Code Black (37 page)

They continued, and covered the short distance to the hangar. Donovan was able to leap from the truck and run through the snow just before the large doors fully closed. He stopped as his eyes adjusted to the harsh lights inside the cavernous building. Preston also slipped through the doors before they closed with a resounding thud that echoed through the space.

Donovan hurried toward the front of the plane. The big engines ticked as they cooled down. A small group of people started to roll a portable stairway into position near the nose as the heavy door on the 737 swung outward. It took Donovan a moment to recognize the man standing in the entryway. It had been nearly eighteen years since he’d seen him. But his features were unmistakable—Henry Parrish.

As Donovan drew closer, he found Henry was staring at him. Donovan knew his appearance had changed far more than the simple effects of time could account for. He gave Henry a casual salute; a small gesture of respect he used to give the man years ago. It might help his old friend make sense out what he was seeing—which was essentially a ghost.

Henry moved aside as another figure joined him at the door. It was Lauren. Despite her drawn face and unkempt hair, to him, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. As their eyes locked, a smile washed across her face. She stepped onto the portable stairs the instant they were in place and rushed down to the floor. Donovan met her there, took her into his arms, and held her close.

“I was so afraid I’d never see you again,” Lauren whispered in his ear.

“I’m here,” Donovan said. “We have a date next weekend, remember?”

“I love you so much.” Lauren kissed Donovan hard and deep, her hands gently touching his face as if for the first time.

Donovan closed his eyes and was enveloped by the feel of her. Moments later someone behind Lauren cleared his throat. He looked over her shoulder to find Henry and Michael standing there. Slightly behind them stood a young man who’d sheepishly turned away from their display of affection.

“They get like this all the time.” Michael said. “I’m through apologizing for them. Oh, and Donovan—love the purse.”

Donovan ignored Michael’s barb and handed Lauren her purse. “You left this in Operations.”

“Thanks.” Lauren took her purse then locked her free arm around Donovan’s neck as she turned to look at the others. “Donovan, I’d like to introduce Henry Parrish, and his son Matt.”

Donovan pulled himself away from Lauren’s embrace, and searched Henry’s eyes for any hint of what his old friend might be thinking.

Henry shook Donovan’s outstretched hand. “That was an impressive display of flying out there today.”

Michael put his arm around Matt and nudged him forward. “Donovan. This is Matt. One of the most remarkable young men I’ve ever come across. Matt, this is Donovan Nash.”

“Hi,” Matt said, as Donovan vigorously shook his hand.

“What you did today was nothing short of a miracle,” Donovan said to the young man. “I don’t know if I would’ve been able to stay with you guys without the laser.”

Matt shrugged.

“You and I will have to sit down sometime and compare notes,” Donovan said, and winked. Later, he’d pull Matt aside and they’d talk.

“Cool,” Matt replied, then shot a worried look at all of the security people waiting for the little reunion to end. “What’s going to happen to us now?”

“I’m not sure. That’s for the TSA to decide.” Donovan searched for Preston, “Where’d Preston go?”

“Please wait here,” a security man said. “Mr. Preston said he’d be back in a moment.”

“Have you heard anything about Audrey yet?” Henry said quietly to Donovan.

Donovan shook his head. “Leo said he’d call us the second he knew anything.”

“We’ll talk later,” Henry whispered, the words more of a threat than a suggestion.

“Yes, we will,” Donovan moved closer to Lauren and pulled her out of earshot from the others.

“That sounded a little ominous.” she said.

“I think Henry’s still a little mad about a few things.” Donovan put his arm around her. “He and I are going to talk later. Hopefully I can get Henry and Matt out of here and off to the hospital. Then, you and I need to sit down in private and see where we stand on things. Depending on what happens, our future could get a little tricky.”

“Did Calvin come through?”

“In a big way.” Donovan squeezed her hand. “He sent me the recording and it made all the difference. You were brilliant.”

“No, I wasn’t. If I were smart, none of this would have happened.” Lauren shook her head. “I didn’t want to tell Henry, but it was the only way.”

Donovan kissed her. “You did what needed to be done. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”

“Nash!” Preston yelled out across the hangar floor. “Get in here!”

