I understand, Overholt said, let me see what I can do and Ill call you
back.
The telephone went dead and Hanley stared at the map on the monitor in the control room. The blip from the radar image of the Cessna was just crossing over the shoreline. He began to dial.
YES, SIR, THE pilot of the Challenger 604 sitting in Aberdeen said. We have been running the turbines every half hour to keep them warm. We can be off the ground as soon as we receive clearance.
The target has just reached land at Cape Wrath, Hanley said, so fly east first, then turn north. It appears his present course is toward Glasgow.
What do we do when we reach him?
Just follow him, Hanley said, until the British jets arrive.
While Hanley and the pilot had been talking, the copilot had received clearance for takeoff. He motioned to the pilot.
We just got clearance, the pilot told Hanley, is there anything else?
Keep an eye out for our chairman. Hes aboard the Robinson helicopter and hes low on fuel.
Well do it, sir, the pilot said as he advanced the throttles and began to taxi toward the runway.
A light mist wet the windshield of the Challenger as the pilot steered down the access road toward the main runway. From the looks of the clouds to the north, it was only going to get worse. Lining up on the runway, the pilot ran through his checks.
Then he advanced the throttles to the stops and raced down the runway.
JAMES BENNETT STARED at his fuel gauge with concern. He wouldnt make Glasgow with the fuel onboard, so he adjusted his course slightly to port. Bennetts plan was to stay over land in case he had to make an emergency landing, so he decided his new course would be south to Inverness then almost due east to Aberdeen. Hed be lucky if he reached the Scottish port. But Bennett was not a lucky man.
Just then his telephone rang.
We have a problem, the voice said. We just intercepted a British communication stating they are scrambling a pair of fighter jets to intercept you. We have perhaps fifteen minutes until they reach you.
Bennett glanced at his watch. That is a problem, he said quickly. Ive had to change course because of fuel. I can no longer make Glasgow like wed planned. The best I can do is maybe Aberdeenand I cant reach there before the jets arrive.
Even if you had the chance to refuel in the Faeroes, the voice said, it now turns out that Glasgow would have been out because of the British fighters heading your way. What about the helicopter? Do you think hes still following?
I havent seen him since I left, Bennett said. My guess is they turned back.
Good, the voice said, then my plan should work. Get out your chart.
Bennett opened the chart showing Scotland. Got it, he said.
Do you see Inverness?
Bennett glanced at the chart. Yep.
Right south of there, do you see the large lake?
Youre kidding, Bennett said.
Nope, the voice said, Loch Ness. Fly along the east sidewe have a team on the ground in a truck. They are going to pop smoke so you can see them.
Popping smoke was a military term for igniting smoke grenades to mark a position.
Then what? Bennett asked.
Come in low and drop the cargo out the door, the voice said. They will retrieve it and bring it the rest of the way.
What about me? Bennett asked.
You let the fighter jets force you down at an airport, the voice said. Then once the Cessna is searched and found to be empty, they will think this was all just a mistake.
Brilliant, Bennett said.
Thats what I thought too, the voice said before disconnecting.
THE ROBINSON HELICOPTER carrying Cabrillo and Adams passed over the rocky shoreline. Adams made a thumbs-up sign to Cabrillo, then turned on the microphone.
Looks like well live, Adams said. If we run out of fuel now, I can do an autorotation to the ground.
I hope that if it comes to that, youve been practicing.
I do a few every week, Adams said, just in case.
The cloud cover was thickening the farther inland they flew. Every now and then the men could catch a glimpse of the snow-covered hills of Scotland below. Thirty seconds earlier, Cabrillo had caught a quick glimpse of the flashing taillight of the Cessna above.
The jets should be out there now, Cabrillo said as he reached for the satellite telephone and called Hanley.
THE OREGON WAS steaming south from the Faeroe Islands at full speed. Soon a decision would have to be made about whether to steam west along Scotland and Ireland or east between the Shetland Islands and the Orkneys into the North Sea. Hanley was watching the projections flash across the monitors
when his telephone rang.
Whats the status? Cabrillo asked without preamble.
Overholt had trouble getting the British jets scrambled, Hanley said. Last word was they just left Mindenhall. If they travel at Mach one-plus, they should reach you in a half hour, give or take.
We dont have a half hour of fuel left, Cabrillo said.
Im sorry, Juan, Hanley said. I dispatched the Challenger from Aberdeen to take up the pursuit until the fighters arrive. They can track the Cessna and call me with the information. Were going to get this guydont worry about that.