"The boundaries which divide Life and Death are, at best, shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends and the other begins?"

E.A. Poe

"Who in hell could that be?" Flynn said as he and Julie strained their eyes to see in the dim, pre-dawn light.

They were on their bellies, sighting across the scrub-land in the direction of the arroyo.

A man on foot, in traditional Afghan robes, had exited the gully near where the Soviet tank sat and was headed in their direction at an easy lope. In fifteen minutes he'd be upon them. In fewer than ten he'd be within range.

"Maybe it's one of those rats from Bamma that sold out to Kurtz," Flynn answered his own question. He snugged the butt of his rifle into his shoulder and leveled the weapon at the slowly expanding figure, got comfortable.

Julie and Flynn had caught a couple hours' sleep in their alcove in the early part of the night and then had moved out with the remaining Mujahedeen who were clearing out the caves and making their way up the rear pass –after stuffing Flynn's Humvee with extra provisions, arms and ammunition as ordered by The Djinn.

Flynn had told Julie that The Djinn expected them to be on their way to Veerona well before BlackSky arrived. So the idea had been to pack up and drive a short way south along the base of the mountains, out of sight of The Djinn.

Julie had retrieved Cleo and Caesar from the company of their new friends in the corral and led them down the pass and into the shelter of a hockey-rink-sized box canyon cut into the mountains a hundred yards south of the pass entrance.

She had hoped to speak with The Djinn before he departed. She hadn't the foggiest what it was she wanted to say to him, but she had an overwhelming compulsion to make personal contact with this mysterious individual. The opportunity never presented itself, everything had happened too quickly.

Flynn had intended to hide the Humvee in the same canyon with Cleo and Caesar. But it wouldn't start –no matter how creative he'd gotten with the expletives. So he had coasted, in reverse, back down the pass. At the bottom he had spun the wheel hard left and, fortunately, the Humvee had gathered enough momentum to at least carry it out of sight from above. He and Julie had concealed it as best they could with dry brush.

They now lay under it, watching the approaching Afghan stranger.

"Yeah, I don't like the look of this loser. I'm gonna take him out," Flynn said as he released the safety on the rifle, tucked his cheek onto the stock.

"Flynn, wait!" Julie clutched his arm.

"Don't go squeamish on me now, Pollyanna. There will be blood today."

"Samhal's blood?" she asked pointedly.

"What?"

"Look closely. I'm pretty certain that's the outfit Jiddah put together for Samhal."

"Huh? Oh yeah, copy that. Good call, Cherie. Sammy owes you one."

Flynn had addressed Julie using that particular term of endearment more than a couple of times. With the situation as it was, she hoped desperately he would have occasion to use it many more times in the future. She prayed she hadn't got them all into a mess that would prove deadly. Flynn's flippant reaction to almost 'taking out' Samhal did not help reassure her.

They got to their feet and waved Samhal into camp.

After perfunctory greetings between the men, and a warm hug from Julie, Samhal summarized the items of Intel he had gathered in Kandahar and Bamma:

One. BlackSky was rotten as a camel fart. They were into all manner of venal crime. And the coalition knew it.

Two. The entire BlackSky outfit –a dozen operatives– had gathered in Bamma and were preparing an early morning assault on The Djinn. Kurtz had informed the coalition and was planning to call-in an air strike on the mountain stronghold once he'd established its exact coordinates.

Three. An absurd rumor that the coalition was resolved to take out The Djinn, and BlackSky, once they received the call from Kurtz.

Four. BlackSky had Saddiq and was bringing him along as a wild card.

Flynn updated Samhal on everything he had, finishing with: "The last GPS transmission was from the wadi so that's where we can expect Kurtz to set up his command post. They should arrive soon. And it won't take them long to pinpoint the pass, and our position. Nothing to do but sit tight and wait for his first move. Oh, and by the way, that absurd rumor? It's the truth."

Up till now Julie had derived a certain thrill out of the risky business she and Flynn had gotten themselves into. And Flynn and Samhal's confident, cavalier manner –at the moment, Flynn was kidding Samhal about almost 'taking him out'– suggested they were still into it. But fear was beginning to overshadow the thrill for Julie. The Djinn and his men were gone. How could Flynn and Samhal stand alone against BlackSky? How could they free Saddiq? How could they escape the coalition air strike? And even if they managed to stay alive after all that, the coalition would still be out to get them. Samhal could possibly survive in Afghanistan undetected, but it would be impossible for Flynn.

