I discovered something about myself when writting a part of this chapter. For those characters I like (cannon or OC), I'm nice as an angel to them. Oh bad things do happen every now and again for story purposes, but in the main thier lives are happy, they are not permamently harmed or such like, and their lives are filed with laughter and joy.
But... with the Bad Guys... I'm a right sadist. All but two of my big bad guys have died. Altiel was just more poetic, and a little humourous I hope. And as for Iblis... just HOW could you kill someone like that?
But back to those who died. I noticed something. The more sadistic, nasty and downright evil the character is, the more horrific their end. Now, rather than explore just what this means for my character, lets get back to our heroes...
Part II - Chapter 5
String's grin had faded into a scowl as he made his sixth run. The mountain was still refusing to yield despite the pounding they had inflicted. A column of smoke and steam rose from their impact site, but not even Airwolf's scanners could tell just how far they had burned. If they took much longer...
"What's Goliath's position?"
Behind him Catlin tapped furiously. "He's on approach to the bridge, KITT just a... oh my god!"
"What is it?" String asked, concerned at the horror in his wife's voice.
"Garthe must have had his men target the bridge! Over a third has collapsed! They're trapped!"
Horror struck, String looked down at the monitor by his knee, which showed the old bridge. The missing section was clear.
KITT can make that jump.
The text scrolling across the top of the screen was a shock. "Airwolf... are you sure?" String asked carefully.
I believe in him.
String shivered slightly. Airwolf had been growing for years now, but he was still unsure about her development over the last few years. In those early years she'd been very logical, clinical. But lately... it was as if she was developing emotions...
Shaking off that line of thought for the moment, string focused on going on his seventh run, cursing his aged and slowly failing body as he did. Even flying was an effort these days, and he had to double check everything he did. His eyes tired easily, and there was a noticeable delay in his reflexes now, were as before he was as fast as lightning...
Suddenly an angry red glow appeared in the depths of the cloud his lasers were spearing into, and he felt the controls jump in his hands. The stick was hauled back and left as the throttle leapt to full. The mountain side streamed past, but not before he caught a glimpse of molten red.
Behind him Saint-John's heart was in his mouth when he saw String's helicopter outlined by this sudden red glow. Then the helicopter shifted, and it's place taken by a stream of molten rock.
"It worked! I can't believe it actually worked!" Seb was yelling over the radio as the four helicopters pulled back. Six sets of eyes were fixed on the spectacle below.
The lava was jetting out of the mountain side like water from a high-pressure hose, reaching nearly three hundred feet into the air and almost twice that out. Where the stream finally touched the ground fires were already running wild, flanking a thick but rapidly accelerating river of lava that was streaming down river. The tiny creek vanished in a cloud of steam as the super heated, liquid rock swept over it.
"God in Heaven..." String heard Catlin whisper behind him.
Nodding slowly, he tabbed the communication system. "Airwolf 1 to Red Star."
The screen flickered before Michael and Marella's faces appeared, static lancing the image. Hawke, what's going out there?" Michael called. "The seismographs we're monitoring are going crazy!"
A tired smile appeared on Strings' face. "The plan worked Michael. We have an eruption, and there's no sign of any secondary ones."
Michael's face didn't relax however. "What about the Knights?"
String's smile faded. "They're..." He started, turning to look once more at the ruined bridge.
What he was about to say died in his throat however when he saw that the car, KITT, had not stopped. In fact it appeared to be going flat out, racing across the first half of the bridge. Then, just as it seemed it was going to plunge into the broken section, the nose jumped up and the car flew into the air. String watched in surprise and awe as the black Trans-Am sailed through the air over the yawing hole, to land almost gracefully on the road just feet from the edge. The rear swung wide as they rounded the bend but it pulled straight as they shot down the road, heading downstream and away from the lava.
String relaxed. "They've crossed the bridge. Goliath is trapped on the other side, no chance to escape."
"Damn!" Michael's tone caused String to tense once more. After a deep breath he went on. "We just got an update on that area. The high pass they are planning to use to escape is blocked. Mudslide. The only way out now is the low road..."
"Michael, you know as well as I that they'll never make it, not with the way that lava's going..."
"What the?" River's startled yelp caused String to snap his eyes up... just in time to see one of their four helicopters diving down, towards the valley below.
"Sin-jin?"
"Not me." His elder brother replied.
"Airwolf. It's Airwolf." Catlin stated from behind him.
String was stunned. What was she doing? "Airwolf? This is captain Hawke. Pull up now."
The helicopter continued to dive.
"Airwolf, I'm giving you a direct order. Pull up now! There's nothing you can do!"
But the black and white helicopter just plunged into the smoke and ash rising from the canyon.
