Chapter 6- Blazin' Blade

"Propwash Junction to Dusty and David. Come in, Dusty and David! Propwash Junction to David!" Skipper's voice rang out over the radio in the hangar Dusty and I were sharing, which, until now, had just been used for storage.

"Hey, Skipper!" Dusty greeted him.

I grinned and joined him. "Hi!"

"Hey! How's it going?" Skipper wanted to know.

"This is tougher than I thought", Dusty confessed, "but it is so good to hear from you."

"Ditto on both accounts", I spoke up.

"We all miss you boys so much!" Mom declared. "But it makes us all so happy to know that you're both working hard and doing something worthwhile."

Hearing my mom's voice made me really miss her. Until now, I'd been too busy to be too homesick, despite my concerns. I remembered when I was a teenager, I didn't even last two days at summer camp. Now, we'd been at Piston Peak for almost a week now.

"How's everything back home?" I wondered.

"Great!" Dottie confirmed. "Mayday's refurbishment is going very well. Susannah had another doctor's appointment this afternoon and everything is perfectly fine. Your child is completely healthy" (which I already knew because I'd called her) "and..." She trailed off.

"Well, we wanted to radio-" Skipper started to inform us.

"Hey, Skip! Let me tell 'em!" Chug requested.

"Oh, all right, Chug."

"Tell us what?" Dusty wondered curiously.

"Wait'll you hear this!" I could practically hear Celeste smiling.

"Okay! That... we..." Chug was giggling, clearly so happy that he could barely talk. "Oh, I can't! You tell 'em, Sparky!"

"So, okay, there's this fella out in California", Sparky began. "The Skipper and I know him from back when we were stationed in Coronado... We all used to go down to Baja... Oh boy, there was this one time we went to this bar, and Skipper put a hula skirt and coconuts on his-"

"Sparky!" Skipper interrupted.

Note to self: Get the end of that story when we get home.

"The point is", Sparky refocused, "he has one of your... gearboxes!"

"We got the gearbox!" Chug yelled.

Dusty was so over the moon, he could barely speak. "You got the... you got the gear... Are you kidding me?!"

"I knew you could do it!" I exclaimed, so happy for my friends. I tried to hug Dusty, but he moved away from me. (Really?) "That's great, guys! You've just made his week!"

"Oh, wait! It gets better!" Sparky informed him. "He's gonna ship it out tonight!"

"We'll have it in a couple of days!" Chug added.

"This is the best news!" Dusty sighed happily. "This is just what I needed to hear right now."

"Right?" Celeste agreed, also giddy with joy. "We'll be back on the racing circuit in no time, Dust Storm!"

"That's fantastic, co-pilot! Can't wait!"

"We'll let you know as soon as we get it!" Dottie promised.

"Hey, boys! Listen to my new siren!" Mayday's voice shouted. A strange, squeaky noise came through the radio. It sounded a little like a balloon being deflated. "Huh?" he asked us proudly.

"Yeah… I haven't actually hooked up his siren yet", Dottie explained.

"Oh." I nodded. "Right."

"All aircraft, be advised, Superintendent Spinner has entered the base. I repeat, Superintendent Spinner has entered the base", Patch announced unenthusiastically over the speaker as a horn honked.

"Hm, something's up", Dusty realised. "Gotta go, guys!"

"We'll talk to you again soon!" I promised. "Love you all!"

"We love you too!" Mom replied, right before ending the call.

"Hey, what's going on?" Dusty wanted to know.

"Eh, park superintendent", Maru explained, not sounding the slightest bit thrilled.

"He waxes himself. Daily", Windlifter put in, prompting snickers from Dipper, Maru and the human Smokejumpers.

The car who rolled up the hill wasn't exactly what I expected for a superintendent in the middle of a forest: The car was a gleaming white Cadillac with an obnoxious voice.

"Cad Spinner, the superintendent", Dragon whispered loudly, clearly not caring whether or not the superintendent heard him. "A selfish snob!"