And then, yet another variable was tossed into the Mission Impossible array:

Samhal said, "Monty, look. A rider with a pack horse is approaching." He shaded his eyes against the rising sun. "It is Jiddah!"

When Jiddah came into camp Samhal reached up and swept her out of the saddle. Julie held Iris's and Tony's reins while Jiddah and Samhal embraced. It was apparent their relationship had evolved significantly beyond the hug-and-peck stage.

"How did you find us, guapa? And what are you doing here?" Samhal asked, holding Jiddah at arms-length and grinning like Howdy Doody.

"I returned to Veerona when you departed for Bamma. I read your e-mails, old man. And I came to help you find your way back home. I could not leave Juliet's safety in your shaky hands." Samhal squeezed her close again, and held her there.

Well, Julie thought, whether or not I've come to the end of my invisible thread of destiny, at least I'm in the company of all my loved ones.

Forty-five minutes after Jiddah's arrival, Flynn spotted BlackSky's four Humvees lumber to a stop near the derelict Soviet tank.

At this distance, and with the rising sun in his eyes, it was impossible to discern individuals, but it wasn't difficult to imagine Kurtz finding the smashed GPS and then sighting along all the tracks leading to the mountain pass, and their own nearby position.

Flynn said, "There they are. I wonder what Kurtz's first move will be?"

They didn't have to wait long to find out.

A large white flag was affixed to the aerial of one of the Humvees. It began to slowly trundle across the plain toward them.

"What shall we do?" Julie asked anxiously.

"You and Jiddah saddle up Caesar and Tony, STAT," Flynn ordered. "And then stay in the canyon out of sight; I don't want Kurtz knowing you're here. Sammy and I will ride out to meet them. We can't allow Kurtz to see The Djinn has taken a hike; we'll lose our bargaining chips."

"But..." Julie began...

But Flynn's expression was a stern rebuke that cut her short. He had his game face on. It wasn't frightening like the one he'd worn during the encounter with that pig Bradley, but it was nonetheless intimidating. Strangely, Julie found it took the edge off her fear –who better than Flynn Montague and Samhal Abdali to get them through this?

She deferred, "Okay," touched his forearm and added softly, "Please be careful, Flynn."

He winked.

Jiddah and Julie crouched behind the large boulders that marked the entrance to the canyon and watched the two parties slowly converge in the middle of the stark, dun-colored plain. Jiddah took hold of Julie's hand, squeezed hard. She said, "Oh, Juliet, I pray Allah protects our boys from harm."

"They'll be okay, Jiddah." Julie was trying to convince herself as much as Jiddah. She could see negotiations had begun. Flynn and Samhal had remained on horseback. Three men –she thought she recognized two as Kurtz and Bradley– had exited the Humvee and formed an arrowhead at its front-end. They were wearing flak jackets.

Julie felt Jiddah's nails digging into her hand. She tried to ease the tension, "Jiddah, I see your fondness for Samhal has grown into much more, and is obviously mutual."

"Yes, Julie, I think so. I have little experience, but I am naming it love. When Samhal is near, my heart is full; when he is far, it aches for his presence.

"I know he is a soldier of fortune; nevertheless, he has a kind spirit and a gentle soul. I believe, in his heart, he fights for good. And Samhal has always had to fight: losing his parents at an early age, shuffling from one refugee camp to the next. I think he is fighting to find a place he can call home. I know my heart will be at home wherever Samhal is."

Jiddah fastened Julie with knowing eyes. She said, "And you, my little sister, where has your heart taken you?"

"I think it's reached the end point of that long invisible red fiber, Jiddah. I'm certain Flynn is the one, and Fate has brought us together. I didn't realize till now that I'd been living with an aching emptiness, and I was trying to fill it, kill the pain, with all manner of kooky things. But it was Flynn's love, and my love for him, that has filled the void and taken away the hurt.

"I'm me again, Jiddah. I'm Julie. I'm not Dahab, and I'm not Jack McNeill. I need to contribute to this world as Julie McNeill. Whether or not we survive this day I haven't the foggiest what our future together can be, whether we'll even have a future together. But whatever happens, I know my love will forever belong to Flynn Montague."

They smiled at one another, at the happy awareness and irony that they'd both found their one genuine love at the same time, under the most improbable circumstances. Then Jiddah averted her eyes guiltily and began what appeared to be a confession, "Um, I must say, Julie... regarding Fate and Destiny..."

