The Other Side of Midnight

"I'm really surprised," she replied, "that Mr. Demiris would hire a pilot who's a coward. I'll speak to him about it."

Noelle turned and walked toward the plane. Metaxas looked after her and said, "Jesus Christ! I don't know what's gotten into her. She never used to act like this. I'm sorry, Larry."

Larry watched Noelle walk across the field, her blond hair blowing in the wind. He had never hated anyone so much in his life.

Metaxas was watching him. "Are we going?" he asked.

"We're going."

The copilot gave a deep, expressive sigh, and the two men slowly walked toward the plane.

Noelle Page was sitting in the cabin, leisurely thumbing through a fashion magazine when they entered the plane. Larry stared at her a moment, so filled with anger that he was afraid to speak. He went up into the cockpit and began his preflight check.

Ten minutes later he had received clearance from the tower and they were airborne for Amsterdam.

The first half of the flight was uneventful. Switzerland lay below in a mantle of snow. By the time they were over Germany, it was dusk. Larry radioed ahead to Amsterdam for a weather check. They reported that fog was blowing in from the North Sea and getting thicker. He cursed his bad luck. If the winds had changed and the fog had cleared, his problem would have been solved, but now he had to decide whether to risk an instrument landing at Amsterdam or fly to an alternate airport. He was tempted to go back and discuss it with his passenger, but he could visualize the contemptuous look on her face.

"Special Flight one-oh-nine, would you give us your flight plan, please?" It was the tower at Munich. Larry had to make a decision swiftly. He could still land at Brussels, Cologne or Luxembourg.

Or Amsterdam.

The voice crackled over the speaker again. "Special Flight one-oh-nine, would you give us your flight plan, please?"

Larry snapped down the transmitting key. "Special Flight one-oh-nine to Munich Tower. We're going to Amsterdam." He flicked the switch up and was aware of Metaxas watching him.

"Jesus, maybe I should have doubled my life insurance," Metaxas said. "You really think we're going to make it?"

"Do you want to know the truth?" Larry said, bitterly. "I don't give a shit."

"Fantastic! I'm up in a plane with two fucking maniacs!" Metaxas moaned.

For the next hour Larry was wholly absorbed in flying the aircraft, listening to the frequent weather reports without comment. He was still hoping for a wind change, but thirty minutes out of Amsterdam the report was still the same. Heavy fog. The field was closed to all air traffic except for emergencies. Larry made contact with the control tower at Amsterdam. "Special Flight one-oh-nine to Amsterdam Tower. Approaching airport from 75 miles east of Cologne, ETA nineteen hundred hours."

Almost instantly a voice on the radio crackled back, "Amsterdam Tower to Special Flight one-oh-nine. Our field is closed down. We suggest you return to Cologne or land at Brussels."

Larry spoke into the handmike. "Special Flight one-oh-nine to Amsterdam Tower. Negative. We have an emergency."

Metaxas turned to stare at him in surprise.

A new voice came over the speaker. "Special Flight one-oh-nine, this is Chief of Operations at Amsterdam Airport. We are completely fogged in here. Visibility zero. Repeat: visibility zero. What is the nature of your emergency?"

"We're running out of fuel," Larry said. "I have barely enough to reach you."

Metaxas' eyes went to the fuel gauges, which registered half full. "For Christ's sakes," Metaxas exploded. "We could fly to China!"

The radio was silent. Suddenly it exploded into life again.

"Amsterdam Tower to Special Flight one-oh-nine. You have an emergency clearance. We'll bring you in."

"Roger." Larry flicked off the switch and turned to Metaxas. "Jettison the fuel," he ordered.

Metaxas swallowed and said in a choked voice, "J--jettison the fuel?"

"You heard me, Paul. Leave just enough to bring us in."

"But, Larry..."

"Damn it, don't argue. If we roll in there with a tank half full of gas, they'll jerk our licenses away so fast you won't know what hit you."