Chapter 69

“Lower!”

“Can’t. Power lines.” He jerked with his chin toward the electric wires near the edge of the woods. They paralleled a dirt road that ran alongside the property.

“This is Alpha Bird, Command One, come in.” A few seconds static, then Rich’s reply.

“Command One, we copy.”

“There’s a dirt road up here on the north end. Get two teams up here by car; have the others fan out and set up a perimeter behind us. We’ve got something big up here.”

“Roger that, Alpha Bird. We’re moving in.”

Lawton punched the scanner’s range button and watched as the bottom of the screen showed his ERT units moving in behind them.

The big blob moved, feinted left, then swerved and moved right, heading straight east again. It moved jerkily, as if frightened and disoriented.

“He’s on the move again. Keep him on the scanner.”

“I can’t go any lower!” The pilot’s lips were tight.

“I know that, just keep him onscreen! Marcus, get ready!”