Launch (2 page)

Claire thought the lights of Las Vegas were spectacular, but they soon
vanished behind the plane. Time seemed to disappear with the light as they flew
into the almost pitch-black night over the desert. It did not seem to be long before
David reduced thrust. Altimeter hands revolved counterclockwise indicating loss
of altitude as Claire felt the plane descend into a vast black hole, a
dimension of nothingness. She had to trust him: that he knew where the ground
was, that they would not crash. Then ahead in the distance, a glow appeared. It
became a brilliant carpet of lights extending as far as she could see when the
jet flew from Cajon Pass into the Los Angeles Basin. David banked to the right,
and Claire enjoyed the fantastic light show as they flew to Bob Hope Airport in
Burbank.

▼

After they left the plane, the Japanese passengers smiled broadly and
took pictures of Claire, David, and one another with the plane in the
background. Each made a discreet bow of respect to Claire before departing with
another tour guide.

“That was a happy group,” David said. “They liked you a lot.”

“They did seem to enjoy the trip,” she said.

Claire waited while David retrieved his flight case and secured the
airplane. He walked with her in the dimly lit parking lot to her old car. It
had been a top of the line compact when her mother had bought it new. Out of
long habit, she caressed it as she opened the door, and then turned to him. “I
had a great time today, David. Thank you.”

He smiled. “Me, too.”

▼

Claire’s father had been killed in a car
accident when she was one-year old. She had grown up as the only child of a
single mother in a community of Air Force families. For as long as she could
remember, there was nothing she wanted more than to be part of a loving family.

Aware that her desire for a family could affect
her judgment in relationships, she tried to not let that happen. Marriage
proposals from men she liked and respected had tempted her, but she did not
think she loved them and tried to be kind when refusing. Sometimes she wondered
if she might be making a mistake, but time passed with no regrets.

She reminded herself to be careful with David,
too. Then, just as she recalled the Archer amendment and smiled, her car’s
engine died.

The airport perimeter fence was on the left side of the road. The right
side had been cleared for airport expansion, and streetlights had been removed.
Nothing was left but piles of rubble on the shoulder, dimly lit by light
spilling over from the airport and the splay of her headlights. Claire bumped
over debris she could not avoid as her car coasted to a stop.

▼

On one of Claire’s instrument training flights at night, with no moon over
a solid layer of clouds, her plane’s electrical system failed. The engine kept
running smoothly as it had two magnetos, each of which fired one of two spark
plugs in each cylinder. But the sky and the cockpit were completely dark. The
strobe light and the navigation lights on the wingtips and tail also went out,
which made plane virtually invisible.

She tried to turn a flashlight on, but it did not work. She tried a
second flashlight. It briefly gave off a weak light and then went out.

Claire was a 17 year-old private pilot training for an instrument rating.
Her mother was her instrument-flight instructor, and she was in the right seat.
Without a word, Kathryn reached behind and under her seat for her purse, took
out a third flashlight, and gave it to Claire. That one worked.

The first thing Claire checked was the instrument panel. The artificial
horizon, directional gyroscope, and all radios and navigation aids were electrical,
and none worked. The pneumatic instruments and the magnetic compass worked. They
told her that the plane was flying straight and level, as it had been trimmed
to do. Claire next checked the circuit breakers. All were good. She checked the
instrument panel and the magnetic compass again and made slight corrections to
her heading and altitude.

Her mother had taught Claire to be self-reliant. She tried to think of a
way to get down through a solid undercast in the mountains at night with no
navigation or radio aids. The situation was an aviation emergency with
potentially fatal consequences.

A glow appeared on the clouds ahead. It turned out to be a hole in the
clouds made by rising heat from a large motel sign. Claire stood the plane on
its left wingtip, spiraled down through the hole, and broke out of the clouds a
few hundred feet above the ground. She saw an airport rotating beacon and turned
toward it. Several minutes later, she landed on a lighted runway at an unknown
airport and taxied to the control tower.

