Chapter 4
"Leaving London Heathrow"
Once Tim and Lucy had gone holiday shopping, I had just finished wrapping the last of Tim's Christmas presents, placing it under the Christmas tree with all the other presents that we got each other.
Yep, it was time for another coffee break. But, there was a good reason why I was doing all these coffee breaks because for the past two weeks, I had been made aware of a phone call that was made to the United States Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. On December 5th, a call came into the US Embassy stating that within the next two weeks, a Pan Am flight from Frankfurt to the United States would be targeted by a terrorist bomb.
I had been in contact with the nearby United States Embassy in Tokyo to see if there are any more leads towards that call. The threat of Team Rocket attacking commercial flights had been present for a long time, ever since they joined forces with terrorist organizations like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, providing Pokemon for them to use to hijack or destroy airplanes and their passengers.
"Loo?" I said into my telephone, calling my superior, Lieutenant Hishoida. "Loo, you got a minute?"
"Yeah, I got a minute, Harry," he replied, calling from his Ryme City office. "Just about to close up for the holidays. Any more words from our friends in Tokyo?"
"Not a thing, maybe the threat passed," I said, sitting down on the couch. "It could also be a hoax as far as I am concerned."
But knowing organizations like Team Rocket, this was possibly a coverup.
"Look, loo. I haven't heard from the US Embassy for over a week, not since the US Embassy in Moscow made the threat public to it's staff over there. I'm also wondering if maybe Pan Am was also made aware of the threat."
"Someone in corporate security was sent to Helsinki to check it out and made the necessary recommendations, Harry. All that we heard from Pan Am was to check for Finnish woman passengers. Personally, I don't think it's enough."
Even though I said what I wanted to say, the idea that only Finnish woman passengers would be subjected to extra screening by Pan Am made things all the more fishy.
"Yeah, I think so too, given that Pan Am is the official carrier of not just US Government employees, but also for Pokemon trainers traveling across the Atlantic between the United States and Europe. What do you think we should do, Loo?"
Lieutenant Hishoida said nothing for a moment, then I heard him respond.
"I'm not sure at this point, but if anything comes up…we'll be there. Until then, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Loo."
I hung up the phone and kept the threat of Pan Am Flights in the back of my mind. Sooner or later, the threat made to the US Embassy in Helsinki would come to pass. I don't know, but it would come to pass.
…
At 5:40pm local time, Pan Am Flight 103A approached London's Heathrow Airport and at the same time, the gate agents at Gate K16 at Terminal 3 began boarding the Clipper Maid of the Seas.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll now begin boarding Pan Am Flight 103 to New York and Detroit at this time. First and Clipper Class Passengers are welcome to board at this time."
Amongst the First and Clipper Class Passengers boarding were Max Jordan and Scarlett Antonelli, who, like her boss, was now wearing an overcoat over the black minidress and vest she was wearing. Dr. Heather Evans, the psychologist who had a final destination of New York boarded with the Clipper Class passengers, her blue trench coat covering the light blue business skirt suit she had chosen to wear on this flight.
Also boarding with the First and Clipper Class passengers were Nancy Conn and her cousin, Charlotte Parks.
"Took some medication, hopefully that will help," Nancy said as she threw a coat over the very nice black dress she was wearing. "God willing."
"Unless something happens," remarked Charlotte, putting her gray sweater over her sleeveless white dress. "Trust me, everything will fall into place for Gary. You'll see."
…
As the economy passengers were boarding, the passengers from Frankfurt including Will Randall and Laura Alden along with the Pokemon League Academy students disembarked from the Boeing 727 and transferred to the Boeing 747.
"Chilly," Laura remarked as she felt a cold breeze coming down the stairs.
"Don't worry, you've got your love to keep you warm," Will said as the breeze caused Laura's skirt to reveal her slip underneath. "By the way, your…"
"Not until we get to my place, Will," Laura warned playfully, a smile on her face. "Be patient, honey."
At the same time, the baggage from Frankfurt were transferred to a container that had been unguarded for over 30 minutes before boarding. Most of the luggage in the container belonged to other passengers who had flown into London/Heathrow from other European starting points. No security checks were performed and the bags were loaded as normal.
