xvi. the jet wing

——

Freya was at the Davenport house watching Davenport attempt to fix one of his inventions. It wasn't going very well because it kept shocking him.

Davenport got shocked by the invention and Freya yelped, leaning back.

Davenport hissed in pain. "Ow! Great! Everything in the lab is officially useless, and I don't have enough money to repair it."

"I know my mom didn't marry you for your money, but I haven't been putting with your antics for nothing." Leo told him as Bree and Chase approached them. Freya awkwardly glanced at Chase, who saw her and she looked away, blushing. Ever since she kissed him, she's felt awkward around him.

"Mr. Davenport, take your time with the lab. I don't mind staying up here." Bree assured Davenport sitting next to Freya. "Of course, it won't make up for living in a basement for sixteen years, but it's a start.

"We don't have time. Your capsules have regenerative capabilities." Davenport explained, walking out of the kitchen to face all of them. "They're crucial to your bionic infrastructures."

Adam frowned. "Huh?

"Let me help you." Chase said and spoke in a deep voice, leaning to him. "Capsule good!"

"But I haven't been in my capsule all week, and I feel fine." Bree shrugged.

"Well, it's only a matter of time before your bionics go haywire." Davenport informed them.

"Do you know when exactly? Because I have a haircut on Tuesday and if I glitch in the chair, I'm just gonna end up like that trainwreck." Adam gestured to Chase and Freya grinned in amusement.

"I get it! I'm short, I look like a lady golfer, and I have a terrible haircut! What else you got?" Chase asked furiously.

"How long do you have?" Adam joked and Bree, Leo, and Freya laughed.

"Look, the longer you go without your capsules, the more likely you'll glitch, so don't use your bionics until I can get enough money to rebuild the lab." Davenport instructed them.

"Uh oh, I feel a glitch coming on!" Adam punches Chase's arm.

"Ow!" Chase flinched, holding his arm. "You know what? I feel one coming on too!" Chase pushes Adam off the stool and Freya laughed.

"Hey, it's not funny when you hurt me." Adam frowned, embarrassed and Freya smirked. "It's just rude."

——

Later, Freya was doodling in her journal, but she kept getting distracted by Chase tuning his guitar. She already found him attractive and playing guitar just adds to the attraction.

Chase happened to glance up and saw her looking. She quickly looked down and continued her drawing, feeling flustered. Chase found himself staring at her, admiring her beauty.

Davenport walked in. "Okay everybody, family meeting time."

"Me too?" Freya asked, closing her journal.

"Yes." Davenport said as Adam raises his hand.

"Adam, you don't have to raise to hand to speak, just talk." Davenport told him as everyone walked over to the couch. Freya sat down and Chase happened to sit next to her. She tried her best not to look at him.

"Oh, I've got nothing to say, I'm just airing out my pits." Adam remarked and Freya scrunched up her face in disgust.

"The reason I called this family meeting is because we have to make some cutbacks in the family budget, starting with..." Davenport began and gave them a sheepish grin. "Losing our cellphones."

Chase sighed as Adam frowned in confusion. Freya grinned, happy she doesn't have to give up her phone.

"Did you not hear me?!" Bree asked. "I just moved out of the basement! I need this phone!"

"I don't get it. Why is this happening?" Adam asked.

Chase spoke to him in a deep voice. "Phone gone! We poor now!"

Freya couldn't help but chuckle as Adam gasped.

"Guys, stop complaining." Leo told them, standing up. "This is what you do for family. You make sacrifices."

"This includes you too." Davenport patted his back.

"I barely know you people! I'm keeping my phone." Leo held his phone close as he walked to the kitchen.

Freya smirked, holding her phone. "Sucks to suck, losers."

"Give me your phone, Freya. You're doing this too." Davenport put his hand out and Freya held her phone.

"What? I don't even live here." Freya reasoned.

"Then why are you always in my fridge?" Davenport asked.

"My mom won't like this." Freya folded her arms.

"She gave me permission," Davenport replied and Freya frowned, scrunching her nose.

"Curse you, Cassandra." She grumbled and handed him her phone reluctantly.

"Don't worry, Donald and I will be giving up our phones, too." Tasha assured the kids.

"Well, you will." Davenport corrected and Freya gave him a shocked look. "Look, the sooner we get money, the sooner we can get back to our regular lives. We need cash. Ideas?"

"Ooh, I can make some desserts, and we can have a bake sale." Tasha suggested.

"Great, that'll buy us a lamp." Davenport remarked sarcastically and Tasha's smiled faded.