Claire and her mother secured the airplane and walked toward the tower. Her
mother spoke for the first time since before the plane’s electrical system had
failed. “You should have checked the flashlights during preflight inspection.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After that incident, Claire never flew or drove anywhere at night without
at least three working flashlights.

▼

Claire took one of her flashlights and used it to look under her car’s hood,
hoping to find something she could fix.

A pickup truck stopped behind her car with a blinding headlight shining
down the left side. The truck’s lights went out. A door creaked and then slammed
shut. The weak light from the airport revealed a man, several inches taller
than six feet, walking toward her.

“Go sit in the truck, girlie,” he said. “I’ll take care of this for you.”

His breath was awful. “No thank you, sir. I’ve already called a tow truck.
They’ll be here any second.”

As he reached for her, he said, “Get in the truck, bitch!”

She ran away from him as fast as she could, and his hand closed on
nothing. He ran after her on long legs. After a minute, she risked looking
back. He was gaining on her, and another car’s headlights were coming.

The old sports car with the top and windows down matched her pace. David
said, “Hop on!” She jumped onto the car’s old-fashioned running board and
grabbed the windshield frame. He accelerated gently while she stepped over the
low-cut car door and sat down in the passenger seat.

Between deep breaths she said, “Thank you.”

He said, “You’re welcome” and then continued talking into a cellphone headset.
She heard him mention the word “assault” as she put on her seat belt.

Over her shoulder, Claire could see the tall man walking back to his
truck and her car. “David! We have to go back! I need my keys and wallet. He’ll
steal them. He could get into my apartment.”

He shook his head. “Too dangerous. You can replace the things in your
wallet and change the locks. The police will be along soon.”

“But I need them tonight!”

He just shook his head and faced straight ahead.

“David, please. He could get my address from my driver’s license.”

He was frowning when he glanced at her. Then he did something with the
car’s controls that was too fast for her to follow. It spun around on the road
and began accelerating in the opposite direction.

Claire blinked and then looked at him. His face seemed to be set in stone.
“Thank you,” she said, but his expression did not change.

The tall man started running after the car when they passed him. David
stopped just before her car door and said, “Quickly!”

She jumped out of his car and ran to hers. She had to open her car door
and partially sit on the driver’s seat to get her keys out of the ignition.
They did not come out. She turned the steering wheel and jiggled the shift
lever to try to release them.

Claire’s assailant was getting close, and David got out of his car.

The guy swung a large fist as he charged. David stepped inside the punch
and used the thug’s weight and momentum against him with a judo hip throw. He landed
on his back with an “oooff” and a “thwack” as his head hit the pavement.

David took three strides farther behind his car and turned. Claire got
her keys and purse and got out of her car in time to see the big man stagger to
his feet and charge David again. He stepped to the side and knocked the guy off
balance as he charged past. After a few staggering steps, he fell with his
right shoulder and cheek sliding along the road.

David said, “Don’t you ever brush your teeth, Stink?”

She was terrified to see the thug get up roaring in pain and anger. Just
then, flashing red and blue lights appeared from behind her, and Stink started
running away. The police car pursued and pulled over in front of him. A cop
opened his door with a baton in his hand. There was a scuffle with flashing
batons, and the police soon had their prisoner wearing handcuffs in the back
seat of their patrol car.

David told Claire to drop her purse and keys on his car seat and raise
her hands. He raised his hands with his fingers apart as the police car stopped
in front of them. A corporal got out of the driver’s seat and asked, “Are you
the complainants?”

David nodded. “He assaulted her. I’m a witness.”

“May I see your ID?”

“Yes, sir,” he said and slowly took his wallet out of his pocket. He
removed his Air Force ID card and handed it to the corporal.

“Major David Archer. What’re you doing in this neck of the woods?”

“Graduate school at UCLA and flying charter part time.”

“Oh, yeah. You were on the news. Didn’t you shoot down a bunch of enemy
planes in Africa and get the Medal of Honor?”

David said, “No, sir. It was the Air Force Cross.”

“That’s good enough for me. Can you vouch for the lady?”

David nodded, “Yes, sir.”

