CH 108
Harold knew having his picture with Joan was worth the extra money he didn't get from the plane sale. It was an advertising coup for him to have a picture of Joan Connor with him, buying a plane. He also noted Joan and Bob stayed to study and even studied wile they had lunch here, then dinner. These two were serious about flying. Much more so than some of his other customers. Since airlines were so expensive now, he figured more people were going to want their own aircraft, and having a high profile sports celebrity here would bring him plenty of business.
He could now afford to buy all those tires those damn rats had chewed through.
.
The next few days, Joan and Bob's life was learning how to fly their new plane. They studied on the way back to their dark apartment, quizzed each other then in the morning, took turns asking each other questions on the way to the airport.
In the plane, Harold had a 'cheat sheet' on radio calls with the 'tower' and takeoff and landing procedures for the air strip and the water. By noon, Joan had done her first 'touch and go' exercises. First on the runway, then on the lake. After lunch it was Bob's turn to take off with Harold, fly around the airport then land under Harold's guidance to power up and take off again. Later in the afternoon, they both took their pilot's written tests and passed. They each then got a flight plan to another airport. Called the tower to request a touch and go practice landing, then flew back to their 'home' airport. During this exercise they had to fly by compass - Harold turned the GPS off. Partway though the flight, he also turned the engine off and had them do a recovery. He also had them recover from a stall. This got Joan a little nervous, but she recovered from it fine.
Training day two, they had a longer flight test. While Joan took hers, Bob called the garage to see about the tired for the Bronco. The orders were so many, his wouldn't be in until the middle of next week at the soonest. This test was flying to Houston, gassing up and coming back. Harold only sat and watched unless they were about to make a mistake. After they each performed their flight, it was more touch and go's.
Day three, they each had to do a solo flight by a flight plan Harold made. Harold listened to their coms and watched the flights. Going back into his office, he proclaimed them now sport pilots, printed out and and signed their licenses.
Day four, they got their luggage into their plane, thanked Harold again and took off for home with Joan in the pilot seat. This time she was able to use the auto-pilot and GPS system. Once she got to altitude and speed, she put the fight plan into the auto pilot and the GPS system, then sat back and watched her plane fly on course and speed. This was much more relaxing than driving a car. Shorter too.
In 3 hours, they were coming up on Driftwood. Joan took the autopilot off and slowed as she descended and looked at the town below.
"That's Driftwood, our lake is over on the right," Bob noted. He looked down at the trees. "I'm not seeing any big winds."
"Nope, keep watching as we get closer." Joan said. She flew over the town then banked around to line up with the lake, slowing again as she got closer to the ground. In her head she ran through a water landing. Gear up, steady speed as they passed low over Gramma and Grandpa's house she lowered the flaps and settled down towards the lake surface, slight to angle on the nose. Approaching the water slowly, she felt the bump as they hit the water. She used the prop controls to reverse the prop and felt them slowing quickly. A head popped up to the side. Joan was really glad it wasn't right in front of them.
Slowly down to only a few knots, Joan saw their dock and drove over to it, and slowed to a crawl. She got the plane stopped nose on to the end of the dock and shut the engine down. Bob got out and stepped onto the dock and found a rope to tie the plane in place.
At the house, John, Jackie, Daniel and Louise came out to see who was here. In the yard, the alligator stood up and ambled towards them. Joan passed their luggage out to Bob as their family came down to meet them.
Jackie ran down though the yard past the alligator to gape at Joan and Bob. "A plane?" she cried.
"Yeah, it was quicker than fighting traffic," Bob replied.
Jackie was then bumped aside as the alligator pushed her to rub it's snout on Joan. Joan bent down and petted his snout and head. "Ohhh you missed me?" she asked.
Mouth shut, the alligator got it's nose on Joan's belly and pushed her backwards into the water, then dove in after her. As her family laughed, the alligator waited until Joan was in shallow enough water to stand up then put it's neck on a shoulder and front claw on her other shoulder. It wanted wanted a water-hug.
"Buy, borrow or steal?" Jackie asked as she looked at Bob and pointed to the plane.
"Joan bought it. We got pilot's licenses now too," Bob explained.
"I take it all the tires in Dallas have been chewed through?" John asked.
"Most," Bob explained. "We had a bad case of those Demon rats. No electric, tires chewed, furniture, just about everything. You'd think with all the injuries and deaths those things caused, the last think you'd see is idiots protesting the fact we were trying to kill them!"
"The brainless at work," Jackie said with a grin.