"Hey, why don't you do a stunt like that guy on TV?" Leo asked, walking over to them. "You know, the one who made a whole bunch of money for walking on a tightrope across the grand canyon."

Adam nodded. "Oh, I see where you're goin' with this. We find that guy and rob him."

"That's our second option." Freya told him.

"Or..." Leo said. "Big D can do a similar stunt."

"We can't rob Mr. Davenport. He's broke. Were you not listening?" Adam asked, scoffing.

Freya rolled her eyes.

"That kind of stunt could attract a huge sponsor that would have enough money for us to build a new lab." Davenport explained and patted Leo's arm. "That's a great idea, Leo."

"Just give me my cut when you get your money." Leo said and sat down.

Davenport picked up his tablet and typed on it. "You know what? I've been working on a prototype fiberglass jet wing that uses two micro-jet engines to allow a human being to fly like an airplane. Check it out." He shows design on tablet to every one of the Jet Wing. "This is it. I, Donald Davenport, will attempt the first ever jet wing flight over Mission Creek."

Freya snickered, shaking her head. "Can't wait to see it end in a catastrophe."

Chase and Leo chuckled beside her.

Tasha went to protest. "Oh, no. I'm not letting my husband do something that dangerous--"

"You could host the exclusive pay-per-view webcast." Davenport told his wife.

Tasha smiled brightly. "Up, up and away!"

"All right!" Davenport smiled.

"Are you sure about this? That thing hasn't even been tested." Chase objected.

"I can't let my family suffer anymore." Davenport reasoned.

"Then skip the jet wing and give us our phones back." Bree remarked sassily.

"I like being a part of the family, but if this is what it takes. I'm reconsidering," Freya mentioned.

"Look, we need to find sponsors quickly, though." Davenport told them.

"I'm on it. You're looking at the top donation collector for the school's "Save the Gym" campaign." Leo stood up. "Four dollars and sixteen cents."

"You were the only one." Freya replied.

"That's irrelevant," Leo gave her a forced smile.

"Okay. Leo, you can hunt for sponsors." Davenport told Leo and looked at Freya. "Help him."

Leo gave him a frown and Freya gave Davenport a thumbs up.

"Yeah, we're gettin' our lab back!" Adam cheered and stands up, raising his arms. Everyone goes to high-five him, but he stops them.

"No, you guys, again, just airin' them out." Adam told them and Freya rolled her eyes in disgust.

——
~The Next Day

Freya, Leo, and Chase were outside of 'Go Go Global Pack and Ship' for Davenport's jet wing launch. The three of them were going to monitor him while Tasha does the broadcast. Freya couldn't miss this catastrophe.

"I still can't believe you only landed one sponsor, Leo and Freya." Davenport told them in disbelief.

"You're lucky we got one." Freya replied. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a sponsor for an old guy who thinks he can fly?"

"The best you could do was Go-Go Global Pack and Ship?" Davenport asked them.

"Now you only get paid if you survive. But if you don't, they'll ship your remains to your home state for free. Alaska and Hawaii not included." Leo explained to him. "You're also contractually obligated to say 'Go-Go Global Pack and Ship' throughout your flight."

"That's gonna be hard for him. He's not used to promoting anything but himself." Chase remarked and Freya chuckled.

"All right, two minutes to launch." Freya informed him. Davenport was looking very nervous.

Leo frowned. "Big D, are you okay? You look a little nervous."

"If you puke, do it over there." Freya pointed. "I don't want to see it."

Donald whispered to them. "I'm not sure I can do this, guys."

"Of course you can. You're Donald Davenport, and the Donald Davenport I know doesn't let anything get in the way of protecting his family." Leo assured his father and Freya nodded.

"You're right, Leo. I'm doing this for my family. I got this." Davenport confidently said.

Tasha runs over. "Okay, guys, we're about to start the webcast. Tasha Davenport presents "Look Out Below: A Jet-Wing Catastrophe"

"Oh, for—" Davenport cried and Freya laughed, putting her hand up.

"I came up with that!" Freya smiled as she sat down at the table.

"It's just for ratings." Tasha assured her husband. Davenport was back to being scared and nervous.

"Your helmet-cam is up and running. I'll man mission control, and cue you when it's time to release your parachute for the landing." Chase explained to Davenport as Freya put on her headset.

Davenport squinted his eyes shut, speaking a nervous voice. "Okay!"

"Ready to roll, Big D?" Leo asked.

"I can do this. I can do this." Davenport told himself and puts on the helmet.

