This is the second part of the story.
They hiked in silence. They worked well as a team. The heavy backbacks seemed to get heavier with each step and the straps dug into their shoulders but on the walked. Mike would stop every hour or so for a quick sip of water and to check the map.
As it got toward midnight they found a place to sit and have a quick snack, a piece of orange, some chocolate and some tea from one of the canteens. At this time he would pull out the heavy computer and start it up, and go into the GPS mode. The then would know just how far they had to go before their next concealed rest area. Mark smiled when he asked that a GPS unit be integrated into what appeared to be an ancient laptop. That request was now priceless, and the ancient case of the laptop had hidden many more surprises as Megan had already found out.
Rested ,they hiked the last hours with a purpose, it was as if they had gotten a second wind, as it seemed tonight their trek seemed to be on perfectly hard sand with no rocks, vegatation or anything in their way.
As they approached the natural upheaval of rock that produced a small ridge they could feel their legs ache, backs hurt and their stomaches were demanding food as they had burnt up the calories readily available.
Finding their new home was always intersting as they were never obvious. Tonights camp was in a rock field, where Mother nature had broken off large chunks of rock and let them tumble down the sides of the ridge. After a few minutes of looking they found a passageway between to large stones that had a open area between the stones and the ridge which while small would be a perfect place to sleep in their shadows undetected.
They found their new supplies, 2 gallons of water, rice, more oranges, two tins of corned beef, honey, granola bars and chocolate. While the selection of food was not the best, they had not had a reason to dip into their own provisions.
As the sun rose, they started a fire, and they made some hot tea with honey. Then made their dinner, rice with small chunks of beef jerkey cooked in. The water for the rice took the flavor of the beef jerkey into the rice. While not the best dinner in the world, it was edible and better than just plain rice. They treated themselves to some orange slices. Then they made a small lean to against the rock with the ponchos, cover from the searing sun.
While they had no doubt their trek was far from over, they had food for at least a week and water for almost that long, provided they did not walk in the daylight.
Mark took the first watch while Megan slept. He took out the laptop and removed the top of the case, and set it in the sun, the solar cells would take all day to charge the batteries but that was one more thing that he had planned for and others would have never thought of.
You did not work in foreign countries under assumed identities for as long as he had without being very cautious and prepared. What he and no one had counted on was what had happened the week before, 9-11 in New York, and the reprocussions it would make to him and the world.
Someone knew who he was, and knew he was a betrayer. Someone wanted them dead.
They hiked in silence. They worked well as a team. The heavy backbacks seemed to get heavier with each step and the straps dug into their shoulders but on the walked. Mike would stop every hour or so for a quick sip of water and to check the map.
As it got toward midnight they found a place to sit and have a quick snack, a piece of orange, some chocolate and some tea from one of the canteens. At this time he would pull out the heavy computer and start it up, and go into the GPS mode. The then would know just how far they had to go before their next concealed rest area. Mark smiled when he asked that a GPS unit be integrated into what appeared to be an ancient laptop. That request was now priceless, and the ancient case of the laptop had hidden many more surprises as Megan had already found out.
Rested ,they hiked the last hours with a purpose, it was as if they had gotten a second wind, as it seemed tonight their trek seemed to be on perfectly hard sand with no rocks, vegatation or anything in their way.
As they approached the natural upheaval of rock that produced a small ridge they could feel their legs ache, backs hurt and their stomaches were demanding food as they had burnt up the calories readily available.
Finding their new home was always intersting as they were never obvious. Tonights camp was in a rock field, where Mother nature had broken off large chunks of rock and let them tumble down the sides of the ridge. After a few minutes of looking they found a passageway between to large stones that had a open area between the stones and the ridge which while small would be a perfect place to sleep in their shadows undetected.
They found their new supplies, 2 gallons of water, rice, more oranges, two tins of corned beef, honey, granola bars and chocolate. While the selection of food was not the best, they had not had a reason to dip into their own provisions.
As the sun rose, they started a fire, and they made some hot tea with honey. Then made their dinner, rice with small chunks of beef jerkey cooked in. The water for the rice took the flavor of the beef jerkey into the rice. While not the best dinner in the world, it was edible and better than just plain rice. They treated themselves to some orange slices. Then they made a small lean to against the rock with the ponchos, cover from the searing sun.
While they had no doubt their trek was far from over, they had food for at least a week and water for almost that long, provided they did not walk in the daylight.
Mark took the first watch while Megan slept. He took out the laptop and removed the top of the case, and set it in the sun, the solar cells would take all day to charge the batteries but that was one more thing that he had planned for and others would have never thought of.
You did not work in foreign countries under assumed identities for as long as he had without being very cautious and prepared. What he and no one had counted on was what had happened the week before, 9-11 in New York, and the reprocussions it would make to him and the world.
Someone knew who he was, and knew he was a betrayer. Someone wanted them dead.
How have you been?