Search and Rescue

The Crash

Chapter 3: The Crash

I took the controls from Shawn and yelled, "Everyone, strap yourself down! Not to tight but enough to stay in you're seat!" Everyone ran to the seats and strapped down, I was left alone in the cockpit. "Here goes nothing," I thought to myself as I turned the plane back on and directed it toward the Mediterranean Sea. I strap myself down and wait for the impact. After a few minutes, of what felt like hours, we crash into the water. We immediately start sinking, I jump out of my chair and dash to everyone else, "Guys, get up we got to go!" I yell helping everyone, except Steve out. Raven yanks open the door and we all jump out into the water.

I take a head count as we crawl up on the shore. Katherine: Check; Raven: Check; Shawn: Check; Rose: Check; Steve: Check. "Is everyone OK?" I ask.

"I'm good," answers Raven.

"I'm not dead," calls out Rose.

"Got a headache but besides that I'm OK," says Shawn.

"We're dead! We're alive but we're dead!" Katherine yells.

"I got a cut on my leg but I'm-" began Steve before Raven interrupted.

"No one asked you, Dingle Berry."

Steve raised his hands in surrender, I noticed that my bag was sitting on the ground next to him. "Hey now, Calm your tits, I didn't do anything wrong."

"You're the reason the plane crashed," I said picking up my bag.

"It's no my fault," He protested. 

Raven started walking toward Steve but Shawn and Rose stopped her. "Raven, this is not the time to fight." said Shawn.

"Kill him! Someone kill Steve, he's a bad dude!" hollered Katherine.

Steve started backing away from the group. I stepped between him and the group. "No one is killing anyone, understand?" I ask.

Everyone nodded their heads. I turned toward Steve. 'Why did you turn off the ignition?!" I demanded from Steve.

Steve sat down in the grass and started pulling up weeds. "The plane was already crashing, there was no point is wasting fuel."

I put my hands on my hips, "OK, then. Why did you say you were them?"

"Because I am! I work for them, everyone does," Steve answers eating grass.

I walk away from Steve to join my friends. "Guys, we have a problem," I say joining them.

"Well duh. Steve works for the people who have apprently been watching us like stalkers!" exclaims Raven.

"I know but we can't kill him. He has too much information that we need," 

Raven rolled her eyes, " Fine, he can live."  

'Katherine waved her hands and said, "Wait! don't we all get a say in this?"  

Shawn looked over at Steve, "I vote yes."  

I looked at Shawn and asked, "yes to let him live or yes to kill him?"  

"To let him live," Shawn answered.  

"Three to two. I guess it doesn't matter what we say, Rose." Katherine says.  

"Katherine, Rose, we're all in this together. It does matter what you say." I said trying to console them.

  "I vote that we kill him. He obviously doesn't care what happens to us." Rose snaps angrily.   Katherine just nods her head.  

 "We can't kill him......yet.. He's too valuable. We'll just have to keep an eye on him." I say

  Everyone nods their heads, I can tell they don't agree with me, but I don't care. Steve has to live, he knows a lot more than he's letting on.  I turned to Shawn, "hey, where are we at?"

  Shawn closed his eyes and concentrated, "We're 30 miles North of Beirut. 587.4 miles from Baghdad."  

I cursed under my breath, "we were so close."

  "Yeah, till that douche crashed the plane," Raven muttered.  

I rolled my eyes, and walked over to my bag saying, "We need to set up shifts to take watch."

  "I'll take the first shift," Steve said.  

Everyone glared at him. "Actually, I think I'll take the first shift," I say before anyone else.

  "I'm starving. I need something to eat," Katherine said.  

I grabbed six granola bars and water bottles and tossed them to everyone. After everyone was satisfied, Raven, Shawn, Katherine, and Rose went and slept under a tree. I was left alone with Steve.   I was thinking of a plan to get us to Baghdad when Steve spoke up.

  "I'm sorry."

  "What?" I ask snapping out of my mind.

  Steve glanced at me, "I said that I'm sorry."

  We sat in silence for a few minutes watching the plane sink.  

"Why did you do it?" I finally ask.

  "My boss told me to and you don't tell my boss no. The people I work for are monsters. By the time they get done with you, you'll wish you were dead. They have your friend, Bo. That's all I know."

  We didn't talk for the next two hours. I went and woke up Raven, "Don't kill him while I sleep," I mumbled.

  Raven nodded. I just sat down when I hear people stomping around. Raven and Steve turn to me, I jump and I start to wake up Rose next to me; while Raven and Steve wake up Shawn and Katherine. I grab my bag, we start to leave when about twenty men step out of the trees. We all stare at each other.  

Suddenly one of them speaks, "Qui etes-vous? Que faites-vous ici?"

  We all look at him dumbfoundedly, none of us knew French.

  He realized that we didn't know French so, with a very thick accent asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"  

I nudge Katherine forward knowing she can talk us out of this.

  "Hello, there. We're here looking for our friend. We got lost from our tour group. We've been roaming around trying to find them. Could you tell us where we are? Oh my god! I love your camo jacket. My grandfather had one of those. He would always tell me, 'Katherine, when tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the fire department generally uses water."  

Some of the men snickered while others just looked at her confused.  

The first man who spoke said, "I....OK.....that's.....," he sighed and continued, "Where  is your tour group now?"  

Katherine smiled and said, "Probably back at the hotel, we can make our way back."  

The man nodded. The men let us pass and they went to look at the plane crash area. One of the men watched us carefully, he started following us.

  I turn around to face him and ask, "Why are you following us?"

  He grins and say slyly, "You kids are the ones who have those special abilities. You're going to have to come with me. My boss wants to meet you."