Learning To Fly

by DeMaris, Charles

  “One of them’s some sort of portable EMP. The other one…”

  “Come again?”

  “You know what EMP is, right?”

  “Electro-magnetic pulse? Stuff that can fry electronics? I thought newer planes and military vehicles had hardened systems to protect against EMP.”

  “Yeah, but these are different. The big fear was always a huge EMP that might fry a whole city or something, but this is a portable unit. It’s the size of a rifle and fires a projectile that’s smaller than a grenade. The projectile is self propelled and has a range of about five miles or so. Takes a couple seconds to get a radar lock on the target and then when you fire, the projectile will find the target and attach. Once attached, it can completely disable any vehicle. A standard EMP would only take out the electronics, but this one shuts down the entire vehicle. Engines quit, everything.”

  “How in the hell—“

  “The science is beyond me, but they work. Some older vehicles fare better, but it can be modified to go after certain systems, like to shut down the engines on a targeted vehicle.”

  “If these are man portable, why was the Air Force getting a shipment of them?”

  “Like I said, it’s a prototype, developed by some arms contractor on the east coast, in Vermont I think. Our boys would like to modify it to put it on planes and helicopters. You could disable whole armored units that way without killing anyone.”

  “But imagine using it on an aircraft.”

  “That would also work. The enemy pilot could still eject, but his plane becomes useless. The possibilities are endless.”

  “Military applications aside, what if it falls into the wrong hands?”

  “Used against civilian targets? Use your imagination. I’m sure it could be modified to be used against buildings, but even in its current configuration, the ability to fry any moving vehicle is scary enough. Enough of these in the wrong hands could wreak havoc on the aviation industry. You said the entire semi went missing?”

  “Yes, the driver was knocked out and left on the side of the road. He’s lucky they didn’t kill him.”

  “I trust your boys are on it.”

  “We have officers looking for the truck, but we have to assume that by now the cargo has been transferred. Anyway, you said there was something else in that shipment?”

  “Yeah, and that one could be bad news.”

  “How bad?”

  “It’s a different projectile fired from the same device, but it doesn’t disable the target vehicle. It lets someone with a computer take control. You get that attached to a vehicle, and someone with a computer can connect and remotely control whatever vehicle it’s attached to. You can imagine having that capability on a battlefield, but imagine it falling into the wrong hands.”

  Wilkins let out a string of expletives.

  “That’s pretty much it. Well, so much for getting any more sleep. I have to make some calls. Let me know if you come up with anything.”

  12

  It wasn’t the alarm that woke Franklin up, but the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen. By the time he came out of the shower, it was getting stronger. He came into the kitchen at 7:45 to an impressive spread of food. Walter was over the stove scrambling eggs and there were already heaping plates of bacon and biscuits on the table, along with coffee, juice, and milk.

  “Man, dude, how long you been in here working on all this?”

  “Not too long. That’s Marcy’s biscuit recipe. About the only thing I can make from scratch.”

  “You must be hungry to make all this.”

  “With your girlfriend coming to pick you up…can’t have you kids leaving here hungry.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Not yet, but it might not be long.”

  “Come on Gramps, we just met.”

  “Kid, I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night. Doesn’t take superpowers to see it.”

  “Does it take super hearing?”

  “Well…I might have overheard some things last night.”

  “I knew it. Can’t talk within a mile of you.”

  “You were right in front of the building. I could hardly help it. But kid, a girl like that takes an interest in you…those don’t come along that often.”

  “Yeah pops…she’s…she’s good looking and all.”

  “More than that kid. If you told her half of your background and she’s still interested, she’s a keeper.”

  “I will bow to your superior experience.”

  Otis perked up and started to lift his immense bulk off the floor. A second later the doorbell rang. Franklin and Otis were both at the door to greet Kendra.

  “Hi Franklin. You ready for breakfast. I saw a couple interesting places not far…wait a minute…you been cooking?”

  “Walter’s been cooking. There’s quite the spread.”

  “You two coming or not?” Walter said from the kitchen. “Don’t want it to get cold.”

  Kendra reached down and scratched Otis’ head and headed toward the kitchen.

  “I can’t turn down an open invitation. I figure we have time. Test is at 9:00, right?”

  “Yep. We leave here at 8:30 we should be there in plenty of time,” Franklin said.

  Kendra filled her plate and once again watched Walter eat with amazement.

  “How do you stay trim and eat like that?” she asked.

  “Ever since I became like I am, my metabolism has been crazy. I think my body burns too much.”

  “I guess that makes sense. So, you’re hungry all the time?”

  “Quite a bit. It’s really weird.”

  Twenty minutes later, Kendra finished a second glass of juice and stood up.

  “I am absolutely stuffed. You’re quite the cook.”

  “Thank you my lady, but it’s hard to mess up bacon and eggs.”

  “Don’t repeat it to anyone, but I doubt my mother could have done much better.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  “Well, shall we be off?”

