Plain Jane Ch. 11

"Done Mistress," Carla said.

"Let's go, if Rachel doesn't catch up she can just look for us." Jane said coldly. Not caring that her back was bare she went out into the hall and started looking for stairs or elevator. Instead a Military Policeman came running up and held up his hand to stop her.

"Mam, you must return to your room,"

"How old are you son?" Jane asked.

"Twenty-two," he replied confused.

"If you want to see twenty-three I recommend you get out of my way. If you don't I will kill you where you stand." She held out her hand behind her and said, "Margaret?" the shotgun was thrust into her hand and she took it. Cocking it she watched as a round flew off to the side and pointed it at him. "You may slow me down but I will step over your dead body in the process. Your choice son."

From Behind her Jane heard Rachel stay, "Stand down sergeant and let Dr. Brown leave."

"Yes sir," the man said as he saluted and stepped to the side.

Rachel stepped up and handed Margaret her rifle. She lowered her voice, "Mistress you will never get ahead in life if you keep this shit up. This way,"

They followed Rachel down the hall and into an elevator. Pushing the down button Rachel said, "It we can make it to National airport we will be safe." The doors opened and they saw several military police men holding automatic weapons on them. She stepped forwards and commanded, "lower those weapons."

"I'm sorry Captain, Dr. Brown is under house arrest and is not allowed to leave the building." A man said. He looked at Jane and said, "Please return to your room Dr. Brown."

Jane handed Rachel the shotgun and walked up to the man who talked until she was against the muzzle of the rifle. "You will have to kill me first. Do you have the balls to shoot an unarmed woman? Shoot you must because you are not keeping me here."

"Let Dr. Brown pass," a deep booming voice said.

The MP looked towards the voice and said, "Sir I have my orders."

Jane glanced at the side and saw a bear of a man with short red hair and more braid on his uniform than she thought possible. "You must be Big Red," she said not moving.

"Dr. Brown, I must compliment you on your dress. Please tell where you found it so I can tell my wife." He said moving forward, "Jane, there has been enough death already. Please don't add anymore."

"General, I agree however I will not be kept here a moment longer than it takes for me to walk out. You did what you had to do, now it is my turn to step up to the plate."

"General, Jane is not joking, if she stays here she is dead." Rachel said.

Rachel's words got a reaction from everyone and before she knew it Jane was in the backseat of the general's car with Rachel on one side of her with Margaret and Carla up front with the driver. Once they were moving Jane asked, "How deep in the shit are you two for the air cover you gave?"

"Early retirement. It was being called a horrible training accident and simulation until someone posted a rant on line and walked out of Walter Reed wearing nothing more than a hospital gown."

"You should have heard the rant Dr. Mann gave her first," Carla said turning and looking at them.

"Jane you need to disappear while we clean up this mess."

"Not until I have Margaret's little sister in hand. Your Dr. Mann was using her as a way to blackmail Margaret and I."

"Mistress, Susan already picked her up in Miami. She said she had to bring along fixer and the bitch but you would understand." Carla replied.

"I do," Jane replied. "How long before we can be in the air?"

"I called Tina, she is spooling up the engines and we should be in the air shortly after you clear the TSA checkpoint."

"How much you want to bet Jane is on the no fly list?" Carla asked.

"How much do you think I care at this point Carla?" Jane countered. She hurt, was tired and still madder than hell. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you dear."

They made it to the airport and bypassed the terminal. Stopping at the aircraft the general stopped Jane, "Dr. Brown, please lay low. Take an extended holiday or something."

"I plan on it," Jane replied. "Take care of yourself Big Red." She rushed towards the jet with the others following close behind. Going up to the cockpit she said, "Lisa get us in the air as soon as possible."

"Yes mistress," she got on the radio. "Alpha one to tower, request clearance for takeoff soonest."

"Alpha one roger," the reply came back. Jane went back and looked at her girls including Mary who looked frightened. Instead of going and laying down like she wanted, Jane went to her. "Mary... pet... be at peace." The woman calmed down instantly. She stroked her cheek and said, "Be at peace dear."

She stood as the jet began to move and looked down at a girl clinging to Margaret, "I'm glad you made it dear. We'll talk soon. She looked at John and said, "Thank you so much." As she made it to the door of the bedroom she looked down at Susan, "Come with me please."

In the bedroom Jane laid down and sighed. "How long have I been out and what is going on?"

About twenty hours since the attack, Mistress." Susan said. "Everyone is safe and we are homeless."

"As long as we are together I can handle it. Get me out of this gown and then get Tina and Rachel please." Jane replied. Once Susan pulled the gown off her Jane pulled the other woman into a hug. "I messed up bad," she said clinging to her friend. "So many dead..."

"Don't worry Jane we will fix it together. That's what family does. We work together." Susan hugged her mistress tightly, tucked her in the bed and went to get Rachel and Tina. "Mistress wants you. As Tina hurried back Susan stopped Rachel, "She's in a bad way Rachel. Why did you bring her out?"

"Like I could stop her," Rachel replied. "Tell Lisa we need to get in the air ASAP."

Jane waited until they came in. "Tina, do you think you can get us into England or somewhere in the UK? Hell most here don't have their passports; I don't even have clothes."

"Yes mistress but it will cost," Tina replied not meeting Jane's eyes.

"I don't care; I just need somewhere safe for us to hole up for a few weeks. Do what you can." Jane replied. She looked at Rachel, "Go plot a course for somewhere in the UK then take over for Lisa and send her back to me." Once she was alone with Tina she said tenderly, "Talk to me Tina, tell me what's wrong."

