ic Hit the Plane Down

[TheRedGuy]

Aníbal breathed a sigh of relief as the combined eolian effects of his wondrous winds and Miracle Girl's mighty exhalation extinguished the fuel fire. Even though the ferocious Firestarter fled, the peril that petrified the perplexed passengers was efficiently eliminated, thanks to teamwork. He took to the air once more, pausing to pose as the passengers praised him and his puissant partner for their fantastic feat. However, the alarming absence of their ally of avian apellation, Seahawk, jolted him from his jubilation. Where was she? He scanned the surface of the seawater, slicked with spillage from the faulty fuel tanks. Did the dashing daredevil drown? Was she trapped on the bottom of the briny bay? Just as he was about to plummet into the water and search the sea for signs of Seahawk, the familiar form of his newfound friend popped up into view, saluting them with a splash. He hovered over and hailed her, happy that she had escaped the wreck unharmed. 

"Hey", he greeted the gal, "Glad to see you're alright."

The pilot pointed out he and Miracle Girl had, incredibly, managed to douse the destructive inferno that initially threatened to turn the panicked passengers into a bizarre barbecue. Her speedy scuttling of the slowly sinking abandoned aircraft appeared an unnecessary and unwise use of her precious powers. Nodding, Aníbal attempted to assure her that her actions at the airplane were not amiss.

"We probably wouldn't have time to do it if you hadn't sank the airplane...", he remarked reassuringly, "Besides, there was no telling it would work. You did the right thing in the circumstances, we'll all vouch for it if there's any trouble."

When she mentioned her wish to work out the whereabouts of the cunningly concealed captain of the crashed craft, Aníbal agreed. Was the absconded anarchist's accomplice still present, perhaps posing as a passenger, or had he too deftly disappeared in the chaos of the crash? Until the rafts were rescued by the rapid response teams, ascertaining whether their absent adversary could be apprehended would be a top priority. 

 

[The Sailor]

Seahawk grumbled a little. Pausing in her "rowing" as best as it could be called.

"Yeah... you're right El Hurrican." She said. Looking over at a kid who was given the captain's hat. The Stewardess next to him was the last of the crew.

"At least someone from the crew is still alive." Naomi said. Flopping backward using the raft with the Stewardess and Kid on it like a pillow, looking up at the kid. "Hi!"

Seahawk was a little worried, but after asking the tired flight attendant what was up with the unaccompanied minor, things fit together.

She took on a slightly more sillier countenance to her expression as the now Playful Protector waved a little with a smile. "Well, at least we got the passengers all sorted out, everything's alright. Might be safe to wait here until the passengers and the Missus here get picked up."

She pulled out a candy bar out of one of the pockets on her suit. She was amused that wrappers were probably the best thing invented as she hands it to the kid. "Hey... don't be developing any phobias about flying now. You're our Captain! The hat says so!" She said with a smile. "What's our first orders, sir?" She said, sitting up and saluting the kid.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Sailor

[angrydurf]

Soon the rescue craft arrived to pull the passengers from their rafts and speed to shore.  Some police and coast guard craft remained to sort through the remaining debris and mark where the plane had sunk and begin the long slow process of investigation.  The injured were being looked to on the larger rescue boats and it seemed that for the moment at least peace had been restored to freedom city.  AEGIS had already set up a base camp at the nearest harbor and the processing and debriefing of the passengers began.  AEGIS of course was interested in anything the heroes could share though clearly grateful enough for the efforts of the trio they were not about to hold them if they had elsewhere to be.

[The Sailor]

Naomi was the first to welcome steady ground. Spending the next 30 minutes in debrief wasn't so enjoyable, sitting in a chair as she was asked questions, sometimes more than once. But eventually she was free to leave and she waited for the others to get done with their debrief. She had to ask the two something before heading off. She started letting the air out from her raft, squeezing it when a thought crossed her head.

She ran over to an AEGIS agent. "Confiscate that hat that kid has..." She said... "That was given to that kid by the fake pilot... might be important!" Naomi implored, hoping someone would catch on, and quickly...

[TheRedGuy]

"I'm afraid that's all I know.", Aníbal completed his statement to the AEGIS agents. He had told them all he could: how they boarded the airplane through the cargo bay and found it had been hijacked. There was a young woman named Jennifer who could wreath herself in flames and launch fireballs. She was affiliated with something called the Fellowship, suffered from Terminus Energy Mutation Syndrome (he cringed at repeating the words), and seemed to be targeting an old man on board the flight, a doctor. He explained how they made the landing, how it couldn't have been done without Seahawk's piloting skill, how sinking the plane was necessary given the circumstances and probably saved everyone's lives. The pilot was missing, possibly still among the passengers. That was it. They had done their part today, now it was up to the authorities to mop up the damage and take over the investigation. The terrorists managed to cause a lot of material damage, but fortunately the only casualties were the copilots, now confined in their watery grave. He was, however, not about to let the matter end here. There was a score left to settle with a certain flammable woman, who would never again catch him off-guard.

