Flight

by Jason Cheek

  Not answering her questions, I turned to the river once again as she tugged on my shoulder angrily, her voice rising in volume.

  “How is your death going to help anyone?”

  The Chief’s calm voice cut through the still night like a knife.

  “You know he has to go back.”

  Focusing her anger on the Chief, I heard her voice crack.

  “No, I don’t know that! Give me one valid reason why he has to go back.”

  This time, the Chief addressed me directly in his strong voice.

  “Explain it to her, Son.” Nodding his head towards the faces of the men and women around us listening to our argument, he met my eyes solemnly. “Explain it to us all.”

  Turning around, I realized that everyone in the boat had been listening intently to our argument. Obviously, the Detective wasn’t the only one wanting an explanation.

  Slowly, I began speaking from the heart.

  “In many ways, you Americans have the essence of my Father’s people. Similar to your own history, my people gave their lives by the hundred of thousands fighting the armies of the Tuonellian’s. Like you Americans, my people fought simply because they believed it was the right thing to do. For that reason alone, they were destroyed to the last man, woman and child. Simply, because they refused to sit back and do nothing while the Tuonellians slaughtered the innocent and weak.” Taking a deep breath, I exhaled my next words.

  “I am the last survivor of my Father’s people.”

  Looking into the eyes of the men and women around me, I continued.

  “My Mother’s people hid me away on Earth. They believed that if I had time to grow into my power, I would be able to lead the people of my world against the Tuonellians, and end their threat forever. They believed in this idea so much, that they gave their lives trying to protect me to the last man, woman and child.” I looked into Beth’s eyes.

  “I am also the last survivor of my Mother’s people.”

  Ignoring the tears that started slowly flowing down my cheeks, I faced my audience, standing up straight as my voice grew louder with my next words.

  “My people have given everything fighting for what they believed to be right. How can I do anything less?”

  Looking at the faces around me, I didn’t see one dry eye. Feeling a sudden strong hand grip my shoulder, I turned around to see Ranger Harris standing next to me.

  “I’m proud to be here with you, Son.” Looking at his fellow rangers for a moment, I saw the nods in agreement from the Leon Rifles at Ranger Harris’s next words.

  “We’re all proud to be here.”

  Suddenly, it seemed as everyone on the boat was patting my shoulders in a show of support. Looking at the pontoon boats on either side of us, I saw the same supportive looks from the officers and agents who had listened to me as I’d talked. Slightly embarrassed, I waved my thanks back to the men in both boats, before turning back at the Chief and Beth. The Chief clapped Beth on the shoulders with both hands.

  “Does it make sense to you now, Detective?”

  Seeing her stubbornly hunch her shoulders, the Chief gave her one more fatherly pat.

  “We should be coming up to the split off point any time now. I’m going to let the men know to start getting ready.”

  I watched him head over to Agent Foster, before looking back once again at Beth.

  “The Chief was right.”

  “About what?”

  “That I have a lot to learn about you Americans.”

  Beth looked at me sharply, before explosively letting out a deep sigh. I could see the tension leave her as she turned to watch the river. Once more I joined her, almost missing the words she whispered softly a second later.

  “I wish we had more time to know each other.”

  Beth was an exceptionally beautiful woman, and I genuinely liked her a lot, but we could never be lovers. It wouldn’t be fair to her, or any woman for that matter. Over the years, I’d always kept the women who wanted more from me at a distance. I could be a friend or teacher, but never a lover.

  How could I accept a lover into my life, when I knew the hardships I would be asking her to endure?

  Why would any woman want to share the suffering of my plight?

  The answer to that was easy, none would. For a second, the old pain rose up inside of me as my thoughts seemed to awake the demon of loneliness that lived in my heart, but just as quickly I put it to rest once again. Over the years, I’d learned to accept my fate in this life, for me there would be no true love.

  Sadly, I gently placed my hand on her shoulder in a silent reply.

