dk.coldfire-第25章

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　Evelyn　looked　at　the　other　flight　attendants；　and　a　couple　of　them　nodded。　〃I　guess　it　wouldn't　hurt　if。　。　。〃　
　〃e　on；〃　Jim　said　urgently。　〃We　might　not　have　much　time。〃　
　He　followed　Evelyn　out　of　the　attendants'　work　area　and　into　the　starboard　aisle　in　the　economy…class　section；　heading　forward。　
　The　plane　was　rocked　by　an　explosion。　
　Evelyn　was　thrown　hard　to　the　deck。　Jim　pitched　forward；　too；　grabbed　at　a　seat　to　avoid　falling　atop　the　woman；　overpensated　and　fell　to　one　side　instead；　against　a　passenger；　then　to　the　floor；　as　the　plane　started　to　shimmy。　He　heard　lunch　trays　still　crashing　to　the　deck　behind　him；　people　crying　out　in　surprise　and　alarm；　and　one　thin　short　scream。　As　he　tried　to　scramble　to　his　feet；　the　aircraft　nosed　down；　and　they　started　to　lose　altitude。　
　Holly　moved　forward　from　row　seventeen；　sat　beside　Christine　Dubrovek；　introduced　herself　as　a　friend　of　Steve　Harkman's；　and　was　nearly　thrown　out　of　her　seat　when　a　sickening　shock…wave　pumped　through　the　aircraft。　
　It　was　followed　a　fraction　of　a　second　later　by　a　solid　thump；　as　if　they　had　been　struck　by　something。　
　〃Mommy！〃　Casey　had　been　belted　in　her　seat；　even　though　the　seatbelt　signs　were　not　on。　She　was　not　thrown　forward；　but　the　storybooks　on　her　lap　clattered　to　the　deck。　Her　eyes　were　huge　with　fear。　
　The　plane　started　to　lose　altitude。　
　〃Mommy？〃　〃It's　okay；〃　Christine　said；　obviously　struggling　to　conceal　her　own　fear　from　her　daughter。　〃Just　turbulence；　an　air　pocket。〃　
　They　were　dropping　fast。　
　〃You're　gonna　be　okay；〃　Holly　told　them；　leaning　past　Christine　to　make　sure　the　little　girl　heard　her　reassurances。　〃Both　of　you　are　going　to　be　okay　if　you　just　stay　here；　don't　move；　stay　right　in　these　seats。〃　
　Knifing　down。　。　。　a　thousand　feet。　。　。　two　thousand。　。　。　
　Holly　frantically　belted　herself　in　her　seat。　
　。　。　。　three　thousand。　。　。　four　thousand。　。　。　
　An　initial　wave　of　horror　and　panic　gripped　the　passengers。　But　that　was　followed　quickly　by　a　breathless　silence；　as　they　all　clung　to　the　arms　of　their　seats　and　waited　to　see　if　the　damaged　aircraft　was　going　to　pull　up　in　time…or　tip　downward　at　an　even　more　severe　angle。　
　To　Holly's　surprise；　the　nose　slowly　came　up。　The　plane　leveled　off　again。　
　A　munal　sigh　of　relief　and　a　smattering　of　applause　swept　through　the　cabin。　
　She　turned　and　grinned　at　Christine　and　Casey。　〃We're　going　to　be　all　right。　We're　all　going　to　make　it。〃　
　The　captain　came　on　the　loudspeaker　and　explained　that　they　had　lost　one　of　their　engines。　They　could　still　fly　just　fine　on　the　remaining　two；　he　assured　them；　though　he　suggested　they　might　need　to　divert　to　a　suitable　airfield　closer　than　O'Hare；　only　to　be　safe。　He　sounded　calm　and　confident；　and　he　thanked　the　passengers　for　their　patience；　implying　that　the　worst　they　would　suffer　was　inconvenience。　
　A　moment　later　Jim　Ironheart　appeared　in　the　aisle；　and　squatted　beside　Holly。　A　spot　of　blood　glimmered　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　he　had　evidently　been　tossed　around　a　little。　
　She　was　so　exhilarated；　she　wanted　to　kiss　him；　but　she　just　said；　〃You　did　it；　you　changed　it；　you　made　a　difference　somehow。〃　
　He　looked　grim。　〃No。〃　He　leaned　close　to　her；　put　his　face　almost　against　hers；　so　they　could　talk　in　whispers　as　before；　though　she　thought　Christine　Dubrovek　must　be　hearing　some　of　it。　He　said；　〃It's　too　late。〃　
　Holly　felt　as　if　he　had　punched　her　in　the　stomach。　〃But　we　leveled　off〃　〃Pieces　of　the　exploding　engine　tore　holes　in　the　tail。　
　Severed　most　of　the　hydraulic　lines。　Punctured　the　others。　Soon　they　won't　be　able　to　steer　the　airplane。〃　
　Her　fear　had　melted。　Now　it　came　back　like　ice　crystals　forming　and　linking　together　across　the　gray　surface　of　a　winter　pond。　
