CHAPTER 2 : OFF THE RADAR

He became conscious of renewed thrashing rain and he realised it was branches scraping against the fuselage and then there was a deafening thud and the plane came to rest on the ground.

Uther had come to with a wicked headache, aching ribs and legs which felt like jelly. He had one thought and that was to get as far away from the plane as possible. He reached for his phone and used it as a torch. The plane was at a forty-five degree angle but by hanging onto the backs of the seats he was able to make his way to the front. The cockpit door was open and he could see the co-pilot half in and half out of the cockpit window, his head was at a strange angle and Uther hadn't much hope for him.

Richard however was still in his seat, moaning slightly. Uther managed to reach him and tried to encourage him to stand but the man couldn't. Heaving him with all his might and hoping that he wasn't doing irreparable damage to his spine or his neck, Uther managed to manoeuvre him into the passenger area and slid him onto a seat. Luckily the exterior door seemed undamaged and with a lot of effort, he managed to open it sufficiently to glance outside.

They were clinging to the side of a hill, on the door side there was only a three foot drop to the ground. He reached into the overhead bin and pulled out the emergency supplies and first aid kit. He then threw them out the door onto the hillside. It was as his old tutor would have said, 'Pissing rain!' He could see nothing but he knew to survive he had to get away from the plane as he was conscious of the smell of smoke.

He got hold of Richard and slid him to the door, he was conscious but seemed unaware of the situation. He slid himself out of the plane thanking God to feel terra firma under his feet. He then reached up and pulled Richard out as carefully as possible but even so once his body left the plane it overbalanced him and Uther landed flat on his back. He squirmed away and placing his arms around the other man's chest hauled him up the hill away from the plane and the tiny flickering flames which he could see beneath the fuselage. Trying to figure if the fire would burn up or down the hill gave him a headache so he just pulled Richard as far from the plane as he could and then went back to get the yellow crash kit with the emergency supplies.

He finally sat down feeling pain across his back and down into his hips, "Old age is a bitch!" he said aloud, laughing to himself. He checked the time on his phone it was twelve twenty-six, if all had gone well they would have landed in Edinburgh forty-five minutes ago.

He opened the emergency kit and found a waterproof covering. The rain was still pelting down so he put it over Richard who although he was breathing had yet to say anything. He found four silver foil emergency blankets and wrapped two around Richard and put one around his waist and the over his own shoulders and then secured it by wrapping it around his waist. Luckily, he had a belt so he took it off his trousers and used it to hold the two blankets in place. He probably looked like a space man, but at this point he didn't care. His shirt was jacket were soaking wet, but at least he wouldn't get any wetter.

He unrolled a second waterproof covering and laid it flat on the ground and then eased Richard onto it. He was also soaked.

He looked toward the plane and noticed that the little flames seemed to have disappeared probably extinguished by the rain, the main fuel tanks must have been undamaged. He decided to risk it and went back to the plane. He clambered in and managed to retrieve his overcoat and the two belonging to the pilots. He slid into the cockpit and tried to reach the other man to check his pulse but he couldn't.

He took a quick look around the cockpit but nothing made any sense to him. There was one light flickering and he hoped it was a GPS or something so they would be found.

He slid back onto the hillside and made his way to Richard. He sat down and took stock of the situation, two of them were alive, in the wilds of who knew where. He opened the emergency kit and explored it more fully. They had a dozen emergency water packets, some energy biscuits in foil wrapping, and first aid equipment. He was impressed with the contents which ranged from a powerful torch to warming packs and aluminium foil: emergency blankets to a hand saw, fire sticks to a shovel with a pick, rain ponchos to tea bags, spark-lite flint and tinder, to Tums and a signalling mirror. It was like Christmas morning and there were still other things he hadn't identified.

He remembered Ian Holsworth telling him that he intended as a gift equipping the plane with a top of the line emergency kit.

