The call had come the night before, the unfamiliar voice sounded threatning and very insistant.
"I believe you are rated on the Raytheon Beechjet 400?"
"I am sir ..... May I ask who you are and why you ask?"
"No ...... Just be at LIRF before 5.30am, enter through the cargo gate and make sure you're not followed. You'll find the aircraft ready to go behind the main cargo shed all flightplans will have been programed and approved. Get aboard and lock yourself in the cockpit. Don't touch anything untill you get a the signal."
I tried to interject but the voice continued with a more menacing tone.
"You'll get further instructions once airbourne and your Co Pilot will join you once we are clear of the airport."
I interrupted "What about regulations?"
"Don't wimp out about them we have it all under control, just make sure you're there and leave us to worry about everything else....... Oh... and one last thing it's more than your life and your bank balance is worth not to show up. Make sure you don't mention this call to anyone else JUST BE THERE!!"
The phone went dead.
I hurridly canceled the next days schedual and went to bed.
I arrrived at the appointed time and did exactly what I'd been told. No one challenged me at the gate into the airport, it was open and the guard wasn't to be seen. The aircraft was exactly where he'd said. I entered and climbed into the captains seat locking the door behind me. There was a note stuck to the yoke with coordinates, headings, speeds, altitudes and times typed out on it. I recognised the final destination coordinates as Venice.
As I read the note there was movement in the back of the aircraft and I heard the door shut.
"Start her up and taxi to 34L, take off immediately."
It was the voice from the night before.
I heard nothing else untill......
... we cleared the threashold and I was joined in the cockpit by a man in a black suit, he had a mask on but the voice was familiar. "Just fly the plane as it says on the note ..... do not deviate in any way and you wont have any worries." He produced a pistol and placed it on his knee.
We got a call from ATC.... "Ignore it!" the suited man said.
I flew the headings at the speeds required for the times stated...... nothing was said by the suited man.
As we descended toward Venice the weather became horrendous and I didn't have any METAR information... I asked if I could tune to ATIS ...... the reply was incredibly intimitating ...... he cocked the pistol and raised it to my head "JUST GET US DOWN !!"
After what seemed like an age of being buffeted about and thrown around in the crosswinds i managed to get the jet down. The suited man seemed to relax and lowered the gun "Taxi to the end of the runway and shut her down there."
I did exactly as I was told. I parked the aircraft at the end of the runway and shut down. The gunman left the cockpit and closed the door behind him as he left he said " Well done ....... sit here for 10 minutes and then taxi to general avaition parking do not leave the cockpit untill then.
I heard the cabin door open, then close and some cars driving off. I sat for 10 minutes and then moved the aircraft to GA parking. I shut down there and as I went to open the cabin door there was a briefcase with a label on it ..... "For the Pilot"
I opened it. My mouth dropped open it contained over 5 million euros and curiously, a paper dated for the next day with the headline "MAFIA BOSS DISSAPPEARS".
I left the aircraft and went to get a flight home.
enjoy
eno
Very nice shots and story eno.
