Time War: Invasion (21 page)

“Can anyone fly that?” he asked.

Burr looked mortified. “No way. You can’t be thinking we could do that?”

“Improvise and overcome, Lieutenant. That thing must have the payload to carry us all, so again, can anyone fly it?”

“I can,” replied Tano confidently.

“No bullshit?” Corwin asked.

“You bet I can!”

“You better be sure, or we’re all dead.”

“We’re all dead if we don’t try, Nylund,” replied Corwin, “Even if we can get out of the facility, there ain’t no easy way out of this country.”

He grabbed Rane’s arm and placed it over his shoulder, and helped the wounded soldier towards the bizarre looking aircraft.

“Not gonna be a lot of cockpit space in this thing,” said Tano.

“We’ll use the bomb bays,” Beyett said as they opened the side door. It revealed another loading bay to where a substantial payload would be carried.

“Inside!” Corwin ordered everyone.

All but him, Burr, and Lecia loaded up. They shut the doors as Tano and Beyett leapt into the cockpit and tried to get the aircraft up and running. Finally, the other three jumped in, and Lecia pulled the hatch shut behind them.

“This isn’t the most solid plan in the world, Captain,” said Burr, “We don’t even know if this thing flies.”

“We’ll know soon enough.”

Tano looked over all the controls to familiarise himself with them, and finally began pressing switches. To their joy and surprise, the engines fired up.

“How do you know how to fly this?”

Tano looked back at Corwin with an expression of irritation.

“All right, okay, I don’t want to know.”

Tano began to put the power down and taxi them into position, and then put down everything they had. They soared forwards and burst out into the open air. Burr was still shaking his head in disbelief that they had even lifted off the ground as they soared into the sky and banked hard.

“Woohoo!” Corwin screamed in ecstasy.

The airy cockpit was filled with glass, and they could see out with great visibility. As they gained height and turned north, they could see flashes of light and fire as the charges blew and the missiles in the silo exploded. Eruptions burst out all across the facility. Holes were ripped through the roof of the structure until finally it shook and buckled under its own weight, and collapsed in on the underground site.

Burr was still shaking his head.

“We really did it.”

“Fuck, yes,” replied Corwin.

He looked over to Beyett who was breathing heavily. It was clear he’d had no confidence in their ability to get out alive.

The jet-powered wing had long passed the slower C47
Skymasters
while they flew towards the landing strip where they had first left from.

“You know how this is going to look?”

Corwin wasn’t sure what Beyett meant and gestured with his hands.

“An advanced German bomber heading towards a military Allied target?”

“Just one aircraft? How much of a threat can we be?”

“Clearly you’ve never heard of the Enola Gay,” replied Tano.

“Should I have?”

Beyett only nodded in agreement. “Do we have any means of communicating with the ground?”

Burr looked over at the limited radio equipment and tried to make sense of it. But he couldn’t make head nor tail of it.

“Even if I could get this working, it isn’t likely to work on our frequencies, and I don’t have any of the calling codes. We need one of the pilots for that.”

“This thing is faster than anything the Allies have. We’ll just get to the ground and worry about it when we get there.”

“Can you even find the airfield?”

Tano looked back with disgust that Corwin even doubted him.

“And land a fast jet on the same strip as those prop planes use?” asked Beyett.

“I gave you a solution. Don’t give me problems.”

Burr sat back and relaxed as best he could, because he knew there was nothing more he could do. He began to think over all that he had seen that night and then turned to Corwin with a hundred questions in his mind.

“You’re not quite human, are you?”

“Well, we are not from another planet.”

“But you are not human like the rest of us. You can do things no man could ever do. So what are you, some kind of super soldiers?”

Corwin nodded slowly.

“I don’t want to know how or why, just tell me you are here for the right reasons.”

“And what are those?” Lecia asked.

“To win this war. To save our country, and the free world before it’s too late.”

Lecia smiled at his idealistic values.

“Then yes. That is what we signed up for, and that it what we will strive to achieve while we still survive,” replied Corwin.

