The small airport was near a small town called Katange. Rainbow didn’t know if anyone lived there, or if it was just a UTA outpost now.
She didn’t get to see much of the airport, only what was visible out the door. And if it wasn’t hot, they probably wouldn’t have even let the pilots have that. Stuck all day inside a metal box could cook someone. Rainbow, of course, had personal experience.
The food sucked even worse than usual, because the tiny, formerly-public airport didn’t have the facilities to handle the number of people living and working there. It was mostly cold, raw things, and not much protein. Rainbow wondered again how permanent their accommodations were here.
The hangar was not much. There was at least a built in toilet and small machine area, but none of it was in very good shape. The concrete floor was cracked, and somehow things were growing in the cracks even indoors.
It was a tight fit with three jets. Rainbow found herself sharing accommodations with Pantera and Pug, not to mention their mechanics.
Rainbow had noticed Pantera turning more introspective lately. Her voodoo veneer had worn off once she realized it wasn’t working. She was still a good pilot, though not as good as Angels. Rainbow thought she probably realized that, and it made her unhappy. Even taking on the informal leadership role seemed to cause her angst.
Of course, a lot of it was probably due to the looming end of her missions. Less than ten to go. Rainbow could understand that. The devil they knew was captivity by the UTA. Who could say what the devil they didn’t know might be - they didn’t know it.
If only they could find out where the C-130 went with a departing pilot. Did fairer skies truly beckon?
Soarin’s original comment still made the most sense: of course the UTA would never just let someone go who could tell what happened here. Killing Big Shot, the man with the camera, was proof enough for Rainbow.
She’d already lost Angels. Could she save Pantera? The rest?
Doing that would require the trust of everyone. Trust was not always a two way street, and even if Rainbow knew the others could stab her in the back at any moment, she needed them to know they could trust her.
And so, she turned away from Pantera and made her way across the hangar to Pug.
She’d decided there was no time left. She was going to have to be direct. At least she was good at that.
Pug was lying stretched out under his MiG when she approached. He glanced up at her and looked away.
“Can we talk?”
“About what?” he asked, doubtfully.
It might have been the longest conversation the two of them had had in weeks.
“I’m sorry I hit you,” she said.
He frowned in confusion briefly before realizing, and then shook his head. He’d actually forgotten for a moment why he hated her.
He sat up. “Why bring this up now?”
“Because I should have said it a long time ago.”
He studied her. “What are you trying to pull?”
“What? Nothing!”
Pug got up and faced her, arms crossed. “I don’t believe you. You sucker punch me, and only just now suddenly decide you want to say sorry?”
“Does that make me any less sincere? Isn’t a late apology better than not getting an apology?” It wasn’t supposed to be difficult to make friends, Rainbow thought. Weren’t honest feelings what were needed to make it work?
“What am I supposed to do with that?” said Pug.
“You’re supposed to accept it.” What else did one do with an apology? Rainbow held back her annoyance.
“I’m not taking anything from you. Just saying sorry doesn’t make us even,” said Pug.
“You want to be even? Fine.” Rainbow’s suppressed emotions flared. “Free shot, right here.” She pointed to her face, lifting her chin.
Pug made a fist and held it up. He rolled his shoulders, eyes scanning her cheek, looking for the perfect place.
This was the stupidest thing Rainbow had ever done, she only realized now. Depending on where he hit her, she could get a concussion. She could end up with broken bones.
But she meant what she said. It might be her only chance to get through to him.
Pug pulled his arm back, cocking for a haymaker. But he stopped.
A long moment passed.
“This is fucked up,” he said. “You’re crazy.”
“I owe you.”
He hit her.
There was nothing cold that Rainbow could use to soothe her black eye. She’d only just barely finished healing from the previous one, given to her by Clash on her first day in Talongo.
“He was right, you know,” said Soarin’. “That was fucked up. You’re crazy.”
Rainbow sat against the landing gear of her jet back on the other side of the hangar. She’d left Pug alone. He still seemed surprised. She didn’t care, as long as he realized she was genuine.
“Can I tell you something?” she said quietly.
Soarin’ glanced around and then crouched down to her level on the balls of his feet.
She looked at him. “I’m going to get us all out of here.”
He didn’t reply for a moment. Then, he quietly asked, “What are you planning?”
“I told you about the search and rescue information,” she said. “It’s still active.”
Soarin’ considered that. “But how are you going to get everyone there?”
She looked at her hands. “I’m still working on it.”
“You might be able to do it alone.”
“I know. I could have escaped a couple times already. The opportunities were there, but...”
She held back. Could she really say she’d turned down magical assistance? Maybe that wasn’t what it really was, but these were no coincidences. The watermelon vines had split the fence, for crying out loud. She was sure she could have used the other instances to her advantage, too.
While she wrestled with what to say next, Soarin’ stood up. “It’s getting late. You’d probably better rest and give that a chance to heal.” He gestured at her face.
“I mean it,” she said.
Soarin’ turned back, raising his eyebrows. “What?”
She met his eyes. “I’m not leaving without everyone.”