On the day martial law is announced and put into effect, the whole city of Nova Aria is on fire.
Lou is stuck on her way home from work. She calls Robert, her distant ex-boyfriend for help, right before a bus crashes into her car. Little does Lou k...
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"Charles Dubois, Dubois Airline."
"Charlie, long time... It's me, Robert."
Dubois Airline in all of its glory was Charlie and his Cessna 172 Skyhawk. I used to work for him before getting the job at QLSolutions, helping around the hangar and sorting paperwork. It was nothing fancy, but it was not bad. On top of everything, I got free flight lessons.
"Robert boy! How you've been doing, son?"
"I'm fine, sir. How about you?
"Dandy as ever. How's the girlfriend?"
"Uhm...We broke up."
"Damn, what a shame! I always liked her. She's not like those high-maintenance chicks that always ask for this and that... Anyway, what can I do for you?"
"Ah, yes...Well, I'm actually kind of in a rush. I would really appreciate it if you can help me."
"Well, what are you waiting for, son? Tell me!"
"I need to get to Miramar right now, but there's no seat available on the train. The military has taken most of them."
"Ah, the military with their nonsenses again... Miramar is a good place to be, but it won't be easy, or cheap, to get there, considering the current situation. Also, the weather is not good today. Too much wind."
"I'll pay you, Charlie. Just tell me the price, but I really need to get there now."
"Damn, son, what's the rush?... Ok, I'll tell you what. You can pay for gas and we'll go from there! How does that sound? Besides, how much can you even pay me? I don't want your starving paycheck!" The old man chortled.
My paycheck had been far from starving and the compensation from the accident had put a nice chunk in my account, but Charlie didn't need to know all that. I would pay him in full.
I met Charlie at the hangar and left Vince's RV there.
The flight was as gruesome as we expected. The small aircraft shook as if it could fall apart with every movement. Charlie assured me that his "old gal could take more than a little wind," but it was not a little. It felt as if someone had thrown us inside a giant electric fan and turned it to the highest speed. The ocean churned angrily below, adding to my anxiety. Silver waves reached up to the sky, wanting to pull down our tiny aircraft and swallow it whole. I knew if we died today, it would be my fault. It would be because of my stubbornness and stupidity, wanting to play a hero when no one asked me to, just as Lou had said. It was a complex. No one would care about my death. Certainly, not Lou. Everything would be in vain, still, I didn't feel a tint of regret. Sure, I felt bad to involve Charlie, but thinking that I was coming to Lou and Vince's rescue had filled me with a sense of purpose.
"We're almost there. Buckle up!" Charlie's voice boomed in my headset, cutting off the gloomy thoughts.
The landing was less than ideal. We were attacked by the winds on all sides. My organs were lifted and stirred with the turbulent descending. They turned upside down when the aircraft's wheels hit the ground hard. After a long and excruciating few minutes, everything finally settled when Charlie killed the engine.
