Chapter 4

(Authors. Note: While Don and Tracy are winging it out to home at 35 000 feet, let us just look a bit at something happening in an undisclosed location, Somewhere on the same Continent.)

The morning sun was slanting just at the right angle through the Pine and Eucalyptus trees lining the lavish estate to the north of the city. The estate nestled on the side of a hill. Looking out to the west, the Atlantic Ocean was a shimmering blue pool in the distance. The breeze rustling through the leaves was still slight and refreshing. Almost lazy. But towards eleven ‘O’ Clock, it will pick up in intensity, until a full-blown Southeaster will lash at the estate. Humans and animals alike would then seek refuge anywhere indoors.

Now it was still calm. The sky had that washed out, light pale blue hue to it. High above puffy Sirius Stratus clouds pushed in from the northwest. Long white tendrils spreading out over the sky. The forerunner of an impending cold front moving in. Within three days a storm might hit.

Ludwig Hertz sat in a lounge chair on the patio of the estate sipping on a cup of Earl Grey tea. He was in his late forties. Blond hair still, well, blond and well kept. Cut short in a sort of military-style. He was of medium build. Not large. Not small, yet athletic in appearance. A testament to his Olympic aspirations in his youth.

He was casually dressed in his morning attire of white chinos, light blue dress shirt, light brown suede shoes, and polo socks. He had a relaxed air about him. Outwardly giving no indication of the anger boiling inside of him. He was not to be crossed. Not to be played and toyed with by the incompetent imbeciles working the outside fringe of his empire. An Empire he built from the ground up. An import and export enterprise. The movement of goods throughout the world.

With the growth of the Chinese economy, he had exploited the situation. Bring in billions of Dollars. Some of the exports to countries like Syria, Libya, Cameron, or other Eastern countries, could have raised an eyebrow or two somewhere. There were wars that didn’t warrant a sidebar in the local newspapers but filled the pockets of Hertz Global Corporation. Ludwig was well versed in the conflicts raging across the African Continent and elsewhere around the globe. He did not deal in drugs. No. That was looking for trouble. He paid his taxes, but the movement of goods to deep dark Africa intrigued him. The excitement of getting stuff through customs, he feasted on. Taking on more and more lucrative missions. That was the adrenaline-charged extreme to him. An extreme sport for him. Now some nincompoop with half a brain wants to destroy it all!

Arranged around him were his bodyguards. Casually going about things like cleaning the pool, trimming shrubs, and sweeping the walks and trails through the well-kept gardens. Everything looked serene. Only the bulging shapes under their coveralls, giving away the real tools of their trade.

Birds came and went, with no clue as to what will transpire in the next few minutes. The birds floated down on the lawns surrounding the estate. Wings and tails spread in the final approach. Legs and feet extending like the undercarriage of an aircraft. Mostly, doves and pigeons. They foraged on the lawns. Looking for an unaware worm hiding in the green foliage or some lost seed.

The birds did not take notice of the two Rottweiler dogs, silently flanking Ludwig where he sat in his favourite chair. The dogs themselves were relaxed. Their Master hasn’t spoken. Yet, they sensed excitement in the air. Sniffing into the sent laden air around them with extending snouts.

A car drove up through the security gate. Slowly the car made its way to the enclosed porch at the main front door of the main house. Stopped. Three men got out and were greeted by a male servant. They were directed to the side of the house where Ludwig waited. All three of these men knew that the meeting was not going to be laughs and giggles. They were tense. Looking and feeling that they were going to a funeral. Alex, Chad, and Louis.

Alex was dressed in a business suit. Chad and Louis were a little out of place with the richness of the surroundings. Both dressed in jeans and running shoes. They sported t-shirts. One with the logo of a metal music band. The other with some slogan that only he will know the meaning thereof. Although, both had gold chains around their necks and sporting the same goat beards and golden ear studs. All three men had sunglasses covering their eyes. They walked with the air of hesitation towards their host.

The men approached Ludwig. Stopping a little away from him. They waited to be called.

“Approach!” Ludwig barked, refilling his Royal Albert cup with more Earl Grey tea. The three men approached him closer and stopped. Not trying to sit down on any of the unoccupied chairs around the patio.

Four of the bodyguards dropped the tools they were using and approached within hearing distance of Ludwig. Standing with a wide leg stance and with arms folded. Faces with blank expressions.

Ludwig sat his cup of tea down on the patio table. He folded his hands in his lap. Then only did he look up at the men standing there before him.

“Ich weel only ask tis wanze! Vhere ees zee GIRL?” He spoke softly. Half smiling through thin lips. Azure blue eyes flashing fire.

