Airframe

by Michael Crichton

Chapter 22

  "It's a fair question, Mr. Reardon. How many died in commercial aircraft last year?"

  Reardon frowned. "I'll say . . . I'll say a thousand. "

  "Fifty," Casey said. "Fifty people died. Do you know how many died the year before that? Sixteen. Fewer than were killed on bicycles. "

  "And how many of those died on the N-22?" Reardon asked, eyes narrowed, trying to recover.

  "None," Casey said.

  "So your point is . . . "

  "We have a nation in which forty-three thousand people die every year in cars, and nobody worries about it at all. They get into cars when they're drunk, when they're tired - without a second thought. But these same people are panicked at the thought of getting on an airplane. And the reason," Casey said,"is that television consistently exaggerates the real dangers involved. That tape will make people afraid to fly. And for no good reason. "

  "You think the tape shouldn't have been shown?"

  "I didn't say that. "

  "But you said it will make people afraid - for no good reason. "

  "Correct. "

  "Is it your view tapes such as these should not be shown?"

  She thought: Where is he going? Why is he doing this?

  "I didn't say that"

  "I'm asking you now. "

  "I said," Casey replied, "that those tapes create an inaccurate perception of the danger of air travel. "

  "Including the danger of the N-22?"

  "I've already said I think the N-22 is safe. "

  "So you don't think such tapes should be shown to the public. "

  What the hell was he doing? She still couldn't figure it out. She didn't answer him; she was thinking hard. Trying to see where he was going with this. She had a sinking feeling she knew.

  "In your view, Ms. Singleton, should such tapes be suppressed?"

  "No," Casey said.

  "They should not be suppressed. "

  "No. "

  "Has Norton Aircraft ever suppressed any tapes?"

  Uh-oh, she thought She was trying to figure out how many people knew of the tape. A lot, she decided: Ellen Fong, Ziegler, the people at Video Imaging. Maybe a dozen people, maybe more. . .

  "Ms. Singleton," Reardon said, "are you personally aware of any other tape of this accident?"

  Just lie, Amos had said.

  "Yes," she said. "I know of another tape. "

  "And have you seen the tape?"

  "I have. "

  Reardon said, "It's upsetting. Horrifying. Isn't it?'

  She thought: They have it. They'd gotten the tape. She would have to proceed very carefully now.

  "It's tragic," Casey said. "What happened on Flight 545 is a tragedy. " She felt tired. Her shoulders ached from tension.

  "Ms. Singleton, let me put it to you directly: Did Norton Aircraft suppress this tape?"

  "No-Eyebrows up, the look of surprise. "But you certainly didn't release it, did you. "

  "No. "

  "Why not?"

  "That tape was found on the aircraft," Casey said, "and is being used in our ongoing investigation. We didn't feel it appropriate to release it until our investigation is completed. "

  "You weren't covering up the well-known defects of the N-22?"

  "No. "

  "Not everyone agrees with you about that, Ms. Singleton. Because Newsline obtained a copy of that tape, from a conscience-stricken Norton employee who felt that the company was covering up. Who felt the tape should be made public. "

  Casey held herself rigid. She didn't move.

  "Are you surprised?" Reardon said, his lips in a curl.

  She didn't answer. Her mind was spinning. She had to plan her next move.

  Reardon was smirking, a patronizing smile. Enjoying the moment.

  Now.

  "Have you yourself actually seen this tape, Mr. Reardon?" She asked the question in a tone that implied the tape didn't exist, that Reardon was making it all up.

  "Oh yes," Reardon said solemnly, "I have seen the tape. It's

  difficult, painful to watch. It is a terrible, damning record of what happened on that N-22 aircraft. "

  "You've seen it all the way through?"

  "Of course. So have my associates in New York. "

  So it had already gone to New York, she thought.

  Careful.

  Careful.

