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Being Human

  Quintin Fortune

  Copyright 2014 Quintin Fortune

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  The city of New Tao looked surprisingly calm out of the cockpit windows, not that Jill or Kiri were paying attention. The two Heroes were too busy trying to control the cargo plane as it hurtled towards the city. Just as Jill got a grip on the steering wheel, the plane lurched to the left. "Will you two be careful back there," she yelled.

  "I'm not going through this again," Deadguy yelled before narrowly avoiding a robotic fist to the face. He turned his attention back to the seven-foot mechanized menace. It was encased in a form of black metal that their weapons couldn't even make a scratch on. It had horns on it's head and spikes down its arms and legs.

  "I am Xenio the Indestructible," it said, it's voice cold and electronic. "Your battle is futile."

  "So is your attempt at threatening people," DG replied. He swung his bat, Masamune, attempting to hit Xenio in the chest. The mechanical maniac grabbed it. Valkadaidan swung for it's neck, but was met with an unpleasant KLANK.

  "Foolish Human," it said, knocking Valk to the other side of the cargo plane. The plane lurched to the right as a reaction.

  "Deadguy, I swear," Jill yelled back.

  "Wasn't me this time boss," he replied, jumping over the strange metal crate to attack the machine.

  "Identify yourself," a voice cracked over the headset, catching Jill off-guard.

  "This is Jillian Nemo," she answered. "PPL 13102001. We need a place to land. Now."

  There was a pause. "Your number checks out, Miss Nemo. What's your emergency?"

  "Well..." She looked over at Kiri, then back at the guys fighting Xenio. "We have a terrorist situation and need to land somewhere with a lot of firepower."

  "Understood. We'll send you the coordinates in a few moments."

  "Do we even have a few minutes," Kiri questioned

  "We need to make time," their boss answered. She noticed the buildings were a lot closer now. "Pull up," she commanded. The Heroes grabbed the steering wheels and pulled as hard as they could. The cargo plane barely missed the building tops. The act caused the guys to stumble towards the back of the plane. Xenio was also caught off-guard, but only for a moment before it regained it's footing.

  "Your insolent attempts at stopping me are amusing at best," it said.

  "At least someone's getting a laugh out of this," Our Hero responded, scrambling to stand up.

  "I have an idea," Valk stated.

  "Oh, this should be entertaining."

  "Try to get him to the cargo bay door, we'll knock him out."

  Deadguy looked at him for a few moments, trying to figure out if this was really the best of ideas. "Yeah, no. I don't think so."

  "You have a better idea?"

  "I can hear you," Xenio said.

  "Stay out of this," DG shot back. "No one's talking to you."

  "Fine. I shall deal with those two meddling girls in the flight deck," it taunted.

  "You want to get on Jill's bad side, that is all on you, Bucko," Our Hero remarked. He ran up and stood between him and the door to the flight deck. "but I am a little protective of Kiri, so threatening her gets you on my bad side." He swung with Masamune again. Xenio caught it again. He started pushing his attack as Masamune's green hieroglyphics started to glow. A few gears started to smoke from the mechanical maniac's arm. "Anytime you're ready, Valkster."

  Valkadaidan slammed down on the button. The cargo bay door slowly started to open. Deadguy smashed Masamune into Xenio's chest, causing the being to stagger back. The machine looked at Our Hero. "Target identified," it announced. "Tote Helden. Fear Marbh. Eien no Senshi. Daniel Grey. David-" It was interrupted by another strike to the chest.

  "Oh shut UP, will you," DG yelled. "You're not making sense. I'm the only one around here allowed to not make sense."

  Xenio fell out of the cargo bay. The guys stood on either end of the door, holding on to the edges and looking out. They suddenly saw the machine hanging onto the bay door. "Doesn't know when to give up, does he," Deadguy asked. Valk shook his head.

  "Guys," Jill's voice yelled over the rushing wind. "We're coming in a bit heavy. We need to loose some weight."

  "You heard the boss," Deadguy yelled. "Time to cut some dead weight." The Heroes swung at the hydraulics links holding the cargo bay door. It dropped, only clinging to the plane at the hinges. Xenio gripped the other end and held strong.

  "Hold on tight," Jill yelled from the cockpit. "This is going to be a rough landing."

  The plan hit the runway hard. Bouncing once. Twice. Three times. A flurry of sparks flew up from the combination of Xenio and the cargo door.

  "I am...I am...I am," it sputtered repeatedly.

  "Need to do something about those sparks," Valk stated.

  "Yeah," DG agreed. "On three. THREE." They smashed their weapons onto the hinges that connected the door to the plane. It snapped like a twig, causing it to fly up and land on top of Xenio. Our Hero leapt out of the bay and slammed onto the door. The mechanical menace tried to crawl out from the skidding spark slide, but Deadguy stopped him at every side with the help of Masamune.

  The plane continued zipping down the runway, bouncing hard a few times. Valkadaidan held fast to the door frame as the ladies tried to keep from cracking all their teeth in their heads. Jill pulled the brake, causing the plane to skid to a hard stop. The smell of burning rubber followed the plane's trail.

  The strange metal crate in the middle of the cargo plane, the only cargo in the entire plane, snapped open. Jill and Kiri watched as a young bald man stood up, pink goop covering his body. He was naked, causing Jill to cover Kiri's eyes as a reaction. Valkadaidan turned his attention to the commotion. The Heroes walked over to investigate him. He looked at them with confusion.

  "Um...hi," Kiri said with a small wave.

  "Hi," he repeated, slowly waving back. There was an explosion, causing them to remember that Our Hero was still fighting Xenio.

  Jill and Kiri rushed to the open cargo bay as Deadguy walked up with the severed head of Xenio. "So much for Mister Indestructible," he remarked. "Hey, Kir, got a present for you." He tossed the head to the Techie.

  "Oh you shouldn't have," she said in a mock thanking tone. "Um, why is there a faint blinking in the back of it's eyes?"

  "Probably uploading it's conscious to an orbital satellite that he can then use to download into a new body," DG explained. "Nothing we can't take care of lat-Whoa!" He quickly covered his eyes. "Dude! Put on some pants. You're going to scare Kiri with that thing."

  "Why is everyone treating me like a kid," she complained. "I'm Twenty-Three. I've seen a few."

  "Who's the nudist in the box anyway," Our Hero asked.

  "Not sure," the man answered, a hint of a Scottish accent in his voice "I think my name is...Jim."

  "Jim, do you know where you are," Jill asked, trying to maintain eye contact.

  "No. Can't say I can."

  Deadguy took off his trench coat and threw it at Jim. "Here. Put this on." Jim didn't budge, letting the coat fall into the pinkish gel inside the case. "or just let it fall into the goop."

  "Oh, sorry." Jim scurried to grab the coat and put it on. "I guess I haven't woken up yet."