Okay, I didn't specify in first chapter so I apologize. This is first Eragon fic so I am trying my hardest to be as accurate to the book/movie as I possibly can. Incase there was any confusion, the "111111" that broke up paragraphs changed to Eragon's story. "2222222" was Murtagh and Galbatorix and "33333333" was my OC John Conaway's story. During these next paragraphs, only 111111 and 22222 will be used since Eragon and John are together now. Get it? Got it? Good. (Jovak pronounced Ho-vack)
Chapter 2: Strange new beasts
"Okay, Eragon," John said, cradling Jovak in his arms. "First off, we need to let some people know that you are not the bad guy here. That should be pretty easy considering that Edwards Air Force Base is twenty miles or so from here…?"
"What is that?" Eragon asked. John looked at the bodies of Urgals still left in the street. "We can fly here," John stated. "Our 'dragons' are made of steel and metal, and they are a lot faster too."
I doubt it, Saphira hissed. Quiet Saphira, Eragon snapped. We must listen.
"Go on?" he asked. John set Jovak next to Saphira. "Can she teach him some things at his age?" Eragon watched as Saphira nuzzled the young dragon with her head. "She can teach him how to fly and land," Eragon said. He and John watched as Saphira leapt to her feet with the hatchling beside her. "Keep your mind open to him and he will learn a lot more. Trust, loyalty, wisdom…all of which prove valuable in wartime. In three weeks time, Jovak will be as great as Saphira if you work with him…?" Suddenly, a giant roar filled the skies as if ten thousand dragons were screaming at once. "What in blazes is that?" Eragon screamed, covering his ears. John stood beside him and scanned the sky. "Sounds like a group of F-15's coming by to clean up," he said. "No need to yell bro. Not yet anyways. Look over to the east and you'll see our dragons." Eragon unplugged his ears and faced eastward wide-eyed. "The sound alone is menacing!" he gasped.
"Here they come!" John pointed above a medium sized skyscraper at two strange looking machines. Their shape reminded Eragon of a large sized bird, but there was more on these things than just wings. "United States Air Force," John told him. "Uh oh!"
"What?" Eragon asked. "What uh oh?"
"They're altitude is dropping. Get Saphira and Jovak! We have to go NOW!"
"What is the matter!" Eragon exclaimed. "Aren't these beasts your ally?"
"Okay," John said. "I explain while we run!" John looked back to where the jets were. They have dropped to two hundred feet and were approaching fast. "I know for a fact that you have heard of friendly fire, correct?" Eragon turned his head at him while both were sprinting down the avenue. "Well, this friendly fire is a lot louder and deadlier than what you encounter." The roar of the jets was getting louder and John knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the F-15 Eagles fired their missiles at them. While sprinting, John heard the familiar clunk of a missile releasing from its carrying pod underneath the wings. Another roar followed close behind the two friends and John knew for a fact that it was not the jets. "No matter what you hear, keep running!"
Saphira! Eragon screamed to her. We are under attack! Can you find us?
What is that retched noise? She asked him. BOOM! A powerful explosion rocked the road, knocking John and Eragon to their faces. "Keep going," John said. He looked behind him to see one of the fighter jets swoop in low over the street. "Aw damn it!" John cursed. He sprinted to get to Eragon. "In here…NOW!" John pushed Eragon into a narrow alleyway and dove in behind him. Seconds later, the ground began shaking as the Eagle finished out its rounds of ammunition on a strafing run. "He's going to come around on another pass. Our best bet is to dash through this alleyway and make a left on the next street. This trick worked for me when I was under friendly fire in Iraq. I never thought I would say this but I hope these pilots are just as dumb!"
Eragon! Where are you? Saphira said. The roars are getting louder.
Saphira, they think we are the bad guys! Eragon explained to her. They are faster and have weapons skills. It would be suicide to rescue us now.
"He's coming back around!" John said, "Crap, he's lined up with the alley! This guy is smart!" John looked back. "We can't make it out in time. If he fires, we are done for." The jet got closer and John closed his eyes expecting the worst. He heard the familiar roar of a missile. "Nice knowing you pal," he said. Eragon held his palm out as if he was attempting to catch the rocket. "Trienda!" Eragon screamed. John couldn't believe it. The missile suddenly veered off of its course and began flying back toward the jet that fired it. "I don't know how you did that," John said. "But crash it quick before it hits him!" The order came too late. The F-15's missile locked on to its heat signature and threw itself inside the jet's afterburners, creating a ball of flame where the American jet used to be. But something caught his eye as the debris began plummeting down to earth. "He ejected? Wow!" Eragon and John both watched as a red and white colored parachute floated to the ground. "I know how we can get these guys off of our backs!" John said. "When I give the word, call Saphira. Tell her that she needs to touchdown quickly. If we get that pilot and prove that we are not the villains, that jet will leave us alone!" The other F-15 was circling the area where the last jet was destroyed, but John knew that it would be coming back shortly. As if on cue, the jet made a sharp bank in towards the street again for another pass. John poked his head out from the alleyway. "Here it comes!" He watched as the Eagle threw in it's afterburners and pushed itself down the street with a noise so loud, it completely shattered all windows in the area. "NOW!"