-KR-AW-KW-
Goliath II was stopped on the central span of the bridge, the timbers groaning under the incredible weight of the monstrous truck. At the wheel Garthe was furious, his eyes wild with rage. So blinded by his anger was he that he had not taken any notice of the jet of lava that arced over the peaks nearby.
His crew however had, and many were edging towards the doors, wanting to get off this exposed bridge.
One of the cab gunners swallowed his nerves and leaned forwards. "Sir... we should get off this bridge..."
Garthe swung round sharply, eyes blazing. "I am NOT letting Michael Knight escape! Get..." A growing shape behind the man drew his gaze, and he trailed off as he looked closer. Then a maniacal gleam entered his eye.
"It's that helicopter again! Fire! Take it down!"
Along Goliath's length the gun ports opened up and the guns emerged. Lines of tracer leapt out, curling back and forth across the canyon. The minigun at the rear of the cab section sent a broad spear of rounds that ripped apart the ground.
The helicopter jinked and twisted around the lines of tracer, flirting and running along them like a surfer with a wave. The howl of her engines reached crescendo as it streaked past underneath them, breaking the sound barrier as it did. Goliath II rocked under the effect of the sonic boom.
Garthe snarled and glared after it. "What are you waiting for? FIRE!"
But the men didn't hear him. Each and every one of them was staring in horror up the canyon from whence the helicopter had come. A surge of liquid red, mottled with lighter streaks, was surging down the canyon. The water boiled and the few plants burst into flame before the clearly super-heated molten rock even reached them. Above the lava was a thick cloud of ash and smoke. And the whole lot was coming right at them.
It started with one, then a second, and then the rear doors of the trailer were shoved open and the entire crew began to run, abandoning Garthe and Goliath, running for the perceived safety of the bank.
Garthe snarled when he realised the men were leaving him, and snatched up a sub-machine gun, intending to climb out and make them come back. But as he reached for the door he looked up... and saw the on coming ash cloud.
The thick Redwood struts that held the central section up were massively thick and a couple of centuries old. The outer layers began to burn, but the inner core remained unharmed. But then the lava touched them, and the molten rock turned the wood to ash instantly. The sudden loss of material caused the bridge to lurch, the roadway tearing as the upper section distorted, the disintegrating beams being dragged by the heavy flow. A few of the men stumbled when the bridge lurched, and fell down the mountain side as the bridge broke away and crumpled. The rest ran, but the wave of ash and smoke overtook them.
Further down the canyon KITT was pushing his turbine and chassis to the limit, driving as fast as he and Michael could go. But KITT knew that there was no way for them to escape. Not this time. He'd known ever since the garbled warning about the washed out road had come over the communication suite, which he'd confirmed. The low road wound all the way down to the canyon floor, which went on for several miles. The lava would over take them before they escaped.
Michael and Bonnie appeared to also know the futility of their situation. Although Michael was the sort who never, ever gave up no matter how hopeless the situation, KITT could see that he was holding Bonnie's hand tightly, both clearly taking comfort in the tactile contact between them.
"At least the kids will be safe..." Bonnie murmured.
"We're not dead yet." Michael countered, but there was almost no hope in his tone.
KITT scanned behind him once more. The ash and smoke was closing, the glow from the molten rock catching up. The lava itself would not be far behind. Already the brush and half dead undergrowth was catching alight. The air temperature outside was already over ninety.
"Michael..." Bonnie began.
As Michael opened his mouth a new sound rent the air, barely heard over the noise of KITT's turbine or the slipstream. But it was there, and KITT heard it.
"Airwolf..."
-KR-AW-KW-
Airwolf flew like she never had before. Her turbines were howling as she pushed them to the limit. The heat rising from the surging river of lava, not to mention the ash and smoke, made flying hellishly difficult. Goliath fired on her, but she dived beneath the bridge, her turbos kick in as she did. As she raced down the canyon, Airwolf was only vaguely aware of the bridge sinking into the lava behind her: her entire focus was on catch up with and rescuing KITT. Her downdraft fanned smouldering embers into full fires, the little water in the creek was whipped into a frenzy, but she didn't care. Her whole attention was on finding that other man-made object.
The flicker of light on a metallic surface marked her target, and she swooped down behind him, slowing enough to pace him. Within KITT Michael looked over his shoulder, a small grin forming on his face. "Your lady's here to pick us up KITT."
"Michael..." Despite their situation, KITT's single word had both amusement and exasperation in it.
Above and behind them, Airwolf was already reaching into her circuits, adjusting systems and probing the devices attached. Changes were made, some systems held off while others were forced to act in a way not like they had be designed to do.
