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Chapter 7
"You don't know where you're going boy. Here, let me take the controls." Williams insisted.
"Ok, fine, take them. My hands where getting tired anyway." I said.
The flight to DC didn't take long at all. I was asleep for about 10 minutes when the doc woke me up. This Garage we where at was massive! Much bigger then the one in Paris!
"Man!" I exclaimed, "Someone could get lost in this place!"
"Yes, this garage was funded buy the government. Not buy individual pilots like most of the others." Williams said matter-of-factly. "In fact, I used to work here. But that was long ago."
"Really? Well, I guess you aren't so bad after all." I said jokingly.
"Ha, real funny boy. Real funny." Williams said coldly as he left the Cock pit.
I also got out and looked around for a bit. This place had tones of people in it as well. It was a whole city of pilots and engineers.
"Jeez, I hope we don't find that Alice here." I said to myself.
"Alice? What do you have against him?" Some guy had overheard me.
"Nothing." I responded realizing that if I said anything more, that it might be too much.
"Oh, well I certainly hope not. He's the number one ranked pilot in the arena. If you guys had a beef, he'd kill you for sure." He said. "But the way, my name is Randy."
"Hi Randy, my name is Daniel." I replied.
"Man, I really wish I could get into the arena rankings. Every time I try, I get rejected by my sponsoring company." Randy said.
"Hey, I have a friend who might be able to help ya out!" I exclaimed.
"Really? Nah.........ya gotta be yankin my chain. You're just a kid, no offense." Randy stated.
"None taken. But really, I can. I have this friend. His name is Doctor Williams. He used to work here, and I have a feeling that he has friends in high places." I said.
"Very high places." Williams startled me.
"Gezz! Doc! You scared me man." I said.
"Sorry Daniel. Who's your new friend?" Williams asked.
"Oh, this is Randy. Randy, this is the Doc." I introduced the to each other. "Doc, you should be able to get Randy into the arena, right?"
"Sure. It shouldn't be too tough. I'll just have to make a few calls. I'll be right back." Williams said.
"Where's he going?" Randy asked.
"He's going into our AC. He has a customized telephone in it." I answered.
"Oh.............cool........." Randy stated.
The awkward pause seemed to last longer than it did. But in about 3 minutes, the Doc came back saying that Randy was now Ranked 25 of the 50. I didn't know how he did it, but the look on Randy's face was worth it. Randy went to he Garage to find that his e-mail Inbox was full with announcements and mission offers.
Randy had also acquired 10 new AC parts from companies who had noticed his sudden change in rank.
"Doc, I can't thank you enough! I may not be a good enough pilot to have earned this rank, but I can guarantee that battling top ranked pilots will give me good training! If you need anything from me, just call!" Randy said gratefully.
"Sure, it was my pleasure Randy." Williams replied.
"Hey, how come you don't talk to me like that doc?" I asked.
"Because you are a child, boy." Williams replied.
"A child-boy? What's that?" I said chuckling.
"Shut up, let's get going. See you later Randy." Williams said as we both got into the Cock pit.
"Bye! Thanks again!" Randy yelled as the Doc and I flew away.
As we flew away, the Doc and I discussed how Randy could help us in the future. We had gained a potentially powerful Ally that night.
The next morning I had reached my parents house. I got out and walked through the front door. Everyone was still asleep. I didn't want to wake them up so I went to bed too. I woke up to find my folks in my room, standing there, waiting for me to wake up.
"Hi Mom, Dad. What's up?" I asked.
They stood speechless. We all hugged and my parents went through the usual "Don't scare me like that. Do you know how much we worried? What the hell where you thinking?" routine. I told them of what had happened and, at first, they didn't believe me.
Then I took them out side and introduced them to the AC and the Doc. Doc then went on to tell them that I didn't need School anymore and that he would take care of me. It took some convincing but they gave in and gave the Doc permission to take me under his wing.
I stayed home for about 2 more days........(I let Doc sleep on the couch.) and then we left.
"Where are we going now?" I asked.
