‘I can. For starters, how many tents d’you reckon will be needed? Where are they going to get them on a minutes notice? Imagine how everyone will react. It was easy putting up the dykes because it was done a little at a time. This has to be done immediately. What’s Jerry going to do for instance? Er, here’s the kicker. What areyou going to do? International flights will be grounded in five days.’
‘Shit. I don’t know. I’d better get all my planes back to Australia before they do that. That’s going to take some organising. Thanks for the warning mate. Now I understand the delay in announcing this. There won’t be any bloody airports left, well very few anyway.’
Nick stopped in his tracks. ‘Never thought of that. Christ. I’ve only been thinking about saving people’s lives.
Thursday, June 1
At Los Angeles airport Nick shuffled behind Graham, glancing around the terminal expecting to see his pursuers everywhere. He was still wearing his jack-suit that now was wrinkled and uncomfortable, and as they made their way to the crew’s lounge he pulled the cap over his eyes. Once in the lounge he asked for the change room.’Wanna get out of this crap,’ he said, tearing off his cap to loosen his hair.
‘Right,’ said Graham. ‘You can have a shower too, you need it.’ He hiked his thumb toward a door off the lounge.
This time Graham insisted he join him in the cockpit of the 797 for the flight to Hawaii, which would give him a sense of security. The 797 was the latest fast, super quiet Boeing used on international flights, cutting flight time in half. This meant they would be in Hawaii in less than three hours. Nick wished they could fly straight on to Australia and so probably did Graham, but he did not begrudge the stopover, just wished it was over.
Nick crawled into the narrow jump seat behind the pilots where the hundreds of buttons, dials, switches and flickering lights amazed him. He wondered how a man could remember their function let alone how to use them. The co-pilot was going through the pre-flight check list to ensure all the necessary systems and equipment were working and set for takeoff, monitoring the hydraulic systems and the instrument indicators. ‘Los Angeles Tower, this is Emu 711 standing by for airways clearance. He announced.
‘Roger Emu 711 is cleared into position runway 14, cleared for takeoff. Wind from 220 degrees at 18 knots, gusting 24. Cleared to Honolulu by standard departure route.’
With one hand steering the nose-wheel and the other on the throttles, Graham manoeuvred the big jet on its final turn onto runway 14. Nick felt the vibration increasing as Graham opened up the throttles and released the brakes. Emu 711 accelerated rapidly along the runway whilst the co-pilot calmly called instrument readings and declared ‘V2+10 Emu rotated.’ Earth rushed giddily beneath the nose, replaced by trees and sky as she pulled off the ground with four engines screaming in unison.
‘Retract undercarriage.’ Graham instructed, and the wheels thumped into their wells in the fuselage as they climbed steeply into the clouds. Banking sharply to port she presented a view of the deep cobalt sea from Nick’s window, before levelling out and continuing her long slow climb.
The same sadness they had experienced leaving Jerry overwhelmed them again as they flew over Los Angeles. From the air they could see the vast flatness of the area stretching for hundreds of kilometres, surrounded on the east by the San Gabriel Mountains and the west by the Pacific Ocean. A City of over thirty-six million souls, known as the City Of The Angels, all destined to become part of that great ocean. Graham glanced back at Nick who shook his head from side to side and grimaced.
Both pilots were busily engaged in the after-take-off check monitoring all the aircraft systems brought into use during these early stages of the climb. Nick realised he would never see Laura again, but experienced a warm feeling when he grasped the knowledge that he was really going home. His mind was becoming conditioned to accepting turmoil and he felt calmer. He watched the landscape dwindling behind the plane, reminding him of the last time he saw the Platypus in Alaska. He must call Sam who would be wondering where Nick was, and he needed to make sure they were still on course. They were going to need her more than he ever dreamed.
Graham was struggling with his thoughts as well, the concentration required for takeoff taxing his mental capacity as he was still feeling shocked by Nick’s news. He did not really want to leave America as she had given him the opportunity to build his empire. Angela and he were divorced now after a tumultuous two-year marriage, but since he had wed his Texas Rose, he felt part American. There was a bigger pull now, his roots were in Australia, as was a big part of his business. If he was to have any business left after this catastrophe.
Air Traffic Control interrupted. ‘Emu 711 you are cleared to continue climb to flight level 250. Here’s your Oceanic clearance. Are you ready to copy?’
The co-pilot nodded to Graham. ‘Los Angeles from Emu 711, leaving flight level 80, go ahead with Oceanic clearance.’ ATC offered them a route and height which they accepted. The plane was on course now; autopilot engaged, no need for both of them in the cockpit.
‘I’ll take over.’ Graham told him. ‘You go check on the passengers.’
Nick held up his sat-phone phone and Graham nodded. He immediately placed a call to Josh, surprised when he was connected without delay. Josh had no idea where he was calling from, and Nick did not say.
‘I’ve got good news.’ Josh said. ‘I found out where Laura is, but they won’t let me talk to her. What’s that odd drumming noise in the background?’
‘Nothing mate. Er, factory noise. Is she okay? Where is she?’
‘She’s inside Mt Rockwell, but don’t try to get in there. It’s tighter than Fort Knox. Those Generals are something else. Cooper said he’d treat anybody who threatens the security of Star flight in the same manner, no questions asked! I’m guessing they grabbed her as an example of what can happen. Everybody here thinks she’s been sent out of town.’
Nick felt a little better. At least she’s safe and she’ll be so busy figuring how to get out of it, he thought, she won’t have time to panic.
‘Will you pick up Maxime and send her to Laura? Nick asked. ‘I’ve left the key with the manager, he’s expecting you. I told him Laura had to leave town unexpectedly.’
Josh’s voice reflected suspicion. ‘Where are you? The boys in the Capitol are expecting you here today.’
‘I’m not going to be there.’
‘What? What’ll I tell them?’
‘I don’t care. Just say you don’t know where I am, you’ll be telling the truth. I’ll call you again soon.’ He disconnected the call before Josh had time to argue.
Nick’s next call was to the Platypus.
‘Nick!’ Sam boomed. ‘Where the hell are you! Wolf’s here. He just tole me the whole story. Man, I had no idea it was goin’ to be this big.’
‘Sorry, Sam. I didn’t have time to tell you everything. Everything’s gone crazy. What’s Wolf doing there? I thought he was staying at Unimak?’
Wolf’s voice butted in. ‘I had no place else to go. There was nothing more I could do at Unimak.’
‘I’m glad you’re there.’ Nick responded. ‘How’s it look?’
‘No change I’m afraid. Jeremy’s been down in the Bunyip’s several times. Readings are getting stronger if anything.’
‘Are the crew Okay? Sam was having some trouble with them when I left.’
‘Yah, they’re fine. Sam’s told them. Most of them want to stay on board, but he’s sent those with families home with the threat of death if they were to reveal anything. He said he wanted to stay on board. He called his mother in New York to send the family up to the mountains on the pretence of a family reunion with his brother up there for now.’