“Okay, it’s lowered,” Sylvia said. The cargo hold ramp stayed a few feet off the ground, and she drove the Jeep close enough to jump across. “Who’s first?”
“Aidan, you go,” Lydia said. “You can fly and help anyone else across.”
“I can’t fly that fast,” he pointed out and thumbed Jando. “Send Mr. Athlete here.” A bullet whizzed by his head and he yelped.
“I got an idea,” Lydia said. She stood up in her seat with Aidan. The wind threatened to knock them back down, but she held onto the top of the Jeep. She lifted Aidan and flung him hard into the cargo hold. He tumbled about, crashing onto the ground inside and rolled over. “That’s one!”
As she reached for Jando, the SUV caught up and flames licked the Jeep. They fell back from the plane. Up ahead, the road began to climb up a hilly path. The plane lifted off the ground, flying above them, then turning to come back around. Sylvia’s phone rang, and she tossed it to Lydia while shooting at the SUV.
“I’m looking at the road up here,” Dilbert said. “There’s no straight section for me to land this thing. And I can’t match your speed and stay in the air.”
Lydia looked up. “Is the cargo hold still open?”
“Yes?”
“Fly over us and bring the plane in as low as you can.”
“Will do.” He hung up and the plane lowered, following the gradual rise up the first hill.
Bullets pierced the rear of the Jeep, causing Lydia, Jando, and Heather to duck. Sylvia shot back, switching between watching the road and the SUV. “Hold it steady!” Lydia shouted. The wind blew her hair into her mouth as she stood. She spat it out and helped Jando to his feet.
The Jeep swerved on a sharp turn on the hill, and the plane headed off from them. The SUV was beside the Jeep again. This time, when the SUV rammed it, a pair of hands dragged Heather out of her seat. She kicked and fought as she was ripped out of the Jeep and into the other vehicle.
Jando dove after her, half his body inside the SUV. The shooter sat in the back, holding Heather down. Another, a bald man, sneered at Jando and his body lost its shape, forming a black smog cloud with feet. The cloud swirled around Jando’s head and entered his nose and mouth, choking him. Jando clutched his throat, starting to slip off the SUV.
Lydia leapt onto the SUV’s roof and punched a hole in it. The pain stung her hand. Ignoring it, she ripped the hole open wider until it was large enough for two bodies to fit through. The bald man yelled, the fringes of his body wavering in the wind. He released Jando and leapt to the back corner of the SUV, away from the roaring gusts of wind.
Meanwhile, the shooter raised his pistol and opened his eyes. Lydia weaved away from his aim and socked his jaw. He fell down and his gun went off. Lydia took the opportunity to grab Heather and yank her out of the seat.
“Jando!” Lydia shouted. He had regained his breathing and looked up. Nodding, he jumped back to the Jeep. The hill dipped, throwing Lydia and Heather off balance. Lydia planted her feet on the open window of one of the doors. Then she passed Heather to Jando, who helped her back into her seat.
Lydia jumped for the Jeep right after, narrowly missing gunfire where her feet had been. Sylvia covered her, shooting back. Her gun clicked after several bullets. “I’m out!” she said.
The plane came within twenty feet of the vehicles on the next steep hill. Aidan leaned out of the cargo hold on his hands and knees. “You ready?” Lydia asked Jando, gripping his shirt tight.
“You’re not serious,” he said. But by then, the plane was almost above them. Lydia threw Jando into the air in an arc. He soared through the sky, flailing his arms and legs, a shrill scream fading the higher he went. When he was near, Aidan reached out, stretching his hand. Lydia sucked in her breath. They were so close. Jando’s fingers touched Aidan’s—
He slipped!
Lydia’s heart stopped.
Before he fell, Jando latched onto the bars that opened and closed the cargo hold door. He swung side to side like a flag in the wind. Aidan grabbed his arm and dragged him safely into the hold.
Lydia heaved a breath she had been holding. That’s two.
The road twisted and turned, forcing Lydia back into her seat. The fire returned from the SUV, burning the rear of the Jeep. Lydia and Heather flattened themselves close to the front and ducked away. The scorching heat set their pores alight as if they were caught in the blaze.
“I’m starting to lose control!” Sylvia said. The wheels looked like they were partially melted.
Dilbert flew the plane in for another pass. “We won’t last long enough to do this three more times!” Heather said. Lydia strapped her filter back on, shutting her up, and tried to think of a plan, something to save them all.
In the cargo hold, Jando found thick cargo nets piled in a corner. He tossed one side of a net to Aidan, and they tied it to some holds on the inside of the plane. Then they unfurled the rest of the net, letting it drag out in the air, several feet above the ground.
Lydia spotted the net and smiled. Right on, guys. She climbed into the front seat with Heather. The road stopped twisting and turning as much, forming short straight paths with sharp corners at each end. All gunfire had ceased from the SUV, but the flames were destroying the Jeep.
“Keep it steady!” Lydia said to Sylvia. She stood in her seat with Heather. Sylvia saw the flapping net and caught onto Lydia’s plan. She dropped her satchel on the gas pedal, weighing the pedal down, and jammed her gun into the steering wheel, keeping the Jeep from drifting. Then, still with one hand on the wheel, she got on her feet.
“On three!” Lydia said. “One!” She grabbed both women’s shirts. “Two!” The net was ten feet high. “Three!”
One of the wheels popped with a bang! and the Jeep lost control. The three fell back onto one of the roof bars. Lydia quickly straightened up and hurled Sylvia, and then Heather, at the net. Sylvia grabbed the end of the netting. Heather caught the edge, slipped out, and clung to Sylvia’s legs instead.
The gun fell out, the Jeep heading to the side. Lydia crouched, gripping the roof bar tight. I must be out of my mind. Then she propelled herself forth with her arms, flying into the air. She managed to grab Heather’s shoes, squeezing hard. The woman looked down, angry and shaking her legs. Lydia eased up.
In the hold, Aidan and Jando hooped and hollered. “Yes! Alright!”
“Stop celebrating and pull us in!” Sylvia told them. They dragged the women in, inch by inch. Down below, the Jeep sailed off a hillside and crashed at the base, a complete, burning wreck. The SUV stopped its pursuit and the people stuck their heads out, watching them fly off.
When they were safely in the cargo hold, everyone collapsed, lying or sitting down and panting hard. No one talked for a minute as the plane circled around and headed back to the Cave.
Finally, Lydia sat up on her elbows and peered down at the Jeep as they passed it one last time. Most of it was totaled, smashed on all sides, and fire ate what wasn’t. She turned to Sylvia. “Your insurance is going to skyrocket.”
Sylvia laughed airily while the cargo hold door closed.