RTW-TWO Leg 5 Part 2
Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:02 amNearly an hour after take-off I see the coast of South Korea looming up towards me. I flick on the intercomm hoping to pick up Todd and his crew preparing. All I can hear are some distant voices from somewhere in the cargo hold. I continue flying, watching my co-ordinates on the GPS as I'm sure Todd is doing as well. We approach the drop spot. The cargo doors open. My mind starts tugging on an odd memory. I hear snapping. I'm not sure if it's the cargo ropes, or my mind finally pulling the memory that I've long been tugging at free. I'm back over the pacific ocean, on my way to Tokyo. The cargo doors open. I hear the sound of snapping ropes. Todd's voice cracks onto the intercomm. "We've lost the AG-14"...
My mind snaps back to reality as a building tower of rage starts to consume me. Todd dumped the AG-14! And lied again!! The cargo doors start to close, as I close my anger under a tight lid.
Soon the opposite coast of Korea appears. I hear Todd's phone ringing over the intercomm followed by him answering it.
"Yes?... Good to hear... Is it all there?... Another drop? Where?... I'll see what I can do..."
The ocean opens up in front of me. As it rolls on over the horizon I start to think. I need to somehow bring Todd in. The best place I can think of taking him is to the US.
ATC contacts me and vectors me onto final at Beijing. I fly without a hitch and am soon only metres from the runway.
I put her down and tuck her in for the night and decide to do the same for myself. We check in at one of the airport hotels and head for our rooms. I flick on the TV as the news starts.
"Our top story this hour. The C-5A military cargo plane found to be missing 6 months ago has been spotted taking off in Tokyo. US forces deny that the plane is missing or stolen and that it is there on orders, other reports say otherwise. Authorities have been contacted as to its destination. We will have more soon."
A photo of the plane is displayed, zoomed in on the pilot. I sit in shock as my face stares back at me through the TV.
My mind snaps back to reality as a building tower of rage starts to consume me. Todd dumped the AG-14! And lied again!! The cargo doors start to close, as I close my anger under a tight lid.
Soon the opposite coast of Korea appears. I hear Todd's phone ringing over the intercomm followed by him answering it.
"Yes?... Good to hear... Is it all there?... Another drop? Where?... I'll see what I can do..."
The ocean opens up in front of me. As it rolls on over the horizon I start to think. I need to somehow bring Todd in. The best place I can think of taking him is to the US.
ATC contacts me and vectors me onto final at Beijing. I fly without a hitch and am soon only metres from the runway.
I put her down and tuck her in for the night and decide to do the same for myself. We check in at one of the airport hotels and head for our rooms. I flick on the TV as the news starts.
"Our top story this hour. The C-5A military cargo plane found to be missing 6 months ago has been spotted taking off in Tokyo. US forces deny that the plane is missing or stolen and that it is there on orders, other reports say otherwise. Authorities have been contacted as to its destination. We will have more soon."
A photo of the plane is displayed, zoomed in on the pilot. I sit in shock as my face stares back at me through the TV.