When Every Second Counts
Chapter 5
Dancing on the Edge of Disaster
"Neil, how's your situation?" Gray asked, watching the grounds below the tower window anxiously. He was now regretting letting Neil go onto the airfield. Especially alone. But there were no better options.
"Not good, sir," he heard the reply over the communications headset.
"What's wrong?" Gray moved to a second window to try to better see any potential problems.
"I'm lonely," came the reply, "And it's scary out here. And I miss Jane."
"I meant the impound tractor, Neil," Gray sighed, partially in relief and partially in annoyance.
"Oh, just a few more combinations to try with that."
"Aki, anything on scanners?"
"I'm picking up phantoms but I don't see any yet."
"Where?"
"Umm," Aki hesitated, not quite liking the readout, "I don't know. On the airfield."
"Neil, did you hear that?"
"Copy, captain. Almost done."
"Good." Not good. How the hell could it be good? If Aki was right and there were phantoms on the airfield then Neil was in trouble. And all he could do was watch whatever happened. He hated it. Command only meant being the one to watch your friends die for you.
Without thinking of it, Captain Edwards already counted Jane among the dead. It was already taking its toll on Gray's mind. As he watched the airfields below, he wondered who she gambled her life for, her captain or her friend. Captain Edwards couldn't be completely bothered; he had other things to worry about.
Shaken from his thoughts by the triumphant exclamation that burst into his ear, Gray could not help but smile. Neil's enthusiasm was often contagious. He moved back to finish setting the airtray–
"We're– Holy Shit!"
–Only to snap back to the window. Neil never used foul language above what Jane had tauntingly called 'preschool cussing.' It made Gray nervous to what could have caused such a reaction from the tech. "What's wrong?" he snapped, watching as the small figure of his friend dashed along the side of the Black Boa and leapt upon the lift, "Neil?"
"I'm ok," Neil replied breathlessly, clinging to the railing of the lift, "I think, I'm ok." He had barely noticed the Phantom before it had crept so close. When he had, he saw the momentary choices. Live or die. It was not until that moment that he realized how very much he wanted to live.
"Gray, I'm reading a meta close by," Aki suddenly said. Almost as if on cue, wisps of red moved along the floor to form tentacles and soon the insect-like form of the Phantom became visible.
"Ah, captain?" Neil asked nervously, "You gonna turn this thing soon?"
Gray cursed silently and retreated from the window to the control panel. He returned to the window after turning the holographic dials. He watched helplessly as the gigantic Phantom seemed to examine the now moving spacecraft.
He knew now that there was no way to get down to the Black Boa. It would be impossible for him to get past the meta. If they even managed to get away, he would be the one to stay behind. Or maybe he would be the one to live, while they died. The Phantom could just walk right though the ship.
Inside the ship, Ryan watched through a window as the ghost-creature approached. One hand was protectively cradling the gash in his side. Not that it seemed to matter now, nothing did. At least not until something on the ground suddenly caught his eye.
"Hey Neil, what are those?" he asked in a hushed voice.
"Phantoms, Serge," the tech said, "Lots of them."
"No, under the meta," Ryan said, "What are they?"
"Compressed fuels I think," Neil replied, trying to see beyond the looming Phantom, "Why?"
"Remember old New York? The alleyways?" the sergeant asked.
"Not quite following ya," Neil said honestly.
"Boom," Ryan said, "remember?" The look of confusion turned to one of insight almost instantly.
"Captain? We've got a plan, we might have a way out," Neil almost shouted into the communications device, "Mind givin' us some help?" It wasn't a sure plan, but it was the only one that seemed available. And right then, anything was better than just waiting for death.
