Chapter 40

As they were climbing up out of the valley, but being very careful to remain low enough to avoid the radar, Bill asked, "what else is in the caves?"

E'veen replied, "enough to keep a bomb squad busy for a couple of years. Even if I draw maps it'll be dangerous."

"You played in there?" asked Bill. It was pretty amazing. The cavern looked like a dangerous place.

"Until granpa caught me. Naturally, we can't tell the Marshals Service that. I'm putting what I used to do off on my mom. She's dead so she can't complain. A background check on us is going to be chancy."

Bill was worried about that. "Depends on Violet. If she's done a good job people will 'remember' us."

The school had run checks on Bill and Mina ... sometimes they need access to government files.

The word 'remember' set E'veen off. "Oh ... heck, I just remembered. Turn around. The plane not your seat. Mina is right."

"Right about what?"

"You're a lovable idiot but an idiot all the same."

Bill mumbled, "Thanks Mina."

"Megan said it too."

"Great." Sarcasm dripped. "Why did we turn around?"

"There's a bomb in the bomb bay. I'd been doing my own little ordinance removal. We need to dispose of it. I don't suppose you can use that cell thingy to call the AIC and let him know?"

"I don't have his number."

"Oh well. We're coming in range now. The C-130 is still there. This is going to be exciting."

"I'll just bet."

"See that blackened knob about three miles west of the runway?"

"No ... Yes!"

"Fly straight at it. I'll do the rest." She did. Evidently, she had done it before.

"Whoa! That lightened us up a lot."

"Keep heading west."

"It's taking a long time to ... oh!" The blast was impressive.

"Parachute retarded five hundred pounder."

"I see."

"You can go back now."

As they headed back, the military were all standing up brushing off sand. One of the pilots had a high intensity blinker light and was signaling with it.

"Land please. We need to talk." E'veen read. "I'll signal back." "Cell number?"

She relayed the number to Bill. He entered it and pushed 'send' and handed the phone to E'veen.

"John? What's up?"

"We had to get rid of it."

"From the caverns."

"Yeah, very old, very unstable."

"I forgot about it."

"Hey! It's been a while."

"You need fuel?"

"There's JP1 in the third cave over to the right."

"Never mind."

"Bill land this crate."

John didn't look happy ... compared to the flight crew, John was ecstatic. That bunch was tremendously upset.

"Nasty, girl, very nasty trick."

"Not a particularly big deal. Mom and I had been dropping bombs on that rock for at least 4 years."

"You've been flying since you were... ?"

"Soloed at twelve."

"How did you get a license?"

"Didn't have one."

"Do you now?"

"Sure, want to see it?"

"Actually, yes."

"You were breaking the law."

"Mom mentioned that. She also said that until someone caught me I was good. 'In the absence of authority there is freedom' is how she put it."

"That's a hell of an attitude."

"One I grew up with. I still believe it. The more 'authority' the fewer freedoms. Look at congress ... the American people vote to curtail their freedom. There's no sense in having lawmakers that don't make laws ... to stay in business, congress has to pass laws ... every law they pass makes someone who was law abiding a criminal."

Bill was standing next to her with his mouth wide open. For that matter, so were the five flight deck crew members.

John asked, "where did you go to school that you learned such tripe."

"Home schooled. Mom flew out once a month and mailed in my lessons from different Post Offices all over Texas. I am a firm believer in minimal government ... as defined by the constitution."

They were stumped. No one knew quite what to make of her. A constitutional conservative.

"That oath we took in Tyler... 'Protect and Defend the Constitution... ' I believe that. Even if I have to defend it from politicians. That oath says nothing about defending the politicians. The constitution, John ... only the constitution. Did you ever think exactly what 'enemies foreign and domestic' means. Subverting the constitution is a crime ... treason is what I call it. Domestic enemies are anyone trying to limit or 'reinterpret' the constitution."