He was fixated on the door, the gap was becoming smaller and smaller; the darkness outside was being shut out. Eventually it clunked shut and the noisy electric motor stopped. He reached over and pulled the safety catch to its lock position. He fell back exhausted, breathing heavily; slowly he raised himself up and started back towards the lift that would take him to the passengers. When he reached the galley, he went into business class and walked over to Holly who was still lying where they had left her a short while ago.
“Holly.”
“Yes, captain.”
“I think you need to come in here and listen to what I have to say.”
Holly pulled the blanket back and eased herself from the seat. Grimacing and wincing she followed David into the economy class. David tried as best he could to stand up straight and appear calm and in control. As he stepped through the curtains the passengers were clustered in the middle aisle.
“Ladies & Gentlemen!” he announced, he moved towards them clutching at the chair backs and leaning heavily against them.
“What’s happening?” William asked.
David turned and gestured Holly to pass him and join the passengers.
David smiled, took a deep breath and rested against the back of a seat. He crossed his legs and arms and smiled at the passengers.
“Ladies & Gentlemen!” he repeated, “You have no doubt noticed that where we have landed is not where we’re supposed to be. The truth of the matter is…” he paused… “I don’t know where we are or possibly when we are.”
“When we are?” Holly replied.
“Look, what I’m about to tell you sounds ridiculous and stupid, but you need to listen!”
David went on to explain what he had found when he went looking for the detached piece of plane, he made it clear that with the lack of fuel and damage to the tail as well as the fact that the wheels had now sunk into the soft moss; the plane could not take off again, so wherever they were was where they were staying. Then he paused, his face changed, a look of sadness came across it, his eyes started to water and they looked heavy and mournful, the colour washed away from him. He looked like someone who was about to deliver bad news, and he was! Looking around the group of people he explained that Steven had been killed during the event and that something had happened to Lynsey, and whilst he didn’t know what, at first light he had decided he was going to find out.
William stepped forward. “So what do we do?” David’s stance and expression changed, his colour came back and he wiped his face clear of the few tears that had escaped his eyes. Now he looked like the captain again, a man in charge that knew what to do and everybody felt comforted and calmer for it.
“Ok, the plane can provide power for now but to get the most we can from the generators we need to cut the power usage. We should switch off everything we’re not using, all the overhead lights throughout the cabins that we don’t need and the screens. As for everything else I’ll go into avionics and shut down all the unnecessary systems. We should also keep all the cabin doors closed tight, and use the cargo bay door to get in and out of the plane. We can split into teams and go through the cargo there might be things that we can use.”
David sighed and dropped his head. Slowly he looked back up at the group, the mournful look had come back again, but it was different, he had a determined look about him as well, this time it wasn’t just grief it was also anger and this time he managed to keep his eyes clear. “Tomorrow I’m heading out to find out what happened to Lynsey, any help would be appreciated, and we need to bury Steven”
One by one the cabin lights on the aircraft started to blink out, and the sound of the air flowing through the ventilation system disappeared, there seemed no point in keeping it running now they were stuck fast on the ground.
The LCD screens blinked and row by row went blank, the back-lit switches above the seats that would summon a steward or adjust the air flow went dim as did the floor lighting.
David was in the avionics bay shutting down all the systems that they no longer needed. The exit and fasten seat belt signs became dark and finally the soft blue illumination that back-lit the overhead lockers and bathed the entire cabin in a soft calming glow was switched off.
The aircraft was slowly plunged into darkness, its bright silhouette against the now dark trees slowly disappeared, until only a few lights remained on where the group were huddled together.
David made his way back to the flight deck and sat in the captain’s chair looking directly ahead. The ultra-bright landing lights now lit the pitch black outside the aircraft and the ground caught in the beam stood out a brilliant green against the void around them. All the other outside lights used for navigation and recognition on the wings, fuselage and tail had been extinguished. David put his hand on the switch and with a flick of his finger outside went deathly black. The flight deck was now only dimly lit, the few remaining readouts and instruments that could not be switched off without cutting all of the plane’s power gave off a soft green glow, and the one white light above him hardly competed with it. His hand moved above his head and it too was put out.
William sat in his seat and looked out the window into the pitch black. Turning round he watched the other passengers settling down and talking amongst themselves, some of them headed through to business class to use the fold down beds. He smiled to himself and thought, “Some people will use any excuse for a free upgrade.”
Sarah was across the other side of the plane talking to a worried looking women, she had her hands in the women’s hands which were clasped tight on her knees. Sarah caught his eye and smiled at him. William nodded and gave a quick smile before turning his gaze back to the window. Reaching up he pulled down the blind and fell into a restless and unsettled sleep.
