by Robin Roseau
"Can't. Too loud. Told you."
"Damn it. Get somewhere quiet."
"Can't," I said. "Let me figure out where I am."
I got an approximate location, forty miles northwest of the compound.
"Where did you get a car?" Elisabeth sent.
"Not in a car," I said.
"Where are you?" she wrote.
"Not sure. Altimeter says 3200 feet."
"Turn around! Didn't you check the weather?"
"Skies are clear, winds light," I wrote.
"Not in Iowa," she wrote. "Line of thunderstorms moving east. Turn around!"
"Lying," I said.
"Find an airport and land, check the weather yourself," she wrote.
I checked the map and decided I wanted a long runway. I remembered the trouble I had landing this plane when June was along. I had planned on landing at a major airport in Iowa, something with a horribly long runway. I didn't want to land at some tiny little airport.
"Hayward," I wrote back.
"No! Turn around! Find someplace closer."
"They're all small," I wrote back.
"So? You can handle it."
"Are you lying?"
"No."
"If I come home, will Lara pardon Angel?"
"Yes."
I sighed and turned the plane around. I programmed the GPS to take me home. "Meet me at the airport," I wrote back. "Bring Lara or June."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
I wrote Angel. "I am coming home."
"Thank you," was her reply.
Elisabeth wrote, "Be careful. Meet you there. Lara coming. She's very angry."
"Babies?"
"Babies are fine, but this is bad for them. Damned fox."
"Don't yell until I land."
"Use the GPS," she wrote back.
"I am."
After that I ignored the phone and focused on flying the airplane. When the GPS said I was ten minutes away I let the airplane slow down, then let it begin to descend. My phone went off and I glanced at it.
"Honey," it said. "Radio. Pack frequency. Please."
The pack always used the same frequency when flying from place to place. I switched to that frequency and keyed the microphone. "November-seven-eight-four-wolf-run on frequency," I said.
"Oh honey," came Lara's voice. "You took the Mooney."
"Don't yell."
I flew right over the top of the airport, the wheels still up and five hundred feet above pattern altitude. Then I flew past it and circled the compound twice.
"Get back here," Lara said.
"Wanted to circle the house," I said. "I like looking at it."
"Land that airplane, Michaela," she said.
"Not until you tell me Angel gets a complete pardon."
There wasn't a response.
"Lara, this plane is a lot faster than the only one you have. Angel gets a complete pardon, or I swear, you'll never see me again."
"Complete pardon," she said. "If you land safely, park the airplane, and throw the key out the window."
"Promise."
"I promise," she said.
I turned the plane back to the airport.
"Lara?"
"I'm right here, honey," she said.
"Do you hate me?"
"No, honey. I could never hate you."
"You know why I asked for you or June?"
"Yes. What's your airspeed?"
"120."
"Slow to 90. Pull the throttle slowly, keep the nose up. Trim as needed."
"Doing it."
"Hold that altitude until you're comfortable."
I flew over the top of the airport again, then started flying a box around the airport. "Good," she said. "Prop to full RPM, honey."
I pushed one lever.
"Mixture rich."
That was another lever.
"Check your airspeed," she said.
"Ninety," I told her. "I'm still high."
"That's fine," she said. "Lower the landing gear."
"You always do it on downwind," I said.
"I know, but it changes the way the plane flies. Lower it now and get used to it."
I flipped another lever and the plane immediately bucked around. I fought it, then adjusted the trim. I'd lost three hundred feet, but I had control.
"Gear down," I reported. "I lost some altitude."
"You're fine," she said. "You need to fly a wider pattern in that plane than the trainer. I want you to fly patterns and come down slowly."
I continued to fly a box, flying upwind directly over the runway, then left turns until I was flying up the runway again, twelve hundred feet above the ground. Slowly I came down.
"Altimeter?" I asked. She read a number, and I changed a setting. "Wind?"
"Five knots from your left. Barely anything."
"Thank you."
"Fuel pump on," she said.
"Where is that?"
"Switch near the throttle."
I looked and found it, flipped it on.
"You haven't been up long enough to change tanks. Wheels are down. Verify."
"Wheels down," I said.
"Mixture full rich?"
"Yes." I verified it with my hand.
"Prop full RPM."
"Yes, prop full RPM."
"All right," she said. "Ready to land?"
"I hope so."
"Land it just like the trainer but five knots faster. You'll need to carry power on final. Remember how to judge where you're landing. If it looks bad, go around. Be careful when you roll the power in. That's a lot of power."
I flew upwind one more time, then a left turn. Then another left turn. I watched the runway out my left window. When I was directly opposite where I wanted to land, I pulled the power, extended the flaps one notch, held altitude until the plane slowed a little, then let the nose drop and watched my airspeed.
"More power," Lara said.
I gave it a little power, slowing my descent.
"Turn base," she said. And I began my turn. "Turn final," and I began what I hoped was my last turn.
"You're low, honey," I gave it more power, then watched my touchdown.
"Seventy-five knots now, put in the rest of your flaps, watch your airspeed, power as needed."