He nodded a farewell to the AEGIS officers and went to look for his teammates. One couldn't just up and leave without thanking Seahawk and Miracle Girl for their efforts today, even though he had pressing business to attend to elsewhere. Mama must be worried sick...

"Hey", he greeted Seahawk after finding her in the bustle of the camp, "Nice work today. Don't worry, next time those bastards show their faces, we'll be better prepared. She won't get away twice."

[The Sailor]

Seahawk scratched her head. "Well, it's more a evidence thing, but with how crazy this day's been I wouldn't be surprised if there's a surprise with that hat."

She sighed sitting down on a "director's" chair, getting back to work on her raft. "To be honest I'm still smarting from the landing... and not from injury." She said. "If I would have had better control of that plane I could have nailed that water landing so good the fuel tanks wouldn't even have been scratched." She said. "I would have made Captain Sully proud, and there wouldn't be a multi-million dollar plane on the bottom of the bay. For sure there wouldn't have been a slick for Miss Barbecue to light up either."

She looked down. "I wasn't firing on all cylinders at all today. These civilians deserved better."

The thought of the fire-woman taking her best punch, and she knew she felt that one, and not even moving her head was rattling around in her head. She totally wanted another crack at her. "To be honest this whole day sits on those two's heads, and I would totally love to knock Miss BiC Lighter one so hard she'll need dental reconstruction in Blackstone. Her little so-called pilot friend who put us in this situation in the first place will get a similar 5-finger dental re-alignment." She said, cracking her knuckles for a moment. But then realizing her rage was impotent at best, she sighed. Almost sounding like the air leaving the inflation tube on her raft.

"Ugh... I just wanna have some lunch, dry off, and get out of this suit for a while. Maybe hop in a plane and actually enjoy the sky for once instead of being in mortal danger." She said, shaking her head. "I don't care if I get better if I croak off... I still got the sight of those burned crew-members in my head. They... deserved better than to be trapped in that plane down there. Everyone thinks I like just going nuts as there's no consequences for me... thing is... those people are the example of what could happen if something goes wrong."

She looked out to the water. "Too many died today... and there was nothing we could have done."

"And I hate that."

Leaning back in her chair she looked around. "Where's Miracle Girl? There was something I wanted to ask the both of you once she gets here."

Edited October 21, 2015 by Sailor

[Heritage]

Casey was tired; not so much from the physical activity of the dramatic plane crash as from the emotional toll. Despite their best efforts, the bad guys got away clean and two men were dead. But then she forced herself to remember the good news, that without the trio's timely intervention, everyone else on that plane would probably be dead, too. That's how her father always talked about combat, and he-

"Oh God...I have to call Dad."

But first, a debriefing. Miracle Girl was happy to speak with the AEGIS agents; she even recognized one of them from a company picnic, and snuck her a little wave. She went over every detail she could recall, and after that draining experience, she finally made her way over to where Seahawk and El Hurican were talking.

"Hey." She offered them both a weary smile, then noticed Naomi's defeated expression. "We did work today, despite those monsters getting away; if we hadn't made it onto that plane, there might not have been any survivors."

[The Sailor]

"True I guess..."

Then a thought crossed Naomi's mind as she handed out a couple business cards. "You know... you guys want to have Dinner somewhere in a couple days? I know a place we can get some semi-unhealthy yet good eats... on me."

She smiled. "It's a little diner next to Trainor. A lot of new pilots go there to celebrate getting their licence or certifying for an aircraft. But I think this time we could well... celebrate not increasing those two's bodycount."

"That... is worth sharing around some drinks... soft drinks if preferred." She said, trying to fold up her raft. "You can never get all the air outta these things..." She said, sticking out her tongue and blushing. Clearing her throat she looked to Casey. "So... Miracle Girl, need an escort anywhere?" she asked, moving in close, whispering. "And I'd wager after you contact your dad you'll wanna get changed for Claremont... I'll fly with you in costume if you need an excuse. I'd wager the headmaster will want the details. That and assurances your safety was looked after... Oh god your dad, I'm gonna get chewed out even if I made sure you made it through..."

She winced.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Sailor

[TheRedGuy]

"Don't beat yourself up like that.", Aníbal tried to reassure Seahawk, though in no small part he shared her frustration with how things turned out. It wasn't the best outcome, but it was the best possible under the circumstances. He remembered his father's lectures about great military battles, how it's easy to be a general after the battle's over and talk about what could have been done differently, but a true leader always acts in the moment, regardless of how much preparation and planning went on beforehand. 

"I told the AEGIS people the truth: if it wasn't for you, we couldn't have done this.", he continued, "I know it feels like we've accomplished nothing, but we did. We saved a lot of people."

When Miracle Girl joined, he waved and smiled at her. Seahawk's proposal of a celebratory dinner struck him as a great idea. He accepted Seahawk's proffered business card, then realised he had nowhere to put it. Pockets were not a technology budgeted for by the makers of his flight suit. Still, holding on to the card wasn't a problem.

"Sounds like a plan. I think we deserve a little celebration to keep our spirits up.", he replied with a smile, trying to remain upbeat even though he was tired and wanted to go home, "I'll keep in touch and meet you there. I look forward to it."

