The cabin was silent but for the droning of propellers. Robert and Alice were both pointedly not looking at each other. Robert had retreated into his seat and stared at the fires in the distance, laptop idle in his lap. Alice jabbed continuously at her tablet, trying alternately to raise her personal assistant, the Paris office, air traffic control, the coast guard, Julian, anyone. All offline or unavailable.

"Robert, we can't stay here. We've got two courtesy water bottles and no food. We're miles from land, and all emergency services that weren't destroyed are triaging the greatest catastrophe in recorded history. I don't know what's happening with global communications, but I literally cannot reach a single living human right now. We need to act."

"You have an idea? Because I'm drawing a blank. We're trapped in a non-responsive helicopter that's designed to prevent changes by its passengers. Air traffic control could get us moving, but it was just vaporized. I could potentially hack the nav system through the maintenance port, but it's out there." Robert stabbed his finger at the door of the helicopter to punctuate the remark. "We're stuck Alice. I don't see any option other than wait it out and hope for the best."

"I'll do it."

"What?"

"I'll do it. I'll go outside and plug in your update."

"You're crazy. We're a mile up in the air. We can't even get the door open. And even if we could, there's not exactly a walkway out there."

"Look at the schematic again. The port isn't centered on the windshield, it's halfway to my side. All I have to do is lean out to reach it. The doors on these things open rearward, and there's an emergency lever right above the door to pop the hatch. I'd prefer to do this tethered, but the lap belt is at least long enough for me to use it as an anchor for my legs. Plus you can help hold me."

"This isn't like a Bond movie or something. If you slip, you fall a mile into the ocean and die."

"I would rather die suddenly right now than slowly of starvation and radiation sickness waiting around for help that never comes. The risk is manageable, and it's our best option. I'm not asking you to do it, I just need you to give me the firmware and to hold on to my legs."

"Look, it's your life to risk. But my vote is we wait it out."

"Great. Give me that thumb drive." Alice took off her blazer and set it aside - wouldn't do to get caught on a sleeve while hanging out the door. She then unhooked one end of the lap belt and brought it to full extension. Thankfully the designers had been generous with the strap length. She carefully wrapped the long end around her left leg, then pinned it in place with her right foot. Alice tested by pulling on it with her legs to satisfy herself it would hold weight. "See, just like rope climbing. Now grab a hold of me, I'm going to pop this door open."

Robert reluctantly unhooked his own straps and went to her side of the copter. The cabin wobbled a little from the weight change then steadied as the rotors compensated.

"Hold on. The data port has a panel covering it to keep the rain out. I should be able to open it from in here." He pecked out a quick command on his laptop. A cheery confirmation box popped up on the windshield: Maintenance port successfully opened

"There we go. Here's the thumb drive with the firmware. It will transfer and execute when you plug it in. Probably best to yank it out once the operation is done, shouldn't take more than a few seconds."

"How will I know when it's time?"

"Inserting the drive will put the screen here into maintenance mode - I'll be able to see the transfer status. I'll give you a tug on the leg when it's finished."

"Alright. Wish me luck." Alice took a brief glance at the emergency instruction plaque above the door. She grabbed the red handle, pulled down, then gave the door a firm push with her other hand. Instead of hinging open from the side, the door tipped out from the top, then fell away from the copter. She watched speechless as the disengaged door spiraled down to the ocean below. Cool air rushed into the cabin and the noise from the rotors turned up a few notches.

"Shit. Didn't know it would do that. Well, what's done is done." Alice got down on the floor and inched out over the edge, keeping the strap firmly wound around her leg. Robert crouched awkwardly over her body, holding one slender ankle in each hand. She didn't feel a lot of strength in that grip and was happy for the leg strap.

As she moved out a chill wind raised goose pimples on her bare arms. She already missed her coat. From her vantage she could see the edge of the opened port hatch but not the port itself. She stretched her arm out tentatively to judge the distance - still about a hands-length short.

The chill from the cool air was working its way into her fingers, she flexed them to try to force some fresh blood down. Now or never. Alice shimmied out some more, putting weight on the leg strap as her waist cleared the door. Her eyes were locked on the port, not daring a glance at the vast blue expanse spreading out for miles below her. It should be in reach now. She tensed her abs to stabilize as she brought up her right hand holding the drive, aiming for where the port should be. This part would have to be by touch.

She dragged the tip of the silver connector at an angle slowly across the opened panel, probing for the slot with numbed fingers. Her muscles burned from holding the unnatural posture. She felt it catch!

Working quickly she tipped the drive into position and pushed. There was more resistance than she expected, some sort of rubber moisture guard to push through - her fingers slipped and the drive popped free.

On instinct she reached for it, overextended, and lost her careful balance. Robert wasn't prepared for the lunge and her legs slipped out of his hands. In a moment only Alice's feet were visible above the deck, dangling from the slender strap of safety belt clasped by her legs.

Robert rushed to the door, grabbing the belt and bracing his feet against the side of the door. The copter lurched more violently this time, then corrected and leveled out. Alice swung out like a pendulum, then slammed the side of the helicopter on the swing back. She slipped a few inches down the belt and began to twist.

Robert braced against the door and began reeling her in by the belt, straining against the weight. Once her feet were in reach he grabbed them tight and fell backward into the helicopter, using his weight to lever her in. Her waist cleared the floor and she was able to twist back into the cabin.

"Jesus Christ, you almost... Jesus," Robert sat back on the floor, panting.

"That was close. I owe you one. Do you have another thumb drive?"