...“When?”
“In just ten minutes,” said the dispatcher.
CLICK
“Sir, they’ve got the Sea King and I’ve got over a dozen media bigfoots here in an hour,” said Grendel.
“Alright,” said the Mayor of New Orleans, “can you stop them from taking off?”
“Under what pretext?”
“I thought you had a source inside who could do it?”
“Can’t get a hold of her. What do we do from here? Can’t have the media waiting until morning.”
“Let me get on the horn to the Chief. Given his recent track record, he owes me. Maybe he can get us a chopper.”
“We’d need a big bird, for all the invited personnel.”
“We don’t have anything like that. Don’t need it. Just need one that’ll intimidate a Sea King.”


Ian pulled up and headed north over Belle Chase. This was not like flying his beloved Dolphin. This was a monster, a mammoth. With her twin rotors and massive frame, this bird handled like an elephant. But she would get the job done.
Fifteen minutes later two New Orleans Police helicopters took off from a municipal airfield not far from Belle Chase. Smaller, faster birds, they quickly caught up with the lumbering Sea King. The police took up station directly ahead of them, stopping Ian dead in his tracks. The lead police pilot switched to the guard frequency and hailed the Sea King.
“What the…?” said Ian.
“Navy 0461, Navy 0461, this is Police 0367. Respond, over.”
“Police 0367, this is Navy 0461. Have you five by five, over. What’s this all about?”
“Navy 0461. Your flight is unauthorized. I say again, your flight is unauthorized. Return to base, over.”
“What?” said Ian, “Brooke?” He handed her a headset,
“Police Flight, this is Brooke Asquith of ARSES Government Liaison. This has been laid on by JTF Sabrina at Camp Shelby. I am authorized to clear in their name, over.”
The police pilots looked at each other across thirty yards of air, “Hold one Navy 0461.” The pilots switched to the police-only frequency.
“Manny, you know anything?”
“Beats me man. I just was told what you were by the Chief; get this guy to return to base. Do what it takes.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just scare him I guess.”
“With what?”
“You got a rifle on board? If he continues to give us problems, just have your co-pilot point it at him. I can too. He’ll panic, flying that water buffalo, and he’ll comply pronto.”
“Roger that, out…” the Police lead pilot went back to playing chicken, “Navy 0461, Navy 0461, you are over the City of New Orleans. We have jurisdiction. Be advised, you will return to base or risk being forced down, over.”
“Police 0367, you be advised,” shot back Ian, “We are on a humanitarian mission to get food and water to evacuees in Ferriday. I don’t know what you people are up to, but how’d you like to explain four KIA to your Chief, huh? Think because I’m not going anywhere but Ferriday.”
“Navy 0461, we have our orders. Turn around and follow us back to Belle Chase or we will take action to compel you to, over.”
“You’re bluffing,” said Ian.
“You wanna risk it?” radioed back the Police.
“Been outflying guys like you for years,” replied Ian. No response.
“Think he bought it?” asked Ian.
“I don’t know,” responded Linda, “Brooke?”
“Danny?”
“This is just doing a priest a favor! Feeding the hungry, blah, blah, blah. How is it turning into The OK Corral?”
“Their side doors. What are they doing?” said Ty, as two police officers aimed M-16s dead ahead, their choppers turning their flanks to the Sea King.
“Damn,” said Ian, as he wished for his old Sea Hawk.
“What now Quickdraw?” said Linda, “We can’t run and we can’t hide.”
“They won’t risk it. They’re not trained for it,” he said.
“What if they’re buckaroos? A lot of these guys booked when the flood came. What if they’re trying to prove something?” Linda said.
“I know, I know,” said Ian, “Danny, just how important is this? Can we do it tomorrow?”
“There will be no food for kids there tonight if we turn and run. We gotta hold our ground here in the air until,” then suddenly, the crew of the Sea King heard a sound. A hum. Too quiet to be a helicopter, it nevertheless sounded like a helicopter engine on idle. No, two engines idling.
“Are you seeing what I’m seeing,” said the Police lead pilot to his colleague in the second chopper.
Seeing the dark apparitions now themselves, everyone in the Sea King was not brimming with hope, “They must have called in reinforcements,” said Brooke, “They’re going to shoot us down!”
They all looked left and right. Coming into focus in the night sky were two jet black Apache Attack Helicopters. A pilot of one of the new birds on the scene pulled up beside Ian and motioned a thumbs up. The newcomers took up station on either side of the Sea King...