Flight 19 part ii, p.18
Flight 19, Part II, page 18
Tim felt like someone had slapped him in the face.
Ben studied the craft before turning back to Tim and giving him an even bigger slap.
“And he wants to meet you,” he said.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Emily said.
Todd shook his head. “I can’t explain it, babe.” He placed his hand on hers. “He’s my half-brother, and I killed him. Now he’s alive. I need to make amends. I need to try and help him.”
Emily turned her gaze to the living-room window.
A picture of her father came to mind. She wanted to talk to him about this. He’d give her sage advice. But obviously, that would mean telling him the whole story. Specifically, the part about Flight 19 actually coming back from 2024, not forward from 2019 as the world had been told.
“Okay, you know I support you on this,” she lied, but then switched back to the truth.
“I want to tell Dad everything, and for us both to talk to him about this,” she said warily. But Todd’s reaction would surprise her. The reality was, this was weighing heavily on him.
“We’ve made a pact with Darcy and the others,” Todd said.
Emily said,“I know.” She contemplated something for a moment. “I firmly believe, with all my heart, Dad can be trusted. He won’t betray us.”
Todd gave her a peck on the lips.
“And I trust you more than anyone,” Todd said.
He just hoped he could also trust Dave Collins.
Ross and Tony sat in what was now almost their permanent booth in the corner of the Cabana Cafe. Of the four places they could eat or drink at the Beverly Hills Hotel, this was their favorite. It was just on 8.30 in the morning, and breakfast was solely on their radar. Melanie and Tammy had left early, Rodeo Drive beckoned, and they were both in the mood to buy an entire wardrobe of clothing and shoes.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” their usual waitress, Veronika, said as she handed them a menu.
Both men waved the menus away. They knew the entire breakfast menu off by heart now.
Ross ordered his favorite: eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon. He was feeling particularly peckish, so he decided to add the truffle sauce. Veronika didn’t bother asking him if he wanted a tea or coffee; Ross always had a large flat white.
Tony ordered a breakfast burrito and the avocado toast.
“You worked up an appetite, old boy?” Ross ribbed Tony as Veronica sauntered toward the kitchen with their orders.
Tony dipped his newspaper just enough to just make eye contact with Ross.
“What can I say,” Tony said, grinning, “other than—do you blame her?”
Ross laughed. Tony had always traded on the whole playboy thing.
After their coffees arrived, something in the newspaper caught Tony’s attention. He slapped Ross with his signature Zoolander pout. “Mm,” he said, “now that is interesting.”
“Talk to me, stud-muffin,” said Ross. “What have you got?”
“Hey—only Tammy calls me that, please.”
Ross grinned. “The walls in the bungalow aren’t as soundproof as you think, baby.”
He was kidding, of course.
“I’ve just found us something to do,” Tony said. “Unless you want to return to the cockpit.” He took another look at the page that had caught his interest.
Ross and Tony had decided recently that they would both retire as commercial pilots. They hadn’t told the girls yet, but would soon enough. This meant they would now have to decide what to do with their time.
“I told you once before,” Ross snarled, “I don’t like flowers. I don’t want to be a florist.”
Amid the laughter, Veronika arrived with their meals.
As Ross tucked into his delicious breakfast, he told Tony, “Okay, so if we’re not going to be strippers, I guess I don’t have to worry about going to the gym.”
Tony laughed between bites. “There’s a flying school up at Monterey for sale.”
Ross motioned to Tony to pass him the newspaper.
He read the blurb on the flying school, and had a really positive feeling about it.
“What are you thinking?” Ross asked.
Tony took a sip of coffee before saying, “We become joint owners. We can teach people how to fly, and work nine to five. Imagine that.”
“You’re talking about settling there, right?” Ross said.
“I’ve always heard good things about the place,” Tony said. “Some say it’s one of the best things about California.”
Ross agreed. For all the cities he’d been to in the Golden State, Monterey was one of the nicest. “I like it, brother.” His heart warmed from the vision of a life at Monterey. “But I’ll want Melanie to be part of my future there,” he added.
“Sounds like a good idea. Don’t ever let that one go, huh,” Tony said.
Ross acknowledged Tony’s words. He planned to do something that would make the depth of his feelings for Melanie known.
“What about Tam?” Ross said.
Tony pondered Ross’s question for a moment.
“I think I’m going to want her around all the time too,” he said.
Ross patted him on the back. “I say go for it, my friend. You never know what’s around the corner,” he said.
Ross would curse those very words.
“One of them is still alive?” Tim’s words struggled to come out.
Ben walked to the edge of the secret room, and studied his pride and joy. To himself, he called it “the kettle.” For some reason, it reminded him of one. All it needed was a large silver handle and an extension for the nozzle.
“Yes. There was a sole survivor,” he said.
Tim scratched his head before a big frown appeared on his face.
“That would make him very, very old, right?”
Ben shook his head.
“You’re thinking of time as we see it on earth,” Ben said. He walked over to look closely at the older kettle before turning back to his father.
