CHAPTER 11

Shen started to sort out the food, separating the things that would need to be eaten first from those that would keep for a day. Tom stashed the emergency kit at the back of one of the bins just as Barney finished making his impromptu staircase and appeared in the doorway.

“What should I do next?”

Tom didn’t have an answer for him, but Shen came out of the galley and said, “See if you can do something so that the toilets work without electricity.”

Barney immediately looked intrigued. “Of course, it’s a vacuum system. Now there’s a puzzle—I’ll see what I can do. Unless you wanted me for anything, Tom?”

“No, go ahead. Besides, I’m not in charge.”

Barney walked through to the bathrooms and Shen went back into the galley. Tom drifted through into what was left of the cabin. He could already hear Barney getting to work inside one of the bathroom cubicles, presumably working out how it all fitted together. Tom was impressed that anyone could get excited about being asked to adapt a toilet.

He walked the few remaining paces to the torn edge of the tail and was even more impressed as he looked down. Because there was still a hive of activity but it had changed and he knew Alice was responsible for that change.

Some of them were moving the stack of luggage so that it formed two semicircular walls on either side of the space where the fire would be. The others were on the slope, carefully collecting branches from the edges, their caution no doubt driven by what had happened to Toby.

Joel was looking on, but when he saw Tom he waved a little and walked over so that he was standing below him.

“Tom, bro, could I have a quick word?” Tom didn’t answer but looked down at him expectantly. “Maybe if I come around to the side of the plane?”

“Sure.” Tom walked away and down the boxes and cases that Barney had stacked.

Joel was waiting at the bottom and pointed at the steps. “That’s a good idea.”

Tom glanced back at them briefly. “What did you wanna talk about?”

“Nothing really, it’s just… actually, the steps. Barney said you told him to do it.” He seemed to be waiting for a response and looked uneasy when Tom remained silent. “Like I said, it’s a good idea. I just think, if we’re gonna get through this, we need to stay organized. You know, otherwise we’ll end up working at cross purposes. So, maybe if you have an idea, it might be better to run it past me first.”

Tom had never really had any direct dealings with Joel before, and now, face-to-face, he was struggling to comprehend what a complete fool he was.