by Peter Hoole
Caleb waited briefly at the entry to the plane, hoping it would not take too long for Darcy and the others to make it.
As he waited, Caleb gave instructions to the pilot.
“Just wait there,” Caleb said as the pilot approached the precipice of the cockpit. Caleb did not want the pilot to use the radio, and he couldn’t be sure of that if he let the pilot sit down.
The remaining seconds before Darcy and the others arrived seemed to take an age.
As soon as he saw them arrive, Caleb moved into the planes main cabin. As the plane was small, he was able to grab the pilot in moments. As he grabbed the hapless young man, Caleb felt a tinge of remorse.
This man had done nothing to him, and he wasn’t a threat.
But he was needed, and he could help, even if he didn’t want to.
Caleb shoved him into the pilot’s chair, and sat down next to him. At this point, Caleb pulled out his weapon. While he felt the pilot would assist them, he knew that this was also the riskiest time.
The pilot was within arm’s reach of the radio and could easily call for help.
The man was transfixed on the gun. Caleb believed this may have been the first time he had seen a gun, let alone had one pointed towards him.
“Just do as I say, and you won’t be hurt.” Caleb said, trying to reassure him.
Caleb knew the pilot would be of little use if he was panicked, and thus tried to pacify him.
The pilot looked at him and nodded.
Caleb quickly looked back into the main cabin. Darcy, Adam and Zach had gotten on board, closed the door, and they were now sitting in the seats. Adam had placed Zach next to the window, and had taken the seat immediately adjacent to him.
Darcy sat near the front of the plane.
As the plane was quite small, Darcy and Caleb were close.
“OK then,” Caleb said, “Get us out of here.”
The pilot moved almost immediately, and the plane came to life.
Caleb knew they needed to be quick, as the noise would no doubt alert the people inside that something was amiss.
As though sensing the urgency of the situation, the pilot moved the plane forwards, seeming to miss any of the pre-flight checks he would normally have been required to take.
The plane moved out of the area, and headed north-west, towards the start of the runway.
The trip only took a minute or so, but for Caleb, it felt like an eternity. They were so close to escaping, and so close to being on their way to the relative safety of the big city.
The plane turned towards the north east, the runway now in site.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” asked the pilot.
Caleb did not feel the need to respond, and simply pointed his sidearm at towards his captive.
Without any further words, the plane sped up.
Moving faster down the runway, the plane screamed along.
Caleb noticed a light flashing on the panel in front.
“What’s that?” he shouted to the pilot.
The pilot looked down, “It’s just the radio. They’re probably wondering…”
Caleb ignored the rest. He was sure the terminal would try to contact them. After all, they wouldn’t have been expecting the plane to take off.
Once again, Caleb considered them lucky they were in a small airport. There was little to no likelihood of another plane using the runway at the same time.
The planes speed reached its maximum, and as the end of the runway approached, the pilot pulled back, and they plane slowly raised into the air.
While not as spectacular as their last take off in Seattle, Caleb always enjoyed the majesty of flight.
As soon as the plane took flight, Caleb let out a sigh of relief. It was a feeling that echoed from the main cabin, apparent Darcy and Adam shared his joy at their leaving.
Caleb turned around and looked at them.
Darcy had a slight smile on her face, and Adam was as stoic as ever. It was clear he was still hurting. But, he was a soldier too, and was seemingly able to compartmentalise as well as Caleb.
Caleb scanned the rest of the cabin, and his eyes landed on Zach.
Caleb was surprised, for Zach too had a reassured smile on his face.
Caleb didn’t know what to make of this, but he knew it couldn’t be good.
The plane climbed to several thousand feet, and began levelling off.
The pilot once again spoke, “Where am I taking you?”
Caleb looked back at the man, whose apparent fear had disappeared. It must have been something to do with flying. Caleb met a few flyers in his time, and they all had the same thought – that flying was their escape, their way of being. The pilot’s calmness was quickly reflected in Caleb.
“Sydney.”
Having done the journey many times, the pilot turned to face the New South Wales capital.
“Just a question though…” asked the pilot, “Where are we going to land? They’ve probably alerted the authorities by now, and they’ll be tracking us.”
Caleb had to think. He had been so focused on getting out that he had not really thought through the remainder of the plan.
It was unlike him, but the circumstances prevented him from planning too far ahead.
“Just fly,” Caleb said, “I’ll let you know when you need to.”
Chapter Fifty
Typically, Caleb would spend the bulk of any mission planning and preparing. That was why his missions were so successful. From the overall plan to the minutest of detail, Caleb would do all he could to ensure all bases were covered.
But in his current situation, he was not afforded such luxuries. He had to think on the run, to plan as he went. It was not the situation he was used to. Not only were the Colonials after him, but they were after the most important person in his life. All Caleb really knew at that point was that he had to do all he could to protect her.
He had to do his best.