"This is going to be a little tight," said Tano.

"I thought you said you could do this?"

"I can, Boss. Just don't expect it to be pretty."

He reduced their speed in every way he could as they neared the landing strip. They were precisely on target, but coming in at a rapid approach. Only Lecia seemed to be enjoying the adrenaline rush. They touched down and bounced just a little before once again landing on the bumpy strip, but they were still speeding along its length at increasing velocity. Tano began to apply the wheel brakes, and their speed reduced heavily, but they were quickly running out of strip. Finally, he put them on full and locked the wheels.

They could hear the screeching wheels burn rubber, and they slid down the last few metres of the landing strip; at last coming to a standstill just four metres from the grass beyond. Burr gave out a sigh of relief when Corwin was quick to get the door open.

"Nice work," he said to Tano as he climbed out.

"My pleasure."

They opened the payload doors to let the others out. They were all glad to be on firm ground once more. But they could hear vehicles approaching.

"Everybody stay put!" Burr ordered, now realising how suspicious they would look. They all stood out in the open before their aircraft, Corwin and his Luckers, and the few men Burr had brought with them. Two trucks raced into view with a jeep also. Light machine guns were mounted in tandem on the trucks, and troops began pouring out the back.

"Don't move!" one of them shouted as they approached with weapons held at the ready.

Burr shook his head. "RAF Regiment," he said in disgust.

That meant nothing to Corwin, and he didn't like having several dozen rifles trained on him. He looked around; his people were becoming increasingly anxious.

"Stay calm," he said smoothly.

"Lay down your weapons!"

He was a young Sergeant who looked entirely confused by the whole situation.

"I am Lieutenant Burr of the 7th Parachute Battalion!"

The troops approached them with great caution and suspicion. They almost believed the Lieutenant, until they looked to Corwin, and then the women of the group. They studied the plane once again and could clearly see the German markings on the fuselage.

"You got to be pretty stupid to land a German aircraft here and claim to be friendly," said the Sergeant.

"Yeah, we might have tried a little harder were we the enemy," Porter snapped sarcastically.

"Lay down your weapons!" yelled the Sergeant once again.

"Fuck this shit," replied Porter.

He stepped forward aggressively in spite of the weapons pointed at them, but Corwin thrust out his hand and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Be cool," he snarled.

They heard another vehicle approaching. It had the distinctive quiet gasoline engine and whirring fan of a jeep. As it came into view, they could see there was just one man aboard, the driver, and it was Hotwell. Corwin felt relieved as he watched the Captain leap out and rush to the Sergeant's side. He looked first to Corwin's people to see they were okay, and then marvelled wide-eyed at the aircraft. He turned to the Sergeant.

"What appears to be the problem here, Sergeant?" he asked in a confident tone.

The Sergeant lowered his rifle slightly as if doubting himself now.

"Sir, these men...and women...have landed here aboard an enemy aircraft. They are not recognisable as His Majesty’s forces or any ally of ours."

"They're American," Hotwell snapped, "But more specifically, they are under my command, and of Colonel Williams of the 7th Parachute Battalion."

"But..."

"But nothing, Sergeant. Your diligence in securing this area is appreciated, but in this matter you are entirely wrong. These are our people. Lower your weapons immediately!"

The Sergeant looked over and signalled to his people. They did as ordered. Hotwell couldn't resist but step up to the aircraft and gaze at its design. He ran his hands along the fuselage and studied the jet engines. He was shaking his head in astonishment.

"You were sent to blow up a facility, and you come back with this...whatever is. How?"

"We needed a ride," replied Corwin with a smile.

Hotwell turned back to the RAF Sergeant.

"Get this aircraft somewhere secure. Inside and under cover, whatever you need to do. I want it out of sight before daylight, you hear?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Trucks are at the far end of the field. We'll see you back at base!" Hotwell shouted, and then beckoned for Corwin and Burr to join him.

"Wow, he really is taking this officer shit seriously," said Porter.

"Whatever rank they give him, he's still our boss," added Chas.