Worry instantly clouded Julie's expression –oh no, now what?

Jiddah made eye contact again and continued, "It was Fate that brought you and Flynn together, mostly. But... Samhal and I did lend a helping hand."

"What do you mean, Jiddah?"

"You recall the night you happened to encounter Flynn at the oasis?"

Julie was taken aback. She hadn't told Jiddah anything about that first night at the oasis when she had ogled Flynn shaving, butt-naked, in the pond; when he had pounced on her back, threatening her with his... gun. What did Jiddah and Samhal know about this? She answered, "Well... yes, I didn't think I'd mentioned that incident. But, yeah, that's when Flynn and I first... met. Only, where do you and Samhal fit in to that?"

"Julie it was not only Fate, or coincidence, that night. Samhal and I had some private time during the evening when he was over for dinner. We plotted to have you and Flynn meet at the oasis." Jiddah searched Julie's eyes. "You are not disappointed, are you?"

Julie's brows knitted together as she did a fast rewind and replay. Then she said, nodding slowly, "Hah, so that night wasn't a product of blind fate. And I'm guessing the 'keep your enemies closer' and 'Mr. Rightnow' speeches were all horse poop? And you and Samhal taking off to Kandahar for a week. All matchmaking moves, huh?"

"I am guilty," Jiddah said with a raised palm. "But fate is like a play, Julie. I was simply acting out my bit part. Moreover, I had a good feeling about Captain Montague from the very beginning, when he demonstrated wisdom and mercy in choosing not to punish Saddiq at the shura. And you know what is strange? While Samhal and I were engaged with your fateful activities, our own destinies came upon us, unaware."

Julie took hold of Jiddah's hands. "It all worked out for the best, Jiddah. I'm certain it was all written in destiny, one way or another." Her eyes smiled brightly. "So thank you for giving Fate a slight nudge."

Jiddah squeezed her hands, "You deserve happiness, Juliet." She shook her head regretfully. "You know, I saw your gardens. I spoke with Mohammed. I am so, so sorry for your loss. It was a cruel and cowardly act."

"I guess it doesn't matter," Julie said glumly. She lifted her shoulders. "Maybe my wormwood scheme was one of those kooky things, huh?"

"No it was not," Jiddah rejected flatly. "It is what must be done." She put a reassuring arm round Julie's shoulders. "Possibly the timing was incorrect; Veerona is not ready yet; maybe when some order is restored to this land."

Then their attention was re-focused back on the situation at hand. Their men of destiny, Samhal and Flynn, were returning at a canter.

Julie said, "Saddiq's not with them." Her words had a frantic edge. "Kurtz only wanted him so he could find The Djinn's hiding place. He has that. Why hasn't he freed Saddiq?"

They watched anxiously as Flynn and Samhal finally arrived. They dismounted and walked the horses toward the mouth of the canyon. The BlackSky Humvee was almost back at the arroyo so Julie and Jiddah hurried out from behind the boulders.

"They're demanding gold for Saddiq," Flynn announced disgustedly. "They want two bars, about eight-hundred-thousand dollars. Of course it's BS. Kurtz just wants to see if we have access to The Djinn; hedge his bets; make certain The Djinn does have gold stored at his hideout before he risks a raid. He's after every last bloody ounce. Once he's got it, he'll call in the coalition air strike, get rid of us all."

"But do you think he has Saddiq? He's okay?" Julie asked nervously.

Samhal said, "Yes, Dahab. Saddiq looks fine. He was in the Humvee, handcuffed to the backseat."

Julie stated the obvious, "But we don't have any gold. How can we buy his freedom?"

Flynn said, "If we had twenty bars of gold it wouldn't make a difference. That bastard has no intention of handing over Saddiq. Kurtz is strutting around like Foghorn Leghorn on Viagra. He wants us out in the open so he can do us now, in case some miracle saves us from the air offensive." Flynn added with a vengeful smirk, "Little does that rooster know, when the assault does come, his goose is cooked too... thanks to The Djinn."

"So that's it?" Julie said numbly. "Saddiq is on his own? We have to leave without him?"

"Uh-uh," Flynn said, "I want a shot at Kurtz and those other peckerwoods. We didn't come out here to pick blueberries; we came to get Saddiq. We know where he is. I'm gonna get'm. Then we're all getting outta here. And like Robert Frost said, 'The best way out is always through.' Wha'd'ya say, Sammy?"

"I say we are here and it is now, Monty. What better place and time? And, yes, my preference is always for going through."

