#80: Wings

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“I kinda liked that little flight I made when I jumped off the building into the laundry truck” Chad told Akatsuki. “After I got past being scared to death it was kinda fun.”

“Don’t tell me.” Akatsuki told him “You want some wings.”

“Yeah. ” he grinned “I want to fly like an eagle...till I’m free.. Or like a hoot owl. Death on silent wings.”

“That’s imposs.....” Akatsuki started to say...”quite feasible actually. It’s surprising what can be done with graphene film, carbon nanotubes, high density energy storage and neuro-link electro muscles. We just happen to have all this Structural Smog too. Nice of them to leave all that oil just laying around. I think we bout used it all up though.”

“Does that mean yes?” Chad grinned.

“It does indeed.” she said “This might take a while to work the bugs out.”

“I got nothing but time” he said.

...............................

Surveillance Insects

“I kinda like the idea of Surveil....surve....sur...spy bugs.” Chad said.

“Gotcha covered” Akatsuki replied.

Chameleon Camouflage

“I kinda like the idea of being invisible” Chad said

“No problemo” Akatsuki told him.

Bow and Arrows

“I kinda like the idea of ...” Chad said.

“Not a problem” Akatsuki said.

And so it went. Chad used his ‘out of the box” imagination, backed up by years of experience as an ‘operator’ in the ‘Stan.’ to dream up a variety of instruments of death and destruction. Then he and Akatsuki found a way to use Structural Smoke to make it happen.

Structural Smoke was marvelous stuff.

Finally the time came.....

“Let’s go kill us some vipers” Chad said.

“I’m with you.” she agreed. “but first don’t you need to make a phone call?”

“Huh?” Chad said.” A phone call to who?”

“Well duh.” She said “ You should call the ArchMage. He might have something in the works that we might interfere with.”

“interfere how?” Chad said...butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

“Don’t think you can fool ME white boy” She told him “ I’m PART of you...I know what you have in mind.”

“I’m not white” he said” but I get your drift...give him a call”

...................................
“Yesssss”Elvira answered. “What may I do for you?”

“Ummmmm” Chad was tongue tied. Elvira was beautiful. He didn’t repsond well to gorgeous gals..they intimidated him.

“Sheesh” Akatsuki said . Then she took over the conversation.

“Don’t mind him” she said to Elvira “Hormones and stuff. I’m working on it. Can we speak to the Wiz?”

“Hang on for a minute.” Elvira grinned “I’ll see if he’s in”.

“What did she mean by that?” Chad asked Akatsuki “ isn’t she...”

“Yes she is” Akatsuki told him. “ She was being polite.”

“oh...” Chad said “ I never was very good at deal with people”

“I can see that “ Akatsuki said wryly.

“Ah...so that explains it. ” Shelby said “Hi there Chad. How’s life been treating you?"

Explains what?" Chad asked.

"Oh nothing." Shelby replied. "Just a technical thing Elvira mentioned the other day. What can I do for you?"

Chad found himself talking to the old coot who he had spent many hours talking too in the books store many weeks ago.

“uh...well.” he stuttered. “Hard to say...I kinda died.”

Shelby nodded “That would explain it.”

“What do you mean?” Chad asked him.

“I’ll get back with you on that later. It's that technical thing I mentioned. It'll take a Lot of 'splaining to bring you up to speed. I don't have the time right now.” Shelby told him “What can I do for you now? I can’t talk long. I have a pressing engagement”.

“Ok.” Chad told him “This is the situation”.

Chad gave Shelby the ‘executive summary’. Shelby nodded. “Do what you think is right. Keep me updated if you feel the urge to do so. Sorry to be abrupt but I gotta go now. I'm late as it is.”

After Shelby had disconnected Chad said to Akatsuki. “Huh. That didn’t go as I had expected.”.

“What more could you HAVE expected?” she asked him.

“I kinda thought he might take charge and give me orders” Chad told her.

“Guess not.” she replied to him “ Speaking of orders...what now boss?”

Chad didn’t reply, rather he spread his pinions and clawed for altitude. He was effectively invisible. He could NOT be seen by the naked eyeball at more than arms length. He flew silently toward a nest of vipers.

..................................
The spy bugs had been in an office. They had the ‘goods” on this guy. He walked outside.

Chad was orbiting at a hundred feet. He drew his compound bow and released.

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The Next Episode will be
81: Check with the Wiz
The Previous Episode was
#79: RSVP
the First episode was
#1 : Prologue

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@everittdmickey
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I write
SPECULATIVE FICTION
I have books on Amazon too.
Sometimes I also comment on the news

Sometimes it's hard to tell fiction from the news.