Karl's Last Flight Part 17

Karl's Last Flight  Part 17
©2006, Basil Sands

As the jet stabilized, Karl flipped on the radar to find the other two planes.  They couldn't be too far, as they had only taken off a few minutes before him. 

The screen flashed to life, glowing green.  Two bright blips appeared with numbers indicating altitude and distance.  They were moving southwest of his position.  That was the general direction of Pakistan, the closest source of US troops that would soon be invading Iran. 

"They must be planning to take out one of the bases near the border."  He said to himself.

Reading the numbers displayed on the radar, he calculated it would take him at least 20 minutes to catch up to them.  By that time he guessed they would be near the border.   He would have to get this thing to at least mach 2 in order to make up the distance but  wasn't sure if the jet had enough fuel to go that distance and still fight.

Fuel was not the only issue. Esther was still unconscious in the back seat.  The force of such high speed without a flight suit to regulate the pressure, could cause her wound to bleed more.  It could kill her.

Karl struggled with a choice he dreaded.  Should he try to stop those two planes from creating a suicidal nuclear holocaust, a task which had more chances of him failing than succeeding?  Or, should he attempt to save the girl he felt so suddenly attached to? 

He couldn't believe he was struggling to make this decision.  He only met her 72 hours ago.  Ten's of thousands of lives may be at stake here, but all he can think of is how he doesn't want to lose her.  He wanted desperately to save this beautiful woman for whom life had been so hard.

He was in love with someone for the first time in his life, and it has to be like this. 

"Love?  Can a person fall in love that fast?" he thought to himself, "Does she feel the same way about me?  Is this even real or is it just the emotional stress of being thrown together in this craziness?"

"You are a professional!"  he said out loud.  "You're a Marine!  Get a grip!"
 
"Esther!" He called out to her, "If you can hear me, hold on!  Pray to God and hold on!  I'm going to get you out of here like I promised, but we need to stop these bad guys first."

"Please God, don't let her die." Karl prayed earnestly.  "Please, don't let her die."

He punched the accelerator, throwing himself back into the seat, muttering prayers as they raced through the sky towards the other jets.  The mountainous landscape became a blur around him as they broke the speed of sound and then doubled it again. 

Karl felt that he could almost hear a clock ticking.  Time was running out, for everyone.

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