Airline pilot Craig Dayton is delighted to learn that a former President of the United States will be a passenger on this morning's trip from Athens to Rome. A few minutes later, he learns that Greek police are en route to arrest the former head of state.  He orders an emergency takeoff (baffling his co-pilot, who asks whether there <i>is</i>  such a thing?) to trigger this 389-page romp, a summery blend of  aviation and legal thriller.