“Jesus, that was impressive.” The copilot said as they began the circuit of the target.

“Harp Two regain formation.” The pilot ordered, then waved to the men in the back of the helicopter. A man climbed from his seat, grasped the backs of the pilot’s seat, then bent to hear what the pilot had to say.

“Get ready to land.” The pilot told the leader of the ground force, then concentrated on his flying.

The man returned to his seat. “Lock and load,” he shouted to the rest of the men.

“Harp. We have a target coming to you at, plus Mach three.” The Orion controller shouted, overpowering the comm and deafening the pilot. “From the lake. He is coming from the lake.”

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“Light off the radar,” the pilot shouted. “Harp team, we have a high-speed bogie incoming from the east.”

Powerful radar on each of the helicopters painted the night sky, the two attack helicopters locking on the intruder within a few seconds.

“This guy’s burning fuel,” one pilot said as the target closed rapidly.

“No IFF response,” the lead pilot observed. The telltale signal sent out by the helicopters did not receive a reply, and an ‘unknown’ icon appeared on the heads-up display. “Treat this guy like a hostile.”

“Affirmative.” The emotionless response was as trained into the pilots, yet it could not conceal the anxiety all the men felt as they watched the target dot cross the radar screens like a bullet from a gun.

As the pilots watched the incoming target, they missed the three figures walking to the ravine behind the house and merging with the cover of the burning helicopter.