"Nance, John J. - The Last Hostage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nance John J)

I was in such a good mood, and now we've got to send someone over to
rescue a hundred or so furious passengers at outrageous cost, and none
of them will love us for it. It would have been so easy if he'd just
come home, but I know Ken must have had his reasons."

"Probably, "Verne replied absently, startled at the odd look which
suddenly clouded Judy's face.

Aboard AirBridge Flight 90, Durango-La Plata County Airport, Durango,
Colorado. 1O: 14 A.M.

David Gates finished the last item of the shutdown check and looked at
the captain, who was studying the maintenance log.

"You going inside to call dispatch?" David offered.

Ken's eyes remained on the log. "Not yet. But I do have a quick mission
for you."

"Okay."

Ken raised his head and looked the copilot in the eye. "There's a small
maintenance shop at the south end of the field run by a jet mechanic I
know and trust. Gus Wilson is his name. Get someone to run you down
there, find Gus, and tell him I need him to look at our engine before we
declare this flight a lost cause."

"Ah, you mean he could legally sign it off, even though he's not one of
our mechanics?"

The captain was nodding. "He could./four gauges are lying."

"But, you said the gauges were showing--"

"David, just go get him, okay? We can discuss the finer points when we
get him here."

The copilot hesitated, then began unstrapping the seatbelt. "The south
end, you said?"

"Yeah. Gus Wilson. Big guy. Tell him to hurry. I'm probably wrong, but
before the company flies another aircraft in here to pick these folks
up, I want to try."

David got to his feet carefully as he gestured toward the captain's side
window. "We're lucky we've got the only jet in our fleet with built-in
stairs. You don't normally find portable stairs big enough for a Boeing
on a private ramp."

"You're right. We're lucky, "Ken replied without enthusiasm.