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said, “ We ’ re going to need a change of clothes. ” She and the other girls were wrapped in blankets. “ You guys have pants on … we ’ re wearing miniskirts. ”
    “ It ’ s not like we can pop down to Macy ’ s for a new wardrobe, Tami, ” DiMaggio said.
    “ There may be clothes below, ” Collin said. “ I ’ m guessing this plane was in the process of pre-boarding … I mean, it makes sense since the food carts were filled. You never know, we could check to see if they ’ d started loading luggage into the cargo section. ”
    “ What we really need is another weapon, ” DiMaggio said. “ You saw it … Humph ’ s not going to give up his gun and he ’ s probably not the best person to protect us all …”
    Collin remembered seeing a diagram of the jetliner in the pilot ’ s manual. There was an access door in the rear galley at the back of the plane. “ What do you say we do some exploring? Probably best not to mention where we ’ re going to Humph, or any of his friends. ”
    Tina and Tami said they wanted to come with them. “ Let ’ s make our way to the back of the plane … but let ’ s not go in a group, ” Collin added. “ I ’ ll meet you all there in a few minutes. ”
    Collin was the first to stand and head down the stairs. He moved through the plane ’ s business, then economy, compartments. He was surprised when he entered the galley to see the ceiling drooping at least another foot. The weight of the passenger car on top of this portion of the plane ’ s fuselage was taking its toll. He figured it was only a matter of time before this section was flattened like a pancake.
    Hunching over, he ’ d missed it earlier when he ’ d first entered the galley. There it was on the carpeted floor: a two- by three-foot door panel with an inset handle. Tami and Tink arrived together, followed by DiMaggio a minute later.
    Collin tugged the metal ring out from the inset on the panel, turned it and pulled upward. The panel opened on its hinges. He swung the panel all the way back and the four of them stared down into the darkness. Cold air rose up from below, into the galley.
    “ I ’ ll go first, ” Collin said. He turned on his flashlight app, placing his iPhone between his teeth, and stepped onto the top step of the metal-wrung ladder. He tried not to think about what was below him, in the cold, dark, cargo hold. He descended into the hold, one cautious step at a time. By the time his feet hit the cargo compartment ’ s floor he already knew two things: one, there definitely was luggage there — two, the cargo doors were wide open.
     
     
     

Chapter 7
     
     
    What looked to be a late model combine machine was pressed up against the outer hull of the jetliner, where the cargo doors once stood. Collin stepped closer and was able to see a myriad of other things packed in behind it, including an old, rusted-out Chevy Ranchero; a segment of a Ferris wheel; wide blades of a windmill; and the cab section of a fire truck.
    Collin turned back to see Tink already going through a large Samsonite at the top of a heap of suitcases. She held up a pair of silk underpants and pulled them wide between her open arms. “ Someone ’ s grandma is missing a parachute, ” she exclaimed, closing the lid and moving on to another suitcase.
    Collin turned and sidestepped past Tami Drake ’ s own five-foot-high stack of suitcases. DiMaggio had already torn into half the suitcases in his stack and had a separate pile of items set off to the side.
    Collin went farther back in the compartment where there were larger items, including hooded golf bags, several sets of skis, and some oversized duffle bags. Right off the bat, Collin hit pay dirt. He found two long, one short, green and tan camo hard cases. Each was individually locked. He ’ d seen these types of cases before at the shooting range — often used by serious gun enthusiasts. As Collin continued to separate out the items in his stack, he