Ghosts of Machina - Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

---N/A---

A few days had passed since Jake’s disappearance, there was a search but nothing had turned up.

Then the girl who had moved in next door disappeared. Now there was two missing people, a sixteen year old boy and an eighteen year old girl. Their whereabouts unknown.

For the Hayes family it was a reminder to lock their doors and windows at night. Brody and Sarah feared something could happen to their own children. Whilst Andy was capable of fighting off an opponent, Olivia wasn’t and they were worried regardless.

Andy himself was feeling stress from this. He had another event to speak at, a big race in another state and this was not what he needed to hear at that time.

The speaking in public wasn’t the issue anymore, he had mastered that on the second try. It was the fact he still wasn’t feeling himself but wasn’t telling anyone. It was worry over what would happen when he was gone.

“I don’t think I should go…” He said one evening on the phone to his girlfriend Maya West.

Maya sighed as she heard this. She had heard of the disappearances and wasn’t surprised that he was nervous or stressed. “I think you’d regret it if you don’t… You don’t sound good is something wrong?”

He inwardly sighed. Was it that obvious? “I’m just stressed…. First one of my friends goes missing, now the girl who JUST moved in next door is gone… I’m worried…”

“That something might happen to Olivia?”

“That something might happen to anyone I love… .My family… My friends… And you.”

“Andy…” She murmured. “I don’t want you to worry about me… I live in one of the safest towns in the US, plus I live not too far from the Cozy Cone, if something tried to go down I’d bolt for there and Sally would be more than happy to hide me until the coast was clear.”
“Maya…” He sighed. “That’s not the point and you know it.”
“What if I promised to be there?”

…. Well… He thought this over. On one hand I’d be with my girlfriend...On the other hand I wouldn’t be here and-.... Then it dawned on him. Not being home meant no having to report for daily medicine. SOLD! “Deal me in baby.” He grinned.

She laughed. “That sounded SO corny…”

“Hey I live in the Corn Capital of the world, it was bound to rub off… I’ll see ya soon?”

“See ya soon...Love you..”

“Love you too.”

-----------

The day of the race, Andy was nervous, he still wasn’t feeling quite himself, not to mention now for some reason nervous.

It was the Speed City AirFest, the race  that Dusty had to pass on previously but now was able to again. Andy would give the opening speech, there would be pictures of him and the crop duster separate and together. Then he would hope everyone would leave him alone so he could sleep.

However as he stepped up onto the platform fiddling with his headset he didn’t feel like this was going to go as planned.

First being when he got up there he stumbled his landing gear caught on something. When he got that free he looked up at the camera’s, the crowd. Camera’s were flashing blinding him briefly.

Open your mouth...OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND SPEAK! He yelled at himself and did so, as he searched his memory for his speech.

“T-thank you all for coming to the annual Air City Grand Prix...It’s an honor to represent my species and my new hometown Propwash Junction, along with my good friend Dusty Crophopper.” He stammered a bit as he spoke, he could see himself on the jumbotron he looked like he was going to fall over.

Andy gave his speech as normal as he could before quickly getting off the platform as he broke into a run.

Normally he would be up there cheering his friend on and hoping he would continue to win it, but now he just felt like he was going to fall over.

He made it just outside the arena before he fell to his knee’s panting, coughing a little. His stomach was churning, and he felt a chill going through him.

What’s wrong with me?

“A-Andy?”

He jumped and whirled around to find Maya looking concerned as she made her way over to him. “You okay?”
He made sure his microphone was turned off before shaking his head. For good measures he took it off and shoved it in his pocket. “Not really...I feel like I’m gonna be sick, but of course...The one time it’d probably help it doesn’t happen…” He sighed looking to the side. “I feel like genuine grade A crap.”
Maya brought her arms around him gently, rubbing circles on his back. Andy laid his chin on her shoulder relaxing. “That feels really good.” He whispered eyes closing.

“Let’s get you back to the others...You need to get looked at…”

“No. I’d just steal attention away from Dusty and I’d like not to be known as the Squishy they had to haul away in an ambulance.” He muttered. “I’m not making a fuss out of it.”
Maya kept quiet, just continuing the motions moving so she was sitting with him holding him close. “Shhh…” She whispered. “Stop making excuses...I’m not gonna tattle on ya…”

“Thanks…” Andy relaxed into her feeling embarrassed and just plain exhausted. He was not proud of it but he was hiding it from everyone else how awful he felt. He didn’t want to worry them more. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“If you feel any worse, please tell someone.” Maya pleaded. “Can you promise me? ...And telling the dog doesn’t count.”
Andy sighed nuzzling her cheek. “I promise Maya...I promise...I love you.”

“Love you too.” She kissed his cheek before helping him up. “C’mon let’s get you cleaned up, I got something to get rid of that clamminess.”

Andy cringed as she lead him along into the only family unit restroom. “Sit on the counter.” She said digging through her purse.

