Tom’s phone rang, it was Benoit.
“Ok, it’s done. Be there in three hours. Everything will be ready for you.”
“Unbelievable, you’re a star,” Tom told Benoit.
“Well goodbye, it was nice knowing you. The next time we speak, I’ll be dead and so will you be,” Benoit half joked.
“Thanks Benoit.”
Tom looked across the tarmac at the airplane and began to panic. It was going to happen, he was going to fly a plane. Not just any plane. Across the tarmac, in a blaze of floodlights, sat the Airbus A380. It was one of only twelve Air France A380’s. Tom had noticed on his homepage, which of course was the Airbus website, that the A380 was used on the Paris to Johannesburg route
Benoit was the son of the Chief Executive Officer of Air France and Tom did not know how Benoit had pulled it off. He was truly amazed.
Lela, Kisho and Kano were dreading the call from Benoit. Lela more than anyone. She had watched Tom crash the very same plane many, many times. She knew he had mastered the simulator, but this was for real.
The phone rang again, it was Benoit.
“OK, here’s the story. The Aircraft has developed a fault and it needs to get back to Airbus at Toulouse. Our pilots on site are out of flying time and two replacements have been sent to pick up the aircraft, that’s your two guys. Two VIP’s are accompanying them as a gesture of goodwill, that’s you and Lela. The fault is minor but means that no passengers can fly. I’ve had to cance a flight with 382 passengers who are not going to be happy but we can sort that later! I’ve been on the phone and I think I’ve covered every angle. The head of security is Colonel Hibbert and he’s expecting you in the next two to three hours. All clearances for take off have been done and I think you’re good to go.”
“What about the crew, are they covered? Will they not sound the alarm?”
“Nope, covered, they’ve been given a week off and told to relax and enjoy themselves. They’re on a bus to Sun City as we speak.”
“How long until it’s missing?”
“I reckon you’ve got until Monday morning when the office opens and the plane is not at Toulouse being fixed. Then all hell will break loose.”
“You are amazing. I can’t tell you what this means.”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me soon enough. I’m looking forward to it and it had better be worth the beating and years of pocket money I’m going to lose.”
Tom turned to his new flight crew.
“What’s with the long faces?” asked Tom.
“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps the thought of flying in the largest commercial aircraft in history piloted by a thirteen year old pilot who has never flown a real plane before, is a bit scary” mused Kano.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” said Tom reassuring nobody, not even himself.
While Kisho and Kano looked for the flight crew uniforms they needed, Tom received a call from Papa.
“Where are you now?” Tom asked.
“The helicopters have just arrived and we’re about to board.”
“Excellent! And how did you get on with your calls?” asked Tom
Lela’s grandfather rhymed off a list of names and locations.
“I asked Rony to put a couple of mobile phones on the helicopters so we can keep in touch but I guess you already know that, otherwise you wouldn’t have called me!” said Tom ending the call slightly embarrassed.
Tom called Rony, the Malaysian PM’s son and thanked him for arranging the choppers so quickly. Tom then made a number of additional calls to ensure everything else would be in place on time.
Kano and Kisho arrived back in their new Captains’ uniforms, borrowed from staff lockers. They made their way back to the chopper to pick up their equipment. They found some airline trolleys and did their best to hide the small arsenal from the chopper. They then borrowed a van and made their way to the far side of the airport where the A380 stood almost alone under the blaze of floodlights. As they drew up to the aircraft, they noticed a contingent of soldiers guarding the plane.
“Colonel Hibbert, Captain Picard,” said Kano introducing himself to the head of security, laughing to himself at the reference to his favourite Star Trek Captain.
“Ah, we’ve been expecting you. The plane is fuelled and ready to go,” he said. “All rather strange this,” he added.
“What is?” asked Kano as innocently as his nerve allowed.
“Everything,” said Hibbert. “Reports of a non existent gang battle in the terminal alleging that fifteen people are dead and now an A380 is leaving without it’s passengers. I hope people are not concerned about security, my men are the best, you know.”
“Of course they are and I’m sure you’ve heard the reason for the early departure. It’s unavoidable I’m afraid,” replied Kano.
“Well I hope that’s true,” said Hibbert and walked away despondently.
They boarded the aircraft and as Lela, Kisho and Kano gawped at the huge cabin space, Tom turned left and made directly for the cockpit. It was uncanny. Everything was exactly the same as his simulator. This was going to be a piece of cake. Kisho and Kano loaded on their equipment and the ground crew removed the stairways and cleared the ground to allow the aircraft to taxi for take-off.
Fortunately, thanks to the design of the cockpit and the sheer size of aircraft, the ground crew could not see the young pilot at the controls. Kisho sat in the co-pilot’s seat, while Kano and Lela prayed to whatever Gods were listening.
Tom made his way to the head of the runway, Kisho doing all the talking to the control tower. The timing was perfect, the airport was deserted and the passengers who had been due to depart the following morning were tucked up in bed probably dreaming about their trip. Unfortunately for them, they were going to be disappointed. At 2.30 a.m. local time, 12.30 a.m. in London, Tom pushed the throttles to full power. The engines began to whine as the power increased and the plane fought against the airbrakes. As the plane hit full power, Tom released the brakes and the very light monster almost took off prematurely such was the force of the engines on the empty aircraft. The jolt sent them all firmly back in their seats as the plane forged its way along the 14,000 ft runway. Within seconds, the plane had reached its take off speed and they lifted gently into the night sky. Tom was flying!
As he levelled off, he hit the intercom button.
“Sorry about the takeoff. I usually practice that with a full aircraft and this is empty,” announced Tom.
Lela and Kano were in a trance. Tom’s voice was excited but calm and that probably meant that they were not going to die just then. They were ecstatic to be alive, at least until landing. So they cheered, weakly.
Tom set the co-ordinates on the auto pilot, sat back and relaxed. In just under eight hours, they would reach their destination, Masirah a small island off the coast of Oman and home to the Royal Oman Air Force. A phone call to Zafir, the son of the Sultan of Oman had resulted in the provision of a secluded airbase. It was perfect for landing a ‘borrowed’ super jumbo and was just within the fuel limits of the small jets which were flying in from Kota Kinabalu.
Tom’s plan, Operation Retribution, was now well underway.