(1990) - Independent 02 - Hammerheads by Dale Brown

Author:Dale Brown
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

On Board the Smuggler’s Plane, Heading Southeast Toward Haiti

“It went off without a hitch, Colonel,” the pilot of the Cheyenne reported. He glanced out his window again to check if the black batlike drone was still off his left wingtip—and there it was, flying in ridiculously perfect formation, with its huge bug-eye camera squarely fixed on him. “The Border Security aircraft were right on top of us and they did nothing. We ignored their warnings and their attempts to divert us, just as you said, and it worked to perfection.”

“I am pleased,” Colonel Agusto Salazar replied over the scrambled telephone hookup to the plane. “Unfortunately the performance of some of your comrades was less pleasing. Several of our ground forces were intercepted by the Border Security forces, and several deaths resulted ...”

“I’m sorry to hear that, sir,” the pilot said. “We may have a similar problem ourselves.”

“What? Fuel reserves? Malfunction?”

“No malfunction, sir,” the pilot replied. “But our fuel is dangerously low.”

“Climb to a higher altitude, reduce power to best range. You have clearance to overfly Cuba. Plot as direct a course as possible.”

“We have done all that, sir, but with all these brats we brought on board, plus the empty fuel bladders in the rear, we are too heavy to continue step-climbing to a more fuel-efficient altitude. We are slightly below the fuel curve without reserves. Our computations show we may be forced to land as much as a hundred kilometers short of the base. Can’t we get permission to land in Cuba?”

“As I told you, that is impossible, ” Salazar told him. “Castro’s politicians are trying to make it seem they are cooperating with the Americans. They will not allow a known drug-smuggling plane to land. If you land in Cuba you will be arrested and possibly even extradited to the United States. That should encourage you to bring that plane back intact. ”

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