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Acknowledgements are on first page

The Dark continues

CHAPTER 5

Senator Feldman sat at the desk in his office nervously clicking the pen in his hand. The man in the visitor's chair silently stood and removed the offending article from the Senator's unresisting fingers. He sat down again and sighed. "You better call Sam Seaborn. He wants the details"

Reluctantly Feldman reached for the phone and connected to his assistant. "Get me Sam Seaborn" The two men exchanged a look, knowing they were so far down a road they could never come back from.

"Hi Senator. Have you had a change of heart?"

Feldman almost choked on the unintended irony of the question. "No Sam I haven't. I want to be sure I am being taken seriously. Is Josh coming back to DC?"

"Yes Senator he will be boarding a plane soon. I promise"

"Not that I don't trust you Sam but I don't see how that is possible. The are no flights tonight"

"I assure you we have chartered a Cessna out of Littleton Airfield. He will come straight into Potomac Airfield. He takes off in one hour and lands at 11pm. He will go straight to your office from the airfield. Ok?"

"Ok. I can see you are serious. Is he on his own? I hate to think of him making that journey unassisted" The Senator knew he was pushing his luck, but figured it might be a deemed a reasonable query as Josh was a wheelchair user.

Sam controlled his sense of outrage that surfaced whenever someone implied Josh might be less than able. "Just the pilot, Billy Jones, and his assistant Carl, he'll be there don't worry"

"Right, thanks Sam". The Senator hung up and immediately placed a call on a cell phone he had taken out of his pocket. He relayed the information Sam had given him. When he finished he leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Then looking at his companion whispered, "So it begins"

The other man stood to leave. "I'll tell the others." Then turning back to Feldman, "You know we had no choice, and we may not like their methods but part of me says they are not wrong. The world can afford to lose someone like him. I mean what's he really got going for him?"

Shocked at the words he had just heard Feldman couldn't answer. He didn't want this but he was one of seven, and he couldn't go against them.

The other man left without his answer, leaving Feldman to stew.

CHAPTER 6

Carl and Josh were restlessly watching TV in the hotel room, cards having been abandoned due to the fact Josh was getting grouchy: a combination of waiting and losing.

"Lyman" Josh almost screamed into his cell phone

"Josh we've made arrangements for you to fly out of Littleton Airfield into Potomac. You should be sitting down with Feldman by 11.30 tonight"

"Ok Leo. Wait what type of plane is this? I'm assuming it's not a 747!"

"Josh relax. It is a smaller plane than a 747 but you'll be fine" Josh couldn't see Leo's grimace as he concealed the true size of the plane and the fact that Josh would have to be carried on to it

"OK" Josh didn't sound too sure. "We'll get a cab straight away. How long before we take off?"

"One and a half hours. Josh I really appreciate you doing this" Leo gave himself away with this statement.

"It's a really small plane isn't it Leo?" Josh's voice was quiet and a little shaky

"Yes son it is."

Carl moved over to Josh as he saw his face pale even more that normal and took the phone as his hands shook a little.

"Hi Leo. You want to give me the details and I'll get Josh there? He just needs a minute. You know how he feels about small planes."

Leo gave the details to Carl. "Carl there's one more thing. You might want to wait until he's there to tell him this. You and the pilot are going to have to carry him on"

Carl glanced at Josh. "Ok Leo I'll do that. See you later"

"I'll call a cab and take the bags down. You coming Josh?"

Josh gulped, took a deep breath and collected himself, "Right behind you"

CHAPTER 7

"Hey"

"Hey" Josh's smile was reflected in his voice

"Where are you?"

"In the cab on the way to the airfield. I have to say I'm not crazy about this at all."

"It's not a long flight Josh and just think we'll be together tonight instead of tomorrow night"

The smile was now a grin, "There is that. I am sure I am going to be very in need of stress relief by the time I have flown in a tin can and sorted out whatever has got up Feldman's ass"

Sam felt the heat in his groin as he thought about how he could relieve Josh of his stress. "I am sure that could be arranged, "he almost purred down the phone. "Want me to give you some details?"