At least she was ready. Bringing the added generator to full power, she deployed the ADF pod as she moved to hover over KITT. But now the ground foiled her. The terrain was rugged and heavily wooded, the road twisting about. Furious, she scanned ahead, looking for a better spot. There was a straight section of road ahead, but with tall trees on the one side...
Airwolf would of shrugged if she could of. They're going to be incinerated by the lava anyway... She thought as she powered ahead, before wheeling round, guns deployed.
Michael and Bonnie in confusion as Airwolf swung around, hovering stationary ahead of them. Both jumped however when she opened fire, the hail of bullets and shells scything through the tree trunks a few feet from the ground. Slowly she yawed right, sweeping her line of fire along. First one, then another, and then another tree toppled, their trunks blown apart.
Satisfied with her work, Airwolf pitched forwards, accelerating once more. KITT burst out of the trees and into the newly opened space, Airwolf right above. With the trees gone, she was able to stay above him and lower herself, until with a thunk the laser pod touched his roof.
"What is she doing?" Michael yelled, peering out at the white belly that filled the air above, his voice almost drowned out by her rotors.
Bonnie frowned, but it was KITT who answered. "Michael, she's set up a powerful magnetic field around her lasers. She intends to air lift us out!" Even as he spoke he was using his mag-lock system, normally used to remotely lock the brakes on other cars, to attach himself to her. Airwolf sunk a few inches lower, her ADF pod half retracting, till her belly was flush with KITT's roof. KITT now used the entire surface area to clamp them together.
Bonnie's eyes closed. "I was afraid of that..." She muttered.
Airwolf went to full power, and slowly they began to rise. But the trees were coming up fast...
With a roar KITT's turbo boosters fired, the high-output rockets pushing them both upwards. With her nose pointed towards sky, Airwolf sent a simple message to KITT's display.
Hang on
"Hang on?" Michael echoed, confusion in his voice.
At that moment, Airwolf fired her turbos.
The ear shattering roar stunned the pair within KITT, who were both forced back into their seats from the gee forces. The ground below blurred as their speed increased dramatically. Bonnie clamped her eyes shut, clinging on both the door and Michael hand tightly. Michael grimaced as she nearly crushed his hand but didn't complain: he knew how she felt about flying.
As she emerged from the canyon Airwolf's engines howled in victory.
-KR-AW-KW-
Mike Rivers shook his head as he watched Airwolf fly out with that car stuck to her belly. The three human piloted craft had paced her progress alongside the canyon, watching and hoping. They all had, in their own way, gotten fond of and attached to that AI. It was through Airwolf that they all met each other, after all.
"Airwolf, report status."
All systems nominal. KITT and Knights safe. Airwolf's reply to Captain Hawkes query was her more normal, professional self.
Then a new line appeared.
Mission Accomplished
"Is it?" Mike asked aloud, and as one they all, human and AI alike, focused their attention down on the canyon. The river of lava was slowing, no longer as liquid as it had been when it emerged from underground. The smoke and ash now rose only from the edges, leaving a streak of angry red crawling across the north-western Wyoming badlands.
Airwolf was the first to find Goliath II, and without comment she sent the image to the other helicopters, KITT and Red Star.
Goliath II was part submerged in the lava, a hard black shape against the angry red. The tires were aflame, and they could see that the lava had found some of the open hatches, as smoke streamed from the monster. The half buried stinger pod bulged before a jet of flame erupted from the forward end. Bright yellow streaks leapt into the air as bullet cooked off, the rounds themselves melting even as they went off. As the flow continued to push the truck over more lava gushed in.
They continued to watch as Goliath slowly rolled onto its side, sinking deeper and deeper. The trailer was glowing a dark, muted red. Slowly the top turret fell off, almost flopping down into the lava. Quickly it sank down, the lava enveloping it.
A bubble formed from under the cab, lifting the side up as the lava expanded. When it burst it was clear that one of the fuel tanks had blown. Goliath began to sink more quickly now, the redness in her sides growing stronger, lighter.
Suddenly the door on the side was flung open, and something climbed out. Catlin gasped as the man shaped figure stood upright, flames licking up his back and arms. The cane in one hand was burning to ash before their eyes, and for an instant Garthe's burnt face could be seen, a mask of pure hatred.
Then the flames enveloped him, and the human torch staggered forwards... and fell off the truck. Further back the side of the trailer stretched, the weight of the axles and turrets pulling it apart. A gap appeared, and then the entire side split apart, the top and bottom sections falling away. Lava had already filled the interior, with more bubbles forming as ammo and fuel cooked off.
As the exposed corner of the cab began to visibly deform and melt, String called them all. "We're done here. Let's go home."
As one the four helicopters banked away, the others unconsciously forming up around their laden comrade.