Why I Hated The Guy From The FBI Ch. 16

"I have secretaries to do that for me."

"Would you like to go for a ride in my $42 million airplane?"

"Since when do you have an airplane?"

"I got it last weekend, and right now it is sitting at the airport doing nothing. If you want, I will call the pilots and we can take nine others with us, and go for a ride."

"You are joking with me, aren't you?"

"Meet me at Linetta airport in 90 minutes, and I will show you that I am not fooling around. Remember, you have to go through security, so no weapons. I do not want to have to bail you out of prison."

"You do have a sense of humor, Philip. Everyone in the family thought you had lost it."

"Antonio, my bride to be told me the same thing, when we were returning to Milan."

As they parted company, Philip called Celeste, and told her he was taking his brothers for a ride in his airplane.

Celeste said, "Good for you. It is about time you learned to stick your wealth down their throats."

"Celeste, I am not doing it for that reason. I will talk to you about it when I get home."

"Is something wrong, Philip?"

"There is nothing wrong now, baby. I have handled it. I will talk to you when I get back. Okay?"

"I am proud of you Philip. You make me proud of you every day."

Philip looked at his cell phone in wonderment. This was the first time she had ever said that to him, and he glowed with pride. He would tell her what went on with his brother, and he would seal it with more than a kiss; much more than a kiss.

He called the pilots and told them he needed the aircraft ready for departure in two hours.

They said it would be no problem. They asked him where he wanted to go.

Philip replied, "We will have 10 people on board. All I want to do is go high and fast. You choose the route for about two hours flying time."

"No problem Mister Castronova, we will take care of it."

"Do we have the flight attendant available to us?"

"We can arrange that for you Mister Castronova."

"When you have time, interview several of them, and hirer the one with the best knowledge of service in an aircraft. Honestly I do not care what she looks like."

"Sir, you have to care what she looks like. She will be part of your corporation, and she is the first person your clients are going to see as they are boarding the aircraft."

"Okay, you guys know best. You can lead me around by the nose, until I get my feet on the ground, and my head in the air, with all this new wealth I am going to have to deal with. Until then, you guys on my brains, with this airplane."

His brothers showed up and he greeted them in the terminal. They went through security and he walked them out onto the tarmac, where they saw the gleaming white Gulfstream 550, with the Wine Red lettering, "Monza Wines." His brothers were envious at his obvious display of wealth. Their businesses precluded them from using their money so flagrantly.

Philip introduced them to the captains and had Robert Berns give them a tour of the exterior of the airplane and explain everything from the radar in the nose cone, to the Rolls-Royce engines. Suitably stunned, Philip invited them inside so that they could go for their initial ride in his airplane. If they enjoyed the outside, when they were greeted by the flight attendant, they started to drool. Even Philip did a double take at this statuesque beauty. He turned to Robert and asked, "Where did you get her at such short notice."

He smiled and said, "Al Italia is short one flight attendant today. She wants to know if she can get this job, as a permanent gig."

Philip said, "Ask her how much she makes in a year, including benefits and vacation. Verify it, have her take a physical, background check, give her a 50% raise, and tell her she's hired."

"What is your wife going to say?"

"This is my airplane. The money will come from my winery. I have made my first executive decision; and Celeste is going to beat the shit out of me."

When the laughing stopped; Philip boarded the airplane and was introduced to Sophia. Then, he went to the rear to join his brothers.

Bruce Waxman came over the intercom and asked, "Mister Castronova, are you ready for departure?"

Philip picked up the phone and asked, "Do we have clearance?"

"Yes sir we do."

"Okay Bruce, take us for a ride."

His brothers looked at him as if he had grown horns. When did he have time to learn about an aircraft?

Only Philip knew he was pulling these things out of his ass.

Sophia stood at the front of the aircraft and said, "Gentleman, the safety instructions are in the seat pockets beside you. Please read them, prior to us taking off. Once we are at cruising altitude it will be my pleasure to serve you your drinks and hors d'oeuvres."

