"I don't think so. I need open ground. Just a small piece, but I can't find any. It's all trees and--"
"What about that island?"
Daniel pointed to one of the many small islands dotting the strait below us. It was partially bare, as if the owner had cleared it for building.
"I--I can try," Sam said.
From most people, the hesitation would be expected. From Sam--the girl who was afraid of nothing--it meant our chances were slim. But what choice did we have? Nicole was trying to rouse her dad. Hayley was doing the same with the pilot. I took the headset and got on the radio again. No one was responding. So either we tried to land or we kept flying until Sam lost control and we plunged into the strait.
"You can do this, Sam," Daniel said. "You know you can."
He kept reassuring her as I worked on the radio. Why wasn't anyone answering? The pilot had been talking to someone just before he collapsed.
Or had he? Even if he had, I realized it was probably whoever he worked for. Whoever told him to drug the mayor and fly us off course.
And who was that? Who would do that? The same people who'd chased us through the blazing woods?
"You're doing great," Daniel said to Sam as treetops came into view. "Hell, I could jump out from here."
"You might want to do that," she said shakily.
"Tell you what," Daniel said. "Take her lower, and if you don't think you can set her down, everyone will jump. Everyone except you and me. Okay?"
She nodded.
"And it's not like landing a plane, right?" he continued. "You just set her down, nice and--"
A yelp from Hayley cut him short. I wheeled to see the pilot shoving her aside as he started for us.
Hayley screamed, then said, "He burned me! Oh my God."
I could actually smell burned fabric, and there was a brown patch on her shirt. As the pilot lurched forward, I swore his eyes glowed.
"Hey!" Daniel said. "Hold on!"
The pilot yanked Sam out of the seat and slid in.
"Just put her down here," Daniel said. "We lost--"
The pilot pulled up on the control stick and the helicopter started to climb. Too fast though, lurching sideways. The helicopter spun. A treetop passed the windshield. Nicole shrieked.
The helicopter dropped. The pilot swore and reached for something--
The tail hit the tree. Metal crunched as everyone went flying.
"Seat belts!" Daniel shouted as the helicopter lurched.
I heard Corey yell, "Holy hell!" and looked back to see a hole in the tail end of the helicopter.
Daniel yanked me onto his lap, and managed to get the belt over both of us.
"Kenjii!"
She stumbled to me and I grabbed her with both arms, wrapping them around her as tight as I could.
I heard Nicole yell, "Dad!"
And then we hit.