The desert was boiling hot with the cloudless blue sky. Waves of heat looked like puddles of water, but the more they walked to these imaginary puddles, the farther they moved away.
Albert and Britney walked in the one hundred degrees temperature where three buzzards circled in hopes these two humans would be their next dinner.
They were quiet and only sipped on the water to conserve it, and their hats helped keep them a little cool.
While he walked in the desert, Albert often regretted with agreeing to Ginger's request to save the President's life.
They continued their southerly trek and viewed all the Anderson Wolfberry and Shadscale scrubs that populated the desert.
Back at the Prius, a Nevada Highway Patrol car headed north from leaving Las Vegas.
It passed by Albert's car and slammed on its brakes.
The patrol car backed up then parked behind the Prius. He turned on his flashing lights.
"Dispatch, this is unit seventy-five, I've spotted the blue Prius that the FBI is searching for. It's parked off the southbound lane of ninety-five about sixty miles northwest of Vegas. It appears unoccupied, but I'm going to check it out," the trooper said into his radio then opened up his door and stepped out.
The trooper walked up to Albert's car with his hand on the handle of his revolver.
He cautiously walked over to the passenger side and peeked inside. "Dispatch, unit seventy-five, the blue Prius is empty. I repeat, the blue Prius is empty," the trooper said into his radio.
He looked the desert over for signs of Albert and Britney. They were not visible. "Dispatch, this is unit seventy-five again. No signs of the two occupants," he said into his radio.
At the Desert Rock airstrip, the Cessna Citation Mustang landed.
It taxied over to the hangar where the doors opened.
The jet taxied inside the hangar where the Huey was parked. The engines of the jet whined down.
The door opened, and Kirby and Grant quickly walked down the steps and Gino and Sal soon greeted them.
While they walked out of the hangar to the black Suburban, Grant's cell phone rang. He looked at the viewfinder. "I'm getting sick of this continuous bad news, Frank," he answered the call.
"Not this time," Frank replied.
A huge smile grew on Grant's face. "It's about time. Come on, boy, let's hear it," Grant called out excitedly.
Kirby, Gino, and Sal caught the tone of Grant and anxiously waited for the good news.
"I just received a call from the Nevada Highway Patrol. One of their troopers spotted Taylor's car parked about sixty miles northwest Vegas off the side of State Road ninety-five," Frank said.
"Did they capture the two?" Grant quickly replied while his eyes widened in hope.
"No, sir. The trooper believes they are on foot somewhere in the desert. He's patrolling up and down the road in search of them," Frank said.
"Well, it's not the news I hope for, but this is a step in the right direction. Keep me abreast of new developments," Grant said then disconnected his call.
"What?" Kirby asked quickly.
"Taylor's Prius was spotted parked of ninety-five about sixty miles from Vegas. They weren't inside the car, and the trooper believes they might be on foot in the desert," Grant told them then he looked at the Huey. "I want the Huey pilots here ASAP!" he ordered Gino.
"In work, sir," Gino replied then quickly made a phone call on his cell phone.
"The boss man needs you at the airstrip ASAP," Gino said into his cell phone then disconnected the call.
Thirty minutes later at the Desert Rock airstrip, the Huey was parked on the tarmac. Its engine started up with a whirl, and the blades rotated. Kirby, Grant, Gino, with a gun bag and Sal, with a gun bag, climbed in the back of the Huey.
It lifted off the tarmac with the cargo doors opened.
While the Huey ascended south toward State Road ninety-five, Gino and Sal opened their gun bags and removed their Remington Model 700 rifles.
"It's been a while since I had the pleasure of popping someone," Sal said while he kissed the barrel of his rifle.
"Me too and I kinda miss those days," Gino added while he stroked the barrel of his rifle.
A little while later, Kirby, Grant, Gino, and Sal searched the desert while the Huey flew six hundred feet over State Road ninety-five. Gino and Sal had their rifles loaded and ready to eliminate their two high risks.
The Huey flew farther down State Road ninety-five.
Kirby's eyes widened. "There's the Prius!" he cried out and pointed to it parked on the side of ninety-five. "Land by that car at your ten o'clock position," Kirby told the pilot.
The pilot looked out his windows and saw the Prius. He banked the Huey, and it flew toward the car.
Within minutes, the Huey landed twenty feet from Albert's car.
Kirby and Grant jumped out of the chopper with revolvers and ran over to the Prius. Gino and Sal were ready with their Remington rifles.
They looked inside the Prius the second they arrived.
"Empty," Kirby said while he pulled up on the handle and realized it was locked.
