The Summer Anthology ✔

Story #29- My Heart

Written by user kudz12

The sky was covered with dark grey clouds, which promised rain in the evening. The air moved lightly through the trees, making the leaves dance in a whisper.

Ricardo Andrews took a deep breath of the cool air as he stood by his office balcony.

"Larry make sure I have no meetings tomorrow."

Most people thought Ricardo was an arrogant self, absorbed business man. Little did they know that he was the reason they all lived to see the following morning.

He had short hair and deep blue eyes that always danced mischievously when he was around a crowd. He was well built and nothing on him ever looked out of place, including the women he chose to dine with from time to time. His tastes were expensive and he did not mingle with the weak, for he believed they would pull him down.

"Larry put me through to headquarters as fast as you can," he said in a silky voice that always captured everyone's attention.

Larry Roberts was Ricardo's assistant and had worked for him for four years and if there was anyone Ricardo trusted, Larry was the man.

"Sir your plane should be taking off in thirty minutes. Is there anything else you will require me to check into before you depart," Larry asked.

"Everything should be well, I believe," replied Ricardo as he left his office and headed for the car that would take him to the airport.

The plane they were using had been modified according to Ricardo's requirements, hence it was the most expensive and powerful machine to fly around the globe. As they were taking off, the monitor in front of Ricardo came to life and on it was the face of Major Erikson.

"Good evening Major. How may I be of service to you?" asked Ricardo.

The major informed Ricardo that there was a problem with ERICA.

ERICA was a system Ricardo had designed to help the military. This was all-in-all the brain off all weapons linked to it. It was also able to obtain images from any super computer around the world and only few who could risk

their lives knew of this.

"Transmit the system files so I can see the problem for myself," said Ricardo.

"They are being sent now," replied the major.

"I will look over them and give you my feedback, he said."

Ricardo looked over the data for some time until he saw the problem. It seemed someone had been tampering with the program files. As he was telling one of the technicians the problem, he was caught off balance by a large explosion that hurled him onto the floor.

"Mr Andrews!" Shouted one of the attendants. "The plane has been hit by an unidentified object. We have to jump off the plane."

Ricardo struggled to his feet as his vision was slightly blurred.

"Tell the pilot to try landing the plane now!"

"But sir, we cannot we are still above the sea!"

"I said now!" shouted Ricardo. "I do not pay you to tell me what to do!"

It was a struggle for Ricardo to go to the pilots' booth. Just as he arrived at the door, it flew open and he collided into the captain.

"Who are you and where do you think you are going?" Ricardo growled as he looked into the man's fear streaked-eyes.

"I am not risking my life for this sir," the pilot said as he took the last parachute left.

The plane was now four feet above the ground as Ricardo struggled in landing the plane on his own. Ricardo was an experienced pilot; that was just one of his many secretes. From his wealth he had acquired knowledge about everything he needed for survival from sailing to flying including the art of war. He had always lived a Spartan life from a young age.

The plane went in head first into the icy blue water and that was last thing he saw before he lost consciousness

Meanwhile the major was giving orders to his men to find the location of the plane.