by Lee Ecker
“Solar one one, go ahead.”
“Solar one one, approaching Palmdale VOR, one two thousand five hundred, request IFR clearance to Long Beach.”
“Roger Solar one one, Squawk one two one one and ident. Say type aircraft, requested altitude, true airspeed, pilot’s name, home base, and fuel on board.”
“DC9 slash alpha, one two thousand, three fifty, Anderson, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and negative fuel.”
“Say again fuel on board!”
“Negative fuel on board.”
“Understand, negative fuel?” There was silence for a moment then, “Welcome to Los Angeles, Colonel Anderson, cleared to Long Beach via radar vectors, descend, and maintain one two thousand, and make your heading two three five.”
“Roger, descending to one two thousand, and nice recovery.”
Laura was flying in the left seat again, and she was soon busy looking for other aircraft, and following the controller’s instructions. Within ten minutes, they were on the ground taxiing in toward the McDonnell Douglas hangar at the end of the runway.
Alex Newsome met them, inviting them to lunch. “Colonel Anderson, good to see you again, Miss Ashton, you look as beautiful as ever, welcome to Southern California. I’ve got a car for you as soon as you finish up here.”
“Thanks, it’s going to be a couple of hours. I need to fly with their test pilot before we sign the aircraft over to them.”
“No problem, I’ll spend the time discussing our aircraft modifications with Miss Ashton.”
Brad did a double take, but couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse. “All right, but remember she is my fiancée.”
“Congratulations, you’re one lucky man!”
Calvin Branch, president of McDonald Douglas was walking around the aircraft, amazed at how sleek and uncluttered the aircraft looked without the engine pods. Brad and Laura joined him making sure the aircraft had experienced no last-minute problems with FOD, or tire damage during the flight or landing.
“What happened to the engine pods? It looks naked!”
Brad laughed, “Just like a real lady, she looks better that way.”
Laura added, “Men are never satisfied.”
“What happened?” Calvin was bewildered, “Just last month, all the turbines and accessories were in the engine pods.”
“We finished our job getting the first one done properly. We didn’t need all that excess drag, so we put it all in the tail compartment. It’s a little crowded, but there’s still room for the stairwell. Do you have any idea how long the certification process will take? The 375th is anxious to get their bird back.”
“I can’t say. There are too many unknowns; we will need to repeat the performance tests if we are to provide the Air Force with the charts they require.”
“You’re not fooling anyone,” Brad grinned, “I’d want to keep it as long as I could too. We did keep it until we couldn’t put the Air Force off any longer.”
“We aren’t making any promises, but they should have it back within a couple of months.”
“Is your test pilot ready to fly? I don’t feel comfortable waiting around here too long without a heck of a lot more security for Dr. Ashton.”
“He’s ready, and will be here in a few minutes. In the meantime, Dr. Ashton can relax in our office. It’s secure.”
The pilot arrived before Brad had the flight plan filed; they took off and spent about an hour where Brad demonstrated all the system changes emphasizing the power available. One normal landing sufficed and Brad turned the aircraft over to them. Brad got the required signatures and joined Laura who was the center of attention for a couple of television news reporters as well as several of the workers more interested in her than the C9.
CHAPTER 39
In Washington, Arthur Olson was presenting his case to his boss, Art Dawson. “We have enough evidence on General Higgins, but we lack anything substantial on the other two. We are certain James Little and Clifford Burns are involved, but we have nothing to prove it.”
“What makes you so certain they are involved?”
“We finally got a breakthrough on those killers we captured in Dallas; one of them talked. They actually work for EMI, not ArkTex. We had to dig pretty deep, and it took some time, but we also discovered all three of our suspects are partners in the ownership of EMI. That doesn’t prove anything except they are involved in a quasi-legal organization that has not been disclosed as required by Federal law. And EMI did manufacture those bugs found in the Oval Office.”
“That’s enough to make them look bad in the public eye, but not enough to convict them of an attempted assassination of the president.”
“All I want is a search warrant for the entire EMI complex.” Arthur was certain a surprise raid on EMI would enable them to gather the evidence they needed.
“Sorry, I don’t think we have enough to convince the judge. We need to double our efforts, and provide every possible protection for Colonel Anderson and Dr. Ashton.”
“I don’t even know where they are. I talked with Colonel Anderson, but he wouldn’t tell me. Since that raid last Saturday, they are keeping a low profile.”
“Everybody else knows where they are! A few minutes ago they were on television delivering the C9 to McDonnell Douglas at Long Beach.”
“I hope their secret service escorts were close by.”
“I didn’t see any, but apparently they carried it off without a hitch. They didn’t stay long. Keep up the good work—the pieces will fall into place soon enough.”
After lunch, Alex Newsome drove Laura and Brad back to the Long Beach airport, where the blue and white Lear 55B sat on the ramp; “There she is, SMA’s first airplane.” The Lear looked as beautiful as Brad had pictured in his mind but even he was surprised when he saw the tail number N11SM painted in small letters on the tail.
