Test Pilot's Daughter: Revenge (25 page)

It was a scary view looking down that short stretch of sandy beach, culminating in tall rocks. When the time came, she knew she’d have to force the plane into the air, bear right and try to fly ground effect over the water. If the landing gear caught the waves, they were screwed.

Think only positive thoughts
, she told herself.
Dear Lord just give us the right wind.

As she got out of the plane, she tensed. The wind that had been blowing all morning went calm. There was no logical explanation. Her gut was beginning to cramp with a case of nerves. She looked around and found three perfectly shaped rocks to block the back of the tires. Since they could afford no extra weight in the plane, pretty much everything had to be left behind. With all preparations complete, there was little to do but watch the sky and wait.

“
You’d have a much better chance if I stayed behind,” Billy volunteered. “In a plane this size, 180 pounds would make a big difference. When you get to Miami, you could send someone for me.”

“
There he goes again,” Heather said admiringly. “This guy is fearless.”

“
That’s very brave of you William, but I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Christina countered. “They can’t just fly any old plane out here. It would have to be a rescue helicopter or a seaplane. Everyone will be in a panic preparing for the hurricane. Who knows what would be available or how long it would take? That storm will hit soon. Besides, I’m going to need your help in the cockpit.”

“
I can’t stand the thought of you out here by yourself, William,” Heather added as she kissed him on the cheek. “But I’ll say one thing, you got guts.”

Christina sat quietly, studying the manuals. She wanted to make sure she knew every critical instrument, switch and lever before all hell broke loose.

“
How long do we have Captain?” Billy asked.

“
Not sure, at least a couple of hours.”

* * *

Heather was full of nervous energy. She took Billy’s hand and asked if he’d like to take a walk. They strolled down the beach hand in hand like a couple of high school sweethearts.

Following several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Billy finally spoke, “Heather, I know you think I’m just a stupid kid, but I’ve grown up a lot in the last few weeks. I know enough about airplanes to realize this flight in the storm might be it. Before we get in that plane, I just want you to know one thing. . .I really do love you.”

Heather looked into his big, sad eyes. He seemed so sincere, she just wanted to make love to him right there on the beach.
What’s wrong with me?
she wondered.
First, I fall for a man twice my age, and now I’ve got the hots for a boyscout.
“I love you too, Billy, and I always will. You’re amazing, and I’ll never, ever forget you. I don’t think of you as a kid. I’ve dated a lot of older guys who couldn’t hold a candle to you.”

She brushed the hair off his forehead and kissed him on the lips. She put one hand on either side of his face. Trying not to sound condescending, she picked her words carefully. “Billy, I don’t know exactly why, but I feel like we’re gonna make it. Christina’s a good pilot. When we get back, you’ll have a lot of great adventures. You’ll get your driver’s license, start dating, fall in love, break up, fall in love again, make out and have wild passionate sex for the first time. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on anything in its proper order. We’ve been through something special here.” Again she kissed him softly on the lips, then put her arms around him and snuggled her head up against his. She moved her lips up to his ear and whispered, “Just hold me.”

* * *

For the first time in his life, Billy felt like a man. As a matter of fact, Heather made him feel like the luckiest man alive. He closed his eyes and let thoughts wander. In his mind’s eye they were the only two people in the world. That slice of time carved beautiful, indelible images in his brain. Her body felt so warm and soft. Nuzzling his face into soft, long hair, he was filled with the essence of her sweet fragrance. At least for the moment Heather was his and his alone. He wanted to hold her forever.

They remained standing there for the longest time without speaking, bodies pressed together stepping through a silent dance. As they swayed back and forth, Billy’s mind drifted through hypnotic waves of absolute bliss. Blocking out all others from his thoughts, this beautiful woman was his perfect companion, his perfect lover, his perfect mother. Like a fetus in the womb, he felt warm and secure as though he were floating through some sort of timeless space, surrounded by a warm cocoon of affection.

Suddenly and painfully, a cold dagger cut through the summer air with a ghostly howl. The tropical calm was assaulted by a strong gust of wind as the eastern horizon blackened. Blowing sand sliced into bare legs, and Billy woke up from his wonderful dream.

“
I think we better get back,” he said with authority.

As though she acknowledged his masculinity, Heather looked into his eyes, kissed him softly and nodded in agreement.

Feeling her body shiver, Billy wanted to die for her.

They ran back to the plane in a blustery wind.

* * *

There was a squall-line moving in from the northeast, and the wind started howling out of the west. Christina expected the direction would soon shift. She just wasn’t sure how long it might take. With the front rapidly approaching, she suggested they go ahead and climb into the airplane and get strapped down just in case. They put two gallons of fresh water, the life raft and some of the lighter survival gear into the luggage compartment.

“
William, I’m gonna need your help as co-pilot. Need you in the right, front seat. Heather, climb in the back.”

“
Aye, Aye, Captain,” Billy said. “What do you want me to do?”

