Fall: Freier

He was a "Jump-Master," a man who lived for the adrenaline of the (free fall). But this wasn't a planned jump over the Swiss Alps. This was Flight 174, and the left wing had just vanished into a cloud of orange fire.

With a roar of effort, he yanked the secondary handle. A snap like a gunshot echoed through his bones as the white silk bloomed above him. The violent jerk nearly knocked him unconscious, but then, the world went quiet again. The screaming wind became a gentle hiss. Freier Fall

As the cabin pressure screamed and the metal groaned, Elias didn't reach for an oxygen mask. He reached for the emergency pack under his seat. He was the only one on board who knew that at this velocity, the plane was no longer flying—it was just a very heavy stone. He was a "Jump-Master," a man who lived

Most people fear the fall. But Elias, drifting through the sky at 120 mph, felt a strange, chilling peace. In the fall, there are no taxes, no broken hearts, and no deadlines. There is only the wind and the countdown. With a roar of effort, he yanked the secondary handle