Scene 31

Roadway on the Mayan Riviera

After loading the rest of our group onto the busses, we drove out of the wilderness until we got to the main road to Cancun. We had just pulled onto the highway when the helicopter appeared in the sky, flying south towards us.

A familiar voice came over the bus radio. “Dove, Stork, this is Starling. Is that you we see coming up the road?”

I picked up the microphone. “This is Dove. Yes it is. We’ll pull of to the side. Set down near us. We’ve got some wounded aboard.”

“Roger,” she answered. “Setting down near you. I’ll see you on the ground. Starling, out.”

We pulled the busses to the side of the road. The helicopter approached and landed as safely as it could. When it touched down, Ms. Starling opened the door and jumped out, followed by Ms. Hawk and Ms. Raven.

We in the busses helped our wounded out so they could be loaded onto the helicopter. I saw that Dee had finally regained his senses.

“What happened?” he asked.

“According to the others, you took a pretty good blow to the head,” I answered.

“The children?”

“They’re fine. Grant and his men got them out.”

Ms. Starling came up to me as the wounded were being loaded. “Sorry we couldn’t get here sooner,” she said.

“You’re here now. The other two are in the back of the last van.”

I got Jaime’s attention and he grabbed Coemgen. The two men joined us behind the last van. Ms. Stork opened the door from inside. Lying on the floor were two bodies, covered in sheets.

“Who were they?” asked Ms. Starling.

“Two new members,” answered Jaime. “Michael Newface and Peter Recruit. They had just joined on the cruise.”

The four of us loaded the two men as discretely as we could onto the back of the helicopter.

“Okay,” I told Ms. Starling, “Get them to care. We will take the busses with the others to Cancun and arrange transportation.”

“No need,” she said. “I contacted the other Moderators. Todd is bringing the Saltire down to transport you all to the Great Hall.”

“Good work, I’ll see you there.”