…
Aboard the Clipper Maid of the Seas, the passengers boarded a plane that had just been refurbished according to Pan Am's standards. The stewards and stewardesses were dressed in the classic Pan Am uniforms that they had become known for. Gone however, were the days of luxury and the first class style lifestyle that you would find aboard a Pan Am jet. In a way, like all other airlines, Pan Am was becoming more like a bus in the skies while still maintaining a sense of standard.
In the First Class cabin at the nose of the 747, Will Randall and Laura Alden were seated in seats 5H and 5J next to Max Jordan and Scarlett Antonelli seated in seats 5A and 5B.
"You're Will Randall, aren't you?" Max asked, catching Will and Laura's attention as Laura handed her brown coat to a Pan Am Flight Attendant. "From the publishing firm that Ray Alden owns?"
"Yes, yes, how'd you know?" Will remarked.
"My wife did some interior decorating after he took over. Name's Max Jordan."
"Charmed," Will said, reaching out to shake Max's hand. "I trust you're going back home."
"Business in London, you?"
"Business in Frankfurt had to demote someone."
"Ouch. By the way, his is my assistant, Scarlett."
"Oh, really?" remarked Will. "Like Gone with the Wind, I suppose?"
"You might say that."
Scarlett then looked over at Laura, noticing that they both had on the same color.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say we like the same color," Scarlett said.
"This?" Laura asked, showing her outfit off to Scarlett. "Only on certain occasions. I'm Laura Alden. Raymond Alden's my father."
"Ah, the heiress to his publishing empire," smiled Max. "You're very lucky to have this man at your side."
"So are my Pokemon back home."
"Trainer?"
"In a way. Looking forward to seeing them. You?"
"No, neither of us are. Pokemon deserve to be left alone, if you get what I mean. If you did catch one, there's a lot that goes into taking care of them."
"You'd be surprised at how good of a trainer she is," Will said. "Who knows? Maybe Laura can show you some tips on how to take care of one."
Max merely chuckled at Will's remark.
…
Back in Clipper Class, Dr. Heather Evans sat in Seat 12A next to the bathroom, still hoping to eventually divorce her gangster husband upon her arrival to New York and start a new life.
"God give me strength," she whispered to herself, doing a sign of the cross before settling in.
A couple of rows back in Clipper Class, Nancy Conn and Charlotte Parks were seated in Seats 16A and 16B, with Nancy still contemplating on whether her son should be in the Pokemon Training Academy in Israel. She had a full transatlantic flight to New York and a connecting flight to Syracuse, New York to think about the idea.
Finally, throughout the Economy Class Cabin were Machiko Natsukawa in Seat 20A and her 12 Pokemon League Academy students, sharing space with the 35 Syracuse University Students returning home from their study abroad. Also aboard in the Economy Class Cabin were families, businessmen and women, students and US Military personnel that had also arrived from Frankfurt.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," came the voice from the Maid of the Seas cockpit. "This is your captain, Jim McQuarrie, speaking and on behalf of myself, First Officer Ray Wagner, and Flight Engineer Jerry Avritt, your New York based flight crew, we'd like to welcome you aboard a continuation of Pan Am Clipper Flight 103 to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and then onward to Detroit, Michigan. We might be a little delayed leaving London due to ground traffic and we have been informed that the weather out over the Irish Sea is going to have us fly over Scotland before crossing the Atlantic. But, once we get out over the Atlantic, it will be smooth sailing."
Although the delay was not what anyone wanted, it wasn't the end of the world.
"Anyways," continued Captain McQuarrie. "Weather in New York is nice and cold with Partly Cloudy Skies, good visibility and light winds out of the north with a temperature of 39 degrees. In the back are 13 London based Flight Attendants, who will not only be taking care of you, but also are here for your safety. I ask you to adhere to any safety instructions they give you in the event of an emergency. With that said, on behalf of all of us here, we'd like to thank you for flying Pan Am and we wish you a pleasant flight and a happy holiday. Once again this is a continuation of Pan Am Flight 103 to New York and then, Detroit. Welcome aboard."
Shortly after 6:00pm, Pan Am Flight 103 pushed back from Gate K16 and with the container containing the explosive Pokemon inside multiple suitcases, rolled down Runway 27L and at 6:25pm, lifted off into the cold December night towards Scotland and eventually over the Atlantic towards New York.
Everything seemed normal and routine, but it was all about to change later that night…
