The Orb And The Onslaught {COMPLETE}

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     Herb and Florence both laughed at Quentin and they all proceeded to get on the plane, the cats had gotten comfortable in the last few minutes, the Noorna hadn't effected them much at all. 

"The storms started a good few years ago and they get worse every time, I'd bet it's got something to do with those scientists in Swynmead. They're always cooking up some daft experiment, it's likely they're all messing with the atmosphere." 

     Quentin peered at Florence with a fairly alarmed expression but she just smiled and whispered for him not to worry. It didn't appear to help him but it was too late to reconsider now. Herb was busy getting the plane ready, the engines were starting and he was flicking switches on the many panels in front of him.

    He motioned for them to put the headphones on, then turned back to continue what he'd been doing. 

"Hey, Flo! You wanna come sit up front and be my co-pilot, for old time's sake?" Herb asked without turning around, though she could hear the smirk in his voice. 

    "No, I think I'll stay here and make sure the cats don't fly out of the back when we take off." 

They shared a laugh and Quentin looked between them like he couldn't believe what he'd got himself into. 

The cats didn't seem to care, they were cleaning themselves or curled up on the seat behind her. 

"Suit yourself, we'll be ready for take off in five minutes." 

    "So let me get this straight, along with the many other things I now know you can do. You can also fly a plane?" Quentin asked, he still had the same incredulous look on his face. 

She laughed lightly, "Well I've never flown alone but yes I know how, Herb and Bernard taught me many years ago." 

"Bernie was some pilot, he's the reason I started in the first place," Herb chimed in. "I have stories that'd knock your socks off, kid." 

    "And he doesn't need to hear them," Florence interrupted before Quentin could ask. 

Herb laughed, "Next time, kid. Believe me, there's a side to Flo here that you'll never believe." 

   Florence narrowed her eyes at Herb and he winked at her through his mirror. 

"You have so many friends with incredible lives and they all seem to have an exciting story about you... why didn't you ever talk about them back-" 

    Quentin's question was cut short when the plane shuddered and they began to move. The take off was so bumpy, Florence saw Quentin holding onto the seat belt with white knuckles. The noises were so loud, it sounded like the whole plane was being ground up in a giant pepper-mill. Quentin kept looking to Florence in distress, she smiled in an attempt to comfort him, then turned to make sure the cats were secure until they were up in the air. 

    "Okay, what were you just saying about my friends?" Florence could finally ask when the noises died down and they'd levelled off.

Quentin straightened himself up but he didn't look like he'd calmed down in the slightest.

"I said... why didn't you ever talk about all your friends when we were back at the home?" 

    "Home? What home?" Herb cut in and he was looking concerned, he even turned around to look at them which caused a small cry to escape from Quentin. 

"It's nothing, Herb. I got into a mess with some lawyer scumbag and ended up in a retirement home, but everything is fine now." 

Herb shook his head, "Nah, if everything was fine, you wouldn't have been in the home at all and you wouldn't be going to the one place I know you never wanted to see again. Only reason I agreed is 'cause it's you, now tell me what's going on?"