"Mistress, once there I'm afraid they would never let you go." Tina said softly. "We can't go there, you would be detained and we forced to take off once more."

"Okay dear we won't go there. I know where to go." Jane got up and walked forward, "Alice may I have the copilot seat."

"Of course Mistress," Alice said getting up.

Sitting down Jane said, "Make sure everyone is seated and strapped down." She looked at Lisa who was still waiting and said, "England is out. We have to go home."

"Mistress the runway is a mess and the house looks like Swiss cheese." Lisa replied. She raised the mike and said, "Alpha one to tower. Delta Tango Foxtrot Three Seven One Zulu."

"Tower Alpha one, I have three inbound. Once they land you will be cleared for takeoff. Alpha Four Seven Tango Zulu."

"We will have air cover in flight Mistress and the corps will do what they can with the runway." Lisa paused and then said. "If we are lucky, all we do is a controlled crash. I'm going to need Rachel up here when we land."

"Okay Lisa," Jane replied. She started to get up but Lisa stopped her.

"Leaving your post without another pilot taking your place Jane? You know better than that." Lisa said sharply. She would have continued but the radio cracked to life.

"Tower to Alpha one. Proceed to runway Six West, winds south at five knots."

"Alpha one to tower, Proceeding to runway Six West, again Six West." Lisa said. She let her feet off the brakes and navigated the jet to the runway. "Alpha one ready Tower."

"Tower to Alpha one. You are cleared for takeoff, Climb to five thousand feet and circle."

Taking her hands off the controls, Lisa said, "Controls are yours Jane...You heard the tower. Push on the brakes with your feet and throttles to one hundred percent. Once they spool up, let off the brakes. At one ten knots pull back," Lisa commanded.

"Lisa... I'm not ready..." Jane whimpered.

"Okay Jane," Lisa put her hands on the controls and added, "I have the controls." She pushed the throttle all the way forwards and took off. She climbed up to five thousand feet and circled. "Alpha one tower: at five thousand circling."

Jane listened to Lisa and the tower talk. A moment later a pair of jets took station left and right of them unspeaking as they flew southeast. When everything had settled down Jane asked, "Lisa would you have really let me take off?"

"No Jane," Lisa replied. "I would have spotted you but without my hands on the controls also? Not a chance." She paused and then added, "A pilot must always know when she has hit her limits."

"I try to push them. If I don't then I never move forward." Jane replied. "I guess sometimes that is the wrong choice." She gave a short bark of sad laughter, "Oh boy was it the wrong choice."

"You didn't make the wrong choice. If it had just been the kill team, we would have been fine." Lisa said softly.

"Once we get everyone settled and their minds calm, I am going to have a breakdown. I feel the guilt tearing at my mind Lisa. Worse than when I did Tina in the front hall." When the girl didn't reply she said, "Only the knowledge I have to keep it together for you girls have kept me sane."

"Jane, you have to wait in line to breakdown. You were lucky. I had to stay behind and supervise the cleanup and the questions." Lisa closed her eyes so long that Jane grabbed the controls. "I killed in combat when I was shot down and again to save you. No bad memories there, but the burnt bodies are something I will never forget. The scent of burnt pork still clings to me no matter how hard I scrub."

"I have the plane," Jane said taking control. "Lisa, you trust me. My words are your thoughts, my thoughts are your beliefs, and my commands are your law."

"Yes Mistress," Lisa said as her hands went to her lap.

"Walk with me in your mind's eye now... Out into the burnt landscape and up to the first body. See it... Bile rises and you fight the need to throw up. The scent gaging you. Live it once more with me Lisa." Jane paused and heard the woman's stomach heaving and her gagging. "See the melted stock and burnt metal of his rifle. Crouch down and touch it with me Lisa." Again Jane paused, "Look at the body now and instead of being horrified see a fact of war that needed to happen so you and your sisters could live."

"Stand and look at the other bodies and the burning armored personal carrier beyond cooking in the last of the fires. See it, live it once more with me Lisa... What are you thinking?"

"Relief, satisfaction and unholy joy. They wanted to hurt you and we punished them." Lisa replied.

"They wanted to kill your sisters also Lisa." Jane replied. "Come back to now and be at peace in your heart. You saved me and your sisters."

Lisa looked at Jane and said, "I understand now. Thank you, Mistress." She paused and then added, "Though as your instructor, I have to remind you that your job is to fly and not chat Jane."

"True," Jane replied. "How is Tommy taking all that happened?"

"Madder than hell at Jack." Lisa replied.

"We will have to do something nice for him. When the chips were down he really came through." Jane said softly.

"Mistress, he is so sad it hurts me to think about it. His wife left a few years back, his best friend stabbed him in the back even after you healed Mary. Now he is alone. Endless acquaintances and no friends." Lisa replied. "No that's not quite true, five friends. Me, Rachel, Alice, and Sharon and ole dead eye Carla."

She was hurt to find she wasn't on the list but could understand it. She brought about the whole mess after all. "Once everything is settled, I'll go solo so you girls can have a nice night or weekend of playtime with him as guest of honor." She picked up the intercom mic, "Rachel or Alice, could you come relieve me please."

A moment later the door to the cabin opened and Rachel said, "I'm here mistress."

"Take it please Lisa," she waited until the other woman took the controls before getting up. She walked unspeaking to the bedroom and closed the door behind herself. Crawling into bed she curled around a pillow and cried.