"W hat was that?" Tiny hairs stood up on the back of Ronnie's neck. The air seemed to grow hotter and more oppressive as they stood outside the plane, wondering how to make it more visible now it was coated with a thick layer of dust. They'd cleaned off the call numbers and the windows. Now the atmosphere around them suddenly seemed to throb.
"A helicopter." Zadir spun around. "I can hear it but not see it."
"Oh, my gosh," her nerves jangled. "We have to make them spot us!"
"I wish we had a flare, but whoever sent us here removed them. We'll have to wave something. Grab an item of clothing."
She pulled up a pair of pale ivory pants they'd laid as part of their circle, and he grabbed a white shirt. They started to jump up and down, waving the items over their heads.
Still no sign of a helicopter. Gasping already in the intense heat, she paused for breath. "Has it gone past us?"
"I can still hear it." He frowned. "I think it's circling around us. It must be hidden by the high dunes."
"Do you think it could be the person who disabled the plane?"
She watched him inhale deeply. "Could be. But they may also be our only way out."
"Not if they shoot us on sight. You need to hide inside the plane."
"I'm not hiding. I'd rather die in the open."
Her instincts recoiled against that fate for him, or for her. "Not me. I'd rather live to bring them to justice."
He scanned the horizon to the south. "I see them. It's a dark helicopter. I don't see any markings."
"What do rescue helicopters look like?"
"The Saudi ones are mostly white, with red stripes."
She peered at the shape growing larger in the distance, rotors thumping. "That's not white." Fear clutched at her chest. "Get inside, Zadir. I mean it. If it's the bad guys, they can take me back to civilization and I'll send help for you." She couldn't bear the thought of seeing him get shot, or worse.
He glowered for a moment. "I don't want to put you in unnecessary danger. I'll lay low at least until we can figure out what's going on."
"Get in the shade under the wing." She watched as he crouched in the dark recess. If necessary, she'd use her wits to get them both out of there.
Instead of growing closer, the helicopter continued to circle around the crash site. Frustration gathered inside her. "What the heck? Why aren't they coming in to land?"
"They're trying to figure out what's going on here. I think you were right to have me hide. They want to be sure you're alone."