Deadland Rising (part 3 of the Deadland Saga)

Courage (Chapter 28)

I took the ten o'clock bus to the airport. The bus was nearly empty, and I suspected that most personnel were still in their rooms. The first flight wasn't scheduled to depart for another three hours. I was one of the later flights, giving me roughly two hours before they would begin to load the orange-colored chemical onto the fire bombers and about four hours before the rest of my flight crew would show up.

The bus stopped outside the main hangar. I stepped off and let the sun warm my face. The air was still cold, but the early winter was already giving way to an early spring. I forced myself to act normal, though everyone had a nervous hustle in their actions this morning. Just like I did every day, I strolled into the pilot briefing room and looked at the weather reports before drafting a flight plan. Though, this flight plan wasn't tied to spraying Orange. This one was for our escape from the capital.

The pilots' missions were posted on a map covering a wall. Phase Three was being rolled out in a circular pattern moving outward from the capital. I'd been assigned to northern Minnesota today. Each load of concentrated pesticide would cover roughly 40,000 acres, which meant a shitload of flight missions. Iowa and Nebraska would be hit in less than four weeks.

Tucking the flight plan into a pocket, I headed out to the fleet of fourteen Convair fire bombers parked on the ramp. The airplanes had been modified from carrying water to carrying the highly corrosive Orange. My plane was third from the end, and I walked around it, doing a pre-flight walk-around. Akio was under the wing of his plane, leaning against a tire. I gave him a casual wave before continuing my inspection.

I did one more walk-around, this time looking under the plane toward nine long, white tanks sitting in rows off the end of the ramp. No one stood around them, not yet, anyway. Thankfully, the airport's security force was small. Aline simply didn't have enough troops to spread across the capital and the airport. Aline had guards posted at every gate, but once inside the airport, everyone went about their business.

I walked toward the tanks filled with Orange. The tanks sat out in the open. There was no way in the daylight to approach them without being seen, so I made no attempt to hide. When I reached the tanks, still no one approached. I casually pulled a gas mask from my backpack and slipped it over my head. At the first tank, I flipped on the power switch, grabbed the handle, and squeezed. Orange sprayed out onto the ground, and I quickly tied a wire around the handle to keep it spraying. I dropped it, continued to the next tank, and did the same.

I continued until I reached the final tank. By then, someone must've seen me or heard the pumps, and a man came running out. "Hey! What are you doing?"

I ignored him and hurriedly tied a wire around the last handle.

I fell to my knees and pulled off my backpack.

When I turned to look at the man, he stopped and his eyes grew wide.

I pulled out the pipe bombs Griz had made. Designed to burn more than explode, I remembered his response when I'd asked him if they would do the job against double-lined steel tanks. He'd smiled and warned me to not stick around after igniting them to find out.

The man's jaw dropped, and he raced back the way he came. Then, he veered to the left and headed toward the emergency power shut-off valve for the tanks. The valve, kept at a small distance from the tanks for safety, was used to cut all power in case of a fire. He was too close before I realized his intentions. No!

The man stopped and swung out to hit the big red button, but someone jumped out from around the corner of the building. The pair toppled to the ground. Only one came to his feet, and he held a bloody knife.

Akio.

He watched me, and I pulled my gaze away to light the first pipe bomb. I set it down mere inches from the stream of Orange and ran. As I ran, I clutched the second pipe bomb and my lighter, ready to light it up if the first one failed.

But, whoa boy, the first one most definitely did not fail. I felt the wall of heat before I heard the whoomp of ignition. It pressed me forward, and I found more speed. Akio's eyes widened, and he motioned me toward him. He yelled something but all I could hear was the sounds of flames growing behind me.

Like Akio, I wore a Nomex flight suit like all the fire bomber pilots wore. Made of fire resistant material, it served its purpose well today. Exposed skin in between my suit and stocking hat burned against the oven heat at my back, and I hurried as quickly as I could to reach Akio.

He ran around the corner of the building, and I followed, finding a golf cart waiting for us. He climbed behind the wheel, and I more or less fell onto the seat. He floored the pedal, but being an electric vehicle, it didn't go nearly as fast as we needed it to go.

"That was the most ballsy thing I've ever seen," he yelled out with a laugh. "I can't believe you walked right up to 'em and lit 'em up."

"Let's hope it works," I said, cranking my neck to look behind us while hanging on for dear life. Bright flames shot high, with dark smoke climbing. The air around the first tank morphed a split second before the tank exploded.

I yanked Akio down as I flattened on the seat. The blast hit us, and the golf cart lurched. As soon as I could breathe again, I sat up and Akio kept driving. He slowed as we reached someone who was getting back to his feet. "Climb on."

The man, wearing the orange vest of a flagger, climbed on back, and Akio sped toward the gate. The gate stood open, and the guards were nowhere to be found, likely in search of emergency crews. Akio never even slowed as he drove us through the gate and toward the city.

I glanced back at the man. He looked a bit singed but otherwise all right.

"They have cameras at the airport," Akio said. "Once the fire's under control, it won't take them long to figure things out. They aren't going to be happy."

"They'll have other things to worry about."

"You did that?" the man behind me asked.

I grabbed out my knife handle, ready to unsheathe it, and turned around. "We'll drop you off at the Hotel."

"Take me with you. If there's something I can do to help, I'm in," he said with a heavy southern drawl.

Suspicious, I eyed him. "Why would you help?"

His jaw tightened. "I'm from Louisiana. Listen, I know I made a mistake coming up here when they put out the invitation. I've been looking for payback for some time."

I thought for a second and then held out my hand. "I'm Cash. This is Akio."

"I'm Greg."

Another blast sounded, and I knew the second tank had blown.

"Both of you, act injured," Akio said as he approached the city gate.

I leaned back in my seat, and I heard Greg collapse on the backseat's pleather.

Akio came to a stop at the city gate. "I'm on my way to the hospital," he called out.

I winced through half-closed eyes. Greg moaned.

"Go on." The guard motioned Akio to drive. "Hurry. And tell them to send help."

Akio floored the pedal again, and drove down the main road. "Where to now?" he asked without looking at me.

"Can you get me to the archives?" I asked.

Akio replied, "I can get us to the archives."

Greg leaned forward. "My wife works there. If you need a way in, I can get her to let us in the side entrance."

"That'd be easier than what I had planned," I said.

Another explosion, soon followed by two more. The entire airport looked like it was on fire.

"I think our birds are toast," I said.

"Aline's going to be pissed," Akio said.

I watched us approach the city. Fire engines roared past us. "The party's just getting started."