My Sweet Flame

Chapter 43. T is for Trauma

I slid down into the seat of the half sphere and quickly grabbed the headset off the control panel. I tapped a few different buttons, turning the defense system on.

Hey Anti, have those meds kicked in yet?

Not yet. They're still trying to get into your system. Trust me, you'll feel it when they kick in.

I grabbed the two joysticks, my thumbs on the buttons and ready to fire.

"Alright guys." I spoke into the headset, "I'm ready. Drive us in."

"Master, Do you want me to circle Stark Tower?"

"Ooh. Yeah."

Dimitre circled the tower, and I opened fire on Loki, who was standing on the terrace. He brought the scepter over his head, firing something towards the Falcon.

"Drift Left!" I yelled into the headset.

The ship jerked to the side as I spoke into the headset again.

"Go into the haze of Chitari. We'll take care of him later."

The ship turned and began towards the fight. I watched as Loki shrunk in the distance. My scanner beeped.

"Here they come." I muttered.

My thumbs pounded the buttons over and over again as Chitari after Chitari dropped from the sky to the ground.

"This is fun!" I laughed. "Sam activate Playlist 7!"

The song "Classic" by MKTO started blaring over the surround-sound loudspeakers I had installed around the ship, and even outside it.

"Aww yeah." I mumbled, a cocky smile playing on my lips. "Let's kick some ass."

I shot down dozen after dozen of Chitari, but they just kept coming.

"We have to close the portal." I spoke into the headset.

"Are you sure this thing will hold up, flying like this?!?"

"Don't worry! She'll hold together!" I shouted. My voice dropped to a low mumble as I quickly patted the side of the ship, "You hear me Baby? Hold together."

The Falcon swerved a building dangerously as I was jostled in my seat. "Stop that! That's a building! You're supposed to avoid it without making me throw up!"

"No kidding!" Dimitre said, "How do you possibly steer this thing like you do?!?! There's no accelerator! Is there even a brake?!?!"

"Nice try LEGO Boy! This isn't the Idiots guide to flying volume 1." I laughed, "Switch me spots!"

I ripped the headset from my head and scrambled up the ladder. My foot got caught on a rung, sending my brain into a panic as I slipped down a few steps. My stabbed-side went clanging into the side of the metal ladder, spiraling enough pain through my body to ease my grip on the ladder. Luckily, Dimitre was directly above me and pulled my body up onto the platform.

"Who's piloting the ship?!" I gasped.

"Sam!" He slid down the ladder as I slowly broke into a jog down into the cockpit.

I painfully slipped into the seat and took the controls. I swerved up from the top of a building, sending the ship into a loop. When we were upright again, I slipped down between the buildings and flew through the slim opening before circling back around towards the portal where Chitari still poured from it.

"It looks kinda like cereal coming out of a box." I laughed.

I looped the ship again to avoid a bus-sized, disgusting, yet really cool alien floaty-snake.