"For now. But this is bigger than us," replied Beyett, "We've been left to run free so far. That won't last."

"Why?"

"Because Villiers knows now, Hunter. Knows that we are here, or will do very soon. The whole world will be sure to know about us before long."

"And that's a bad thing?" Porter asked.

"People don't like what they can't understand. We could be seen just as much as the enemy to Allied Commanders as that monstrosity Robak."

* * *

"Colonel wants to see you!"

Corwin woke up as he heard the words. They'd had just a few hours’ sleep, but the light of day was piercing through the windows beside him. He groaned, as he got up still mostly dressed from the night before. He pulled on his boots and followed the Captain.

"What's up?" he asked.

Hotwell shrugged. "I don't know for certain, but I am guessing the Colonel is more than a little keen to know how you made it out of there. He only found out an hour ago that you are alive and on the base, and that craft you brought, well. It was snatched away before he could even set his eyes on it."

They arrived at the Colonel's office to find him leaping out of his chair as they went through the door. He was shaking Corwin's hands and patting him on the back.

"Well, Captain, what can I say? We couldn't have done it without you, and I wouldn't have made it out of there alive either without you."

Hotwell looked impressed. He had not heard any of the exploits from the night before, only seen the evidence they brought back.

"Don't you know, Captain? Corwin outdid himself last night. Our operation can be called nothing but an outstanding success. The loss of one aircraft marred the opening of the operation, and has led to losses beyond what I would have wished for. But we got the majority of our boys home. We destroyed the missile facility, and even came home with a rather nice trophy."

"About that aircraft, Sir..." Hotwell began.

"It is already out of my hands. There are minds far greater than ours that will need to spend many hours poring over the wonders of technology that I am told it holds. How on earth you ever flew it is a mystery to me. Your air crew flew out with us."

"My team are trained in a great many things, Sir."

"Evidently so, Captain!"

Williams took a deep breath before getting a weight of his shoulders.

"Captain Corwin, I have provided you with all that you asked, and you have indeed been a boon for this Battalion. We are all thankful for your support, but your exploits last night, and most significantly the seizing of said enemy aircraft, has drawn some attention from over my head. I'm afraid it is out of my hands."

"What are you saying?"

"The Brigade CO is on his way. Brigadier Dorey. He wants to thank you in person and meet the team who snatched an enemy secret right from under their noses, and while completing an essential mission, no less."

 
Corwin looked back to Hotwell, who only shrugged, for there was nothing he could do.

"Sir, the identity and purpose of my team must remain top secret," insisted Corwin.

Williams nodded.

"As I said, these events are just out of my hands, Captain, and the Brigadier will have more than a few questions if he finds you un-cooperative. Let's face it; you’re off the books and more than a little unorthodox in everything that you do. I can accept that, if you can accept that you may have to appease a few people from time to time."

"And completing missions, killing the enemy, and bringing back valuable technology is not enough?"

Williams laughed.

"The Brigadier will merely want to shake your hand and revel in the success that you have brought him. This Battalion, and therefore his Brigade, is the talk of Whitehall right now. Please Captain, run with this."

Corwin finally groaned and reluctantly agreed with the Colonel. There was a knock on the door.

"Ah, here he is now," added Williams with a beaming smile.

Shit,
thought Corwin.

He knew they had bullshitted their way through so far, but he had been caught off guard, and by someone in a position of real power. The doors were thrown open as they all leapt to their feet, and the Brigadier stepped in. He was an unusually tall man, a little taller than Corwin, but of slight build and in his mid fifties.

"Welcome..." began Williams.

"Is this the man who stole that fabulous aircraft from right under the Nazis’ noses?" interrupted the Brigadier.

"Yes, Sir," replied Williams.

Brigadier Dorey stepped up to Corwin and studied him from head to toe. His stubble and several items of non-regulation kit raised an eyebrow, but he refrained from bringing it up.

"You know when Williams told me he was taking a group of Americans on that mission, I questioned his reasoning, but I could not have been more wrong. You look like you've been a fighting man a lot longer than your country has been in this war, Captain."