　They　were　going　down。　
　She　said；　〃You　know　exactly　what　happened；　you　should　be　with　the　captain；　not　here。〃　
　〃It's　over。　I　was　too　late。〃　
　〃No。　Never…〃　〃Nothing　I　can　do　now。〃　
　〃But〃　A　flight　attendant　appeared；　looking　shaken　but　sounding　calm。　
　〃Sir；　please　return　to　your　seat。〃　
　〃All　right；　I　will；〃　Jim　said。　He　took　Holly's　hand　first；　and　squeezed　it。　
　〃Don't　be　afraid。〃　He　looked　past　her　at　Christine；　then　at　Casey。　
　〃You'll　be　all　right。〃　
　He　moved　back　to　row　seventeen；　the　seat　immediately　behind　Holly。　
　She　was　loath　to　lose　sight　of　him。　He　helped　her　confidence　just　by　being　within　view。　
　For　twenty…six　years；　Captain　Sleighton　Delbaugh　had　earned　his　living　in　the　cockpits　of　mercial　airliners；　the　last　eighteen　as　a　pilot。　
　He　had　encountered　and　successfully　dealt　with　a　daunting　variety　of　problems；　a　few　of　them　serious　enough　to　be　called　crises；　and　he　had　benefited　from　United's　rigorous　program　of　continuous　instruction　and　periodic　recertification。　He　felt　he　was　prepared　for　anything　that　could　happen　in　a　modern　aircraft；　but　he　found　it　difficult　to　believe　what　had　happened　to　Flight　246。　
　After　engine　number　two　failed；　the　bird　went　into　an　unplanned　descent；　and　the　controls　stiffened。　They　managed　to　correct　its　attitude；　however；　and　dramatically　slow　its　descent。　But　losing　eleven　thousand　feet　of　altitude　was　the　least　of　their　problems。　
　〃We're　turning　right；〃　Bob　Anilov　said。　He　was　Delbaugh's　first　officer　forty…three；　and　an　excellent　pilot。　〃Still　turning　right。　
　It's　locking　up；　Slay。〃　
　〃We've　got　partial　hydraulic　failure；〃　said　Chris　Lodden；　their　flight　engineer。　He　was　the　youngest　of　the　three　and　a　favorite　of　virtually　every　female　flight　attendant　who　met　him；　partly　because　he　was　good…looking　in　a　fresh…faced　farmboy　way；　but　largely　because　he　was　a　little　shy；　which　made　him　a　novelty　among　the　cocksure　men　on　most　flight　crews。　Chris　was　seated　behind　Anilov　and　in　charge　of　monitoring　the　mechanical　systems。　
　〃It's　going　harder　right；〃　Anilov　said。　
　Already　Delbaugh　was　pulling　the　yoke　full　aft；　left　wheel。　〃Damn。〃　
　Anilov　said；　〃No　response。〃　
　〃It's　worse　than　a　partial　loss；〃　Chris　Lodden　said；　tapping　and　adjusting　his　instruments　as　if　he　was　having　trouble　believing　what　they　were　telling　him。　〃How　can　this　be　right？〃　The　DC…10　had　three　hydraulic　systems；　well…designed　backup。　They　couldn't　have　lost　everything。　But　they　had。　
　Pete　Yankowski…a　balding；　red…mustached　flight　instructor　from　the　pany's　training　facility　in　Denver　was　riding　with　the　crew　on　his　way　to　visit　his　brother　in　Chicago。　As　an　OMCobserving　member　of　the　crew…he　was　in　the　fold…down　jumpseat　immediately　behind　Delbaugh；　virtually　peering　over　the　captain's　shoulder。　He　said；　〃I'll　go　have　a　look　at　the　tail；　assess　the　damage。〃　
　As　Yankowski　left；　Lodden　said；　〃The　only　control　we've　got　is　engine　thrust。〃　
　Captain　Delbaugh　had　already　begun　to　use　it；　cutting　the　power　to　the　engine　on　the　right；　increasing　it　to　the　other…the　port…engine　in　order　to　pull　them　to　the　left　and　out　of　their　unwanted　turn。　When　they　began　to　swing　too　far　to　the　left；　he　would　have　to　increase　the　power　to　the　starboard　engine　again　and　bring　them　around　that　way　a　little。　
　With　the　flight　engineer's　assistance；　Delbaugh　determined　that　the　outboard　and　inboard　elevators　on　the　tail　were　gone；　dead；　useless。　The　inboard　ailerons　on　the　wings　were　dead。　The　outboard　ailerons　were　dead。　
　Same　for　the　flaps　and　spoilers。　
　The　DC…10　had　a　wingspan　of　over　one　hundred　and　fifty…five　feet。　