Saphira come quickly onto the street. No time to waste!
I am on my way little one, She replied. "The jet's climbing," John said. "We have less than two minutes before it gets back." John scanned the skies quickly for the jet. It suddenly appeared right in front of them. "This guy is too good!" John cursed. He watched as the jet moved in closer on them. Suddenly, a loud shriek filled the air only moments before the plane was ripped to pieces by Saphira's powerful claws.
Friend or not, no one hurts my Eragon! Eragon smiled at her comment. John looked up at the falling wreckage, but there was no sign of a parachute. "Okay, we have to get to that pilot. If we bring her into the base, it will increase our chances." John heard a deep pattern of thumps in the air. "Helicopters?" He turned around to see three AH-64 Apache attach choppers pushing toward their position. "Those jets must have called in for some more airpower. Can Saphira hold me too?"
"Yes," Eragon said. "But Jovak cannot come with us!" John watched as Saphira glided perfectly to the ground, but Jovak landed too hard and smacked his chin on the pavement.
Jovak, John told the hatchling. I want you to take shelter. Hide well. I will call for you when it is safe.
I must come as well, the dragon replied.
It is far too
dangerous. You are not as experienced as Saphira yet. John
quickly looked it over. Eragon was right, dragons do grow at an
alarming rate. In one day, the dragon was already up to his knee.
"Eragon, Jovak will stay hidden until we take care of those
choppers…?"
"Choppers?" Eragon asked. John sighed in
frustration. "Look behind you!" Instead of giving him a chance
to look, John grabbed him by his collar and hoisted him up onto
Saphira. "Move it…WE GOT TO GO NOW!"
You heard the man, Saphira, Eragon said. Lets show him what dragons are capable of.
Well, Saphira replied. Tell him to hold on to something cause here we go! Saphira pushed off of the ground and let her wings carry her. "If those choppers get close enough," John said. "It won't be pretty. Consider them as archers, Saphira. You wouldn't give an archer a clear shot in flight would you?" Saphira growled. "Those are armor piercing rounds that they carry, if it his any of us, we are done for!"
Those jets were fast, but are these different? Saphira asked Eragon. He asked John but the soldier only shook his head. "Focus on evading them! Use the skyscrapers…?"
"What?"
"The BUILDINGS!" Saphira quickly made a barrel roll to the left and dove in between a pair of high-rise buildings. John looked back to see that the Apache group was following close behind. "Have Saphira listen to me," he told Eragon. "There are a few moves we can do that can make things a lot more interesting."
Do as he says! Eragon told her.
"Saphira! Roll to the right and go beside that large sign on the hill! The only way that we get them to stop is if we stay close to landmarks and other important buildings." Saphira obeyed his orders and dove toward the massive sign that read "HOLLYWOOD."
"Land on the 'Y' in the middle and turn to face them!" Saphira once again obeyed his command and perched herself in the middle of the giant sign. "If they do attack, Take off quickly and climb straight up. If you have a shot use your fire!"
I sure hope you know what your doing! Saphira said. "Whatever happens, stay clear of the blades on top of them. They'll cut you to pieces." John watched as the tree helicopters positioned themselves to where they were hovering in front of the hillside. "Now what do we do?" Eragon asked impatiently. "Wave at them maybe?" John joked. "Hey it's worth a shot." John stepped off of Saphira and placed his feet on the letter of the sign. He began jumping and waving as if a rabid dog bit him. "Yo!" he screamed. "Notice the camouflage dudes? We are on your side!"
"Is it working?" Eragon asked.
"Only one way to find out! Saphira, lets fly to the pilot. If they follow, then they can radio it in and we are home free."
"If they do not?" Eragon asked.
What is a radio? Saphira asked. Eragon placed a finger to his mouth to shush her.
"We pick him up and take him to the base ourselves."
Saphira, lets go! Eragon said. She took off swiftly and climbed straight up.
