Chapter 2: Flight of the Zim
"Huh," Reddington said. "Dembe? I suggest we start handing out parachutes."
"Of course, Raymond." Dembe strode to the front of the plane, where the copilot had retreated moments before. He didn't stumble once, not even when the plane veered suddenly to the right. By the time he got to the cockpit, he pulled on the door latch. It didn't budge.
"They locked it, Raymond."
"How unfortunate," Reddington said. "Do you think you could break it down?"
"I can try." Dembe got a running start and tried to bust the door down with his shoulder. He only bounced off. He still kept to his feet, though.
"Try shooting it," Zim said.
Dembe looked to Reddington. Reddington shrugged, hands out. Dembe stood back from the door and drew a gun from under his arm. He fired once into the door, and it popped open.
Zim smiled, glad he could have contributed to the resolution of this horror.
"Raymond! Look!"
Reddington stood, but he didn't have the same balance as his bodyguard. He gripped each seat as he made his way. Zim followed in much the same fashion.
The cockpit was empty. A panel on the floor had been opened, and they could see the world through it as it grew bigger and bigger.
Dembe held up two packs. "There are only two parachutes, Raymond."
Reddington sighed and looked at Zim. "See what I mean? You just have bad luck, and everyone around you suffers because of it."
Dembe held one pack to Reddington, who started strapping it to his back. Reddington, slightly distracted, said, "Dembe, you take the other parachute. I think we screwed the pooch by inviting Mr. Zim on our venture."
"Of course, Raymond." Dembe started following suit.
"What about me?" Zim asked. "What am I going to do?"
"If the world is a fair and good place, you will die in the fiery plane crash that is about to happen," Reddington said. "But I know how unfair and bad the world is, and I have read your files. Chances are, you're going to get out of this through some outlandish, nigh-impossible set of circumstances, and you will continue to haunt my existence."
"You can't do this to me!" Zim yelled.
"Mr. Zim, I desperately hope this is goodbye."
Dembe had already opened the door near the back of the plane. Wind whipped back at him as he strained to hold it open. "Come, Raymond! We must leave!"
Reddington made his way to Dembe, who stepped aside to allow his boss, now holding his fancy hat to his head with one hand, to jump from the plane.
"No! Wait!" Zim rushed to the back of the plane. He had the idea that he could grab Dembe, and the parachute would save them both.
Too late. Dembe jumped. Zim watched in horror as both figures shrank in the distance. What the fuck was he going to do now? He couldn't fly a plane, much less land it. Maybe, just maybe he could do it like Keanu in Point Break.
"Oh what the fuck am I doing?!" Zim held his breath and jumped from the plane.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!" he screamed.
TO BE CONTINUED!