  "Ms. Singleton, was Norton ever planning to release that taper

  "It's not ours to release. We'd return it to the owners, after the investigation was completed. It would be up to the owners to decide what to do with it. "

  "After the investigation was completed . . . " Reardon was shaking his head. "Forgive me, but for a company you say is committed to flight safety, there seems to be a consistent pattern of cover-ups here. "

  "Cover-ups?"

  "Ms. Singleton, if there was a problem with the airplane - a serious problem, an ongoing problem, a problem the company knew about - would you tell us?"

  "But there is no problem. "

  "Isn't there?' Reardon was looking down now, at the papers in front of him. "If the N-22 is really as safe as you say, Ms. Singleton, then how do you explain this?"

  And he handed her a sheet of paper.

  She took it, glanced at the paper.

  "Jesus Christ," she said.

  Reardon had his media moment. He had gotten her unguarded, off-balance reaction. She knew it would look bad. She knew there was no way for her to recover from it, no matter what she said from this point on. But she was focused on the paper in front of her, stunned to see it now.

  It was a Xerox of the cover sheet of a report done three years ago.

  -

  PRIVILEGED INFORMATION - FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

  NORTON AIRCRAFT

  INTERNAL REVIEW ACTION COMMITTEE

  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  UNSTABLE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF N-22 AIRCRAFT

  And following was a list of the names of the committee members. Beginning with her name, since she had chaired the committee.

  Casey knew that there was nothing improper about the study, nothing improper in its findings. But everything about it, even the name - "Unstable Flight Characteristics" - appeared damning. It was going to be very difficult for her to explain.

  He's not interested in information.

  And this was an internal company report, she thought. It should never have been released. It was three years old - not that many people would even remember it existed. How had Reardon gotten it?

  She glanced at the top of the page, saw a fax number, and the name of the sending station: NORTON QA.

  It had come from her own office.

  How?

  Who had done it?

  Richman, she thought, grimly.

  Richman had placed this report in the packet of press material on her desk. The material Casey had told Norma to fax to Newsline.

  How had Richman known about it?

  Marder.

  Marder knew all about the study. Marder had been program manager on the N-22; he'd ordered it. And now Marder had arranged for the study to be released while she was on television, because -

  "Ms. Singleton?" Reardon said.

  She looked up. Back into the lights. "Yes. " "Do you recognize this report?" "Yes, I do," she said.

  "Is that your own name at the bottom?"

  "Yes. "

  Reardon handed her three other sheets, the rest of the executive summary. "In fact, you were the chairman of a secret committee inside Norton that investigated 'flight instabilities' of the N-22. Isn't that right?"

  How was she going to do this? she thought.

  He's not interested in information.

  "It wasn't a secret," she said. 'It's the kind of study we frequently conduct on operational aspects of our aircraft, once they're in service. "

  "By your own admission, it's a study of flight
instabilities. "

  "Look," she said, "this study is a good thing. "

  "A good thing?" Eyebrows up, astonished.

  "Yes," she said. "After the first slats incident four years ago, there was a question about whether the aircraft had unstable handling characteristics, in certain configurations. We didn't avoid that question. We didn't ignore it. We addressed it head-on - by forming a committee, to test the aircraft in various conditions, and see if it were true. And we concluded - "

  "Let me read," Reardon said, "from your own report. "The aircraft relies upon computers for basic stabilization. '"

  "Yes," she said. "All modern aircraft use - "

  '"The aircraft has demonstrated marked sensitivity to manual handling during attitude change!'"

  Casey was looking at the pages now. Following his quotes. "Yes, but if you'll read the rest of the sentence, you will - "

  Reardon cut in: " 'Pilots have reported the aircraft cannot be controlled. '"

  "But you're taking all this out of context"

  "Am I?" Eyebrows up. "These are all statements from your report. A secret Norton report. "

  "I thought you said you wanted to hear what I had to say. " She was starting to get angry. She knew it showed, and didn't care.