I did what she said, then I was over the runway. I pulled the last of the power, pulled the nose up, and landed the airplane slightly left of the centerline. I used brakes carefully and came to a stop on the runway.
"Nice landing," Lara told me. "Can you taxi or do you want to shut down right there?"
"I'll taxi," I said.
My hands were shaking, but I carefully brought the airplane to a stop in front of the hangars.
"Please don't hate me, Lara," I said in a small voice.
"I love you, Little Fox. Shut down the engine and throw the key out the window. Then wait for Elisabeth."
"Angel is pardoned?"
"As soon as the key hits the ground."
"Is the wing good enough?"
"Yes honey, the wing is good enough."
I found the shutdown checklist, followed it, and a moment later, the world was silent. I pulled the key from the ignition, opened the little window to my left, and dropped the key out the window. Then I pulled my headphones off and pushed the seat back. After that, I waited for Elisabeth.
The Cell
The enforcers surrounded the airplane. Elisabeth and Serena stepped up to the plane. Elisabeth tried to open the door, but it was latched. I reached across and unlatched it.
Then I turned to the front, staring out the window, and let the tears begin to stream from my face.
I had failed.
Again.
But at least Angel would be okay. I guessed that would have to be enough.
Elisabeth opened the door then stared at me.
"Climb out," she said after a while. I ignored her. I closed my eyes and waited for whatever was coming.
"Michaela," she said gently. "I
am afraid I'll hurt you if I drag you out. Please climb out."
"You're going to hurt me anyway," I said.
"No one is going to hurt you," she said.
"You should," I said. "I deserve it."
"No, you don't. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You made the right choice."
"Is there really a storm?"
"Yes. I'll show you the weather report. You should have checked."
I held my hand up where she could see it. I was still shaking. Then, my eyes still closed, I turned to her and held my hands out. She reached under my arms and pulled me like a child from the airplane. Then she turned around and handed me to Serena, who set me on my feet. Elisabeth climbed down from the wing, and then Serena and Elisabeth each took an arm.
"Angel," she said. "Secure the aircraft. Rory, help her."
"May I apologize to Angel?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," Elisabeth said. They turned me, and I opened my eyes. "Angel, come here first."
Angel turned away from the airplane and walked over. She looked nervous.
"I'm sorry," I told her.
She closed the distance and hugged me. I hugged her back, Elisabeth and Serena hanging onto me the entire time.
"Thank you for coming home."
"I wouldn't have let them kill you," I said.
"Kill her?" Serena said.
"Later," said Elisabeth.
"I love you," I told Angel. "I'm sorry."
She tightened her hug then released me. "I'll talk to you later," she said.
I nodded. I didn't think that was going to happen.
Then Elisabeth and Serena marched me over to Lara. She was sitting on the edge of the picnic table holding a portable aviation radio. She set it down and climbed slowly to her feet when I approached.
"I'm sorry, Alpha," I told her. "I understand if you hate me."
"I don't hate you," she said. "And I'm sorry for what has to happen now."
She stepped forward and hugged me, then pawed at me to make sure I was okay.
"Thank you for helping me to land."
"That was amazingly foolish."
"I was expecting access to a longer runway."
"Oh." She paused. "I understand."
She pulled away then said, "Take her home. Lock her up."
I didn't resist as they bundled me into the car. During the short drive, they relieved me of all my weapons. Then, numbly, I was led to the cell in the basement of the barracks.
I'd been here before. The floor was linoleum over concrete. The walls were concrete block. There was no window, and the door was designed to hold in an errant wolf. It bolted firmly from the outside. There was a light in the ceiling high overhead, but the switch was outside. When they left me, there were no furnishings of any sort.
They left the light on.
I stood there staring at my surroundings, not saying a word. Then I leaned against one wall and slid down to the floor, wrapped my arms around my legs, and wondered what I was going to do next.
The answer was simple: shiver.
The floor was cold.
I was bored immediately, of course, but the cold was worse. I climbed from the floor and began moving around to try to keep warm. I would rather have slept through the boredom, but it appeared that wasn't to be an option.
I found a level of activity that kept me warm, but it didn't do a thing for the boredom. But I hadn't eaten since before my workout earlier, and I didn't have much in the way of energy reserves. The adrenalin rush from earlier had eaten through even more, and trying to keep warm had eaten the rest. Soon I began to shake from low blood sugar.
I lasted maybe an hour. I had entered the cell intending to be stoic. I had entered the cell upset with myself for endangering Angel. But now I was growing angry. I wasn't the one who had endangered Angel; Lara had. And even my kidnappers had given me better accommodations than this.
I walked to the door and began kicking it, hoping for someone to come.
I heard Serena's muffled voice nearly immediately. "Back away from the door, Michaela." I backed to the far wall and waited. The door open, and she entered, the door closing behind her.
We stared at each other. Well, she stared; I glared.
"What?" she finally asked.
