. This jet lag is playing havoc with my circadian rhythm. Thanks, Lena. See you tomorrow.”
Lena took a step toward him and he instinctively cringed.
She said, “David, it looks like your outfit may have gotten a bit sandy. Better brush off.” She swiped particles of dark island sand off his shirt. He was covered in a thin layer of the stuff from lying on the ground outside. Her face was inches away, and her emotionless eyes peered into his own. He felt his palms sweating. In another place and time, it may have been a come on. But here, it was chilling.
He whispered, “Thanks. Goodnight.”
With that, he turned and entered his room, shutting the door behind him. He stood on the other side of the door sweating, and listening for her footsteps. He heard nothing. Was she just standing there too, listening for his movements? If he stayed still that would be suspicious. He winced as he locked his door, about thirty seconds later than seemed appropriate. A dead bolt had never sounded so loud. He then turned out his lights and got into bed. He could hear noises coming from outside for the next few minutes. It sounded like Lena was going into Bill’s room and rummaging around. Probably packing up his things. A few minutes after that, there was silence.
His thoughts drifted back to his family. Two days earlier David had been captive in a car trunk, his future safety unknown. He’d wanted nothing more than to get home to his wife and children. But he had begun to trust his surroundings and the people that brought him here. He had been convinced of their noble purpose. Until now. Now, he had no idea what to believe.
There was no way he would get any sleep tonight. He wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring. Were they prisoners here? Who could he trust? Had Lena killed Bill? Even if he wasn’t dead, had Bill been removed unconscious just for asking to leave? Was secrecy so important that the CIA would imprison them all? A worse thought: was Lena even CIA? He never saw the face of the man who’d helped her carry Bill. It had been concealed by his helmet and mask. But that helicopter didn’t look like any he had seen in the Navy. Was she even American? David was only certain about one thing: he must figure out how to get off this island alive.