May 2, 2032
As much problems Chuck had created for Michael, he still missed him, dearly. Being at the homestead had really reminded him of how good life had really been. He missed those times of laughter he had shared with him not knowing how valuable laughter was. He didn't mention this to Elena, of course, as they discussed the events of the Peak City and the various people they knew.
Elena after listing some of the friends she'd known from school continued. "I had known all those girls my whole life – and we'd been pretty close for a lot of years – but I'd gone distant from them and hadn't talked to them for months, but still. They were my friends and now I have no idea what happened to them…"
"It's best not to think about it…"
Tears ran down Elena's face and Michael's heart ached after they had reminisced about the past which they had left behind. Michael could not fathom the pain Elena must've felt. She had lived there her whole life while he had been there for only months.
Elena's voice cracked as she looked down at Sidra who was groaning in her sleep. "She's been through so much. She saw her mother die in front of her eyes. She cries herself to sleep and has nightmares that wake her up shaking and crying. She can't deal with all this and I don't know how I can help her. The doctor's been a huge help but I can't help her like this. We need to get out of here."
"We'll get out of here," said Michael clenching his fist. He had been playing the moment in his head of him confronting the respawners at the standoff and the various things that could go wrong and him cringing at the thought of killing. But now, in his mind, the moment played flawlessly. He aimed the gun and bam bam bam shot them all dead. He would kill Billy too if he had to free his friends. There was a new found determination in him after hearing Elena and he was prepared to do anything.
He had messed up once but now he knew what he had to do. He would kill.
Whatever it takes.
***
May 15, 2032
Norwegian Air Space
Crazy Terry cursed out as the plane took another hit. The Terrys were flying inside a special jet that Professor Terry had invented himself. The jet was flying through a cloudy, stormy night sky which was bad enough but now a respawner was attacking them from below. The red lightning flashed between bouts of white lightning as the respawner did his best to keep up with the plane. The rockets from his launcher boomed from below and whistled through the air as it attacked them. Crazy Terry was controlling the ship as the jet rocked from the evasive maneuvers that he took while Professor Terry took in the readings from the dashboard and fed them directly to their brain. One wing of the jet was already flaming from the attacks and Crazy Terry was struggling to keep it under control.
"Your shortcut was a very stupid risk to take," said Professor Terry. "Not now!" shouted Crazy Terry. "Get the fuck back in there!"
This time the red lightning flashed right in front of the cockpit view and for a split-second, the respawner stood on the front of the jet. The rushing air blew him away instantly but he was prepared. He jumped just as the wind pushed at him and Professor Terry looked into the cameras at the respawner who had the rocket launcher turned around and aimed at the back of the jet. The rocket fired just as he began his descent down to the ground. The professor immediately took control of the body and turned the jet sharply. The rocket whizzed past as the jet barely dodged it.
But the danger wasn't over. The respawner had now adopted this technique and Crazy Terry was having an even crazier time dealing with him.
"For fuck's sake, you couldn't add a self-defense mechanic that prevented that. You're fucking useless," he said narrowly missing another rocket.
Luck seemed to be on their side though because just as the respawner was firing another rocket, a lightning bolt hit the respawner electrocuting him as hung in the air. The lightning hadn't seemed to kill him (not immediately, at least) and the unconscious respawner soared through the air to the ground.
After a couple of minutes, they heard the red lightning flash behind them but they had now gone beyond his zone. They only had to dodge a couple of rockets that were fired in vain and they were on their way.
"Your suggestion for a better self-defense against respawners is something that I agree with," noted Professor Terry. "I have already started working on the schematics."
"You better," said Crazy Terry trying to push away the various numbers and diagrams that came from the professor's side of the mind. "This was all your fault."
"Well, actually, you were the one who suggested we take the dangerous but shorter route. In your primitive language, we're lucky to still have our asses in one piece."
"So, you're saying it's my fault? Your cloaking device failed. Otherwise, we would've breezed through."
"You were the one who suggested we go in this weather because- and I quote- 'A little rain never hurt anyone.'"
"Oh, just shut up," retorted Crazy Terry. "I've got a plane to fly. We've still got to land this piece of junk and I don't know if you've noticed but we've lost one wing."
"Statistically, most planes that have lost their wing end up resulting in fatal crashes." "But you forget I'm the one whose operating it."
Professor Terry sighed. "That does not make me feel better."
After about half an hour of rocky flying, Crazy Terry began the descent for their landing. They escaped the barrier of clouds and a miles-wide expanse of forest and foliage appeared at the bottom. In the distance, he could barely make out the lights of a city in the distance through the water-stained cockpit view. That was where they were heading for. They had important business there.
Crazy Terry was making for a clearing in the forest which he had used frequently for a landing pad and a temporary base. Sweat was pouring down his brow as he clutched hard at the stick doing his best to steady the jet.
"This is going to be a close call…"
The jet landed harder than he had wanted it too and he felt it give way underneath. It had lost one of its wheels and the force from that almost threw the Terrys from their chair. But Crazy Terry held on trying his best to stop it from crashing into the forest at the sides. The plane screeched and groaned as one side of it slid onto the ground.
Eventually, the plane slowed down crashing into a thicket of trees. Crazy Terry sunk into his seat laughing like a madman as smoke hissed through the engines.
"What are you laughing about? We should probably be leaving now," advised the professor. "I saved us. Can't you be a little grateful?"
"You did not save anyone. Now, I will be the one who will have to fix this because of you."
"You can pretend you don't appreciate it but I can read your thoughts," said Crazy Terry closing his eyes as the smoke blanketed the whole plane. "You're impressed by my skills."
"I'm just impressed you haven't managed to get us killed yet."