Learning To Fly Read online

“The planes have ammo and fuel, so we should be ready to hit the next location.”

  “You can’t win,” a voice came from the corner of the room.

  “Oh, if it isn’t my buddy Mike,” Walter said, “What was that you said? You’re in some place to talk, seeing as you aren’t exactly mobile at the moment.”

  “Our people will send reinforcements once we don’t report back.”

  “Yeah, and we’ll beat them too. You picked on the wrong people this time.”

  “You will see. We have yet to be-“

  “Oh, shut up, will you,” Fiona said, stuffing a sock in his mouth and securing it with a strip of duct tape.

  “You might as well get the other one too, before he wakes up,” Walter said.

  “Okay, where are we headed next?” Colonel Gordon asked.

  “We have two more locations in the States, and three in Europe. Your can see the cities on the computer.”

  “We’re looking at Salt Lake, Milwaukee...Manchester, Brussels, and Frankfort...interesting choice of cities. Looks like Milwaukee is the next closest. How long will it take to get the planes in position?”

  “We can take two at a time and have all six there in just a few minutes.”

  “Okay then, let’s roll.”

  The attack in Milwaukee went much the same as it had in Ohio. The pilots took out one gunship at a time while Walter and Mixon disabled the ground troops, and the fight was over in an hour, once again with no damage to the jets.

  “That’s the last of them,” a pilot said as he watched the gunship blow up.

  “And we’ve disabled the ground troops,” Walter said, “Where to next?”

  The voice of Colonel Gordon came over their comms.

  “I’m not sure what I’m seeing here. I’m looking at the other locations, and it looks like someone is taking care of them for us. Hundreds of small...some kind of fighters...not ours...they’re taking those gunships out like nobody’s business and the mechs are just sitting down.”

  “We’ll get eyeballs on the situation,” Walter said.

  Walter and Mixon flew to each location, and it was as the Colonel had said. There were swarms of small alien fighters taking out the gunships and the ground troops were going offline like someone had just flipped a switch.

  “You’re seeing right, Colonel. Looks like the fight is done. We’re coming back.”

  “Don’t forget about us,” one of the pilots said, “Can we get an express ride back?”

  A few minutes later they were all back in Ohio and the planes were in the hangar, the pilots in the house enjoying adult beverages and going over details of the fight.

  So many people were talking at once that nobody heard the elevator door open, and nobody noticed the footsteps until a voice startled them all.

  “Hey guys, miss me?”

  Walter turned around and saw the young attractive blonde walk into the middle of the room. When he realized who it was, he wasted no time in approaching with his arms out.

  “Christy? I thought you...I mean...you’re not dead?”

  “Slightly wounded, yes, but nothing I won’t recover from.”

  “But Franklin and Kendra...they said you were a goner.”

  “Our physiology isn’t like yours. No doubt it looked like it to them.”

  “And it never occurred to you to let us know?”

  “It did, but it also occurred to me to see how you all would handle things, and it bought me the time I needed to bring reinforcements. I had to get away unobserved, and you provided just the diversion I needed.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “Home, and as you can see, I had no trouble finding enough pilots to finish the job, but I might add that you seemed more than capable with your modified planes. That was quite impressive.”

  “But the ground troops? How did you manage that?”

  “They were controlled remotely. I found the controls. Wait, where are the kids?”

  “Oh, I nearly forgot. They’re at the hospital. Franklin was wounded and Kendra’s there with him.”

  “Well, I can think of nothing better than to pay them a visit. Shall we?”

  “Certainly. Just let me grab my jacket,” Walter said, taking his jacket from the back of a chair, and making sure a small metal cylinder was in the pocket.

  36

  Kendra looked up when she heard footsteps coming into the room and gave a small smile when she saw Walter, and did a double take when she saw Christy.

  “I, I thought...you...”

  “Long story. I’m sorry about the deception, but it had to be done. How is he doing?”

  “They’re not saying much, but...not...not good.”

  Moses and Shawna walked back in, sat down, and handed a soft drink to Kendra.

  “Thanks Dad.”

  “Oh...hi Walter,” Moses said, “If I’m seeing you here, may I assume things went well?”

  “We won. Well, there’s a bit of cleanup left to do, but they’re all defeated and we have the two troublemakers in custody.”

  “There’s a lot of cleanup left,” Christy said, “We have to sort out the people who were in those mechanized suits. Many of them are Versk, so I’ll be figuring out how to get them back home, but a few of them are no doubt from here. It will take some time, and we’ll have to make a few trips to get the Versk back home.”

  “Will you need pilots for that?” Walter asked.

  “I have plenty of pilots, but most of them came in fighters. The transports are few, and I think you guys took the shields for your jets.”

  “That shouldn’t be much trouble to put them back. You left pretty detailed directions on their installation. Which reminds me, how much of that did you plan in advance?”

  “You know, we can discuss that later. How is young Franklin doing?”

  “It doesn’t look good,” Kendra said, “He took a shot right in the chest.”

