Wayan Bagus and Alani hopped into the back with a still naked, still muddy Vernon sandwiched in between them. Riley gunned the engine and took off in the direction of the clearing.
“I texted Dad,” Alani said. “He’s hovering over the landing spot.”
A patrol of four Rough Riders was dead ahead. They raised their guns, and Riley pressed her foot to the accelerator. They managed to fire off a couple shots before Riley plowed through them, knocking them over like bowling pins.
“Is everyone okay?” Riley asked.
Wayan Bagus held his hand over his shoulder. “I am bleeding, but I am unhurt.”
Vernon examined Wayan’s shoulder. “It just nicked
him. He’ll need some stitches, but it’s not too bad.”
Riley exploded out of the woods and into the meadow and looked up at the helicopter. Its lights were off but she could hear the wup, wup, wup of the blades.
Alani was on the phone with her father. “It’s us! You can land now.”
The Eco-Star touched down just as a second ATV drove out of the woods behind Riley.
“We’ve got company,” Vernon said.
Riley reached the Eco-Star a minute later. Its blades were noisily chopping through the air, and Mr. Yakomura had his hand on the control stick, ready to lift off as soon as everyone was on board.
Emerson climbed into the back, settled the Penning trap next to him, and Alani, Riley, Vernon, and Wayan Bagus jumped in and buckled up. Headlights from Rough Rider ATVs flashed into the clearing from four directions. Shots were fired at the Eco-Star, and Alani and Riley leaned out the open helicopter door and returned fire.
“Here we go,” Mr. Yakomura said. “Hang on.”
Two bullets pinged against the fuselage. The helicopter quickly rose out of the field. It took one more hit as it sped away.
Vernon was squashed between Mr. Yakomura and Alani, trying to cover himself as best he could. Mr. Yakomura, for his part, was trying hard not to look at Vernon.
“Well, sir, I guess this is a little awkward,” Vernon finally said to Mr. Yakomura. “You’re probably wondering why I’m naked and covered in mud. There’s a perfectly good explanation, which I’ll tell you as soon as I can wrap my head around it. By the way, would this be a good time for me to ask for permission to date your daughter?”
“Yes,” Mr. Yakomura said. “No. You can’t date my daughter, and I’m going to have a restraining order written against you.”
“Again?” Vernon asked.
“It’s okay,” Alani said to her dad. “Vernon was a hero. He risked his life pretending to be Bigfoot so we could all get to the helicopter.”
“Hot damn,” Vernon said. “I always wanted to be a hero.”
“Where are we going?” Mr. Yakomura asked.
“The first stop is the Keck Observatory to collect the Penning trap hidden there. Once we turn it, and the one we have with us, over to the proper authorities, it should be enough evidence to put Bart Young and Tin Man away for the rest of their natural lives…if they’re not already dead.”
It was six-thirty A.M. when the Eco-Star touched down on the small landing pad at the Onizuka Center. The helicopter had been damaged in the firefight. Not so much that it couldn’t fly, but enough that it was decided it couldn’t safely fly any farther.
Riley, Emerson, Alani, and Wayan Bagus were almost as muddy as Vernon. They showered, changed into clean clothes, scarfed down a fast breakfast, and kept moving. Riley was afraid if she stopped and closed her eyes she wouldn’t open them again for days.
THIRTY
Alani commandeered a government car so they could drive Wayan Bagus to the hospital in Waimea.
“The first-aid kit here at Onizuka doesn’t include instructions on how to suture a gunshot wound,” Alani said to Riley.
“What about your dad?” Riley asked. “Is he going with you?”
“He’s elected to stay with his helicopter and wait for the flatbed.”