hit Honolulu in the next fifteen minutes, they were still in danger.
But he couldn't give up on Rachel yet, no matter how impossible the odds of her survival were. Once the danger of airborne projectiles had passed, Kai convinced Stan to fly back to where the Grand Hawaiian had been just a minute before and circle. The water was awash with debris and bodies, and Kai simultaneously hoped and feared he'd see Rachel's. He wanted to find her no matter what, but the idea of seeing her limp, lifeless form was too much to bear. He looked for any unusual movement at all, anything to indicate someone was alive in that brew. They found no sign of her.
'I'm sorry, Kai,' Brad said from his prone position. 'She's gone.'
'I know' Kai said, wiping his eyes on his damp sleeve. 'I was just hoping…'
'Mr. Tanaka?' Stan interrupted. 'We should get back. I just let your friend, Reggie, know that you were safe.'
'Reggie sent you?'
'Yes, sir. He was the one who told us about your wi… about the Grand Hawaiian. We'll be back at Wheeler in seven minutes.'
As they passed the downtown area and flew over Sand Island, Kai couldn't help but stare at the water as it flowed back out into the ocean that was now his wife's graveyard. His mind replayed the last few minutes over and over, like a sick videotape that he couldn't turn off. He tried to distract himself by looking out the window, but it was almost worse seeing the terrible vista below.
In the distance, Pearl Harbor, the Navy base already synonymous with disaster, was once again dotted with smoke trails, this time from explosions kicked off by oil and other chemicals disbursed by the tsunami. The vast flat expanse of Honolulu International and Hickam Air Base was only recognizable because of the control tower jutting out of the water and the battered hulks of airliners crushed against the remains of the terminal.
They were crossing one of the airport's seaplane channels when a high-pitched whine spooled up from behind Kai's head. As it grew louder, the helicopter wobbled back and forth as if balancing on a slowly spinning top that was about to fall over.
'Damn it!' Stan shouted. 'Not yet!'
'What's happening?' Kai said. The helicopter was quickly losing altitude.
Stan's finger's stabbed at a few switches on the control panel. The cyclic stick wagged to and fro, trying to wrest itself from Stan's grip.
'The tail rotor's giving out!' Stan said, barely able to grunt the words. 'If I don't get us down in the next thirty seconds, we're going to crash!'
Chapter 52
The water hadn't completed receded yet, so the Honolulu International Airport's runway was still awash. Several structures jutted above the surface, their frames intact. Airliners were scattered around the airport, most of them ripped to pieces, their aluminum frames no match for the power of a tsunami. The closest was a Hawaiian Airlines 767 that lay on the tarmac 100 yards away, its landing gear and one wing ripped off, all the windows blown out.
If the helicopter landed in the water, they'd drown. Kai had no doubt about that. The only chance was to land on one of the buildings. Stan apparently had the same idea.
'I'm going for the terminal,' Stan said.
The enormous main terminal stood about a mile north of them. Its gigantic roof would give them plenty of room to land. But then what? It was only three or four stories high. The next tsunami would completely engulf it, and it was much too far to run to high ground.
The airport control tower loomed in front of them, and Kai noticed that the roof of the tower's companion building was just peeking above the water's surface. Half of it was in tatters, ripped apart by the waves, but the other half seemed to have survived. The tower had to be at least 250 feet high. If they climbed to the top of it, they might have a chance.
'Stan!' Kai said into his microphone, 'the building next to the tower. Land on it and we can use the stairs to get to the top.'
Stan nodded and aimed the helicopter for the white roof of the tower's office building. The cabin shook like a paint mixer as they descended. The roof rose to meet them at a terrifying rate.
'Hold on!' Stan yelled.
The skids smacked in the roof, and Kai was afraid they'd go right through. Instead, they bounced off and careened toward the edge. They weren't going to get another shot at landing, so Stan forced the stick down, and the skids made contact again. Mia and Lani screamed as they slid along the roof, the skids scraping the poured concrete surface.
The chopper quickly scrubbed speed because of the friction, but they continued to approach the edge. Kai pulled Lani towards him and braced himself, ready for the plunge over the side, but the helicopter came to a halt two feet from the precipice.
Stan turned the engine off, and the turbine began to wind down. Kai removed his headset.
'Is everyone all right?' he said.
A few mumbles and head nods were the only responses. Nobody seemed to be injured.
Kai unbuckled his belt and lifted his feet so Brad could pull himself up.
As they crawled out of the ruined helicopter, Chuck walked in circles. 'What kind of rescue was that?' he said in a high-pitched keen.
'Will you shut up, you idiot,' Brad said in a weary voice. 'You're fine.'
'Fine? Fine?' Chuck said. 'We almost get killed and you say we're fine!'
'We're alive, aren't we, Chuck?'
'No thanks to you.'
'If you weren't in such a hurry to get on the helicopter, maybe we would have left your ass behind.'
'If you hadn't overloaded the helicopter with all these people, we might have made it.' Chuck strode over to the pilot, who was still sucking wind from the adrenaline rush of the emergency. 'Thanks for picking us up in a faulty helicopter!' Stan looked at him as if he were crazy, which Kai thought he might be.
'Are you done?' Kai said.
'I'll tell you what I think…'
'We don't want to hear what you think,' Brad said. 'And if you say one word about those stupid baseballs, I'm going to punch you in the face.' When Chuck saw Brad's clenched fist, he quieted.
'What's the plan, Kai?' Brad said.
'Let's find a way off the roof,' Kai said. 'Then we'll climb the stairs to the top of the tower.'
Brad looked up at the soaring tower. He turned back to Kai with a dubious expression. He didn't want to go into another building.
'What if it's not tall enough?' he asked.
'That's why Stan is going to stay here and use his radio to try to find another helicopter.'
Stan nodded and got back into the chopper, where he started to transmit a mayday.
'Everyone else stay here,' Kai said. 'Brad and I will find a way down.'
'Don't leave us!' Lani cried and then broke into sobs.
'I'll be right back, honey.' Kai wanted to comfort her-wanted her to comfort him-but there just wasn't time. He glanced at Teresa, whose eyes told him that she'd take care of Lani.
Kai broke away from Lani and jogged across the expansive roof in the direction of the tower with Brad next to him.
'I'm sorry, Kai,' Brad said. 'About Rachel.'
Kai didn't say anything, not because he didn't appreciate Brad's sentiment, but because he couldn't afford to break down. He put his hand on Brad's shoulder for a moment and left it at that.
