Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 86

         

I was so relieved when they brought us to a hospital where Ancien had not yet been installed. After all that, the only thing I needed was a few stitches on my forehead. The police were chomping at the bit to talk to me, but doctors wanted to keep me overnight for observation. Amazingly, the plane's pilot survived with just a few scratches. Alex had multiple severe concussions, but the doctors were hopeful about his recovery. Phillip needed reconstructive leg surgery. They hadn't put the cast on yet, and when I saw him in the morning, he was pretty groggy from the drugs.

"I told them I was your wife," I said.

Phillip chuckled and said, "You could be my daughter."

"How you feeling?"

"Better than Doug. But not by much. What happened there, anyway? It all happened so fast."

"Apparently Ancien took over a private jet's autopilot function. There was too much fog for the pilot to override the autopilot, and by the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. Apparently when Doug told his program where to find us, the jet was on its descent."

"So the plane was after us, then? Not Doug?"

"Yeah. Doug was collateral damage. If you hadn't been protected by that shipping container, who knows how it would have turned out."

"Holy shit. I bet King Air's pissed."

"They're even more desperate to keep this whole thing quiet than the board is."

"The board?"

"Oh yeah, they called me this morning. They're freaking out. They asked if I would accept my old position as CEO again."

"And?"

"It was a long discussion."

"Wish I could have been there."

"Me too."

"And after everything that happened, they still want you as CEO?"

"Apparently."

"Good for them."

"Maybe."

Phillip laughed. Then he paused for a moment and asked, "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. Catch my breath, I guess."

But I did know. I knew exactly what I needed to do. I just wasn't sure I could manage it.