The chopper wobbled and Friday could hear the portside tail rotor clanging. The weapon fire from the stern had obviously damaged the blades. If they had not pulled up when they did the chopper would probably be plunging tail first into the rocky, mist-shrouded valleys below. As it was. Captain Nazir was having trouble keeping the Ka-25 steady and moving forward, much less gaining altitude. A moment later the chopper stopped climbing altogether.

"I'm losing her!" Nazir said.

"And we're leaking fuel."

Friday looked at the gauge and swore. They had already off-loaded whatever gear they were carrying in the back. The only thing left was the fixed-winch. There was no extra weight they could push out. There probably was not time to get rid of it in any case.

Friday looked out the window as the chopper began to shudder violently.

The rainbow vanished as the sun's angle changed. He no longer felt like a god but like a grade-A sucker. Of all the damn tricks to fall for. A freaking sleight of hand, a sucker punch. The operative studies the unthreatening team while a backup unit, either hidden or on another side, tears you a new exit.

"You're going to have to set us down anywhere you can!" Friday said urgently.

"I'm looking for a spot," Nazir said.

"I don't see one."

A sudden fist of wind turned them nearly forty-five degrees so they were facing the cliff. A second burst of gunfire, this time from the group in front, tore at the undercarriage.

The chopper lurched and dropped. They were at the top of a valley.

Friday could not see what was below them because of a thick mist. But he did not want to go down there. He did not want to lose the cell and he did not want to be here when the nukes went off.

"I've got to go down while we still have power for a controlled landing," Nazir said.

"Not yet," Friday said. He unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Apu, back up."

"What are you going to do?" Nazir asked.

"I'm going to crawl into the back," Friday said.

"Do you have forward and aft mobility?" "Limited," he said.

"One of the tail rotors is still working."

"All right," Friday said.

"If you can turn the stem toward the peak, Apu and I might be able to use the winch line to rappel to one of the ledges."

"In this wind?" Nazir exclaimed.

"You'll be blown off!"

"The wind is blowing southeast, toward the cliff." Friday said.

"That should help us."

"It could also smash you into the rocks-"

"We'll have to risk that!" Friday told Nazir.

"I've got to reach the cell and tell them about the soldiers ahead."

"Even if you can get to the ledge, they'll gun you down," Nazir said.

"I'll send the old man out first," Friday said.