Walt McArthur awakened early that Monday morning, flicked on his bedside lamp, grabbed his cell phone, and scheduled an Uber to take him to San Francisco International Airport in time for his flight to El Paso. He padded down the hallway into the bathroom. As he entered, he quickly sneaked a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror. Staring back at him was a DEA Special Agent with a sagging face, a full head of wavy hair now almost completely white, and a stomach that hadn’t felt a sit-up in years.
The mirror also reflected the two lumpy scars running across the top of his chest, armpit to armpit, courtesy of the ’91 firefight in Mogadishu where he found himself lying on a concrete floor while a Delta Force medic frantically worked to cauterize both bullet wounds before he bled out. Thankfully, that image morphed into one where his eleven-year-old son, Kenny, frolicked on the bed with him while he plucked at the bullet-wound scars as if they were guitar strings.
Those images quickly disappeared, however, under an avalanche of unwanted memories—starting with his wife, Betty, who divorced him when their son turned seventeen and had the audacity to move with him to San Diego.
Walt dried himself and made sure he had all his papers with him when the Uber pulled up in front of his house. Arriving at SFO, he boarded United Flight 560 to El Paso. At precisely 10:00 a.m., the big plane rolled down the runway and glided gracefully into a sky heavy with clouds. Banking left, the plane headed over the West Bay hills as the pilot’s calm voice announced they were passing through 10,000 feet on their way to a cruising altitude of 36,000. As soon as I get back from this trip, Walt murmured to himself, I’m going to call Kenny and tell him I’m retiring from the DEA . . . effective immediately.
He leaned back in his seat and smiled, knowing it wouldn’t be long before his son, his only son, would be coming back home . . . and this time to stay.
* * *
DEA Special Agent in Charge, Bill Gilardi drummed his fingers on the desk while glancing at the clock hanging on the opposite wall. 10:10 a.m. “Come on, come on, you SOB,” he shouted. “Answer your damn phone.”
“Federal Aviation Administration . . . Phil Cruz speaking. Can I put you on hold?”
“NO, YOU CANNOT PUT ME ON HOLD,” Gilardi said with all the venom he could muster. “This is DEA Special Agent William Gilardi online in San Francisco. The Deputy Director in DC gave me your name and phone number.” Gilardi went silent for a few beats, then said, “United Airlines’ Flight 560 took off not more than twelve minutes ago from San Francisco International. You’ve got to get that plane to return to SFO . . . IMMEDIATELY!”
“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t authorize anything like that unless—”
“Please don’t interrupt me, Mr. Cruz. There is no time for I can’t authorize it! You’ve got to get that plane back on the ground. Immediately!” There was a slight pause, then . . . “there’s a bomb on board that aircraft.”
Gilardi heard Cruz suck in a deep breath and knew he was pulling up Flight 560 on his computer screen. “The plane had wheels up at ten-ten,” Cruz told Gilardi . . . “and has just now cleared the coastline over Pacifica. I’ve already alerted the pilot to return to SFO immediately.” Gilardi could hear a few faint clicks from Cruz’s keyboard in the background. “Thank God he got the message,” Cruz said. “That plane has already started to turn.” He paused, then said, “how much time do we have?”
Gilardi peeked at his watch and shook his head. “I wish I knew.”
Please leave a Reply as to what you thought of the chapter. If it moves you to want to read further, please email me at DennisKollerAuthor@gmail.com and I’ll send you the next few chapters.
Dennis Koller, Author 
Is this book available? Where can I buy it? The first couple pages has me salivating for more.
Dennis, I like it a lot and believe there’s potential for a good sized print run. When completed I’ll want an autographed copy.
I like the introduction and how you set the stage for the pending drama. Reminds me of John Grisham’s writing style, which I absolutely enjoy.
Love it! Can’t wait to read more!!
Immediately grabs my attention!
Thanks, tom. It will be available in book form shortly.
Chapter 1 begins like a NASA rocket takeoff. Characters and story are set in motion. Sentences are well crafted. What a total tease in which I cry out for more. John Mossi, S.J.
Dennis, Loved the first chapter. Can’t wait to read the rest of the novel. Soon your name will be mentioned in the same breath as Connelly, Baldacci. Ludlum and Clancy. Maybe Fr James Martin, SJ also.
Mike O’Hara
Dennis,
The first chapter sets the reader up rather quickly with the plane’s bomb blast.
Send us more.
I’m just curious as to the procedure – is this the way a real agent would have to call bout an urgent thing like this? Somehow, I hope there is a way that would get through quicker to the proper person and give them verification of the caller’s ID or the call’s importance at the same time- isn’t there? I cross my fingers the real answer is, “Yes!” and this was just to make it more suspenseful, but I’d like to know! And yes, would like to read more!
Thanks for the comments. Very helpful indeed. You are right about the procedural question. Technically DEA Special Agent Gilardi would have called the FAA (only they have the jurisdiction to turn the plane around). Why did I use the VP at SFO? Because thought it would be cleaner, and therefore add to the tension. However, you are not the only one I received push-back from concerning the legitimacy of using a local at SFO. Thanks to the “final” push-back (yours), I am going to change the scene so Gilardi contacts the FAA. Thinking more clearly on the “suspense” angle (which I want to thank you for forcing me to do), I can exact as much tension by using the FAA as I did by using an employee at SFO. MY bad! Thanks for the comments and for being so discerning.
Very intriguing. I have to get this and read it. Didn’t know you had gone into writing Dennis. Congratulations.
Hi Dennis,
I just finished “The Oath”. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You combined the three things I love to read about (San Francisco, Vietnam Nam and police stories) and melded them into one book. Great job. Can’t wait for your next book. Thanks.
Tom,
Glad you enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun writing it.
Congratulations on your book, Dennis! I read your thoughts on Amazon and couldn’t help but think of what Neil Gaiman said about freebies (and piracy) in the following link:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/509253-when-the-web-started-i-used-to-get-really-grumpy
Of course, this is Neil Gaiman. He has a huge following. But I wonder if it applies?
Wishing you happiness and success,
Robin
Robin,
Thank you so much for the heads-up on Neil’s post. It was super instructive. Keep feeding me thoughts like this. I need all the “mentoring” help I can get.
Dear Mr. Koller, I just finished The OATH. Fantastic read. From start to finish, I didn’t want to put it down. If not forgotten a bing to sleep and other human needs, I know I would completed your Great Novel in one sitting.
I can’t wait to get and read your next offering . !!!
Most Sincerely,
John H. Kuhl, CPCM jhenrykuhl@yahoo.com
John,
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it. My next book is in its final (I hope) re-write. It should be ready for human consumption within the next month. Email me and I’ll send you the first four or five chapters. Your input would be helpful.
Hi thanks for sharingg this
the book is really good I am halfway through it