The second cop opened the door to the police car and stood up. “He’s
Petey Wilson, wanted for rape and murder.”

Claire stiffened and looked at David.

The corporal handed David’s ID card back to him. “Okay, Major. Thanks to
you, a life may have been saved tonight. Another patrol car and a tow truck
will be along in a minute.”

The other cop shined his big flashlight on David’s car. “What’s that?”

The corporal walked back to his car. “That’s an antique, Josh. A 1954
MG-TF, probably worth more than both of us put together.”

The police car left, and David came around his car to Claire. She was
shaking.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I will be. I was afraid you’d be hurt by that . . . monster.”

▼

Claire was quiet as David drove to her apartment. She thought about her
mom’s car, in a dark parking lot somewhere. It was the last tangible, everyday
connection she had to her mother.

David pulled over and stopped. “He’s locked up, and he’ll probably be
locked up for a long time. He can’t hurt you.”

She looked at him. “What?”

“You have tears in your eyes.”

“It’s not about him. I’m worried about the car. I don’t know if I can get
it fixed.”

“Is that all?”

She was offended. “It means something to me, Major Archer. It was my
mom’s. And I don’t appreciate your attitude.”

He raised a hand between them, palm forward, a gesture of peace. “Don’t
get all formal on me. I’m just relieved that the problem is only a car.”

“Is that such a trivial problem for a macho hero?”

He leaned toward her slightly and said, “I’ve been Air Force since I was
eighteen years old. You’re Air Force all the way down to your diapers. I helped
rebuild this car.
We will
fix your mom’s car if I have to rebuild it
myself, piece by piece. Me and the United States Air Force will make damn sure
it is
not
a problem!”

His fierce tone so contrasted with what he was saying that she almost
laughed. When she felt she could trust her voice, she said, “Thank you.”

He turned his attention back to driving, and they continued to her
apartment. It was an uncomfortably quiet drive, and Claire made an effort to
break the chilly mood. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“I learned judo at the Academy. I kept up with it for recreation and
exercise.” After a minute he asked, “What did you do?”

He’s an Air Force Academy graduate, too
. Out loud, she said,
“Tennis and mountain climbing.”

“Were you on the women’s tennis team?”

“Yes.”

After a pause, David asked, “Why mountain climbing?”

“Except when I was flying, I was afraid of heights.”

▼

Claire unlocked her front door, wondering if she had ruined any chance of
a relationship with David, and then she turned to say goodnight. He had stepped
back down to the sidewalk and turned to face her. His hands were behind his
back, and he had a serious expression on his face. “For the record, Lieutenant:
red light or green light?”

She smiled. “Green light, Major.”

Claire thought he was pleased and relieved when he returned her smile and
said, “I’ll be here at zero nine thirty. Have a good night.”

She almost said, “Yes, sir,” but stopped herself. “Good night.”

Looking forward to seeing
Buni
again, Claire was smiling as she went
into her apartment.

When David turned onto Claire’s street the next morning, all the parking
spaces were taken. Cars, vans with media logos, and TV news trucks with
antennas on the roof lined the street. People carrying cameras, microphones,
and recorders were crowded around the front of Claire’s apartment. Two were
knocking insistently on her door.

David parked around the corner, out of sight, and called her cellphone.
“I’m your local U.S. Air Force pest control officer, ma’am. May I be of
service?”

“David?”

 “Yes.”

“I guess you saw those awful pictures.”

“Me and half the people on the planet. Do you have back door access to your
driveway?

“Yes.”

“I’ll arrange to distract the reporters,” he said. “You run down the
driveway to my car. Okay?”

“Great!” she said.

“It may take twenty minutes or so to set up. I’ll call back.”

“Thank you.”

David called 17 minutes later. “Five-minute warning. When you see me at
the end of the driveway, take off like a gazelle. Don’t forget your racket and
your bathing suit.”

Exactly five minutes later, his car stopped at the end of her driveway. Its
passenger door popped open, and she ran. She was surprised to see a celebrated
movie star when she passed the front corner of her building. He was standing in
front of the next building on her left, and the reporters were crowding around
him.

