Page 27 of First Comes Marriage
After he’s satisfied, he climbs in, we both make sure we’ve got our life vests on, something Rex insists on whenever we fly over water, buckle down, and he hits the switch to start the rotors. As the big bird warms up, he starts talking to the tower, inputting the information accordingly.
Just before we take off, he grins at me, gives me a thumbs up, then says, “Let’s blow this popsicle stand!”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” I reply, grateful that our headsets have mics on them. They help deaden some of the noise from the helicopter but we’re still able to talk.
Chapter Sixteen
Dex
We land on the helipad that’s on the rig, and I immediately have my back up. “Don’t go too far, man, I need to make sure this asshole did what he was supposed to do after I filed a report the last time,” I grumble.
Rex looks at me because he wasn’t my pilot that trip and asks, “What’s going on?”
I sigh and reply, “Not only did they have multiple issues that violate OSHA regulations, but federal ones as well. This fucking thing is held together with duct tape and spit. I didn’t realize just how bad it was until I got to the last section that I was called in to repair. Did everything I could but warned the captain that I was filing an official report with Oceanic. After I did it, and showed Bruce, he contacted the owner and advised we wouldn’t return until everything was fixed and up to code because he wasn’tsendinghisemployees onto a rig that was a virtual death trap. I mean, I know what I do is risky as hell, and there’s always that small chance that something could go horribly wrong, but this rig here? It’s like playing Russian roulette, and with everything in my life now, there’s no fucking way I’m going to take that chance.”
“Fucking hell,” Rex gripes. “Okay, I’ll stay with the bird and check her over so I’m ready in case we need to get outta Dodge quickly.”
“Appreciate it,” I reply, before undoing my safety harness and heading toward the cabin where I know I’ll find Driller. No clue what his real name is, that’s how he was introduced to me years ago and that’s what I’ve called him ever since. Storming inside, I ask, “Did y’all fix the issues or is this going to be a five-minute trip?”
I know I sound hostile as hell right now, but dammit, I would be home if not for this, and I miss my wife, the kids, even my crazy ass grandmothers. Who knew that living a somewhat solitary life would be blown to smithereens the minute I was around full time and had a pint-size dynamo become my wife? Because it sure as hell wasn’t me.
“Uh, yeah, I think so, Dex,” Driller replies. “Go check it out, see what you think.”
Shaking my head, I storm down to the first level, my eyes catching multiple issues that were there the last time I was on this godforsaken rig. While a little water is to be expected, I can see what look like stress cracks along the exterior walls which means the steel and other metals are becoming too fragile and unstable to do their jobs. I told him last year that this rig needed to be dry docked, gone over with a fine-tooth comb,then inspected before they took it back out to sea. Looks like the owner went for the cheap and quick fix option which was to throw a few bandaids on, just enough to be able to get back to work.
Cheapskate fucker.
I arrive at the deck where the requested repairs are supposed to be done, pleased to see that the welds I put in place are holding. What’s concerning me is that there’s a steady seepage of water that’s going down into the fuel room. I can also smell the specially mixed diesel that’s used to keep this thing chugging along in the middle of the ocean. Fuck. Me.
Whipping out my phone, I start taking pictures and call Bruce before I head back upstairs. “Bruce, there’s no fucking way they did what was highly recommended. Just sent you pics of what I’m staring at, and I’m not going further. Instead, I’m getting Rex to get me the fuck off this rig because I value my life more than I do whatever the contract will make me.” I quickly text the pictures to him as I stride back to the office to tellDrillerto find another sucker or better yet, he should tell the owner to pull his thumb out of his ass and do the fucking repairs the right way, so his employees aren’t in mortal danger.
“Leaking fuel? Get the fuck off that rig, Dex!” Bruce bellows. “Don’t pass go, don’t collect two hundred dollars. I’ll call that motherfucking weasel myself. For the love of God, get yourself and Rex away from there as quickly as humanly possible.”
Well, fuck. I can hear not only rage in his tone, but something I’ve never heard before—fear.
Running full out now, I bypass the office as I head toward the helicopter, my only focus on getting the two of us to safety. Rex,seeing me coming, fires up the rotors so that by the time I’m inside and buckled in, he’s ready to lift off.
“That bad?” he asks through the mic.
“Worse,” I huff out, praying that Nonna’s and Abuela’s prayers have been heard so I return home in one piece.
“Okay then, let’s go over the safety shit just to be safe,” he replies. “In the unfortunate event that we go down into the water, let the chopper absorb the bulk of the impact since otherwise, it’s like hitting concrete. The life vest you’ve got on will inflate automatically once the sensors hit the water and there’s a safety beacon that you’ll activate by pulling the tab on your left shoulder. Now, inside the right pocket, there’s a flare gun to fire once you hear the Coast Guard so they can find you. Outside of that, let’s pray like hell that we don’t need this information today and it’s just a refresher.”
“Right? Because I think that since we’re not at our cruising altitude yet, it would hurt like hell. Plus, not looking to be shark food today.”
My mind flashes to how Jolie freaked out at the thought of being over water the way I frequently am while going to and from a rig. Right now, I completely understand how she feels. I inherently know there are dangers associated with being in a helicopter versus a small plane, but in all the years of being onboard them, first in the military when I was dropped inland several times for rescue missions, and then since I took on this job, I’ve never had this sinking feeling in my gut before.
“You and me both. Emily just told me she was pregnant a few minutes ago while you were onboard the rig checking shit out. She FaceTimed me and everything, waving that stick she peedon while laughing and crying at the same time. Looks like I’ll be joining the marriage club soon,” he says.
“Congrats, man, that’s wonderful news. Let’s get you home, Daddy,” I tease.
He spears me with a glare and growls out, “That was fucking creepy, Dex. Never, and I meanever, say that to me again.”
I’m chuckling when a noise, unlike anything I’ve ever heard, surrounds us, causing me to glance back at the rig we just lifted off from. Which is now a huge, flaming ball of black smoke. I hear a noise and the helicopter jerks slightly, Rex mumbling, “Fuck!” as he tightens his grip on the yoke. Infernal heat hits me and I realize that the rig must’ve been full of fuel as well as the crude oil it was drilling for in order to have such a large fire. “Remember those instructions, Dex, we’re gonna need them. One of the rotors was hit.”
As I mentally recount his instructions, I listen to him calling in a ‘Mayday’ to the Coast Guard as he tries to get control of the damaged copter. I have to say, he’s keeping calm while I have sweat pouring out of me and I try not to let fear engulf me. The last thing I need to do is freeze and end up in a worse predicament than we’re already in, that’s for sure.
“Anything else I should know?” I ask once he’s relayed our approximate position. I’m aware that time is of the essence for us, especially with the predators that lurk beneath the ocean’s surface, although, if we end up dead, we won’t feel them eating us, so there’s that point to consider.
