Chapter 37 Summary
Lana Harding’s return flight to Chicago is delayed as her Learjet is forced into a holding pattern due to building storms near O’Hare Airport. Once cleared to land, the small jet encounters severe turbulence, worsened by the Learjet’s design, which prioritizes speed over stability. The flight becomes increasingly dangerous, with violent jolts, lightning, and an abrupt loss of control during the descent.
Despite the pilots’ efforts, the left wing strikes the concrete, flipping the plane sideways and causing the nosewheel and right landing gear to collapse on the runway. After the harrowing impact, the cabin settles. Lana and the pilot attempt to open the jammed cabin door but fail. Emergency responders soon arrive, cut through the fuselage, and pull Lana to safety.
Though in shock and unable to feel pain initially, a paramedic checks Lana’s vitals and recommends a hospital visit. Lana passes out as she’s being transported for observation.
Meanwhile, Mark (posing as Tyler Winslow) gathers his mission credentials and rents a Mustang convertible to begin his surveillance of Samir Patel in Newport News, Virginia. After checking into a hotel near Samir’s residence, Mark walks to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
While enjoying a beer and chatting with the bartender, Mark notices a news broadcast about the day’s top stories. A headline suddenly grabs his attention: a Learjet has crashed at O’Hare, and the sole passenger was Dr. Lana Harding. She has survived and was treated and released from Cook County Hospital.
Stunned and deeply concerned, Mark asks Garth to rewind the broadcast to confirm what he saw. After reading the report again, he abruptly pays his bill and rushes out of the restaurant, his focus now shifted from Samir to Lana’s well-being.
