Chapter 3: Stepping Into a New World

Nick opened the door to his apartment and, not wanting to startle his wife, quickly announced his arrival.

“Hi Ana! It’s me.”

Nick’s wife was in the living room and turned quickly, obviously surprised to see her husband home on the middle of the day.

“What are you doing home so early? It’s not even two-o’clock yet.” Ana met Nick half way as they embraced for a moment.

“Well,” Nick paused to try to phrase the announcement in a good way, “I have some good news and some bad news.”

Ana released her hug and took a step back.

“What?” A cold expression swept across her face as if steeling herself for something unpleasant.

“Well, there is an issue on one of the head of state kits that the company just finished getting installed and Tony asked me to go out to evaluate the problem.” Nick tried to flash a big smile.

Ana wasn’t buying it. She slowly crossed her arms as she shifted her weight onto one hip. Her left eyebrow arced up inquisitively.

“And?”

Nick knew that he had to shoot it straight to his wife. She could always read it all in his facial expressions anyway. He could never put anything past her.

“Well, the plane is in the Ukraine and they want me to leave right away.”

Ana’s hands slipped off of her hips as her shoulders slumped down. She tilted her head slightly up to meet Nick’s eyes with hers, which were now wide with a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

“The Ukraine! Right away, when?”

“Well, my flight leaves at six-thirty.”

“Today!”

“Yes.”

Ana plopped down on the couch and looked up at her husband. Nick had only been at this new job for two months but she already had misgivings about the management there. Nick sat down on the couch next to her.

“Listen, I know that you feel like they take advantage of me, but I really think that this is a good opportunity for me to show them what I can do. To show them that I can really come through in a tough situation.”

Ana gazed into her husband’s eyes and tenderly put her arms around him. Resting her head on his chest she whispered, "That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

* * *

Nick settled into his seat on the Lufthansa 747. The business class section of this aircraft, a two aisle, wide body jet, was configured in a two-three-two layout. Specifically, two business class seats, then the left-hand aisle, followed by three business class seats in the middle and another set of two seats on the other side of the right-hand aisle. Nick was very happy to have gotten an aisle seat in the center section.

Thank God I’m not stuck in that center seat!

Nick was drunk with everything that he was taking in. Having never before flown internationally, and much less in business class, he examined every detail and absorbed every experience. This job assignment, and specifically this flight, signaled for Nick the reassurance and satisfaction that he was now crossing the threshold into a special world to which few are privy.

Wow, my legs actually fit here!

“May I take your coat, sir?” The flight attendant flashed a smile, her long blond hair drawn tight in a ponytail.

“Oh! Yes. Thank you.” Nick removed his jacket and handed it to the flight attendant.

Very cool.

“Would you like a beverage before we take off?”

Hell yeah! I’m gonna take everything you all are giving!

Nick tried to maintain his composure and act like he belonged in Business Class. Taking a magazine from the seat pocket in front of him, he resumed eye contact with the attendant and smiled slightly. “Yes. A diet cola, please.”

The attendant returned the smile. “Thank you, sir.”

Nick examined each passenger that passed by. Deep down he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was an imposter and that at any minute he would be exposed, removed from business class, and escorted to the rear of the plane. Nick took special note of those passing into the First Class cabin.

Well, he doesn’t look so special.

The attendant brought Nick his diet cola and set it down on the beverage tray between him and the adjacent seat.

Hmmm. I wonder who I am going to get stuck sitting next to?

The center seat of the triple was, as of yet, still unoccupied. Nick directed his attention to the steady stream of passengers still boarding through the aircraft’s main door. Nick let his imagination wander from passenger to passenger, imagining some fantastic scenario for his potential cabin-mate. Super-model? Government agent?

Ugh! Four hundred pound, smelly guy!

A rather large man squeezed in between Nick and the seat row in front of him. As much as Nick tried, he could not avoid being wiped by the damp jacket of the man’s tan leisure suit. The man reeked of cigarette smoke and his personality was equally offensive.

“You gotta love these German chicks!” The man leaned over into Nick’s space to get a better view of the flight attendant. “Hey, ‘frah-line’ bring me a double scotch will ‘ya.” And with that request, the man erupted with a hacking cough that could only be described as entirely frightening.

Nick was quickly coming to realize that even seemingly great new worlds could have really nasty downsides to them. As the cigarette smoke induced respiratory fit began to calm down, the man extended his large hand over to Nick.

“Hey, I’m Cliff Brooks. Looks like we’re gonna be neighbors for a while.” Nick reluctantly produced his right hand and managed a smile as he shook his new neighbor’s hand.

“Yeah. Hi, I’m Nick.”

“Good to meet’cha Mick.” Cliff settled his large body into the already straining seat frame. “Is this your first time in business class?” Nick began to answer but was cut off before the first syllable came out. “Yeah, I could tell. See, I fly this route all the time. San Francisco to Miami, then Miami to Frankfurt, Frankfurt into Kiev.”

“Oh, you’re also going into Kiev?”

“Yessir, Mick. That’s what I said.” The large man shifted his weight slightly to lean closer to Nick. “You see, these old soviet block countries, well, there not so advanced right. Right. But I hook them up with what they’re looking for.”

Nick tried to squeeze against the aisle side armrest and get a little space between Cliff and himself. “Ah, I see.”

“Yeah. See they all want the American stuff but they can’t get it.” Cliff looked around the cabin, just to make sure that no one was eavesdropping on his conversation. “This trip I’m taking over jeans. Cases of them.” A toothy grin emerged on the man’s large, round face. “I’m gonna make a killing!”

“Aha.” Nick tried his best to feign interest.

“What do you do, Mick?” Nick perked up with the show of interest in him.

“I’m heading out to work on –” Nick stopped himself short. He wanted to tell the world about his important mission, but something in his gut urged him to stop.

“Where the hell is my drink?” Cliff’s countenance switched to one of annoyance as he unbuckled his seat belt and began to get up from his seat. “Good talking to you, kid.” And with that, the large man once again pressed past Nick and went back out into the aisle to chase down the flight attendant and his drink.

Oh, I feel sorry for her right now.

Resigning himself to the fact that he could not avoid sitting next to this aberration of a man, Nick reached under his seat and pulled out his briefcase. Laying it on his lap, he pulled out the folio of drawings, reports, and specifications relating to the TZ-12 project.

I might as well make good use of my time and study this data package before I arrive in Kiev.

Nick settled in to study the information before him as the flight crew closed the main cabin door. The engines revved up and Nick could make out the captain over the PA system.

“Flight Crew, lock and cross check. Prepare for take-off.”

Well, this is it.

Nick closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly. As he made the sign of the cross, the roar of the four massive Rolls-Royce engines screamed louder and louder and he could feel his mass be pulled back into the seat cushions. The aluminum albatross shuddered and moaned under the stress of raising the four hundred plus passengers and associated cargo into the air. Within twenty seconds, the massive airliner was airborne. Nick strained in his seat to look out of the window across the aisle to try to get a glimpse of the rapidly retreating horizon. When the view was completely obscured by the ever thickening, bright white cloud layer, he let himself fall back into his seat.

The constant drone of the engines and the hiss of the air conditioning system seamlessly replaced the roar and the strain of take-off. Nick let his head fall back into the flex wing headrest. He was suddenly flooded with doubt and uncertainty. An empty feeling that he could not shake inexplicably seized him.

Damn, I miss Ana already. Dear God, please help me and keep her safe until I get back.