The Drone Incident

By Martin Kaynan

THE DRONE INCIDENT is a suspense thriller about two men who, through the years, go through personality shifts in reaction to life’s milestones. Fighter pilot “Iceman” TOM BELTON is coldly indifferent, even when killing hundreds in the first Gulf War, until he enters a period of sensitivity after watching the birth of his son.

A decade later, after he sees leukemia steal his wife's last breath, he reverts to being coldly indifferent—even at the expense of his son’s need for the presence and loving care of a parent.

Almost in parallel (but inversely) eighteen-year old JUAN VASQUEZ is guilt ridden after killing a five-year old in an automobile accident. He grudgingly changes when his brother ultimately persuades him to consider converting to Islam. Vasquez becomes an ostensibly militant Muslim until he goes through a sensitivity phase when he falls deeply in love.

When his wife and brother are slaughtered in a drone attack in Pakistan, the young Aeronautical Engineer changes his name to Abdul Mansur, and again changes his personality, this time to become a diabolical cold-blooded killer. A Mexican preppy has been traumatized into a vengeance besotted Mexican version of Jihadism, vowing to use his skin color and Spanish heritage as camouflage. Years later, he proves himself by becoming a cold-blooded killer.

They clash when Captain Belton discovers the autopilot, not the crew, is controlling his NFL charter flight bound for Washington D.C.
Mansur intercepts Belton’s communications to inform the crew he reprogrammed the plane’s autopilot to crash into and destroy the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping capability.
Facing a programmed crash, rockets from fighter planes, or the inability to avoid a flight path into a violent thunderstorm, Belton is unable to override the autopilot.

Responsibility for the lives of one hundred passengers shocks him into realizing what his life has become since he saw his wife die. His heroic corrective action to save his passengers during the middle of the storm results in copilot NORM ORTIZ becoming critically injured when the plane is tossed about during the turbulence.

Emotionally vulnerable after his successful solution to the crisis, Belton succumbs to the care and affection of his lead flight attendant, Emily Clancy, while waiting for his friend to survive surgery.
The Drone Incident is a fast paced James Cameron, Ridlley Scott tale of the impact of life’s milestones on human frailty

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martin Kaynan
• Release date: Jul 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476087269

Martin Kaynan

Martin Kaynan's career has been in the Corporate World, including owning his own manufacturing business and working in a diversity of responsible positions. Being directly responsible for more than four hundred employees in small and medium sized companies, some of these positions have included: V.P. of Manufacturing Director of Manufacturing Services Manager of Manufacturing Manager of Operations Plant Manager Group Leader in General Dynamics Convair Division Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, he has started up and managed several operations, which have included working and living in Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Kansas and California. His education includes a BBA degree in Industrial Management with a minor in Foreign Trade, and college level courses in Creative Writing and The Keys to Effective Editing. A member of the Kansas City Writers Group and the Playwrights Circle of Greater Kansas City, he is the author of Dante's Eternity, The Hell Trilogy(Hell's Temptress, Hell’s Blessing and Hell’s Vengeance, The Drone Incident and several short stories. Predators in the Workplace is a nonfiction account of his experiences in the world of Industrial Management. The Right One is in print in Lone Star magazine. He is also the author of the screenplay, Target: NSA and a stage play, Do As I Say. Additionally, he is a published lyricist with a catalog of over 60 songs. His web sites are: http://mandbmusic.com/kaynanbooks.htm http://www.mandbmusic.com/ http://mandbmusic.com/MandBMusicVideos/Songs.html

Book preview

September 24, 2011

Inside the cockpit of a Boeing 717, Copilot Norm Ortiz is laughing as he teases the pilot.

Tom, you know damn well she's waiting for you to wake up.

Square-jawed Captain Tom Belton’s speech is terse and rapid.

He brushes aside his salt and pepper hair from his forehead as he turns to his copilot.

Dammit, Norm, it's almost an hour now with this line you've been dumping on me. First, it's the same old, same old back and forth over Marino and Montana and then you're right back on nagging me to date Emily Clancy. Let it be. It's not that long since Cheryl....

Captain Belton, what did Cheryl tell you when she found out she was terminal?

I know I promised, but it's just not in me. I'm not ready for that dating game crap. Will you end it, man? Is Marisol on your case again?

Ortiz ignores the dig.

You need a life, Tom. After 5 years, it's not like you just met Emily. It's not dating. Just take her to the game Sunday, or out to dinner. Get your life back. Emily’s so full of life, with that great set, and you could balance a cup of coffee on that tail of hers.

Can't argue with you on the anatomy, but forget about it. I'd rather fight you off over Montana's record.

A voice comes on over the communication system.

Airways 6352, why the course deviation from Washington Center?

Ortiz stares at the panel. His eyes narrow as he does a double take. Tom, we've been asleep. The automatic pilot indicator's not supposed to be on.

Oh, oh.

What? Of course not. There’s no emergency so why would Washington Center want to activate it so soon? I didn't authorize it.

Neither did I.

Ortiz's face is firm, his lips tight, his eyes looking for answers. Look at the panel. Dios mio, we're way off course.

Belton stares at him, his look showing disdain.

No way. Give me the damn controls.

Belton scans the whole control panel. He tries different inputs to get control of the plane.

He grits his teeth. Sh...shit, you're right. Didn't you check the Flight Management System?