Davenport saluted to the camera as the broadcast started. Tasha spoke. "The world waits with bated breath, as Donald Davenport, husband of witty, yet personable reporter Tasha Davenport, prepares to launch for the first ever jet-wing flight across Mission Creek."

Tasha moved to the side to let Davenport have the spotlight.  He gave the camera two thumbs up and smiled as package peanuts shot into the air.

Davenport spit out a piece of package peanuts and cleared his throat. "Before I launch, I would like to take a moment, maybe longer!" He gestured to the three at the table. "And, uh, thank everybody for coming out today. It really means a lot, and I see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. And since I have time, I would like to mention you all by name."

"Why is he stalling?" Chase asked.

"Doesn't really matter to me. I gave Freya the launch button." Leo grinned and Freya chuckled with a smirk.

"Bad idea, really." She hovered her finger over the launch button on her computer.

"Cynthia Forrester. Wow! How are the-" Freya pushed the launch button.  "-KIDSSSSSSSS!"

Davenport is launched into the air as he screamed and Freya laughed.

——

Davenport was flying in the air successfully. He wasn't scared anymore and was actually loving it.

"Whoo!" Davenport cheered.

"You doin' all right up there, Big D?" Leo asked his dad.

"Yeah, I don't know what I was worried about. This is awesome." Davenport laughed. "But not as awesome as the low, low prices at Go-Go Global Pack and Ship."

"We are gonna make a fortune. Tons of people are tuning into the live webcast." Chase informed.

"Of course they are. I'm amazing. But not as amazing as shipping your valuables with Go-Go Global Pack and Ship." Davenport smiled. "All right, enough coasting. It's time for some extreme free styling. All right, world, let's slather up this stunt with some Davenport butter."

Davenport accelerated the jet wing.

"Mr. Davenport, I wouldn't–" Chase began to say as Davenport hit turbulence and his arms flung around.

"Whoa, turbulence!" Davenport yelled and his parachute fell off. An alarm started beeping. "What was that?"

Freya eyes grew in shock and chuckled nervously. "That was your parachute."

"Aah!" Davenport screamed.

"Not to worry. You'll be fine for the moment. You'll just continue at jet speed until your wings run out of jet fuel." Chase explained.

Leo covers his microphone. "What happens then?"

"Then he'll crash." Chase told them and Freya's mouth fell open in shock.

"When I said catastrophe, I didn't actually mean it!" Freya muttered to Chase.

"Oh, no. I'm gonna fall." Davenport cried in fear. "Faster than the prices at Go-Go Global Pack and Ship."

Freya covers her face as Chase leaned back in his seat unsure what to do.

——

Famed reporter Tasha Davenport here, bringing you one of the most tense moments in television history." Tasha announced to the camera. "A live jet wing crash! We have exclusive access to mission headquarters, where I'm sure they have everything under control."

The camera pans over to Leo, Freya, and Chase, who are frantically working. Freya yelled as she hit her laptop several times and Chase grabbed her arm, stopping her. They froze when they saw the camera.

"We're, uh... We're mulling our options." Chase told the camera and Freya nodded as Tasha's smile turned into a worried look.

Tasha covered the microphone. "Mulling your options? That is my husband up there."

"Might want to search for a new one," Freya suggested and Tasha gave her an offended look.

"Hello. Somebody needs to come up with a solution fast. There is jet fuel leaking inside my flight suit." Davenport told them and then realized something. "Nope, not jet fuel."

"This is all my fault. I had the idea of sending him up there." Leo sighed with regret.

"No argument here." Freya raised her eyebrow with a chuckle.

"Mr. Davenport, we're just gonna have to use our bionic--" Chase paused when he saw the camera and smiled. "Hi."

Freya waved to the camera awkwardly. "Hi mom! Hi Juliet!"

"Chase, you can't show the world your bion-" Leo stopped when he saw the camera and awkwardly smiled. Tasha walked away with the camera and Freya sighed, dropping her smile.

"Stop saying bion-a-hi, call Adam and Bree, and get me out of the sky!" Davenport ordered.

Well, we'd love to, but someone took away our cell phone service." Freya folded her arms, sassily.

"Really? Guilt? Now?" Davenport snapped.

"Yes, guilt, now!" Freya remarked.

"I'll run to school and get Adam and Bree. Keep his hopes up." Leo told them and runs off to the school.

Chase and Freya sat down awkwardly, trying to keep Davenport from freaking out. They shared a look before Chase spoke. "So... whatcha gonna do tomorrow if you make it?"

"He'll be rich," Freya pointed out and Chase smiled.

