“I have every faith in her skills. She’s flown under worse conditions than this, and she’s been very upfront about her abilities. I don’t think she’d bullshit us about what she can do.”
“Let’s say she does decide to take off,” Duncan said, “that still leaves the three of us. We may still wind up puking our brains out in one of those death rafts.”
“Unless something unthinkable happens, I’m not convinced we need to abandon the rig. She will ride out this storm.”
“I’m glad you have faith.” Randall didn’t look convinced as another shudder wracked the superstructure. "And Duncan, please don't call them death rafts."
“One way or another, a decision needs to be made. Once Ariel lets me know what she can and can’t do, I’ll decide our next step.” The final decision fell solely on his shoulders. “Let’s bring her in on this.”
He went to sickbay and opened the door. His gaze landed on Ariel.
“I need you in the Control Room.”
“Me?” She sat with the men playing cards.
“Both of you.” He pointed to her and Larry.
“I can’t leave them.” Larry looked to Jeffery and Caleb.
“Is Caleb mobile?” Aiden asked.
“Depends on what your definition of mobile is,” Larry answered.
“Can he walk?”
“Yeah, I guess. He might be a bit unsteady. I wouldn’t ask him to go for a jog.”
“I don’t need him to run.” He pressed his lips together and his expression turned serious. “The Control Room, now.” He held the door open, waiting for Ariel and Larry to join him.
With a glance to Larry, Ariel bit at her lip and headed into the hall where Duncan waited for them. When he saw her, he pivoted and headed down the hall. She followed while Larry and Aiden picked up the rear.
When they got to the Control Room, Andrew waited for them. Randall had yanked him out of his bunk. Andrew wiped the sleep from his eyes and yawned.
“Aiden?” Ariel turned to him. “What’s going on?”
“That all depends on you.”
“What do you mean?”
“What is the maximum wind speed you can take off in?”
“Forty knots is the recommended limit.”
“I get that, but what can you safely take off in?”
“You’re scaring me.”
“Answer the question.”
“Fifty or fifty-five is probably the highest.”
He glanced at the weather readout, then turned to Duncan. “It’s going to be tight. How long do you figure to get everyone on board?”
Duncan twisted his lips. “It’s not going to be easy. Can Caleb walk?”
“They say he can, but he’ll need assistance.”
“Okay, we’ve got plenty of that,” Duncan replied. “Randall can help Caleb while you and I take Jeffery in the stretcher.”
“Aiden…” Ariel’s voice sharpened. “What the ever-loving fuck is going on? Why are we talking about evacuation now?” She pointed to the wind speed readout. “Those winds are too high to take off.”
“I know, we’ll wait as long as we can.”
“Answer the question,” she insisted. “What’s going on?”
Aiden, Duncan, and Randall exchanged somber looks. Finally, he answered. “The rig’s destabilized. The vibrations you’re feeling beneath your feet are from the starboard support leg shifting on the seabed.”
“What?”
“Between the storm and the waves, we’ve lost our footing beneath the starboard pylon. It’s only going to get worse. Fortunately, we have a little time, but we need to evacuate.”
“Evacuate? They won’t send a helicopter out for you. Julian is between us and the coast. They’re getting slammed right now and there’s no way…”
He watched the play of emotions as they hit her face; concern, worry, comprehension, and then terror.
She staggered back. “You can’t be serious? You can’t get in one of those in this.”
Considered unsinkable, the lifeboats launched from the height of the rig, plummeting two-hundred feet into the ocean below.
“It’s the only way, but we may not even have to use one. I want my injured, and you and your crew, off the rig before that becomes our only solution.”
“But that’s crazy,” she argued.
“It’s not up for negotiation. The rig is destabilized and it’s getting worse.”
“What do you mean worse?”
“We don’t have much time.”
