Chapter 74: Checking out a chopper (Tom)

[doc]

Tom sighs, and wheels in, looking for any sign of Jason and trying to detect anything in motion.

[dakota]

As Tom wheeled in, he could hear not a sound, his eyes adjusting and picking out shapes now. He could also sense metal everywheres, but nothing was able to pinpoint because of inside the metal hangar. Form somewheres in the darkness came a voice with a southern accent, " This is a restricted hangar. You need to leave now."

[doc]

Tom spins about. "Restricted? Oh my, I must have gotten lost. Can you tell me where I am exactly?"

[dakota]

After a bit of disorientation due to all the metal present, Tom was able to feel the unique characteristics of Jason's biomechanical spine, beneath the fuselage of the helicopter.

The voice came from across the hangar. "You are inside a privately owned structure. You need to leave. Now."

[doc]

"Privately owned? You mean this isn't where the porters keep luggage that gets lost during flights? I'm sorry, I'm trying to find my grandma's luggage - she was visiting her sister in Chicago and she lost her luggage during the connection in Atlanta. She got a call saying her luggage had arrived but she's had that really bad flu that's been going around, you know? Anyway, the luggage has some her husband - my grandpa that is - it has some of his keepsakes from Korea - you know, letters he sent to her, his medals, stuff like that. So I got out to the airport to get it and no one was there to meet me? Can you believe that? I've been rolling around this place for eight hours! No one's returning my calls, my texts, my emails! I'm just trying to find something for my grandma and I could use some help. From anyone! Any of you know any of the airport people? Any chance you can help a guy out?"

Tom is hoping his rambling can give Jason cover to get away, or at least do something.

[dakota]

Tom could feel metal moving at the doorway, followed by a voice with a heavy Austrailan accent," Whot is this? Hey, roller boy, you're tresspassing. Shove off." Snapped the new arrival.

[doc]

"Roller boy? Roller boy?" Tom spins to see the new arrival. "I'm a dude in a wheelchair and your first response is Roller boy? Seriously, you're going to drop on a kid for being in a car accident? What kind of a person does that?" Tom keeps his senses sharp to see if Jason has moved at all. He's trying to determine what has happened to him. "Look, as I was explaining to your buddy here - I just need a hand finding some mementos for my grandma. Think you can help or you got other clever insults to throw my way? How about "can you do a poppa wheelie?" that one never gets old."

[dakota]

" Shut. Up." The Australian replied with a bit of a scowl. "This is private property and you are trespassing, so I suggest you motor on out of here, and I don't give a bloody..."

"Enough." Came a second voice from the shadows before the second man appeared, a wiry man with a long face and a piercing stare. " Son, nevermind my associate, he gets antsy when he doesn't get his Vegemite on schedule. But as he said, this hangar is private property of Mayor Siang and his company, so we will have to ask you to leave."

Beneath the helicopter, Tom could feel Jason was now moving from his hiding spot and to the back of the hangar at a snail's pace.

[doc]

Tom tries to look taken a back. "Oh wow, the mayor's hangar? I'm so sorry. Look, I've been rolling around in the sun and I probably have heat stroke. You know how you can just get obsessed with something and you can't let it go? Anyway, I'm sorry I'll be clearing out." Tom reaches out with his magnetic talents, looking to clatter something small - like a wrench - far from where Jason was to buy him more time to get out. "Look, if one of you security guys could maybe do me a huge favor and put in a good word with any buddies you have at the airport? I'm sure it'd be great for my grandma to get her letters back."

[dakota]

Tom extending his powers found a toolbox in the corner away from Jason, who was now inching towards the doorway."

The friendlier of the pair replied," Try the administration office. There is a lost and found there." He he hesitated, " And might I ask, how exactly do you lose something like that on a private flight? No commercials around here." Both men turned to face Tom suspiciously.

[doc]

Tom appears not to break a sweat. "I have no idea. All I know is they did." Tom shrugs. "Personally, I blame the company that organized the private flights to begin with."

Tom magnetically yanks the toolbox off the shelf so it crashes to the ground.

[dakota]

Both men spun as the toolbox crashed to the floor, and the less friendly of the pair slipped into the shadows to investigate. " Go check for your bags now, nothing else to see here."

As the second man turned, Tom nearly lost his sense of where Jason was as the wind from his high speed escape ruffled Tom 's hair. Across the compound the speedster stopped, waiting on Tom with a huge grin.

[doc]

Tom waves. "Thanks for the help. I'll be sure to return the favor if I ever get a chance. So good to have good people looking out for you." Tom wheels off. Once he reaches Jason, his smile fades. "Is this a good smile or a bad smile? You realize I'll never be able to pull that trick again, so I hope it was worth it?"

[dakota]

"How about it's a smile that we now know where the other helicopter came from. Skids are exactly the same length and width as the marks we found." Jason replied. " You look like you were worried. You did great back there. I was about to bolt anyways, but your distraction was great. See? we make a great team, when the girls let us out to play." Held held out his hand for a fist tap.

[doc]

Tom taps Jason's fist. "So, what now?"