H.I.C.C.

Chapter 5: Skies

I knew my father was crazy. And I also knew where we would go. But I have not expected THIS.
I look to my right and spot L. I activate the radio. "Are we seriously where I think we are?" A short static in my helmet, then I hear her answer. "Yes, we are, but I can't believe it either." Then another voice is speaking to me. "Bird's been checked, we got green light, are you ready?" I gulp. "Roger." I hear a short and very loud fizzling, and suddenly I get catapulted forward, then the Pilot activates the afterburner, and the two special Eurofighters type Typhoon take off from the aircraft carrier.
It clicks in my radio, and I hear L scream. "YEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!" I look to my right. In perfect formation the two fighters accelerate further. L looks at me. We wave at each other. Then the pilot interrupts. "Breaking sound barrier." We watch the air compress at the wings as the two fighters go even faster. They fly extremely low, and we almost touch the water. We are so fast! It's so awesome! "It's like a dream." I say, astonished at the speed. The pilot interrupts again. "Ok, brace yourself, and make sure you have your mask on, we'll make a turn." I gulp, control my breathing mask and grab the handles. We were given an intense lecture before we were allowed to fly with these two. They had explained thoroughly what the G-Forces would do to us. Suddenly the fighter storms up towards the sky. I get pressed into the seat with such force that I can not breathe on my own. The mask presses air into my lungs by force. We shoot up to the sky at 90°. "10.000 Feet." The pilot says. "15.000" I look back. The aircraft carrier is getting smaller and smaller. "25.000." I look to my right again. L's looking back, just as I was a second ago. "I'd have never imagined your dad would organise something like this for us, even though he barely knows me..." She suddenly says. It makes me think. I was curious too. Did my dad feel something about L that I didn't? Was she special? I mean sure, she was, but I mean, was she SO special that even my father of all people would be so fond of her after just a week and two days? I make a decision.
I'd ask him later.

The two jets reach 45.000 feet, and suddenly both engines cut. Jen feels how it suddenly looses speed fast. She looks over. The other jet seems to have no engine power as well, and the formation the two had held for so long was now broken. The jets start falling. L's the first to worry. "Hello?" She says into the radio, waiting for an answer of her pilot. There is none. "Jen, something's wrong." Jen looks towards the other jet, which keeps drifting further away. "No kidding, mine doesn't answer too." She says. L looks around in her cockpit. She can't see any means to take over the controls, not that she'd know how to fly this thing anyway. Both jets keep falling. Jen also looks around, and activates one of the monitors in front of her. "I found an altimeter. We're falling rather fast." L looks out the window. "Where did you find it?" "You have to activate the screen in front of you." L does it. "I'm at 30.000 feet." Jen takes a quick peek. "I'm at 27.000 now." Like rocks the two jets keep falling. Panic rises in both Jen and L. They're at 10.000 feet now. Suddenly Jen hears a small humming. It gets louder and louder, and at 3000 feet the engines start roaring and the pilot pulls up. Over the radio she can hear both pilots laugh. "How'd you like that little joke?" He asks. Jen presses herself in the seat. "FUCKING HELL!" She hears L shout over the radio. The two jets resume their wingman formation and speed forward again. "Time for some more stunts." L's pilot suggests. Jen's pilot confirms, and they perform all kinds of air-show manoeuvres. Barrel rolls, aelerion rolls, Inside and outside loops, Immelmann-turns and much more. After a good hour of flying they approach the carrier again. "Landing's gonna be a little rough", L's pilot explains, "We'll be stopped by a cable." The two jets both deployed flaps and gears, as well as the tailhook. They both land perfectly. Jen jerks forward as the cable stops the jet. Then the canopy is opened, and she gets out. Her knees are shaking. Her father comes over. "So, how was it?" He smiles. Jen rushes over and jumps in his arms, hugging him. "IT WAS SO AWESOME!" She shouts. Her father laughs. L also runs towards them. She reaches out her hand. Elias accepts it. "Thank you so much Mr. Connor! I've never flown before! And this was just.... mindblowing!" Elias laughs. "You're very welcome L. I'd say you're already part of the family." Jen gapes at her father. Now she DEFINITELY would ask him.

The ride home is rather quiet. In the morning we had talked a lot on the drive to the harbour, but now my father is focusing on driving, L is asleep, and I? Well... I am lost in thought. I am burning to ask my father what made L so special to him. He knows her a week, and is already considering her part of the family? When we finally arrive, we quickly drop off L, and no five minutes later we're home. "Dad.." I start, "I want to ask you something." We sit down at the dining table. Mum isn't home, it seems. "Fire away." He finally says. "What do you think about L?" My father leans back and crosses his arms, thinking. "She's athletic, smart, charismatic and has a good sense of justice." I am confused. "How would you know all of this after one week?" He smiles. "As you recall, I talked to her parents. It was a very interesting conversation, and I think you and L will become great friends." I look at my hands. "You know I don't have many of those. And you also know some backfired... Big time.." My father now leans forward, folding his hands and resting his elbows on the table. "Hmm, call it a Man's Intuition. I don't think this girl will disappoint me. I've dealt with all kinds of people during my career, and I think it's safe to say that L is not the type to let anyone down. Tuesday proved that." I gulp. Tuesday morning had been the rainy day. "How do you know?" My dad smiles. "Her parents told me that she had disliked thunderstorms since she was very young. Mostly she was driven to school then. But that day she walked up and down in front of the door, biting on her nails, and when Jonathan wanted to give her a ride she suddenly stormed off, yelling she had a promise to keep." I stare at my father. "That's right", he continues, reading my thoughts, "She ignored one of her biggest fears for you." A tear runs down my cheek. Maybe my father was right. Maybe L really was on a completely different level than others.

Monday. Jen just exited her house, when someone was sprinting towards it. "MOOOOORNIIIN'!"
She waved at L, smiling. "Good morning." L comes to a stop before Jen. She grabs her wrist. "Come ooon, let's go!" Jen hesitates. "What about your legs and arm?" L smirks. "Oh puuuhlleeeez, that's nothing! I told you I had worse injuries! Come on, let's go! Catch up!" With that L let's go and sprints forward. Jen runs after her, but L's too fast. "Wait up!" She yells. But L just runs backwards and waves. "Come oooooooon, fasterrrr! Faster! Faster!" She turns around again and keeps running. Jen tries to increase her speed, but she only manages to go a little faster. L goes further and further away. 'Damn her... Why is she so fast?' Jen thinks to herself. Soon she'd reach the corner and be out of sight. Jen wanted to prevent that as much as possible, so she pushed herself even further. She didn't want to be alone. Especially not since Mark isn't suspended anymore. He'd be coming today. And he will want revenge. At the thought of that Jen runs even faster. No. She doesn't want to deal with him anymore. He's insane. Jen now runs as fast as she is able to. She reaches the corner, runs around and..... runs into the scene of a horror movie. L's lying on the floor, curled up. In front of her stands Mark, laughing insanely. And in his hands he holds a baseball bat.

"Good morning, Jen."