  Christy walked over and put her arm around Kendra’s shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry. You were close?”

  “I...I...I think so.”

  “I’d say so. That shot was meant for you and he took it. I’d say you were more than close,” Moses said.

  “Is that right?” Christy said.

  “Yeah, that Mike guy tried to shoot her, and he jumped in front,” Walter said.

  Christy wiped a tear from her eye. “Girl, you don’t find men like that too often.”

  “Yeah...but...he...might not live,” Kendra said before breaking down in tears again.

  Walter pulled the cylinder from his pocket and approached the hospital bed, looking down at Franklin’s face. He pulled a sheet of paper from his other pocket and handed it to Kendra.

  “Give this to him after, will you?”

  “After what?”

  “Wait, is that what I think it is?” Christy asked.

  “Yes, it is,” Walter said.

  “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “Yes, I do,” Walter said, pulling back the blanket from Franklin. He pulled Franklin’s limp hand out from under the blanket and laid the cylinder down, wrapping the boy’s fingers around it.

  “Kendra, can you hold his hand in place?”

  Kendra took her hand and wrapped it around Franklin’s, holding his fingers around the cylinder. Walter reached down, taking the other end of the cylinder in his hand.

  “See you around, kid,” he said, before collapsing to the floor.

  Franklin’s body convulsed violently and a few seconds later he sat up with a start, staring around the room in surprise. He then saw the cylinder in his hand and saw Walter lying on the floor.

  “What just happened?”

  “How do you feel?” Kendra asked.

  “I...I feel fine. The pain’s gone. Is this what I think it is, the thing Mike gave him?”

  “Yes, and he just used it.”

  “Well, get this stuff off me,” he said, “and get the nurse in here to tend to him.”

  The nurse ran i
n the room, took one look at Franklin sitting up, no trace of the wound on his chest, and looking as healthy as a horse, and saw Walter lying on the floor.

  “Can someone tell me what happened here?”

  “There’s no time to explain it,” Christy said, “but he’s going to need your attention. They traded places.”

  Another nurse came in the room and the two of them lifted Walter into the bed while everyone else left the room to let them work. Five minutes later, a doctor walked out to the lobby and simply shook his head. Franklin and Kendra ran back in the room and the nurses were standing there and unhooking the monitors.

  “I’m sorry, there was nothing we could do. The injuries were too much.”

  “But I lasted all that time. How...” Franklin’s voice trailed off into tears.

  “He was much older, and you were near the end when he did the swap,” Christy said.

  Franklin bent over the bed, kissed Walter on the forehead, and choked back the tears.

  “See you around, Pops. I love you.”

  Franklin went back to the waiting area and sat down heavily. Kendra sat next to him and he buried his head in her shoulder. She stroked the top of his head and listened to his sobs until he raised his head to speak.

  “He...he...knew what he was doing, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, I think he did,” Kendra said.

  “He gave his life for me, just like that.”

  “As you did for my daughter,” Moses said.

  “Well, I...I didn’t think much about it...just happened.”

  “Well, Son...I appreciate it. You’re a fine young man.”

  “Oh, I forgot. He gave me this,” Kendra said, handing the piece of paper to Franklin. He unfolded it and read Walter’s hastily scrawled note.

  Kid. I wish there was another way, but I don’t see it. You have a whole life ahead of you, so I trust you to put it to good use. You have been the best friend an old man could ever hope for. I trust I will see you again, but I hope it will be awhile. Take care of Otis for me and take care of that girl. You won’t find one better.

  2 Timothy 4:7

  John 15:13

  Love, Walter

  He read the note again and finally looked around the room.

  “Does anyone have a Bible?”

  “I may be able to help you with that,” a man said, sitting down next to Franklin, “here you go.”

  Franklin took the Bible from the man and looked at him for a second.

  “I’m the chaplain here,” the man said.

  Franklin looked up the first passage and read out loud in a trembling voice, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith,” and a minute later when he looked up the second passage he read, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

  He handed the Bible back to the chaplain, buried his head in his hands, and cried more, big sobs that shook his shoulders.

  Catherine Mixon sat across the room observing everything, not even sure anyone knew she was there. She wasn’t certain what to think. She was having feelings she wasn’t sure she was capable of having. They had won, and she was glad, while a couple days earlier she couldn’t have cared. She was on top of the world and more powerful than she had ever dreamed. Now she felt like she was seeing something she had never had, and she felt empty for it. She walked across the lobby toward the room Walter had been in, saw the nurses cleaning up, and saw the metal cylinder lying next to the bed.

  She picked it up and looked it over, wondering exactly how it worked and how many uses it had. If it was what she thought, it had allowed them to swap conditions completely, which means the kid might end up with Walter’s powers. Wouldn’t that be something? When she walked out of the room, she saw Christy standing there looking at her.

  “What are you doing here?” Christy asked.

  “I was helping.”

  “Sure, I’ll bet you were.”

  “Ask anyone. I helped Walter. Say, how many uses does this thing have?”

