Mom, I'm Bulletproof

Chapter 15.2: Helicopter

After a few more seconds, Amy saw the helicopter. It was completely black, with no exterior lights announcing its presence. She couldn't make out any interior lights, either.

As it was a silhouette against the dark sky, there were no markings for identification of any kind, not to mention any safety markings to warn off any other aircraft in the area. Amy, Future Girl and Proscenium were not ordinary aircraft, though.

Amy had been around helicopters before, often flying alongside news and police choppers to and from crises around Boston. Fighting one would be something new.

This helicopter was quieter than any other Amy had ever encountered. Letting out only a slight hum from its spinning rotors.

Out in front, Future Girl flew straight at the rotors, no doubt hoping to smash them right off, or maybe grab a hold of them to stop them spinning. Amy heard rotors smack into Future Girl with a hard but fleshy smack, sending the teen girl flying away from the chopper. Amy considered flying after Future Girl to rescue her, but then figured Future Girl would be all right, especially if she was stronger than Amy.

Proscenium was next. The purple haze bunched together right in front of the copter's dual front windows, and then reformed into Proscenium. In a heartbeat, Proscenium dug his metal fingers into the black glass. He brought up both of his boots and pressed his feet against the front of the helicopter, with his theater curtain cape billowing out behind him. He raised a fist, held it there for a second and then punched through the glass.

This had an impact. The helicopter started swirling around erratically. Amy didn't need any more of a cue. She flew at the vehicle's side, hoping to grab it and hold it in place so Proscenium could get inside and disable their attackers. Just as Amy reached out to press against the black right side of the chopper, Proscenium punched through the glass a second time, and the entire craft tilted.

Amy now flew right at the rotors., which spun so fast Amy could barely see them. They smacked hard onto Amy's hands and wrists, knocking her through the air. Stunned by the sudden pain and shock in her hands, Amy fell for a few seconds and then started flying again. Her white gloves were torn, and her palms underneath had dark, bluish bruises.

Future Girl flew up next to Amy. "What's this thing made of?" she asked. "I didn't think anything could knock me out of the sky like that."

"There's always someone stronger," Amy said. "There's always someone faster, too. It's about time you learned that."

"Let's go," Future Girl said, flying up toward the chopper, with Amy right behind her.

The helicopter was turned at a 90-degree angle, with the rotors spinning perpendicular to the ground far below. Police had taken notice of what was happening by now, with blue and red lights converging on the street underneath them.

Proscenium, still gripping the front of the helicopter, swung another punch at the front of the glass, this time shattering it. The glittery shards fell all around Amy as she flew up at the helicopter, breaking apart harmlessly all around Amy. Proscenium pulled a man out from inside the helicopter. The man wore a dark red jumpsuit, similar in style to the man Amy and Dreamsmith had encountered at the British Museum.

As the helicopter dipped again, its rotors facing the street below now, as it rapidly fell downward. Proscenium spotted a nearby outcropping on a dilapidated high rise and jumped for it, carrying the pilot with him.

"The helicopter!" Future Girl shouted. "You can't let it fall!"

"That's where we come in," Amy said. "I'll take the left. You take the right."

"We can't stop those spinning rotors," Future Girl said. "They'll knock us out of the sky again."

"We won't have to," Amy said. "Follow my lead."

Rather than fly straight at the falling helicopter, Amy flew away from it, turned around, and came at its underside, now facing up at the sky. Future Girl followed, staying right behind Amy. Amy clutched the underside of one of the landing legs, and Future Girl grabbed the other.

"Turn it around," Amy shouted.

Working together, pulling and turning at the helicopter's frame, the two of them spun the body of the craft around, so that the rotors once again faced the sky. When they were perpendicular with the ground again, the entire chopper threatened to spin wildly away from them, but they held onto it. Once the rotors were facing upward again, it was easier for Amy and Future Girl to navigate it to the ground. Police cars surrounded them, lights flashing, and panicky cops had their guns drawn on Amy and Future Girl.

"What now?" Future Girl said.

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Next: That's a little harsh.