Flynn made a show of hiking up the pass and returning with his saddlebags loaded with a couple of big rocks –he knew Kurtz would be watching.

He and Samhal stood near the Humvee and checked their weapons. Flynn was taking only his sidearm; he figured the action would be up close and personal. Sammy had an assault rifle slung onto his back and his ever-present knife. Flynn could feel adrenaline thickening his blood, sharpening his senses.

When they were set, they riveted one another with hard stares. Then Sammy mused, "Flynn, do you think it is true what Nietzsche's girlfriend once said?"

"What's that, mon ami?"

"She said: 'That which does not kill you, makes you stranger'."

Sammy grinned broadly.

Flynn returned the smile. The smiles broke into spontaneous snickers, the snickers into laughter. Their laughter ended abruptly and simultaneously.

"Time to slay some dragons," Flynn said.

They strode to the mouth of the canyon where Jiddah and Julie were holding Caesar and Tony. They tried to keep the goodbyes short and sweet. But Flynn was compelled to impart some disturbing, but necessary, instructions: "Listen up, if it looks like things are going south, you two mount up pronto, head back to Veerona. Stick close to the foot of the mountains for a few miles before cutting across the flat-lands. You'll be fine."

"We'll be fine?" Julie said with a mix of disbelief, anger and fear in her voice. "And what will you be? Wounded? Dead? And you're telling us to ride away? We'll be fine?"

"Julie, look me in the eye, tell me: Do you think I can do this?"

She did look into his eyes. She looked into her heart, and then her gut. Despite her heart, she couldn't lie. She answered firmly, "Yes."

Flynn said, "Bon. If you think I can do it, then I can do it. But listen. All hell may erupt. If it does, there's nothing you can do about it." He gripped her shoulders. "Everything's gonna be okay, believe me. But please tell me you'll skedaddle in the off chance that it's not. Please?"

"Fine... whatever you say, Captain." She folded her arms and turned out of his grip.

"Monty," Samhal called. "Here they come."

Flynn lowered his shades, sighted across the scrub-land.

One of the BlackSky Humvees was slowly making its way in their direction. He and Samhal took the reins of Caesar and Tony and mounted up.

Julie turned back and rushed to Caesar's flank. She clutched at Flynn's leg, pressed her cheek against his thigh. She said, "Oh, Flynn, don't go. There must be some other way. Maybe the coalition can negotiate with Kurtz. Please don't go. I'm sorry I got us into this." Her face under the veil began to crumple like a child's before crying.

"It wasn't you, Cherie. It's Kurtz. He's had it in for me for a long time. Might as well be done with it, here and now. And the coalition's not in a negotiating mood. It's up to us." He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Sometimes necessity is just a mother."

Flynn raised his shades onto his cap, leaned over and hooked an arm under Julie's shoulders, swept her up off her feet. He looked into her sodden gold eyes; his own eyes evincing determination... and love.

Julie pulled her veil aside. Flynn kissed her salty, tear-soaked lips as though it were the first time... as though it were the final time.

He let Julie slip back to the ground.

She seized his fingers and pressed her lips to his knuckles, then let go, squashed her tears away with her palms.

Samhal kissed Jiddah once more then straightened into the saddle. Flynn jerked his head toward the plain and they trotted off. Caesar emitted a low-pitched nicker of anticipation.

Once again Julie and Jiddah watched from the canyon entrance as Samhal and Flynn met the Humvee midway in the expanse of toasted desert. Jiddah touched her right hand to her throat.

Julie's entire body, every nerve-ending, every pore, pulsed wildly. She could hear the blood coursing through her veins. She felt she could spit-out her heart. Her eyesight became sharp as a diamond cutter. The scene was taking place a half mile away but for her it was unfolding in slow-mo hi-def close-up:

Kurtz was standing in front of his Humvee, arms akimbo. One of his men was positioned at the right fender, assault rifle slung across his chest. The other –it looked like Bradley– was at the rear door, driver's side, an automatic weapon slung over his back. Flynn and Samhal remained mounted, several yards away.

Kurtz and Flynn traded a few words. Then Bradley opened the door, detached Saddiq's handcuff from the Humvee and yanked him out. His ankles were close-shackled. Bradley handcuffed his wrists behind his back.

Flynn dropped the rock-filled saddlebags into the dirt and Bradley gave Saddiq a shove forward using the muzzle of his rifle. Saddiq almost stumbled but regained his footing and hobbled awkwardly toward Flynn and Samhal. Kurtz moved forward to retrieve the saddlebags.