  These Americans, they did not know what enemy they faced, but none the less they understood what was at risk if they didn’t stop the creatures invading their World. Looking at the humans in the boats around me, I could only think of how an impressive of people they were. The old Chief especially! In many ways, the old man reminded me of my Grandsire, albeit a much nicer version. In the short time, I’d been around him. I already knew that the man believed in doing what he thought was right, which was the same as my Grandsire, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for what he believed in.

  If anything, that similarity alone helped me keep the grief locked away that was still jabbering in the back of my mind trying to break out. Every time I felt the barrier weakening, I reminded myself there would be time enough for grieving later, once this battle was over. For now, I had to stay focused. Thankfully, that promise was enough to hold my grief at bay.

  I’d been surprised when the officers and agents had volunteered to join this fight, after already having had their asses handed to them in the last battle, but gradually it had dawned on me why they’d done so. Simply put, they had done it because it was the right thing to do. I was surprised, once again, when we landed at Jonathan Dickenson’s State Park, and the rangers and Cobra pilots had volunteered, without hesitation. Even after all the slaughter they’d watched during the briefing hadn’t stopped them from doing what was right.

  The Chief had been right. I was acquiring an appreciation for these Americans!

  During the planning phase of this operation, I’d kept the plan straight and simple, playing on the ignorance the Tuonellians had in regards to human technological capabilities. Humanity’s advance weapons were out of the picture, but not their means of instant communications and high mobility, both of which were essential in any fight. Except for a slight disagreement about the deployment of the Cobra Wing, the plan had been readily accepted by everyone. The Marines wanted to be the first ones in to soften up the target, but I’d nixed that. Cobra attack helicopters were impressive, even if their armament couldn’t hurt the Tuonellians. It was an idea that was forming in my head remembering the feeling I had when the pod of Reef Sharks had passed underneath my surfboard shortly after I’d started surfing. Even if the Cobras weapons couldn’t hurt the Scourge, they were shockingly impressive when seen for the first time launching all of their weapons in combat. If used at the right time, the surprise alone could make the difference between life and death, for the men and women I was leading.

  Captain Walker had argued that their Cobra’s 20MM FAP rounds were far more powerful than the 50 Cal’s that the SWAT teams were using, and it made more sense for them to hammer the target area from the air. I understood her perspective, even if I had to stop Sergeant O’Reilly from trying to knock the Captain’s head off from her harsh words, but once Agent Moss jumped into the conversation. The Captain had backed down thoughtfully, once he reminded her about the first video. I understood her problem. Like most soldiers, she couldn’t get it through her head that her most powerful weapons couldn’t damage the enemy. She had grudgingly accepted the plan during the briefing, but inside I knew she couldn’t accept the truth until she’d seen it with her own eyes. Sergeant O’Reilly, on the other hand, was an annoying problem, but in this instance I trusted the Chief’s opinion about the aggressive man. You wanted someone like Sergeant O’Reilly on your side in a sta
ndup fight.

  Coming up to the last split in the Loxahatchee River before Trapper Nelson’s, I heard the loud noise of the airboats’ engines as they suddenly opened up their throttles, heading southwest up the river. The sound of the twelve airboats at full power was deafening, and should, I hoped, help drown out the sound of our assault team’s landing. Slowly, the three pontoon boats ponderously turned southeast, heading for the backside of the island as the airboats headed to the front of the island, where Trapper Nelson’s sat directly on the water.

  It was another five minutes before we saw our landing spot in the distance, on the western side of the island. Catching the Chief’s eye, I gave him the go ahead. Quietly, the Chief whispered into the mike at his throat.

  “Alpha Team to COM”

  “Go ahead Alpha Team.”

  “COM, Alpha Team is in position. I repeat, Alpha Team is in position. Please relay, Beta Team to launch attack run now. I repeat, Beta Team to launch attack run now. Alpha Team out.”

  “Alpha Team, your message has been relayed, COM out.”

  Suddenly, the early morning sky lit up to the west with loud explosions!

  Chapter 18

  Location Earth / Florida present day:

  “It’s time to kick ass!”

  Tom Young’s voice called out over the engine’s roar as he clipped the radio back onto his belt. Slamming the throttle open, he swung the airboat into a tight curve, angling towards the front of Trapper Nelson’s as the eleven other airboats of his squadron fell in behind him in a tight formation. Nearing the bank, Tom saw Peter pull out his grenade, preparing to throw as the boat started passing near the wooden dock.

