(Hal POV)
I land back at Ferris Air after making myself invisible. Since I already have only a small mask for my face, I don't want to be seen by someone as I take off my suit. I'm sneaky and make my way into the changing rooms, where I meet Tom Kalmaku, who is excited to see me.
"Hal, how are you? Where were you? You missed so much man.", Tom tells me.
"Good, thank you. How are you, Tom? What happened?"
"Oh, you should have seen it. There was this Super-Hero, and he caught Laminski's plane when one of the engines exploded last week."
"Really? Well, I guess anyone would have done that if they had the power to do so.", I say.
"Well, you won't have to worry about him anymore."
"Why do you say that?"
"I mean the walkout.", Tom tells me.
"What walkout?"
"Look around you. See those empty lockers? Once word spread that Carol 'Lady' Ferris was taking the reins from Mr Arden, no one was particularly excited. And after her father didn't show up for the big company speech, she had to give it herself. Afterwards just about everyone quit.", Tom explains. I remember now. I didn't read all the Green Lantern stories, but this is something I remember happening in one of them.
I think there was a good reason for her doing what she was doing, but I can't remember. I think her father was sick or something like that. This might be a problem. I wanted to go ahead and take time to study, but for some reason, I couldn't let her shoulder all of this burden alone. I have sympathy for her. We were friends during childhood. And I can remember it like it was yesterday ...
Maybe there is a middle ground.
.
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(3rd Person POV)
"... of course, I'd make it worth your time, Mr. Trainor. Plenty of pay and benefits and a share in the profits ... if you know any other pilots that you'd like flying alongside you ... my father's still travelling. He'll be out of the country the rest of the ...
Yes, of course, he would've made the call himself if he could, but ... Mr. Trainor, listen to me. This is the opportunity of a ... Mr. Trainor? ... Larry?"
*Beep*
Carrol hangs up and looks down at the box of stuff from her father. In a rare moment of weakness, a tear almost makes it down her cheek when someone knocks at the door.
*Knock Knock*
Immediately, the professional and stern woman is back.
"Yes?", she says and the door opens. In walks Hal in the flight jacket of his father.
"Miss Ferris."
"Mr. Jordan? What are you doing here?" she asks.
"Well, originally I wanted to come and throw in my resignation along with the rest.", Hal says.
"You haven't shown your face here all week. I assumed you already had.", Carol answers him.
"Yes, well, I wanted to. And if your father was here-"
"What? What would you do if my Father was here?" she asks rather sharply.
"I wanted to tell him many things. My mother used to beg me not to say those things, but now I'm actually glad she did."
"You know what, Jordan? Let's make this day even better than it has been. Tell me.", Carol says, thinking this will be a confrontation. But that's not what Hal is there for. He has long made peace with his life, and thanks to the Essence, this is made even more apparent.
"I think you misunderstand me, Miss Ferris. I said I wanted to, but things changed. I used to believe that your Father put mine in a death trap. He wanted to save money and therefore didn't give my Father the best plane available. I used to believe that the plane never had a chance at landing.
And I thought that your Father was living the life, while mine was rotting under the ground ..."
"Is that so? And what are you thinking now?"
"Now, all of that is no longer important. I managed to make peace with my past, Miss Ferris. I also think that it is not the best time for me to bother you with those things, as you have more than enough troubles, I'm sure.", Hal said and smiled.
.
Carol was silent for a moment. She was standing there and looking at Hal. She never thought that Hal would manage to make peace with what happened and even more, so suddenly. He was always angry, and aggressive and seemed to cope with something. But now, he was so calm and collected.
"Do you want to fly again?", she suddenly asks. Hal looks at her and understands. She's desperate.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you want to fly again?"
"I love flying, but the reason I wanted to quit wasn't any resentment I had. You see, I was hoping I could do some studies before I continue here. And since I had planned a few things, I thought it best if I quit and didn't take your money."
"Please, Hal. I need a pilot. And you need a plane.", Carol said. Suddenly, her professional persona was gone. The shark that everyone saw in her was replaced by a vulnerable woman who asked for help. Hal used to live in a hospital during his last life. He never had experience with women. He would never allow himself to be influenced by his hormones, but this woman needed his help, and there might be a solution to the problem.
"Alright, Carol. There might be a way. But I wasn't joking about wanting to take the lessons and study. If you can guarantee that I will have some time to study and also give me some time off when I have tests, then I am willing to stay here. You can lower my pay if that's something you are having trouble with.", Hal said.
Carol was surprised. She didn't think Hal was serious, but he was. So she nodded her head.
"Alright, but we are going to do a test flight first to see whether you still have it," she said, back in her boss position.
"As you wish."
.