Julie stared, transfixed. This was it. Oh my God, she thought, when Kurtz finds the saddlebags contain rocks, all hell will erupt, just like Flynn had said.

Julie suddenly realized that he never did have a strategy, other than a free-for-all showdown. She saw all the men making subtle near undetectable moves for their weapons. She felt as though she'd swallowed a cinder block.

Julie squeezed her eyes shut and wished she and Flynn were touring the New Hampshire countryside in a Buick, searching for an old mansion they could renovate and open as a B&B.

The sand around Julie's toes began to tremble. The surrounding air began to shudder. Her eyes snapped wide open.

Just as Kurtz stooped to retrieve the saddlebags, a thunderous furor erupted back at the arroyo. Caesar and Tony reared but Flynn and Samhal steadied them. And then all six men, as well as Jiddah and Julie, stared in shock and awe at a horrific spectacle.

Two Cobra assault helicopters were obliterating the BlackSky position back at the wadi. In a single pass the awesome destructive power of the killing machines wasted the three Humvees, and everything else within a hundred-yard radius, into indistinguishable carnage.

Then the low-flying choppers careened north towards Bamma, receding to black blips on the clear sky. They slung into a wide arc, likely re-verifying orders before continuing the atrocity. They would probably be directed to make a mop-up pass on the wadi before letting loose on Kurtz's sitting-duck Humvee. 'No Witnesses' would be the prudent order-of-the-day for this mission.

"Another time, Captain Montague," Kurtz called to Flynn. He hefted up the saddlebags and then he, Bradley and Shaffer scrambled into their Humvee.

They churned up plumes of dust as they hightailed it for cover in the mountains.

Samhal and Flynn sprang from their mounts and ran to get Saddiq.

His restraints were too elaborate and bound too tightly to cut away quickly. Flynn crouched and gathered him up. But as he hoisted Saddiq into a fireman's lift the lad began shouting something in Pashto.

Flynn yelled back over his shoulder, "Shut up ya little bugger, we're saving your ass for chrissake."

Samhal translated, "Monty, he is saying Kurtz is returning. Look."

Flynn said, "Uh-oh. He's lost his wild sense of humor; must've checked the friggin' saddlebags." He flipped Saddiq back onto the ground. He and Samhal also hit the dirt. They leveled their weapons at the fast approaching Humvee.

"Light 'em up, Sammy!" Flynn cried.

Tony bolted for the canyon. Caesar followed for a few paces but then pulled up short.

Dirt, stones and sand kicked up all around Samhal and Flynn when Kurtz and Shaffer opened up on them with their automatic weapons. Bradley was driving. Samhal was directing fire at him as the Humvee bore down upon them, bouncing and bucking like a demented rocking horse. Flynn was aiming for the left front tire.

The left front tire and Bradley's head exploded simultaneously.

The Humvee swerved madly and then flipped ass-over-tea-kettle before finally crashing belly-up.

Flynn leapt up, shouted, "Smoke 'em, Sammy."

Samhal answered equably, "Regrettably I cannot, Flynn. I am hit."

Flynn turned and raced to Samhal's side, holstering his sidearm.

Samhal managed to get into a sitting position, he clutched his wounded leg. The projectile had torn into his thigh.

Flynn removed the two spare magazines from Sammy's pockets and then used his knife to slit his pant leg. He found entry and exit wounds. He said, "Well, mon ami, the bullet sailed clean through. Good news, probably no broken bones."

He glanced at the Humvee. The dust had almost settled and he detected no movement from within. He rushed to get Caesar.

The Cobras had completed the strafing run on the wadi. Everything gone now but the stink of roasting flesh and burning blood wafting across the plain; it smelled nothing like victory. Flynn hoped the pilots would disregard Kurtz's overturned Humvee and instead redirect their attention to the mountain stronghold.

Saddiq complained loudly as Flynn flopped him over the back of the saddle like he was a goat carcass. Caesar seemed to understand the urgency of the moment; he stood calmly.

Just as Flynn gingerly boosted Sammy into the saddle, shots rang out from the overturned Humvee.

Samhal cried, "Help me down, Monty," as he tossed his assault rifle to Flynn.

Instead, Flynn whacked Caesar's backside. "Hah," he shouted. "You get Saddiq outta here, Sammy," he called after them, "I'll see ya' back at the canyon."

Caesar was hell-bent for the mountains, accelerating from a run to full gallop within paces.