Donovan gave Lauren and the others a quizzical look. They all started to walk toward the office where Preston stood.

“Just Nash!” Preston called out. “The rest of you stay where you are!”

Donovan jogged over to where Preston was holding the door open for him. The agent gestured to a desk phone with a nod of his head. A flashing red light indicated there was someone on hold. “Is that for me?”

“Yeah.” Preston closed the door behind them.

Donovan picked up the receiver and pushed the button. “Donovan Nash here.”

“Mr. Nash. This is Richard Holcomb, Secretary of Homeland Security.”

Donovan instantly pictured the heavyset Texan. Holcomb was a fireplug of a man; both his temper and intelligence were legendary in Washington. He was a high-powered career politician who was used to getting what he wanted. If it was the hot-headed Holcomb calling, this had the potential to be very painful. “Secretary Holcomb. What can I do for you?”

“You know what, Mr. Nash? Until a little while ago, I’d never heard of you,” Holcomb began angrily. “Now, to tell you the truth—you’re a goddamned burr under my saddle and it’s pissing me off!”

“Sorry to hear that, sir,” Donovan said politely. There was no reason to further agitate the man.

“First, I hear we’ve got terrorists stealing airplanes in Chicago. Now I’m to understand that’s not the case? As if this sudden reversal isn’t enough, I just got off the phone with the President. He and the Secretary of State are sitting in the Situation Room at the White House—and do you know what they told me?”

“No sir.”

“They told me to let all of you go!” Holcomb bellowed loudly. “That’s the biggest crock of shit I’ve heard all day! Then, as if all of this isn’t enough, I’m supposed to spin today’s events into some kind of success story for all concerned. What do you make of that?”

“I’ve always liked the President,” Donovan said innocently. He wondered how much of this was Leo Singer’s doing.

“No shit!” Holcomb shot back, then let out a long breath as he thought. “I like the President too, but he’s left me in the ticklish position of trying to spin this episode a certain way. I can do that, but I need you and your little entourage to play along. Is that something you’re prepared to do for me?”

“Of course.”

“Okay. Listen up Mr. Nash, because I’m only going to say this once. Here’s the way this whole damn mess is going to go down. You were never on flight 880. Donovan Nash will never be mentioned in the same breath as flight 880. The pilot who landed the plane is the Wayfarer pilot who took off from Dulles. I’m told he’s hurt, but all the better story, don’t you think?”

“Sounds good so far.” Donovan had no reason to explain that being out of the limelight was exactly what he wanted.

“As far as the rescue plane is concerned, it too was piloted by Wayfarer pilots. This was a group effort on the part of Leo Singer and the airline. I think you’ll agree we can’t just have a bunch of gung-ho civilians out flying airliners around, now can we? It’s just plain bad for business.”

“I think your plan is admirable, but I have a request.” Donovan knew this was the time to make sure they all walked away from this unscathed.

“What is it? I can warn you in advance, I’m not in a great mood, so don’t push it.”

“Understood. But since none of us were here, and this was a fully sanctioned event, then of course there’s no way any of us are in trouble with the TSA, or the FAA, or anyone else for that matter. All involved are free to go on like nothing happened?”

“I’ve already taken care of that. Yes, you’re free to go, and I’d prefer you left sooner than later,” Holcomb said. “The President and I are counting on all of this working. Don’t screw it up!”

“You have my word.” Donovan sat back in the chair and put his feet up on the desk. Preston stood motionless, an uneasy smile frozen on his face.

“Then get the hell out of there!” Holcomb barked. “I don’t want some goddamned exposé to show up in the Washington Post. I can promise you I’m the wrong man to make angry.”

“I understand. Do you want to talk to Agent Preston?” Donovan eyed the nervous TSA agent.

“I’ve already spoken to him,” Holcomb said. “He knows what to do.”

“Thank you, sir.” Donovan sat up straight in the chair. “I owe you one.”

“You’re damn right you do,” Holcomb said dryly as he hung up.

“Okay.” Donovan set the phone down and rubbed his hands together. “I guess that takes care of that. What’s the best way for us to get to the hospital where they took the others?”

“The Chicago Fire Department has a helicopter on its way,” Preston said, fatigue evident in his voice. “They’ve been instructed to take you there.”