  “I’m not sure. Most are good for more than one. Why?”

  “Just curious.”

  Mixon walked into the lobby, walking hesitantly toward the group still sitting there, and approached Kendra.

  “I think you dropped something in there,” she said.

  “What? I didn’t think I left anything,” Kendra said.

  “You forgot this,” Mixon said holding the cylinder out to Kendra.

  Kendra took it before she knew what was happening, but Mixon didn’t let go right away. She felt a jolt through her body for a second and she let go of the cylinder.

  “Oh, maybe she’s the one who left it,” Mixon said, handing it to Christy and walking out of the hospital.

  37

  Larry Wilkins sat at his desk, watching the news coverage and hardly believing what he was watching. All the attacks were over, and there were mixed reports about how it had ended. In some areas, it was American fighter jets, and in some others, what looked like fighters that came in from space. Either way, the gunships were all destroyed and the ground troops were immobile. He was so engrossed, he hardly noticed the person come into his office, until he looked up and saw a good-looking blonde standing near his desk.

  “Are you Officer Wilkins?” the woman asked.

  “Yeah, who’s asking?”

  “Mixon, Catherine Mixon. I thought you were the cop Walter talked about.”

  “Yeah, that would be me. How is the old dude?”

  “Well...I’m afraid he didn’t make it.”

  “Didn’t make it? Come again?”

  “Wounds fighting the aliens. He passed earlier this evening.”

  “Well, and how would you know that?”

  “I was there with him. Well...he wasn’t wounded, but the kid was...and he did something to change places. Some alien tech. He took the kid’s wounds and now the kid’s okay, but Walter’s dead.”

  “That’s a lot to take in. Why did you come all the way here just to tell me? A phone call would have sufficed.”

  “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to arrest me.”

  “Now that’s a new one. Why would I need to do that?”

  “I killed Handley.”

  Wilkins sat up straighter in his chair and took another look at the woman.

  “Wait, you’re the lady we were looking for. The wannabe mob boss?”

  “That’s a bit harsh, but yeah, that’s me.”

  “And you’re the one who offed Handley? What did you do that for?”

  “He was getting close.”

  “Anything else I need to know?”

  “Yeah, the plane...that was me too...well me and an associate who helped. I can tell you where to find him too.”

  “Okay, this is all kind of sudden, and I think we can take care of that, but why the sudden confession? It wasn’t like we were getting close to nabbing you, especially after you started flying around like Walter. Say, what’s stopping you from just busting out?”

  “I gave up my powers.”

  “How did you did that?”

  “Same way Walter did. Franklin’s little girlfriend might be in for a surprise.”

  “May I ask what made you just give up all of a sudden?”

  “I’m not overly sure. Never had much of a conscience, but...well...it was something I saw in Walter these last few days. There was something he had with those people. It pricked me. I’ve been a scoundrel my whole life and I just can’t do it anymore, so just arrest me and we can get on with it.”

  “Okay lady, if you insist. I hope you like your new accommodations.”

  The next few days were a whirlwind. Christy managed to clean up the wreckage of the gunships and the mechanized suits, sorting out the people who had been in them, and getting all the aliens back to their home worlds, which took a week of jumping back and forth between Earth and various other worlds. Several were from Earth, and some of them had been held for a number of years in a st
ate of suspended animation, the oldest being a Civil War veteran who had disappeared shortly after the battle of Gettysburg.

  Walter’s funeral was delayed a few days because of the number of people who flocked in from all over the world to pay their respects. Finally it was decided to hold the service at Paul Brown Stadium with only a small group invited to Spring Grove Cemetery for the burial. The stadium was packed and there were screens set up outside for the massive overflow crowd to watch. Hymns were sung, scripture was read, and the eulogy was preached, but it was three hours later and people were still lining up to say a piece. People he had saved, and even a crook he had caught who had since reformed his life. When they were all done, Franklin took the microphone.

  “To you, Walter was the world’s first superhero, but to me he was more than that. He was a father, a grandfather, and a friend. He took me in and believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. He taught me how to be a man, how to take responsibility for my own actions, and how to forgive those who wronged me. I was lucky enough to know him in a way most of you never did, and now I can say that everything I am today I owe to him. Heck, I owe him my life. He gave his life to save mine, and there is nothing I can ever do to repay that, except to live mine in a way that will honor him, and that’s what I’m going to try to do, and that’s what you all can do. He might not be with us any more, but we can all live our lives in a way that would honor him.

  Love your neighbors and do whatever you can to help those in need. Walter knew how to do that. He was a cranky old dude sometimes, but he had a heart of gold. That’s all I got to say. I’m gonna miss you, Pops.”

  After the burial, Christy approached Franklin and Kendra.

  “So, what are your plans?”

  “Plans? Haven’t thought much about it,” Franklin said.

  “You know what that cylinder did, don’t you?”

  “It healed me.”

  “More than that. It should have transferred his abilities to you.”

  “Well...I haven’t given much though to that, or to even trying to see what I can do.”