Chapter 08: Airborne

"I'll never get used to these things," Grossberg told Edison as they sat in the back of Rik's pedicab.

Rik still owned his rickshaw. But the pedicab was much faster and there was no time to waste.

"You'd be surprised how quickly you get used to things you think you wouldn't," Edison remarked. "It took me only three days to get used to not working for Network 23 anymore."

"You hated them when you left," Grossberg pointed out. "That usually helps."

"True," Edison agreed.

High above them, the cry of a bird drifted through the afternoon sky.

"What on Earth is Edison doing with Grossberg?" Bryce wondered. "Odd. And even odder to see Grossberg in a pedicab."

Buzzardo flew down and alit upon the pedicab.

"Never thought you two would get together again," the bird said in the voice Bryce had programmed for it.

"Urgent circumstances," Grossberg told him "Are you Cyberhawk?"

"I am Buzzardo," the bird told him.

"Someone's a Blue Oyster Cult fan," Grossberg muttered to Edison.

"I am the eyes and ears of Cyberhawk since he cannot be in two places at once." Buzzardo explained. "What is the problem?"

"My little girl is missing," Grossberg confessed. Now was not the time for ego."

"So, you're Lisa Manning's father," Buzzardo considered. "That explains why the PIper took her. I shall continue my search for her."

"The Piper contacted me earlier today," Grossberg told him. "Does that help?"

"It might, if he didn't use a Blank phone," Buzzardo said. "Cyberhawk will come to your place shortly. Keep Edison at your side. Just in case things get problematic before Cyberhawk gets there."

"When do you expect Cyberhawk to be here?" Edison asked the bird.

"I'm just leaving Dan's place now," Cyberhawk told him.

Grossberg recognized Bryce's voice on the link.

"That's two hours the way traffic is going," Edison said.

"I don't have two hours," Grossberg told them.

"I'm going to try something," Cyberhawk told them. "If this works, I'll be there in roughly ten minutes.

"Drive fast," Cyberhawk told Dan as they sped along the old abandoned stretch of highway.

"Where exactly do you intend to go on this road?" Dan asked as Cyberhawk touched the button that brought the roof down.

Cyberhawk stood up in his seat.

"Are you mad?!" Dan shouted. "Sit the fuck down now!"

"I hope this works," Cyberhawk told him, as he touched his watch.

"Isn't your costume a hologram?" Dan reminded him as he watched the wings, reminiscent of Buzzardo's unfold from his brother's back..

"Yes," Cyberhawk told him. "But my wings aren't…"

"Is that where you were this afternoon?" Dan demanded. "Getting yourself even more mutilated?"

"I would hardly call this mutilation," Cyberhawk remarked, flexing his wings.

"I was going to ask if they moved, but they apparently do," Dan admitted. "But can you fly with them?"

"Let's find out," Cyberhawk said, as he beat his wings powerfully against the rushing wind.

In moments, he was airborne.

"Mom's gonna kill you," Dan muttered.