Free Fall

Twenty-Eight

Manhattan, New York

Old men played Chinese chess at the tables of Columbus Park in Manhattan’s Chinatown while not far off, a group of senior citizens practiced Tai Chi.

Strategy and strength. That’s what I need.

As Kate watched, she felt her story slipping away.

It had been two days since she’d returned from London. In that time, she’d reconnected with her family, giving Grace, Vanessa and Nancy the souvenirs she’d bought for them in England. Kate had kept her promise and had taken Grace shopping for her new pink shoes.

Wait ’til Amber sees these! Thank you, Mommy! Thank you!

But with each passing moment since she’d got back, the story spun through Kate’s subconscious. Gut instinct told her that the London tragedy, the EastCloud flight and the Zarathustra email were connected. But she couldn’t go with the story until she could get an official to acknowledge it.

Or could prove it herself.

Chuck was right to demand on-the-record confirmation. Given the magnitude of the story, more was at stake than Newslead’s credibility. The impact it would have on the airline industry would be huge. It was clear to Kate that Newslead could not risk anything short of an airtight item.

But since London, she was getting nowhere, and her frustration was growing, a problem exacerbated after her encounters in the newsroom this morning-first, with Sloane.

“Welcome back, Kate. Read your stuff out of London. Looks like your jaunt there was a bust,” he’d said. “It’s like I told you, there’s no link between Heathrow and the LaGuardia plane. Different aircraft and different airline. Just a tragic coincidence.”

“On what grounds do you come to that conclusion?”

“My sources in the industry and my read of things,” he said. “Look, now the British tabloids are reporting that Shikra Airlines had a history of maintenance issues with its doomed jet.”

“So? That’s speculation.”

“And let’s face it, it looks more and more like that Buffalo incident was pilot error and your fan mail was from a whack job.”

“What I don’t get, Sloane, is why you’re so quick to dismiss these events.”

Before he answered, Reeka approached them and addressed Kate.

“I’m going to talk to Chuck. If your airline story’s fizzled I’m going to give you other assignments. We can’t be wasting time and resources.”

Fortunately, Chuck had come over, picked up the tail end of Reeka’s comment and intervened.

“I think we need to keep Kate on this. We’re a long way from folding the tent on this one.”

When Reeka left, Chuck turned to Kate and said, “You’ve done good work, but I need you to break something on this soon. Build on what you learned in London. I know you can do it.”

At that point Kate launched another offensive, sending urgent, desperate messages to every source she had, begging them for help. It was Nick Varner who’d finally responded and suggested a private meeting at Columbus Park.

But he was already twenty minutes late and Kate’s heart was sinking.

Come on, Nick. Don’t leave me hanging like this.

She scanned the park and her phone vibrated with a text from Erich, one of her sources, a brilliant young cyber consultant. She only knew him by his first name, although she was aware he was known as “Viper” in his world. Erich was a cryptic, shadowy figure who’d done contract work for the CIA and the NSA. He’d helped her in the past and he was good.

Just finished a job in New Zealand. Been reading your stories and will help if I can when I get back to NY.

Encouraged, Kate exhaled.

This is good. I could use his expertise.

Kate thanked him, took solace in his promise and watched the fluid, calming ballet of the Tai Chi group.

“Hey, Kate.”

She turned to Nick Varner, who sat beside her.

“Sorry. I’m late and short on time.”

“I need help.”

“This is on your airline story with the email?”

“Yes.”

“What did you learn in London?”

“I learned that Shikra Airlines received an email concerning the crash at Heathrow. I think it’s linked to my Zarathustra email, the crash and the EastCloud flight.” Nick nodded, saying nothing, and Kate continued. “I was told the Shikra email was shared with the FBI. Is that right?”

Nick took his time before answering.

“Kate, give me your assurance that you won’t use anything I tell you.”

“You know you have it.”

“All right. The task force is looking at both emails as potential threats, and we’re assessing their veracity.”

“What about the connection to the flights? They’re linked, right?”

“I didn’t say that. First we have to find the sources of the threats and assess them.”

“Do you believe it’s the same source?”

“Too soon to say.”

“Can I get the FBI spokesperson on the record saying you are investigating the emails in relation to the two flights?”

Nick shook his head.

“Why not, Nick? We nearly lost the EastCloud flight. We’ve got fifteen dead people in London and somebody claiming responsibility in each case. The public has a right to know what’s going on.”

“They also have a right not to be unduly panicked and a right to a thorough investigation. Yes, making a threat is a criminal act, but we don’t have enough to shut down the airline industry based on two vague, unsubstantiated emails. We don’t know what we’re looking for yet. We have no solid evidence. You realize what would happen if this turned out to be a false alarm but got out the wrong way? People wouldn’t get on a plane. The economy would take a serious blow. And we’d be inundated with copycat threats.”

Kate cupped her face in her hands.

“Nick, can you give me an idea how close you are? How much longer before you have something?”

“I can’t answer that but I’ll tell you this. We’re using every resource we can because indications are that whoever is behind these messages is extremely skilled and intelligent.” Varner looked at his watch and patted Kate’s hand. “I have to leave but we’ll keep in touch.”

Kate sat for a moment alone, watching the old men play chess and the seniors continue with Tai Chi, as a jetliner roared over the East River.