SC: I really just don't have much to say… except that I'm totally excited right now because Kisa, Alphonse, and Ember got nominated to the PFGs! Squee! And if you don't know what the PFGs are, they are the Psychonauts Fanfiction Grammies. So, to whoever nominated them for the Best Camper and Best OC award, thanks SO much! Go to the forums and vote for them please!
Disclaimer: SpontaneousCombustion does not own Psychonauts or any of its characters, just the ones she made up. Three of whom are nominated. W00T! (Hehe, sorry. I'm gonna let it drop now.)
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Chapter 21
A Hunch
"I can't believe you did this." Al muttered as he stared out a window of the GRAND HEAD'S private jet. White cloud greeted him.
"So you've said twelve times." Kisa told him, tapping away on the control panels in the cockpit. "Besides, this thing is totally tracker proof. Gramp's is paranoid and thinks that if the agency gets invaded or something they're actually gonna try to track this thing. Only way to do it is with his key card… which is coincidentally in my back pocket."
Sarah finally spoke up. "Kisa, this isn't a game."
"Don't you think I know that?" The Aquato snapped, rounding on the girl. "Knowing that is the whole reason I'm doing this! No one else will step up to find our parents and the Coach and Ember, so I have to! So just shut up about this not being a game! I've known that since I was born you idiot!" She said, her voice getting higher with every word. Kisa slapped a hand over her mouth as the last words left her mouth. "I-I… Sarah, I didn't mean that."
Sarah nodded, her eyes wide with fear and shock from this outburst. "I know. You're just stressed out."
"Yeah, tell me about it. I'm gonna have a rap sheet at fourteen for stealing my grandpa's private jet." Kisa chuckled, trying to blow it over as nothing and failing.
Al finally turned away from the window. "So, do we have a plan?"
Kisa looked surprised that he was speaking again. "Yeah, actually. See, the setup in this thing can track another Psychonaut issue jet's Psitanium signature for up to five days. I've set the computer on search mode to find out what jet grandpa issued our parents and it'll be a simple matter of just setting the autopilot to follow the trail." She paused. "I think."
"You think?"
Kisa shrugged awkwardly. "Well… I'm not exactly a tech expert. I set up the search, but I don't know if it'll actually be able to catch on to it this far awa-" She stopped as there was a slight 'ping' from the cockpit. "Hey! It worked!" Kisa said, sounding quite surprised and running toward the large doors. She returned a moment later with a list in her hand. "Okay, I've got the jet, but I can't get the tracking device working."
Al stood up. "Whoever brought the jet down has to have a lot of power. They could have disabled the device already or may just be cloaking it. You said this thing could follow Psitanium trails, right?" Kisa nodded, astounded at Al's sudden willingness to cooperate. "Let me see that sheet." She handed it over and he walked into the control room. Kisa and Sarah glanced at each other before following after him.
Alphonse was moving his fingers so quickly over the console's many boards, neither girl thought it humanly possible. "What are you doing?" Kisa asked, looking at the flashing computer screen.
"Speed reading." He told her without pulling his eyes away.
"One of his more annoying habits." Sarah said with an annoyed sigh, going back over to her seat and her 'Vogue.' Don't ask me where she gets all these magazines; ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies. Or get really confused as to what happened to the Seventeen magazine she was reading last chapter.
Kisa shook her head, sitting on the arm of his chair. "No, I meant what's all this?" She asked, pointing at the screen.
"Trajectory calculations, tracking signals, radar, stuff like that. The only way to take control of a Psychonaut standard issue jet, which is what this one was, is to either tamper with the Psitanium powering it, and by tamper I mean forcibly remove, or have a larger amount to take control."
"But there's no amount of Psitanium anywhere that could take control of the jets. They're powered by a boulder of the stuff strapped to their backs." Kisa said, confused.
"Exactly. But according to the trackers, the jet went down about here." He brought a graph up on the screen which showed the jets takeoff, a straight flight path with the regular little ups and downs of turbulence, and then a sharp drop.
"So… what, the jet went down?" She gasped, a note of panic entering her voice.
Al looked up at her. "Not exactly. This tracks the Psitanium signature of a certain jet, not the jet itself. I'm trying to alter the program to the jet's serial number, but it's not working, hence the trajectory charts."
Kisa smiled at him and gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're brilliant." As Alphonse blushed, he could hear Sarah scoff 'Oh, gag me' quietly behind them. "So, where do your charts of awesomeness say that the jet went?"
He blinked, getting back on task. "Well, the trail goes down at an angle, like this." He said, opening a 3D model of the graph. "That means that, when the Psitanium was removed from the plane, it didn't go straight down."
"The plane was turning?" Kisa guessed.
Al nodded. "Exactly. So, by using the angle of the fall, I managed to figure out where the plane turned and how far and how fast it was going. I should have the results in just a second…" He grinned triumphantly as another simulation jumped up, showing him the flight path. "Bingo!"
"Alright, genius boy, so where's it heading?" Sarah asked, tossing her magazine down and walking over.
Al began his furious typing again. "Well, assuming that the plane was being drawn directly toward the larger Psitanium source that took over and therefore flew on a straight path…" He frowned. "No way… that's not possible!"
"What?" Both girls asked at once.
He shook his head. "This is insane, but… the nearest Psitanium source large enough to overpower the plane is at Whispering Rock!"
Kisa gasped. "Ford's sanctuary!"
"What?" The twins asked, and two pairs of navy blue eyes focused on her. Kisa quickly gave them a shortened version of what went on below the camp.
"You know," Al muttered, crossing his arms thoughtfully, "If someone could hack into Ford's systems, then it would be very easy to take control of a Psychonaut's jet."
"Great, so, what? We've got a psychic terrorist who's a world class hacker now too?" Sarah asked.
"Apparently." Al said, answering even though it was obvious Sarah didn't want him to. "Looks like we're heading back to Whispering Rock." He sighed, typing the destination into the autopilot.
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"This place is really… quiet… without anyone here." Sarah whispered, scooching closer to Alphonse. He rolled his eyes and pushed her away.
"Sarah, you haven't been scared of the dark since you were six. You don't need me to hold your hand."
Sarah glanced pointedly down at her brother's hand, which was grasping Kisa's, fingers entwined. "Yeah, I see you're busy doing that for someone else."
Both Kisa and Al were grateful that the lamps weren't working so Sarah couldn't see them blush. "We've got a bigger problem. With none of the lights working, how are we going to make it down to Ford's sanctuary?" Al asked.
"Where is it, anyway? You never told us how to get there, Kisa." Sarah said, pouting.
Kisa grinned. "Oh, you guys are gonna LOVE this…"
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"Kisa Aquato, you are a cruel, evil woman." Sarah growled as she stood up, wiping dirt and soot off of her clothes.
"I know. I shall have to pay later." Kisa sighed sarcastically. "I'd kinda hoped that the train would be fixed by now, but…"
Al shrugged. "At least the lights work down here."
Sarah pouted still, but it was less obvious. "I guess…"
There was a small sigh from Kisa. "Let's just go…"
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SC: Cliffhanger! Yes, yes. I know. You all hate me. But I had to do it. My bestest friend is threatening me (or she will if I don't post this soon) with physical bodily harm if I didn't post it… which I really shouldn't be too scared of, since she's over a thousand miles away right now… I don't know. Short people are scary when they're mad.
Review please! Ja ne
SC