　Its　fuselage　was　a　hundred　and　seventy　feet　long。　It　was　more　than　just　an　airplane。　It　was　literally　a　ship　that　sailed　the　sky；　the　very　definition　of　a　〃jumbo　jet；〃　and　virtually　the　only　way　they　now　had　to　steer　it　was　with　the　two　General　Electric/Pratt　&　Whitney　engines。　
　Which　was　only　a　little　better　than　a　driver　trying　to　steer　a　runaway　automobile　by　leaning　to　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　desperately　struggling　to　influence　its　course　with　his　shifting　weight。　
　A　few　minutes　had　passed　since　the　tail　engine　exploded；　and　they　were　still　aloft。　
　Holly　believed　in　a　god；　not　due　to　any　life…altering　spiritual　experience；　but　largely　because　the　alternative　to　belief　was　simply　too　grim。　Although　she　had　been　raised　a　Methodist　and　for　a　while　toyed　with　the　idea　of　conversion　to　Catholicism；　she　had　never　made　up　her　mind　what　sort　of　god　she　preferred；　whether　one　of　the　gray…suited　Protestant　varieties　or　the　more　passionate　Catholic　divinity　or　something　else　altogether。　In　her　daily　life　she　did　not　turn　to　heaven　for　help　with　her　problems；　and　she　only　said　grace　before　meals　when　she　was　visiting　her　parents　in　Philadelphia。　She　would　have　felt　like　a　hypocrite　if　she　had　fallen　into　prayer　now；　but　she　nevertheless　hoped　that　God　was　in　a　merciful　mood　and　watching　over　the　DC…10；　whatever　His　or　Her　gender　might　be　and　regardless　of　His　or　Her　preference　in　worshipers。　
　Christine　was　reading　one　of　the　pop…up　storybooks　with　Casey；　adding　her　own　amusing　mentary　to　the　adventures　of　the　animal　characters；　trying　to　distract　her　daughter　from　the　memory　of　the　muffled　explosion　and　subsequent　plunge。　The　intensity　of　her　focus　on　the　child　was　a　giveaway　of　her　true　inner　feelings：　she　was　scared；　and　she　knew　that　the　worst　had　not　yet　passed。　
　Minute　by　minute；　Holly　slipped　deeper　into　a　state　of　denial；　unwilling　to　accept　what　Jim　Ironheart　had　told　her。　It　was　not　her　own　survival；　or　his；　or　that　of　the　Dubroveks　that　she　doubted。　He　had　proven　himself　to　be　singularly　successful　when　he　entered　bat　with　fate；　and　she　was　reasonably　confident　that　their　lives　were　secure　in　the　forward　section　of　the　economy…class　seats；　as　he　had　promised。　What　she　wanted　to　deny；　had　to　deny；　was　that　so　many　others　on　the　flight　were　going　to　die。　It　was　intolerable　to　think　that　the　old　and　young；　men　and　women；　innocent　and　guilty；　moral　and　immoral；　the　kind　and　the　mean…spirited　were　going　to　die　in　the　same　event；　pacted　together　against　some　rocky　escarpment　or　on　a　field　of　wildflowers　set　afire　by　burning　jet　fuel；　with　no　favor　given　to　those　who　had　led　their　lives　with　dignity　and　respect　for　others。　
　Over　Iowa；　Flight　246　passed　out　of　Minneapolis　Center；　the　air…traffic　control　jurisdiction　after　Denver　Center；　and　now　responded　only　to　Chicago　Center。　Unable　to　regain　hydraulics；　Captain　Delbaugh　requested　and　received　permission　from　United's　dispatcher　and　from　Chicago　to　divert　from　O'Hare　to　the　nearest　major　airport；　which　was　Dubuque；　Iowa。　He　relinquished　control　of　the　plane　to　Anilov；　so　he　and　Chris　Lodden　would　be　able　to　concentrate　on　finding　a　way　through　their　crisis　As　a　first　step；　Delbaugh　radioed　System　Aircraft　Maintenance　（SAM）　at　San　Francisco　International　Airport。　SAM　was　United's　central　maintenance　base；　an　enormous　state…of　the…art　plex　with　a　staff　of　over　ten　thousand。　
　〃We　have　a　situation　here；〃　Delbaugh　told　them　calmly。　〃plete　hydraulic　failure。　We　can　stay　up　awhile；　but　we　can't　maneuver。〃　
　At　SAM；　in　addition　to　United's　own　employees；　experts　were　also　on　duty　twenty…four　hours　a　day　from　suppliers　of　every　model　of　aircraft　currently　in　operation　by　the　airline…including　a　man　from　General　Electric　；　where　the　CF…6　engines　had　been　built；　and　another　from　McDonald　Douglas；　which　had　designed　and　manufactured　the　DC…10。　Many　books；　and　a　massive　amount　of　pu