  “Ready when you are,” Franklin said, standing up, “Just let me get my bag.”

  “Your bag?”

  “For after the test.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “How long is the test?” Kendra asked when they were in the car.

  “The total time limit is something like seven hours. There are breaks between the different sections. I’m not sure if I can get out early if I work faster.”

  “Don’t push yourself too hard. Just make sure you nail it.”

  “I’m not worried. I studied like crazy. I’m gonna ace it.”

  “I’m sure you will. You seem like a sharp guy.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff.”

  “Hey, that’s not you now, remember?”

  “Yeah, I hear you.”

  “You didn’t tell me Walter was such a cool guy.”

  “He wasn’t like that the day we met.”

  “But he still took you in.”

  “Yep, but he was a cranky dude then, griped about the kids all the time.”

  “Do you think the powers changed him?”

  “You should have seen his face when he figured out he could fly. Like a little kid on Christmas.”

  “Wouldn’t you be?”

  “Guess so. I can’t imagine. I mean, it was like he dropped half his age. He still comes home and wants to be alone sometimes, but every time he helps someone, you can see it on his face. He loves it.”

  “And you help him out?”

  “I’d like to think I do. I mean, I helped him figure out what he could do. That was cool. I walk and feed Otis and help him with housework. I wish I could do more.”

  “Ace that test and maybe you can.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “You can get a job, maybe help with the bills.”

  “Yeah, I guess that would be cool. I’ve never had a job before.”

  “Well, we’re there. I’ll be back aro
und 3. If you’re not done, I’ll just sit and wait in the car.”

  “Might be a bit of a wait.”

  “That’s okay, I brought a good book.”

  “You like to read?”

  “I love to.”

  “What's this book?”

  “Local author. It’s a new series, about a black guy who’s an action hero. I just started it. It’s pretty good.”

  “Black action hero, huh? Don’t see that every day.”

  “Yeah, and the author’s a white guy. Go figure.”

  “Maybe I’ll have to take a look at it when you’re done.”

  “Well, this looks like the place. Knock ‘em dead.”

  That afternoon, Franklin walked out with a smile on his face and a spring in his step and approached Kendra’s car. She jerked her head up from her book at the knock on the window.

  “Man, you got me good,” she said when he got in the passenger seat.

  “You were really into that book.”

  “I’m getting close to the end. It’s kind of exciting.”

  Franklin picked up the book and looked it over. “Got a brother on the cover. Can’t be bad.”

  “It’s pretty good. The author’s kind of new. My dad met him a while back.”

  “Can I borrow it when you’re done?”

  “Sure. Are you much of a reader?”

  “Nah. Well…I haven’t been. Not with the way my life’s been lately, but it sounds interesting now. Walter has a few novels lying around the house and I’ve read one since I’ve been there.”

  Franklin reached into the back seat and grabbed his bag while Kendra got on I-71 and started heading north. Something didn’t seem right about it and when he opened it, he saw why. His clothes were replaced. Gone were the shorts, shirt, and shoes that were in there, replaced by new items.

  “Uh…what’s all this?” he asked.

  “What’s what?”

  “This, my bag. This isn’t my stuff.”

  “It is now. The stuff that was in there has seen better days. Don’t worry. I didn’t throw it out. It’s back at Walter’s. You can do yard work in it, or lounge around the house, but if you’re going to the gym with me, you’re gonna look like you belong there.”

  “Not like some washed up street kid?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Well…but you didn’t have to…buy all that.”

  “Hey, I just got paid and I still live with my parents. Consider it a birthday present.”

  “You don’t even know when my birthday is.”

  “It’s gotta be sometime this year.”

  “Well…thanks. Nobody ever done anything like that for me before.”

  “You’re welcome. You never mentioned how you did on the test.”

  “Oh, that thing. I aced it.”

  “You’re sure.”

  “Sure as anything. The studying paid off. You know, at first I didn’t want to, but Walter pushed me and after the first day, it was fun. I never thought learning stuff would be fun.”

  “You ever thought about what you’re gonna do next?”

  “I’m not used to thinking past where the next meal’s gonna come from. This is all new. What you gonna do?”

  “I’m starting at Xavier in the fall.”

  “That sounds exciting. I’d like that, but I got no money for college.”

  “You can apply for scholarships. Might be too late for this year, but you never know. And there are the grants. With your situation, you might qualify.”

  “You can help me with that?”

  “It’s all online if you know where to look. You got a computer at the apartment, right?”

  “Yeah, Walter bought a laptop. I used it for studying, and for tracking him when he’s flying around.”

  “You can track him?”

  “His phone. He keeps it on him. I track him when he’s out and I can call him if I see something he might want to take care of.”

  “Oh, so you’re like his sidekick.”

  “Never thought of it that way, but…yeah, I guess so.”

  “That’s really cool. The first real superhero ever and you’re his sidekick.”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Almost as cool as hanging out with you. Why you doing this, anyway? Because I know Walter?”

