McNabb stared at Elliott trying to decide if he were serious or not, then chose to say nothing. Just as well, Elliott couldn’t really have gotten much more specific anyway. Especially about Aubrey. It seemed curiously helpful that she knew how to fly a helicopter but he wasn’t going to question their luck.
From below on the tarmac Elliott could hear the two women inside the cockpit, discussing the controls.
“I think this is the lever I need,” Aubrey was saying, reaching for the handle.
“No! That says ‘launch!’” Junie snapped.
Aubrey pulled her hand away like it had been burned. “Launch?” she squeaked. “Launch what?”
At her panicked look Junie grinned. “I’m just messing with you. That’s the one you need.” Aubrey went pale, probably realizing she was counting on a mad woman to get them all off the ground without exploding. Roger gritted his teeth “Who leaves a fully armed Russian helicopter sitting on a runway?”
Fipps was busy loading the dogs into the back of the helicopter, and it was taking most of his attention as both the large dogs seemed hesitant to board. Pat was just balking like any dog might but Spot was backing away, making little yipping noises and dodging Fipps’ hands, and Elliott would swear that his barks were somehow taking on a reasonable and cajoling tone. Roger was standing below the door of the chopper, listening in on the women’s conversation.
Elliott took his chance to talk to McNabb. “General, I think we sort of look to you to be the guide here,” he began, greasing the wheels. Over the general’s shoulder he could see Fipps shooting the older man a glare out of the corner of his eye. “I think most of us sort of look to you to guide here,” he amended, not very smoothly. “So I need to ask a favor of you. I think the others will follow suit if you sign off on it and-“
“Son, if it has anything to do with going back in to that mess for that girl, it’s out of the question. I will not risk the lives of everyone else here for one girl who chose to leave the group and strike out on her own.” The general’s eyes sympathetic but unwavering.
“General, if you just-“
“The answer is no, Elliott,” McNabb said firmly. “I’m sorry, son, I really am. She seems like a hell of girl. But she made her choice.” McNabb put a heavy hand on Elliott’s shoulder and to Elliott it felt like a mallett driving home the truth. McNabb would fly them away from Shavian, leave her here to die to save the rest. It seemed heartless though deep down Elliott knew it wasn’t; he knew McNabb was just looking out for everyone, and that Elliott should, realistically, be doing the same thing if he wanted to be a leader. But a battalion made up of love, guilt, and an overinflated sense of responsibility was marching through his brain and he couldn’t slow its advance. Besides, did he? Did he want to be leader? He wasn’t sure he did.
“I’m not leaving without her,” Elliott said stubbornly.
McNabb looked at him for a moment, his face unreadable. “I can’t leave you here. You’ll never make it through on your own. You’ll just be throwing your life away too.”
Too. McNabb thought Shavian was already dead. He’d given up on her.
Elliott knew better, and he set his jaw stubbornly.
“Listen, how about this?” McNabb said reasonably. “We’ll get everyone else somewhere safe and then we’ll come back, with some other fellows, trained and armed and we’ll try to find her-“
“When?” Elliott demanded. “In a day? A week?” He shook his head. “That’s not good enough, General. I will not leave without her.”
“Spokoinoi nochi,” Junie said pleasantly from behind Elliott. He hadn’t even heard her approach.
He turned to her. “What?” he asked.
“Good night,” Junie explained, then lifted the tactical mug and brought it down across Elliott’s temple. He crumpled like a dropped accordion. McNabb gaped at her.
“Were you just speaking Russian?” he asked.