7

Chapter 7

Hawkeye put his arm around Kim's shoulder and hugged her tight. "Honey, I'm sorry."

"Why? There's nothing to be sorry for," Kim assured him.

"Oh, no, of course not! You realize Flagg is going to shoot all four of us?" Hawkeye said flatly. "I don't mind so much about me, but you and Harry -"

"Harry and I are going to take down this Flagg," Kim told her grandfather confidently. "Look, we're not dead yet, Hawkeye - and until we are, we're not done fighting, You saw how Harry and Uncle Radar kept on."

Hawkeye nodded. "I've never been so scared for anyone in my life."

"But they didn't give up and neither should we!" Kim persisted. "Look, there are four of us and only one of the creep! Working together we can beat him!"

"I think I used up my ingenuity when the flashlight thing didn't work," Hawkeye confessed. "But if it'll save you, Harry or even Radar, I'll be surprised by what I can come up with."

"Exactly!" Kim said.

"Okay, the Four Musketeers go into action," Hawkeye agreed. He stared out the window. "With maybe a fifth wheel? No, no, it's crazy -"

"Hawkeye, what is it?" Kim asked anxiously.

"I wouldn't dare tell anyone else this, but I could swear I saw Henry Blake out there," Hawkeye muttered.

"I don't understand - who is Henry Blake?" Kim questioned him.

Hawkeye shook his head. "I don't understand either. There is no Henry Blake. He died over fifty years ago, before he could get home. But it couldn't have been anyone else. He was wearing that same cheesy suit Henry had on when he left Korea."

"Weird," Kim commented. "But if it is him, he's on our side, right?"

"Sure he is. Blake's a good guy," Hawkeye said. "He made a tree limb fall on Flagg's head. I guess Henry didn't know about the titanium plates in his skull."

"I do now," the ghost spoke up from behind them. "Thanks, pal, I'll pass that on to the rest of the troops." He began to fade out. "Abyssinia!"

Kim and Hawkeye both whirled. "Did - did you see and/or hear that?" Hawkeye asked.

"I - I think so," Kim replied cautiously. "Was - was that your friend?"

Hawkeye smiled and nodded. "That was Henry. That definitely makes it five to one."

Flagg kicked the front door open, leaving a smear of dirt on the pristine white surface, and motioned Harry and Radar inside. "Any more trouble out of either of you and I fill the other with lead." He glared at Hawkeye and Kim. "Get away from that window!"

"Why? Are you afraid we saw something we shouldn't?" Kim challenged him.

Flagg scowled at her. "Listen, girlie, I warned you not to make me lose my temper!'

Kim's eyes flashed. "Stop calling me that!"

Hawkeye put out a restraining hand, but for once Kim ignored her grandfather and, in a move designed to further irritate Flagg, crossed over to join Harry.

"I'm so glad to see you," Kim murmured as she put her arms around Harry. "Don't you ever get tired of rescuing me?"

"You know better than that," Harry whispered, as his own arms tightened around Kim.

"You and Uncle Radar rocked," Kim told him. "I know we can take out this creep." Harry pulled her closer. "Yes, we can. How many more guns does he have?"

"I haven't seen any others, but he wouldn't leave them just lying around," Kim replied softly. "He's not all that without a gun, is he?"

"Let's hope not," Harry answered. "I lost my wand and we can't let him shoot Hawkeye or Radar. But I think I know how to stop him."

Flagg stood watching them with a hard, mean expression. Radar cleared his throat politely and nudged Harry slightly, trying to warn him.

The terrorist brutally knocked Radar aside and leveled his automatic at Harry and Kim. "You people are just like rabbits - you make me sick!" he announced.

"You're the sick one, Flagg," Hawkeye retorted, hoping to draw any gunfire away from Harry and Kim. "You'd go so far as to shoot an unarmed pair of teenagers for being glad to see each other?"

"Why not?" Flagg sneered. "All four of you'll be dead long before anyone comes to rescue you anyway! Why not start with these two - while you're still alive to enjoy it, Pierce?"

"Oh, no!" Radar moaned, sitting up and groping for his lost glasses. "He - he can't do that!" His hand brushed against a heavy cast iron doorstop.

Harry said the incantation, "Hortor!" , so quietly that only Kim heard it. Then he stared defiantly into Flagg's eyes. "Drop that thing," Harry ordered in a low voice.