The MG’s canvas top was up, and Claire had to fold herself into the small
sports car.

As David accelerated down her street and flicked around the corner into
traffic, a black sports car sped down her street after them.

Claire looked over her shoulder through the small back window in the MG’s
canvas top when the car was stopped at a traffic light. Neither the black car nor
reporters were in sight. “Thank you, David. That was a great rescue.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, “but ‘tain’t nuthin’ compared to what you did
yesterday.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to get back to my apartment.”

“Relax. We’ll play tennis, have lunch and a swim, and figure it out
later.”

▼

Not far from the UCLA campus, David turned into
an exclusive residential neighborhood. Mansions with elaborate, manicured gardens
sat well back from the street. Claire was enjoying the view when she noticed
the black sports car reflected in the MG’s right side outside mirror. “David!
The car behind us followed us down my street!”

“That’s Michael in his Lamborghini. He distracted
the reporters so you could get away. Then he used his car to block your street
and give us a good head start.”

She remembered the movie star in front of the
building and connected him to the voice she had heard on David’s phone in Las
Vegas. “That’s Michael Bedford?”

“Yes. I met him when I was a technical advisor
on one of his movies.”

Claire was impressed. “You guys were great!”

David turned into an unmarked driveway, passed through
open wrought iron gates mounted in high walls, and stopped before a second set
of closed gates. The black car pulled in behind them. The outer gates closed,
trapping both cars, and then the inner gates opened.

They drove along a two-lane, curving driveway
flanked by white oleander interspersed with lush red bougainvillea. Honeysuckle
perfumed the air. Behind the red and white blossoms, jacarandas seemed to fill
the sky with purple flowers, and birds sang in the trees.

The iridescent, crimson-red crown and throat of
an Anna’s hummingbird flashed in the sunlight as it zipped over the green MG’s
hood.

At the edge of the wooded area, the driveway
entered a wide expanse of immaculate lawns surrounding a large,
Mediterranean-style villa.

The Lamborghini disappeared into a garage under
the house, and David parked in front. He and Claire collected their rackets and
bathing suits and walked toward the tennis courts. “This is lovely,” she said.

They met Michael Bedford and his wife near the
courts. He was handsome and tall. She had long, black hair in an unkempt style
that enhanced her wild, dark beauty.

David smiled. “Joanne and Michael, this is Claire
Sommer.”

Joanne smiled and took Claire’s hand. “It’s a
great pleasure to meet you, Claire. What you did at the Grand Canyon yesterday
was extraordinary!”

“Thank you, Ms. Bedford. I’m pleased to meet
you.”

“Joanne, please.”

Claire shook hands with Michael. “Thank you
very much for your help this morning.”

In the resonant baritone she had only heard
before from movies and on David’s cellphone, Michael said, “Shucks, tain’t
nuthin’, ma’am.”

Claire laughed. “I’ve enjoyed your movies very
much.”

“Do you like
Porgy and Bess
?”

“I love it! ‘Summertime’ is one of my
favorites.”

“I start a remake next month as Porgy. I hope
you’ll like that, too.”

▼

They played tennis in different combinations,
and Claire won easily. In the game with Joanne and Claire against Michael and
David, the men hit their balls to Joanne’s side of the court again and again.
After a few of these not-quite volleys, Claire sat down cross-legged. Michael
took the bait and hit the ball to her side of the court. She leapt up and
smashed the ball back between Michael and David who ran for it, collided, and
fell.

Claire ran to the net, and her voice showed
concern. “Are you hurt?”

David shook his head with a sheepish grin.
“Just my ego.”

Michael was rubbing his head. “Is this tennis
or football?”

“I’m sorry,” Claire said. “I didn’t think you’d
both go for it.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” David said, “We’re the
doofuses who goofed.”

Michael said, “I think I hear bells—lunch
bells.”

“Good idea,” Joanne said, “before somebody gets
hurt.”