"Dragon!" Wildflower sounded downright disapproving.

"Well, he is!" he insisted. He turned back to Dusty and me and lowered his voice. "You'll see what I mean."

"Honk-honk, beep-beep!" the Cadillac tried to get everyone's attention. Right away, I didn't like him. "Park Superintendent coming. I sign your pay checks! Anybody gonna greet me? Yes, you are!"

"What pay checks?" Dragon muttered.

"I got some oil pans to change", Maru announced before disappearing. Obviously, he didn't want to spend any more time with this guy. I couldn't blame him. I'd only known him for thirty seconds and he was already getting on my nerves.

"Blade, Blade, Blade", Cad greeted the fire chief.

"What do you want, Cad?" Blade demanded.

"That's a big hill!" Cad declared. "Listen", he began. "Do you think I like driving all around over here and up there, over there just to complain?"

"Yes", Macca mumbled.

"Answer: no, I don't. But I heard from some campers that one of your staff just soaked them with that red fire phosphorescent stuff that you use. The deodorant."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. That was my fault", Dusty apologised.

"The team needs to train", Blade stated. "There's gonna be some mud spilled along the way."

"Are you kidding me?!" Cad exclaimed, no longer listening to Blade. He made a beeline for Dusty.

"No, that's the way it works", Blade replied, not aware that the superintendent was no longer listening.

"No, you are not! Blade, you're hiding a world famous racer right here at Piston Peak!" Cad gushed while Dragon and Macca made faces. "Ripslinger!"

"It's… Crophopper", Dusty corrected him.

"Crophopper!" Cad shouted.

"Dusty", he added. "And this is my friend, David."

"Yeah, right." He seemed to completely ignore me. "Me, Cad Spinner. You, one fast plane! What are you doing up here?"

"Well, I'm getting certified-"

"Doesn't matter", Cad cut him off. "Tomorrow night. The lodge. Grand reopening party. You're invited! And I'm thinking high-speed flyover. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking it'll be… it'll be dark", Dusty pointed out, remembering the rule about flying low at night. I wasn't convinced that Cad even knew or cared about this rule.

"Hey!" Cad shouted abruptly. "There's gonna be a lot of VIPs. Very Important Planes. How would you like to rub tires with the Secretary of the Interior of the United States… of America? I smell photo op! Flash! Cha-ching! Ya gotta do it, come on!"

"I smell somethin' else", Blade mumbled.

"Blade, Blade, Blade", Cad muttered in a bored tone. "Can I explain something? Yes, I can. Look, spilling mud on people makes for sad campers. Big party at my lodge makes for happy campers! You understand?"

"You've packed too many 'happy campers' into the park", Blade countered. "And way too many into that lodge."

"Oh, we've got a structural fire engine down there protecting it", Cad reminded him.

"This isn't just about protecting the lodge." Blade protested. "There's low humidity..."

"He got the Park Service to shift eighty percent of our budget to his lodge restoration project", Dipper explained to us.

I blinked in surprise. "How could he do that?"

"He's the superintendent." She shrugged. "He can do whatever he wants."

I shook my head. That was so unfair! I wanted to tell him, but it wasn't the time or the place. Besides, I didn't think I could get a word into his and Blade's argument.

"This base is held together with baling wire and duct tape!" Blade snapped. "Maru had to rebuild that old tower himself!"

"It's better than new!" Maru insisted from the tower, a fair distance away.

"Hear me, fellow forest friends, dirty though you may be. This is an historic weekend", Cad pointed out. I heard a ringing sound right before Cad answered it with his antenna. "Cad, you got thirty seconds. Go. Ah, I don't care how much it costs! Yes! Get the crystal glasses! Yes, fluted! Were you built in a barn? Come on! The lodge is only gonna be grand-reopened once. I'm not gonna-" He broke off at the sight of everyone glaring at him. "Could you hold on a second?" He reversed behind a couple of dumpsters. "THEN FIRE THE OLD LADY AND GET SOMEBODY WHO CAN GET THEM!"