The two sat there awkwardly unsure of what to say. Chase and Freya snuck glances at one another, wanting to talk. They both feel awkward around one another and they both want that to do away.

"Freya, can we talk about-"

"Chase, I really don't want to do that right now,"  Freya interrupted him. "Especially when your father is about to crash."

Chase covered his microphone. "But I really just want to-

"And I want to forget it happened." Freya cut him off, feeling her own heart shatter at her own words. She wants to talk to him and tell him everything, but fear holds her back. She's scared.

Chase's face dropped and he nodded, understanding. The two looked away from one another, feeling tension rise.

"Okay." Chase weakly said, looking down in sorrow.

"Thanks." Freya said. Freya shut her eyes, regretting what she just said. She just hurt the feelings of the sweetest and most sensitive guy she knows.

——

Leo returned with Adam and Bree, who were glitching out. Adam had a hubcap on his face and Leo was holding Bree back from superspeeding away.

"Okay, we've got some serious problems." Leo told Freya and Chase. "Adam's heat vision's glitching out, Bree's bouncing off the walls, and I saw Principal Perry's bare feet. And can I just say?" Leo covered his eyes and screamed loud.

"Appropriate reaction." Freya nodded and noticed the object on Adam's face. "What's on his face?"

"It's a hubcap. It's the only thing I could find that would shield my heat vision." Adam told her and her heat vision fires inside hubcap. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Guys, I can't keep circling above you. I'm almost out of fuel. What's the plan?" Davenport asked.

"I'm working on it." Chase told him and covers his microphone. "I've run through every possible scenario, and they all end with the Donald Davenport memorial bridge."

Leo and Freya stared at him in shock.

"Well, we can't just let him fall. Use your magnetism app." Leo suggested.

"I can't." Chase protested. "The jet-wing is made out of fiberglass, not metal."

"Well, We have to do something." Freya told them. "The whole reason he did this ridiculous stunt was to get the lab back for you guys."

"Freya's right." Bree agreed. "Mr. Davenport put his life on the line for us."

"Yeah. Plus, he's our dad." Adam added "Wait, technically, he's not our dad. Why are we here again?"

"To watch this catastrophe happen." Freya replied and Leo hit her arm.

"You guys are gonna have to use your bionics, but not with all these people around." Leo said and pushed Freya forward. "Get all these people out of here."

Freya walked to the center of the crowd. "Hey! There are snacks inside! Free snacks! So go away!"

The crowd rushes inside and Freya smiled as she walked back over to them.

"The snacks aren't free. They are five dollars," Freya chuckled.

"Hey, guys, good news. If he does crash, we've got this adorable little tote bag we can collect his pieces with." Adam mentioned, holding up Davenport's parachute. Frey stared at him with shock, grabbing the parachute. "Hey! That's mine!"

"Adam, where'd you get that?" Leo asked.

"I found it on the side of the road next to the hub cap." Adam shrugged and Chase went over to him.

"Adam, that's not a tote bag. That's the parachute that fell from Mr. Davenport's jet-wing." Chase informed and grabs parachute from Freya. "We gotta find a way to get this to him."

"Why don't we just give it to him when he lands?" Adam asked.

"Let's just say he won't need it anymore," Freya grinned politely at Adam.

"Hey, what if Adam uses his strength to launch it back up to him?" Leo suggested.

"Yes. I'll calculate the coordinates, and guide his throw. Here." Chase puts parachute in Adam's hand. "All right, Mr. Davenport, be on the lookout. I'm sending up your parachute.

"Copy that. I'm ready." Davenport nodded.

Chase angled Adam in the correct direction of where Davenport was. "All right, here we go. Three, two, one."

Adam throws the parachute with Chase's guidance into the sky.

"Adam, great job. It's heading straight for him." Chase praised as the four of them looked up.

"Cool, let me see!" Adam lifts the hub cap on his face up and accidentally slices part of Donald's jet wing with his heat vision. Freya gasped in shock as Davenport screamed.

"Whoops...I think I'm just gonna pull this back down." Adam sheepishly pulls hub cab back down and Freya glared at him.

Donald continues to scream and Chase tried to make him relax. "Relax, Mr. Davenport, I have a plan."

"If your plan was to be fatherless, it's working!" Davenport cried.

Tasha walks over to them in worry. "Why aren't you saving him? Can't any of you fly?" They looked at her weird. "What do you do in that basement all day?"

Perry runs up huffing and puffing out of breath. "Thanks for leaving me behind. Why'd you use your super speed?"

Bree blinked. "I didn't."

"I can try to use my molecular kinesis to slow his descent, but he's still gonna hit too hard." Chase reasoned.