“Her Hertz, she ... she left with that guy. We don’t know where they went. When I found out about ... about the incident, it ... it was too late to pursue her.” Alex, obviously a higher-ranking individual in the organisation, answered Ludwig. Ludwig only looked at him, saying nothing for a while.

“Do you know wotte you have done?” He addressed Chad and Louis, standing a little behind Alex. “You have put us in a varrannerbel pozson! Ich weel no have zat.” Ludwig then looked at the first man and said: “Alex. Zank you. Go now. Find zee girl.” With a flick of his hand, Ludwig dismissed Alex.

Alex did not know how he would be finding the girl but was relieved that he was still on good footing with Ludwig and very relieved to be dismissed. Ludwig addressing him by his first name gave him that assurance.

Alex went back to the car. He got into the car and drove out of the estate. He knew he would not have passengers. His passengers were left at the house. For how long, he did not know or wanted to know.

Back on the patio, Ludwig took his cup of tea from the table and drained it. Placing the empty cup back on the table he spoke quickly and fast.

“Zour em plooyment iz over.” Ludwig said softly to the two men still standing there. “Zoe will leave zee grounds now. Zoe will walk out zee gate. I weel not zee you again.” He got up and walked towards the main house.

Chad and Louis looked at one another, shrugged, and turned to leave. They greeted the bodyguards still standing there and started to walk towards the gate, about fifty metres away. When they were about twenty metres away from the patio, one of the bodyguards gave a soft command. The two Rottweilers jumped up and ran, silently in pursuit, towards the two men.

Too late, Louis heard and saw the dogs coming. He started to sprint. Chad followed him. Chad and Louis made it no more than ten metres, before the dogs tore into them, biting, ripping, snarling.

Chad felt the bump as ‘Hitler’ jumped on his back, knocking him over, flat on the ground. He saw Louis next to him on his back with ‘Rommel’ over him. A red vale came over Chad’s right eye. All of a sudden, he could not see well. He heard a rumbling gagging sound. He did not perceive this to be his friend, Louis, next to him, dying. He tried to shield his face in vain. He felt cold, very cold. So cold. Then darkness fell.

It was over before it really began. Hitler and Rommel, the two dogs, walked away self-content with themselves, they will be receiving a big reward. Two bloody heaps laying on the lawn. The breeze just began to pick up to a wind, ruffling some torn material, not to be worn again. The birds came again and curiously looked at some unknown objects on the lawn. Then foraging on.

(Meanwhile. At 35 000 feet, high above some developing Cumulonimbus, we join our flying crew. Tracy sat looking at the weather radar screen. The screen was showing some vivid green, yellow and red blotches scattered in the path of the jet. By now she has come to know, with the instruction and explanations of Don, some of the instruments on the panel in front of her. She had seen some changes on them and questioned Don about them. Don explained and tutored Tracy.)

“The GPS thingie shows another thirty minutes,” Tracy said. I looked at the instrument.

“How’s the fuel look?” I asked her.

“Left-hand tank 50%. Right-hand tank 75% Cap’n.” Tracy said and smiled. Tossing her head and flicking that cute ponytail away to the right. It swung back into place.

“Well, Tracy. Seeing that we’re nearly there, why don’t you go play Stewardess and fix us a cup-pa oh something out in the galley?” I said and winked at her. Tracy laughed out loud. Her voice like tinkling glass crystals falling. Reducing me to shivers.

“And here me was thinking you wane me only to soak up dee air here for ye!” She said in that Irish accent of her.

She took her headset off and before unbuckling her harness and getting out of the co-pilot seat. Said: “Thought ye never asked. Let tin me die of thirst! Slave-driver.” and she returned the wink. I chuckled softly to myself on hearing that Irish lilt and mugging of English words. Tracy is getting more and more relaxed. She then squeezed out between the narrow confines of the two pilot seats. Her arm and ponytail lightly brushing against my right arm and shoulder.

While Tracy was fixing coffee, I was getting ready to do the let down from 35 000 to around 16 000 feet, in preparation for the upcoming landing. Programming the FMS with requested STAR (Author Note: Standard Terminal Arrival procedure.) that was radioed to me a little while ago. This plus some other standard tasks kept me busy. The office upfront of a bizjet can get very busy at times.

I was looking out the side window at the cumulonimbus clouds forming to the west and northwest when a soft hand touched my right shoulder. I looked right and up.

“Coffee Cap’n! Two coffee, three sugar, and a splash oh milk.” Tracy handed me a cup of coffee. She then slid back into the co-pilot seat.