I ended the connection and shared a look with JD.
“I’m cautiously optimistic he’ll sell. What the hell else is he going to do with that land? I can’t imagine he wants the hassle of rebuilding it at his age. How much longer was he planning on running it anyway? He doesn’t have any kids. He’s got no one to take it over.”
"Time will tell," I said.
I prepped and packed my gear for the morning, then we met the guys at Tide Pool for a few drinks. Maybe a few too many. A good time was had by all.
The morning came way too soon. I was up at the ass-crack of dawn. After a quick shower, I stumbled down to the galley, nuked a breakfast burrito, and stuffed it in my face. Afterward, I grabbed my gear, stole the keys to Jack's Porsche, then drove to the FBO.
I parked in the lot and hustled into the terminal.
Catalina looked as stunning as ever. She was flanked by two beefy dudes that I recognized from the gala—her security guards, Marco and Deke. With stone faces, they hung in the background, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings. Their job was to provide unobtrusive security. After the fiasco at the gala, I didn't have high confidence in their abilities. Then again, JD and I hadn’t done much to stop the heist either.
Catalina smiled, and that smile could brighten anyone's day. "Good to see you, deputy. Are you ready for adventure?" she asked with a sultry glimmer in her eyes.
"Always," I replied with a grin.
The Sky King waited for us on the tarmac. The twin-engine prop plane was ideal for recreational jumps. After a brief talk with the flight crew, we did our safety checks, loaded into the plane, and waited for clearance from the tower.
The engines spun up and rumbled.
Soon we barreled down the runway, and the nose lifted skyward. The wheels left the ground and retracted, and the engines howled. The pilot soared us toward the clouds.
The morning sun cast long rays over the island. It was a beautiful day. Perfect for skydiving. The view from up here was remarkable. It gave you a whole new perspective.
"Thanks for the invite," I shouted over the engines.
Catalina smiled. "I'm just happy you were available. I think it's a good way for us to get to know each other. You can tell a lot about a person if they’re willing to jump out of an airplane.”
I laughed. "How often do you do this?”
“As often as I can. It's liberating. Nothing else matters when you jump out of an airplane. The rest of the world fades away. I find it's a great reset.”
Hurtling through the air at 120 miles an hour left a person little time to worry about rent, bills, taxes, and the challenges of daily life. In that moment, there is only one thing that matters—whether or not your chute will open.
The plane reached an altitude of 14,000 feet. We huddled by the door. The wind whipped around, and the island looked small below.
"See you on the ground," Catalina said before jumping out of the aircraft.
I followed.
We soared through the air, and soon the Sky King became a speck in the air behind us.
Wind whistled my ears, my goggles keeping my eyes from peeling back into my skull as we plummeted toward the ground. My heart raced, and adrenaline spiked.
This was better than any cup of coffee.
We enjoyed the free fall, flying like superheroes.
The moment passed all too quickly. It took roughly 60 seconds to drop from 14,000 to 3,000. Sixty seconds to give gravity the middle finger. But gravity always has the last word.
It was time to deploy the chutes and pray they opened.
I pulled the handle.
14
My pilot chute deployed and pulled out the main canopy. From there, it was a relaxing glide down to the ground. I took in the scenery and enjoyed the ride.