"How are things here?" Joan asked, and pushed the alligator's front feet up onto the dock.
"We've had a time of it. Took a couple days to get rid of all those rats. I imagine it was much worse in the city," John told her.
"Yeah, it really sucked," Joan said, then dropped down into water to lift the alligator's back feet up so she could crawl onto the dock.
Once the alligator was out and back on the dock, Joan climbed out, Bob and Jackie helped. The now dripping wet Joan told her Father, "We only got a couple weeks home, then we have to fly to Los Angeles for our playoffs game."
"Ah Joan, the coach said we're taking a bus," Bob reminded her.
Joan frowned. "Bob, we have our own plane now."
"And who's to say we'll be able to find gas so we can get back home?' Bob asked.
John offered, "Joan, in the complying states, gas is being rationed out. Unless you can take what you're going to need with you, You might get there to find you can't get the gas you need to get back."
Joan realized he was right. "Damn," she grumbled. "Well we only used a little over three quarters of a tank to get here."
"And we only flew about 300 miles," Bob said. "At that rate it will take us tree or four tanks of gas just to get there."
"Man," Joan grumbled with a frown.
"Joan, how about if we don't worry about that. Right now, just plan on going on the bus. Things may change," John offered.
Joan let out a huff. "Yeah, OK." she said in a huff. "We should go see Allie and your Mom."
.
At their dock in California they were diverted to, the Chinese ship let the armed inspectors on board. The manifest listed several 'confidential' containers. The inspectors had them off loaded. One was full of crates the drug dogs alerted on. Opening it up, they found drugs hidden in teddy bears. Another was full of Chinese made fully automatic AK 47's and ammunition. The ship was seized, the crew, which was large, 50 people above normal, all went to holding areas and were charged with smuggling. Before he left the ship, the radio operator sent a message to the other ships inbound : Do not port in the US - they were waiting for us.
John Henry also received that warning. He passed it on to Catherine Weaver, along with the position of the other two ships.
Catherine called Cameron, Delilah and Kaede into a meeting in her cabin. She explained what was happening and added, "The third ship is fairly close by, 75 miles in front of us. We can catch it in two days. Both ships are headed for Mexico. If we hurry, and yes I instructed the Captain to proceed at maximum speed, we can catch and sink both ships. One tomorrow, and the other on it's way to Mexico."
"Sink them?' Cameron asked. "Isn't that a little obvious?"
Catherine eyed her. "So is nuking a ship. That didn't seen to bother you much."
"That was different," Delilah said. "Those nukes could not be allowed to reach Iran, we all know that."
"The scale if different, but not the intent. The Mexican government is being replaced by criminals," Catherine stated. "Criminals supplied by another country to expand their influence. That has to be stopped."
Kaede poked Cameron on the shoulder. Cameron spoke in Japanese and explained Weaver's plan.
"And us four are going to sink ships?" Kaede asked.
"We are," Cameron stated. "On approach, Delilah and myself shoot to destroy communications, We get closer, you punch holes in the ship, below the waterline if you can. Once we have destroyed the comms and ship controls, we join you in putting big holes in it all along one side. We then sail away and move on to the next target."
Kaede grinned, "So, when do we start?"
"Tomorrow, as soon as we see that ship."
.
Catherine refined their attack a little. Catching the ship on radar, Catherine had the captain run beside it a mile away, then she jumped into the water to go board the ship. Climbing up on the freighter, Catherine killed crew and destroyed the radio room, GPS system and emergency radio. Once the guards and bridge crew was dead, and there was no way to communicate out she turned the ship south. Jumping off the ship, she returned to the boat.
Turning to the north, the boat passed close by the freighter going south. As they passed, Plasma bolts blasted into the ship's hull, throwing steaming water and making holes. Kaede slashed away at the hull, making holes and long rips. Men who appeared were turned to ash by plasma, or exploded from Kaede's mental arms that burst them apart. By the time the boat passed the ship, the ship was already leaning to port as huge amounts of water rushed in. Final shots into the stern of the ship destroyed and flooded the engine room.
Catherine's boat turned onto an intercept course for the second freighter.
Cameron stood atop of the wheelhouse to watch the freighter lean farther over and tip down, showing the screw as they moved away. By the time it was lost on the horizon, she wasn't sure if it was the distance that make it disappear, or it had finished sinking. Either way, that freighter was never going to reach Mexico.
Catherine checked with her Captain and John Henry. That freighter had sent no signals it was in trouble before going down.