He awoke to sounds of movement. Some of the passengers were making a start on the day, using the toilets and galley. It amazed him how they seemed to be sticking to their normal routines, sitting having breakfast from the food that remained in the galley, reading yesterday’s papers again, smiling to himself he turned and lifted the blind. He was met with a leaden grey sky, rain streaked against his small window and the plane softly and only just noticeably, sawed as the wind that ran across the clearing caught the wings and lifted the huge frame. He pulled his blanket back across him and stood up. He figured he might as well join in and have breakfast while there was some food left. David had slept in the pilot’s bunk which was located behind the flight deck. Making his way to the galley he stopped by Holly to see how she was. He stooped down beside her and before he spoke he looked at her just for a moment. She was lying in a foetal position, with a blanket over her, she looked rested and comfortable; her head buried deep into one of the complimentary pillows offered only to the highest paying customers.
She opened her eyes and immediately she smiled at him.
“How are you doing?”
“Ok, the pain seems to be either going or I’m getting used to it” she replied in a soft sleepy voice, “but I think we’re running out of painkillers.”
“I have some in my overnight bag, Holly, I’m sure everything will be ok sooner or later.”
David didn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, he had no reason to think that it would be ok or that they would ever be found or helped in any way. He didn’t add anything else to their conversation, he just stood and turned towards the galley.
After everybody had eaten and done whatever their normal morning start-up ritual was he gathered them all by the curtains that separated the galley and passenger cabins. “Ok, I need volunteers. I need people to go through the luggage to see if anything can be used either now or later. I need someone to stay with Holly and I need someone to come with me.”
William looked around, and no-one spoke, they all seemed too nervous to be the first. They reminded him of an audience that had gone to see a magician who had then asked for a volunteer he wanted to humiliate on stage. He stepped forward, “Hi, I’m William.” He extende
d his arm towards David.
“David,” was the only reply as he took William’s hand and gave it a strong clenching shake.
“I’ll come with you, David.”
“Thanks.”
David let go of his hand and smiled at him. Sarah looked up from the floor that she had been staring at like a child in a class who desperately didn’t want to be picked on by the teacher to read or explain whatever the subject matter was.
“I’m Sarah. I’ve done some work at my local health clinic, I’ll look after Holly.”
David nodded and gestured for Sarah to go past him to where Holly was.
“Hi, I’m Nicholas, but please, call me Nick.”
David turned to his left from where the voice was coming. The man was about 5ft 10’, 180lbs, he was bald with a small goatee beard and one earring in his right ear. He was wearing a plain pair of jeans and white plain T-shirt with brown suede shoes. “As far as the luggage is concerned, why don’t we just go through our own and take out what we know we can use?”
David had a look that was a cross of frustration and agreement running across his face. “That’s fine, Nick,” he answered, “but we don’t just carry passengers’ luggage, we also have luggage that didn’t make the other flights and was left behind and we also courier stuff as well, so there will be things down there that none of you will be aware of.”
Nick stepped back into the small crowd as if to acknowledge the fact that his idea was not a very good one.
“Ok,” David broke the uneasy silence that had followed Nick’s idea, “The rest of you follow me down to the cargo bay, the actual passenger luggage is always located on the left of the aircraft, so you all know what’s in there. The stuff you need to go through will be on the right side, any questions?” As always with these situations, there were none.
He led the passengers down into the cargo bay through the hatch. Now the power was only feeding essential systems the lift had been made redundant. Once down he took them to the cargo bay door that he had scrambled through the previous night after finding traces of blood from where Lynsey had waited for him.
“This is the cargo bay door, and I think this is where Lynsey was taken from. Once William and I are out I want you to close the door behind us.”
Another member of the group stepped forward, “Hi, ermm how will we know when to open it?”
David rolled his bottom lip.
“You are?”
“Oh, sorry I’m Amy.”
“Ok Amy, we don’t carry walkie talkies on planes and I think we can count cell phones out, so when we reach the door we’ll tap three times then two, ok?”
The group nodded and accepted what they were told.
“Now, usually the door opens electronically but of course the power feeding it has been cut, so you’ll have to use the manual winder here.”
David pointed to what looked like a starting handle from a 1920s car, “But first remove the safety catch, then it’s clockwise to open and anti-clockwise to close, and make sure once it’s closed the safety catch is fastened!”
David turned to face the group.
“Behind that bulk head is Steven’s body. It is wrapped but it needs to be buried, whoever does it you do it in teams and you bury him deep, and most importantly you keep a look out.” With that he pushed the catch across and started to wind open the door. At first he only opened it just enough to look through as if to make sure the coast was clear, even though he didn’t know what it was supposed to be clear of.
As the door opened the wind that had been gently rocking the aircraft came into the bay. Although it had died down a lot and the rain had long since stopped it still had a chill about it, the air once again seemed to feel as if it was somehow concentrated, the net started to flap and the paper labels on the cargo rustled.
