**A little note on this chapter. This one is pure fluff. It's a little bit of a cross over from one of the movies on my 'favorite' list. I'm sure those of you that recognize where it comes from will get a kick out of it, for those of you that don't….its' from the movie 'The Rocketeer'. Enjoy!
Chapter 5
Red's eyes flew open when someone touched her shoulder. Her eyes looked left then right. Her muscles were bunched up for the fight or flight reaction until she saw that it was Rachelle. She let out the breath she was holding and blinked her eyes a bit more awake. Rachelle was used to her waking like this by now so she simply had left her hand on Red's shoulder until she had relaxed.
Red rubbed her eyes. "Yeah?" she asked in a half mumble.
Rachelle took her hand off Red's shoulder, "You have company. Something about a GeeBee?" she said.
Red ahh'd and stood up, stretching before looking where Rachelle was indicating. An older man stood there, roughly in his late 70's, maybe 80's. The man approached and held out his hand, "I'm Cliff. I got a message that you were interested in looking at my GeeBee that I have for sale."
Red smiled and nodded, "Yes. I'm Cheyenne Hawke but you can call me Red. I saw the For Sale sign and I was interested in knowing more."
Cliff smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Why don't we head out to the air field. If you want, I can arrange for you to take her up for a bit of test flying during an open spot." He went over to the edge of the open tent doorway and indicated for Red to go before him like a perfect gentleman. He walked with a cane but he had a bit of a distinguished look about him.
Red smiled and nodded her head towards him in acceptance. She looked over her shoulder at Rachelle and gave her a nod before she ducked out into the crowded walkway. She waited for Cliff to join up with her and the two walked at his pace through the crowds. She spoke up when she saw a golf cart go by, "Want me to flag down a cart to give us a ride to the air field?" she asked.
He shook his head, "I'm enjoying the walk with such a beautiful woman," he said with a teasing look in his eyes as he gave her a glance. He saw her cheeks turn pink but he kept walking.
She was silent for part of the walk until they got closer to the air field. He finally asked her what seemed to be a casual question, "What do you know about GeeBee's?"
Red walked along next to him and gave him the specs she could remember, including the fact that they often crashed because they were such a small plane with a heavy engine in the front and how one wrong move could off balance during landing, causing the GB to take a nose-dive into the dirt. She was rewarded for her information when Cliff laughed heartily.
"Truer words were never spoken," he stated. "When I was a young man, I used to race them. They have spirit and spunk but are a handful if you don't treat them right. There's not many of this type of plane left." He walked casually on as they headed to the booth of flight schedules. "I dumped a few on their noses during my time as a pilot." He walked into the scheduling tent and after a few minutes, got permission to allow Red to go up in the plane within an hour.
Once that was settled, Cliff joined her back outside and gave her the sheet with her time on it. The two walked slowly through the planes and Cliff asked to see her Steerman that he saw her flying earlier that morning. She smiled with a quiet blush and took him back towards the row that the plane was sitting. He gently ran a hand along the prop and then down along the side to the wing. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before looking back at her.
"I see you take very good care of your aircraft. I wouldn't sell my GB to anyone that didn't have an affection for these old ladies."
She let a small smile of pride escape her lips, "I do my best to preserve the past. I hope others appreciate the joys of seeing them still in the air and remember the modest beginnings we had compared to what's out there now. These old girls 'talk' to me," she said as she looked at the Steerman with affection, "But this one can be a stubborn old thing when she wants…especially when it comes to repairs."
Cliff chuckled and gave the plane a longing look and then motioned for her to follow him. "I used to know a man like that many years ago. He was a genius when it came to being able to tell what was wrong with a machine, even if it wasn't obvious." He grew quiet then, a slight touch of sadness having crept into his face.
They walked from row to row until they came to the GeeBee, sitting in the sun, the white paint with black designs on it still looking new. He motioned for her to take a closer look.
She moved around the plane slowly, her fingers trailing over the metal and paint. She seemed in a half trance as she continued to walk carefully around it, taking in everything. When she came over to the side of the plane near the cockpit, she looked up to see the words: 'Pilot: Cliff Secord' painted under the window.
She looked over at the old man, "This was your racer, wasn't it." She put a hand up against the housing of the engine as she watched him.
He smiled and nodded, "She was the last plane I flew and I haven't flown in 40 years. I have managed to keep her in decent repair and condition, but she hasn't been airborn since I took my last flight in it … 1968. She was given to me in 1941 by Howard Hughes," he said with a proud smile.
Red walked slowly over to him, "You're serious?" she asked.
Cliff nodded, "Yup. I had it shipped out here and though I've started her up and let her run, I just don't have the ability to take her in the air anymore." He looked at the plane fondly. "She won me many races and we had several adventures together, but it's not the fate of a plane to sit unused and grounded. I've been hoping to find the right person to fly her and after watching you this morning, I knew I'd found them. When your man came to find me, I was certain it was fate," he said evenly.
Red's face turned a bright red with half pride, half embarrassment at his words. "Are you sure?" she asked, touching the plane again, trailing her fingers along the wing.
He nodded, "I'm an old man, older than I look. I want to make sure she's in good hands before I get to a point in my life that I can't and it's up to someone who doesn't understand the link between a pilot and their plane." He smiled as he leaned on his cane.
Red was quiet for a long moment. She would be taking a fairly big risk by going up in a plane she didn't own, in a plane that hadn't been flown in 40 years. She looked it over again, just standing there, taking in every detail. Finally she looked at Cliff, "You sure you want me to take her up?"