The boy rolled his eyes before doing so.

Maya took out several compacts including concealers and cold packs. “You felt hot, so this will cool ya down enough so if your mom feels your head, you’ll feel normal. The concealer is to keep you from looking as pale as you do...And the nausea pills I got there I got cause since trains started becoming transportation for us again I’ve  been barely able to make a train trip without my stomach acting up.” She explained as she held up each item and handed him a water bottle.

Andy was impressed...And weirded out as he took the medicine and let her work on him. It felt weird having make up on since even for TV interviews he fought tooth and nail to keep it from his face.

All I need is someone finding out I got makeup on and that’s the end of that.

“And what if they at the end catch us on the jumbotron and demand we kiss?”

“There isn’t a specific kiss we have to do, we could do  air kisses-”
“Too frou frou.”

“Or...Butterfly kisses.” She suggested as she stepped back to examine her handy work.

Andy blinked. “Butterfly kisses?”

“Like...This.” She leaned in blinking quickly as her eyelash brushed his eyelid. “We do this at the same time, it’s like butterflies opening and closing their wings.”

“But...Isn’t that a little...Kiddy?” He said as he hopped down.

“I’m not kissing your diseased lips. Sorry that ain’t happening.” She smirked as she started to walk out.

Andy looped arms with her as he walked with her. “We’ll figure something out.” He said looking around.

There was some machines and humans talking, as they milled about, getting food or drinks.

The two teens passed by a group of vehicles that just glared at them muttering to one another.

Andy brought his arm around Maya’s shoulders as they walked by them narrowing his eyes.

What’s their problem?

------

When the race was over Dusty spent an hour or so taking pictures, and signing autographs with his tire. His signature D as he moved quickly.

Andy had dozed off head on Maya’s lap during the entire thing when they had gotten back to their seats. Any questions were answered with: “He was up late, he was too nervous.” The parents gave worried looks. Dottie looked like she didn’t believe it for a second - Maya couldn’t blame her, she wouldn’t believe it either.

Olivia...Was thankfully too busy cheering her best friend on to notice her sleeping brother. She was on the opposite side to them and couldn’t see him anyway, or hear them over the roaring of the planes above.

“That was AWESOME!” Olivia cheered as she ran up to Dusty jumping up onto his wing to give him a hug. “You did great!”

Dusty chuckled giving her a nuzzle. “Thanks Livvie, I just tried my best.” He said with a smile.

“You were amazing out there.” Dottie said. “How’s the gearbox holding up?”
“Doing good I think. But if you want when we get back you can check on it.” Dusty replied, after what happened before he didn’t want it to repeat itself and whilst he still gave Dottie a hard time about things for old times sake.. He really was more diligent about taking care of himself.

“Thank you, I would feel better if I did.”

“It’s a deal then.”

He glanced around noticing that Maya and Andy were missing. “Hey...Where’s the two lovebirds? Thought they’d be right up here.”
“Erm…” Sarah said wincing as she remembered the look on her son’s face as he jumped up and made a run for it, Maya following. “... Let’s say his stomach isn’t agreeing with him.”

Dusty winced in sympathy. “Got it.” Come to think of it he looked pretty pale when I saw him on the screen there… Hope he’s okay.

As if he was summoned Andy came up leaning on Maya a little. “Hey guys...Grats on the win Dust…” Andy murmured.

“You okay?”

“M’fine….You?”

“Great.” If he’s fine, then Leadbottom isn’t crazy. Dusty thought with heavy sarcasm.

They talked for awhile before Dusty had to go, an interview before he was able to fly back.

The Hayes family headed off with the others, to Propwash.

Andy had a bad feeling though, and it wasn’t just how sick he felt, that something wasn’t right.

--------

“Andy what in the world is wrong?” Sarah asked her son when they got home. Olivia was fast asleep from the ride home, so Brody went to tuck her into bed.

“Sarah leave him alone.” He said quietly after making sure his daughter was tucked in. “So he has a bad day, probably ate something that disagreed with him and your calling plague?”

Sarah growled a little. “Brody….HEAMIC?”

“Don’t even use that in an argument.”

Andy yawned. “I just feel a little outta it today, I didn’t sleep good then, I had the dumb idea of eating one of the corn dogs from those shady looking cars...Probably just have food poisoning.” He said trying to get his mother to believe him.

Sarah stared down her husband and son before sighing. “Just...Go to bed. You look exhausted...And don’t forget you have a check up tomorrow to make sure that infection is going down.” She said calling out the last part as Andy went straight to his room.


“Ahuh, sure mom!” He called before closing the door.

Opening his window and leaning out…

Andy lost whatever remained of lunch and decided breakfast tomorrow wasn’t a good plan.

Ugh… He flopped onto his bed burying his face in his pillow.

Hope this bug passes soon…

He soon fell into a deep sleep.