"I see what you mean", I whispered to Dragon.

"You're not the only ones who can put out a fire, right?" Cad laughed when he returned. "So, will I see you at the party?" he asked Dusty. "Yes, I will! Superstar! Can you believe it?" he gushed, driving away. "Dusty Cropslinger! He's even more famous than you, Blazin' Blade!"

Blade sighed and rolled off.

"Famous?" I echoed in surprise.

"Blazin' Blade?" Dusty repeated in confusion.

Dipper shushed us frantically as Dragon dragged his hand across his throat.

"What's all this about?" I questioned.

"I just said 'Blazin' Blade'", Dusty protested.

"Kilawu!" Windlifter told us, which we had pretty much figured out meant, "Quiet!"

"What?" Dusty whispered.

"Tonight", Windlifter announced in a quiet voice. "Main hangar. Tell no one. Especially Blade."

"Guys?" Wildflower spoke up. "No. It's a bad idea. I don't think you should-"

She stopped talking abruptly as Blade came back.

"You okay, Blade?" I asked worriedly.

"I'm fine", he muttered, sounding anything but. I figured that Cad had not just annoyed at him, but it was clear that the whole "Blazin' Blade" thing had touched a nerve. It was all rather mysterious. I guessed I would find out tonight.


Later that night, Dusty and I headed to the main hangar. I felt a little guilty because, obviously, Blade didn't want us doing whatever it was that we were doing. Still, I had to admit, I was curious. Besides, I didn't want to be labelled a goody-two-shoes, like back in second grade.

"Password", Maru whispered through a slot in the door when we arrived.

"Password?" Dusty repeated. "You didn't tell us-"

"Shh!" Maru hissed.

So, Dusty lowered his voice. "You didn't tell us a password."

"It's inferno."

"Oh, okay."

Nothing happened. Maru frowned at us.

Oh! Right! "Inferno", Dusty and I whispered in unison.

Maru opened the doors to reveal the entire team, sans Blade and Wildflower. "Glad you could make it!" he greeted us cheerily. "You like inferno? It was either that or maelstrom, but that one's so Nordic."

"Park it over here, Dust Storm!" Dipper called. "Our first date and I saved you a spot!"

Reluctantly, Dusty joined Dipper, who put her wing around him. I collapsed into the empty lawn chair, next to Dragon. Now that he was dressed in ripped jeans, Star Wars T-shirt and bare feet, I could see why they called him Dragon: he had a tattoo of a dragon along his arm.

"You want a beer?" he offered, holding out a can towards me. As he leaned forward, a large portion sloshed over the floor, landing on top of what looked like almost an entire bag of potato chips. Dragon was the clumsiest person I had ever met. I couldn't help but wonder what Blade saw in him that made him a good firefighter.

"Careful, mate!" Macca warned. He was also dressed casually in shorts, a tank top and bare feet. "You're wasting perfectly good beer!"

I shook my head, remembering the last time I drank. "I'll have to pass, thanks... Is there any water?"

"Sure." Dragon rose from his seat. "I'll get you some."

Macca laughed and practically shoved him back down. "The bloody cup'll be empty by the time poor David gets it! I'll get it!"

When Macca handed me a cup of water, sat down again and took another swig of beer, we stated talking for a while. I found out Dragon's real name was Zeke Dawson and Macca's was Joel McReynolds. They told me all kinds of stories about Dragon first visiting Australia and Macca first arriving in America. Dragon even told me how someone like him managed to become a good firefighter: Apparently, in his job as a waiter back in Oak Harbor, Washington, he was so clumsy that he was always starting kitchen fires. So, he got pretty good at putting them out.

Eventually, though, Maru announced that it was time. He opened a can on the shelf and take out a tape. What was tonight's entertainment?

"Howard the Truck?" Dusty read the cover. (What did that have to do with Blade?) "You invited us here to watch-"

"Dude, dude, dude", Drip cut him off, "judge not a video by its cover."