She glanced at the prevailing wind speed and gusts. Aiden understood the insanity behind attempting a takeoff. Not that it couldn’t be done. He knew Ariel had flown in much worse conditions but didn’t know if she had pushed numbers like that before. There were any number of things which could go wrong. Not to mention…
“Aiden…”
“Yes?”
“If I take off with winds that high, I can’t take anyone else in the helicopter. I’ll need all the lift I can get and the extra weight…”
“Don’t worry, luv. We already know.”
She ran a hand through her hair and swallowed hard.
He gripped her hands in his. “I need to know absolute limits of what you can and can’t do because I need to make a decision. The timing is going to be tight.”
“Okay, maximum winds I can take off in are fifty, but any gusts over sixty and I’m grounded.” She didn’t flinch in giving her answer. Tough as nails, his girl had faced worse danger than this. Her confidence astounded him, and he loved that about her the most.
“And how long to spin up?” He calculated timelines in his head, knowing how long it would take to get to the lifeboats from the helideck.
Once she took off, he and his men would have limited time to make a decision. Escape in the lifeboats would happen only if absolutely necessary. It was safer for them to stay on the rig for as long as possible. Hopefully, the storm would pass over and it wouldn’t be an issue. As Duncan said, they would laugh about this over beers, somewhere on solid ground.
“Not long,” she said. “I can do my pre-flights while Andrew and Larry secure our patients. Spinning up isn’t the limiting factor. It’s loading.” Ariel turned to her crewmen for confirmation.
Aiden played through all the variations in his head. Was he making a mistake pushing for the helicopter to take flight? Images of trying to maneuver the stretcher through the narrow opening of the lifeboat firmed his resolve. The idea of being separated from Ariel, however, didn’t sit well with his gut.
Andrew leaned against a counter and suppressed a yawn. “Caleb is easy. Jeffery is more complicated because it's a matter of loading and securing the stretcher. Fortunately, they’re both fairly stable. I’m more concerned about getting them to the helicopter.”
“We’ve got that covered,” Randall said. “Don’t worry about that. You get yourselves to the helicopter and we’ll take care of the rest.”
“Do you?” Ariel piped in. “Because it seems dangerous trying to carry a stretcher in the middle of a hurricane.”
“Luv, it has to be done. It’s either to the helideck or the lifeboats. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have you in the air than in one of those. As long as you say it’s okay to fly, we’re taking that option.”
Her tiny fists clenched. “What are the chances of waiting out the storm?”
“I’ve spent the last two hours trying to convince myself I was wrong. I can’t risk it. We’re evacuating.”
“You mean you’re evacuating my crew and your injured men. I know you plan on staying.”
“Hun, the three of us will ride things out. If it does come to abandoning the rig, we’ll have a much better chance with just the three of us. That’s not something I want to attempt with injured crew.”
“I still have a problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I can’t fly to Mobile. Julian is between us and land. There’s no way I can head into that.”
“Wher
e can you fly?”
“Let me take a look.” She went to the map of the Gulf, then glanced over her shoulder, determination girding her expression. His girl was a fucking badass and hot as hell. “What are the chances we can top off? If I had more fuel, I could fly to Pensacola. They’re far enough out of Julian’s path.”
“It won’t be feasible to top you off in these winds,” he said.
“What about Texas?” Andrew asked. “Can we fly to Houston or Corpus Christi? What about Galveston?”
“Hmm,” she tapped the map. “If we flew due east, we’d fly behind the storm. I think Florida is our best bet. If we topped off, I might make it to Tampa.”
“You have the range for that?”
“No, but I can hop.”
“Hop?” He scratched his head. “What does that mean?”
“The mobile drilling platforms that moved out of the storm’s path. I can land on one of those, refuel, and continue on to Tampa.”
“Decide what’s best,” Aiden said. “Keep me updated. I’ll see what drilling platforms are between here and there, and who can assist.”
“I’ll radio in, too,” she said. “Let base know what’s happening.” She spun around. “I’m not happy about this.”