“Oh Brad, it’s beautiful!” Laura exclaimed, “What a surprise! So this is the aircraft you talked about Monday! When did you find enough time to arrange for all this?”
“Nothing too hard to arrange, or too good for you, didn’t I manage to send you on enough errands? Remember your trips to the Base Commander’s office at Wright-Patterson? It’s our getaway vehicle, and I know just the trip to break it in. You fly first, Laura, Alex is going to check us out around the pattern a couple of times until we are comfortable.”
Alex was excited; he could never get over the thrill of delivering a new aircraft off the assembly line. During the walk-around, he pointed out the differences between this aircraft and the model 35, which Brad had flown previously. As Laura strapped into the left seat, he kept talking about his product. “It’s not difficult to fly, and it’s a real hummer. I don’t know what size engines you’ll want to install, but this bird will climb like a homesick angel to over 50,000 feet at maximum gross weight with stock engines. Its systems are simple and easy to operate. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
Laura didn’t need much instruction as she had spent many hours flying the same model in the simulator. They headed out over the Pacific where they could do a little maneuvering without risking colliding with another aircraft. Alex didn’t mind the time, so they spent a couple of hours having a ball putting the aircraft through its paces. Eventually, they wound up back in the pattern where a couple of normal and single engine landings for each were enough to satisfy Alex’s high standards.
After the final landing, Alex said, “Let me fill it up with Jet ‘A1’ for you, and you can be on your way.”
“Don’t bother, we won’t need it.” Brad replied.”
“But you don’t have enough to fly more than a couple hundred miles with any reserve.”
“That’s okay, we’re not going far!”
Alex’s curiosity was getting the better of him. “I thought you were going back to some secret base in Tennessee or somewhere like tha
t.”
“That’s what you get for thinking! I should have let you put the fuel on, and then you wouldn’t ask so many questions. Believe me, we don’t need much fuel.”
“All right, when do you plan on getting it back to us?”
“Maybe a week, maybe a month; I’ll give you a call. We’ll give you at least a month to complete the certification; of course we want to get it certified as quickly as possible. I hate to rely on the Air Force for our transportation any longer than necessary.”
“Where do you want us to pick it up?” Alex was hoping to get some kind of clue as to where they would modify the aircraft.
“Either Andrews or Wright Patterson; I’ll let you know. How about a loaner until the certification is complete; a model 35 would be fine.”
“No problem, I’ll see you soon.”
Back on the Manhattan, the Maintenance troops began swarming over the aircraft. The supervisor exclaimed, “It’s a beauty, I don’t ever remember seeing an aircraft from your century with this much class. I’ll say this much, you’ve sure got an eye for beautiful aircraft.”
“They’re just like women; I know how to pick them.”
CHAPTER 40
Arthur Olson was discouraged at the end of his rope. Nothing was falling into place, except the mounting evidence against General Higgins, but he had nothing that would stand up in court, implicating either Burns or Little. He lost three of his agents, with little to show for it. He racked his brain trying to piece together some plan of action, but came up with zilch. He had been trying for days to make contact with Colonel Anderson, but the message was always the same: “He will be in touch.” General Higgins ignored the interceptor investigation report, and unless something broke soon, the trail would be cold. The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he felt, until Brad finally called. He wanted to rant and rave but he managed to control himself, and spoke only a surly, “Good morning, Brad.”
“Gee, I thought you would be chomping at the bit. We need to get together, maybe tomorrow afternoon.”
“Of course we do. Where the hell are you?”
“Sorry, we didn’t want another Dallas, and we’ve been planning our wedding.”
“You gotta be kidding! You are right smack in the middle of somebody’s plot to take over the government, and you sit somewhere planning to get married.”
“That’s right, and since you’ve already met Laura, you should understand. We’ve identified the culprits for you, however, apprehending those perpetrators is your job, and I wouldn’t want to interfere.” He laughed sinisterly, “We do have a few strategies we would like to discuss. Our priority has been getting our new aircraft modified and in the air. We will land at Andrews about two o’clock tomorrow afternoon; why don’t you meet us?”
Arthur didn’t hesitate, he would adjust his schedule as necessary, “I’ll see you at Andrews.”
“Good, you can provide transportation to the White House. We’ll talk on the way to meet with the president.”
“Good morning, Norman, this is Colonel Anderson, checking in. Laura and I, and FBI agent Arthur Olson need an appointment with the president sometime around four or later tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll check; he’s in a meeting right now, but it should be no problem.”
“Good enough. We’ll be standing by in Washington until he can see us.”
“Morning, Alex, are you ready?”
Alex Newsome was beginning to like the way Brad operated since he liked to go about business the same way. “I’m ready, just say the word.”
“Good, you can pick up N11SM at Andrews tomorrow after two, and keep it until you’ve got it certified.”
Alex was elated, “No problem; I’ll be there.”
“How about delivering the loaner to Washington National, and leaving it with someone at the FBO? Just leave instructions for it to be serviced, and ready to go for a Mr. Robert Smith to pick up at his convenience. Please don’t mention my name, or the Solar Magnetics Administration.”