“
You’ve got three important jobs. As soon as I turn out over the water, I want you to pull up the landing gear lever and get the wheels up. I don’t want to catch the gear in the waves.”

“
Got it. No problem.”

“
After we start climbing, I want you to reach down and drop the flaps. That way I can keep both hands on the yoke.”

“
Okay.”

“
The third one is most important. Make damn sure I switch that fuel tank selector every fifteen minutes.”

“
I’ll use my watch.”

“
What do you want me to do?” Heather asked eagerly.

“
I want you to strap yourself down nice and tight and pray. Pray to God the wind comes around from the north. If that doesn’t happen, you can start singing
Amazing Grace
, only this time it’ll be for us.”

They got organized inside the plane and sat back to watch the weather. Christina’s emotions boiled with excitement, anticipation and terror
.
She had set up a windsock at the top of the beach by tying one of her blouses to a long piece of driftwood and driving it deep in the sand. It was still indicating a westerly wind right across the beach. As black clouds rolled in, the sky darkened and day turned into night. The wind was fierce, and the Saratoga hopped around like a carnival ride. It rained so hard she couldn’t see the beach. Bolts of lightning flashed on both sides, illuminating horrified faces. She began to doubt her well thought out plan. Eyes shifting left and right looking for a break in the weather, she thought,
No way to take off in this shit.

As the squall passed, the lights came back on, the wind shifted and visibility improved. Gradually, over a period of about twenty minutes, a more constant wind started to gather steam. She looked at the windsock with a sudden surge of excitement.
It’s out of the north!

“
This might be it,” she said. “I’m gonna crank ‘er up and test the wind.”

Once again she went through the “cold start” procedure making sure to do everything exactly right. A flooded engine at this point would be the end. She primed the fuel flow and held her breath as she turned the key. There was a clicking sound, but the propeller didn’t move. Suddenly, a pang of fear seized her gut.

“
Come on you son-of-a-bitch
,
don’t crap out on me now.” She turned the key off and back on again with another click. The propeller tried to move, but the battery was too low. There was nothing but the ghostly sound of the howling wind.

She couldn’t help but think it,
We’re dead meat!
She hung her head and wanted to cry. With visions of hurricane Amy swamping the island, she felt a total failure.
How could they name such a monster a sweet name like Amy?
she wondered. The Captain had failed her troops, and she knew exactly what Heather was thinking,
That boat was our only ticket home.

“
So what do we do now, Captain?” Heather asked from the back seat.

“
Don’t know,” Christina confessed. “For once, I’m clueless.” Struggling to be brave, she made a bad joke, “I’m afraid it’s time for the fat lady. Do you know that song,
Turn Out the Lights, the Party’s Over
? Time for the fat lady to sing.”

No one laughed. They just sat there in a maudlin silence as the wind pounded the front of the cockpit. After a few minutes she could hear Heather crying. Billy bowed his head; it looked like he was praying. Without a word he started unbuckling his seatbelt.

“
What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Christina queried.

“
I’m going to try to turn that prop by hand,” Billy said.

“
That could be quite dangerous, William. Have you ever tried to hand-prop a plane before?”

“
No, but I’ve seen it done in old movies. I’d rather give it a try than sit here and wait for the hurricane.”

“
Yeah, but those were pretty small motors on those old planes. I don’t think you can hand prop a 300 horsepower aircraft engine, too much compression.”

Heather began crying louder.

With a staunch face painted in anger, Billy turned to Christina and barked, “Do you have any better ideas? What do you say we give it a try?” It was more a directive than a question.

Christina hesitated, consumed by a horrid vision of Billy being ground up in the spinner. “But. . .”

“
But nothin’. We gotta try.”

“
Okay, William, but promise me you’ll be careful.”

The wind howled, lifted the plane and banged it back down with a thud.

Billy shoved the door and turned toward the opening when Christina grabbed him by the arm and shouted, “Wait ‘til I give you this hand signal, then pull down hard on your left side of the prop. . .and get out of the way. If that engine starts, it could suck you in.”

Billy struggled to force the door open against the gale and scrambled outside. Angled into the wind, he trudged like a drunken sailor around to the nose. When he turned to face her, the wind was at his back, trying to blow him off his feet. He leaned into the prop.

Scared shitless, her heart pounded as she looked into the eyes of a teenage boy, eyes set in fierce determination. He grabbed the prop firmly, ready to pull, waiting for her command.

Christina flipped on the Master and yelled, “
Contact!
” Turning the key to the “Both” position to energize both sets of magnetos, she gave him the signal. Billy yanked down on the prop, and it started to move on its own. The battery took over and turned the prop slowly; then it came to a stop.

Encouraged, she turned off the key and Master switch, opened the little pilot window and screamed over the howling gale, “
Let’s try it again.”
Billy gave her the thumbs up, and again she flipped on the Master and shouted,
“Contact!”
She turned on the key and gave him the signal. He pulled down once again, harder this time. The engine fired one time and died. Now she was really encouraged. She talked directly to the power plant, “Come on, Betsy, you can do it.”