“Lieutenant Bailey, you can pick up the EP where he left off, change anything you like, or start all over,” the instructor said.
Bud Bailey stood. “Sir, I’d like to start over.”
“Go ahead, Lieutenant Bailey.”
“Okay sir, I’ve got a catastrophic engine failure at my go-no-go speed. I scan all the engines. What do I see?”
“You scan the engine gages, and you see the same thing as Lieutenant Conrad. Everything is winding down on your number two engine.”
“Okay, sir.” Bailey took a deep breath. “With a catastrophic engine failure at go-no-go speed, I elect to abort the takeoff. I’ll do this by applying the procedures for abort. That is, throttles idle, brakes as required. Am I able to stop the aircraft, sir?”
Jason’s chin fell toward his chest as he grimaced, staring at the ground, realizing at once the mistake he’d made.
“Yes, you are.”
“Okay, sir, once I do that, I’ll shut down the engines and emergency ground egress. I’ll make sure I get my seat pin in and exit the aircraft on my side. I take my chute and head off at a forty-five-degree angle, three hundred feet away, trying to avoid any firetrucks.”
“Okay, good job. Have a seat.” The instructor went on to explain the emergency in greater detail. Jason tried to pay attention, but he was drained. This was an easy one and he blew it. He was letting outside events distract him. Five-thirty in the morning and he already wanted to go home. The highest highs and the lowest lows, Rawlings had told him. Why did the lows seem to come more often than the highs?
* * *
CHAPTER 5
* * *
August 11, 1995
* * *
IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY for a Friday, but Jason struggled through it. He reviewed his Dash One and listened to other students brief and debrief their first flight in the aircraft known as “the dollar ride”. After work, Jason and his friends headed to Chicaros for the flight party. Chicaros sat on the northern outskirts of Enid, covering the northwest corner of a T-intersection, across from an empty lot and the Enid Speedway. The outside of the building was a dilapidated, no-frills white structure with a gravel parking lot.
Lenny, Vince, Matt, and Jason arrived at quarter to six. Matt had become a Chicaros regular during his short stay in Enid. The four of them squinted to make the transition from bright daylight to the dark interior bar, as they pushed through the small crowd inside.
“Hey, guys! Matt, the usual?” asked the bartender as he placed mugs in the over-sized freezer.
“Hey, bud! Four large beers,” Matt said as he saddled up to the bar.
“Run a tab?”
“Always. Hey, these are some friends of mine. This is Jason, Vince, and the pale-looking one is Lenny.”
“Pleasure to meet you guys.” The bartender disappeared around the L-shaped bar.
Jason had heard stories about Chicaros, but it was his first time here. Chicaros was a bar for pilots. The walls were lined with pictures of T-37s and T-38s flying in formation, plus snapshots of various aircraft, flown by previous clientele. Plaques from several places hung on the walls amid pictures from Desert Storm and other hotspots around the globe.
The bartender brought out four, thirty-two-ounce frosted mugs filled with beer. “Here you go.” He lined the mugs up neatly in a row and moved to the other end of the bar to serve someone else.
Matt raised his frosty mug. “A toast.”
“To what?” Vince said, as the other three raised their glasses.
“To survival.” Jason tapped the other mugs with his own.
“I’ll second that,” Lenny said. Those were the first words he had said since they had entered the bar. Beer poured out the sides of his mouth as he chugged.
“Jason, I wouldn’t worry about today,” Matt said. “It’s gonna happen to us all, sooner or later.”
“Well, it happened to me, and I didn’t like it.” Jason’s shoulders sagged. “I must be trying too hard . . . I’m putting too much pressure on myself.”
“If that’s what you think,” Vince said, “then you probably are.”
Jason glared at Vince. The remark dripped of condescension as Vince no longer considered him a threat. Vince had struck up a friendship with Jason when the course first started. It was awkward and unusual, but Jason soon realized it was a case of “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Once Jason began to struggle academically, Vince moved on.
“What I think is, it’s time for me to get ripped.” Jason took a swig from his mug.
“Amen, brother,” Matt said, and followed suit.
Someone in the bar cranked up the music as Jimmy Buffett’s Changes in Latitudes blared out of the speakers.