Cliff nodded, "I have insurance on her and if something happens, it will still be my responsibility. But if you get her up there and get her back down, she's yours at my requested price and a promise you'll keep this old girl in good shape." He held out a hand towards her.
She blinked at him and then smiled brightly, taking his hand and shaking it. He had a firm grip for an older man. She gave him a nod, "I'll do my best to make sure she's taken care of as she should be and I'd be honored to give her a test flight to see how she does."
Cliff nodded and let go of her hand, looked at his watch. "Looks like you should get her started up and get ready to take her up." He motioned towards the plane.
She nodded and went over, climbing up onto the wing as the old man began to place chalks under the wheels to keep it where it should be until she was ready to go. She slid open the cockpit cover and looked inside. The inside was as immaculate as the outside. She slowly slid in and settled in the seat. She was quiet for a moment as she got a feeling for the machine.
She slid her cap on and her goggles. She kicked the engine over and let the thrum of the engine vibrate through her entire body. She closed her eyes and 'listened' with all of her senses to the growl of the engine as the whole thing warmed up and fluids pumped through it to the appropriate places. She opened her eyes and looked over at Cliff.
She smiled like a madwoman and gave him the thumbs up as she slid the canopy closed over the cockpit and locked it down. She checked gauges and flaps as Cliff pulled out the chalks and stepped away from the plane. She could almost feel the little plane want to lunge skyward now but she kept a stiff hand on the controls.
She pulled a little back on the control stick and revved the engine enough that it pulled out of its spot and slowly taxied down the isle. She got into the appropriate spot and watched the signal flags as she waited for her turn to go up. While she waited, she called Rachelle's phone.
Rachelle answered, "What's up Red?" she asked.
"Me…pretty soon. Might want to step out and look skyward in a few moments. With any luck, I've got me a new plane and a rare one at that," she said, sounding like a little kid in a toy store.
She could hear Rachelle laughing at her. "All right. Be safe," was all she said as she hung up.
Red shoved the phone into a pocket again and buttoned it down. She saw the flags give her the cue to take off. She looked over to the left and saw Cliff standing just inside the first row of planes. She gave him a salute and she saw him respond. She had his blessing and there was nothing keeping her from the skies.
She moved the GB out to the runway and she pulled back on the control stick, feeling the little plane rev as it sped up to taxi down the runway. She was airborne in the matter of moments and the world dropped away and she shot into the wild blue yonder for the second time that day.
She took a deep breath as she felt the energy of the plane flow through her. She had connected sooner with this plane than any of the others she had flown recently. The slightest touch to the stick made it respond. Cliff wasn't kidding when he said he'd kept it in good repair. She circled the plane around and came in for another pass of the airstrip.
She slowly put it through its paces, starting with simple turns, ups and downs and upside downs. She gave it a bit more energy and she took off, the engine rumbling smoothly under her. She smiled as she came in for a signature sweep past the landing strip at head level and then pulled back on the stick to head straight up, spinning the plane as she did. She put it through her full paces before her signal flag came out to tell her it was time to come in and let someone else up into the air.
Now was the moment of truth to see if she could land the little plane. She came in for a last turn and brought the RPM's down as she feathered the props and slowed down to a gentle pace. As the front wheels touched, she gave the control stick just a little nudge back to keep the plane from getting away from her and take a nose dive. She put on full flaps and she came to an easy stop at the end of the runway. She followed the signal flags to where she was to come off the tarmac. She taxied back to the spot where she had pulled out and saw both Lex and Cliff waiting for her.
She pulled around and got the tail pointed into the stall before she shut the engine down. She pulled the cockpit window back after unlocking it and stood up with a bit of a shout of joy. Lex clapped and Cliff gave her a thumb up. Red climbed out and hopped down and helped push it back into place.
She turned to Cliff when she was done, "Well, how did she look?" she asked.
Cliff smiled sadly at her, "She looked fantastic. Made me wish I could have been the one behind the stick again. She's found her new pilot I think." He grinned at her and pulled out a set of papers from his pocket. "Here's the papers. I just need them signed for title transfer," he said.
Red looked at him and carefully took the papers, "Why don't you come back to our camper where we can sit and talk and take care of all this?" she asked.
He shook his head, "We will need a witness and I know we can find that at the controllers table."
She looked a little saddened but she nodded and Lex handed Red something, "Rachelle knew within moments of you going airborne that you'd want it. She gave me a check to give to you to fill out," he stated quietly.
She took the blank check Lex handed her and nodded, tucking it into her pocket. "I'll be back at the tent in a little bit," she said to Lex as they parted ways. She looked back at Cliff and nodded to him. The two of them headed along at a pace he set. It was quiet for the walk as he offered her his arm like a gentleman and she accepted. She had removed her hat and goggles and walked casually beside him. They finally arrived at the controllers tent where the papers were signed, witnessed and Red filled out the check.
When the deal was done and everything was official, Red tucked the papers away in her jacket. Cliff held out his hand. "Thank you Red. I know she's in good hands." He smiled sadly at her.
Red took the hand and shook it, then reached in and pulled out a card from her pocket and handed it to him. "If you ever want to see her again or want to go for a ride in the Steerman or …if there's anything I can do for you, call me. I will help in any way I can."
Cliff took the card and nodded, looking at it then tucking it away in his jacket pocket. "Well, Miss Hawke, I take my leave of you. Be kind to my lady and take care of yourself," he said with a gentle smile. He patted her on the arm and slowly walked out of the tent.
