“That’s not me.”
“That’s not you? Are you sure? Looks just like you son.”
“Nope, it’s not me. I swear.”
“Don’t play games with me son, you’re wearing the same shirt right now as in the video.” The colonel smirked while he continued with his inquisitive onslaught. He knew that Creed was now just toying with him. He admired the kid’s stubbornness but knew now was the time to push him for an actual confession. Col. Posey wasn’t looking to waste any more time. If only Creed could have foreseen the possibility of this happening, he would’ve rather had that concrete back at the school smash them right where they stood. At least they would’ve died happy and content in each other’s arms, salvaged from this horrible war and all its post irritants. Then again, he knew that he hadn’t willingly produced that force field. He didn’t even realize he had that so-called ability until it happened.
“Look, I don’t know what to tell you Colonel, but for the last time, that’s not me.”
“Quit fucking around kid, just tell me the truth.” The colonel profoundly shouted.
In a frustrating response, Creed stood up and flicked his hands towards the colonel’s desk. The phone was thrown violently towards the wall directly behind the colonel where it immediately shattered. Col. Posey stood up in shock, gazing back at Creed. The colonel turned towards where the phone had landed on the floor. He picked up some of the broken pieces and inspected them before vehemently glaring back at Creed once more. The was initially aware of the kid’s previously documented ability of flight, and his impressive production of force fields, but this was new. Creed just stared over at the colonel emotionless.
“So now what?” He asked.
The colonel paused once again, smiling like a big kid who just got what he wanted. He placed the broken pieces of the phone down on his desk and made his way towards the office door.
“Follow me.”
Creed sighed and followed him out, unsure of what was going to happen next.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Down the hallway from the colonel’s office worked Capt. Rebecca Romano, the charge nurse for the entire medical department at Sky Harbor. Most of Rebecca’s co-workers called her Rey Rey, or just simply Rey. Capt. Romano was currently living in Glendale Arizona with her husband and two daughters. Rey’s husband Rene had previously served in the Army himself but left with an honorable discharge after his last tour in Afghanistan. He was now working with kids at the local Y.M.C.A. At first glance the Captain didn’t look like much. She was short, coming in at only five feet nothing, however she was as strong as an ox. While serving in Iraq under the United States occupation there, the Green Zone had come under a heavy mortar attack. Rey was making her way back to the hospital she worked at after a morning run when it all had started. One of the mortar shells hit the hospital while she was making her way inside and the blast ended up severely wounding the captain. After extensive surgery and some serious rehabilitation, Rey made a full recovery. She would wear those scars from the blast like a medal, prouder than the Purple Heart she was eventually awarded. Rey returned to the states after the ordeal to fully recover, but her scars and mental toughness would eventually return roughly a year later.
By the time the Chinese planes had reached Arizona all the way from the California coast, the captain hardly even flinched. She had grown so accustomed to that type of environment, that when the sirens started blaring, Rey simply acted; getting her family to safety. A day after the attack, Rey was ordered to help in Phoenix. Based on her experience and rank, she was immediately put in charge of the entire medical department. It didn’t take long for her to spring into action and help transform the airport into a make-shift base and refugee safe zone. Rey was impressive turning the terminals into a make-ready medical wing. So impressive and determined that she even started barking orders at the representatives from Red Cross. It was quite a sight.
It would be a few days after the Chinese insurgency where the captain’s strength would be tested again. That all would start the second she met Creed as he came walking down the hallways side by side with Col. Posey. Rey had earlier drawn some blood and was looking through her telescope when the pair caught her eyes as they quickly approached. The captain sprung up at attention and saluted the colonel accordingly.
“Colonel, sir.”
“At ease Captain.”
“Thank you, sir.” Rey stood at ease as Col. Posey turned back towards Creed who had been lingering a few steps behind. Creed smirked at the sight of the two officer’s exchange. He had thought it was funny how Capt. Romano said thank you right after the colonel ordered the ‘at ease.’ As if it was a privilege to be extended the right to relax. Creed even chuckled as he thought about how uptight everyone in the military appeared to be all the time. He thought back to what Jack Kerouac said in his book ‘The Vanity of Duluoz,’ about how unnecessarily strict the military were.
“I’d like you to meet Creed O’Connor.”
Capt. Romano held out her hand towards the young teen. Before he extended his hand, Creed noticed a few scars surrounding her hand; they were calloused and looked like they had been through a corn thresher. The Captain’s smile however, was intently unlike her rough exterior. It was warming like the reassurance of the sun’s sweltering rays bathing your skin on a cool winter’s day.
“How are you doing Creed?” Rey greeted.
“Fine, I guess.”
“Could you do me a quick favor Capt. Romano?” Col. Posey inquired.
“Sure.”
“I have to run out to concourse four with Col. Mitchell. Could you make sure that we get a complete CBC on Creed here? Maybe even a brief physical?”
“Yes sir of course, that won’t be a problem at all.”
“Great, thank you Captain.” The colonel then turned his attention back on Creed who had continued staring at Capt. Romano. “Just a little blood, okay? Does that sound alright with you Creed?”