“I think I’m gonna be homesick,” Jason said, “I love Buffett. Reminds me of spring break. Long walks on the white sands of the Florida gulf coast.”
Jason’s comment was cut short as someone came up behind him and grabbed him in a bear hug. Half his beer spilled on the floor. The other three laughed at their helpless friend.
“No homesick momma’s boys in my flight, Conrad.” Jason recognized the voice of Gus McTaggart. “But if you’re dying to get sick, we’ve got a keg of beer out back.”
Gus released Jason. “Well, I guess I’ll go refill my mug since you decided to help me empty it.”
“Blow me,” Gus said.
“Thanks, but the beer tastes better,” Jason said. “Very professional of you to offer, though. Sets a fine example for us young troops.”
Gus took a draught of his own beer. “Go fill up your mug, gomer.”
Jason saluted, turned, and maneuvered through the bar to the back door. The keg sat in the far corner of the patio. Jason eagerly filled up his mug. He was tempted to grab a second and spend the night as a two-fisted drinker, he needed to unload some stress. As he turned around, he bumped into someone, splashing his beer on his pants.
“AAHHH, this is not my day. God must not want me to drink tonight.” He wiped the beer off his pants.
“I don’t think God had anything to do with this—it was all me. I’m sorry, let me help you with that.”
The first thing he noticed after her soft but confident voice, was the enticing fragrance of her perfume. It had a rosy smell with an edge to it, strong, but not overpowering. But when he glanced up at her, he couldn’t believe his eyes. About five-foot four, her jet-black hair cropped in a wedge style, and blue eyes, made his knees weak. Her olive skin was enhanced by a black tank top and khaki shorts. She reached forward and wiped his upper thigh with her towel. Jason stood speechless.
“I didn’t realize you were behind me. I tend to rush myself when I work.” She rubbed along his thigh and never broke eye contact. “You don’t mind if I do this, do you?”
Jason shook his head. It was only somewhat embarrassing. He had no desire to meet anyone, not matter how good she looked. “It’s not your fault. Sometimes I’m careless. Please don’t feel bad.”
Her eyebrows jutted upward. “Oh, okay. Bye.”
Surprised at her response, he sulked as she walked off. She sure was quick to relinquish blame, he thought. Chivalry’s not dead, but it’s easily ignored. He refilled his beer and as he pulled his mug from under the tap, he felt a tap on his shoulder. As he turned, two beautiful blue eyes stared at him again.
“That was sweet of you.”
“Sweet?”
“Yes, sweet. It was my fault and you did your best not to make me feel guilty. That’s rare for a guy these days. Especially a pilot.”
“Student pilot. We’re not allowed to be arrogant until we actually graduate.”
She chuckled. “Well, if it helps, you don’t appear stressed out.”
“Looks can be deceiving, but thanks. I’m Jason Conrad.”
“Hi, Jason.” She extended her hand. “Kathy. Kathy Delgato.”
“Hello, Kathy. It’s my pleasure.”
Kathy’s eyes gave him a quick once-over. “I need to get back to w
ork. Are you going to be here all night?”
“No, if I stay too long, I’ll do something to embarrass myself. I’m sure I’ll leave a little early.”
“Well, don’t be a stranger while you’re here.”
“I won’t. You can count on that.”
Kathy turned and walked back inside, stopping to pick up empty beer bottles on the way. His eyes tracked her every movement. Glancing back, she noticed him watching her; and she smiled.
She disappeared into the dark confines of the bar. He surprised himself with the interest he showed in her. It had been years since he had been attracted to another woman, but he could not take his eyes off her. Sure, she was beautiful, but women like that were a dime a dozen around pilots. No, something was different about her. Something that held his attention.
Matt passed her as she walked in; his eyes followed her like Jason’s did.
“Man, is she a good-looking gal or what?” Matt said.
“She’s gorgeous.” Jason sipped his beer.
“Okay, so good-looking was an understatement.”
“She seems nice. What do you know about her?”
Matt winked. “That’s valuable information in these here parts, my friend. That there is a prime target for many a young buck. Come back at rutting season and you’ll have to fight them off two at a time.”
Jason set his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Life’s too short to listen to you beat around the bush. Spill it.”
