Page 54 of King’s Ransom

‘Give me a second here, Audrey.’

Starting up a chopper isn’t like starting a car.

You don’t just turn a key.

You have to do a whole sequence of pre-ignition checks, in the correct order, and then you turn the key.

And with Audrey on the phone and the whole helicopter about to fall off the building and Mrs King in the back, I was doing my best to remember that sequence.

‘All right, think,’ I said to myself. ‘Fuel. Electrical. Area clearance—okay, that doesn’t matter for this. Throttle in idle, check. Mixture, check. Clutch disengaged. Hydraulic and governor switches, on. Prime the throttle, check. Make sure it’s closed, check. Battery and strobe switches, on. All right, go.’

I turned the ignition key.

Nothing happened.

The engine didn’t start.

The rotors didn’t turn.

Whack!

Oh, dear.

The third ratchet-strap whip-cracked, detaching from its tie-down stud, and the chopper dropped another few feet over the edge.

Now held up by only one strap, it swayed a little as it dangled.

I swore. I must’ve forgotten something in the start-up sequence. But what?

‘Ten seconds, Sam . . . nine . . . eight . . .’

The rotor brake.

That was it.

It was located above my head—something my computer simulator couldn’t replicate—that was why I’d missed it.

‘Mr Speedman, hurry . . .’ Mrs King pleaded groggily.

‘Seven . . . six . . .’

I went through my checklist again.

‘Fuel. Electrical. Throttle in idle. Rotor brake, off. Mixture.’

‘Five . . . four . . .’

‘Clutch disengaged. Hydraulic and governor switches. Throttle primed and closed.’

‘Three . . . Sam . . .’

‘Battery and strobe switches. Go!’

I turned the key.

And got ignition.

The rotors above me started turning slowly.