Page 108 of Exit Strategy

“Those animals in the hold are going to be held accountable for that they’ve done. This is the only way you get people like them,” I said. “I want you to climb, steep as this bitch can go.”

He swallowed and nodded. He seemed to pop out a fresh layer of sweat. I felt the deck start to pitch as both pilots pulled back on the yokes. I clicked the button on the intercom. “Ladies, everyone grab a secure seat, or grab a spot on the rear-facing wall, we’re going up for a bit.”

The plane groaned as the engines pushed it higher. Both men reached and pushed all the throttles forward, more power. “Is there a monitor for the cargo bay?”

“At the cargo master’s seat. Should be on now,” Arizona said. I slid into the seat, which was now preferable with the steep climb angle. I could see a black-and-white view into the cargo area. The door was open, and things were moving. I could see the people trying to find something to hang onto.

“Why are you doing this?” the hired man asked.

“Did you know that in recent history, people like that were only held accountable twice? The French Revolution, that thing they called the Reign of Terror, and the Bolshevik Revolution. They’re rich, and influential, and that means they can pull all of the strings.” I watched as the pitch became too much and the largest of the RVs started rolling backward. The Halcyon pitched upward, and the front windshield grazed the top of the cargo compartment. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. As it moved, it crashed into the smaller vehicles behind it, all in black-and-white silence.

“That’s why common assholes like you and me get hit with forty-dollar fees when we run out of money in the bank, but they can run millions into the negative and in a year, the government will bail them out, or they’ll play some cash game and suddenly they have more than before they lost it. They fly away in jet helicopters to private islands while people starve or choke on industrial waste.”

The Halcyon finally came free, slid down the ramp, and fell away from the jet. Several SUVs and luxury cars tumbled out with it, and in a moment, all the vehicles were gone, shrinking as they plummeted to the ocean below.

The people were like action figures as they followed.

Arms and legs outstretched, some grasping at the ramp, others in various states of being broken and mashed by the stampede of cars and buses.

I felt cold.

“You’ll go to jail for this,” the hired man said.

“I’m not worried about that. I’ve done the best work of my life today.” My voice felt hollow. “You can level us off and turn back for BWI. Drop down to maybe ten thousand before we get to the coast.”

“You’re going to hell. That was fucking murder, those were people,” the hired pilot said. His hands were white as he leveled us off and turned the jet back the way we came.

“Mate, I’m going to hell for things I did years ago. I killed innocent people in another country for the crime of being in the wrong place at the wrong time – women, children, people who were no threat, no harm to anyone. This was taking out the trash, and keep that in mind, so you remain a mercenary pilot and not trash like them.” He looked at me and I saw him swallow hard.

“Feel free to call the tower, tell them what happened, that an armed man held a gun to your head and made you do all of that. I don’t especially care. Call me a terrorist, that would be even better. Then you can start explaining to the powers that be what you’re doing involved with these people.”

“I think we’ve got everything covered up here, Chief,” Arizona said. “Looks like thirty minutes to the coastline.”

“You got parachutes on this bird?”

“Yeah, Chief.” He gestured to a locker. I dug inside and pulled one out.

“Perfect.”

* * *

“You’re hurt,”Callie said, stroking the side of my face.

“Ah, nothing an ice bath and some painkillers won’t take care of.” I gave her a smile. “Are you okay? That’s the only thing that matters to me.”

“Yeah, I’m okay, now.” She put her head against my chest. I felt eyes on us.

“Excuse us.” It was Cass. I nodded for her to go on. “What are we doing?”

“The crew is going back to BWI, the same terminal we left from. I’m sure it will be swarming with cops and guys in black jackets with big letters on them. They will take care of you and get you back to where you need to be. The people who hurt you, they’re dead now. The cargo area should be empty now. We climbed long enough that none of those wastes of flesh should have been able to stay conscious and hold on.”

“You dumped them in the ocean?” Cass asked. I nodded. “The cops are going to make an example out of you.”

“They’ll never know who I was,” I said. “Unless you know my name and tell them what I look like and all that. I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

“We won’t,” Cass said. “They taught us about keeping quiet. We can keep this secret.”

“You know I’m cool as a cucumber, Chief,” Arizona said. “I’m pretty sure our pilot-for-hire doesn’t want any scrutiny of his record. It’s a little unusual finding a young guy like this who knows how to fly big Chinese jets, eh?”

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