  “It might have started that way. I don’t know. I mean…meeting Walter…but…”

  “Come on, spit it out.”

  “You’re a likable guy.”

  “But…a girl like you…you could hang out with any dude, especially dudes without my history.”

  “That’s my choice. We’re here. Let’s get in here and see what you got.”

  “Hi Kendra,” the girl at the desk said.

  “Hi, got a guest today.”

  Franklin gave his name to the desk clerk, and she took his photo.

  “Do you have an ID, Franklin?”

  “Uh…don’t have it on me.”

  “Well, that’s okay. We can get that the next time you’re in.”

  “Here’s the gym right down here, and the locker rooms are over here to the left. I’ll meet you in there after we change clothes.

  Franklin walked onto the basketball court and saw a ball flying toward his head. He caught it, dribbled it a couple times, and put up a shot from twenty feet that clanged off the back of the rim.

  “I’m just rusty.”

  “Put up a few more of those and we can build a house,” Kendra said.

  “Huh?”

  “A few more bricks like that, it will be a big house.”

  “You’re funny girl, let’s see what you got,” Franklin said, zipping a bounce pass her way.

  She caught it, dribbled in, and laid the ball in off the backboard.

  “Come on girl, anyone can make a layup. Whatcha got from downtown?”

  “You first.”

  Franklin stepped behind the three point line and launched an air ball. Kendra would have rebounded it if she wasn’t doubled over laughing.

  “You just wait ‘til I get warmed up. I’m just rusty, is all. Let’s see yours.”

  Kendra shot one from behind the line, barely grazing the rim.

  “Bock, bock, bock, bock.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Your big chicken wings, that’s what.”

  “Chicken wings?”

  Franklin could barely contain his mirth. “Big elbows flapping out like a chicken when you shoot. I thought you played.”

  “Just one year, spent most of the time on the bench.”

  “I spent the last two years on the playgrounds, not on the bench. You gotta keep your elbows in, like this.”

  He came next to her and gave her the ball, placing it in her hands.

  “Put your left hand on the side here, your right hand like this, and it’s just a flick of the wrist.”

  He stood in front of her and raised the ball up higher, then put his hands on her arms and pushed her elbows in.

  “There, that looks better. Now try a shot.”

  “Just how my coach tried to get me to hold it.”

  “Maybe your coach was right. Now try it.”

  She took another shot, this time from no more than fifteen feet, and drained it, nothing but net.

  “There you go girl. How did that feel?”

  “Better than anything you got.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Franklin stepped back behind the three point line and this time got nothing but the bottom of the net.

  “Impressive,” Kendra said.

  “You can do it too, just like I showed you.”

  She did exactly that, and made a three pointer on her second attempt, before jumping in the air and letting out a whoop.

  “You sure you didn’t play, Franklin?”

  “Well, one year in ninth grade.”

  “I thought so.”

  “You up for a game of horse?”

  “If you’re up to getting your butt kicked.”

&
nbsp; “We’ll see about that.”

  13

  The man pulled his car into the airplane viewing lot near CVG. There were two other cars in the lot, their occupants sitting on the benches watching the planes take off and land. He reached into the back seat, unobserved by anyone else there, and removed an item from a long bag in the back seat. It was slightly shorter than a rifle, just a long thin tube with a trigger and a small LED display. The man held it on his lap and checked the parking lot one more time. Just the two cars and the people, four adults and three children, watching the runways with rapt attention. Two smaller planes took off, and he ignored them, but a 737 got his attention and he aimed the tube out the window of the car. He flipped a switch on the LED display and aimed the tube at the plane taxiing down the runway, keeping the plane’s image in the display. A couple seconds later the reticle around the plane turned green, and he heard a solid tone. He depressed the trigger and there was a barely audible whoosh as the projectile exited the barrel and picked up speed, attaching to the plane a few seconds later. He repeated the same action two more times, then laid the device in the back seat and exited the lot. Five minutes later he was on the interstate heading back toward the city.

  Trent Salazar watched his computer screen as the blips appeared one by one until he had three on the screen, moving in different directions. Cat Mixon watched over his shoulder, pleased by what she was seeing.

  “Do you have complete control over each plane?”

  “Haven’t tried yet,” Salazar replied, “should know in a sec. I got a monitor for each one set up here. Worked like a charm on the small plane.”

  “The small plane?”

  “The Cessna that crashed yesterday? Surely you heard about it.”

  “Yeah. That was the test I authorized you to try.”

  “Yep. I have them set up right over here.”

  Cat looked to where he was pointing and each monitor had the same display up, part of the screen showing the direction the plane was moving, superimposed over a satellite map, and the other part of the screen showing the main control systems of the aircraft. In front of each screen was a joystick and throttle, with a set of rudder pedals on the floor.

  “Nice setup. I trust the controls didn’t cost too much?”

  “You’ll never believe that part. They’re flight controls for PC flight games. They’re rather easy to set up and configure with the system we have here, and they’re not too overly expensive. Should we try one?”