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(Hal POV)
It feels good to fly. In the back of my mind, I knew that I was flying to help Carol and not because I needed it anymore. I used to need to fly, to prove that I was not afraid. That is different now. I am truly not afraid anymore. There is no fear in my heart or soul, and I am truly free.
I am so thankful for this chance I have, in any way. As someone who used to basically live in a hospital and was in so much pain, I understand what it means to have a 'normal' life. Now that I have a Green Lantern ring, it is indescribable. The freedom I feel when I wear the ring, soar through the air and create anything I want ... amazing.
{Ferris wants this one precise, Jordan. We're about robust trajectory tracking today. Not split-s manevers.}
"I apologise. I was just loosening up.", I reply. I was not concentrating, so I better get my head in the game.
.
"Hey, I've got something at twelve o'clock. I thought I was alone up here," I tell them as something comes on my screen.
{Nothing on our screen. Are you sure?}
"..."
{Jordan? Come in, Jordan.}
I don't answer because in front of me, I see a person in green, floating in my trajectory.
I try to do something, but at the speed I'm going, there is nothing I can do ... except use my ring. I immediately coat the jet in an energy field before it hits the Green Lantern in front of me.
Seeing this, he gets out of the way, thankfully, but he hits the wing and damages it. What an idiot. If he had just stayed there, I would have moved out of the way, but now he flew right into the wing.
*BOOM*
I open the cockpit and slowly have the jet float to the ground.
"Green Lantern of Sector 2814. You are wasting time.", the red-skinned alien tells me. I know who he is, but I can't show that.
"What are you doing? And who are you?" I ask him.
"I am Sinestro. Green Lantern of Sector 1417."
"So you're Sinestro?"
"You know of me. Good. That will-"
"No, but Abin Sur said your name before he died. I didn't know it was a name, but now that you are here, I guess he meant you.", I say.
[Green Lantern of Space Sector 1417 - Message from Green Lantern 2814 waiting.]
"What? What did your ring say?" Sinestro asks me. I am focused on putting the damaged jet back together. I can't have my secret exposed so soon. And with how much this jet costs, Carol would suffer greatly. I project my will and put all of the pieces, even the smallest ones, back together. Thankfully,it isn't as damaged as it could have been, but this is still a lot of work.
I am focused and following my willpower, the jet is put back together. It even looks better than it was before.
"That wasn't bad. But tell me what your ring told you."
"I will tell you, but not now. I will come to meet you after I finish everything here. Please give me the time.", I say and sit back in the plane. Then I shoot off.
.
.
(3rd Person POV)
HaI lands the plane, and as expected, Carol comes storming towards him.
"What was that?" she asks him.
"I apologise, but a malfunction needed me to fly a bit lower. I didn't have full control but managed to do it in the end."
"That's not what it looks like, Mr. Jordan. It looks like you're playing games. Purposely flying below the radar, refusing to communicate."
"It's not like that-"
"I must have been crazy to think this was a good idea.", she says.
Suddenly, both of them and also all of the workers are assaulted by a very painful headache. All except one.
'You're not insane, Carol, ' a voice is heard in her mind.
'In fact, you have quite a beautiful mind. Among other things.'
"H-Hector?" she manages to say.
'Oh my god. What's happening?' she thinks.
'What's happening? I can read your thoughts, that's what's happening.', Hector projects his voice to her mind, while he is going through her memories.
'Don't touch me!' Carol thinks.
'Don't you see, my dear, what a wonderful connection we can have now? Deeper than anything or anyone has. Our minds will be one. And our ... our ... you.' Hector stops and looks at Hal, who is looking at him and is not in pain.
Hector is confused. For some reason, he can't read Hal's mind. His confusion turns to anger, and he pushes Hal telekinetically.
*BOOM*
But the expected result doesn't happen. Hal is not flung back. Instead, he is coated in a green layer and wears a Green Lantern suit.
"I think we better end this farce now. What do you think, Sinestro?" Hal asks seemingly no one. But in the air, Sinestro appears with his condescending or judgmental look.
"Yes, this weakling is breaking 34 terrestrial and intergalactic laws. Chief among them, human, is attacking an officer of the Green Lantern Corps, even if I do use the term 'officer' loosely," Sinestro says to Hector.
Hal moves his hand and a straightjacket appears on Hector's body, designed to restrain a person's arms by crossing them over the chest and then tying them securely to restrict movement. Then a bubble appears around Hector's head and takes away his air supply.
[Approximately five seconds until the air from his lungs is evacuated.]
'N-no ... who?'
[Three]
[Two]
[One]
*Bang*
Hector falls to the ground.
"Not bad. Come rookie.", Sinestro says and we both fly off. I leave Carol there for now. I guess I could wipe her mind, but that would probably not be a good idea. Now that she knows, she will understand certain problems much better.