Kinetics - By Andrew Peed Page 0,66

several hundred miles away in the dead center of a crowded intersection.” He moved the map to the second spike.

“Are they alright?” I asked.

“Through some not so public channels I was able to secure a police report. A nearby police officer responded to two unconscious people, one with a gunshot wound. He took them to the hospital where they are undergoing treatment and under twenty four hour police watch. At least until they get more information.”

“I need an address.”

“I assumed you would. It’s in the printer.” He pointed to a freshly printed piece of paper.

Chapter 31: Flight

I grabbed the page out of the printer and left the office. I needed to find a way to get from Eastcroft to a small town south-east of Mankato, Minnesota where Ryder and Vanish had reappeared. I wasn’t exactly a legal driver and I wasn’t sure how a run in with the police would end.

I contemplated going back to see if Sam had some one that could drive me, but that whole place was still locked down from the last mission. Going there would only mean complications and wasted time.

I took out my phone and went to the map app. I entered the city of Mankato as my destination just to see how long the drive would be from my current location. It calculated for a few seconds and returned eighteen hours give or take.

I went down to see Chuck who I figured would be the best person to ask about travel plans. I returned to the garage where I assumed he would still be working on the vehicles. He had pulled Ryder’s car into the garage and started to disassemble the thing.

“Chuck!” I yelled walking into the open door.

“Under the car.”

I walked around to the front side of the car where his legs stuck out from underneath.

I knelt down beside him, “Hey, got a minute? I need your help.”

“What do you need?” He slid out from under the truck. He stood up and wiped grease from his hands with a rag he had hanging from his pocket.

“I have to go to Mankato, Minnesota. It’s an eighteen hour drive from here. I was wondering if there were any toys down here that could shorten that trip.” I followed him as he carried a part from Ryder’s car to his work bench.

“Land or air?” he looked up from a part that he was cleaning.

“Whatever is faster and can be used to transport at least two extra people back.”

“There is a small aircraft that your father was working on. It was supposed to be a “behind enemy lines drop craft” but he was never able to complete the stealth package. It’s fast, flies, and is very reliable.”

“I don’t think that we will need any stealth.”

He walked away from the workbench towards the back of the garage. I followed him past the many cars lined up along the walls. A small camera scanned his face. He then held up his hand. The camera then moved over to me. I did the same as he’d done.

Thin lines on the wall appeared made of bright white light. The section of the wall that was outlined then slowly slid into the ground.

Behind the wall sat a V shaped aircraft. It was a grey color, smooth finish with no lines what so ever. The cockpit was molded with the top and a passenger area tucked underneath. The engines were hidden in the wings, and there was a gun mounted to the front.

“Who can fly this thing?” I walked around it, taking it all in.

“Aside from your father, I am the only person that has been trained to fly this aircraft.”

“Will you pilot for me?” I emerged from under the wing.

“It will take an hour to prime the power cell and make sure that it is safe to fly. She has been sitting in this room alone for almost two years. I now regret not giving this vehicle more attention.” He said walking over to the wall next to the door. He pulled a lever that was hidden inside of an electrical box.

The ceiling opened like a huge steel iris. Sunlight poured in from the outside as the sun made its final decent behind the mountain.

~//~

After Chuck had determined that the aircraft was safe and the power cell was primed, he began to warm up the thrusters. He opened the back where there were four seats and enough room for three stretchers.

“What exactly was this thing being built for?” I climbed into