Of course I did. You watched me do it.

Let’s go over everything we did in Pre-Flight.

Why?

Who is the Captain, Norm?

Pulling rank? All right, let me think. We got here at 7:00, checked our own paperwork, and then our dispatcher’s documentation. All good. You signed it and went upstairs while I did my walk-around.

Belton says, I checked destination, mileage, and flight time. You said there was plenty of oil, oxygen, and hydraulic fluid, and weight

Tom, we checked everything. Remember when we met with the Flight Attendants, I commented on how great Emily looked?

Dammit, Norm, this is serious. No time for that. Let me fix that damn thing.

Belton repeatedly tries to shut off the automatic pilot.

He struggles to stand.

The seat belt holds him.

He falls back, his face contorted.

Try the autopilot circuit breakers, Norm.

Ortiz works the autopilot circuit breakers.

Nothing happens.

What the hell? I can't control it, Belton shouts.

Belton activates his communication.

Washington Center, this is Airways flight 6352. Over

We have you. Again, why are you off course?

Something's wrong. Our autopilot is on. I can't disable it. I can't control the plane.

Please confirm you are unable to disconnect your autopilot.

I repeat. Over.

We didn't activate it. Are you declaring a security emergency?

Negative. We tried pulling the autopilot circuit breakers. No go. The autopilot will not disconnect and will not respond to our inputs. Right now, we’re passengers along for the ride.

How many passengers on board?

The whole damn Kansas City Warriors football team.

ONE

Camp Virginia, Kuwait Air Force Briefing Room

February 1991

Former college football star Lieutenant Tom Belton and ten other pilots sit quietly listening to their orders from Colonel Brett McClure, as Captain Jonathon Riddle, a thin man in his mid-thirties, rushes into the room and sits down in the seat next to Belton.

McClure, a well-built man in his fifties addresses the group, I sense an unease. Gentlemen, before you take off for your mission, I’ll read you General Schwarzkopf’s orders.

Sir, I hear it’s going to be like shooting fish in a barrel, Riddle says.

McClure scowls as he speaks, Gentlemen, our orders are as follows: We attack the column on Highway 80 coming north out of Kuwait and destroy all the Iraqi military equipment on it.

Riddle stands and says, Sir, destroying all the equipment supporting thousands of Iraqi troops will result in a massacre.

Sit down, Captain. I presume you’re aware that Iraqi units are continuing to fight. Therefore, we prosecute the war. The President’s orders are that no quarter is to be given. Gentlemen, you have your orders. You are dismissed.

Riddle again rises from his seat. Sir, the Geneva…

McClure bristles as responds, You have your orders, Captain. I expect them to be carried out. Dismissed!

The pilots rise and exit the briefing room.

Belton quickly leaves the room without speaking to the other pilots as there is a great deal of grumbling as they follow him out of the room.

Kuwait-Iraq Border

Belton has few qualms after confirming his orders near the end of the first Gulf War, during the night of February 26-February 27, on The Highway of Death.

He has no idea and loses no sleep over how many deaths he will be responsible for during, what some refer to as a Turkey Shoot.

Belton has a nickname painted on his plane.

His nickname is Iceman

Because Tom Belton’s blood runs cold.

He climbs into his plane, taxis it down a runway and takes off.

The F-117 recons the 60 miles of Highway 80 between Kuwait and Iraq.

Belton sees a long line of Iraqi vehicles and personnel.

At the end of the line, there is a mass of destroyed vehicles blocking the road.

Iceman circles his plane back toward Kuwait.

His plane falls in line behind other planes attacking the defeated Iraqi army.

Here we go.

As he begins his strafing run:

No smile is evident.

There is no expression of satisfaction in avenging the loss of his friends.

During his wing’s attack, hundreds, possibly thousands of Iraqi soldiers fleeing Kuwait are killed by strafing and rockets.

Belton is guilt free.

He feels nothing.

Upon returning to his base, he climbs down from his plane.

His mind is filled with images of miles of strafed or bombed vehicles, shattered windshields, burned tanks, trucks riddled with shell fragments, and miles of bodies.

The morning after his mission, Belton is fast asleep.

Maintenance Officer Joe Alini pushes Belton until he opens his eyes.

Hey, wake up, Ice.

Belton grumbles, Shit, let me sleep, Joe.

Tell me something, fighter pilot, how the hell can you sleep, let along live with yourself after what you guys did yesterday?

A groggy Tom Belton shakes his head. Did what, for cryin’ out loud? Let me sleep.

Ice, they said it was target practice.

Belton shakes his head again, gets out bed, and enters the bathroom.

Alini starts to follow him, but stops outside.

What are you raving about, Joe? What did we do yesterday that’s got you buggin’ me?

Alini shouts through the doorway after he hears the sound of a toilet flushing.

Captain Riddle estimates you guys killed hundreds, maybe thousands. Don’t you have nightmares?

Belton returns.

He grabs his uniform and begins to dress.

What do you want from me? We do our job, Joe. We follow orders. Why don’t you just let me be? Are you becoming a Chaplain?

Those poor bastards were also just following orders. You’re a Christian, aren’t you? Christ, don’t you feel any remorse or guilt at all?

Guilt? Over what? It’s war, man. Guys like you don’t get shot at just fueling planes, do you? Who are you to be on my case?

Alini snarls, " Just fuelin’