.
In the lounge, Cameron waited for Catherine to come down and verify they hadn't been seen. To her surprise, Kouta came down to sit by her. In broken English, he said, "Cam - rom, stop using Kaede to do bad things!"
Cameron looked at him blankly. "I am not," she stated in Japanese.
"You are," he said firmly. "That is the second ship she had helped you sink, and I don't know what you did on that island, except burn everything! Kaede came from being very violent, I thought we were headed for a peaceful place, but I do not want Kaede involved with more violence!"
"Those were bad guys," Cameron stated. "To have peace, you must get rid of those who would disrupt it. Things like gun runners who help supply bad people with weapons. Drug runners. That is who they were. We cannot let them take over. If we do, there will be no peace."
"I don't want Kaede part of it!" Kouta stated. "She had had a hard enough life!"
"Kouta, many of us have had very hard lives. That is why we work so hard to stop those who create chaos," Cameron told him. "I don't want my children, or their children to have to live like that."
"You stop the bullies," Kaede said from the side as she settled down beside Kouta.
Cameron nodded. "Yes, we stop the bullies, the selfish ones who mistreat and take advantage of others."
Kaede laid a hand over Kouta's "Kouta, that is why I help. I want us to live a nice life. As long as there are bullies, they will seek to hurt us. I have lived with bullies ever since I was a little child. I won't tolerate bullies near our family. Cameron knows bullies also. She fights them. That is why I help her."
"By sinking ships?" he asked weakly.
"If needed, yes," Kaede replied.
"We tried running from bad men," Cameron told him. "It doesn't work. What does work is making them afraid to come near you. To do that, you need to show them you are stronger and will not put up with their behavior."
"Even if you have to kill them," Kaede agreed.
Kouta frowned at Cameron. "I take it you've killed many? Like a hundred?"
"Thousands. Truthfully, I don't know how many," Cameron replied.
Kouta's eyes widened. "You ... you are a mass murderer?" he asked in a squeak.
Evenly, Cameron said, "No, I am a terminator. This is what I was built for, and I'm good at it."
"I was also made to kill," Kaede said. "The thing is, Kouta, what Cameron says is right. Unless we kill the bullies, they will come after us. They have before, and they will again."
"Why do things have to be like this?" Kouta said with a said huff.
"Because there are bad people who won't leave us alone," Cameron stated.
.
Now the Demon Rat problem was over, the sheriff had Aliana go looking for where they came from. The first place she went was Sonya's factory, since she had security cameras inside and outside. With Sonya, she went over the camera footage. Sonya was sure they had come in during the night. Everything was fine up to the end of the day's work. It was the next morning when she got her horrid surprise. Motion activated sensors turned the cameras on. They caught someone's cat sniffing around, then saw a van.
As they watched the van drove slowly into the driveway. It stopped, a man dressed in black and had a black hood on got out and looked around.
"It looks blue," Sonya noted, "They have a license plate on the front." Sonya quickly copied the number down. She looked carefully on the plate. "They came from New York?"
The man went over to the garage door inspected it, then went back to the van. Another man got out, they went to the back of their van and opened it and pulled out a large metal container with some tools on top. A crow bar, blocks of wood and a handle with suction cup on the ed. The eyed the garage door and motioned. The metal bow had an opening on one side. They pried the bottom of the garage door up with the wrecking bar and a block of wood. Next one man ran back to stuff something under the opening where the box wasn't. Then a man opened the end of the box some, the other kicked the box. They waited a few minutes, then pushed the material inside and shut the box and let the garage door shut. They quickly put the bow back in the van and took off.
"That's how so many got inside so fast." Sonya said, frowning at the van as it drove away.
They did that in other places as well," Aliana said. "I'll go tell the sheriff."
Sonya handed her the license plate information. "Tell John too. He needs to get this to John Henry."
.
The first thing the sheriff did was check the stole vehicle report in New York. The list was long, but the plate number or blue van wasn't on it. He then checked the the plate number. The address was in Woodbury, NY. He found it on an internet map. "Go see what you an find out about those guys," he told Aliana.
"On my way... Oh wait, I have to go tell John Connor first." She said, then disappeared.
John wrote the number down and thanked her. She then went north to find the men who'd brought those rats to town.
Flying high, Aliana got in the area by looking at the topography. Once she was close she picked a town and dropped low, looking for a bar. It was getting dark, she found a bar that had patrons. he landed, turned human form and went in.
