Wonder-Weapon

[Charles Norris]

As he crossed the runway away from his usual perch in the control tower, Lt. Trudeau noticed how quiet the Lesina airfield was, with the planes sitting in their rows under camouflage nets, their engines cold. Most of the pilots were on leave, but as Trudeau escaped the hot Italian sun by stepping into a hanger, he spotted one of the few remaining pilots, slouched motionless behind one of the two stretched jeeps parked in the hanger's shade.

"Isn't it too early for that?" asked the still figure in the driver's seat and Trudeau glanced at the bottle he was carrying with him, "Oh no, this isn't for me, it's just some local grapes I'm going to present to our guests, when they arrive."
Finally Charles Norris sat up, pushed his cap out of his eyes, and checked his watch. They are 5 hours late, have we heard any word from them?"

"No, and the radio-shack's been having trouble contacting Headquarters, there might be a German radio jammer in the area."
"Damn. We could be out there, hunting him down. But instead I had to close down the base and wait around to babysit some civilians."

Trudeau couldn't hide his look of surprise. "How can you not be excited? Out of all the airfields in Europe, they picked this one to test a new prototype, a device that has never before been tested in combat. Maybe it will be a dud, maybe it will be change warfare forever, but no matter what, we will be there, watching as history unfolds."

Chuck gave his friend a quizzical look and was going to respond, but was interrupted by a low buzzing filling the air. Trudeau walked over to the hanger door and peered out into the sky. He couldn't tell which plane was arriving, the prototype or the researchers' transport, but Chuck started the jeep anyway, just as a half dozen airmen suddenly appeared from whichever corner of the hanger they had been playing cards in, and piled into the second vehicle.
As Trudeau climbed into Norris's jeep, his superior commented, "Well, dud or not, we're about to find out."

[Victoria Adaline Clarke]

Flying a bomber wasn't quite that easy as some people would think. Victoria blinked sheepishly wondering why the hell they were testing a prototype weapon in Italy....hell it would have been much easier to test it back at home in England. Whatever the reasons were behind this unnecessary mission didn't quite bother her in a way to turn this whole plane around. Orders were Orders....and she was going to abide to them whether she liked it or not.

Turning to her co-pilot she asked, "How much further to our destination?" sounding rather impatient.

"We should be here already....start making the decent." he said turning his attention back to the navigation system.

"Alright..." she said, inwardly thinking Finally!! she couldn't wait to stretch her legs and walk around on the ground. As much as Victoria loved flying....transportation missions were getting a tad boring. She knew women weren't allowed in combat, but having a brief with death once in a while would spice up missions at least. Well, for her it would...others weren't quite as giddy to be flying in a war zone.

The decent was slow and easy, careful with the precious cargo she was carrying. Once the plane came to a stop, Victoria was practically the first to step out.

"Mmmm...." she mumbled stretching her arms till her stiffened back cracked.

The sun's warm light danced softly against her face---she smiled pulling on her aviator sunglasses, walking along the length of her plane she went around checking for any busted or broken malfunctions to the plane during the flight. Turning back to her co-pilot, "Hay, Wolly...weren't we suppose to meet someone??"

Her co-pilot looked at her and shrugged, "I believe Captain Norris is his name."

"Strange name." she replied, "American I'm assuming?" she asked leaning against the side of the bomber.

"I'm assuming....I heard he's one of the best." he replied with a smile.

"One of the best you say? Interesting..." said Victoria arching her brow a little.

"Anyway Miss Clarke...he should be here any moment now."