Stranded, Part Two

Continued from Part One

Once again, the anomaly appeared.

The Defender bowed his head and said a prayer in Russian. Revelator focused in on Defender’s pattern. Isn’t there a hero who can make things appear from the past?

“Lord History,” said Revelator.

The Defender said, “All right, we may need his help.”

Revelator gasped. The Defender’s actually going to fly towards the anomaly! “Are you crazy? We don’t want to go in there.”

The Defender grunted. “Do you ever have conversations or do you just read minds?”

Revelator sighed and blocked out the Defender’s pattern. “Sorry, nervous habit.”

“It’s the only way. I want to fly towards it and then pull up over it, as fast as we can. We might outrun it that way.”

“It’s your show, pal.” Revelator shouted back, “Lord History, switch places with Speed Skater and listen for my command.”

The Defender turned the engine on full bore and flew towards the anomaly.

Who or what was in there? Revelator focused in on the anomaly.

He screamed, having blocked it again before even conscious he’d done so. The pain and anguish was nigh infinite. He’d rather yank the Defender out of the pilot’s seat, or jump from the plane into the depths of the Ocean, than face what was in there.

He unblocked the other heroes, thereby unleashing a cacophony of fear. He began singling out patterns.

Captain Revolution: We have to get out of this, or the criminal scum will wreak havoc on China in my absence . . .

Blue Gorilla: picturing his wife and two children totally frantic back in Africa, and, alternately, weeping at his funeral.

The Empress: This is what I have come to? Dying surrounded by handsome, eligible men, without ever having a man in my life?

Despite his orders, Data Bank and the Mime had made their way to the front of the plane. There they, Highland Guardian, and the Texas Ranger were holding a mini-prayer meeting, led by the eloquent Scotsman. In the back of the plane, Champion prayed the rosary while Captain Zion and the Pharaoh said Jewish and Islamic prayers, respectively. The rest simply put on a brave front, doing what heroes do: not letting their fear rule.

Revelator turned to Defender and tuned out everyone else. The fear waves vanished, unveiling . . . peace. The pilot was at peace.

Inexplicable. Somehow, the shy guy who let the Sword walk all over him was the most confident hero on the plane. Defender actually thought they would survive. He pulled back on the stick, trying to pull up over the anomaly.

The anomaly moved slightly upward, so they still hit it. Yellow dirt surrounded the plane, but it burst through the dirt upwards into the sky.

The engine died. Defender reached for the landing gear button, but that wouldn’t work with the engine dead.

Revelator tuned the Defender out, too, and glanced back. “History, landing gear!”

Lord History closed his eyes. “Done.”

Revelator said, “We’re going down, brace for impact!” He turned around again and looked down. Below them lay a barren yellow desert. Of all places to go down, this was probably the best.

They hit the ground with a gigantic thud and a huge bump that would pull anyone not properly strapped in out of their seats, but Lord History’s landing gear held.

Jesse made a waking-up snort. “Are we there yet?”

Revelator laughed dryly. “Just not quite where we expected to land. I’ll explain in a bit.” If the plane’s inertia didn’t carry itself over a cliff.

Continued here.

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