“Sure, I guess.”
“Alright, I’ll be back in a minute.” Col. Posey re-asserted.
Capt. Romano raised her hand up to salute, but Col. Posey had already started making his way to the other side of the airport. Rey then extended her arm towards the seat in her little office area. Creed easily conceded as he was still a bit thrown off by the captain’s warm presence. In fact, in that very moment a lot of Creed’s previous unease was beginning to naturally calm. Creed was beginning to wonder if someone had slipped him something to help with his nerves. Like some sort of trickery or mind game.
“So, you feeling sick or something?” Rey asked.
“Why do you ask that?”
“The colonel.”
“What about him?’
“Well I don’t know. It’s kind of odd him requesting blood from a random teenager, don’t you think? Are you his nephew or something? You special?”
“Oh well yes actually. I’m his fifth wife’s cousin’s kid.”
“Is that right?”
“That’s right. And if you must know, I’m horribly sick. The good colonel wants to save my life. One last good deed to cement his endowing legacy. God bless that man’s heart.”
Capt. Romano cracked a smile while she gathered some supplies on the table next to her. “Your kind of funny too, aren’t you?”
Creed simply shrugged. “I guess.” Rey then grabbed a tourniquet and wrapped it around his right arm. She placed four vials on the mobile table next to her and then finally grabbed a needle.
“So how did you get those scars?” Creed asked. The captain paused for a moment and looked down at her arm. Rey noticed that her arm was no longer covered by her sleeves as she was getting everything ready to draw Creed’s blood. “Back in Iraq. The hospital I worked at came under enemy fire.”
Enemy fire. How Ironic was that term? Creed thought to himself. He knew if he was to have a similar conversation with the people of Iraq, they’d probably use the same term to describe us Americans. But who was right, and who
was wrong in that conflict? Same question could be asked about what was going on with the current situation the U.S. found themselves battling with the Chinese currently. One would probably be quick to point blame towards the Chinese since they started this mess in the first place. Creed knew what his father might ask about it all. But why did they feel the need to attack? It was always like that for Creed growing up. He’d come in with a bloody nose explaining to his father that another kid attacked him. While his mom would help clean him up, Mr. O’Connor would ask Creed what he might’ve done to make this other kid feel that his actions were warranted. There had to be some sort of reasoning behind everything for his father. A reaction was always born out of an action.
“Did it hurt?”
“Yeah, it really did.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.” Rey gazed up and down Creed’s arm looking for a vein. She pulled out a needle and placed it right above his arm.
“You ready?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
Rey pushed the needle firmly into Creed’s skin. In an instant, a mini stream of blood squirted out and fell onto Creed’s arm. Rey quickly grabbed the vials and started filling them up with the teenager’s free flowing blood.
“Wow; that blood was ready to come out.”
“Is that a good thing.”
“Yeah I guess. I mean don’t get yourself into a car accident, you’d probably bleed to death before the ambulance arrived.”
“What a nice thing to say.”
Rey chuckled before releasing the tourniquet on Creed’s arm. She grabbed a towel and started wiping Creed’s blood that had spilled out onto his arm. Rey was able to fill the vials within a minute.
“So, what’s your full name Creed?”
“Creed Aldous O’Connor.”
“What a unique name.”
“My mom loved Apollo Creed, and my Dad’s an avid reader. He loved that book, Brave New World. Ever heard of it?”
“No sorry, can’t say that I have.”
“It’s okay.”
“Well I’ll have to check it out as soon as this nonsense is over.” Rey stood up from her seat and placed the vials of blood on another long table. She collected the tourniquet and the plastic wrapper from the tray next to Creed.
“Alright” the Captain announced. “Drop your pants.”
“Excuse me?”
“Colonel’s orders. Drop them.”
Creed smiled before he realized the captain was being serious. She was already gloved and ready to go before he was even finished unbuttoning his pants.
The colonel returned about an hour later. He had arrived just as Creed was finishing up his physical with the captain. Rey was just finishing up writing Creed’s name on the vials of blood and placing them in a manila folder.
“All done?” The colonel asked.
“Yes sir.”
“Good. So, Creed, you want to come with me now? There’s something else I want to show you?”
“All right.” Creed stood up from the chair slowly.
“Well, good luck Creed.” Rey offered.
“Thanks.” Creed shook the captain’s out stretched hand while peering into her warm eyes one last time. As soon as Creed left the room with the colonel, he could already start to feel the cold and unsettling feelings surround him once again. The warmth of Rey’s mere presence was now evading him as he followed the colonel towards the hangar doors of the airport. Outside the long double doors, they made their way to one of the giant hangars in the back. All around the back Creed saw multitudes of military equipment. They had been salvaged and shipped over from Luke Air Force Base prior to the attacks. There was everything from tanks to hummer’s, ammunition and helicopter’s; and all of it ready to be packed up shipped off to anywhere it was needed. While they entered one of the hangar’s in the back, he noticed Col. Mitchell assumingly waiting for the two of them to arrive. Creed quickly noticed that this Hangar was mostly empty except for an old Army truck parked in the corner. The truck was an old salvaged cargo truck with a standard wheelbase cargo bed.