“Where he comes from, he’s probably about middle-aged now.”
Tim’s head was beginning to spin. Not in his wildest imagination would he ever have believed he’d see and hear what he had today.
“Okay.” Tim took long, deep breaths, and decided there was no time to waste. He checked every corner of the room for sign of another secret hidden compartment within the one he was standing in. Maybe that would be where “he” lived.
Ben was two steps ahead.
“He’s not here,” he said, checking his watch.
Tim looked confused, and before he could ask another question, Ben waved his hand and said, “Dad, in a few moments you will be flown back to Vernon. I want you to go back to Reno, or home. The choice is yours.”
He motioned for Tim to follow him back out into the main cordoned-off area.
When he got back near the kettle, he turned to Tim and this time, just out of habit, spoke more quietly.
“In forty-eight hours’ time, you will be picked up from your house. Tell Mom you’re assisting the AFOAs with the continuing investigation of Flight 19. Tell her what you are assisting them with is classified, and she is not to tell anyone this. This is not negotiable, Dad,” Ben said.
Tim went to say something, but Ben softened somewhat. “Sorry. I’ve worked here so long I’ve forgotten how to be personable.”
“I’m sure she’ll be okay.” Tim smiled faintly and added, “And she’ll be fine with me going off for a night or two.”
Ben shook his head. “Where we will need to go to meet him will take more than a few days.”
“How long are you talking, son?” Tim said.
Ben took one last look at his pride and joy before answering, “About forty-eight hours each way,” he said.
“It takes that long to see him? He’s not somewhere here at Homey?” Tim said.
Ben walked up to whisper in his father’s ear, “He’s not even on this continent, Pop.”
As Ben went to head toward the door, Tim grabbed his arm. “Where is he?” he said.
Ben shook his head. “I can take you there. But I can’t tell you where it is.” He walked a couple of steps before turning back to Tim.
“Let’s just say the place makes a mockery of the word remote.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Tony watched Tammy hop back into bed. Whenever they made eye contact, he couldn’t help but smile at her in some way.
The guy was head over heels.
But tonight would be their last together for two weeks.
The time apart was only getting more difficult, especially for Tony. He was worried sick about Tammy. Understandably so, since Tammy’s twin sister was a sandwich short of a picnic, and that’s putting it kindly.
Tammy snuggled up to him, letting out the sort of sigh that generally meant only one thing. She didn’t want to leave.
“You okay?” Tony stroked the back of her neck.
Tammy looked up to him. “It’s getting harder when I leave.”
They lay in silence for a few moments, just holding onto to each other.
Tony then made a wise decision to try and make the vibe a little more upbeat.
“Ross and I are thinking about buying a pilot-training school, up at Monterey. We don’t want to fly commercially anymore.”
“Sounds like a good idea, honey,” she said, but her heart felt hollow.
Tony guessed something wasn’t right.
“Well, here’s the thing, babe.” Tony kissed her. When he sat back, he said, “We’re going to need someone to man the office when we’re both flying kids around.” Tammy’s eyes lit up at the suggestion.
“If you’re interested?” Tony said.
Tammy kissed him passionately. He’d just made her year.
“I’d love to.” Happy tears crept from the corner of her eyes, and her mind started to wander to the possibilities.
Would Annie ever let her children come and live with her? No.
Would Brandon decide the children would be better off with her? Yes.
Would he find the courage to let it happen?
At the Beverly Hills Hotel that night, there must have been something in the air. Well, in bungalow 19A, anyway.
In the main bedroom, not far from Tony and Tammy’s, Ross and Melanie sat in bed and discussed the future as well.
“Pilot school, huh?” Melanie rolled the idea around in her head. “Monterey. Central Coast, California,” she then said aloud.
Ross hoped she would warm to the idea.
“Cute place, Monterey,” she said. She turned to him and could see the hope in his eyes.
The truth was, the pilot-training school could have been on the tallest mountain in Tibet. It didn’t matter where. She would want to be wherever he was. She was quietly relieved, though—she loved Monterey. It was her favorite part of California, along with San Francisco.
“Well, I’d hope that.” Ross wondered how the hell he was going to do this, so he decided to improvise. “Excuse me for a moment.” He hopped out of bed and headed for the en suite, closing the door as he went in.
Melanie lay back and wondered what he might have been about to say.
And a minute later, she wondered if he’d been sucked into the toilet. She was about to ask, “Are you right in there?” but just as she had nearly opened her mouth, he appeared at the open doorway.
The light was too dim for her to notice the sheepish grin etched on his face.
As Ross stepped into the bedroom, he suddenly tripped on something and fell on the floor.
“Jesus,” Ross said.
“Are you alright?” Now Melanie sprang out of bed. As she raced around to the other side, Ross rose slightly and held his left knee in his hands. His right knee was supporting him, firmly on the floor.
“You’re such a clumsy good-looking man. Are you okay?” she said as she reached him. She leaned down and grabbed his head with both hands. She kissed him softly on the forehead.
