Page 20 of Vaquero
“Can you suggest a nearby LZ?” Landing zone.
“The flatlands north of the southernmost cliffs of the São Francisco River. It’s less than a mile from our location. They’ll know where to touchdown once they see the smoke.”
“I’ll relay that intel. Watch the skies. You know what to do.”
“Copy that.” Julio secured his sat phone and turned back to Meg. There was no reason to pretend she hadn’t heard. Sullivan’s voice carried. “I need someone qualified to supervise these aid-workers and get these children to the landing zone. He’s sending Night Stalkers. Sullivan’s team will touch down in the flatlands.”
“I heard.” She nodded curtly. Just once. But then she murmured, “I didn’t think he’d come.”
Julio cocked his head. “Who? Senator Sullivan?”
“No, my Army Ranger friend, Charlie Brown. It has to be him on that helo. Don’t you see? He works closely with the Night Stalkers. The village tavern, Mamacita’s, has a phone, so I called in a favor and asked Charlie to help get my kids out of Oz’s territory. Only by the time I got back to camp, Oz had already taken most of them.” She smoothed a hand over her sweat-stained bandana. “But wow. Charlie’s really on his way? That’s awesome.”
For some reason, her confidence in this Charlie Brown fellow irritated Julio. “How do you know he’s coming? Maybe he’s not on that helo.”
Her eyes brightened. “Of course he’s coming. I called him, didn’t I?”
As if that answered everything, Julio replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
Leaving would be easier now. Meg had a real hero coming to save her.