He felt that the rain was lessening. He held up the torch and saw a stone wall and decided to move everything beside it so that it would give some protection from the wind. Richard was finally speaking, not making any sense but at least he could speak. He kept saying the co-pilot's name and then went into a conversation with himself and Uther picked out words: emergency, present position, heading, and altitude, then forced landing. He kept repeating Learjet 527DW. Uther knew that that was the call name for his plane.

He moved Richard to the wall first, he lay one of the pilots' coats on the waterproof cover and helped Richard lie on it then covered him with the silver foil blankets and the other coat.

He sat beside him still wearing his silver foil skirt or should he say kilt and shawl. He let his mind drift and thought of Lord Baden-Powell founder of the Boy Scouts of which he in his younger days, had been a member. Baden-Powell was right when he had said always be in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty, in other words 'Be Prepared!'

What a mess they were in! He thought of London and how shocked Arthur would be to hear of his experiences. That is if…

He put that thought out of his mind…of course someone would find them, a Lear Challenger is no Piper Cub and he trusted that Holsworth wouldn't give up that easily.

-0-0-

Arthur had dozed off to the lull of the voices on the TV, awaking later to a report that Glasgow Prestwick which always had a load of transatlantic flights was now closed. Due to the volume of incoming flights, planes were being diverted to Manchester or if they had originated in London returning there.

He got up and walked over to the windows, the rain was heavy and the wind had picked up but it seemed nothing out of the ordinary. He returned to the sofa and looked up the weather for the British Isles on his laptop and the visuals showed the weather mass was making its way South. Hopefully it would dissipate before it reached the South East and London. There was now flooding in Hull.

He was exhausted, he decided to trust God to deal with it and went to bed.

-0-0-

He felt he'd only just put his head on the pillow when his phone buzzed. He opened his eyes but it was still dark, he could hear the rain pelting on the windows and involuntarily shuddered.

It was Gawaine…

"Sorry, to wake you so early but we're flooded here and I won't be able to join you for lunch. I can't leave my Nan as she's nervous, worried that it will be like the 1950's North Sea flood. Don't ask! She was only a child herself but it's still in her mind, guess the family talked about it for years. She keeps reminding me that three hundred plus people in the South East died and…that my mother is currently spending the week in London."

"Poor dear, she must be very worried."

"A little better since we've spoken to Mum on the phone and she's safe. All it's doing here is raining but it's the TV news that got her going. Don't think she slept a wink all night. Everything all right, your end?"

Arthur was going to mention that he hadn't heard from his father but decided that he was making a mountain out of a molehill and just answered, "Yes, everything is good here."

"O.K. Then I'll see you over the weekend."

"Say hello to rainy, Essex on the Sunshine coast and tell your Nan not to worry as she has you there…and bring some beer when you come!"

Gawaine laughed as he said, "Thanks a lot! Bye!"

Arthur realised that the plans following the 1950 floods had been responsible for the storm surge barriers on both the Thames and the Hull Rivers. The Thames Barrier from where he lived on the south bank was only ten miles away near the London City Airport from where his Father's jet had left yesterday for Edinburgh. He was up so he put on the TV to watch the early news. The storm was now moving over Europe but he could still understand how Gawaine's Nan would be worried.

Edinburgh airport was currently closed to air traffic but due to open in the afternoon and Prestwick would be operating at a reduced volume later that morning, only for departing flights allowing southern and eastern international destination flights to leave.

The rain was forecast to let up in London later that day and there were only sporadic instances of flooding. The Thames looked rough but not unduly so. He didn't know the times of the tides but the water seemed high. He remembered that Gawaine had suggested that he keep a timetable for the tides, for no other reason than that he lived on the river. What use it would have been to him living on the seventh floor above the embankment he didn't know but if he had had one, he would have glanced at it.

He decided to stop on his way to the office at Costa's to pick up a coffee and something to eat, probably the Maple Cured Bacon and Egg sandwich. That should start his day of well.

He didn't hear his landline ring as his closed his condo door.