As the video started up, it wasn't Howard the Truck at all. (That was a relief; I'd heard that movie is terrible.) A vaguely familiar disco tune started up as the screen lit up with a shot of a highway in downtown Los Angeles. The name of the show was CHoPs, short for California Helicopter Patrol. The main characters were two white and blue helicopters: Blazin' Blade Ranger and Nick Loopin' Lopez.

"Hold on. Blade was a TV star?" Dusty asked incredulously.

"One-hundred thirty-nine episodes of law-breaking love", Dipper confirmed.

"Hey, I think I've seen this before!" I realised, remembering an afternoon when I was about eight or nine years old and off school with a bout of flu. There was nothing good on TV and I happened to stumble upon this show. With no other options, I'd watched it, but couldn't remember many of the details later. I was half-asleep, after all. This was how I knew the name Blade Ranger.

"Shh! Quiet!" the Smokejumpers ordered.

How was the show? Well, pretty cheesy, to be honest. Nick was the humorous, hot-headed one while Blade was much more level-headed. (Although, Blade was the one with the catchphrase: "Good move, partner.") They reminded me of myself and Celeste, We were polar opposites, but balanced each other out quite well.

"Dudes, let's watch episode thirty-eight, 'Super Copter'!" Drip requested excitedly when the episode was over.

"'Super Copter'?" Cabbie scoffed. "This show stinks."

"What are you talking about?" Dynamite disagreed. "This show is the best!"

"Damn right!" Dragon spoke up.

Macca nodded in agreement. "Too right!"

"I'm with Cabbie", Windlifter voiced his opinion.

"Hey guys? Guys!" Dusty spoke up tentatively, only everyone was too busy debating whether or not the show was good to listen.

"QUIET!" Avalanche barked and they all shut up. I guess there are advantages to being that loud.

"Thanks. I just don't get something", he commented. "If Blade was such a big TV star, what is he doing here?"

I'd been wondering the same thing. It was clear that, although they were acting, Blade and Nick had such strong chemistry... What could possibly have happened?

"I don't know", Drip replied.

"WE DON'T KNOW!" Avalanche echoed.

"Ten questions science still can't answer", Dragon put in.

"It's a mysterious mystery", Drip intoned.

"It's like my fiancé", Pinecone added. "He just vanished! Poof!"

"Whoooooooo!" Drip moaned creepily while I raised an eyebrow in concern at Pinecone's comment.

"From my experience, this kind of stuff is classified", Cabbie offered.

"BLACK OPS!" Avalanche screamed.

"I heard he went cuckoo on the set", Blackout informed us.

"You know, probably top secret", Cabbie confirmed.

"CIA!" That was Avalanche, of course.

"I'm sure he could tell us."

"YES!"

"But he'd have to kill us."

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

"Whatever the reason is, it's his business and we're not asking", Dynamite concluded.

The subject was abruptly changed as Drip insisted on putting 'Super Copter' on. As the episode started up, I decided that Wildflower was right. We shouldn't be watching this.

"I'm going to call it a night, guys", I announced, standing up.

On my way back to the hangar, I started second guessing (or, at that point, fourth or fifth guessing) whether or not I should even be here. Should I be back home with Susannah?

Propwash Junction is my priority too, I reminded myself. They're also my family and they need me.

I waited for the phone to stop ringing and smiled broadly when I heard my wife's voice. "David! What's up?"

"Nothing... Why?"

"It's after midnight."

I checked the time on my phone: 10:08 and Minnesota is a couple of hours ahead of California. Oops!

"Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"No; I couldn't sleep. The baby won't stop kicking. I think we're gonna have to teach him to play soccer when he's older."

I threw my head back and laughed.

"So, is something wrong?" Susannah asked worriedly. "You're calling pretty late."

"No." I sighed. "I just needed to hear your voice."

Susannah sighed too. "It's good to hear yours too."