IC-OMAHA-Wing and a Prayer(Helicopter Group)
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:41 am
Z-Day - 4:13 PM Central Time - In the air, 10 miles west of Omaha, Nebraska
In the helicopter-
The Bell helicopter flew eastwards over Route 92. It was still mostly farm country, but the suburbs of Omaha were coming up to the east, a short distance beyond a river that flowed north and south. The distant skyline of Omaha was visible on the eastern horizon, and Lincoln was a similar distance to the south. The four women and one man riding inside were on a desperate mission, and the fate of the world depended upon their success.
Dr. Brigetta Hausmann sat on the left side of the rear bench seat, her broken left arm in a sling. She had barely survived being attacked by Horst after he had died and risen up as a zombie while she had been trying to save his life, but from everything she had learned he would have been even more dangerous had he lived. Her assistant Stephanie Bridges sat beside her, typing rapidly on a laptop as she had been doing for hours now. Her efforts were finally starting to bear fruit, and she would be done before too long - though still some time after their expected arrival in Omaha. She could feel the heavy burden riding on her slender shoulders, but she was not same woman she had been yesterday. She had discovered much about herself that she hadn't known before. Only in her wildest fantasies had she imagined that she could be a hero, shooting zombies in the head with deadly accuracy to save her friends and using her scientific knowledge to actually save the world. Bo's murder still left a hole in her heart, one that would always be there. She had never wished anyone dead before, but she dearly hoped that killer Gardner was dead. He had slaughtered five people, attacked Erica, and abducted poor Kathryn McCoy. She'd have killed him herself if she could have, but she had a more important task to accomplish. On her right sat Dr. Bernard Smith, still not believing in extraterrestrials in spite of everything he had witnessed.
In the front, Trooper Erica Spears sat in the pilot's seat and mechanic Lucy Armstrong was in the co-pilot's seat. During the flight, Erica had shown Lucy the basics of how to fly a helicopter, but Lucy knew she still had a lot to learn. Erica flew with confidence and tremendous skill that came from years of training and practice. She watched the fuel gauge carefully, monitoring fuel usage and making subtle course corrections to conserve it. There was just enough to reach their destination, and she needed every drop she could squeeze out of it. She glanced back at her passengers, knowing how important it was that they get through and finish their job. Her heart went out to Stephanie, who never failed to impress her.
"We're getting pretty close now," said Erica. "Let's call in and let them know you're coming." She called the Crisis Response Center back on the radio. "This is Trooper Erica Spears of the Nebraska State Police in NSP Seven-Eight-Romeo calling the CDC Crisis Response Center in Omaha. Our ETA is five minutes. Do you copy? Over."
In the helicopter-
The Bell helicopter flew eastwards over Route 92. It was still mostly farm country, but the suburbs of Omaha were coming up to the east, a short distance beyond a river that flowed north and south. The distant skyline of Omaha was visible on the eastern horizon, and Lincoln was a similar distance to the south. The four women and one man riding inside were on a desperate mission, and the fate of the world depended upon their success.
Dr. Brigetta Hausmann sat on the left side of the rear bench seat, her broken left arm in a sling. She had barely survived being attacked by Horst after he had died and risen up as a zombie while she had been trying to save his life, but from everything she had learned he would have been even more dangerous had he lived. Her assistant Stephanie Bridges sat beside her, typing rapidly on a laptop as she had been doing for hours now. Her efforts were finally starting to bear fruit, and she would be done before too long - though still some time after their expected arrival in Omaha. She could feel the heavy burden riding on her slender shoulders, but she was not same woman she had been yesterday. She had discovered much about herself that she hadn't known before. Only in her wildest fantasies had she imagined that she could be a hero, shooting zombies in the head with deadly accuracy to save her friends and using her scientific knowledge to actually save the world. Bo's murder still left a hole in her heart, one that would always be there. She had never wished anyone dead before, but she dearly hoped that killer Gardner was dead. He had slaughtered five people, attacked Erica, and abducted poor Kathryn McCoy. She'd have killed him herself if she could have, but she had a more important task to accomplish. On her right sat Dr. Bernard Smith, still not believing in extraterrestrials in spite of everything he had witnessed.
In the front, Trooper Erica Spears sat in the pilot's seat and mechanic Lucy Armstrong was in the co-pilot's seat. During the flight, Erica had shown Lucy the basics of how to fly a helicopter, but Lucy knew she still had a lot to learn. Erica flew with confidence and tremendous skill that came from years of training and practice. She watched the fuel gauge carefully, monitoring fuel usage and making subtle course corrections to conserve it. There was just enough to reach their destination, and she needed every drop she could squeeze out of it. She glanced back at her passengers, knowing how important it was that they get through and finish their job. Her heart went out to Stephanie, who never failed to impress her.
"We're getting pretty close now," said Erica. "Let's call in and let them know you're coming." She called the Crisis Response Center back on the radio. "This is Trooper Erica Spears of the Nebraska State Police in NSP Seven-Eight-Romeo calling the CDC Crisis Response Center in Omaha. Our ETA is five minutes. Do you copy? Over."