After the Drift

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Rushing

Start writing your story

I flew down the street. What were traffic laws?

I knew there was a chopper leaving the closest base at 1300.

I may or may not have been keeping track...just in case.

I was prepared to use my badge to get onto the helipad but there were no MPs around. Everyone had been let go due to the situation.

God, no one knew how this was going to go.

I frantically looked around and found a two man crew loading ammunition into a waiting chopper.

I had to get to him.

I had to.

The stupid handsome Aussie was throwing himself away to save the world.

His world.

Me.

I could not let him leave this damn world in such a self sacrificing way.

Not without me.

I knew Thea and Donovan, Emmie and Carlos would take care of Mira. If I left this world she would always be cared for.

I knew in my heart that this was the right choice.

I would die protecting this world and the man I loved.

Everything else be damned.

—————

The crew looked at me like my head wasn't on right.

"You want to go to the dome? Lady, that's nuts right now. You'll die faster out there...come on, we can get someone-"

"NO! I am going to that base. With or without you two. I'm flown enough jaegers to get this bucket of bolts off the ground and where I need to be! Now are you coming with me or not?"

Both men stared at me, obviously shocked that some little girl had the balls to verbally accost them.

I stared daggers at them both and started making my way towards the open chopper door. This broke them both out of their stupor.

"I mean, yeah. We gotta get these to the dome...uh-you're not going terminator or something on anyone? Right?"

I veered to the right and jumped in the back. As strapped myself into the seat behind the pilot, who was also climbing in, I glared at him as if it would burn two holes in the back of his head. The other man sat in the co-pilot seat and looked to his partner wide eyed.

"Well, shits hittin' the fan, might as well make it more interesting." The blades began whirring overhead.

——————

An two hours later, the dome came into view. For a beautiful day, everything was in chaos. Like when you mess with an ant's nest and everything starts swarming.

"Thats not right, they said they didn't have enough ammo...thats...what the hell are they doing?"

At the pilots frantic words, I looked out the side window. Eureka was being attached to its helicarrier and Gypsy was just behind it, waiting for its turn.

Shit shit shit.

The chopper hovered a few meters above the deck, being whipped slightly by the larger helicarriers.

"You gotta land now, I gotta get to Eureka."

The pilot grumbled and tried to find some kinda of open space, talking on the comms trying to get someone to answer.

"I can't get anyone-"

He heard the doors snap open, violently whipped open by the breeze.

"You can't jump! You'll die from this height! Or break every bone!"

"Then you'd best get closer! You've got ten seconds before I go!"

A long string of curse words could be heard over the loud drum of the chopper blades. He somehow maneuvered to be just to the side of the railing farthest from the most action. A meter left to jump, I knew I could make it.

Then it was time to give everyone a piece of my mind.

3,2,1...

I felt the air get pulled from my lungs, immediately shocking me out of my anger fueled tirade. I scrunched my legs and tried to roll onto the hard tarmac.

It was not my most graceful moment. A few random crew saw my dismount and raised an eye on it. I couldn't see faces or recognize anyone.

I shoved off the ground while brushing off the gravel that stuck to my clothes.

My heart hammered out of my chest. It was literally now or never.

I pushed through the people. Look for a crew chief I knew or just someone to steal a comm from.

Finally inside the bay doors I saw Raleigh walking the gangplank towards the conpod of Gypsy.

"Raleigh! Raleigh!" I screamed his name and waved my arms, praying he'd notice me all the way down here.

He slowed his stride for a moment and glanced towards the ground. I saw the very second he recognized me.

He pointed to his ear then up into the control booth.

I took off running, desperate to find Tendo or someone with a damn headset.

Bursting through the door got me a fair share of startled looks.

Tendo spun around in his chair and gave me a disbelieving look. "Ruby?"

I gave him a big smile. "Ten, I need your headset. I know shit is crazy right now but I need to talk to Raleigh. He's the only one who's got an open line right now... doesn't he?"

Tendo nodded slowly. "Pentecost didn't want anyone to talk the two of them out of this suicide mission...uh, here." He whipped off the headset, holding it out to me.

I grabbed it up like it was water and I was twenty days in to the desert.

"Raleigh? Raleigh!" I felt tears begin to pool when I heard his rumbling laugh.

"Took you awhile, kid."

I laughed and sobbed at the same time. "Why are you guys doing this? We can come up with something, Raleigh! Anything else!"

"I wish we had the time. This triple wasn't even supposed to happen for a few days, something changed...we have to get there as quickly as possible...do you... want me to get Chuck?"

I stood there with my mouth open, sucking in breath. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think.

"I...I..."

"What is it Raleigh? You rethinkin' playin' the hero now?"

I gasped at Chuck's voice.

"Chuck?"

The line was eerily quiet.

"Lil one?" Came his breathless reply.