Promise Me
His heart raced as he continued to press the cell phone against his ear.
"God damnitt, Angela pick up the phone!"
The tone kept beeping telling him that the caller was not available. The pickup truck wove precariously around every car and truck. Blares of horns and explosions could be heard about him. But all he could hear was the beeping of a busy phone line.
His pale eyes glanced back in the rearview mirror. In the horizon he saw fighter jets swoop towards Scissure and began a volley of missile strikes.
Again the beeping continued, but then it suddenly picked up.
"Angela get—"
"It's Angela Hansen, sorry I can't-"
It was her voicemail. He jabbed the end call and re-dialed the number. He felt his heart thud louder in his chest as he approached the city.
…
After hours of fear and panic, Herc was able to locate his son. What was really hours felt like days to the navy pilot. Chuck had fallen asleep in his arms once they arrived at the military base. He did nothing to wake the sleeping child because he didn't want his son to face his own fraying emotions.
Herc carefully rested Chuck down onto the cot. His son shifted at the contact but stilled when he felt the familiar fabric of his father's military jacket drape over his small frame. Hercules Hansen couldn't have felt more tired then he did now. Fatigue swarmed around him but he ignored its gentle caresses as he gazed at his sleeping son. He carefully swept his hand across the child's forehead. Giving him the physical reminder that his son was safe, real, and in front of him.
His heart constricted at the last thought.
He straightened and dug his cell phone out of his pocket.
Tired eyes glanced down at the electronic device with hesitancy and fear.
One new voice message.
He carefully perched himself at the end of the cot as he slowly dialed the mailbox password. He found his thumb running over his wedding band as he waited. That was when he heard her.
"Hey baby it's me. …
Angela.
A loud and distinct screech in the background echoed over the phone. Her could hear Angela breath catch but it was quickly replaced with her impossibly calm voice.
"Don't worry about me. Chuck needs you. …
Herc found his grip tightening on the cellphone as he listened.
"I know he's momma's boy but he loves you baby. . .
He heard her pause over the phone but he heard her voice breaking.
"He loves you. Like I do. . .
She coughed.
Another vibrating blast blew over the phone's speaker. Herc felt his heart constrict again. He heard the distinct clatter of the phone being dropped, but in that next instant he heard the scrambling sounds of Angela picking up the phone.
Angela slumped against the hallway wall. Pain throbbed in her shoulder and head, fully knowing that gashes and scrapes littered over her body. Her head throbbed.
The building was starting to crumble around her. Everything no longer had the strength to maintain its structure. A part of her was screaming to run and get out. But she was on the utmost highest floor; she knew she didn't have that much time.
Her throat clenched at the thought as her grip on the phone tightened as she fought down her tears.
"Chuck has been feeding Max his food lately. Remind him that dogs don't eat human food.
She chuckled at the comment, but the pain still lingered in her throat and heart.
"He also has this habit of letting that mutt sleep in his bed. Don't let him do that…
Tears trickled down her cheeks as her smile slowly fell from her face.
"Don't…
She paused as she fought to gain control of her crumbling voice.
"Don't you. Ever. Feel like you left me.
She drew a shaky breath as she continued to fight down the tears. She heard a beep from the cell phone as her teary filled eyes noticed the blinking signal of a low battery.
"Promise me Hercules. Promise me that you will take care of our baby.
Tears ran down Hercules Hansen's face as he heard his wife's last words. The rumbling and sounds of tearing metal began to grow louder.
"Promise me. Promise me that you will love our son as much as you loved me.
"I love you Hercules Hansen."
The message ended.
It took everything in Hercules Hansen to not break down at the end of the message. Chuck did not need to see this, not yet. His shoulders shook as the finality of his wife's voice rang in his ears. Tears ran down his face as he fought to hold in his sobs.
"I promise."
Just a little one-shot that I wrote between writing my lesson plans and work sample context. I simply am in love with Pacific Rim and absolutely love Hercules Hansen. I'm reading the novelization of Pacific Rim and love it. It saddens me that not much is known as to what happened to Herc's wife Angela. This idea came into my head and plausibly believe that it happened. I broke down a couple times while writing this but felt like I needed to get it out of my system.