“It’ll be there, and mum’s the word.”
“Good, our aircraft will be at Andrews until you’re ready to pick it up.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be there when you arrive.”
Brad made one more call to Colonel Brandt requesting he send Major Sparks TDY to meet him at the Washington National Airport the next day and allow him to spend a week or two working for Brad.
The modified Lear 55 stood silently, slim and trim without its engine pods. Laura wanted to christen it on its maiden voyage. “Fat Man or Little Boy, would have been a good name like the original bomb from the Manhattan Project, but it isn’t fat.”
“Airplanes are feminine; you can’t give it a male name anyway,” was Brad’s reply.
“How about ‘Slim Girl’?”
“Nah, too impersonal, how about ‘The Marie’?”
Laura looked at him surprised, “Where’d you get that name? That’s my middle name, and my mother’s name. I’ve never mentioned my middle name to you.”
“Oh, but you gave it to the interrogators at the FBI. I’m not surprised you forgot that ordeal.”
“Okay, ‘The Marie’ it is.” She got ready to crack the bottle of champagne over the nose.
“Careful, that would be an awful expensive christening ceremony. The skin is too thin and delicate for that. Hit it on the tire.”
They launched into the midmorning stillness over Kansas at ten thousand feet, since Brad wanted a couple of hours en route to give the bird a good workout before arriving at Andrews. The Manhattan crew, using the tractor beam, would ensure no harm would come to the aircraft during Brad or Alex’s flights making unnecessary any test flights like with the C9.
The aircraft was aerodynamically clean, but now it promised spectacular performance; the 3,700-pound thrust engines were replaced with 5,000-pound thrust electromagnetic propulsion units that increased the rate of climb to a phenomenal 10,000 feet per minute plus, all the way to 50,000 feet. The empty weight with the new engines installed was reduced to less than 10,000 pounds and with a maximum landing weight of 17,000 pounds; they could carry a 7,000 pound payload anywhere in the world nonstop.
After an hour of pure enjoyment, they proceeded to Andrews. As they flew along, Brad asked, “How about a September twenty-fifth wedding?”
“Don’t think I can wait that long.” She reached over, and pulled him toward her.
“You’d better be careful if you don’t want to join the mile-high-club,” Brad teased.
“What’s the ‘mile-high club’?”
“That’s when you lose your virginity over a mile up in an airplane.”
“What makes you think I’m a virgin?” Laura teased.
“A little bird told me. I couldn’t imagine you any other way. Besides your father told me you didn’t grow up like other girls and that you were innocent.”
“Fathers don’t know as much as they think they do! Would it matter if I wasn’t?”
“Yes, because that’s how I see you. I guess I would be disappointed, but I love you more than life itself, and I would continue to love you no matter what. I suppose that would make you a little more human.”
Laura was satisfied, but continued to probe, “And what about you? Are you a virgin?”
Brad laughed nervously, “A girl isn’t supposed to ask a guy a question like that. She might get an answer she doesn’t want to hear.” She didn’t respond, and he continued, “But honestly, I’m not. I came close to getting married once, and I probably would have, except she couldn’t accept the Air Force way of life. I made a mistake, and I’ve never felt good about it.”
“Thanks for being honest with me. I’ll have to keep you in suspense until September 25th.”
Alex Newsom and Arthur Olson were both on the flight line at Andrews, waiting to meet the aircraft as Brad taxied in. Laura
went over the details of the modifications, while Brad and Arthur stood off to one side watching Alex follow Laura around the aircraft as she opened the tail compartment, indicating the various components. “Alex, she sure is beautiful, isn’t she?” Brad commented as he walked up to them.
“She’s the most. You’re a lucky man, Colonel.” Alex stated with obvious admiration.
Brad laughed, and Laura blushed as she handed him the manual she had prepared. She was honored and pleased, but she wouldn’t let on. She almost snorted, “Men! They’re all alike, you obviously aren’t interested in what I’m saying, so read it for yourself. I don’t want you to over speed the gear and flaps on your first flight, so I would suggest you limit the power to about 80 per cent for takeoff. After you get it cleaned up, use as much power as you like for the climb. You can’t over boost the engines and there is no time limit for maximum thrust.”
“Alex, don’t forget; we want it back soon.”
“I may never get back to Arizona if this thing flies as well as you claim.”
“You gotta come down sometime.”
They had to wait a few minutes before being ushered into the Oval Office where the president greeted them warmly. “Come on in, it’s good to see you again. You gave us a little scare in Dallas. How are things going now?”
“Great, we’ve been working on a plan to trap Little and Burns; we’d like to get your approval. If you approve, Arthur and I will be meeting with Art Dawson later this afternoon, and make final preparations.”
“Well, what do I need to approve?”
“First, your okay to discuss the secret nature of our mission with Arthur, and my friend from the Scott Command Post, Major Robert Sparks. He has the appropriate clearance and will keep his mouth shut.”