Flight 212 (part 1)

United flight 104 landed without incident on the dusty tarmac. The 777 needed a lengthy runway, but the air force base in Minot was capable. Emergency vehicles of all kinds circled them along with an unusually large security regiment.  The fighters that had escorted them down still circled in a tight flight path that made them impossible to ignore. The normally mundane flight from Heathrow to LAX had turned into frightening ordeal and no one on board had the faintest idea why.

It started as they began their transition from Canadian to US airspace. Confusion at air traffic control. Captain Donner had to re-identify three times and then personally verify his own identity along with those of his flight crew. Undeniably an alarming moment, but when it escalated to an armed escort and a forced landing at this remote Air Force base, everyone on board began to panic.

Was this 9/11 all over again? Was there a contagion on board? Was there a problem with the aircraft that they weren't aware of? They had no answers. The Captain requested an explanation while in decent and got nothing. He requested again after they stopped on the runway  but there was not response. Nothing for almost five minutes now.

Suddenly a voice came over the radio, "Prepare to be boarded. Please ensure that all passengers and crew remain seated." The crew in the cockpit looked at one another ominously as the Captain Donner made the announcement.

They watched as outside an airtight gangway was wheeled into place along the side of the plane. Eight heavily armed soldiers in hazmat suits entered the far end of the gangway.

"Your wife's name and social security number?" the airman repeated through his hazmat hood.

"My wife's name is Julie and I don't know her social security number. That's enough!" the Captain shouted. It had been a good ten minutes of invasive questioning with no explanation in return. "We have been cooperated and answered all of your questions with absolutely no explanation in return. I demand to know what this is about!"

Another man adorned in hazmat attire stepped forward. Obviously a much higher ranking officer but with the protective suit Captain Donner couldn't see his rank. "My apologies Captain. Please, if you'll answer just one more simple question." The Captain resigned and nodded. "Can you please tell me the full date and time of your departure this morning?"

"May 12, 2014, 9:20am. London time."

"Thank you. I am Major General Thomas." The General stopped and took a moment before continuing. "Captain Donner, it seems that your flight, United 212 from Heathrow to Los Angeles on May 12, 2014 was lost from radar contact and declared missing. That was exactly one year ago today. Today is May, 12 2015."

Captain Donner looked at him in disbelief. This was obviously no practical joke but something had to be going on that could explain this? Was this another test? Another form of questioning to see how he would react? The Captain chuckled out of disbelief. "What? I don't... 2015?"

"Yes. One year to the day after you departed Heathrow." Major General Thomas eyed Captain Donner for any sign of deceit. There was none. "I'll be honest with you Captain. We are at as much of a loss about this as you are. Your flight disappeared one year ago. It was front page news for months. No trace of the flight had ever been found. All of your families mourned and buried those they had lost. Your flight was fading into history as an unsolved mystery. That is until this afternoon when you showed up on radar just over the Canadian border. From there I think you can follow us to where we are now."

Captain Donner was in shock. He said nothing. His mind was spinning faster than he could keep up with. His wife Julie? They were having a rough few months but he loved her deeply. His daughters? Rachel would have gone off to her first year of college and Ginny would be finishing her junior year in High School. They all think he's dead. They probably had a memorial. He felt the pain his family must have gone through.

"Captain, we're going to move you to a secure location and I'm afraid you'll have to go through quite a few more questions."

"Of course. General, sir? My wife?"

"I'll see what I can do Captain."