He came to her, uncaring about the men watching, and pulled her into a tight hug. “It’s going to be all right.”
“Promise?” A film of tears shimmered in his girl’s eyes.
He tightened his grip and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. “Promise.”
“And what about you? What happens to you?”
“Well, I won’t lie. It’s going to be one hell of a ride. If we do have to get into one of the life rafts, they’re unsinkable. There’s a beacon, of course. As soon as everything blows over, they’ll send someone out to fish us out of the water.”
“It just seems insane to go into the water…”
“I know, but a lot of smart people have figured all this out. We’ll be fine. I promise.”
He hoped it wasn’t the last promise he made. Although he had one more to make. “Duncan, Randall…anyone you need to call? I’m calling Callie.”
Ariel placed her hand on his arm. She understood.
Chapter 20
Ariel
Back in the sickbay, Ariel sat with the others as Aiden prepped them to move. He led everyone through each step, like a preflight briefing, making sure there weren’t any questions, while her gut churned and her palms slicked with sweat.
What exactly did destabilize mean?
Caleb was up and walking, although a little unsteady. They strapped Jeffery to the stretcher, making sure he couldn’t tumble out. There were stairs and catwalks to navigate, but Aiden didn’t seem concerned. His confidence became her anchor.
He and Duncan would head out with her and Larry to the helicopter where they would free the rotors from the cables which secured them against the winds. The clamps around the skids would be removed as well, while she began her pre-flight checklist. Aiden and Duncan would head back to the crew quarters where Andrew waited with Jeffery, Caleb, and Randall. The men would then begin the trek up to the helideck.
Wind speeds were high, five knots below the maximum she would fly in. That didn't bother her. It was the gusts which presented the greatest danger. She’d plotted a course back to land, detouring to stop on a drillship which had moved to avoid the storm. The crew had been notified and had everything in place to refuel the helicopter. After loading her patients, Aiden and the rest would then return back over the catwalks to the emergency lifeboats dangling two-hundred feet above the water.
Aiden ran them through everything one last time as the rig groaned and shuddered beneath their feet. At least she wouldn’t be taking off in the dark. There was that to be thankful for, although not much else.
“You ready?” Aiden turned to her, waiting for her okay. She was the one who decided if the winds permitted takeoff. She wasn’t ready but had enough determination to see this through, and faith.
“Yes.”
With one last check to her safety harness, he cupped her cheeks. “You remember what I said…”
“Yes, one hand on the rail at all times and click into the safety cable on the stairs. I got it.” If only they had a few more hours together.
Duncan checked Andrew’s harness then thumped him on the back. “Let’s do this.”
Wearing borrowed rain gear, she and Andrew followed Duncan out. Aiden took up the rear as the four of them pushed through heavy sheets of rain. The others stayed behind, waiting for their turn to head out to the helideck.
The entire world was gray. Gray sky. Gray clouds. Gray seething sea. And the waves were massive. She stumbled as she peered down into the seething maelstrom.
Aiden grabbed her harness. “You okay?” He had to shout over the force of the wind.
“I shouldn’t have looked down.” She hadn’t been prepared for the height of the swells slamming into the rig. They were easily forty to fifty feet in height and rolled relentlessly forward, without a care for what might be in the way. The metal deck plating groaned beneath her feet as the waves crashed around the supports.
“Eyes straight,” Aiden commanded. “Don’t look down.” His bossy attitude didn’t bother her one bit. She needed the motivation it provided to keep her moving forward. She’d flown many missions in her life, harrowing flights into and out of sandstorms. Low visibility didn’t bother her. Winds didn't bother her. Storms didn't scare her. She had enough years flying medevac in the hot and humid areas around Mobile. Dodging thunderstorms was second nature, but flying into one? Or rather out of a hurricane? It was one item not on her list of ballsy things to do.
She gritted her teeth. Don’t look down. Easy enough to say.
