Chương 124: Book 4 - Chapter 11 B

Monday morning brought a change from Jack.

"Anything you need to take with you on the plane needs to be packed up. Anything you don't need can be left here and we'll pack it up and get it to San Diego for you."

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"It's a surprise." I packed as he got the RV ready to roll. The city was still crowded from everyone who had come to see the tall ships, but with the blue Jeep in the lead we made our escape. There were a number of bridges as we moved east and along the coast. We had just gone through a residential neighborhood when he made a turn down a narrow road filled with trees on both sides that blocked the view.

Then the trees opened up on a parking lot, and there, across the Puget Sound was Seattle, distant but clear, on the other side of a sun sparkled water. The beach was large smooth pebbles and above the beach the ground was littered with washed up trees, worn smooth by wind and water. I eagerly exited as he brought the RV to a stop.

"That's our next destination," Jack said.

"We'll leave the RV here for the second team to take care of. Pick a Jeep, the ferry will be here soon and we need to get in line to get a spot." I liked the blue one, so I clambered into the back seat. My suitcase and Max soon joined me. He was unhappy in his carrier, but there wasn't much choice. Jack took the passenger seat and the other security drove off so we could get our spot for the ferry. On the ferry I could walk around, so I went to the top deck where I could feel the sun and see the city grow closer.

Jack was at my side everywhere I went. This was no different. As we approached the ferry stop we hurried back down to where our vehicle waited. We rolled off the ferry and into the heart of the Seattle waterfront. The city was a sensory explosion after the silence of the Hoh. The smell of salt and creosote mingled with the exhaust of midday traffic. Jack had the driver navigate the Jeep toward the Seattle Center, the iconic white spire of the Space Needle growing taller with every block.

Even in the bustle of the city we looked like any other group of tourists in a Jeep, though the men in the other vehicles were surely scanning every rooftop and alleyway.

"We are heading straight to the top," Jack said as we parked in a secured lot.

"I figured you would appreciate the view." The elevator ride was a lesson in vertical acceleration. I stood at the glass window watching the city floor drop away until the cars looked like the miniature components of a circuit board. We stepped out into the revolving restaurant and the entire Puget Sound opened up before me. To the west the Olympic Mountains were a jagged wall of violet and gold in the late afternoon sun. To the east the Cascades stood as a silent guard over the city.

"This is the last night of vacation John," Jack noted as he took the seat opposite me.

"Tuesday you need to decide if you want to sleep on the plane or if you want to get up early and meet it at Boeing Field." I looked out at the city revolving slowly beneath us.

"You moved the plane?" I asked.

"I did. Much shorter trip this way, and more time for fun in Seattle tomorrow." The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I'll decide tomorrow. But for tonight I just want to watch the lights. I want to see the world as it is before I change it forever." I ordered a local King Salmon grilled with lemon and herbs, serving it with a simple reduction of white wine and butter. It was clean and perfect. Between bites I looked down at the sprawling landscape. I could see the cranes at the shipyards and the distant lights of the Boeing factory. Somewhere down there my plane was being fueled and prepped for the two hour run to California.

"You were right about the surprise Jack," I told him as we finished our meal.

"I needed to see this from above. It puts the work into perspective."

"That is why I am here, John. To make sure you do not forget to look up from your notes once in a while," he said. We watched the sunset turn the water into a sheet of liquid copper. As the first stars began to pierce the twilight I felt the familiar hum of the future vibrating in my chest. The vacation was over but the clarity remained. Wednesday I would pick up the rocket team and begin the final push. One last negotiation to put all the pieces in place.

For now I was just a man at the top of a needle watching the world turn. I woke Tuesday morning in the Fairmont Olympic to the sound of Jack knocking on the heavy suite door. I looked at my watch and groaned. It was barely seven thirty. Max was already awake and batting at the tassels on the bedside lamp.

"Up and at 'em John," Jack called through the door.

"If you want to see the morning feeding at the aquarium we need to be moving. I have a tight schedule for your last day." I rolled out of the high thread count sheets and realized I was actually excited to see the final events he'd planned. It felt like the last day of summer camp, sad to leave and excited to spend one last day doing everything you enjoyed. Letting Jack handle the logistics was the ultimate luxury.

I dressed quickly and grabbed a coffee as we headed down to the motor court where the three Jeeps were waiting. The Seattle Aquarium was a quiet marvel in the early morning light. Jack had us there just as the divers were entering the massive tanks. I pressed my face to the glass of the underwater dome watching the rockfish and sharks swarm for their meal. Before we left I found a small gift shop. I spotted a piece of polished driftwood that had been expertly carved into the shape of a leaping salmon.

It was smooth and held the faint scent of salt. I knew Mom would love it back in Tulsa. It was a tangible piece of the sea I could send home to her.

"Next stop is Pioneer Square," Jack announced checking his watch.

"The bookstore Matt told me about." The Elliott Bay Book Company was a labyrinth of cedar shelves and the wonderful smell of old paper. I wandered the stacks while Jack kept a discreet distance near the entrance. I found a beautiful first edition history of the Oklahoma Land Run for Dad. He enjoyed talking about our roots and I knew he would appreciate the scholarship. For myself, I spotted a copy of 'Seul sur Mars' in the foreign language section.

I clandestinely pulled a pen and signed the inside cover before returning it to the shelf. Finding an autographed copy would be a treat for whoever bought the book. We spent the afternoon at the Museum of Flight. I stood in the shadow of the M-21 Blackbird and felt the familiar itch of engineering power. The plane was a masterpiece of speed and titanium. I found a high quality model of the SR-71 in the museum store for Mattie along with a heavy flight jacket that was her size.

She always had a need for speed and this was the closest I could get to giving her the keys to the sky. By five we were pulling into the private terminal at Boeing Field. My 767 was gleaming under the hangar lights.

"I made a decision Jack," I said as we stepped out of the Jeep.

"I want to sleep on the plane tonight. Have the pilots take us down to San Francisco whatever time works best. I want to wake up parked at SFO so we are ready the second those rocket scientists show up tomorrow morning." Jack nodded as if he had already anticipated the move.

"The crew is prepped and the galley is stocked with the salmon you liked. We will be wheels up at zero one hundred." I walked up the air stairs with Max tucked under my arm. The kitten was vibrating with a low purr as his legs dangled. He smelled the familiar scent of the cabin. I reached the top of the stairs and looked back at the city. The sun was setting behind the Olympics and the Space Needle was starting to glow against the darkening sky. I had my cat, my souvenirs and a clear head.

My last real break for a while was over.