Grant looked around and saw a rock about six inches in diameter. He picked it up and threw it at the passenger window. It shattered. Grant reached inside and unlocked the doors.
He opened up the passenger door and sat inside.
He opened up the glove box.
He found Albert's car registration.
Kirby opened up the passenger door and looked around the back.
"It's clean in the back," he said.
Grant reached over to the driver's side and found the hatchback release.
He got out and walked to the rear. He looked around the hatch area. "Clean back here," he said.
Grant looked around the desert. He reached in his pants pocket and removed a pocketknife.
He opened it up and walked to the rear passenger side tire.
He punctured the tire. Air hissed out.
He rushed over to the front tire and punctured it. Air hissed out.
He ran over the other side and punctured both tires.
"They definitely won't be driving into Vegas," Grant said to Kirby who replied with a shit-eating grin.
Grant looked around the desert in deep thought.
He made another call on his cell phone. "It's me, Grant. I want both vehicles back at the airstrip. Our two hazardous items are walking in the desert. No threat of driving into Vegas," Grant said into his cell phone.
"Yes sir," a male replied from the cell phone.
Grant disconnected the call.
"Let's get back to the chopper. They are still out there somewhere in the desert," Kirby said while he pointed in the direction of Las Vegas.
They ran back to the Huey and climbed in the back.
"Head back to the airstrip. Make S-turns across the road. Head out about one hundred feet out from the road," Grant said to the pilot who nodded in agreement.
The Huey lifted off the desert and ascended back into the air.
Albert and Britney walked in the scorching heat in the desert and still wore the dorky hats.
"I feel like I'm walking in an oven," Albert said.
"Tell me about it. I don't care what they say about this dry heat crap, it's hot!" Britney replied.
They walked about ten more feet when the sound of the approaching Huey was heard.
"A helicopter's coming," she said while she stopped dead in her tracks.
Albert looked and saw the Huey while it approached fast about five hundred off the deck.
They both looked around for a place to hide.
"That bush over there," Britney called out while she pointed at a bunch of Shadscale bushes about twenty feet away.
Albert nodded in agreement, and they ran to the bush.
The bushes stood about three feet tall. They got on their hands and knees and crawled into one of the bushes.
Albert got an idea and tried his best to cover them with his greenish colored car cover.
"Good thinking," Britney said from under the cover.
They remained quiet while the sound of the Huey got louder.
From the inside of the Huey, Kirby, Grant, Gino, and Sal searched the desert for two hikers. All they saw were Shadscale bushes, small trees, and other vegetation.
Under the car cover, Albert and Britney remained as still as possible while the Huey flew about thirty feet past them. They waited until the sound of the chopper slowly diminished.
"It's safe," Britney said then she crawled out from under the car cover and crawled out of the bush.
Albert crawled out from under the bush dragging the car cover behind him.
They both looked to the south where the Huey was becoming a dot in the sky.
"Do you think they were looking for us?" Albert asked.
Britney thought about that possibility while she watched the Huey dot get smaller and smaller. "Probably UAS," she replied.
Albert started to fold up the car cover. Britney assisted.
They walked away back in a southerly direction, trying to stay parallel with State Road ninety-five.
Twenty minutes later, Albert and Britney drudged in the sand hot and tired. The sound of the Huey was heard again.
"Crap," Britney said after she turned around and saw the helicopter crossing the road as part of its S-turn maneuver.
Albert looked and saw the Huey while he headed straight at them. He looked around for a bush to crawl inside. Noting but dirt. The sound of the Huey got louder.
"There's not a safe place to hide. We're sitting ducks," he said to Britney in a panic.
She looked around and saw nothing was within reach as the Huey was bearing down upon them. She saw the car cover tucked under his arm. "This is our only hope," she said while she snatched the cover from under his arm.
She flung it open and knelt down in the dirt, then covered herself. "You better get under here," she cried out from under the cover.
Albert quickly got on his hands and knees and got under the cover. They remained entirely still while the sound of the Huey was louder.
Kirby, Grant, Gino, and Sal scanned the desert over for them. Nobody was in sight.
The helicopter turned and flew parallel to the road. Grant saw the green car cover in the dirt and thought it was some type of bush.
The Huey banked to the left and headed to the road.
Albert and Britney waited until the sound of the Huey was faint.
They got out from under the cover and quickly folded it up. Albert tucked the cover under his arm then they walked away.
Thirty minutes later, Albert and Britney heard the sound of the Huey approaching again. They scanned the sky and saw it was searching on the other side of the road.
"We better hide under the cover again," she said and grabbed the cover under Albert's arm.
They quickly hid under the cover while the Huey flew past them on the other side of the road.