“Is this seriously all you wanted to show me?” Creed asked.
“No smart ass.” Col. Posey peered over at Col. Mitchell before giving him a nod. Immediately Col. Mitchell moved towards the hangar door’s and began to shut them until the sunlight had completely vanished. The room grew darker except for a few overhead lights.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“Show us what you got?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I want to see you fly.”
“In here?”
“Yes, in here, and then I want to see what you can do to that truck over there.”
Creed noticed Col. Mitchell walking back towards him holding an AR-15.
“What’s the gun for?”
“Let’s not focus on that right now Creed. What do you say we just start with a little flying?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“I’m not going to do it, I’m sorry.”
Almost instantly Col. Mitchell directed the rifle’s barrel in the direction of the defiant teenager. Col. Posey quickly waved off his counterpart before throwing an arm around Creed.
“Creed, do you want to die?” He asked.
“What?”
“Sorry, let me rephrase that. As of right now, the Chinese are moving vastly throughout the eastern coast of the country. They’ve already declared victory in New York and are now slowly moving towards the south. We’ve sent additional supplies and soldiers to halt their defense. However, in the unlikeliest of events that they succeed in making it further south? What if they make it down to Texas, then to New Mexico and finally, Arizona? Do you want that to happen?”
“Of course not.”
“Well then tell me. What are we going to do about that Creed? The first ever human to be able to fly is standing right here in my possession. Am I supposed to just throw that away? You could help us Creed. And think about it. You could save the day for all of us as they say in those putrid comic books you kids like. What do you think about that? A true hero.”
Creed stood there with a growing smirk across his face. “I’m not a hero Colonel.”
“Sure, you are. You can fly, can’t you?”
“That doesn’t make me a hero.”
“That’s true, but I’m giving you an opportunity to be one.”
“Are you giving me an opportunity? Or are you forcing one?”
“Come on kid. If not for me, do it for your folks, for your little girlfriend out there.”
“For the last time Colonel, I won’t do it.”
“You won’t, or you can’t?”
“I can’t do what you’re asking me to do. I’m sorry.”
Col. Posey reached out and grabbed Creed’s shirt, twisting the collar portion against Creed’s neck. “Now you listen hear you little punk. You’re going to do what I’m asking from you or we’re going to start having some serious problems. Do you understand me? Start flying, and then I want you to destroy that truck over there. After that we’ll put you in a nice little outfit, send you out to destroy all those motherfuckers and end this war. What do you think so far? Then after all that’s over with we’re going to put you in an even nicer suit, parade you down the fucking streets, who knows, maybe even accept an award for being our hero. Then they’ll present me with an award for discovering your little puke face. Then we’ll all go back to our merry little lives. Sound like a plan?”
“No.” Creed responded.
Col. Posey dropped his head and sighed momentarily. Finally, he looked up and patted Creed on the shoulder. He smiled before walking over towards Col. Mitchell who was still wielding his assault rifle. Col. Posey simply leaned in towards Col. Mitchell.
“Go get the girl.”
“Yes sir.”
Creed watched as Col. Mitchell relieved himself of his gun before storming out of
the hangar. Col. Posey slowly turned and began walking back towards Creed. The disenchanted colonel started smiling facetiously at his defiant guest.
“Alright Creed, I guess desperate times calls for desperate measures.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You know, when I was a little boy, my father was fighting alongside the Philippine Army during the outbreak of World War Two. The Japanese forces ended up killing around a hundred thousand Philippine citizens. They would mutilate and rape the women and children out of pure boredom. They’d take these twelve to fourteen-year-old girls into these hotels located in downtown Manilla, where these Japanese soldiers would then take turns raping them. Now ask yourself something Creed, would you consider that treatment pure evil? Would you have told those innocent Philippine citizens the same thing; that you can’t help them?”
“That’s unfair and you know it. The difference is that I’m sixteen. Does that even mean anything to you? Or do all the armed forces see only in black and white? I’ve never been in any type of combat. Yet you see strategies; you see good guys and bad guys, but nothing much else in-between. You see a kid with some form of magical powers, gifts, or whatever the hell this is. Do you want to know what I see or what I’m feeling? Or do you even care? Well I’m sorry I didn’t grow up like you or see the things you have witnessed. All I can see now are school books and homework, while at the same time trying to navigate hormones and first kisses. I haven’t even been able to really understand why this whole thing happened to me? And Before I’m able to even wrap my own head around these unique abilities, you’re asking me to use them to harm other human beings that you’ve pre-emptively deemed the so called bad guys.”
“Anybody that bombs my country is a bad guy.” Col. Posey replied.
“I’m sorry. I cannot be your super soldier.”
“Not asking you to be a soldier son. I’m asking you to be a super hero.”
“You don’t seem to be listening to anything I’m saying. I’m not a super hero.”
The colonel stood there and sighed.
Goodbye Sky Harbor Page 9
