Jim’s faced paled as the enormity of Grahams orders sank in. ‘Jesus, what a mess.’ He threw up his hands in surrender. ‘Okay, okay, don’t worry. It’ll be done! I can imagine the speculation though once I start buying Vetos. I’ll have the press down on me. What about the staff here? What about the schedules?’
‘Just get them all to higher ground. Once the word is out the army will be taking over and they’ll advise all airlines where to take people. You can handle it. I don’t care what time of day or where I am, I’ll be available. Take care mate, you’re going to be flat out like a lizard drinking.’ He added. They shook hands warmly. Then Graham hugged Jim hard and left as unexpectedly as he’d arrived.
Friday, June 2
That previous night they had packed up Graham’s belongings and readied for their trip. Nick awoke to find Graham long gone. Coffee was still brewing in the kitchen with a note to tell him the flight number and time.
Two hours after arriving at the airport Graham readied himself for the flight to Australia. His confidence had returned and he checked off the flight details as normal. He’d seek assistance from his contacts and the Australian Government to implement his plan. He’ll need all the Vetos he can get his hands on in Australia too. Nick would be a big help there. Nick! Christ. He’d forgotten him. He must be waiting to get through customs. He had no sooner turned on his sat-phone phone when the call came in.
‘I’m waiting in the bloody departure lounge.’ Nick yelled. ‘Where the hell are you?’
‘Sorry mate, hang fire, I’m on the way.’ Graham rushed back to the crew’s lounge, reached into a locker and grabbed a flight suit. He buzzed Nick’s phone. ‘Come to the crew’s lounge, eastern end of the terminal, hurry!’
Graham flipped over his watch and opened the door scanning the crowds for Nick. He spotted the gold pony tail and whistled. Nick spun around and headed for the lounge where Graham grabbed his arm. ‘Here put this on, quick!’
‘I hope you don’t think I’m going to fly that thing out there, I’m a seaman not a flam’n airman.’ Nick said.
‘It’s the only way I can get you onboard without a customs check. I’ll tell them you’re a trainee pilot. They’re not supposed to be on a flight with passengers, but we do it all the time, so my friends in customs will turn a blind eye. Just don’t look directly at them, you look a bit old to be a learner.’
Nick donned the navy blue and gold all-in-one uniform. He zipped up the front patting his trim stomach. ‘Thanks! I may not be young, but I can still fit into one of these snug outfits.’
They made their way briskly to the crew’s gateway with Graham busily writing notes on a clipboard as they walked. Flight attendants in classic maroon and gold uniforms wearing perky hats emblazoned with the ‘AA’ symbol fluttered by, excitedly discussing last night’s party at the Mars Skylounge. Two girls eyed him admiringly. Graham had acquired a certain reputation as a lady’s man, and any girl who was lucky enough to catch his eye and hold it was the envy of every attendant. Arriving at the counter by the door he waved the clipboard at the female airport official on duty.
‘G’day Cheryl. You look bright and fresh this morning. Surely you didn’t go to that shindig at the Mars last night.’ He said winking at her.
She grinned at him, flattered by his attention. Graham signalled with a nod to Nick to continue past as he leaned forward to impart some more flattery to Cheryl. Once through the door, Nick fell into step behind the other crew members heading along the jetway toward the cockpit.
He squeezed into the jump seat behind Graham again, this time for the long haul to Australia. They’d told the flight attendants he was a special guest travelling under cover. They accepted this subterfuge and fussed over him, intrigued by the deception, giggling among themselves as they speculated who he may be.
The big 797 roared off the runway and was swooping over Diamond Head at the Southern point of Waikiki beach within minutes. Graham nodded toward the huge crater roughly two and a half square kilometres ordinarily occupied by Fort Ruger, a small military outpost. The frantic activity would have puzzled most of the passengers and crew, but Graham and Nick understood immediately what was happening. Star flight was the obvious reason for the hundreds of tents, jeeps, Veto and military personnel now stationed over the entire surface of the crater.
As they drew away from Hawaii and the United States Nick finally relaxed, no reason now to worry about the CIA, he was on his way home! He would probably have to deal with Australian officials now, but somehow after the American experience, that didn’t seem so bad.
Graham loved this big jet. She was the latest and greatest technology from Boeing and he was thinking of ways he could keep it. Airports would be the problem, most where he had landing rights were on sea level and would be flooded. He would need the long range and speed it provided to get to the diminished land areas remaining above sea level. He’d also have to find a base to house it, and of course a large fuel supply as well. He wondered about that. How much fuel will be available? The flight checks were all completed and they settled down for an easy trip home.
‘Who do you know in Canberra Nick?’ he asked after the co-pilot had left to check the rest of the crew’s activities.
‘Only a couple of marine scientists and a professor at Canberra Uni. Doubt they can be of much help. I’ve been away so long I’ve lost contact with most people. The only people I know are in Queensland, where Brian and Karen live.
‘Is Karen still nursing?’
Nick didn’t answer for a few beats. ‘Yeah. Brian’s always at her to quit but she won’t hear of it. Thank God they moved up to the mountains a-couple-a years ago.’
‘That’s good. We’ll need all the medical people we can find. D’you think she’ll work with us?’
‘You bet. We can count on her.’
Nick reflected on his past when he first met Karen, the instant attraction he felt on meeting her had grown to an obsession he couldn’t shake, even during his affair with Laura. She showed no interest in him, almost to the point of ignoring him. When Brian announced their engagement Nick was shattered. He was a little nervous at the prospect of seeing her again, unsure that he could resist the fatal attraction he felt for her. Perhaps that was why he had been drawn to Laura. She had the same stubborn streak and good nature. They looked so much alike, both petite with the same golden olive skin and dark hair, they could have passed for sisters. Over the last fifteen years not only had he loved her, but he had become to admire and respect her deeply, she was one helluva lady. He wondered how she’d take the news.
‘Christ!’ Nick exclaimed. ‘Just had a thought. What about all the planes in flight when it happens? It’s going to be so quick after the first warnings.’
‘If what you said is true all international flights will cease about 48 hours from now. The only planes flying will be taking people to higher ground. They’ll have enough time to take off but where they land is another thing. The airports inland only have a certain capacity for landing aircraft. Air-traffic control will be out of action. There’ll be planes ditching everywhere! I wouldn’t like to be flying one of them.’
Nick ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Strewth what a mess! It gets worse by the minute! How long before we reach Canberra?’
‘We’ll be approaching Sydney airport in three hours. We’re ahead of time, but we’ll probably be in a holding pattern at Sydney. That airport’s always jammed. We’re due to land in Canberra at 1830.’