Crash

Hank was actually a pretty good pilot. And he was right the jet was fast.

Amelia supposed they were near the embargo line because Hank seemed to be slowing down the jet.

Plus, while she couldn't actually see Hank, he still sounded worried, "It looks pretty messy out there."

Charles put his fingers to his temple and then snapped his eyes open. "The crew of the Aral Sea are all dead. Shaw's been there."

Amelia heard Erik. "He's still here, somewhere." He was mad. And frustrated. She wished she could see his face. Why did she sit here again?

Charles spoke again, "He set the ship on course for the embargo line."

Moira was in government mode. "If that ship crosses the line, our boys are going to blow it up. And the war begins."

And Shaw would win.

Charles looked like he was having an internal chess match and then like a light bulb went off in his head. "Unless they're not are boys."

Amelia knew what Charles wanted to do –but she wasn't prepared for it.

Hank jerked the plane to the side in an attempt to dodge the missiles Charles had the Russians unleash on their own ship. It felt like a roller coaster –only not so pleasant. In fact it was extremely unpleasant –her guts felt like were trying to find a way out of her body. Raven was screaming and Amelia clenched her lips together so she wouldn't join in.

"Hold on!" Charles' warning was a bit too late.

Hank gave a snarl and adjusted the plane.

The plane was still sideways but it didn't feel like a death trap anymore.

Hank spoke, "A little warning next time, Professor."

Charles sounded slightly embarrassed, "Sorry about that. You all right?'

Amelia wasn't sure how to answer that. Her head was spinning.

Sean gave a sarcastic and barely there, "Yeah."

Everyone caught their breath and Moira said dryly, "That was inspired Charles."

"Thank you very much, but I still can't locate Shaw."

Erik was mad and frustrated again. "He's down there. We need to find him now."

Charles looked to their pilot. "Hank?"

Hank looked to Moira. "Is there anything unusual on the radar or scanners?"

Moira took a second but said, "No. Nothing."

Hank was exasperated. "Well, then he must be underwater. And obviously, we don't have sonar."

Erik gave a frustrated sigh but Amelia was looking wide eyed at Sean. She knew what he decided before he said it out loud.

Sean looked determined and confident, not cocky, –not like the usual Sean. "Yes, we do."

Charles was surprised but happy. "Yes, we do."

Charles, Erik, and Sean unbuckled themselves and headed for the back of the plane. They grabbed at the metal bars and Charles yelled, "Hank, level the bloody plane!"

The plane was horizontal again. Amelia twisted her head to get a better view –now that she could look at Erik without feeling weird. Even if was just his back.

Sean looked alarmed as Erik got closer. "Whoa! You back right off!" Erik took a step back and held up his hands. Sean looked to Hank. "Beast, open the bomb bay doors!"

Amelia caught a glimpse off light from the bottom of the plane and then the wind got very loud.

Charles was yelling at Sean –trying to lecture him before he dropped out of the plane to help locate a madman. Amelia supposed Sean could hear Charles though. And then he jumped out.

Moira talked into the radio, "Alert the fleet, they may want to take their cans off."

There was a tense silence and the only noise Amelia could hear was the engine and the wind. Charles yelled, "Banshee's got a location on Shaw!" He turned to look at Erik and Amelia knew they were having some sort of conversation. She just didn't know what it was about.

Erik was going to try and raise Shaw's submarine.

Amelia was pretty sure he could do it. But still –a submarine.

Hank lowered something on the plane and Charles and Erik headed for it. Amelia caught Erik's eye before he disappeared.

She lifted her chin. He gave a nod.

He could do it.

She could see Charles yelling things at Erik like he had with Sean. Charles had his fingers to his temple.

Amelia could feel from Charles and Erik when the plan was going south. It was going to be bad. Very, very bad.

Charles was desperate and Amelia could hear him as yelled for Erik. "Erik, take my hand!"

Hank called out to the group. "Oh. Hold on, guys. It's gonna get bumpy."

Amelia could see what was happening from the window. It was a tornado. Like what happened at the CIA base. Only they were on a plane –this couldn't be good.

Amelia shut her eyes and clenched her lips. The sensations were unpleasant again. She heard Alex next to her give a grunt. But then she heard Charles. "Erik, take my hand!"

Erik still wasn't on the plane. Her eyes snapped open. The bastard better not die.

There was an alarm going off and then she saw Charles helping Erik into the plane. He was in the plane –he was going to live. Amelia could handle the unpleasant plane sensations –he was going to live.

And then the plane crashed.