-0-0-

Arthur was in the tube when he felt his phone vibrating. He pulled it out, realising that it was Giselle his father's secretary he didn't answer as he would be there within ten minutes. He decided to just pick up a coffee and take it with him into the office. His father wasn't there so there would be no need to worry about the disapproving look he would get for carrying a coffee into the building, especially one from a competitor as the company had financial ties with Caffè Nero which was the UK's third largest coffee chain.

Seemingly, the fact that Arthur liked Costa had nothing to do with it as far as Uther was concerned. He was seen publicly to frequent the competition. Arthur had at one time argued that none of those franchises were on his way to the office but his father had told him that he should have waited and if he was that desperate for a coffee he could have sent his PA down to their own cafeteria.

Arthur knew that he had no intention of giving up his Costa and smiled as he had read that it was the top coffee shop chain by number of outlets in the UK. More than double the number of Starbucks and two thirds more than Caffe Nero. It was the fastest developing company in the world with outlets in mainland Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It was the second largest coffeehouse chain in the world after Starbucks. 'No,' he thought, 'I'll stick with Costa!'

There was a queue; he stood listing to other patrons discussing the bad weather up in Scotland. He arrived in the office ten minutes later than he had intended. He was greeted in the reception area by the Head of Security saying, "Mr. Arthur, Mr. Pendragon's secretary has asked to be notified as soon as you entered the building. She would like you to go directly to your father's office.

Arthur sauntered over to the bank of lifts, nodding at various people on his way. He got into one and Lance joined him, they discussed their weekend plans until the tenth floor when Lance left him and Arthur continued to the twelfth floor.

He was surprised to see a decidedly distraught Giselle waiting for him as he left the lift. "There you are, Arthur! We've been trying to track you down." She turned and made her way to the company's Board Room and he followed.

Once inside, she closed the door and introduced him to Retired Captain Ian Holsworth. "Captain Holsworth is the owner of the air company which supplies your father with flight staff."

Captain Holsworth stepped forward and extended his hand, "Mr. Pendragon, I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

Myriads of thoughts flooded Arthur's mind but he heard himself say clearly, "Mr. Pendragon is my father, please call me Arthur."

Captain Holsworth nodded saying, "Arthur, with bad weather in Scotland since yesterday afternoon, we have been carefully monitoring all our planes and pilots. We have not heard from your father's pilot since he left London at twenty-one forty-five hours last evening. The plane was picked up on the radar at RAF Spadeadam west of Newcastle, heading west.

Arthur knew that the direct 534 km flight should take approximately one and a half hours. He tuned in again to Captain Holsworth who was mentioning that there were many other small airfields in the area.

"We are expecting to hear from the pilot anytime. The weather up there has been ferocious, if the power was down and there was no cell service, it is understandable that we have not heard from him. We have recently received contact with crews which landed at other than their destination. We have two other crews in small airports just waiting for the queues on larger airstrips to be cleared and for their destination airports to be on line again. I am sure that the news will be positive but I wanted to personally give you the current situation.

"The weather was critical in their area and landing as quickly and as safely as possible would be the pilot's priority. I am sure that Captain Naylor felt the same and will be getting in contact soon. Your father's Challenger is a good little plane and his pilot is experienced.

"I came personally as PenD has helped us financially on many occasions and your father Uther always treated our company favourably."

Arthur nodded, he knew that Captain Holsworth had had previous dealings with his father. He said, "Thank you, I hope to hear from you soon. Please contact me immediately." He grabbed a pen and jotted down his cell number, handed it to the company's owner…this was an emergency and he wanted to be easily reached.

Ian Holsworth was escorted back to the reception area by the Senior Vice-President. He left telling the man that he hoped that the next time he would be contacting Mr. Arthur it would be with good news. The man nodded, the news of Mr. Pendragon's overdue plane had been kept quiet but as soon as the news media picked up the fact that Mr. Pendragon's jet was missing, it would be on all the TV stations. Luckily at the moment, they had less specific news for their general audience

-0-0-

Arthur went to his office and sat down. Miss Benoit walked after him and mentioned that her mother always suggested a hot cup of tea with plenty of sugar for shock. He looked and smiled confiding quietly that he would prefer a whisky.