When David was satisfied he turned the handle until it was far enough open for him and William to drop out the net and climb down. He tossed out the net and gestured to William to climb down with him. They crouched onto their hands and knees and lowered themselves backwards onto the net. Slowly they made their way down the net until they felt the firm ground beneath their feet. Looking back up, David gestured to Nick and watched as he pulled up the net. Once in, the door shuddered and slowly it closed sealing them both out of the safety that the plane promised. David stood under the plane looking at the ground and then up at the underside.
The blood he had seen the previous night was still there, even with the wind and rain that had pelted them overnight; it still hadn’t washed it all off.
William walked over to join him. David turned. “Ready?” William simply gave him a nod and the two men set off in the direction the trail of blood led them.
Chapter Four
Four weeks had passed since Bruce and Simon had arrived and been met by the sight that would change their lives forever. They had worked feverishly to try and work out what they had found and the aircraft was now completely unearthed, though they had still not gained access to it.
Bruce was at site bravo with Andrea. Since their difficult start they had formed a working relationship that was workable, even if it was a delicate one, it was based on mutual respect for each other. It was painfully obvious to anyone who had worked with either of them that they both knew their jobs well, and that at least they had that in common. Site alpha had been abandoned, apart from the initial find, nothing new had been discovered there and the team was now permanently working on site charlie under the guidance of Simon.
Bruce and Andrea were standing at the foot of the examination table. Lying on it was the last skeleton that had been removed from the grave. The skeleton that they looked at now was male, average height and it seemed by the stress and wear and tear on the joints; he had been of average build and weight too.
After a short - and as usual direct conversation between Andrea and Bruce - they had decided to send it to the pathology lab that the other two had been sent to, to try and establish his age, how long he had been dead and if possible: the actual cause of death.
Bruce turned and headed for the exit, his next stop would be site charlie; this is where his expertise lay and if he was honest - his interest.
He stepped out of the tent and into the hot afternoon. Starting on his walk he was interrupted by Susan who had just returned from a two-day trip to the Smithsonian in Washington. She had gone following a call she had received from them.
After the first two skeletons had been examined their skulls had been carefully removed and sent there for forensic facial reconstruction, and Susan had had the call she was waiting for, they had completed them both.
“Bruce!” she yelled, as clearly as she could, but after running from her parked truck through the midday heat to find him, she was out of breath.
Bruce turned to see her running over to him.
“Susan, you’re back, how did it go?”
Susan’s pace slowed as she approached him. Bending forward to rest her hands on her knees, she fought to catch her breath, looking up at him she gasped out as clearly as she could, “You gotta come see this.” She looked full of excitement and enthusiasm. “Really,” she repeated, “you gotta come see this!”
Standing erect again she put her hands on her hips and smiled at him. Breathing a little easier now she led Bruce over to her truck and flung open the tailgate. Inside was a large wooden box, the type that would house an antique sewing machine or other valuables; it was highly polished and had brass fasteners at the bottom and a leather handle on the top.
“Here, help me carry this over to my tent, I don’t want anybody else to see it, not yet.”
Bruce simply shrugged his shoulders and leaned into the truck, grabbing one side of the box. They walked carefully inside, stepping to Susan’s tent and placed it onto a picnic table.
“Ok, what’s in the mystery box, Susan?”
She smiled and unclipped the bottom fasteners. Slowly she raised the lid of the box leaving only the bottom of it on the tabl
e. As she did Bruce could see what the excitement was, in front of him looking directly back at him were the reconstructed faces of John & Jane Doe.
Susan placed the lid on the floor and looked at Bruce.
“So, what do you think?”
“This is them?” he replied.
“Well, as close as they think, they can’t tell how much fat was on the face or hair colour, but they can interpret skeletal features that reveal the age, sex, ancestry, and anatomical features like: facial asymmetry, evidence of injuries before death, etc.”
Bruce looked up at Susan, “I’ve seen this kind of thing on the Discovery Channel but never up close.”
Turning back to the female. “So, the blonde hair is a guess?”
“They say it is, Bruce, but it’s an educated guess; the same as the lip shapes and eye colour etc.”
“So why blonde, Susan? Why not brunette or red?”
Susan looked a little disappointed; the excitement now removed from her face. She should have expected it from Bruce; he was very matter of fact; very much for what could be proven.
“Bruce, I don’t know, I didn’t question them. I accepted what they said, but at least now we have some idea of who they were, and there’s no reason why we can’t investigate further to try and ID them.”
Bruce turned to her and sighed, even he could tell that he had overstepped the mark, he had taken the wonderment out of it for her, like his grandmother had one Saturday morning while he watched his B-movies in wonder, she had explained to him how the dinosaurs he was watching were just clay models; no larger than the toys he would play with after the movie. He knew from this exactly how she felt.
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