Josh choked, blushing as Carl was sitting next to him in the cab trying to ignore the obvious way this conversation was going, but failing to suppress a grin at Josh's discomfort. "No that's ok babe. Thank you though."

The cab came to a stop and Carl got out.

"Will you call me before you take off, once you're on the plane?" The anxiety in Sam's voice came through and Josh wondered what he was missing.

"Sure I will. We're here. Sam is everything ok?"

"I just know how you feel about small planes. I love you"

"Yeah love you too. Call you when I am on board ok?"

"'Kay"

"You ready to get out Josh?" Carl's voice broke into his thoughts from the open car door next to Josh. He hadn't even notice Carl get out and get his wheelchair from the trunk

"Sure" He transferred across to the wheelchair and pushed off towards the small terminal building. Carl followed with the bags.

CHAPTER 8

Once inside Carl located Billy Jones and together they walked over to Josh.

"Josh this is Billy Jones our pilot"

Extending his hand to the young man, "Pleased to meet you Billy. Thanks for doing this at such short notice. Is everything ok?"

Billy took Josh's hand and briefly shook it. "Happy to be helping the Whitehouse Mr Lyman. I did the routine checks on the plane as soon as I heard. She's fuelled up and ready. I have been in here for the last hour finalising the route. Just need to get you and your luggage boarded and we can be on our way."

"Please call me Josh. Lead the way" Josh and Carl followed Billy out onto the tarmac to a very small plane. The door was open revealing the built in stairs.

Josh stopped and took in the size of the plane "Buddy Holly small" he muttered under his breath. His eyes then came to rest on the door, well the stairs to be more accurate. Carl watched Josh take it all in and could see the exact moment when the penny dropped.

"Billy please tell me you have some sort of ramp or platform to get me in there" Josh's voice was quite high pitched.

"No sorry there hasn't been time to arrange anything and anyway there isn't really anything like that for his plane. It's too small."

"Josh we are going to lift you to your seat and your chair goes in the luggage compartment under the plane." Carl's tone was telling Josh that this was just how it was and there could be no discussion. "We need to hurry"

Ignoring Carl's tone, Josh clarified loudly "You mean carry me. You're going to carry me onto the plane"

"Yes we are. I am sorry I know you are going to hate it, but we need to get you back to DC tonight and this is the only way we can get there" Carl's tone was now placatory. He had knelt down next to Josh and was looking him straight in the eye.

"Perfect! I not only have to go in a flying tin can but I get carried on like a piece of luggage!" Josh managed a slight grin which softened his words.

"You ready Josh?" Carl was still kneeling on the tarmac

Deep sigh, "Yeah let's get going. Just don't drop me."

Carl explained to Bill how to hold Josh at the back of his thighs just above his knees. He took Josh's top half and walked backwards up the stairs into the plane. Josh held tightly to Carl's hands across his chest. Carl could feel Josh's breathing increase and knew he was somewhat distressed about the whole thing. He leaned down to Josh's ear after they had got him into his seat, "Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I could do with some water though, please"

Carl handed him a bottle of water and left him to get the luggage and help Billy. Josh got out his cell phone an hit speed dial one.

"Hey. You on board?"

"Yes. You all knew didn't you? You could have warned me!"

"We did but we thought the anticipation of being carried on might be worse that just having to deal with it quickly at the time. I'm sorry if that was wrong, but we were thinking of you. I didn't want you to get really stressed on the way there"

"I guess."

"Are you sulking?"

"I don't sulk"

Sam laughed, "Yes you do and you know it"

"Ok, but I'm not this time"

"If you say so babe"

Josh could see Carl getting into his seat and Billy was starting the engine.

"I have to go, we're about to leave"

"I'll see you soon. Love you"

"You too" Josh reluctantly switched his phone off and put it in his suit jacket pocket. He had taken of his coat as soon as he was settled in his seat. He checked his seatbelt was secure one more time.

"Ok gentlemen we are now ready for take off, next stop Washington DC.

Please let me know whet you think

TBC

"