She was immediately noticed. Every head swiveled towards her to gaze at her.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Woodbury, this address?" she asked.
A stocky man got up and said, "It's just up the road. You get lost?"Charming him as she spoke to him, she said, "My ride left without me, and I need to get to my brother's house."
"I'll be happy to take you, " he said with a wide smile. "Come on out to my truck."
"Thank you," she said. She followed him out as eyes followed her out.
Hadn't they ever seen a sexy woman before? she wondered.
"I'm Arnold," the man said and opened the passenger door of the beat up old truck for her.
"Glenda McLeod, thank you so much," she replied with a gush.
He ran around and got in the driver's seat. He pulled out and asked, "Where you from?"
"Originally, Gettysburg. I promised my brother I'm come see him. It's his birthday," she offered.
He laughed. "Peynsyl-tucky huh? You're a ways from home. From there' I'm surprised you don't have a gun."
"I don't need a gun. The Sheriff has one."
"You're hooked up with this sheriff?" he asked.
"No, I can go places by myself."
He laughed again. "What I meant was, are you seeing him."
"I see him every day, I'm his secretary."
Arnold shook his head and glanced at her chest. "I'm surprised he can get any work done with you in the office. You are one HOT babe."
"Thank you."
"You ever need anything, you call me. I'll be happy to help you out."
"I may take you up on that," she said in a musing tone.
In the half hour ride, Arnold let it be known he was single and was looking for a woman like her. By the time they got to Woodbury, he was all but begging to please her any way he could. He drove through town, found the street and went to the address. He pulled up into the driveway of the split level ranch house.
"Here you go, want me to wait for you?" he asked hopefully.
There was nothing in the driveway, but the double garage doors. "If you could for a moment," she said and got out.
Aliana didn't bother trying to open the garage door. She teleported through it. Inside was a sedan, the other side didn't have a vehicle, but there was the metal box she'd seen on Sonya's security camera. She opened it. It was empty. Shit.
She went back out to Arnold's driver's door. He rolled the window down.
"That was incredible, how'd you do that?" he asked.
She only smiled at him. "It would make me very happy if you went home. In a couple days, I'll meet you there," she said in a sexy tone.
"Yeah, OK!" He quickly agreed, back up and drove away.
Aliana went back inside the garage. No rats. She'd just make herself at home until someone showed up. She did turn herself invisible and lay on the car hood until someone showed up.
A couple hours later a blue van backed into the driveway and the garage door on the other side opened. She sat up and watched. Only one pf the men was in the van. He closed the garage door and got out. He went to walk past her and she asked "Where did the rats come from?"
He stopped and spun in place. "Who's there?" he demanded.
Reverting to full demon form, she poked him lightly in the chest with her nails. "Tell me where the rats came from."
He back away to hit the garage door, his eyes now wide in fear. "Who are you?" he asked in a demand.
"The one who will torture you if you don't answer," she replied and reached out to poke him again.
He swatted at air and searched frantically. "What rats?" he asked in a squeak.
Aliana made an illusion of a red eyed rat over her form. She pinned him to the garage door by his shoulders and became visible. "One's like me!" she said in a hiss.
The man belted out a scream and tried to slap her hands away. She cupped his neck and wrapped her hands around his neck. He flailed in terror. She let him go to fall to the floor. Scrambling, he raced for the door into the house. She turned invisible again and followed.
He all but broke the door down charging through then slammed it shut behind him. Panting in gasps, he leaned against the door as he fumbled to lock it.
"Trying to keep me out, are you?" she asked from the kitchen. "Won't work. I'm not leaving until you answer me."
"WHO ARE YOU!" he asked in a scream.
In a smooth malevolent tone, Aliana told him. "Your worst nightmare. Do you really want to see me?"
He quickly fumbled for the lock to unlock the door. Aliana grabbed him and threw him onto the kitchen floor. He got up, frantically searching for her.
"No running," she chided.
Blubbering his words, he said, "This... is impossible! I gotta be dreaming!"
She jumped on him, pinning his arms down to the sides as she sat on him. "Yes, you're in a nightmare. The only way out is to tell me, where did the red eyed rats come from?"
Shaking in fear he cried, "I DON'T KNOW!"
She put the spaded end of her tail on his forehead. Eyes wide, mouth open, he quivered as she searched his memories. "I see," she said smoothly. "If you say a word to anyone, they will kill your mother. That is why, even though you're sure you are going to die, you won't say anything."
"How? Please, don't tell!" he cried.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she assured him. "You better go move your mother out of that nursing home. Those people in that lab are going to be very unhappy shortly."