Flynn dropped to his belly and laid down covering fire for their getaway.

Shaffer had dragged himself out of the wreckage. Luckily he was shaken up from the crash, his aim was completely effed-up. He was on the far side of the Humvee but Flynn was able to keep him pinned down while Samhal and Saddiq galloped out of range.

Kurtz had also survived the crash. He began firing from inside the Humvee. Flynn wasn't able to get a clean shot at him. He clicked in a fresh mag.

They could be nailed down in a stalemate until they all ran out of ammo. That'd suit Flynn just fine; he'd hoped for some up-close-and-personal connection with these dickheads. But he could see the Cobras circling back, and a squirmy slide in his gut told him the fly-boys were preparing to make a pass at them before taking out The Djinn's stronghold.

The situation was about to escalate from chaos to fubar.

Samhal was halfway back to the canyon when Julie made up her mind.

Flynn was out there, by himself, and he was pinned down. She hadn't the faintest idea how she could help, but she was certain she'd be damned if she cowered behind a rock while Flynn faced death alone.

She sprang from cover and bolted onto the barrens.

Jiddah cried out and gave chase but she couldn't match Julie's speed; she stopped, stamped a foot, and then watched helplessly.

In cowboy boots, niqab and abaya Julie wouldn't win any gold medals, but she shot by Samhal as they crossed paths. She ignored his pleas to turn back and was closing on Flynn's position. And when she spotted those fearsome gunships approaching again she was able to dial it up another notch. She shrieked hysterically.

Julie's scream drew the attention of Flynn.

It had also drawn fire from that hyena, Shaffer.

Julie began zigging and zagging. Then Kurtz also targeted her.

She saw Flynn leap to his feet and rush the Humvee, his weapon blazing on full auto. He yelled, "Colonel, this is for keeps. I'm all-in you son-of-a-bitch!"

Julie screamed again, realizing Flynn was drawing their fire, sacrificing himself to protect her.

From behind cover, Shaffer lined up on Flynn, near point-blank.

Shaffer's arms and legs flew out from his body like a puppet without strings; he was slammed to the ground. He didn't feel a thing; he was deader than dirt before contact. Though a nerve-reflex allowed him to fire one final round into the sky.

Julie saw Flynn kneel, reload, and snatch a glance at the mountain pass. He continued forward, completely in the open, emptying his last clip into the Humvee. She stopped in her tracks, jammed white knuckles over her mouth and watched.

Flynn ditched the rifle and drew his 9mm as he reached the wreckage. He bent onto his haunches and looked inside briefly and then he straightened and looked at the pass again. Julie also looked.

The white-robed Djinn waved his long-barreled rifle once and then pointed it urgently in the direction of Bamma... and the approaching Cobra helicopters.

"Julie, run!" Flynn hollered, throwing a gesture at the canyon. He dashed toward her.

Julie was a pillar of salt. The frightful flying contraptions looked like monstrous raptors. She knew she and Flynn were doomed; there was no escape and no cover from these god-awful death machines. A thumping in her ears turned to a roar that made her dizzy.

"Run for chrissake!" Flynn bellowed.

Julie tore her stare from the helicopters and locked onto Flynn's determined grey eyes. They demanded action and inspired courage. She snapped out of her trance. She turned and began running.

Within a few paces Julie realized Flynn would overtake her and they'd both be impeded by her restrictive robes. She snatched her niqab from her head and flung it aside. Without breaking stride she gripped her abaya in both fists and ripped it top to bottom. It floated from her body.

Free-limbed, unencumbered, Julie accelerated, red hair bouncing, cowboy boots flying high, her bare milky skin shimmering in the brilliant desert sun.

Flynn was at her side and she matched him stride for stride. What a glorious way to die, she thought joyously. "I'm Juliet McNeill! And I love you, Flynn Montague," she proclaimed aloud.

But death by Cobra was not written into Julie McNeill's destiny. At the last possible instant the gunships peeled off and careened toward the mountains.

Within seconds they were pummeling the mountain pass and the labyrinth of caves with Hellfire missiles. The dull thudding explosions shook the ground under Julie's and Flynn's feet.

By the time Julie and Flynn had made it back to the safety of the canyon, the choppers were making a second run at the hideout. They bludgeoned the cliffs above the caves with rocket fire that set massive swaths of rock in motion. The surrounding air shattered into a red-black maelstrom. The immortal Djinn and his fortress were buried for all eternity.