*
Giselle and Mischa rushed out of their snowmobile, propping themselves against a rocky outcrop. They watched the descending Mas become nothing more than a dark spec against Par River.
‘Is she slowing?’ Mischa murmured. ‘It’s hard to tell from here.’
‘If she had flown off the mountain without any sort of brake, I think she would have had more pressing concerns than blowing up our helicopter.’
Mischa glanced back at the black smoke billowing off the helicopter’s wreckage further up the mountain. ‘Do you think the crew got out?’
Giselle shrugged. ‘It’s not likely a Search and Rescue helicopter would have much experience of being shot down. But we’d better take a look.’ She leaned into her collar mike, ‘Suspect is descending to Par River. Armed and dangerous. Search and Rescue helicopter is down.’
‘Engine failure?’ queried the base operator.
‘Missile strike. Lock down the town and call in the army.’
‘Roger that.’
‘The Hurt World technician is on his way to the train station. The poacher is in pursuit. Expect carnage.’
‘Understood’
‘Put Kaptu Z on the fastest damned train out of here. Do it now.’