Aliana let him go and teleported out above the house and then teleported to the labs. The large single story building was behind a chain link fence topped with barbed wire. Guard and dogs surrounded the place. She teleported inside into a hallway. No one was in here, so she looked around. She found metal tubs with baby rats in them and in another room were metal containers. She opened one. They were empty. She did find a room where half of it was a metal and glass containment with those red eyes rats all over the place inside.
Aliana grew a wicked grin. She went down the hallway and closed every other door except the one the rats were in. The containment had a high door with a ramp to the floor she figured was how the rats were put in. Finding a locked security room, she teleported in to find a sleeping guard. She put her tail to his forehead an drew out in knowledge.
Yes, these men worked for the government. The scientists would be back in the morning. Before then, she had work to do here. She would be waiting for them.
.
In the morning the head scientist came in, showing his badge and putting his middle fingers into the ID Scanner. He thought this was very symbolic, using the middle finger, like they were giving the middle finger to those who refused to reduce using all that globe-warming petroleum as they were ordered to do.
He got inside and went to his office. No new messages. He then noticed his computer wasn't on line. He checked all the connections, everything looked good. Going out into the hallway, he met the other two scientists coming in. "Our internet is down," he said. They went to the router in the other scientist's office and checked that out. The router was plugged in, but wasn't getting a signal. The chunky woman said, "Hey, the cable is gone!"
Sure enough, the cable to the satellite dish was missing.
"Someone was in here!" the head scientist stated heavily. "Get security!"
The woman stormed out and went to the security station. The door was shut and she didn't see the guard. "Hey!" she called and banged on the door. There should be a guard in here 24-7, where was he! She went to go out and ask one of the perimeter guards. She pulled on the handle, but the front door wouldn't open. She jerked harder and the handle came off. She strode back to let the others know.
"All the baby rats are dead!" The third scientist cried. The head scientist and the woman ran into the containment room. Looking, then saw the emergency cyanide canister wasn't on the wall connected to piping as it should be. It had been put in with the baby rats, and killed them all.
"Who did this!" the head scientist cried. "Check the adults!"
They next ran to the containment room where all the adults, ready for transport were kept. Looking in, they saw the red eyed, rodents moving around and chewing on things like they should be doing. The head scientist breathed a sigh of relief. The entry door to the room slammed shut. They spun to it.
"So you three are the real Demon Rats, huh?," a disembodied female voice asked. "Let me show you want you're doing to innocent people."
"You are messing with the wrong people!" the head scientist roared. "Surrender and show yourself, or you WILL be tortured!"
The voice laughed. "I just love it when the evil doers make hollow threats. You want to see torture, then let me show you torture."
The base of the containment wall screeched as it peeled out and away from the wall. The angry chittering cry of the rats sounded loud. Inside the containment, all the rats took up the call, looking for something to attack.
The woman screamed. The rats poured out of the containment.
"Have fun," the disembodied voice sang.
All three scientists ran to the door and tried to open it. It wouldn't budge. In the room with the angry rats, they then tried to escape the hoard coming at them.
Outside the room, Aliana leaned against the door and listened to the screams and wails. They made these rats, now they could see first hand what those rats did. She waited until the blood curdling screams died down into moans of agony, then cracked the door open. She then opened the door to the outside and teleported away to the Sheriff's office.
"I did it," she proudly told the sheriff as she sat on the corner of his desk. "I found the ones making those rats, then made sure their own creations killed them." She then hid her mouth behind her hand and let out a giggle. "OH, and I kinda left the door open on my way out. I imagine those rats will get out now, and upstate New York may gain a rat problem."
The sheriff nodded slightly once as he eyed her. "And who was financing their operation?" he asked.
Aliana had forgotten that part of what she was to do. "Oops," she said with a wince.
The Sheriff let out a sigh. "Well someone should be investigating soon when those rats start eating things and people up there."
"So New York is a Demon Rat state?" Aliana asked.
.
Joan and Bob went to see Allison. They found her family working in the house, replacing chairs and the dining room table legs. Outside was a pile of furniture that had chew marks on them. After they went in and got their hello hugs and kisses, Joan asked, "What happened here?"
"Those demon Rats got in the house, "Allison replied. "Be lucky you weren't here."
"We were in Dallas, there were tons of those things there, we were killing them for days," Joan told her.
"Yeah, our electric is out and the tires on the Bronco are chewed flat. It will still be another week before the new ones come in," Bob said with a huff.
