Lost

The cool night breeze blows through us as the motorcycle races along the lonely road. To our left is a beautiful lake, which otherwise glistens in the moonlight.

"You think they've stopped chasing us?"

"No, they're probably just letting us get caught at the end or something. I have a feeling the capital city is surrounded." I say, as I look up. Helicopters with searchlights are combing the roads. We quickly take cover behind the woods to our right. I dismount the bike temporarily, as I try to consider my options.

There are Novemian military planes flying overhead. I see paratroopers jumping off by the hundreds. I look away.

"...Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Where do we go?" Staying still is a death sentence. I have no doubt they're slowly closing in on us, inch by inch. We have to keep moving. There's a small backup radio on my body armor. I've never used an infantry radios before, let alone these shitty little backups. I somehow manage to get it turned on. But of course, nothing in life is perfect. It's a short range radio and it can't pick up shit. That's assuming it even works and I'm not just stupid. "Alex?"

"Yeah, hang on. I'm trying to consider my options." Where...where to? I guess I could start heading to the nearest military base. But something tells me they might be aligned with the coup.

Where to, where to? We might want to escape to Mozaka. But Mozaka is located too far away. We have to cross through Novemian territory, or go around the long way. Sapin. Sapin! We'll head to Sapin. But to get to Sapin, we'll need to cross the channel. And for that, we need a boat.

Or better yet, a plane.

"Sophie, I have an idea."

***

The old university is silent this time of night. It's been a while I was here. I steel myself, and take a deep breath. Only one thing to do.

"Alex, are you sure we can trust this person?"

"I...I think so. He's a proper loyalist. I know him." Even so, the thought of Jake pulling a gun on me flashes through my head once more. From outside of the walls, I can hear the sound of students gathering and milling about. I have a feeling they'd help us out, but I'm not risking it. We run up into the abandoned hallways, and up the stairs. I know he lived here, the last time I saw him. I can only hope he's still in his room right now.

Office 402C. That was it.

We exchange looks, and then knock on the door.

"Hello? Instructor?"

No response. The light's on underneath. Someone's inside.

"It's me, Alex. You remember me? You uh, tried to get me kicked out of the program last we met." I stop and pause. Am I doing the right thing here? Are we screwed? Is this a waste of time?

The door finally opens, to a cranky looking man in his mid 30's. He sighs.

"How many times have I told you not to visit my office in the evenings, Alex?" I'm almost relieved when I see him.

"Uh, once, sir." He looks behind me, and his eyes widen. Sophie gives him a small curtsy. 

"Your highness? I figured you looked familiar." He waves us in. "Come in, your highness." He eyes with with a bit of amusement. "And uh, you too, Alex."

***

"So, what exactly is my worst student doing with her highness?  Going by the rumors, it should be a romantic joyride, but I suspect that's not the case given our...current context."

"Uh, sir, I will be blunt." I say. "We need a plane. Something fast, that can get us out of here."

"Uncharacteristically to the point I see. Or perhaps you've matured." The instructor gets up and looks around.

"We...need to get out of here. The military has led a coup and they're after us. Sophie here is...probably the last piece of the puzzle they need to completely take over Elodia." 

The sounds of protesters chanting from the distance cuts through the room.

"Are they..."

"Protesting against the coup. They've already locked down most of the university's military cadets. They haven't locked up the civilians, which I'm sure they're regretting."

"And you're still free because..."

"Because I've pretended to be loyal to them." That gets me, for some reason. I grip the strap of my rifle more securely. Who's to say he's not being a double agent for us? "So, you said you needed an airplane, right? Well, I'm sorry to say, don't even think about it. The only plane we have are those old naval interceptors, and Her Highness here surely isn't pilot material. Well, neither are you, if I will be honest here."

"I...I can ride in a fighter jet." Sophie timidly speaks up. "It doesn't really matter what kind of plane it is. I'm willing to accept anything."

"So desperate to leave, are you?" Sophie shrinks back into her chair as the instructor's harsh words cut across her. "I can't say I approve."

"Hey!" I stand up. "You're in front of her highness, and I demand that you show some r-"

"Alex." Sophie says. I sit back down. "It's okay. Um, instructor, sir..."

"Sergeant Pallin works your highness."

"Sergeant Pallin, sir. I...I believe that I can no longer serve Elodia from within the country. My plan is to eventually head back to Mozaka, where I can serve my role as head of state. In exile." She looks down at her feet. "I'm sorry I can't be like Alex. Or Karl Vendreki, if you prefer someone less chaotic. But I cannot fight on the front lines. I simply do what I can from the rear. That...is who I am."

"Sophie..." I look away from her. My old instructor looks at himself, as if deep in thought.

"It can't be helped, in that case. Follow me." He gets up. "Have they captured our gold reserve?"

"Probably." I say. "I assume that's one of the first things they targeted."

"Well, isn't that a shame. Come on."

***

The confident clacking of my old flight instructor's boots sound across the hallway as we head outwards, towards the hangar.

"There's a back entrance. We'll head in through there." 

"That's the mechanic entrance, isn't it?" I ask.

"No? Why on earth would you think that, Alex?" The instructor asks, looking at me with a look on his face I can't quite decipher.

"Well..." I trail off. Whatever. That's funny, the mechanics always use that entrance!

We manage to get to the hangars without running into anyone concerning.

"Nice." It was only yesterday I was flying, but for some reason, it feels like it's been forever. The plane is beautiful. Ah, Elodian technology. Not like that shitty Novemian technology, which as we all know, sucks balls.

"Welp Alex, this is where we part ways." The instructor says. "Do you know how to load weapons or anything?"

"Uh..."

"God dammit. Fine, I'll help you load the gun, and the fuel tanks. But that's it." He heads over to the ammunition depot and starts loading racks of in 30mm HEHC shells into the gun storage. "I'd like to give you missiles, but we have none here. It would attract too much attention to get them anyways. Now bring me that fuel tank!"

"Aww, thanks instructor. I knew you'd come around." I run over to the fuel tank, and start pushing the dolly. Sophie runs over to help too.

"I'd advise you maintain your silence Alex, lest I regret helping you. I'm doing this for our country. Not for you."

"I can work with that."

Slowly but surely, the plane is loaded up on fuel and ammunition. 

"Faster Alex! Let's move!"

The sound of protesters chanting and crying makes way to gunfire and screaming.

"Sergeant Pallin..." Sophie asks nervously.

"Doesn't matter." Even under the dim hangar light, I can see that his face is grim. "Worrying won't change a thing. We have to keep moving." He brings up a ladder onto the plane entrance. "Alright your highness. It's time to get on out of here."

"Sophie, get in!" I say. 

"The students..."

"They're buying time for us," I say. Well no, they're really not, but in effect, that's how it works. "Get on, and let's get out of here." As I myself mount the plane, the hangar door opens.

"Alright Alex." My old trainer says. "I've gotten this far. Might as well join in the protest." He shakes his head. "Ignore everything, and take off down the runway. I'll try to redirect the protest to be more...productive."

"Yes sir." I tell him. "And...I'm sorry I caused you trouble back when I was in class."

"Don't apologize. Just do." With that, the professor fades from sight as the plane rolls away from the hangar and towards the runway.

"Unauthorized craft, what are you doing?" A panicked voice shouts from the radio. "We don't have any announced flights this time!"

"Base commander Ardenal?" It's not too surprising, but hearing the voice of the old commander makes me laugh for some reason. I apply my seatbelts, and look back. Sophie has hers on too.

"Alex? Wait, what are you doing here?" I line the plane up on the runway as I pull up the throttle. 

"Telling the Novemian bastards that things won't go their way." And with that, we are off.