From the back of the Huey, Grant scanned the desert and only saw the green car cover. He thought it was some type of bush and didn't have any suspicions.
The Huey flew away.
After the Huey flew farther away, they got out of the cover.
"I think we're safe," she said while the Huey flew towards Vegas.
They folded the cover and Albert tucked it under one of his arms. They walked away toward Vegas.
It was later that afternoon, and the Huey landed back at the Desert Rock airstrip. The engine whined down, and the blades slowed down. Kirby, Grant, Gino, with is gun bag and Sal, with his gun bag, got out of the Huey and rushed over to the hangar.
The four Suburban's that staked out the roads pulled into the tarmac and drove up to the hangar. They parked close to the door, and all eight thugs got out.
They entered the hangar and walked up to Grant, Kirby, Gino, and Sal.
"Here's the plan," Kirby addressed the thugs. "I want you to fill up the tanks of the Suburban's and get us some food. Then when the sun drops, I want one Suburban to drive from here to Vegas then back toward this airstrip. When you see a Toyota Prius on the side of the road with four flat tires, turn around and head back to Vegas. After the first Suburban leaves, I want the second one to leave thirty minutes later. Then the third Suburban can leave thirty minutes later and the same for the fourth Suburban," Kirby instructed them.
"We won't see them in the dark," one of the thugs said.
"I know. So look for any signs of a campfire out there in the desert. Or they just might be stupid enough to walk on the road to avoid snakes," Kirby replied.
"Those rattlesnakes sometimes lay across roads at night," Sal added.
Kirby and Grant smiled at the thought of those two being bitten.
"Hopefully they won't know that, so look for their bodies along the side of the road," Kirby said with a smirk.
"Understand?" he asked the thugs who all nodded their heads that they understood. "Good, now press on," Kirby said.
The eight thugs got inside their Suburban's, started them up, and drove away.
"Get back to the hotel and work on the other news about those two in case they slip into town," Kirby told Gino and Sal.
"Yes sir," Gino replied then walked to his Suburban with is gun bag and Sal followed.
"Wait, leave the rifles," Grant ordered.
Gino and Sal set their gun bags on the hangar floor then walked toward their vehicles.
Kirby looked at Grant who instantly knew what he was going to say. "I'll call," he said then removed his cell phone from his pocket and made the call.
It was in the wee hours in the morning in Paris, and the city was quiet.
In the main room of his suite in the La Tremoille hotel in Paris, Chuck wore one of the terry cloth bathrobes that were provided by the hotel while he waited on the couch.
There was a light knock on his room door.
He sprang up from the couch and rushed over to the door. He opened it where another French escort, Andrea, stood out in the hallway wearing a short sexy black dress.
"Hello, Chuck. I'm happy to see you again, and I'm surprised you wanted to meet so early in the morning," she said in English with a sexy French accent.
"The early bird gets the worm," he replied while she stepped inside his room.
She gave a light chuckle being polite, but in reality, she never understood his humor.
He closed the door, and she gave him a quick kiss on his lips.
Chuck watched Andrea's rear end while she walked to the couch. He could feel that Viagra starting to kick in while she sat down on the couch.
"Would you like a drink, darling?" he asked her while he walked over to the bar.
"Yes, bourbon and coke," she replied while she relaxed on the couch.
Chuck started to pour her drink when his cell phone rang. He looked at the viewfinder. "Excuse me, darling. I have a business call," he said while he walked over to her with his cell phone in one hand and her drink in the other.
He handed her the drink then walked off into the bedroom.
He closed the door behind him. "Make it quick, I have a business meeting that's about to get in high gear," he lied into his cell phone.
"Taylor's car was found off a desert road about sixty miles from Vegas. We believe they're walking in the desert," Grant quickly replied from Grant's cell phone.
"Walking in the desert, huh? That should slow them down, and I'll pray that a rattlesnake or the heat eliminates our risk," Chuck said.
"Yes sir, but we're still looking for them throughout the night, and I'll take the helicopter up first thing in the morning," Grant replied.
"Keep up the hunt. I still want them eliminated. Do you understand?" Chuck said with a tone of authority.
"Yes sir, I perfectly understand," Grant replied.
Grant looked down, and his erection stuck through the flap of his bathroom as he had Andrea on his mind.
He set his cell phone on the dresser then removed his bathrobe.
He left his bedroom and went out to the main room bare ass naked.
An hour later, Andrea left with her payment of one thousand and five hundred Eurodollars, and the second she stepped out into the hallway, Chuck received another cell phone call. It was from his wife, and she wondered how his business trip was going so far. He lied and told her it was boring and didn't have any free time to see the beautiful sights Paris offered.