The Secret to Flying - An MCYT Cyberpunk/Dystopian AU

5: Cub

'Good afternoon. This is Pixlriffs of Watcher News. Earlier today, there was a tower collapse in District 4. Luckily, most of the structure remains standing, but the whole tower has been deemed unsafe, evacuated, and its residents put in emergency housing. At this point, there are 7 dead, 48 injured and 18 missing. Hawk leader Elex Void has thanked the brave Hawk pilots who helped evacuate and saved lives.'

'...Cub?' 

I look over. Jevin's sat next to me on the edge of my bed, a hand on my shoulder. 

'Mmm?'

'You were staring at the wall again. I figured you were...'

'Yeah. Yeah. I'm just...' I try to find the words. It's been a week since the incident. I watched the news report so much it's stuck in my head forever. What Elex didn't mention. What no one's mentioned. The plane crashing. And then Joey, the pilot, appearing perfectly fine the next day. And with everyone in good spirits after Grian became an officer... 'It's just so stupid. I'm sorry... It's been a week and I'm still not...'

'That's bulls***, Cub. There's no reason for you to be back to normal. Whatever the stupid Watchers say.'

'I've seen crashes before, I've helped in emergencies... why is this one just...' I let out a deep breath. 'I just don't get it, Jevin. Why they crashed.'

'You said it was...'

'I know what the stupid Blink initiative told me to say. But I know it wasn't a Listener attack, I know the plane wasn't hijacked. I saw Joey the next day. I helped him get into the pilot seat. No one's even telling him off. He just...' I hear the building collapsing on top of xB again. On another day, that would've been me. That would've been Hypno or False or any of the other Officers sacrificing themselves to help civilians. 

'Cub?' I realise too late I've stopped breathing normally, heart racing, on the verge of crying. 'Cub, it's ok, man. It'll all be ok...' He hugs me. I'm left numbly hugging him back, blinking away tears over his shoulder. 

'...7 dead, 48 injured and 18 missing.'

'There must've been something I could've done... I could've given xB my parachute... or... or the person he was helping...'

'Cub, you did everything you could've, man. It was too stressful to just think of something like that at the time... you did everything you could've, ok?' I have to nod, and accept he's right, even as the memories and survivors guilt runs through my mind again and again.

I arrive to the mess hall the same as every other morning since the incident. Jevin told me to stay home and recover. I told him that's not how it works, especially not for a Officer. Even though I regret saying that as I'm up late and don't have time for breakfast, rushing into the facilities to see the timetable up and the room mostly clear, aside from Hypno and a few others.

'Hey Cub. How're you doing? Coping?'

'What am I late to?'

'It's just plane maintenance, don't worry.' I let out a sigh of relief. Iskall's never harsh on us. 'That's why I waited for you.'

'Thanks man.'

'No problem.'

He leads the way out the mess hall and over to Hangar E, where the maintenance checks always are. Inside, there are a couple other Officers — False and Grian — looking over their planes. Both wave. I attempt a smile back before finding Earendel. There are a couple scratches from tower shrapnel, but nothing a bit of paint can't fix. The repetitive action actually calms me, and I join in laughing at Grian's story about meeting some new fledglings. Until I see Iskall passing by, talking with another Hawk.

'So, Joey, what was your old plane model?'

'An E_1.'

Joey's getting a new plane. He crashed and he's getting a new plane. From then I can't focus on Earendel, or the conversation, or anything except the fact that Joey is getting a new plane. Joey, who crashed into the side of a building causing so many casualties, killing xB, is getting a new plane. He's not been fired, as everyone else would be. He's being given a new plane... I hear and see the building collapsing in my mind again. Joey did that. Joey caused that and he's getting a new plane. 

'Cub? Are you alright?' 

Hypno's there. I realise I was just staring at Joey, paintbrush in hand, and blink, looking away. But the thoughts remain.

'Hypno, what... usually happens after a pilot crashes?'

'Wait, is that the guy who's plane was hijacked?'

'No, because his plane wasn't hijacked! Look, I understand telling the public that. Hawk reputation and all that. But he's dangerous. Didn't you see the reports? He's killed...'

'Cub, please.' Hypno puts his hands on my shoulders, making me face him. 'Don't blame Joey when it wasn't him that did anything.'

'No, no, I saw the crash, Hypno...' I reply. 'I was there. I helped that guy into the plane. I checked him over. It was him. And a manually controlled plane can't be made to...' I watch it crash in my mind again, Joey ejecting out before. Soon enough before to turn around, stop anything. If he was a Listener spy, why's he getting a new plane? If he crashed on his own, why's he getting a new plane?

'Cub, please. Calm down. Just sit down somewhere, try to relax.' Hypno tries to lead me away from Joey. 'We don't know what kind of technology the Listeners have.'

'Hypno, I'm serious. I'm calm. I know what I saw and I know what he did and I know that HE should never step within 30 miles of the Hawks EVER AGAIN!' I shove Hypno away. His expression blurs to tears, but I turn back to Joey before he can stop me.

'Hey, you're Joey, right?' My voice shakes as I try to talk to him.

'Hallo, Officer Cub. I'm just getting him a new plane.'

'Look, Iskall, you do know what he did, right?' 

'What?' I ignore Joey's feigned confusion.

'And even if not... Iskall, have you ever seen a plane's system be hijacked before?'

'It could've been hijacked from production?'

'Yeah...' I try to backtrack. 'But... how likely that really?'

'That's a very possible thing, Officer Cub. And if you're talking about Joey's crash, that's what happened.'

'Joey? Is that was you saw?'

'My plane was hijacked,' is all Joey says.

'How? What happened inside the cockpit? And why would a hijacked plane stop you turning it around, but not ejecting?' 

'Officer Cub! I'm so sorry, he's been off since the crash.' Hypno approaches, like I'm some confused child who's wandered too far. 'Come on. I'm sorry.'

I'm forced away from them, stuck thinking about the crash. Was the plane really hijacked? 

Or was Joey told to crash?