Giselle returned the smile with, "I agree. I think your father would second that."

"Wait, here!" Arthur said and went to his father's office and brought back a bottle and two glasses. Miss Benoit had been with his father for over twenty years. He'd know her since he was a youngster. She and her husband had two girls.

He didn't want to drink alone and he poured a double shot for himself and a single for Giselle. He turned on the TV and they watched reports of the damage. Schools and businesses in the more heavily damaged area were closed. People living on the coast were being advised of high tides and those near waterways, of flooding.

Finally, Giselle said that she had work to do, thanked him for the drink and returned to her office. She promised to contact him if she heard anything. Arthur sat at his desk, he propped his feet on an open drawer and considered refilling his glass. His phone was on the desk in front of him and he willed it to ring to alleviate the silence...but it didn't.

There was a knock at his door and his PA Laurence walked in carrying a tray with a carafe of coffee and some sandwiches. "Sir, you haven't taken a lunch break and Miss Benoit said that I should bring something up for you..."

"Thanks, Laurence, put it on the desk," Arthur said as he put his feet on the floor, "Go and get yourself a mug and join me, there's plenty for both of us."

Laurence had been with the company for seven years, four of them with him. He was capable and pleasant to deal with. He was also a cousin of Arthur's friend Gawaine so there was an underlying friendship as well. "Sorry to hear about Mr. P., I'm sure he'll turn up with a great story of his adventures. They probably were off course and put down somewhere safe until daylight."

Arthur nodded that would be what he was expecting but what if that was not what had happened.

-0-0-

Uther was conscious that someone was watching him, he opened his eyes to daylight and a sheep. As he moved his head, it backed up but stayed watching him. He wondered if it belonged to the farmer on whose land the jet was now sitting. Maybe, it thought it had come upon picnickers and there might be treats in the offing. Eventually, after much shooing, and managing to pulling himself upright, Uther gave the beast the evil eye muttering something about lamb chops and mutton stew and the animal decided that it had better things to do and moved down the hill.

Uther noticed that the sheep had companions and felt more positive. He decided to check on Richard who was awake. He handed Richard an emergency water packet and a granola bar. He seemed fine but complained of pains in both his legs as well as a soreness down his back. He was sporting a black eye and some scratches on his face. Uther decided to leave him where he was and take a walk further up the hill to see if there were any houses or roads. If there were stone walls, surely there must be farms.

His eyes were drawn to the furrow which the jet had made as it skidded along the gorse. He marvelled that it had missed the stone wall further down from where Richard and he had sheltered. It seemed to have touched down quite a way back and then continued uphill until it stopped.

Thankfully the area was hilly but with gentle slopes and no exposed rock faces or cliffs. He stood there thanking his lucky stars. Someone had been on his side! He glanced at the plane and co see the co-pilot's body half through the window. He hadn't moved…

He kept climbing higher and in the distance saw a murky ribbon of grey which he really couldn't identify for certain as a road. He could see no traffic and it could he realised have been a river. The ground underfoot was soft and spongey from all the rain but he figured that he could walk that distance barring any real obstacles.

He turned his eyes skywards but he could make out no planes or helicopters. People must know they were missing, he would have to remain positive.

Turning, he prepared to go back down. They would pack up some of the supplies and start on their way. That or sit by the plane waiting for someone to find it. He decided to take into consideration any of Richard's experiences or knowledge of plane crashes before making a final decision.

The plane had not seemed to have shifted so if the weather got worse, he thought that it would make sense to postpone leaving and use it as a base.

He rubbed his hip, he would be more comfortable sitting on one of the upholstered seats than on the ground.

-0-0-

Arthur's mind wouldn't allow him to think straight. Every-time he heard the faint ringing of a phone in one of the adjoining offices, he held his breath as he expected someone to rush into his office with news. He glanced at his watch to see that it was nearly half past three, in seven hours it would almost be twenty-four hours since anyone had heard from the plane except for the radar sighting at RAF Spadeadam.