“Karl.” Ben shuddered. “Jesus, man. Tell me that all of you are okay.”

“We’re okay, Ben.” Karl’s voice sounded tinny, and there was so much interference with the connection that Ben had to struggle to understand every word. “We weren’t on the flight to Delhi. The plane was already on the runway by the time we got to the gate. And – Christ, Ben – we saw it all happen – the explosion, the fires, the chaos. It was – the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Ben attempted to stand, to walk over to his office window in the hopes of getting a clearer signal from the satellite phone Karl was calling on. But he quickly found that his legs were shaking much too hard to support him, and he sank back down onto his desk chair.

“Thank God you’re all okay,” he told Karl fervently. “You have no idea how worried everyone has been. How are the others holding up?”

“Chris and Lauren have been troupers. George has been sick as a dog, poor kid. In fact, we sort of have him to thank for us missing that flight. Our flight from Port Blair was like a roller coaster ride, and he had such bad motion sickness that he had to duck into the bathroom three different times to puke before we could make it to the gate. I thought Lauren was going to dismember him for a few minutes when we realized we’d missed the flight. And now – well, she’s been taking care of him, acting like a little mother hen.”

Ben couldn’t help himself from smiling a little at the image that popped into his head. “You’ve got to take a photo of that because nobody will believe you otherwise.”

Karl chuckled. “Yeah, maybe so. Speaking of which, Chris took a bunch of video and Lauren’s got tons of shots from the scene here. I’ve been trying to do some interviews and writing up an eyewitness account. Not our usual kind of stuff, for sure, but we thought under the circumstances – well, we are journalists, after all. It’s also helped to keep our minds off of how close we came to being on that flight ourselves.”

“I get it. And I’m sure it will make an incredible article. Now, fill me in on the current situation there, and when we can expect all of you back home.”

Karl gave him a quick update on the conditions at Chennai Airport. The power had finally been restored to the terminal, where all of the passengers had been stranded for almost twenty hours now without air conditioning or lights. Cell phone and internet service still weren’t easily available, and Karl had just now been able to get the satellite phone to connect. The airlines, who had their own back-up servers, were scrambling to re-book all the stranded passengers on new flights. Flights were expected to resume on the one functioning airstrip within the next eight to ten hours.

“They were able to get all of us on a direct flight from Chennai to London,” said Karl. “Though it won’t leave for more than twelve hours yet. And they weren’t able to make arrangements for us from London to New York, said we’d have to take care of that when we get to Heathrow.”

“Never mind that. Give me your flight info and I’ll have Nadine handle it for you,” declared Ben. “She and a bunch of the staff have been here all day, and should be back in a few minutes. I’m sure under the circumstances she’ll be thrilled to book flights for you. You might even get to fly business class.”

Karl gave a weary chuckle. “I think we’d settle for the cargo hold on a FedEx plane right about now. Here’s the flight info.”

Ben jotted down the flight number and its arrival time in London. “I’ll have Nadine jump right on it the minute she gets back with dinner. I’m guessing everyone will feel like celebrating when they hear the good news. I’ll text you the flight info as soon as it’s confirmed.”

“Thanks, man. I don’t know if we’ll get email service back up here before we leave, so I may not see your text until we get to London. Have – have you talked to Tamsyn at all?” asked Karl tentatively.

“Three times,” assured Ben. “She’s holding it together, but this has been tough on everyone. I think her parents are with her right now. You haven’t called her yet?”

“No. We decided the first call should be to you, just in case the satellites got blocked again. Figured that way at least one person would have the news and could pass it on to our families.”

“Good thinking. And you guys go ahead and call your families now. I’ll do the same, just in case you can’t get through,” instructed Ben.

“Are you sure?” asked Karl uncertainly. “I mean, it’s expensive to use these suckers.”

“Fuck the expense,” Ben replied flatly. “And considering how worried everyone here has been about you guys, nobody will have the balls to bitch about the cost.”

“Okay. Thanks, Ben. Look, I’d better sign off then so we can all make those calls. This has been a real ordeal, I must say. Though I feel guilty for even thinking about complaining, given the circumstances. I’d much rather be sweaty, tired, and hungry than dead.”

Ben closed his eyes for a few seconds, offering up a silent thanks that his prayers had been answered. “You got that right. And let’s plan on having a party when you guys get back here – dinner and drinks on me. Karl - ” he hesitated before asking his next question. “How – how is she?”

Karl’s voice was reassuringly gentle. “She’s fine, Ben. Physically, at least, though she’s about ready to drop just like the rest of us. Emotionally, well – it shook her up bad. I think that’s why she’s been fussing over George so much, as a way to keep her mind off of what could have happened.”

“I get it. I’ll let you go now, Karl, so you can get started on those phone calls. And I’ll contact everyone’s family, too, just in case you don’t get through. And Karl - ” Ben’s voice cracked a little, despite his best efforts to remain strong. “Take care of her for me, okay? Just don’t let her know you’re doing it or she’ll be pissed.”

Karl chuckled. “I’ve been doing just that for five years now, and she’s never caught on yet. I’m not going to stop now.”

Ben was grinning broadly as he set his phone down, feeling like a huge weight had just been lifted off his chest. Not to mention the hunger pains that he was feeling for the first time all day. Hoping that Nadine and the others would be back any minute, he was relieved to notice a handful of cookies still sitting on one of the platters. He devoured three of them before calling the first name on his list.

“Robert? It’s Ben Rafferty. And I’ve got some very good news for you.”

***

It was close to eleven p.m. by the time he arrived at the brownstone, both mentally and physically exhausted. Today had definitely been one in which he’d experienced both the lowest lows – fearful that his beloved Lauren and the rest of the crew had perished in the plane crash – and also the highest highs – after hearing from Karl that everyone was all right and would be home again in a couple of days.

Nadine and the others had been overjoyed upon their return to hear the good news, and there had been a lot of hugs, tears, and cheers as they’d consumed the burgers and shakes, this time with a real appetite.

Each of the crew’s families that Ben had called had been incredibly grateful to hear from him, none more so than Robert and Natalie. Both of Lauren’s parents had come on the line, thanking him profusely for the good news.

Robert had told him just before hanging up, “You need to come out here to the coast very soon, young man. I think we all have a great deal to talk about. And I have one of Lauren’s photos to show you, one that I think will be of great interest to you. Take good care of my girl when you see her, Ben, and send her back home to us as soon as possible, you hear?”

“Yes, sir,” Ben had replied rather meekly. He’d been too emotionally spent, and had had too many other things to get done, to be able to quiz Robert further on his somewhat cryptic comments.