And, as the small plane flew over the lush bush and farming properties of central New South Wales, he realised that best may not be good enough.
He pondered the situation, and shook his head. Not in refusal, but more in effort to shake of the negative feeling he was currently experiencing.
It was then he felt a familiar sensation.
“Just remember what you already know.”
With the noise of the plane, it was almost difficult to hear the exact words, but Caleb knew what Darcy had said to him.
And it worked. Once again his paramour had shown him the light – just by speaking to him.
He turned around, and gazed into her beautiful eyes. The weariness of the past few days was apparent, but the love and care that she held for him was obvious. For a brief moment, they were the only two people in the world – and it was a moment Caleb never wanted to leave.
All too soon, his thoughts left the moment, and went back to the situation.
Remember what I already know, Caleb thought.
After a brief time, he did what Darcy said. There was an airfield that must be near the area, where Murphy, Dunleavy and Casey had left from.
He turned to Darcy.
“Babe,” Caleb began, “Can you bring that tablet up here?”
Darcy did as asked, though she was unsure why Caleb wanted it.
“Here you go.” She said, almost playfully.
Caleb opened turn on the tablet.
The pilot looked concerned.
“You know that can mess with the reading mate. Bit risky.” he said with his Australian accent.
Caleb ignored the pilot’s advice. They were already taking risks, and one more wouldn’t hurt.
After selecting the mapping program on the tablet, Caleb quickly found their current location.
He scanned the surrounding area, looking for signs of what could be the base. Failing that, he was looking for any airport. While his preferred option was to go to Sydney directly, he knew that a small, uncharted and unknown flight would cause some co
ncern, particularly with what occurred in Seattle.
Darcy, crouched between the pilot and Caleb, asked what he was looking for.
“Where Dunleavy left from,” he replied, “I think we can call it safe… or at least as safe as possible right now.”
Darcy nodded in agreement. She hadn’t wanted to say anything earlier, but she knew that flying into Sydney was a bad idea.
“Good thinking, babe.” She said, trying to encourage him as much as she could.
Caleb continued to scan the screen. As he did, a smile came across his face.
The base appeared, and it was on their current trajectory.
Caleb turned to the pilot.
“Just keep going,” he said, relieved he didn’t need to reveal anything more at that stage.
The pilot continued on the same course.
According to the tablet, the flight to the airbase would take about half an hour.
Caleb took a moment to reflect. He relaxed a little in his seat, and sat forward. Below the plane was the sprawling beauty of the Blue Mountains. With lush, green trees and only a smattering of civilisation, the view reminded Caleb once again of what they were fighting for, of what they had to lose. Such peace and serenity, should they fail, would certainly be lost.
With clearer purpose, and a certain direction, Caleb allowed himself to smile.
Chapter Fifty-One
“There they are.”
As the small plane appeared on the viewer, a smile crossed the Englishman’s face. At that moment, he knew he had them.
“Move into position,” William ordered the man seated in the pilot seat.
With a few button pushes, the Kite moved like a light aircraft. The Kite itself was a massive piece of machinery, able to carry large equipment or a small army in its cargo area.
But, at this time, William had more important cargo on his mind.
The occupants of the plane were biggest threat his people had faced.
And they also carried Zach, but to William he was less of a concern. Part of him already hoped that Zach had been dealt with, as it would open his path to leadership.
But, he could not let any of those thoughts occupy his mind. He knew he had to focus. They would only get one shot at what they were trying to do.
As soon as they revealed themselves, the element of surprise would be gone, and so may Caleb and his people.
William looked at the monitors, displaying both the forward and rear view of the Kite. The pilot had expertly moved their plane into position, and the site of small plane in the dead centre of the monitor meant they could begin.
William spoke into the radio, “Is the bay cleared?” he asked no one in particular.
After moments, the positive response came, “Yes, sir.”
William smiled.
It was time to reveal themselves.
***
Caleb felt somewhat relaxed.
They were on their way to the airfield, and he knew they at least had the flight time to recuperate. He considered napping, but he knew there was no time. While he was exhausted, he was also sure that Darcy and Adam felt the same. And in the case of Darcy, it was probably hitting her harder.
While she had shown some great strength and resilience in the past few days, Caleb knew that she would soon be hitting a wall, had she not done so already.
So, with the strength he had learned from his years of conditioning, Caleb was able to remain alert.
But nothing could have prepared him for what was about to happen.
At first, it was merely a light shimmer across the skyline, a small quiver in the sky.
For a moment, Caleb was unsure of what was happening.
And then he remembered Seattle. He remembered the sight of the plane on the tarmac. Not the plane itself, but the shimmer of the aircraft revealing itself.
And then it opened. Just like the other day, the cargo bay of the plane in front of them opened.
The slow reveal of the empty bay, hovering in the sky in front of them.
Unfortunately, Caleb found no joy in witnessing the engineering marvel that was in his sights. All he felt at that moment… was panic.