  Tom had seen John’s and Bill’s airboat still tied off at the dock, when they’d first rounded the bend in the river. Even after everything he’d seen during the briefing, he had hoped that somehow his friends were still alive, but now as they’d started their attack run. He lost even that last thread of hope as he saw the shredded remains of a Ranger laying against the side of the docked airboat. Seeing his friend’s shredded body, Tom gritted his teeth in anger. It was time.

  HHHHOOOOONNNNNNNNKKKKKKKK

  The air horn blasted across the lake, drowning out even the sounds of the airboat’s engines as he signaled for the attack run to commence. Tom watched with grim satisfaction as Peter threw the fragmentation grenade towards the misshapen figures that rose up suddenly on the dark ridge above them. He didn’t need to look at the airboats behind him to know that they were following the plan. Most of the Rangers with him were retired military, and knew what to do. A second later, he heard the answering bellows from airboat horns behind him as they released their grenades.

  Turning sharply, the bow dug deep into the water as the entire airboat leaned precariously onto its side. Bracing himself in the pilot’s seat, Tom swore as he realized he’d forgotten about the 50 Cal sitting in the bow of the boat! Helplessly, he watched the heavy weapon began sliding for the water, when Pete suddenly dived for the machine gun. Bracing his feet on the gunwale, the young ranger wrestled the 50 Cal back onto its tripod as Jim Hermance, the last ranger in the boat, braced himself against the pilot’s tower, knocking an arrow into his bow. Gunning the engine, the airboat surged out of the water as Tom opened the throttle once more. Suddenly, they were flying for the far side of the river just as those same dark forms began launching themselves at the airboats passing by.

  BOOM

  KABOOM

  BBBBBOOOOMMMMMM

  The concussion wave from the explosions slammed into Tom like a pneumatic sledgehammer. He saw the misshapen figures, of what must be the Scourge, highlighted from the light of the explosions as they were blasted into the air like rag dolls. The rangers held on for their lives as the airboat rocked wildly from the detonations flashing like lightning behind them. Grinning like a fiend, Tom yelled over his shoulder.

  “Take that bitches!”

  The airboat lurched suddenly as a large dark shape landed inside the boat in-between Jim and Pete. The Scourge was dark gray in color, with large bony plates covering its chest and back. Its arms and shoulders was a mass of solid corded muscle that ended in over-long clawed hands. It ripped through the gunwale of the small airboat as it tried to steady itself on the wildly rocking craft. Turning around in a crouch, its glowing red eyes focused on the first target it saw. Seeing Tom sitting in the pilot’s seat, the Scourge screeched out its challenge.

  For a split second, Tom’s hand blindly fumbled for the forty-five at his hip, before he remembered that the weapon was useless against the alien. Before he could reach for the buck knife hanging from his belt, the creature recovered its balance, flexing its legs to spring once again.

  SSSCCCCRRREEEEEEEEEECH

  Unbelievably, the creature staggered a step forward clutching at the sudden hole appearing in the center of its chest. He wasn’t sure who was more shocked, the alien or him. Looking down, Tom realized that Jim must have shot the Scourge with his bow at point blank range. Before the creature could recover, Pete jumped onto the monster slamming his buck knife, hilt deep, into the side of the creature’s head. The red light from the Scourge’s glowing eyes suddenly went out as its body collapsed into the bottom of the boat.

  Looking up with wild eyes from where he still clung to the creature’s back, Pete exclaimed loudly.

  “Holy crap guys, I just killed an alien!”

  Slinging the bow over his shoulder, Jim offered Pete a hand up.

  “Man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you move that fast before.”

  “You’ll telling me! I thought I was going to crap my pants when that thing landed in the boat.”

  Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, Tom joined in the banter.

  “You about crapped your pants! That thing was coming after me when you guys took it out.”

  Suddenly, the boat titled sharply from the weight of the creature as it slid to one side of the airboat. Scrambling for the throttle, Tom slowed the airboat down to a crawl yelling at Pete and Jim.

