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Billy Yuently patted her bare shoulder "If no one else can, perhaps God will help"

Giordino was heartsick No longer feeling his own injuries, he stared into the darkness, his eyes unseeing "A hundred kilometers," he repeated slowly "Even God can't keep a man alive with a broken wrist, cracked ribs, and a bullet hole in the shoulder through a hundred kilo water in total darkness"

Aftereveryone as comfortable as he could, Yuma hurried back up to the summit where he told his story It sha the mountain They fabricated stretchers out of ineers and tenderly carried Gunn and Giordino froeway

An older rateful Loren a blanket woven by his wife

On Giordino's instructions, Gunn and his stretcher were strapped down in the narrow cargo compartment of the stolen NUMA helicopter abandoned by the Zolars Loren climbed into the copilot's seat as Giordino, his face contorted in torment, was lifted and maneuvered behind the pilot's controls

"We'll have to fly this eggbeater together," Giordino told Loren as the pain in his legs subsided fro ache "You'll have to work the pedals that control the tail rotors"

"I hope I can do it," Loren replied nervously

"Use a gentle touch with your bare feet and we'll be okay"

Over the helicopter's radio, they alerted Sandecker, as pacing Starger's office in the Customs Service headquarters, that they were on their way Giordino and Loren expressed their gratitude to Billy Yuoodbye Then Giordino started the turbine engine and let it warm for a minute while he scanned the instruments With the cyclic stick in neutral, he eased the collective pitch stick to full down and curled the throttle as he gently pushed the stick forward Then he turned to Loren

"As soon as we begin to rise in the air, the torque effect will cause our tail to swing left and our nose to the right Lightly press the left foot pedal to compensate"

Loren nodded gamely "I'll do my best, but I wish I didn't have to do this"

"We have no choice but to fly out Rudi would be dead before he could be manhandled down the side of the mountain"

The helicopter rose very slowly less than athere while Loren learned the feel of the tail rotor control pedals At first she had a tendency to over control, but she soon got the hang of it and nodded

"I think I'm ready"

"Then we're off," acknowledged Giordino