Bruce Waxman came over the intercom and said, "Your host, Philip Castronova, has laid out this itinerary for our flight today. Not everyone gets to do this, but he has done it for you. We will be cruising today at 20,000 feet over the Italian Alps and you will be able to get a birds-eye view of how lovely they look at that altitude. Then comes the good part; the military will take us into their restricted airspace and let us fool around in them. We will climb to our cruising altitude of 51,000 feet and do a series of maneuvers that will lift you into zero gravity. Please do not mess up the inside of our airplane. Use the bags that are provided for you. We will then do an emergency descent from 51,000, two 12,000 feet. The ground level in the area we will be doing this maneuver is 9,600 feet. This means we will be leveling off 2,400 feet above the ground. If zero gravity did not get you, Mister Castronova assures us this one will. He loves this maneuver; it is one of his favorites."

Antonio looked at Philip, who was wearing a broad smile, but had his ass cheeks clenched together, like they were made of stone. He wondered if Celeste had gotten to the pilots, prior to takeoff. He would kill her, if she did, and there would be no need for a wedding on Saturday.

"We will be doing a low-level speed run, at minimum altitude, about 200 feet above ground level, from Military Areas 83E through 83A. Finally, we will do a high-speed climb, in restricted area 101, back to cruise altitude 51,000 feet. We will be turned over to civilian air traffic control for approach to and landing at Linetta airport. You should thank Mister Castronova, because we do not know how he pulled this off. In all my years of flying, no civilian aircraft has been allowed in these restricted areas to perform these maneuvers. One more thing, I want you to know before we begin our westbound turn over the Alps, your host wanted us to fly the aircraft upside down at 2800 feet so you could see the ground close up. This aircraft could do that very easily, because of its control surfaces, and its avionics. However, getting the vomit off the ceiling is nearly impossible. So after careful consideration we had to say no. He was very disappointed with us. One of you must have been very nasty to him when he was a young boy. Whoever you are, be careful, because he is determined to get even with you in a very big way."

Finally, there was laughter in the back of the aircraft. Philip turned his chair so he could see his brothers looking at him, and he could look them all straight in the eye. Each one of them had taken their turn at tormenting him. Now, they were in his aircraft, and regardless of what happened; he had to suck it up, and make them think whatever went on in the next hour was like second nature to him.

As they rode over the Alps, Sophia served the drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Philip had a red wine and sipped it, slowly. His brothers drank merrily and ate the hors d'oeuvres. He knew better than to put something into his stomach, after hearing what was coming up.

The phone on his seat rang and Philip answered it. He recognized the beautiful voice at the other end immediately. He didn't say her name he just said, "Did you?"

Celeste laughed and said, "Of course, I did."

"Business will not be as usual, later."

"I would certainly think not. If you can survive this, you can survive anything. I love you very much; I will see you later."

"You should see what I hired today."

"I did see what you hired today. Why do you think I did this to you?"

"You want to make me a better person and the more trustworthy husband. I told you we would talk about something, when I got home. It had nothing to do with our flight attendant. Now leave me alone so I can torment my brothers." He hung up on her before she could say anything else. Celeste was not used to this behavior from Philip; she kind of like it.

"Everything should be locked down, and strap in tightly, Sophia; including you. Gentlemen make sure your seats are in the upright position and are facing forward. Keep the bags that we have furnished you, in your hands just in case you feel queasy. This maneuver will start with a downward acceleration of the aircraft and then a parabolic curve, at which time you will be weightless for a few moments. Your hands and feet will float up in front of you, and you will be weightless during that period.

Most of his brothers made it through the first weightless event, but they were unprepared for the second one. Seven of the nine tossed their cookies, at that point. The hors d'oeuvres did not feel as good coming up, as they did going down.

Antonio was one who had made it through both weightless events, and he was smiling. They turned around, saw Vito's smiling face, and seven gray faces that wanted to kill their youngest brother. The three of them laughed.

Antonio said, "Isn't getting even fun?"

"Even, I haven't even started to get even."

Sophia got up from her seat and brought seven hot towels to the stricken members of his family, and had the men put their bags into a sealable trash bag, which she disposed of. She handed out more bags for their next, fun event.