“I think she’s from San Antonio.” Matt took a long swallow from his beer. “Heard something about her following some boyfriend from Randolph up here. She used to date an instructor who got an assignment and left her in Enid. Typical story. Right girl chasing wrong guy. She didn’t tell you?”
“I didn’t get that far.”
“You must be out of practice, partner.”
“I am, bozo. Where you been the last month?”
“I’ve been inside the bar here,” Matt said. “And I’ve got the bar tab to prove it.”
The two friends walked inside and sat back at the table.
“Where did you guys go?” Lenny said.
“Just a little recon action by my friend Conrad here. And he was quite successful, if I do say so myself,” Matt said.
“If he did so well, where’s the girl?” Vince said. “If you’re not going home with her, you lose.”
“She’s not that type of girl, Vince. She’s got class. Enough to avoid you,” Matt said.
“Class, huh? Let me tell you guys something . . . they’re all that type of girl. It just takes the right guy to lead them down the path.”
“Vince, you can be such an asshole,” Matt said. “Give the guy some slack. He’s on the rebound.”
“Only the strong survive, my friend. If you have a problem playing by the rules, you might want to take up another sport.” Vince left the table. “Now, if you toads have nothing better to do, watch a master at work.”
Vince gave Lenny a sneer over his shoulder and walked toward Kathy.
“Don’t look at me for help,” Lenny said, “I’m with Matt. I’ve always thought you were an asshole.”
* * *
* * *
* * *
UNSHAKEN, VINCE SLINKED to the bar and slid next to the well-tanned figure picking up a heavy order of beers and mixed drinks on her tray. He stared wantonly in a manner that would have been corny, had it not been so rude. His eyes traced every curve of her body. “I must say, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think I’m in love.”
Kathy turned. “Nice try, soldier. That line went out in the ‘50s.”
He leaned on the bar next to her. “Well, I watch a lot of old movies.”
“Obviously.”
“Hey, I realize you’re busy. But I was wondering when you’re going to take me to dinner.”
Her eyebrows scrunched over her blank expression. “Really? Don’t you think I should have your children first?”
Vince smiled. He liked her. Admitting defeat, he stuck out his hand. “Hi, I’m Vince Andrews.”
Kathy smiled, smug with her victory, and shook his hand. “Kathy.”
“Kathy. That’s a lovely name. Kathy what?”
“Oh, no, if I tell you, then I’ve got to tell the next guy, and he’ll tell his friends. The next thing you know, all of you will be calling me day and night.”
“You sound confident.”
“Well, you approached me, remember?”
“So, what you’re telling me is, I shouldn’t bother asking for your number?”
Kathy hoisted the tray of drinks off the bar and balanced them on her shoulder. “I think I underestimated you, Vince Andrews. You’re not as dumb as I thought.” She walked to the other side of the restaurant.
Vince smiled as she left. She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no either—and with an attitude like hers, she would have. They would meet again. He was sure of it.
“Everybody hits on Kathy,” a voice said. Vince turned to see a girl standing next to him. She stood about five-seven with more than ample breasts and bleach-blond hair. Attractive, though Vince thought she could stand to lose fifteen or twenty pounds.
“Just being friendly, like I’m being friendly now. My name is Vince.”
“I’m Gwendolyn. I’m a travel agent downtown. Are you a pilot?”
“Yes, I am,” Vince said, not disturbed by his less-than-truthful answer. “Would you like a drink?”
“Sure. How about a Sex on the Beach?” she said with a smile.
Vince got the hint at once and signaled the bartender. “Give me a Sex on the Beach for the young lady here. Put it on Jason Conrad’s tab.”
The bartender sifted through the tabs behind the bar. “You don’t have a tab open. You want me to start one?”
“Yeah.” Vince grinned slyly, pointing to the table where his friends sat. “And send all those guys a kamikaze on me.”
“You got it,” The bartender took off to mix the drinks.
“Hey,” Gwendolyn said playfully, punching him in the arm, “you said your name was Vince.”
“It is. I’m playing a joke on my buddy.”
“Doesn’t sound like a very nice joke to play on a good friend.”
Vince shrugged his shoulders as he handed her the shot glass. It wasn’t a nice joke, but they weren’t good friends.
* * *
Find out what happens to Jason next!
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Retribution Page 13
