Page 9 of A Way Down


  Chapter Five

  Caught In the Storm

  The next night, Mr. Malmsteen was in his car, his driver taking him to the small airport. The ride over there was bumping. Mr. Malmsteen was wearing a large black coat with jeans on. He managed to properly wrap his arm. Tiny flakes of snow were landing on the windshield of the car before quickly melting away.

  The car passed by the old train cars that have been sitting on the track for years. Nothing much was out where they were. Mr. Malmsteen looked out the back window, staring at the ginormous city all lit up behind him.

  "There he is sir," Mr. Malmsteen's driver pointed as he saw the pilot up ahead. Mr. Malmsteen sat up in his seat, trying to get a good look at what his driver saw.

  The car came to a halt. They were right next to the shack that the airport building was.

  Mr. Malmsteen and his driver both got out of the car. A gust of winter wind passed through. The driver went to the trunk of the car, pulling out the two suitcases that Mr. Malmsteen had. He rolled them over to where Mr. Malmsteen was. Grabbing both of the handles that stuck up, he walked over to the pilot.

  "Good to see ya sir," the pilot yelled, trying to talk over the wind that continued to swirl around them. The pilot had on his goggles and hat. He walked over to Mr. Malmsteen, giving him a firm handshake. "Well, she's ready to go."

  "I'll be on board," Mr. Malmsteen said. "When my friend gets here, tell him to get on. I want to leave right when he gets here. Am I clear?"

  "Very clear sir," the pilot said.

  Mr. Malmsteen walked over to his jet, walking up the stairs that were already pulled down. He left his two suitcases outside of the jet, near the stairs. Climbing the stairs, he headed inside his jet. The back of the jet had two pairs of seats next to the windows. In front of the seats were two more pairs of seats, facing the ones behind them. In the middle of the four seats was a white table that was built into the floor.

  Mr. Malmsteen went over and sat in one of the seats in the back, near the left side of the jet, next to the window. A dated tv hung on the wall next to the doorway into the pilot's room. Mr. Malmsteen watched it until Mr. Eisen joined him on board.

  "Nice jet," Mr. Eisen complimented. He ducked down when he weathered the jet, taking the seat that was across from his friend. "Your pilot better remember to load our luggage."

  They both jumped a little when the jet started up. Neither of them noticed the pilot board the plane and enter the pilot's room. He pressed a button on the control panel that raised the stairs up, securing the jet.

  The pilot turned around and looked at the two. "You both ready to hit it," the pilot said. "Oh, and don't worry about your luggage, it's safe." The pilot faced forward, pressing a few more buttons and pulling a few levers to get the jet up and running.

  Mr. Malmsteen pulled his cellphone out from his pocket to check what time it was. After he did, he placed it back in his pocket. Mr. Eisen was curious about the time as well, looking down at his watch.

  "It'll be a while before we get there," Mr. Malmsteen said. "Might as well catch up on our sleep."

  Mr. Eisen nodded. The jet began to shake. Both of them held onto the armrests as the jet began to take off.

  "Here we go," the pilot said. They both looked through the pilot's doorway, trying to see out the front of the jet.

  They were now traveling around at a high speed, the jet still not in the air yet. The pilot was maneuvering around the landing area until he finally raised the jet in the air.

  Both Mr. Malmsteen and Mr. Eisen's ears popped when they started to take off. The pilot's ears on the other hand did not as he was wearing earplugs. He heard the two CEOs moan as they covered their ears. "You two should get yourselves a pair of earplugs," the pilot said. "That is, with all the money you have."

  Mr. Malmsteen removed his large jacket. Underneath he was wearing a plain white shirt, unusual to what he normally wears.

  Mr. Eisen also removed his jacket, wearing an ocean blue shirt. He was also wearing jeans.

  The jet wobbled as it first got into the air, but smoothed out. They flew past the city. Mr. Malmsteen and Mr. Eisen both looked out the window. The buildings were all lit up. It looked beautiful to the two men.