MAYDAY

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!" "BASE 1,"

"THIS IS RABBIT 404." 

"THERE'S BEEN A BIRD STRIKE," "ONE ENGINE DOWN."

"I NEED CLEARANCE FOR EMERGENCY LANDING."

"DOES ANYONE COPY!!"

"BASE 1 OVER??".

I was once a part of the 'RABBIT' Division, as we called it back then. I was RABBIT 406, well not anymore. Technically, the division was dissolved, we all went our separate ways except for Nathan who still flies with the company. Richard and Josh are now signed to another aviation company. I still stay on my ex-division's frequency, all thanks to Nathan who somehow always has stories to narrate over the radio.

I am not a good talker, but sure, I am a good listener. The boys are aware of that, everyone who knows me is aware of that and so they turn to always air their thoughts on my poor ears. ' I don't mind though.'

As soon as I heard "MAYDAY," I knew who it was before even getting on, in the conversation.

RABBIT 404 was Nathan's code name and still is. I am not sure if he intentionally tuned in to my frequency or if it were accidentally, but all the same, I knew that I couldn't let him fall.

I was once a victim of bird strike, but I was lucky to have survived, even though It costs me my carrier, but I'm breathing and thankful.

With the radio in my hand, I immediately used my free hand to send a message to the rest of the team, while simultaneously listening to the rest of the conversation between RABBIT 404 and the base operator.

I was able to pick on his speed, position, altitude and the model of the plane he was flying. He was 2 hours away from the closest airstrip, and there was no way he could make it there short on one engine.

"Are you really serious about wedging the plane"? Richard asked me once we were all assembled in my private airstrip/garage. 

"Is it even possible? Josh asked as he zipped up his flying suit.

"Has anyone ever tried something of this sort before? because I have never heard of anything like that, plus, it is theoretically impossible" Colin chipped in. They were all puzzled to stupor and probably scared too, which I totally understood.

I remember the look they all gave me when I told them what I had in mind.

"How can you be different if you do things others have done," I said. Pushing a button on the remote control in my hand. The floor opened up to reveal.....

"wowwww" They exclaimed in unison, moving closer to me.

"Well fret not, because, with this, it's possible". I said proudly as I turned and faced each of them.

"Is that a Concorde?" Frank asked with awe.

"....???"

We all just stared at him in defeat.

"How the hell would a turbojet-liner fit in this cramped up space"? Colin asked Frank.

"I don't know! this shit looks big too". Frank shrugged. "Plus this place is nothing close to being cramped up, damn, look at this!" he said, spinning around " this place is like ten hectares, damn!! It's huge. look at all these jet-fighters. what are you even doing with them" He kept on rambling on and on. 

"Do you even know how big ten hectares is, Frank?" Richard asked, shaking his head.

"Ok boys, we ain't got time for all the squabbling and questioning now."

 The blackbird rose up towards us, supported by a metal layer-like floor. It did not stop in front of us, it slowly glided outside on the runway through the large entrance of the garage. 

"I call it The Sky Monster TSM". I said pointing at a giant Blackbird, maybe almost like a Concorde, but it wasn't a liner, it was more like a giant F-22 raptor, it was big and powerful enough to wedge even a dreamliner_ what Nathan was flying. Even though TSM was supersonic, it took me a while to deal with the after-sound. 

Now it is super silent and can fly as high as 120,000 feet.

"Wow, this is unbelievable! please tell me that I'm flying that?" Josh asked excitedly.

"No, Josh, you are in charge of making sure everyone gets on board that__ safely," I said pointing at the liner that stood at the other end of the runway.

Josh sulked as he disappointedly walked over to board the liner. Frank was already in the cockpit running the engine.

Colin had already taken off in a fighter.

"You know that what you are doing is illegal right?" Richard asked behind me.

"yes, Richie but we would be saving more than a hundred lives, so we'll be seen as heroes when it is all over, well maybe some jail time too".

"What?" Richard asked with horror in his eyes.

I chuckled and tapped him lightly on the shoulder, "For Nathan".

"For Nathan and those innocent babies on board". he added.

We both laughed as we took off.

"BASE 1 OVER"

I heard Nathan give out his current altitude over the radio.

"How bad do you want to live, over"! I intercepted the call.

"RABBIT 406 is that you? over!" 

"Affirmative, what's your situation RABBIT 404,"

"Not good, bro, not good". Nathan said over the radio, he sounded like he had given up. " I am losing control on engine 2, over"! he chuckled dryly. 

"Fuck Neon!!! I can't believe I'm gonna die today. I promised to take Ally on a date on Sunday," he said weekly. " Tell Ally I love her" 

"Look through your window Blake".

"What the Fuck is that, over"!

"we're gonna move everyone on board that baby".

"What do you mean we? and what the hell do you mean by moving every...."

"Hello Blacky". ...

*********

NATHAN'S POV

As the altitude started dropping really fast, the survival part of me told me that I could make it to the strip 34 minutes away, but deep down I knew it was impossible.

Even 10 minutes more would be a miracle. So I took this time to leave a message for my family on the black box. I was tired of listening to the instructions from the base.

I was about to go off the radio connection when...

" How bad do you want to live"?.

Neon had his way with words, but I still found it always funny.

When Neon told me what he and the team were planning on doing, it was crazy though, but I was desperate, so I quickly agreed.

I felt the plane jerk from below like it had been picked by a huge magnet, the turbulence immediately subsided. I switched on the autopilot, just as Neon had instructed, I don't know why he suggested that, but I did it anyway.

I looked to my side and saw my co-pilot who was still saying his last prayer.

"Hey kid" I tapped him as I stood up. "if you want to live, follow me".

His eyes snapped open and he stared at me dumbfounded. He immediately sprung on his feet.

As I reached for the cockpit door, I felt the aircraft shake again, I immediately panicked and turned to rush back and take control but the turbulence stopped just as abruptly as it started.

I stepped out of the cockpit, looked through the windows and noticed that my Dreamliner was hooked on one side by what looked like a military fighter, but I guess it was remodeled to do what it was doing right now.

Of course, whatever was carrying the magnet was below. For now, I had no idea what it was, but I knew it was insanely powerful and nothing the world had ever seen before, it was so Neon.

I felt a pang of hope.

"Looks like I am gonna still see you my dear wife Ally". I whispered and couldn't help the huge grin that surfaced on my face.

I went back to the cockpit, picked up my radio.

"Hello everyone on board, this is Captain Blake speaking, like I said before we lost control of one engine and we don't have enough time to make it to landing space. To your left is another plane, capable of accommodating everyone on board. But we would have to do something nobody has ever done before in order to survive".

I took a pause to catch my breath.

"I need everyone to come to one accord on this. We want to transfer everyone on board now".