“An hour and twenty.”
“That’s not good enough. They could be dead by then!”
* * *
I keep a close eye on the vehicle’s tracking device, and as we grow near, the red blinking slows down on the map.
“It looks like they’ve stopped,” I say, giving the exact coordinates to the pilot.
Although the video footage is pixilated and problematic, I can catch pieces of conversation, enough to know that Aleksandra is still alive.
I can’t communicate with her through the device, but it offers enough hope that she isn’t dead yet, nor are my kids.
“What’s the plan?” Ardian asks.
From outside the window, the view is absolute darkness. There’s no town, no lights, no nearby cities.
“Other than killing Mario?” I shoot a look at Ardian. The pilot works for the family, so I don’t worry about him witnessing what we’re about to do.
I don’t care what excuse Mario has fathomed to try to weasel his way out of this fiasco. He’s a dead man.
As we grow near, there is a vehicle’s headlight, but it’s difficult to see much else.
Ardian hands me a set of night vision goggles.
There are two darkened figures in the distance, one towering over the other, a more petite figure.
“Shit. He’s about to kill her!” I scream and open the door to the helicopter on our approach, lining up my weapon to take the shot before Mario does first.
We’re not the least bit silent or invisible on our approach. The deafening roar of the engine and propeller isn’t the only thing to give us away. Our spotlight shines brightly below, lighting up the scene beneath us, giving me a clear shot of Mario.
He can’t hear my threats and warnings about putting down his gun. There’s no rational explanation other than his betrayal that makes any sense.
Spotting us closing in on him, he raises his gun, pulling the trigger, spraying the helicopter with bullets.
“I’m going to have to pull back.”
“The hell you are! Put us down!” I shout at the pilot.
As the helicopter sways and shifts with the pilot’s movements, there’s a glimpse of motion in the forest down below.
Does Mario have backup?
Are there others working with him and betraying me?
Shots hit the helicopter from Mario’s gun.
Every bullet he wastes on attacking me is one less to kill Aleksandra, Sophia, or Liam.
He can take as many hits at me as he wants.
The helicopter engine sputters as the tail whirls, and smoke fills the cabin.
It’s dizzying, aiming the kill shot while the pilot loses control. We’re still too high to jump without killing ourselves.
I line up the shot and pull the trigger, hitting Mario in the head. His body collapses to the ground.
“Brace for impact!” the pilot shouts.
There isn’t much time to do anything but hold on.