▼

Michael and David lagged behind Joanne and Claire
as they walked toward the house. “What we had back there was a failure of
situational awareness,” Michael said. “Isn’t that especially dangerous for a
fighter pilot?”

“You’re right. I could say we weren’t in aerial
combat, but that would just be an excuse. She served me a piece of humble pie. I
should try to learn from it.”

“She’s an athlete,” Michael said. “I can
understand how she made that rescue yesterday.”

“I think she’s a tiger, like her mother. I may
hang around five hundred years or so to see what happens next.”

Michael laughed. “You should be so lucky.”

David grinned. “I can hope.”

▼

They enjoyed salade niçoise and fresh, hot
French bread on a patio bordered by a lush garden in full bloom.

Michael asked Claire, “How long have you been a
professional tennis player?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m not, but I
was on the women’s tennis team at the Air Force Academy.”

“Ah ha! Busted!” Michael exclaimed. “David
slipped us a ringer!”

David shook his head. “Not so. I didn’t find
out she played tennis at the Academy until after I called you yesterday.”

Michael said to Claire, “I think you’re very
good. You could probably make a lot more money as a professional tennis player
than you will as a doctor.”

“I won’t make all that much as a flight
surgeon, but I’m going to school on Uncle Sam’s dime, and I’m obligated.” Then
she frowned.

“What’s the matter,” Michael asked.

“My car broke down last night, and with all
those reporters outside, I don’t know how I’m going to get to school. . . .
Maybe I’ll call a taxi, put a bucket over my head, and come out with my tennis
racket swinging.”

The others laughed. Then Joanne and Michael
said simultaneously, “Stay here.”

Claire’s expression was quizzical.

Michael said, “Seriously. I’ve had a lot of
experience with the media. As you could see when you came through our gates, no
one gets in here uninvited. You can stay in one of our guest cottages, and our
chauffeur can take you to school and pick you up. Joanne and I would love to
have the pleasure of your company.”

“You’d do that for me? We just met.”

Joanne said, “You’re David’s friend, and we
already know we like you.”

Claire was overwhelmed. “That’s very kind of
you. I don’t know what to say.”

Joanne put a hand over one of Claire’s. “Just
say yes.”

Claire thought about the reporters clustered
around her front door. “Yes,” she said. “Thank you.”

Michael said, “Good. And if you’re willing, we
can use your publicity to raise money for the Wildlife Fund. It will help
animals like the cougar cub you saved.”

With a puzzled expression, Claire asked, “How?”

“I can schedule a charity dinner and reception
for you and sell tickets to people in the movie industry,” Michael said. “Once
something like that gets going, the snowball effect kicks in, and people have
to go so they won’t feel left out.”

“Do you really think people are that interested
in me?”

“Sure. That’s the reason the reporters were
there this morning. But public interest is fleeting. If we move fast, while the
event is fresh, I’ll guarantee a million dollars. It’ll probably be much more.
We can sell more tickets if you do a press conference about rescuing the cub.
David can be your escort, and I will pay all expenses including a new gown for
you, hairdresser, accessories, and so on.

“Accepting our offer to stay here does not
obligate you to do this.”

Claire said, “I’ll be happy to help the
Wildlife Fund. But what if David doesn’t want to be my escort?”

“Yes, he does,” Michael said with a grin.

David nodded. “Yes, he does.”

Claire and Joanne laughed.

▼

David was already in his bathing suit, standing
with his back to Claire, when she came out of the changing room. He had broad
shoulders with good muscle definition, tight buns, and impossibly narrow hips.
She stopped for a good look.

He’s sexy all over.

He began to turn, and she looked away.

▼

Joanne waited until their lunch had settled and
organized a game of water volleyball. Claire had fun as she and Joanne took the
shallow end of the pool and made Michael and David work hard to win.

After the game, they stretched out on chaise
lounges, and Claire asked David to put sunscreen on her back. His touch was
soothing. She relaxed, closed her eyes, and enjoyed it.

While he was applying lotion into the curve of
her waist, he asked, “Will you have a picnic on the beach with me next Friday
evening?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sure I will enjoy that.
Thank you.”