He looked around, fixing his gaze in the vague direction of Jordan International for a few moments before turning to Seahawk and Miracle Girl.

"Well, it's been a rough day. I've got business to attend to, so, take care ladies. Adios!", he said as he took to the air. He waved goodbye to the pair and flew off, taking a moment to pose and smile for the cameras of a nearby group of reporters before the winds carried him off, away from the AEGIS base camp.

***

At a mostly empty café in Jordan Airport, a very tense Eduardo Herrera was drinking his fourth cup of coffee in a row, his eyes glued to the TV screen showing a live report from the scene of the recent airliner disaster. Next to him, Mrs Herrera nervously fiddled with her jewelry, her aristocratic poise cracking under the pressure of uncertainty. A young reporter was giving the latest news, mentioning the three heroes who stopped the hijacking of the plane. For a few brief moments, the TV transmission cut to footage shot about 15 minutes earlier: a young man in a sleek black and gold suit, flying past a crew of journalists and giving them a rakish salute before zooming off to an unknown destination. A caption identified the young hero as "El Huracan". The Herreras breathed a collective sigh of relief, Aníbal's mother crossing herself and muttering a litany of praise to the Virgin Mary in thanks.

"Handsome devil, isn't he?", a youthful voice spoke behind them. The pair turned around to see Aníbal standing there, back in his plain clothes, with a weary smile on his face. His mother rushed towards him and locked him in an unusually powerful bear hug. He hissed in pain as his mother pressed her arms on his shoulders and back, still sore from the burn given to him by Firestarter.

"Ay... Ease up, Mama.", he grunted, gently nudging his mother away.

"You're hurt?! What happened?"

"Just a scratch, Mama. A little burn, I'll rub some ointment on it, it'll pass."

"I'll get you a doctor. Top class, you can trust him...", his father offered sternly and pulled out his cellphone.

"We have doctors at Claremont, Papa.", Aníbal replied.

"Oh, alright. But I'll give you Dr. Rivera's number. If you need anything, he can help you.", his father insisted.

There was an awkward pause. His parents had come to terms with his powers, but seeing him in action, praised on the news as a hero responsible for saving hundreds of people - it was a strange feeling. 

"So, are you leaving?", Aníbal asked.

"No... We're going back to the hotel.", his mother replied, "They probably won't let us take off with all this chaos still happening, so Eduardo decided we'll stay for another day and go in the morning."

"Oh... Okay. I'll be there.", Aníbal responded to the news, "I gotta go back to Claremont, Mama. It's been a rough day."

"Julio will take you. Anytime you need a lift, he's available.", his father added, paying for the tab. The three of them made their way to the outside of the airport, accompanied by a discrete security detail. Two luxury black sedans awaited outside, both with chauffeurs ready to take the passengers to their destination.

"We'll be leaving at 9, unless there's more damned nonsense like this tomorrow", his father remarked as he took a seat inside one of the cars.

"And son...", he added. Aníbal turned to face him.

"Yes, Papa?"

"Good work out there.", the elder Herrera added, "You helped a lot of people. Your mother and I are very proud of you."

With a smile, Aníbal nodded to his old man and got inside the car that took him to Claremont as ordered. What a day, he thought, as the car wound its way through Freedom City's bustling streets.

 

[Heritage]

Casey's face lit up in a wide grin at the mention of free food. "Sure, thanks! I'd love to!" Then she grimaced with embarrassnent as she tucked the offered card into one of her belt pouches. "Although I should warn you, I eat like a freaking horse."

She grinned and waved goodbye to the handsome Latino super, then chuckled at Naomi's concern about her father. "Don't let him scare you; he's just a big pussycat!" She looked over her shoulder back at the terminal building. "Who's waiting for me at the breakfast buffet.  He'll drive me back to school in his company car; it's bulletproof, so he might not freak out. Seeya, Seahawk!"

And with that, she took to the air and was gone.

[The Sailor]

Seahawk tucked the raft she had under her arm, and adjusted her goggles.

"I guess I'd better be off too then, at least before the press start asking..."

"SEAHAWK!"

Seahawk's face turns pale... she realized she had walked off outside of the cordon where there was a nice gaggle of press waiting for her on the sidewalk near the dock the temporary staging area for AEGIS.

This was gonna suck... might as well cancel that lunch and make it Dinner... She thought as she pushed down the still inflated life vest she had on realizing she had it puffed up the whole time... And now she was self-concious. She weakly waved, blushing profusely. "Umm, Hi!"

"I... wager this is about that little landing in the Bay? Yeah... not my finest landing in an emergency, but it can be called a landing, not a crash. Please get that right in your headlines... there is a distinct difference. Not all aircraft I pilot end up in worse shape than when I took off. Let's dispel that notion right now! And can we make this quick, I need to do some maintenance on my flight system, it did get flooded, and I've not had breakfast yet." She said, with a smile.

Those clever little... left me with the press!!! They're totally getting the bill unless they apologize! She thought as the questions started to scream at her like heat-seeking missiles... Or at least get to intercept questions next time!!!

Edited October 21, 2015 by Sailor