It was not a feeling he was used to. Throughout his career, he had been so well trained, so focused on his goals, every detail refined to the point of near-perfection.
But this… the sight of the plane. Caleb could never have anticipated such an obstacle.
But, even despite the unlikely image that had presented itself, Caleb’s instincts came in.
“Veer right.” Caleb shouted at the pilot.
But as unprepared as Caleb was for such an occurrence, the pilot was even more so. The sight of the Kite’s opening was enough to make the young man freeze. It was clear he had no comprehension of what was happening.
Unfortunately for Caleb and the others, it was the pilot who was in complete control of the aircraft.
After a few seconds, the Kite seemed to slow down. As the speed dropped, the planes moved closer together.
Darcy gasped from behind Caleb. She knew what she was seeing. But, like Caleb, she could not believe it.
The short burst of breath was all she could muster.
Caleb, realising the pilot was paralysed, tried to move towards the controls.
But it was too late.
The manoeuvrability of the Kite was extraordinary. Within seconds, it had slowed significantly. So much so that, even if Caleb did manage to bank the plane on a different path, it would only have made them crash.
Once again, Caleb realised the direness of the situation. He knew the Kite would swallow them up.
All they could do now… was fight.
Again.
There were a lot of emotions running through her mind. But the feeling overriding all others at that moment… was fear.
Darcy had known the feeling several times over the past few days. But, they had been more fleeting rather than overbearing.
Now, as she watched the large plane encompass their smaller one, there was a sense of impending doom that Darcy had never experienced in her life.
There was no way to anticipate what was about to happen, and despite Caleb’s attempt at a reassuring look, Darcy could feel the fear rippling through her veins.
Soon, the daylight that had previously lit the cabin was gone, and there was nothing left but shadow. Darcy stood up from her seat, and moved towards the front of the plane, hoping to catch a glimpse of what may await them.
Alas, she could not see anything that may provide an insight. All she saw was the familiar sight of the inside of the plane. She remembered it from the previous day.
Or was it the day before? Time had had no real meaning since they woke up in her apartment.
The previous time, there had been cars in the cargo-bay. But apart from that, the cargo bay appeared almost identical to what it had that day. While it may have reassured Darcy in a different situation, all it did was remind her that they were in the Colonials comfort zone.
They had built these technological marvels, and by capturing the small plane in mid-air, the Colonials were able to demonstrate just how effectively they were able to use it.
Darcy knew just how out of their depth they were.
Darcy crouched down and looked up towards where the cockpit entry door of the Kite would be.
As the plane settled in the bay, Darcy did not have to wait long before she saw movement.
One after another, soldiers emerged from the cockpit opening. Dressed in black, Darcy was reminded of the team that they had met in Seattle – the hit squad that had been sent to meet both her and Murphy.
There were a few differences though.
First, there was more of them. From what Darcy could recall, there were only enough at the airport to fit in the car. But, as they streamed out of the cockpit, it was apparent they were not willing to take any chances. Soldier after soldier came out. Darcy tried to count them, but lost her place after about a dozen.
The second noticea
ble difference is that none of them had any coverage on their heads. Now they were in their comfort zone, the need for anonymity was reduced. What surprised Darcy was the variety of soldier. She had always imagined that the Colonials would be Caucasian.
But as more soldiers appeared, it was apparent this was not the case. There was black, Asian, sub-continent and Caucasian soldiers. There was also a mix of male and female.
If it hadn’t been such a perilous situation, Darcy may even have admired them for their diversity.
But she was in no mood to think anything positive. Not only were their lives in direct danger, but the fate of the rest of the planet hinged on what happened next.
Sure, they still had Murphy, Dunleavy and Casey headed back to the states... but if they didn’t make it, Darcy and Caleb were the last chance.
Eventually, the soldiers stopped emerging from the cockpit area.
After a few moments, he emerged.
The Englishman, that Darcy had learned to despise over the past few days, came out of the cockpit.
He had a great smile across his face, as though he knew he had won.
When Darcy saw that smile, she knew only one thing.
She could not let him win.
Chapter Fifty-Two
He could see it in her eyes. He knew exactly what she was feeling, as he felt it to. Caleb knew this was easily the worst situation he had been in his military career. When compounded by the presence of Darcy, Caleb felt the panic begin to take hold.
Even the short attempt at a reassuring look was not enough to help ease his mind. But, he knew he had to stay strong. Not only for Darcy’s sake, but his own as well.
With Darcy now next to him, Caleb observed the soldiers surround the plane. And then William emerged from the cockpit – the same smug look he had seen so many times.
While it was not immediately apparent how, Caleb realised just how much he wanted to wipe the look from the Englishman’s face... permanently.
But, the situation looked bleak. All they had to do was open fire on the aircraft, and Caleb knew he and Darcy didn’t stand a chance.