Flagg blinked in surprise, but he didn't take his eyes off Harry. "Why should I? Is this another one of your diversions?"

"You're not going to shoot any of us, so drop it," Harry commanded. He maintained steady eye contact with Flagg while at the same time his mind's eye formed a clear picture of the terrorist letting go of the pistol, just as Moody had taught him.

Flagg blinked again and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. Seeing that he was weakening, Kim added her own eye contact and concentration to Harry's. "You heard him, creep. Drop the pistol!"

There was a long, tense pause before the automatic fell from Flagg's nerveless fingers and clattered to the floor. Hawkeye sprang for it and gingerly picked it up. Flagg watched in a sort of stupor and then slowly held up his hands.

At the same time, Radar raised the doorstop above his head. Henry Blake apparated beside him. "Not on the top of the skull - he's got a - a - some sort of plate there! Hit him some place else!" Henry barked.

Radar nodded and smashed the heavy iron hard into the side of the terrorist's head. Flagg sagged limply and then sprawled on the floor at Harry and Kim's feet. Blood dripped from a deep gash on his temple.

"Aw, geez, I think I mighta killed him," Radar muttered, peering nearsightedly at his victim. Flagg lay face down without moving.

"As hard as his head is? Not a chance!" Hawkeye ejected the bullet clip and thrust the unloaded gun at Radar, who reacted as if he'd been handed a deadly snake. Kim finally took it from him while Harry retrieved his glasses from under the sofa.

Hawkeye knelt down by Flagg and gently turned him over. Then he felt for the carotid artery. "Sorry, Radar, it's merely a concussion. A few stitches and he'll be as nasty as he ever was. Maybe even worse."

"Then maybe I should hit him again!" Radar snarled. Harry gave him his glasses and Radar jammed them back on without noticing the cracked lens. "Holy cow, Hawkeye, he was gonna shoot Harry and Kim! How wrong is that? That guy's a - a nutter!"

"Radar, everything is hunky dory now," Henry soothed him. "Flagg's been defeated and the good guys won."

"That's right, we did!" Hawkeye grinned gleefully. "How about that?"

Kim grinned back. "Well, duh! Didn't I tell you we would!" She hugged Harry tight. "You were awesome!"

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without all of you," Harry told her. "Especially you, Radar. That was bloody brilliant the way you hit him."

Radar blushed. "Aw, gee. I - I was just scared he had another gun on him somewhere. I - I'm not that brave, really. He kept threatening the two of you, that's all."

Hawkeye put his arm around his old friend. "Radar, for God's sake, stop being so damn modest and accept the fact that you're a hero! If my wife was here, she'd kiss you!"

"No! Really?" Radar said, flushing even pinker.

"Really! In fact, I may kiss you myself!" Hawkeye said in a mock threat.

"Aw, c'mon, cut it out!" Radar protested. He ducked away. "Get serious now - we gotta find a way to get off this island!"

"ATTENTION! THIS – IS THE COAST GUARD!" squawked a voice amplified by a bull horn. "WE HAVE THE BUILDING COMPLETELY SURROUNDED! SURRENDER YOUR WEAPON AND COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP! REPEAT – SURRENDER YOUR WEAPON AND COME OUT –"

Hawkeye went to the door, opened it and leaned out, waving his arms. "Don't shoot! It's okay, we disarmed him! Sorry we troubled you, but it's all over."

"Well, there's your ride," Henry said. -"And this is where I fade out."

"Do - do ya have to?" Radar mumbled.

"Yep, 'fraid I do," Henry answered. "You people see if you can't stay out of trouble. Oh, and Harry, your wand is under those brambles. You can use the Summoning Charm to get it if the others provide a distraction."

"Thanks," Harry replied. "Thanks for everything."

"I'm glad I got to know you," Kim added.

"Me too. I'm gonna miss you something awful," Radar said.

Henry smiled. "I won't be too far away - so all of you behave yourselves."

"Henry, if I could, I'd give you a great big hug," Hawkeye said.

"I'm glad you can't!" Henry snorted. "You watch it, Pierce!"

Hawkeye drew himself up and proudly saluted his former CO. Radar, Kim and Harry followed suit. Henry grinned and returned the salute before he disapparated.

"Abyssinia!" they heard him say as he dissolved into the air.