When she stepped back and met his eyes, she nearly fainted.
Ross had slipped something from his dressing gown. No, not that. Something from his pocket.
And now the little box was open. Inside, a ring sat nestled there, glistening in the candlelight.
Melanie then realized the whole falling down thing was a setup. The best one of them all.
Ross swallowed awkwardly and said, “I love you, Melanie. Would you make me the happiest man in the world tonight?”
Melanie was lost for words.
But eventually, she said the one we all hoped.
It was three letters long.
Love was in the air.
“Don’t fuck with me, Shell.”
“No need for that language, Todd. Ever heard of the Queen’s English?”
Todd smirked at Michelle. “Not when I’m an American, living in America.”
Todd and Michelle went way back. They’d stayed friends long after going to the police academy together eons ago. Todd had gone into the highway patrol, following in his father’s footsteps, and Michelle had ended up at the San Bernardino Police Department.
“You’d know if I was pulling your leg, Todd.” Michelle looked serious for a moment. “Are either of them hurting right now?”
Todd shook his head. The answer was certainly no.
“Johnny the Mac. Jesus.” Todd felt wounded. “And your contact knows this for sure?”
Michelle ignored all the distractions at her desk: her phone ringing, her mobile pinging, email notifications.
She leaned forward and signaled for Todd to do the same.
“He was on his ass, Todd. Gone for sure. But And—, I mean, your dad, got him off with nothing but a slap on the wrist,” she whispered.
“Shit, this can’t be good.” Todd went pale.
Michelle gave him a quizzical look. “What’s with you? Why is that such a big deal?”
Todd rocked from side to side, and wondered what he should do next. Could he trust Michelle enough to tell her he was about to knock on his half-brother’s door? He couldn’t help but remember that in 2024, it had been Michelle who helped him find Jason. But of course, she had no memory of this in 2021.
Todd stepped around to the other side of Michelle’s desk and pulled a chair from the nearby cubicle. He sat down and pulled the chair closer.
“What I’m about to tell you must remain between you and me.”
Michelle agreed.
Todd took a moment before making eye contact with her.
“Dad has an illegitimate child. His name is Jason. I only found out about it…” Todd nearly stumbled on the biggest secret of all, but swerved just in time. “…recently.”
Michelle let out a quiet “phew” before Todd continued.
“I think I messed up, Shell. I confronted Dad and told him I knew about—him, when I came home from Vandenberg. To make matters even worse, I told Dad I wanted to find him.”
Michelle now took a deep breath before putting her hand on his right shoulder.
“If Andrew knows you’re looking for him, you’d better think there’s a chance he’s asked the Mac to keep tabs on you,” she said.
Todd cursed himself as he pushed the chair back, stood up, and said, “I was planning on knocking on his door tonight.”
Michelle sat back in her chair and shook her head. “Alone?”
Todd nodded.
“Where is he?” she whispered.
“Someone told me he frequents a friend’s apartment, spending most nights on the sofa.” He swallowed hard. “Avalon Gardens.”
Michelle’s eyes went wide. Avalon Gardens was one part of South Central Los Angeles you’d never go near unless you were unlucky enough to live there, or your life depended on it.
She was about to say something but Todd cut her off. “But he’s known to spend time somewhere else. I have this address as well as the Avalon Gardens one.”
Michelle was already going to tell Todd going to Avalon Gardens was the king of bad ideas, but he then left her utterly speechless.
“The Star Apartments,” he said.
Michelle waved her hand at him immediately.
She rose to her feet. “Not the Star Apartments,” she said.
When he nodded silently, she shook her head. “You are out of your freaking mind, Todd. When was the last time you entered Skid Row?”
Todd could see the whites of his friend’s eyes on high beam.
“It’s been a few years, I will admit,” he said.
Michelle grabbed the front of Todd’s shirt and pulled him closer. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.” She was clearly annoyed but pushed on. “I’ll come with you. You are not going to those places alone.”
Todd started to tell her this was not going to happen.
But he’d had enough of arguing with her. She was no shrinking violet; she could hold her own. And that was before you put a weapon in her hand.
“Okay,” he said. “You can come with me. I’ll call you later and confirm what time I’ll pick you up.”
As Todd walked off, she said, “Psst.”
Todd spun around. She whispered inaudibly, but he could read her lips.
“Make. Sure. It’s. Fully. Loaded.”
Chapter Thirty
Lee entered the foyer of her apartment block and said hello to the security guard, who was able to peel himself away from his smartphone long enough to grunt back at her.
At least he didn’t have his feet on the desk behind the counter, and was making a little effort to look mildly interested in doing his job.
“Lee.”
The voice from the corner of the foyer sounded like it was speaking from the other side of St. Louis. Lee had barely heard it, and for a second wondered if it was solely in her imagination.
When she saw who it was, she nearly dropped all her bags of shopping.
It wasn’t about who it was, but how he looked.
“Jesus, Brandon.” She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him, startled. “You scared me to half to death.”