Out in the distance, the waves appeared larger than up close, but that was merely an optical illusion. Hand on the rail, she focused on Andrew’s back as he ascended the stairs leading up to the helicopter. Aiden and Duncan would have to hoist the stretcher up these stairs and she said a small prayer for divine intervention to ease their labor.
On the helideck, there was no protection from the winds. The gusts buffeted her and she had to brace with nearly every step. Aiden came to her side and guided her to the door of the helicopter. He held it as she climbed in, then leaned forward to give her a kiss.
“Everything is going to be all right. You believe me, don’t you?” he asked.
“Just promise me you’ll be safe.” She needed to hear his promise, knowing some things were out of his control.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Here, put this in your pocket. Promise me you won’t open it until you hit land and are safe.”
She took the paper, hand trembling, and shoved it in a pocket. He was going to walk away, help Duncan release the locking clamps, and remove the stabilizing cables. This could be the last time she saw him, spoke to him, or touched him. Her heart squeezed with a hundred horrific possibilities, but the sparkle in his eyes gave her faith. He wasn’t scared, and if he wasn’t, then she wouldn’t be either.
The door slammed shut and she realized he’d forgotten to kiss her goodbye. The helicopter rocked on its skids, either from the movement of the rig or from the clamps being undone. She glanced out the window and caught Aiden’s wave as he and Duncan returned to the stairs. Placing her fingers on her lips, she blew him a kiss. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be their last.
Andrew hopped on board, sliding open the back door and shutting it just as quick. He prepped the back for their passengers.
Focus!
Her attention returned to a task she’d done a thousand times before. Pre-flight checklists became her world as she readied for flight. A quick look at her displays confirmed she was good to go for takeoff. The gusts were still on the high side and the winds were pegging at a sustained fifty knots. Dicey didn’t begin to describe this cluster-fuck.
As she finished her pre-flight checks, the back door opened. Caleb spilled inside an
d the door slammed shut again. Andrew settled Caleb into a bench seat, then hopped outside to help the others.
Sheets of rain obscured her view, but she watched nervously as Randall and Larry struggled at the top of the stairs. Despite the rain, their orange environment suits were easy to spot. Aiden and Duncan must be having difficulty navigating the narrow stairs. As her heart leaped to her throat, the men manhandled the stretcher. Slowly it rose into view, canting precariously for a moment. If Jeffery hadn’t been securely strapped, he would have fallen off.
They brought the stretcher to the side door and loaded Jeffery inside. Andrew hopped in and Larry followed with a slam of the door. That was her signal to spin up the rotors.
It was time to leave.
Aiden, Randall, and Duncan headed back to the stairs. Aiden paused at the top for one last look back. He pressed his fingers to his heart, his lips, then blew her a kiss.
Brass balls and nerves of steel, this was what she lived for; flying at the edge of reason, but she hated leaving Aiden behind. As she spun up the helicopter, she tracked the progress of the three men in bright orange weather suits as they headed toward a row of red, bullet-shaped lifeboats. The rig shuddered beneath her, a long agonizing groan, and one of the men in bright orange slipped and fell. She gasped as the others helped him back up, not knowing who had fallen. They moved at a determined pace, much slower than she felt comfortable with, but Aiden emphasized how rushing created a distraction. Distraction led to accidents. The last thing they needed was a repeat of what had happened to Jeffery.
Her headphone crackled to life as Andrew patched himself in. “All clear back here. Ready for liftoff when you are.”
Laser focused on her task, Ariel put all thoughts of the three men in orange from her mind. The winds would make this dicey, and she agreed with Aiden about distractions.
The helicopter lifted off the helideck as she white-knuckled the controls. Remembering the crane and antenna from her landing, she adjusted for those hazards.
A gust rocked her to the side, but she countered with her controls. Ever so slowly, the helicopter took flight. Using her foot controls, she spun around to head away from the rig but spared one moment to trace the path of Aiden and the others.
Aiden & Ariel Page 14