Rebel Heart

"Brady!" she shouted.

Pitched to the other end of the cabin, the two soldiers had strapped themselves in. The helicopter rolled as it fell, like a carnival ride without the option to get off. Lana held her breath at the whirling world, certain their death would at least be fast. The rotators caught, pulling them out of the spin, slowed their ascent, then gave out once again. Something else caught, and their ascent stopped suddenly, slamming her against the harness and knocking the breath from her.

The beating of the rotators died, replaced by creaking and scraping of metal. The cabin swayed, and Lana caught the image of wires and far below, water. Emergency lighting glowed red, turning the world inside the broken helo surreal.

The bridge. They were close to her condo; she drove the massive Sky Bridge every day to get to work. They were stuck in its wires. She looked around for Brady, afraid he'd be hurt or dead.

"Lana." Brady's voice was quiet and even. He was suspended in the air by the straps of his harness. "Under the seat is a box with vests and water-breathers. Reach under the bench and grab it."

His calm words terrified her. They were going into the black water, hundreds of feet beneath them.

"Lana," he said more gently, when she didn't move. "Reach under the bench."

She forced herself out of her fear and leaned forward. The helicopter dropped and caught. The other soldier cursed.

"Very slowly," Brady hissed through clenched teeth.

She obeyed, inching towards the bench until she lay on her side, suspended by the harness above the seat by a few inches. Her fingers worked across the hard metal seat and under. There was a box strapped to the floor beneath the bench. Her fingers grazed the cold metal, and she stretched towards it. The helo creaked but didn't move.

"I can't reach it," she said. "Wait, maybe I can." She fumbled with the straps on her harness and pushed the releases.

"No!" Brady snapped. "Stay strapped in."

"I can get it," she said, ignoring him and adding silently, I won't let you die. She rolled slowly until she was on the floor, wedged between the bench and the punctured floor of the helo.

Lana eased the straps off the box and pulled. It didn't give. She released a breath, closed her eyes and then yanked. The heavy metal box grated towards her. She stood carefully and tugged it out from under the seat. With trembling hands, she deactivated the latches with a touch, and the top of the box slid open.