Seeking Safe Harbor: Suddenly Everything Changed (The Seeking Series)

by Albert Correia

  “Sounds like a plan,” Sheriff Waters interjected. “But we better get a move on before somebody sees us leaving and starts asking questions.”

  Crystal sent the message to Chicago immediately after breakfast. The response came an hour later,

  The POTUS knew nothing about the parachutists. It was unfortunate they were killed. Please notify if they had papers of any sort with them. Appreciate the notification.

  Mike concluded it was a partial affirmation of his worse fears. There was a conspiracy.

  He would have to go to Chicago.

  There was no doubt it could be a dangerous mission. For the time being, he needed to play along and see what he could find out. Mike put Randy in charge of Security at Avalon the next day so he could focus on preparing to leave.

  A series of radio messages were sent to the Capital in Chicago, Illinois, regarding the potential threat the “unknown” parachutists may pose to National Security. Preparations were made, and in two days Mike was ready. He was informed that a stop at Denver international Airport would allow him to refuel the Cessna 421 and he would be able to grab a bite to eat.

  It was welcome news. He estimated the trip from Fitch to Denver International would be about eight hundred fifty miles. At 276mph, he could make that distance in about three and a half hours and burn only half his fuel. Once he was topped off at Denver, it would be another eight or nine hundred miles to Chicago.

  He hoped there wouldn’t be any strong headwinds, but with the pit stop, he had plenty of gas to make it to Denver and then to Chicago. He expected to fly at 20,000 feet above ground level once he crossed over the Rocky Mountains. Thankfully the airplane was pressurized and there would be no need for additional oxygen.

  Mike wasn’t aware of any satellites for navigation being in an active status, so it would be dead reckoning all the way. Using a WAC (World Aeronautical Chart), he plotted his course, determining his initial course to be 072° magnetic.

  There would be adjustments. Halfway to Denver, he would shift to approximately 105° magnetic. There again he saw some adjustments that might need to be made… particularly if there were any winds that would push him in either direction as he made his way towards Denver.

  Mike invited Harlan Herrera and his wife, Penny, to accompany him. Penny took excellent shorthand, and her expertise could be invaluable as Mike made his way from one meeting to the next with the President and other officials in the government. Harlan was someone he trusted, and having a “couple” to introduce would help defer suspicion.

  After conferring with several other people, he was convinced it might be a good idea to record the conversations and the happenings as they occurred, not only for their information, but to be able to accurately report back to the people at Fitch and Avalon.

  Mike’s wife, Caroline, was pregnant, as were Dana and Crystal. Of the three women, Caroline was the only one who wasn’t a widow. Mike hoped the three of them could find some consolation in their friendship and their common pregnancies. It was a pretty shallow idea, but at the time, it was the best he could come up with. Regardless, things would work themselves out. There was not other option.

  For the time being, he had his hands full getting to the bottom of this conspiracy. Randy and Sheriff Waters were the only other ones aware of what was actually going on. That’s the way it was going to stay until further notice.

  As a result, Mike didn’t tell Harlan or Penny about what was going on, and as far as they knew, this was just a military and diplomatic trip. Besides, Harlan was really looking forward to some multi-engine, cross country time in the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle.

  Mike, Sam, and the Sheriff had found a beautiful airplane stored in a hangar months ago. It had very little time on the engines and airframe according to the logbooks. It was comfortable, fast, carried six people, and was pressurized.

  A miniature airliner for the discriminating traveler, it was a fitting airplane for an Admiral, if not a overkill. Although it wasn’t as fast as some of the small business jets, Mike felt his arrival in Chicago would be in style. Several people from the Retreat washed and waxed the aircraft prior to the trip. A clean airplane was a faster airplane.

  More radio messages were sent, and Mike, Harlan, and Penny were ready to go. They had packed several meals consisting mostly of sandwiches, hot coffee in two large thermoses, and orange juice. This would allow them to be comfortable along the trip. Harlan was like a big kid in his excitement, and Penny sat in the passenger compartment and opened up a book she brought with her to pass the time.

  “How much flying time will I get on this trip Mike?” He was so excited about the trip, it was all he had talked about since he found out he would be going.

  “Most of it Harlan,” Mike answered him in a soft voice, smiling when he said it. “Promise.”

  Harlan turned and raised an arm, made a fist, and said, “Yeeeessssss!” as he pulled it down.

  It made Mike smile. He understood completely. Flying could do that to a person, and Harlan hadn’t had as much time in the air of late.

  It was a tearful time for many of the Retreat members. Mike was an integral part of this community and his departure, even though short, would have him missed by everyone. He was their security, especially now that Sam was gone. Everyone looked up to him to do and say the right things at the right time.

  He had spearheaded all of the defensive battles they had been involved in, now he was leaving, and he would be missed. Caroline, in particular, cried softly. He wasn’t even gone yet and she was already missing him.

  It was early morning, and the dew on the grassy airstrip lay heavy. As people walked through the grass, their feet became wet. The sky was a beautiful light blue and not a cloud could be seen anywhere. Birds were heard chirping noisily. It was as if they, too, were giving the three travelers a noisy sendoff.

  Mike and his two passengers boarded the small twin, and the door was secured. Most of the crowd of people backed away from the airplane and Mike could be heard to say in a loud voice, “Prop clear!” He then engaged the starter causing the propeller to spin, and then a puff of smoke came out of the exhaust and the engine sprung to life with a slight roar. He repeated the procedure for the other engine and, in a few seconds, both engines were idling smoothly.

  Mike busied himself checking everything on the controls, he set the altitude setting in feet on the altimeter, gunned the engines and turned the airplane toward the middle of the runway.

  Once the airplane was aligned, Mike set in the runway heading on his heading indicator, 090° magnetic. They would climb up to 20,000 feet directly and turn their heading to 072° magnetic.

  Next stop: Denver International Airport.

  To be continued…

  About the Author

  ALBERT A. CORREIA is a native Californian, having grown up in Tracy, located in that state’s vast and agriculturally rich Central Valley. He had a rewarding career as a Chamber of Commerce executive in the U.S. before moving to Costa Rica.

  While attending the California State University at Fresno, he interned at the Fresno, Oakland, and San Leandro Chambers of Commerce. Following graduation, he served as assistant manager of the San Bernardino and Berkeley Chambers of Commerce. He then went on to serve as CEO of the San Fernando, Pasadena, Pomona, and the Mid San Fernando Valley Chambers of Commerce, all in California. He was presented the Russell E. Pettit, “Executive of the Year Award,” by the California Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 1986.

  Since arriving in Costa Rica in 1995, Correia has devoted his time to the arts. In addition to his writing, he paints, and a number of his oils hang in prominent buildings in and around San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city. He is a devotee of Costa Rica’s renowned symphony orchestra.

  He lives in a quiet suburb of the capital with his wife, daughter, and two stepdaughters. Two of his sons live in California and the third lives in Alaska. When not in San Jose, he spends time in Jaco Beach where he lived a number of years before
moving to San Jose.

  Check out other Survivalist & Prepper books by Kamel Press.

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