"Well, we'll have to get going toward California. That's where my main office is. It also has a garage that we can store Grizzle in while you go through simulations." Williams stated.
"Crap...........again with the tests." I said, slightly annoyed."
The trip to California wasn't that long. I was smart this time around. I all my stuff from my room, so I wouldn't be so bored on this trip.
When we got to California we ran into some trouble, but not much. Just 5 or 6 security MT's trying to keep us from crossing the boarder. Williams didn't have permission to cross, but he didn't have an ID on Grizzle. So we just forced our way across and headed toward the Head Quarters Williams was talking about.
This place didn't seem so big on the outside. In fact, it was a little gas station. Then Doc pushed a button on Grizzles control panel and a huge, square block raised up, revealing an entrance that Grizzle could easily fit through. It was like an AC sized elevator.
Riding down, I could see several lights passing up the sides. Seeing this, I assumed we where going very fast. I looked over at the Doc and he looked calm. This was just normal to him.
As we exited the elevator and got down from the Cock pit, we where greeted by a big, burly man. He frightened me, but Doc just gave him a big hug and patted him on the back.
"Bruno! How long has it been? 10, 15 years?" Williams asked.
"It seems like an eternity Doc." Bruno replied.
"This is Daniel, Bruno. Daniel, this is Bruno. He was my last student before I retired." Williams said.
"Hello." I said.
"Greetings Daniel. You have an excellent teacher here." Bruno stated. "you'll be a top notch pilot in no time."
I noticed a couple of scars on Bruno's arms.
"Hey, how did you get those?" I asked.
"It's just from testing. They don't hurt at all." Bruno stated.
"Ok, now I'm freaking out Doc. I don't like scars........Scars always equal pain." I said.
Bruno then grabbed me and turned me toward the Doc. He now had a crazed look on his face.
"Doc? Get this guy off of me!" I yelled.
"No, you will realize that this is the way to go, boy! You are too young to understand!" Williams exclaimed.
I screamed as they carried me down the hall and into a holding chamber.
Chapter 7
"You don't know where you're going boy. Here, let me take the controls." Williams insisted.
"Ok, fine, take them. My hands where getting tired anyway." I said.
The flight to DC didn't take long at all. I was asleep for about 10 minutes when the doc woke me up. This Garage we where at was massive! Much bigger then the one in Paris!
"Man!" I exclaimed, "Someone could get lost in this place!"
"Yes, this garage was funded buy the government. Not buy individual pilots like most of the others." Williams said matter-of-factly. "In fact, I used to work here. But that was long ago."
"Really? Well, I guess you aren't so bad after all." I said jokingly.
"Ha, real funny boy. Real funny." Williams said coldly as he left the Cock pit.
I also got out and looked around for a bit. This place had tones of people in it as well. It was a whole city of pilots and engineers.
"Jeez, I hope we don't find that Alice here." I said to myself.
"Alice? What do you have against him?" Some guy had overheard me.
"Nothing." I responded realizing that if I said anything more, that it might be too much.
"Oh, well I certainly hope not. He's the number one ranked pilot in the arena. If you guys had a beef, he'd kill you for sure." He said. "But the way, my name is Randy."
"Hi Randy, my name is Daniel." I replied.
"Man, I really wish I could get into the arena rankings. Every time I try, I get rejected by my sponsoring company." Randy said.
"Hey, I have a friend who might be able to help ya out!" I exclaimed.
"Really? Nah.........ya gotta be yankin my chain. You're just a kid, no offense." Randy stated.
"None taken. But really, I can. I have this friend. His name is Doctor Williams. He used to work here, and I have a feeling that he has friends in high places." I said.
"Very high places." Williams startled me.
"Gezz! Doc! You scared me man." I said.
"Sorry Daniel. Who's your new friend?" Williams asked.
"Oh, this is Randy. Randy, this is the Doc." I introduced the to each other. "Doc, you should be able to get Randy into the arena, right?"
"Sure. It shouldn't be too tough. I'll just have to make a few calls. I'll be right back." Williams said.