  Reardon leaned back in his chair, spread his hands. The picture of reason. "By all means, Ms. Singleton. "

  "Then let me explain. This study was carried out to determine whether the N-22 had a stability problem. We concluded it did not, and - "

  "So you say. "

  "I thought I was going to be allowed to explain. "

  "Of course. "

  "Then let me put your quotes in context," Casey said. "The report says the N-22 relies on computers. All modem aircraft rely on computers for stabilization in flight. The reason is not because they can't be flown by pilots. They can. There's no problem with that But the carriers now want extremely fuel-efficient aircraft. Maximum fuel efficiency comes from minimal drag, as the aircraft flies through the air. "

  Reardon was waving his hand, a dismissing gesture. "I'm sorry, but all this is beside - "

  'To minimize drag," Casey continued, "the aircraft has to hold a very precise altitude, or position in the air. The most efficient position is slightly nose up. The computers hold the aircraft in this position during ordinary flight. None of this is unusual. "

  "Not unusual? Flight instabilities!" Reardon said.

  He was always shifting the subject never letting her catch up. "I'm coming to that. "

  "We're eager to hear. " Open sarcasm.

  She struggled to control her temper. However bad things were now, it would be worse if she lost her temper. "You read a sentence before," she said. "Let me finish it. 'The aircraft has demonstrated marked sensitivity to manual handling during attitude change, but this sensitivity is entirely within design parameters and presents no difficulty to properly certified pilots. ' That's the rest of the sentence. "

  "But you've admitted there is sensitive handling. Isn't that just another word for instability?"

  "No," she said. "Sensitive does not mean unstable. "

  "The plane can't be controlled," Reardon said, shaking his head

  "It can. "

  "You did a study because you were worried. "

  "We did a study because it's our job to make sure the aircraft is safe," she said. "And we are sure: it is safe. "

  "A secret study. "

  "It wasn't secret. "

  "Never distributed. Never shown to the public . . . "

  "It was an internal report," she said.

  "You have nothing to hide?"

  "No," she said.

  "Then why haven't you told us the truth about Transpacific Flight 545?'

  "The truth?"

  "We're told your accident team already has a preliminary finding on the probable cause. Is that not true?"

  "We're close," she said.

  "Close. . . Ms. Singleton, do you have a finding, or not?"

  Casey stared at Reardon. The question hung in the air.

  "I'm very sorry," the cameraman said, behind her. "But we have to reload. "

  "Camera reloading!"

  "Reloading!"

  Reardon looked as if he had been slapped. But almost immediately he recovered. 'To be continued," he said, smiling at Casey. He was relaxed; he knew he had beaten her. He got up from his chair, turned his back to her. The big lights clicked off; the room seemed suddenly almost dark. Somebody turned the air-conditioning back on.

  Casey got up, too. She pulled the radio mike off her waist. The makeup woman came running over to her, holding out a powder puff. Casey held up her hand. "In a minute," she said.

  With the lights off, she saw Richman, heading for the door.

  Casey hurried after him.

  BLDG 64

  3:01 P. M.

  She caught him in the hallway, grabbed him by the arm, spun him around. "You son of a bitch. "

  "Hey," Richman said. 'Take it easy. " He smiled, nodded past her shoulder. Looking back, she saw the soundman and one of the cameramen coming out into the hallway.

  Furious, Casey pushed Richman backward, shoving him through the door to the women's room. Richman started to laugh. "Jeez, Casey, I didn't know you cared - "

  Then they were in the bathroom. She pushed him back against the row of sinks. "You little bastard," she hissed, "I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you released that report, and I'm going to - "

  "You're going to do nothing," Richman said, his voice suddenly cold. He threw her hands off him. "You still don't get it, do you? It's over, Casey. You just blew the China sale. You're finished. "

  She stared at him, not understanding. He was strong, confident - a different person.

