The Secret Escape

Pops, streamers, balloons and tears mixed with hydro.

-Night had fallen over the Nevada desert and the mustard yellow lights that were specially designed not to disturb night vision had all turned on around the base as the last of the 3rd shift shuttles arrived from Vegas. ARA had been placed in the hanger yet it was dead silent.  The buzz of the one lit fluorescent lights by the door and the occasional click of a relay inside her or the thud of a control surface was all that could be heard.   Although it was much like any other night except for the fact she was staring at balloons that would occasionally bump her pito tube or bang against each other with the slightest whip of wind coming from the hanger doors that were just opened.   "Aghhhhhh.  So this is what it's like to be alone...................."
It had been a good 45 minutes since Matt had put her in the hanger, yet not a soul or even Ryan had been in.   The only movement she had seen was a few  vehicles pass in front of the hanger and the 737-800 Janet that taxied by.   "Well... sooooo much for a party.  Yay whoop whooop". As she closed her eyes and envisioned twirling her stick in a circle to test her flight controls. Yet the feeling on being alone without Ryan was eating at her from inside as she kept seeing flashes of horrors the night shift had done to her.  Stress tests, simulations, and the one she hated the most!!! Power shocks....... "Pleeeeeaassssss noooo.....  noooo, no.   Please nooooo not again!!!!!!!!!" These test were as they sounded. 400 to 500 volts AC current which were be sent to her to check her response. This was the equivalent of a doctor hitting a person in the knees to test reflexes. However these shocks where purposely for the enjoyment of the guys as they didn't see ARA as a being but just another jet that was just a piece of S@%T. This was voltage that was way out of the limits of some of her circuitry. In a sense it was almost like a shock collar on a dog. "Please, please not tonight!!!! AHHHHHH. NO NOT AGAIN GUYS PLEEEE AHHHHH"
"Ara!"
"I beg you. Please please not again please......"
"ARA!!!!!!"
"Stop please!!!!! Please!!"
"ARA!!! BABY!!!!!!"
"Ahhhh, AAAAAA AHHHHHH"
In the mist of her little nightmare Ryan had walked into the dimly lit hanger to see her twitching her surfaces.  He can clearly see she was going through something and rushed over.  Her eyes were still closed but he could see the streams of hydraulic fluid just running down and pouring down onto the hanger floor pooling just under her mouth. There was so much fluid that against her black paint it looked like blood running from the seem of her silicone eye lids down to the bottom of her ASP panel door. "ARA!!!!! Baby I'm here girl. Ara darling calm down!!! Ara......" It was no use, she was trapped in this nightmare and she wasn't a person who you could easily wake or disturb just by tapping or pinching. So he took his hand and reared it up for a smack. "I'm so sorry for this girl". He smacked her just under her canopy seal in front of the slight bugle of her eye. "Ahhhh. What the hell. Ahhh a a ....... Ry ryaaa. RYAN!!!!! Baby!!!! Ba baaaa Babe! "
"Shhhh shhhhhh.  It's alright girl...shhhhh"
"Ry ry baby. Please don't go.  Please!!!!! I couldn't break free and I'm honestly freaked .    God is this what you humans call a panic attack!!!!"
"It's fine girl. Take it easy shhhhhh I'm here shhhh"
He ran is hand around her eye and tried to hug her the best he could.  Obviously a size difference was a bit of an issue.  But it  was at that moment she looked up at him and they locked eyes.  Her glowing red mechanical Iris with his soft blue organic one.  He could see her focusing her glass lenses inside to see him better which always gave him a chill knowing such a big being trusted him. It was at this moment  he whispered "It's alright princess. It's alright...."   She settled down and eased her controls as they all drooped back to their pressure free positions.  "That's it babe,Relax!"
He patted her as he stepped off a makeshift stand
"Honey!!! Please don't go"
"I'm not darling I'm just getting a absorbing towel "
"Nooooo. I really mean..... please don't leave..."
She said it such a tone that he knew it was a hopeless plea for help. "Araaaaaaa baby.....  you know I don't want too. If it was up to me I would be here every flipping day. But you know what will happen". 
He grabbed a towel and walked back up the step stand to be eye level with her.  He began to wipe the oily hydraulic fluid from her smooth satin black metal skin. "I love you girl, and as I told you.  If it comes to it!!! High tail it out of here.   In a engine run, taxi test or FTS swap.  You light the fires and get out of here!!!!    But please tell me what the heck I just calmed you down from?"
She locked eyes with him again and for a second he honestly thought she looked like a teary eyed puppy.
"The shocks!"
She muttered
"The shocks ? What shocks?"
Obviously very confused. Because in their entire time since she was found to be aware. He had never shocked her aside from being there when she needed it the most. She mumbled again as she stared straight forward and hushed herself. Ryan soon looked forward as well as one of the night shift guys came through the opening of the hanger followed by a few others. He looked back at her as she looked up at him and patted the slight leaks of fluid again before throwing the soaked towel on the floor in the pool to hopefully soak it up. He leaned in as he positioned himself to step down the stand and whispered, "Tell me later darling". Just then one of the guys yelled, "Bro, we were told there's a party!!!! WHERES THE CAKE". Ryan couldn't help but smirk , knowing that the night guys mostly slacked off. He also knew about the previous events they had done to her. 
"Oh yeahs there cake.  Just not right now."  His response was rather straight forward.  There was a break between the morning and night shift.  The day guys along with Ryan did work and took care of Ara.  The night guys did any post maintenance on her.   It was rather odd, he didn't understand how you could be in a job around awesome machines.  Let alone one that was alive and yet hate it.    Most of the night guys hated working on airplanes.   They were just in it for the pay.  "So what's up man, so this is it huh?"
"Not much. And yeah, 30 years and we have come to this.   Sure gonna miss dreamland hahaha"
"I guarantee that you won't"
"Ha. I think I will"
It was just then the main party came through the hanger.  The Commander of the Base, the commander of the unit and all the civilian contractors like Ryan that worked in the other hangers.
"Ahh Mr Ryan. Congratulations Sir. It's been a long time coming huh?"
"Oh definitely indeed Sir. I do wish I could stay longer. She's definitely a different beast."
"Oh I bet she is. (He turned towards ARA and shouted due to the distance) How about you ARA!!! How you feeling about all of this?
"I'm doing okay Sir. Really Wish Mr.Ryan could stay longer. "He's been a really key role in my progression".
Ryan heard this and was trying to hide his smile from behind the commander. Knowing exactly what she was trying to do.
"Oh I bet he has Ara. Unfortunately though Big Air Force has decided that he's had enough stress. But don't worry, we have experts just as good as him."
Although she was a rather pointy jet, she was still able to show slight expressions and she put in somewhat of a sigh.  The commander turned back around to Ryan and chuckled. "Seriously never thought I'll see the day jets would talk back to us. Well Mr, Kelly. Enjoy your retirement and be safe. Ohhhhh before I forget, remember that this place doesn't exist and that if you make it exist then you won't exist!!! Both men chuckled at the remark. 
"Acknowledged Sir.  Thank you very much for the time here.  Any chance of a pass to visit the beast herself once she's done here?"
"We will see.  Anyways Mr, Kelly I must be on the move.  I have a appointment with the heads of some galactic empire.  Gentlemen, ARA!!!"
Almost everyone laughed at the slight Star Wars reference. 
"Hahaha.  Alright Sir.  Just make sure you use the Force!" As the commander left, the rest of those directly involved in the project started to arrive. Most were just computer analysis people, some A.I scientist and mechanics. It was mix emotions with Ryan and ARA. Ryan was happy to see some good friends and familiar faces. ARA loved being the center of attention being that she was biggest thing in the center of the hanger. She liked talking to a few of the staff members who's 1st time it was meeting her. There were laughs, there were some hugs and high fives exchanged and some very sneaky selfie's taken. The best of which had to be of them two. Ryan snuck his GOPro and got a nice wide shot of both him and her. Yeah she was a F-16 like any other F-16. But she was more then any other F-16. Even better then the thunder chickens. The party last a few hours and then most of everyone went back to there respected shops.   
Ryan took one deep and let it all out.  "Well!!! I guess that's it.  All of it." He took a seat at the opening of the hanger and sat there for just a moment.  He looked at his watch seeing that it was only 10 pm.  Any other day he would have been home by now and probably passed out asleep. 
ARA could see him at the entrance a good 30 feet from her nose.  He was just there and she could see that he was deep in thought.  She sighed and said to herself  "I'm sure gonna miss him".    Then it hit her, "Wait a minute!   I have my own rights and I can do stuff myself!!!!"  She said in her mind before looking back up at him.   "Baby!!!!" He got to his feet and turn back to her walking up slowly.  "Yes my darling dear." As he rubbed his hand over her pito tube and twisted her AOA sensors making her quiver ever so slightly.  "I was just wondering,........."
"Yesss..."
"How were you getting home?"
"Ha. How did I know you were gonna asked that."
"Well! I am your girl who's also very freaking awesome and a freaking fighter jet!"
"True haha, Well I was gonna attempt to stay however they won't let me and I asked to be on the last flight out. So that I could spend as long with you! Why?"
"Well babe and my love. What do you say on one last flight together?!????"
He smiled as he pondered the thought but quickly replied.

