You don’t need to be macho to be strong. AVA First Officer Paul Cronin should know—he’s a gay pilot in a profession that reeks of testosterone. The pilots are macho. The mechanics are macho. Heck, even the baggage handlers are macho. It seems like the only men on the airline who aren’t strutting around talking cars and football are the flight attendants. With his scheduled flight grounded, Paul finds himself torn between a rendezvous with a handsome flight attendant and a new assignment on Flight 511. He discovers the replacement flight is a quick trip to Bermuda that will allow his date to proceed as planned, and it seems as if his weekend is falling right into place, despite the passengers’ apprehensions over crossing the Bermuda Triangle. Skeptic that he is, Paul finds it difficult to soothe the passengers’ fears. The Bermuda Triangle is just a sensationalistic name that a journalist invented for a commonly-traveled stretch of the Atlantic. Of course, airline employees wouldn’t entertain that sort of superstition…so why is the rest of Flight 511’s crew acting so strange?

People are complicated. Public figures often lead seedy double lives, while average folks rise to the occasion in times of crisis. Dallas Turner is a people person, and as a long-time flight attendant, he’s dealt with them all. Frazzled parents with overtired kids. Demanding businessmen who can’t fly unless they’re three sheets to the wind. Terrified passengers clinging to their armrests with a white-knuckled grip. Most passengers think of him a glorified waiter—and if they’re lucky, they’ll never have that assumption challenged. Dallas is trained in CPR and self-defense. His primary duty is to care for the passengers. Although he’s well-prepared, some emergencies you just can’t train for. Dallas has only known First Officer Paul Cronin for a few hours, but his gut instincts are usually accurate. Paul seems smart, determined and capable. He’d make a good permanent addition to the crew. Can Dallas ensure he survives the shock of his first round trip on Flight 511?

Paul Cronin has never been one to improvise. Now he’s found himself in the middle of a brand new world, with brand new rules. He would be the first one to play by those rules—heck, he’d relish them—if only he knew what they were. Luckily for Paul, his predecessor Marlin already discovered the lay of the land, and that research is passed along to him. It should help him orient himself. Unfortunately, Marlin’s logic is so bizarre, poring through his notes offers very little comfort. What kind of man believes in all that airy-fairy new age stuff? And, more importantly, what kind of man is Paul? Length: Novelette - 8600 words - 29 PDF pages

There’s no place like home. For Paul Cronin, maybe that’s a good thing. His DC condo is practically empty, aside from a week’s worth of mail and the lingering smell of his hippie housekeeper’s vinegar-based cleaners. His life is empty too, filled with activities he doesn’t enjoy and friends he only hangs out with because it’s easier than avoiding them. It doesn’t seem like Dallas Turner would have much in common with Paul. There’s the whole race thing. And the religion thing. And probably, if they were to be awkwardly honest, some socioeconomic thing too. Not only that, they live in entirely different parts of the country. Even so, Paul can’t get Dallas out of his mind. It seems there’s a connection there—a powerful connection. Something they have in common that goes beyond working for the same airline…and flying through the same turbulence. Hopefully Dallas’ invitation to stay in Fort Lauderdale still stands.

Playing catch-up is frustrating. Paul Cronin was the last crew member to join Flight 511, and he’s got a lot of catching up to do. To make matters worse, his predecessor Marlin had a “unique” way of looking at things. Dealing with the effects of the turbulence phenomenon is bad enough. Now Paul needs to figure out which of Marlin’s notes are vital clues, and which are the ramblings of an off-kilter egomaniac. Paul finds a throwaway line in Marlin’s notebook that may be the key to unraveling the mystery. Time is of the essence, since every night he puzzles through the phenomenon in empty Bermuda is another night the uncensored side of his personality is spending with Dallas.

Dead men tell no lies…not that it matters. Paul Cronin suspects he doesn’t speak the same language as his predecessor Marlin, anyway. Despite all the information in the red notebook he inherited, Paul is no closer to understanding the Bermuda Triangle anomaly than he would’ve been without it. Dallas leads Paul to Marlin’s house to seek the elusive Black Box, but they’re not the only ones interested in Marlin’s personal effects. Telling the truth about what they’re looking for is out, and they only have a few free hours between flights in which to search—but maybe luck is on their side. A clue that surfaces from beyond the grave sends Paul hunting through the empty Bermuda airport in search of the discovery he’s certain will release Flight 511 from the turbulence once and for all.

Funerals are for the living. Dallas finds no closure at Marlin’s new age service, however, where none of Marlin’s friends can figure out what caused him to drown himself. He was happy and well-liked, and led a rich and active life. Was the pressure of the turbulence too much for him? Of all the flight crew, he’d been the least distressed about the uncanniness of Flight 511. Since Marlin treated the turbulence as an adventure, his suicide makes no sense at all. The distraction is welcome when Paul is called to DC to deal with his angry condo association, and Dallas comes along for the ride. The overnight stop turns ugly as Paul tries to determine whether he fits into his old life anymore—and how to put an end to the turbulence for the chance at a life worth living.

Paul is desperate to find a way out of the turbulence. He’s located Marlin’s black box and found it full of random clippings. He’s matched Marlin’s final email to a snippet of a nursery rhyme. With his avenues of investigation exhausted, Paul can think of only one more place to get some answers…although Dallas isn’t going to like it. Maybe that doesn’t matter—because if Paul can’t navigate the turbulence, eventually his autopilot will figure out a way to sabotage his relationship with Dallas. Or worse, Bermuda Paul might turn out to be a better boyfriend. Paul has a plan, a risky plan. If it works, not only will the turbulence phenomenon be solved—but his perception of reality will be forever changed.