We're really getting to the climax here - also, recommended lisetening for the helicopter: http : / / www . youtube . com / watch ? v = GGU1P6lBW6Q
Review replies;
Zim'sMostLoyalServant: Yeah, that bit was fun to write. :D Thanks for reading!
TweenisodeOrange: Sorry about that - I wanted to use the fired joke. :P Here is a helicopter ride to make up for it! Thanks for the review.
Chapter Eleven: Helicopter Joy Ride
The Hind sat on the side of the road, the frost melting into its bright-grey winter coat. Its pilot sat on the wing, playing with his watch.
His co-pilot strode up to him and pointed behind him.
"Dasha, I'm done with the can," he explained.
"Finally," growled Dasha, "I've been waiting forever!"
Dasha headed for the small portable toilet used by the troops for business. He yawned as he shut the door behind him.
"Sorry, man," a voice apologised, "I'm gonna have to borrow you for a minute."
A teenaged boy materialised before him. Dasha opened his mouth to scream, but was silenced as the boy literally flew into his body.
Act natural, Danny thought to himself.
He walked up to the helicopter, the others sticking close to him. The co-pilot raised an eyebrow as they approached.
"You're being followed by civvies," he noted.
"Uh…da," nodded Danny, "They're…cadets, but we didn't have any uniforms for them. I'm supposed to run them through the controls of th-the Hind."
"Babysitting, huh?" mused the co-pilot, "Alright. I guess I'll have to mingle with the krutil'nyĭ otboĭnyĭ yas for a while, then. Uvidimsya pozzhe."
The co-pilot ambled away.
"Oh, by the way," he announced, turning around.
Danny gulped.
"Nice costumes," complimented the co-pilot, and he went on his way.
Spongebob and Bloo glanced at each other.
"OK, here goes," gulped Danny.
He climbed into the cockpit and strapped himself in, while the others climbed into the back.
"Hold on, guys," called Danny, "This is gonna suck."
Danny's experience at flying helicopters came from the same computer simulation that had taught him to land a space shuttle – save for the fact that unlike the shuttle simulation, Danny rarely used helicopters. He could access the pilot's knowledge, but he still felt nerves as he activated the engine.
His knuckles turned white as he clutched the stick. Slowly, the Hind raised into the air, the tremendous noise deafening anyone without earplugs unlucky enough to be close by.
"OK, the easy part is over," shuddered Danny, "Wish me luck…"
He pushed forward on the helicopter.
The nose of the Hind rocked downwards. Giving a startled yelp, Danny pulled on the stick, and the nose raised violently. Panicking, Danny pushed forward again, somewhat more delicately. The helicopter began to float forward, heading for the fortress.
"…and there we go," sighed Danny, "Should be clear sailing from here…"
There was a sudden flash from the fortress. Danny gave another scream and pushed the stick to the right. The helicopter veered to the right as a rocket thundered past.
"What was that?" Spongebob called from the back.
"I think they know we're coming!" Danny called back.
Danny glanced to his left. A small automated SAM (Surface to Air Missile) battery had been set up on the ramparts of the fortress, and was being reloaded to fire again. With a burst of smoke, another missile was fired. Danny jerked the stick to left and towards him, and the chopper rocked out of the way.
"Alright, is that how you wanna play it," snarled Danny.
He turned the helicopter to face the SAMs, and pulled the trigger on the stick. Two rockets were fired from under the wings of the Hind. With a loud boom, the battery exploded.
Danny brought the chopper forwards, halting it over the roof of the fortress. He gulped once more. He'd reached the hardest part – landing.
Gently working the pedals below him, Danny lowered the helicopter over the roof. However, the helicopter was still moving forward slowly when he landed and with a loud crack, the landing gear snapped off. The chopper slithered roughly forward towards the edge of the icy roof.
It glided to the end of the roof…and came to a halt just a few millimetres before falling.
Danny wiped his drenched brow, and unbuckled himself.
"Thank you for flying Air Fenton," he groaned, "Never make me do that again."
"Combined operations, Lieutenant."
The Major from the Green Berets paced before Bishop, his men and the GiW, who were packed in a small, frostbitten office in the Moscow CBG. Bishop scowled – the Major was drenched in an aura of arrogance.
"This son of a b***h Grim has stolen from us," continued the Major, "Several pieces of advanced technology disappeared from…an airbase in Nevada earlier this week. Around the same time, Ivan lost a few…fragments from a base at Tunguska, in Siberia. "We want our s**t back, Lieutenant, and we're willing to work together to get it."
He gave the Force Recon men a disdainful glare.
"Major Ivanov and I have talked, and we've come to a strategic conclusion," he continued, "You'll be working alongside forces of the Moscow Military District to cut off the fortress and keep the defenders busy, while we'll join the Spetsnaz and infiltrate the premises. All goes well, we'll have this done by midnight."
"Sir," interrupted Sergeant Mark Gavin, "We're Force Recon. Wouldn't it be a good idea to send us to get Grim?"
"No it would not," snapped the Major, "You don't have the expertise we need for this mission. Now, you're gonna wait here for further orders. Operatives, follow me."
The Major walked out of the room, the GiW reluctantly following.
"What an a**hole!" exclaimed Sergeant Ted Morrissey.
"I don't know," mused Sergeant Patrick O'Reilly, "The b*****d does have a point. I mean, nobody here wants their a*se shot off, do they?"
"Oh, so you like being dragged halfway across the world to baby-sit Spec Ops?" demanded Sergeant Gregorio Rourke.
"…this been going on for long, Baker?" asked Bishop.
"Ever since you left, LT," shrugged Sergeant James Baker.
There was a sudden knock at the door. Bishop sighed, and walked up to open.
"Sir, what…" he began.
It was not, however, the Major. It was a fellow in a blue hat, looking somewhat worried.
"Listen, don't ask how I got in here," he began, "The name's Merc, and I need your help."
Grim left the dungeon, a smug grin on his face. He did not, however, ascend to the main castle. He instead took a left, down a corridor towards a large door labelled 'DO NOT ENTER.'
The Turners had arrived, which was fine enough, but small on the grand scheme of things. He had Tootie in his grasp, and those fools seeking to bring him down had quite literally flown to his wrath. Everything was coming together.
Grim entered the secret room, unaware of the invisible eyes watching him.
Vlad shook his head as he reappeared.
"Sorry, Ovard," he snarled, "But I'm afraid your little empire is about to fall apart…"
Everything begins to come together...