"I would like to know what my sentence is," I said. "I would like to know if I can expect the Spartan accommodations to be improved before I freeze to death. I would like to know where I should relieve myself. I would like to know if I might have anything at all to relieve the boredom, if I am not going to be allowed to sleep." And then I spat the last. "I would like to know when the execution will be."
"Michaela, I am sorry," she said. "I don't understand half of what you just said." She looked like I was delusional.
"Let us start with the accommodations then. Perhaps you will notice it is somewhat chilly in here. Perhaps you will notice the concrete floor and the lack of any chair, bed, or so much as a thin sheet for insulation from the cold. Maybe this is not a problem for a wolf, but it is for a fox. The last time I was locked in a room, I at least had a bed to sleep on. They even gave me pillows and blankets. But then, they weren't intending to execute me in the morning."
Her gaze softened. "I'm sorry," she said. "Elisabeth and I were both still very upset and scared when we left you in here. Neither of us was thinking about anything except keeping you safe."
"So freezing me wasn't an intentional portion of my punishment?" I asked. "Just a happy oversight?"
"You aren't being punished, Michaela."
"It feels like it," I said.
"This is the only place we have that we know you can't escape from. We'd lock you in your room, but you've already demonstrated an ability to escape."
"It's my life," I said. "By what right do any of you hold me prisoner?"
"I'm sorry," she said. "That is a question for the alpha, or at the very least, the head enforcer. I won't discuss that with you."
"I am awfully tired of wolves holding me prisoner," I said.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I will arrange something for you here. Did you need to use the bathroom?"
"Not immediately. Am I to use the corner of the room?"
She sighed. "You are being overly dramatic."
I didn't respond to that.
"When you need to use the bathroom, knock on the door. We're keeping someone outside. Either I or Elisabeth need to escort you if you leave the room, so there may be a delay. Don't wait until the last minute."
"When is my execution?"
She closed her eyes for a moment, I imagined to control her response. She opened them and said, "Why are you asking such a stupid question?"
"Lara was going to execute Angel for letting me trick her. I imagine my punishment needs to be worse."
"You need to talk to Elisabeth or Lara about that," Serena said. "You aren't being punished. I told you, we don't know where else to keep you. We're trying to figure out how to help you."
"Karen's gun, the keys to my car, and detailed maps of where I should go would be helping me. That's all the help I require."
"You aren't being punished. No one is being executed. I don't have any other answers as to how long you will be kept here. You will need to speak with Elisabeth and Lara. I believe one or the other intends to talk to you later, once Lara has calmed down further and can speak rationally."
"All right," I said. "Thank you."
"I will improve the setting as much as I am able. Are you going to abuse my trust?"
"Trust?"
"Please, Michaela. Do I need to worry you're going to-"
"Kill myself? Or whoever enters the room next?"
"Yes."
"No, I am not."
"Michaela," she said. "You are far too clever. I don't know if you are smarter than I am, but you are definitely far more clever than I am. If I bring you the things you ask, will you use them go give me cause to regret it?"
"You would trust my answer?"
"Yes, I would."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I will not abuse anything you offer me to appease my comfort and my boredom."
"I do not know if the boredom is intentional," Serena said. "I will bring books. If the boredom is intentional, then Elisabeth can be the one to take them away again."
"Thank you."
"Anything else?"
"Not at this time," I said.
She nodded. "We're trying to help, Michaela."
"It doesn't feel like it."
"I know."
Then she knocked on the door. It opened, and she stepped out.
I paced around the room for twenty minutes before the door opened again. "Step away," Serena told me, and I moved to the far end of the room again.
Eric and Rory stepped in dragging an exercise mat with them. They looked at me guiltily before setting it on the floor. Then they walked in and out of the room carrying sheets, a number of blankets, and several pillows. They stepped out, and Serena entered carrying a bag full of books and another bag with bottles of water. She set them down near the door.
"I'm sorry," she said. "We don't have any beds that we can get down here easily. I felt the mat might be more comfortable than anything else. If there isn't enough bedding, we can bring more."
"Thank you."
"I brought a variety of books and some water. I'll bring dinner later."
"Not hungry, but thank you anyway."
"I will bring dinner later," she said, repeating herself. "I have a folding chair for you if you want it. I am trying to find something more comfortable that will fit. If it looks like you will be here for a while, and if the alpha doesn't forbid it, I'll get you something. I don't know what yet."
"Thank you," I said again.
She stepped closer and studied me. "Are you as close to losing it as you look?"
"Probably closer," I said.
She reached out a hand, and when I didn't flinch away, she cupped my cheek. The contact felt nice, and I pushed my face against her hand. Seeing my reaction, she pulled me into a hug.
She was warm, and I clung to her.
"You're shivering," she said.
"So cold."
I managed not to sob.
Then I pushed her away. "No," I said. "You're my jailor. I'm not going to succumb to Stockholm Syndrome this fast."
"Oh Michaela," she said. "Please don't think of it like that."
"Lara once promised me no cages. This is a cage. And you're the one opening and closing the door. What does that make you, if not my jailor?"