"Oh girl! How I wish I could. But I seriously doubt that would be given the green light. Especially this late at night."

"Who said we have to ask?"

"ARaaaaaaaa...!!!!! If I or you, go down a taxiway and somehow don't get shot 1st. Odds are it's FTS and a desert floor."

"You don't know if that.! Plus I know a few tricks"

"Do you now? Well surprise me then. I'm going yo the bathroom. I'll be back!"

He patted her on her radome and proceed out the hanger doors. It was just then she dialed the only person who could probably green light a flight.  Yeah she looked like any other F-16.  But being she was insanely smart, she learned how to ping off the small cell towers on the base to make calls on the base. 
"Please, please pick up!!"

"Tower this is Travis. How can I help you?"

"Ohhhhh hey there bud!!!  It's the coolest girl
On base asking a favor!!! "

"Amanda?   There's no way this is you , you are day shift!"

"Hahahaha, nope. Try again boy!  Here's a very good hint!  I'm not human!!!!"

"Araaaaaa?   GIRL!!! I didn't know
You can make calls. What!!!!!  Well streak 117.  What do you need? 

"Well I don't have much time.  But can you clear mea flight to McCarran and back?   If you didn't know, Tonight is Ryan's Last night here and rather then him taking a secret shuttle! I really want to fly him back!!!!!! Please!!!!!!"

"Ara! You know that's like a big thing to ask right?    Let me see what I can do but don't expect anything"

" Travis! Please if you can I promise not to buzz you and make you spill your coffee again and I won't break Air Space"

"Ahhhhh, ARA Araaaa.  I'll see what I can do.  I'll call the hanger.  BUT!!!! You better come right back!"

"I willlll.  I promise!