"Where's he going?" Randy asked.
"He's going into our AC. He has a customized telephone in it." I answered.
"Oh.............cool........." Randy stated.
The awkward pause seemed to last longer than it did. But in about 3 minutes, the Doc came back saying that Randy was now Ranked 25 of the 50. I didn't know how he did it, but the look on Randy's face was worth it. Randy went to he Garage to find that his e-mail Inbox was full with announcements and mission offers.
Randy had also acquired 10 new AC parts from companies who had noticed his sudden change in rank.
"Doc, I can't thank you enough! I may not be a good enough pilot to have earned this rank, but I can guarantee that battling top ranked pilots will give me good training! If you need anything from me, just call!" Randy said gratefully.
"Sure, it was my pleasure Randy." Williams replied.
"Hey, how come you don't talk to me like that doc?" I asked.
"Because you are a child, boy." Williams replied.
"A child-boy? What's that?" I said chuckling.
"Shut up, let's get going. See you later Randy." Williams said as we both got into the Cock pit.
"Bye! Thanks again!" Randy yelled as the Doc and I flew away.
As we flew away, the Doc and I discussed how Randy could help us in the future. We had gained a potentially powerful Ally that night.
The next morning I had reached my parents house. I got out and walked through the front door. Everyone was still asleep. I didn't want to wake them up so I went to bed too. I woke up to find my folks in my room, standing there, waiting for me to wake up.
"Hi Mom, Dad. What's up?" I asked.
They stood speechless. We all hugged and my parents went through the usual "Don't scare me like that. Do you know how much we worried? What the hell where you thinking?" routine. I told them of what had happened and, at first, they didn't believe me.
Then I took them out side and introduced them to the AC and the Doc. Doc then went on to tell them that I didn't need School anymore and that he would take care of me. It took some convincing but they gave in and gave the Doc permission to take me under his wing.
I stayed home for about 2 more days........(I let Doc sleep on the couch.) and then we left.
"Where are we going now?" I asked.
"Well, we'll have to get going toward California. That's where my main office is. It also has a garage that we can store Grizzle in while you go through simulations." Williams stated.
"Crap...........again with the tests." I said, slightly annoyed."
The trip to California wasn't that long. I was smart this time around. I all my stuff from my room, so I wouldn't be so bored on this trip.
When we got to California we ran into some trouble, but not much. Just 5 or 6 security MT's trying to keep us from crossing the boarder. Williams didn't have permission to cross, but he didn't have an ID on Grizzle. So we just forced our way across and headed toward the Head Quarters Williams was talking about.
This place didn't seem so big on the outside. In fact, it was a little gas station. Then Doc pushed a button on Grizzles control panel and a huge, square block raised up, revealing an entrance that Grizzle could easily fit through. It was like an AC sized elevator.
Riding down, I could see several lights passing up the sides. Seeing this, I assumed we where going very fast. I looked over at the Doc and he looked calm. This was just normal to him.
As we exited the elevator and got down from the Cock pit, we where greeted by a big, burly man. He frightened me, but Doc just gave him a big hug and patted him on the back.
"Bruno! How long has it been? 10, 15 years?" Williams asked.
"It seems like an eternity Doc." Bruno replied.
"This is Daniel, Bruno. Daniel, this is Bruno. He was my last student before I retired." Williams said.
"Hello." I said.
"Greetings Daniel. You have an excellent teacher here." Bruno stated. "you'll be a top notch pilot in no time."
I noticed a couple of scars on Bruno's arms.
"Hey, how did you get those?" I asked.
"It's just from testing. They don't hurt at all." Bruno stated.
"Ok, now I'm freaking out Doc. I don't like scars........Scars always equal pain." I said.
Bruno then grabbed me and turned me toward the Doc. He now had a crazed look on his face.
"Doc? Get this guy off of me!" I yelled.
"No, you will realize that this is the way to go, boy! You are too young to understand!" Williams exclaimed.
I screamed as they carried me down the hall and into a holding chamber.