  “Get that thing out of the airboat before it flips us over!”

  Balancing the load out by bracing themselves on the opposite side of the airboat, Jim and Pete tried to lift the creature over the side. Having no luck moving the heavy corpse, they tried another tactic. Turning around, they planted their steel toe boots against the back of the alien. Using their legs, they managed to shove the body over the gunwale using their legs.

  SPLASH

  Standing up, they clapped each other on the back as Tom eased the airboat in a wide turn.

  KAAABBOOOMMM

  Shards of metal shot through the air as the large blades from one of the airboats engines exploded behind them. Looking over their shoulders, they saw several airboats at a standstill as the rangers onboard fought a desperate battle with the Scourge that had managed to jump aboard their vessels before they’d cleared the east bank.

  Moving quickly, Pete took his place behind the 50 Cal as Jim slid another arrow into his bow. Keeping the throttle steady, Tom headed for the nearest stopped airboat as he heard Pete pull the slide back on the 50 Cal, cocking the heavy machine gun. Coming to a stop twenty feet out from the nearest damaged airboat, they saw a Scourge pulling itself free from the shredded remains of the engine’s casing. Most of the airboat was a mass of twisted metal as the last surviving ranger faced off with the gruesome creature. Holding his buck knife point down in one hand, the surviving ranger used the other to staunch the blood flowing from a deep gash in his chest.

  “Jeff … Jeff!”

  Jeff looked over his shoulder briefly, before whipping his eyes back to watch the alien crawling out of the wreckage after him.

  “Jeff, just swim for our boat. Hurry up Man!”

  Taking one last frightened look at the nightmarish creature, Jeff made his decision. He dived off the side of the wrecked airboat just as Pete opened up with the 50 Cal.

  KLUNK KLUNK KLUNK

  Hitting center mass, the 50
caliber rounds slammed into the Scourge chest, ricocheting on impact, but still getting the creature’s attention. Tom brought the throttle to a standstill as Jim stood in the center of the airboat, bracing himself to aim. A second later, the bow twanged as Jim took the shot. The arrow slammed through the creature’s chest as the airboat’s fuel tank suddenly exploded.

  Tom saw the creature enveloped by the fiery explosion, before the heat wave from the blast made him look away as pieces of burning hot metal shot through the air. As the fireball rose into the night’s sky, Tom was able to look back at what was left of the burning wreckage. He didn’t see the Scourge anywhere. Hopefully, Jim’s arrow had killed the beast before it was blasted clear!

  A loud clank against the side of the airboat made them all jump, but they calmed down a second later when they saw Jeff’s arm swinging over the side of the gunwale, still clutching the buck knife in his hand. Sighing in relief, Tom called down to his crew.

  “You ‘all stay at your weapons, I’ll give Jeff a hand.”

  Sliding down the ladder of his pilot’s seat, Tom helped Jeff clamber over the side of the airboat. Propping the ranger up, he quickly checked over Jeff’s wounds as the man cried hysterically.

  “God, they’re all dead Tom! It just slaughtered them!”

  “It’s okay Jeff. We’ll going to make sure they can’t do that to anyone else.”

  KLUNK KLUNK KLUNK

  Looking up, Tom saw the tracer rounds flying through the air in the distance as Frank’s 50 Cal opened up. Grabbing an old rag lying in the bottom of the boat, he pressed it against Jeff’s wounds putting the man’s hand on top.

  “Just keep pressure on the wound Jeff. We’ve gotta give Frank a hand.”

  Gulping down air, Jeff nodded mutely at Tom’s words. Giving him one final pat on the shoulder, Tom climbed back into the pilot’s seat. Opened up the throttle, they quickly cleared the burning metal wreck that had been Jeff’s airboat. Following the tracer rounds, Tom saw what Frank’s gunner was shooting at.

  The rest of the airboats had won their individual battles against the boarders, except for the farthest airboat away, which was filled with the dark grotesque shapes of the Scourge. The creatures were screeching in anger as machine gun rounds slammed into them repeatedly.