"Don't forget those protesters that insisted we were killing helpless animals," Joan said with a smirk.
"Yeah, they changed their tune quick when those Demon Rats came after them," Bob said with a grin.
"People protested against killing those things?" Claire asked.
"They did," Bob said. "They heard those little monstrosities were on the endangered species list and wanted to stop us killing them. That was, until they got attacked." he let out a snort. "They actually believed the media and the government."
Allison took on a confused look. "OK, so if the tires are flat, did you get a bus ride to come home?"
"We flew!" Joan said happily. She dug her wallet out and showed Allison her pilot's license.
"We got them together," Bob told her.
"What, you took someone's plane?" Allison asked.
"No, we took ours. Want to see it?" Joan asked brightly.
"You bought an airplane?" Claire asked.
"We did! It's not that big but it's really cool!" Joan said happily. "It can land on a runway or on water, so we landed and drove it up to the dock at home."
Allison chuckled. "I gotta see this."
Bob offered, "Joan, why don't you take Allison for a fly, I'm gonna go see Mom."
"I'll drive you down," Joan told him.
"Can't we all go?" Allison asked.
"It only has two seats," Joan explained.
"Besides, I can watch and show Mom our plane when you take off," Bob said.
.
Joan drove Bob to his house, then her and Allison went back to the Connor house to go take a fly.
Bob went in with the announcement, "Mom, I'm home!" He went in the kitchen, thinking she would be there. She wasn't.
"Bob? she heard from the hallway. He mother was coming in a house robe, bare foot. Upon seeing him she smiled, "How was your games? You didn't have trouble with those rats, did you?" she asked, then they met in a hug.
"We have days of rat troubles," he told her, then saw a dark haired man come out of her room. "Ahh, Sorry if I interrupted anything," he offered sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it," Carol said with a wave of her hand. "Where's Joan?"
"She went home to give Allison a ride in our new plane." Bob pointed out the window, you can see it there at the end of the dock."
"You two bought a plane?" his mother asked and looked out across the lake.
"Yeah, that was about the only way we were able to get home," Bob admitted. Those stupid rats chewed the electric in our apartment building and the tires on the Bronco. Airlines either weren't running or were super expensive and there was a long wait just to get one. The plane is small, but it got us here. We didn't want to stay in an apartment with no lights, and we wanted to get home for a bit before we have to go for our playoff game."
Bob then noticed the muscular dark haired man. The man stuck his hand out. "Hi Bob, I'm Duncan."
"Hey Duncan," Bob said, happy his mother got a boyfriend. He shook his hand heartily.
Looking across the lake, Duncan asked, is that an ultralight? It looks small."
"It's a light sport plane. Yeah, it's small but it flies great and the cockpit is comfortable. We just came from Dallas today," Bob explained.
"You and Joan play football as I understand," Duncan said.
"We do, we're on the Cowboy's team. Lately though, our schedule is all screwed up because of the gas shortage and those Demon Rats. We did manage to get a couple weeks at home. Our last chance for a while if we win the playoffs."
"I wish you luck with your game. Joan is your quarterback?" Duncan asked. "She is a big girl I take it?"
Bob and Carol laughed. "No, Joan's just really quick and strong," Bob said with a chuckle.
"Look it's starting up," Carol said, pointing out across the lake.
"They are nose on to the dock," Duncan noted.
"That's OK, the prop is a variable pitch prop, our plane can back up," Bob told him.
"I bet that's handy," Duncan noted.
They watched the plane back away from the dock and turn to go out into the lake to the right.
"A rudder below the tail?" Duncan asked.
"Yup, it's actually part of the main rudder."
The plan went a ways then turned around, The engine noise got louder and it shot across the water to the left and lifted off to fly away.
"Let's go see it when they come back," Carol said to Duncan.
Bob agreed, then paused. "Ah, Mom, got any gas cans? We are a little low on fuel. Max range is a little over 400 miles, we flew 300 and change to get here."
"How much are we talking here?" Duncan asked.
"Just a few 5 gallon cans. The gas tank only holds 20 gallons."
"You don't need aviation fuel?"
"Nope, just 91 or better octane from the local gas station."
.
Flying over Driftwood in a long, easy turn, Joan looked down and said, "Uh oh." Right after she said that a warning light came on.
"What's that?" Allison asked, feeling a little concerned.
"Low fuel light, we're almost outta gas. I better head back."
"Where are you going to find gas for this?"
"Gas station."