"Did they follow?" Eragon asked. John looked back in time to see the three Apaches break through the cloud cover behind them. "I guess these guys are the dumb brutes!" John swore. "Dive her down and get low. We'll have them chase us until we reach him."
"Where did he fall?" Eragon asked. John pointed to the north. "Look for the biggest plume of smoke," he told him. "Since he is on American soil, I doubt if he started hoofing it back to base.
Hoofing, Saphira snorted. If I were a horse, I would be insulted!
Quiet Saphira, Eragon snapped. It was a figure of speech. Now dive girl. Show them what a dragon can do! Saphira turned belly up and dove downward at a straight ninty-degree angle, forcing the Apaches to lag behind. "Have her get just above the homes on the deck…?"
"These terms are confusing," Eragon said. "What is a deck?"
"THE GROUND ERAGON!" John screamed. "Keep her low to the ground, but make sure that she stays close to houses. It is the ROE code all pilots and military personnel must abide by." Saphira quickly pulled out of her dive and began flying over the rooftops of local homes. "Saphira, watch your tail! If you destroy any property, it's going to be far more difficult to reason with these guys!"
"I see the flames from the rubble ahead!" Eragon said. John held on to Eragon with one hand and reached into his backpack with his other one. "Hold it steady!" John said. "I'm going to find him!" He pulled out his 15x magnification scope that he kept spare and placed it up to his eye. "Bingo!" He exclaimed. "I see him. He is taking cover behind the buildings. He has a weapon so we have to approach with caution." He continued to watch through the scope as the pilot struggled to take his helmet off. "No way!" John gasped. The pilot wasn't a he…but a she. She was a beautiful girl with medium blonde hair and a lovely petite form. "If all the pilots are like her," John said. "I'd transfer to the Air Force right now."
He sounds like someone else I know, Eragon! Saphira joked.
Just get us over there!
John looked back over his shoulder to check the status of the military choppers. They were far behind, but they were still attempting to catch up. "Saphira," he said. "Land in the open where they can see us. We almost lost them."
I do not like these beasts! Saphira said. They are not intelligent and their ways of battle are preposterous!
"Set 'er down Saphira," Eragon said. John quickly jumped off of her saddle and swore. "My legs are killing me!"
"You'll get used to that, John," Eragon said, dismounting Saphira as well. He unsheathed Zor'ac, but John motioned for him to put it away. "She thinks we are bad guys remember?" John asked. "It will only make things worse when you have a sword drawn." He turned to face the wall where the female pilot was hiding. "Ma'am!" he called out. "We are not here to hurt you. My friend and I will come around the right flank of your position. Please hold your fire.
"Who the hell are you?" came a fierce reply.
"Feisty," Eragon smirked. "Good luck with this one."
"You're helping me too, wise guy!" John hissed. "I am Corporal John Conaway from EZ Company," he yelled to her.
"Who is your friend?"
"Eragon," John said. "He's not from around here. Are you going to trust us, or are we going to just yell from half a block away?"
I'm coming out," the pilot replied. "You can forget about me leaving my gun though!"
"We are here to help you!" Eragon exclaimed. "Choppers are coming!"
No they aren't! Saphira told him. They retreated. Eragon whispered the answer into his ear. "Okay, scratch that." John yelled. "No chopper. But we got a dragon that can fly…?"
"YOU BASTARDS!" Gunfire suddenly erupted from behind the buildings. "If it wasn't for that freak of nature, my wingman would still be alive!"
"If Saphira didn't step in," John explained. "Then we wouldn't be. I want to know what the hell you were thinking shooting at me? Jesus, I have the same digital Camouflage as the other soldiers out here. You could have killed us too if it weren't for Eragon 'who will have to explain himself later for'.
"Now I know that all you have is a Colt .45 and the only magazine you have is in the gun right now. Each mag holds seven shots and you wasted six of them. If I was not in the U.S Military, how would I know that?"
"Lucky guess," he heard her mutter. "If you come out we will take you to Edwards Base," John promised her. "We have some things we need to pick up. Do you have a working radio?"
"Okay fine!" She stepped out from the wall. "Lieutenant Lacy McDowell, 322 Fighter Wing." John snapped to attention and offered a salute. "At ease, jerk."
Wow, women are so nice here! Saphira said sarcastically.
Quiet down Saphira! Eragon exclaimed. John turned the salute into an improper one fingered gesture. "Thank you ma'am," he said, gritting his teeth. "Now that we have got our crap intact here, can we go now?"