"Wait, we are in the parking lot of a shipping store." Freya mentioned. "We can use cardboard boxes to break his fall."

"And tape... to put him back together." Adam added.

"You heard her. Let's go." Perry rushed them.

——

Everyone had made a giant crash pad out of cardboard boxes in the middle of the launch site. Chase was using his molecular kinesis to slow Davenport down.

"Guys, I'm out of fuel. I'm trying not to use my scared voice." Davenport told them and then nervous high-pitched voice. "But it's slipping out!"

"Mr. Davenport, I'm slowing you down and they're building a crash pad. Try to aim for it." Chase advised Davenport, controlling him with his molecular kinesis.

"It's working. I'm slowing down. I'll release the jet-wing so it won't crush me on impact." Davenport said and released the jet wing, letting it fall.

Bree, Leo, and Freya walked back over to Chase and Adam after finishing the crash pad. "All right, we're good to go. Boxes are set up as a crash pad." Freya informed Chase.

Bree shook her hear. "Oh, no. I feel a glitch coming on!"

"Got it." Leo grabbed a near by box and puts it over Bree, stopping her from super-speeding away. Instead, she stayed out, moving around in the box.

Adam laughed. "I bet she looks stupid."

Freya pushed Adam over to hold the box.

Chase starts to struggle with his molecular kinesis and Freya put a hand on his shoulder.

"Chase, what's wrong?" Freya asked him.

"I think my bionics are glitching, too." Chase grunted.

Donald started screaming. "What's happening? I'm free-falling again!" He checked his watch. "Five hundred feet! Four hundred feet!"

Leo grabbed Chase, shaking him. "Do something!"

Chase went back to controlling Davenport and he struggled. "It's working. I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna live." Davenport smiled and then screaming. "I'm falling again, I'm not gonna make it. My life is over!" He smiled as Chase got control again. "What? No, I'm fine. I'm okay, I'm–" He started screaming as he started falling again. "Nope, I'm a goner!"

Freya looked at Chase, who was about to pass out.

"Aim for the boxes, money bags." Perry yelled.

"One hundred feet!" Davenport screamed.

Chase lowered his arms wearily. "I can't control him anymore." Freya gasped and catches Chase as he passed out. She gently lowered him to the ground and sat there with him in her arms.

Davenport screams and Perry screams as she see him right above her. Freya winces, averting her eyes as Davenport lands on Perry. Everyone goes up to them, except Freya, who was trying to wake up Chase.

She gently smacked his cheek a few times and he woke up in a daze.

"Hey pretty boy," she greeted and Chase blinked a few times, before giving her a soft smile.

"Thanks for catching me." He said.

"You're light," she shrugged, before helping him to his feet.

Tasha smiled at the broadcasting camera. "I think we've learned something today. Nobody covers a story like Tasha Davenport."

Chase and Freya walked over to them to see unconscious Perry. Davenport was awake, but injured. Freya was unsure if Perry was alive or not.

Perry was awake, but with her eyes closed. "Is he dead?"

"No." Chase said.

"Am I dead?" Perry asked.

"Unclear, but just to be safe, we should probably proceed with a burial." Leo suggested and Freya nodded.

——

~The Next Day~

Davenport ended up spraining his foot and dislocating his arm. Unlike Perry, who was in a body cast.

Leo, Frey, and Tasha were helping Davenport into the living room.

Davenport sighed. "I can't believe the media is hailing Principal Perry as a hero just for breaking my fall."

Tasha howed the tablet that has the article called, 'Local Principal is Hero at Jet-Wing Stunt Disaster!' With a picture of Perry in a body cast.

Freya cringed. "The real heroes are the nurses who made that body cast."

"I'm just happy you're okay." Tasha said.

"I'm really proud of you, Leo. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have gone through with that stunt." Davenport told Leo.

Leo shrugged. "Ah, it was nothin', Big D. But words are cheap, and I still want my cut."

"And I want my phone back." Freya added and Davenport rolled his eyes.

"Look, the good news is, we raised enough money to build a new lab, and Adam, Bree and Chase will be back in their capsules in no time." Davenport explained, sitting on a stool.

"Yeah. The sooner, the better." Leo replied and the four turned to see Adam, Bree and Chase are all glitching. Chase has utensils on his face, Adam has the hub cap on shooting his heart vision, and Bree's in a box, super speeding.

"It was funny at first. Until Chase took all the utensils," Freya mentioned and chuckled as the box Bree is in fell over.

——

Up Next: Mission: Mission Creek High