“That might be them now.” The unmistakable sound of a helicopter’s rotor beat in the distance.

“You never answered my question.” Preston stood in front of the door. “Who are you?”

“I’m sworn to secrecy. Besides, as you know, I’m not even here.” Donovan slipped past the confused agent and hurried toward Lauren and the others.

“What’s up?” Michael called out as Donovan approached. “Who was that?”

“A friend,” Donovan could hear the helicopter as it approached the hangar. “I’ll explain everything on the way to the hospital. Our ride’s here.”

“We can leave?” Henry asked. “Just like that—they’re going to let us walk out of here?”

“Yep.” Donovan put his hand on Lauren’s back and began to guide her toward the door, hoping everyone else would follow. “It’s a little complicated, but like I said. I’ll explain it to you in the helicopter.”

The five of them exited out a small door into the teeth of the blizzard. Fifty yards away sat a Bell 412, its rotors still turning. A figure was making his way through the snow toward them.

“Is one of you Henry Parrish?” the crewman called out. “Are you the people we’re taking to the hospital?”

“I’m Henry Parrish.”

“Right this way, sir. Here, take my coat. You’ll freeze out here.”

Henry accepted the heavy coat and slipped it on. “Thanks.”

“The weather came up enough for us to fly about half an hour ago,” the crewman explained above the whine of the helicopter’s engines. “Or we would have been here sooner. Sorry about your airplane, sir.”

“Can we fly over it on our way out?”

“Yes, sir. You’ll be able to see it. It’s kind of hard to miss.”

Several minutes later, all of them were seated and the Bell helicopter’s blades became a blur as the engines spooled up. The skids pulled free of the snow and they rose straight into the sky. Once above the hangars, the pilot pivoted the helicopter smartly and turned southeast. Moments later, Donovan saw the eerie glow in front of them and pointed it out to the others. They all watched in silence as the wreckage from 880 came into view.

Donovan grimaced at the sight and Lauren took his hand. Banks of temporary lights had already been erected, bathing what was left of the 737 in brilliant white light. The flashing lights from a legion of emergency vehicles added to the horrific scene. Donovan could see from Henry’s expression that he wasn’t prepared for the image of Audrey’s plane and how forlorn it looked sitting in the snow. From this vantage point, Donovan realized just how close he’d come to going over the edge of the thirty-foot embankment. The tail was cocked at an odd angle. He winced as he remembered how hard they hit. He also knew it was a miracle that another wrecked 737 wasn’t burning nearby, one with Henry, Michael, Lauren and Matt inside. A sick feeling crept through him as he wondered what Henry and Matt must be thinking. They sped away, and Henry turned to take a final look at the wreckage.

“That’s so weird, Dad,” Matt said. “We were so close to it when it was still flying. But it’s still pretty much intact. Maybe Mom’s all right?”

Henry nodded and put his arm around Matt. “I hope so, son.”

CHAPTER FORTY

Donovan had just finished describing his conversation with Holcomb when the forward momentum of the helicopter slowed. Ahead was the brightly lit hospital. It only took Donovan a moment to locate the landing pad. The helicopter made a circling approach and set up into the wind. Moments later, the skids touched down firmly. The door was pulled open and the crewman helped them down to the ground.

“Good luck, Captain Parrish,” the fireman called out, as the five of them steeled themselves against the cold and ran down the narrow walkway toward double glass doors.

Donovan kept Lauren’s hand firmly in his own as they neared the entrance. The doors opened and a group of people stood waiting inside for them.

“I’m looking for my wife, Audrey Parrish!” Henry said to the first person he saw.

“Henry.” A woman hurried in their direction. “Oh thank God you’re here. Leo called and said you were on your way.”

“Nancy.” Henry reached out and gave the woman a gentle hug.

“I heard what you did.” Her tears flowed as she held on to the man who had saved her husband. “I am so thankful.” She looked at Matt and reached out to grasp his hand “You must be Matt. I haven’t seen you since you were a little boy. I understand I have you to thank as well.”

“Nancy, this is Donovan Nash.” Henry pulled away and introduced the two. “Donovan, this is John’s wife, Nancy.”

“I’m so grateful for what you did up there. John couldn’t tell me much, but he said he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”