  "Edgarton's finished. The China sale's finished. And you're finished. " He smiled. "Just the way John said it would happen. "

  Marder, she thought. Marder was behind it. "If the China sale goes, Marder will go, too. Edgarton will see to that. "

  Richman was shaking his head, pityingly. "No, he won't. Edgarton's sitting on his ass in Hong Kong, he'll never know what hit him. By noon Sunday, Marder'll be the new president of Norton Aircraft. It'll take him ten minutes with the Board. Because we've made a much bigger deal with Korea. A hundred and ten aircraft firm, and an option on thirty-five more. Sixteen billion dollars. The Board will be thrilled. "

  "Korea," Casey said. She was trying to put it together. Because it was a huge order, the biggest in the history of the company. "But why would - "

  "Because he gave them the wing," Richman said. "And in return, they're more than happy to buy a hundred and ten aircraft. They don't care about sensationalistic American press. They know the plane's safe. "

  "He's giving them the wing?"

  "Sure. It's a killer deal. "

  "Yeah," Casey said. "It kills the company. "

  "Global economy," Richman said. "Get with the program. "

  "But you're gutting the company," she said,

  "Sixteen billion dollars," Richman said. "The minute that's announced, Norton stock'll go through the roof. Everybody gets well. "

  Everybody but the people in the company, she thought.

  "This is a done deal," Richman said. "All we needed was somebody to publicly trash the N-22. And you just did that for us. "

  Casey sighed. Her shoulders dropped.

  Looking past Richman, she saw herself in the mirror. Makeup was pancaked around her neck, and now it was cracking. Her eyes were dark. She looked haggard, exhausted. Defeated.

  "So I suggest," Richman said, "that you ask me, very politely, what you should do next. Because your only choice now is to follow orders. Do as you're told, be a good girl, and maybe John will give you severance. Say, three months. Otherwise, you're out on your fucking ass. "

  He leaned close to her.

  "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

 
"Yes," Casey said.

  "I'm waiting. Ask politely. "

  In her exhaustion, her mind raced, examining the options, trying to see a way out But she could see no way out. Newsline would run the story. Marder's plan would succeed. She was defeated. She had been defeated from the very beginning. Defeated from the first day Richman had shown up.

  "I'm still waiting," Richman said.

  She looked at his smooth face, smelled his cologne. The little bastard was enjoying this. And in a moment of fury, of deep outrage, she suddenly saw another possibility.

  From the beginning, she had tried so hard to do the right thing, to solve the problem of 545. She had been honest, she had been straight, and it had just gotten her into trouble.

  Or had it?

  "You have to face facts, here," Richman said. "It's over. There's nothing you can do. "

  She pushed away from the sink.

  "Watch me," she said.

  And she walked out of the room.

  WAR ROOM

  3:15P. M.

  Casey slipped into her seat. The soundman came over and clipped the radio pack to the waist of her dress. "Say a few words for me, will you please? Just for level. "

  'Testing, testing, I'm getting tired," she said.

  "That's fine. Thank you. "

  She saw Richman slip into the room, and stand with his back to the far wall. He had a faint smile on his face. He didn't look worried. He was confident there was nothing she could do. Marder had made a huge deal, he was shipping the wing, he was gutting the company, and he'd used Casey to do it.

  Reardon dropped into his seat opposite her, shrugged his shoulders, adjusted his tie. He smiled at her. "How you holding up?"

  "I'm okay. "

  "Hot in here, isn't it?" he said. He glanced at his watch. "We're almost finished. "

  Malone came over, and whispered in Reardon's ear. The whispering continued for some time. Reardon said, "Really?" and his eyebrows went up, then he nodded several times. Finally he said, "Got it. " He began to shuffle his papers, going through the folder in front of him.

  Malone said, "Guys? We ready?"

  ''A camera ready. "

  "B camera ready. "

  "Sound ready. "

  "Roll tape," she said.

  This is it Casey thought She took a deep breath, looked expectantly at Reardon.

  Reardon smiled at her.

  "You're an executive at Norton Aircraft"

  "Yes. "

  "Been here five years. "