"In one minute we will begin our emergency descent to 12,000 feet. You will hear the bell ring three times, and then the nose of the aircraft will pitch down. We will reach speeds in excess of .91 Mach, which is well below the speed this aircraft can reach. Enjoy the ride down."

Sophia checked everyone's seatbelt before she took her own seat and belted herself in. Then they heard the three bells, and the aircraft started its descent.

Everyone was thrown back into their seats. It seemed that they were going down vertically. The clouds were rushing by the exterior of the aircraft at a blinding speed. Five minutes later, they felt themselves being pushed into their seats, as the aircraft began to level out. Their legs became heavy and their arms could not move. The effects of 3.5 times gravity were taking hold of their bodies.

Philip had made it again, but his oldest brother did not look well. He said, "Antonio, should we do that again. It is just like falling off a horse. You have to get right back on it, and try it again."

"If you tell them to do it again, they will find you in one of your wine barrels, 30 years from now."

"I will be an excellent vintage by then."

Antonio could not bring himself to laugh.

Philip turned to see who else had made it through the descent and only Vito was left smiling. He asked, "What do I have to do to wipe that smile off your face?"

Vito replied, "Clean the shit out of my pants."

They both laughed, however Vito wasn't kidding.

Bruce Waxman announced that they were about to begin their low-level speed run.

Philip picked up the phone and said, "Do not scare any of the rabbits; it is not hunting season, yet."

His brothers heard the conversation, but did not believe they would be that low. They were wrong.

The Gulfstream flew barely 200 feet above the tallest trees and all eyes were glued outside as they watch them go whizzing by. It was not a sight they would ever see again. 200 miles later, the nose of the aircraft lifted and they started their climb to 51,000 feet, where they were handed off to civilian air traffic control for an approach and landing at Linetta airport.

40 minutes later, when they stumbled off the aircraft, nine men wanted to kill the youngest member of their family.

Philip snarled at them, "How many times did I go to papa, and complain about the mistreatment I received from all of you. He did not believe me. All of you were saints, and I was a baby. I stand before you now, in front of my airplane, as the only one who could take what it dished out. I am a baby no longer. I will see you all tonight, if you can make it to my party. Antonio, you know my boundaries, and you know my rules; if you break them, I will no longer have a family."

Eight brothers looked at Philip, and then Antonio, as if they had been slapped in the face. Antonio raised his right hand to silence them, before a word could be raised in dissent.

"We will see you tonight Philip. It will be as you require."

As the eight brothers walked away from the aircraft, Philip noticed that Vito was walking very funny. He could not help but laugh.

The two pilots walked down the stairway and asked him how he made out during the flight. Philip grinned and said, "I made out like a bandit. I'm going to kill my bride, but I pissed off my brothers' big time. I, also, impressed the hell out of them thanks to both of you. Does the aircraft need to be checked out, because of the maneuvers you put her through?"

Robert Berns said, "No, we kept it well inside the envelope it is capable of. If we had taken 5 G's pulling out of the descent, I would have the wing struts checked, but we did not come close to that."

"Okay, thank Sophia for me, and take care of her paperwork. When she has finished the physical, and background check, send her, with her paperwork to my home, and I will introduce her to the family. Tell her there will be a morals clause in her contract: No fooling around with pilots, or the passengers."

Bruce Waxman said, "Even the unmarried pilots, boss?"

"Especially the unmarried pilots, Bruce."

"Boss, you are going to take all the fun out of flying."

"If I cannot play around, Bruce; neither can you."

All that day friends, corporate executives, and invitees to Celeste wedding, arrived in Milan. James Hearst's and his girlfriend, Cynthia, and Tom Shackleford and his wife, Marlene, arrived in the same aircraft with Charlie and Ann. Cynthia worked at the Museum of Fine Arts, Marlene is an assistant Professor of English Literature, at Fordham University, and Ann is a Professor of English U.C. San Luis Obispo. Audrey, the flight attendant, was a former teacher, who gave her position up, because of the lousy pay, the long hours. The three men tried desperately to keep away from their significant others so they could stop hearing the incessant chatter about the educational system, its deficiencies, the reforms necessary, and the absolute need to get men out of the positions of authority.

