Page 285 of Rangers Last Promise

Stairs lower.

Two armed men step out first.

Then a tall man with silver hair appears in the doorway.

Even from this distance, I recognize the authority in the way he stands.

Arthur Harlan.

The Colonel.

Vance walks toward him.

Harlan descends the steps.

They meet beneath the hangar light.

Vance holds up Grant’s silver key.

Harlan takes it.

He examines it.

Then he looks at Vance.

Even from the ridge, I see the moment he realizes it’s wrong.

Harlan says something.

Vance shakes his head.

One of the armed men raises his pistol.

Doc’s body tenses beside me.

“We need Vance alive.”

Sheriff Tate lifts his radio.

“Move.”

We rise from the grass.

Lights flood the runway.

Sheriff Tate’s voice thunders through the loudspeaker.

“Federal agents and Eagle River Sheriff’s Department! Drop your weapons!”

Vance turns toward us.

Harlan doesn’t.

He looks almost bored.

Then the jet’s second door opens.

More armed men pour onto the runway.