By the time they touched down, in Milan, these women had eviscerated every male, plus the Secretaries of Education, in their states and in Washington, D.C. Charlie was very happy he had his gun, because the men on board feared there was going to be a female uprising, on board that aircraft.

On Friday, the dignitaries started to arrive, led by Italy's Prime Minister, the Vice President of the United States, Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain, as well as the vice president of Ecuador, and their wives. Bill and Melissa Gates, and Warren Buffett were there. The Trumps were not invited. Steve Jobs declined his invitation, citing a conflict on his schedule. Baron Nathaniel Rothschild represented his family and the list continued like a Who's Who of the Worlds' rich and powerful. Most of these people, besides being important in their own right, were Celeste's friends. She had either used her influence to get them the positions they now held, or she helped, with her money, in their philanthropic causes, around the world.

Everyone knew the wedding would take place at the Cathedral of Milan. However no one knew where the reception would take place afterwards. It was the most closely guarded secret, since the invention of the microchip. The political security details knew where it was, so they could prepare for their arrangements. However, they sent out so many decoys, the press had no way of knowing which site was the correct one for the event.

The vendors were screaming they needed more time to set up the flooring, tables, chairs, flowers, food service, tents, electrical lines, and everything else that goes with an affair this large. All they were told was to hire triple or quadruple the amount of manpower they normally needed, be ready at midnight on the day of the wedding, and do not worry about the cost.

Celeste's lawyers told the vendors, "If your people work like 'Italians' normally do, you will never see another dime of her money, until after the Alps turn into dust."

The owners of these businesses were told if anyone leaked this information, and it was traced back to them, they would be sued into bankruptcy. They did not like this at all.

Each dignitary was allowed to choose his/ her own meal for this event. Three-star Michelin chefs, from Italy, France, Spain, and Germany, were preparing the meals, along with all their assistants. Limousines, from as far as 150 miles of Milan, were called into service. If it was 'The Best of the Best,' it was in the city of Milan, for this wedding.

You would think it would take a year to make out the seating arrangements for a wedding this large. It took the computer at the University of Michigan three minutes, and it was perfect.

At 12 AM, on July 1, hand-delivered messages went to each vendor advising them of the location of the Wedding Ball. They were told who was to do what, in what order, and the time constraints they were under. If they did not meet these goals, they were going to be fined for every minute they were late.

When the vendors looked at the venue, they could not believe it. They were going to be working on hallowed ground. It was the "Stadio San Siro," (San Siro Stadium) the home of their beloved World Champion Soccer Team. It was the largest stadium in all of Italy, able to hold 80,000 people at any single event. No private events were ever allowed there, 'Until Now.'

The first groups out where the electricians; followed closely by the carpenters. When dawn broke, the entire field looked like one large stage. Next came 100,000 yards of carpeting, secretly brought in from one of Celeste's own companies. It was an exact match to Philip's Company colors. As soon as a section was laid down, the next vendor would start setting up his items. Everything went off like clockwork. Everything electrical was double redundant. The wood flooring was 10 inches on center. It would not wobble in an earthquake. The hardest part was the canopy. No one had ever tried to cover a venue this large. Architects had worked for months trying to figure out how to do it and what to use as a covering. Canvas would be too heavy. Silk would be to light and not rain proof. They decided on a Dacron fabric, which was both light and waterproof. Then they prayed that the winds would not get too high. The china was Wedgewood; the crystal was Waterford. Everything was top tier; no expense was spared. The only thing that did not come from Phillips winery was the champagne. It was a gift from the French government, and it was also the best.

The press did not get word of where the event was happening, until after 10 AM. A no-fly zone had been put into effect within a 2-mile radius of the stadium, which kept all news and private helicopters out of the area. Floodlights were set up outside the stadium just in case someone a helicopter tried to disobey that order. The lights would be focused on it, ruining any pictures the cameras were attempting to take.