It was another beautiful morning at Engebi with a few clouds in the area.
Inside the Humble Abode, everybody was sound asleep except for Trevor who tossed and turned and didn't sleep a wink since his nightmare. A few snores filled the air of the tent from the sleeping Marines.
Then Trevor remembered something from that bad dream and shot up in a panic.
He quickly dressed in his fatigue pants and ran out of the tent.
Trevor ran through the maze of tents looking for someone, but he didn't know which tent. Four replacement B-25 bombers flew overhead while they made their way to the runway.
He saw an enlisted Marine stumble out of his tent still half asleep. He headed over to the latrine tent. Trevor ran up to him.
"Where is Buddy Bourne?" Trevor asked.
The Marine yawned and pointed down the row of tents. "Two tents to the right," the Marine said in a sleepy tone then slowly walked away to the latrine tent.
Trevor ran to the tent that Marine pointed at, and he went inside.
Inside the tent, Trevor walked down the aisle between the rows of bunks and looked for Buddy. Then he saw a Marine with the Marine Corps emblem tattoo on his forearm. He knew it was Buddy, so he rushed up to his bunk.
He knelt down and made sure nobody saw him. The rest of the Marines all were still asleep. Trevor shook Buddy's arm. "Buddy," he said, and Buddy didn't wake up. "Buddy," he said again, and Buddy stirred and woke up. His eyes widened with a little shock when he saw Trevor by his bunk.
"Something wrong, Lieutenant?" Buddy asked, still sleepy.
"I need you to make sure the machine guns on my plane are in working order," Trevor said.
"Of course they are," Buddy replied a little baffled why the officer would wake him up with that question.
"Listen, I need you to double-check them and make sure they won't jam up on me. I'm going on a mission later this morning," Trevor said.
"Don't worry Lieutenant, they're in fine working order," Buddy replied, then closed his eyes to return to his sleep.
Trevor looked around to make sure nobody heard the conservation, then he leaned closer to Buddy's ear. "I'll pay you one hundred dollars if you do another check," Trevor whispered.
Buddy's eyes popped opened when he heard the words one hundred dollars. He sprang up and sat on his bed.
"It's a deal," Buddy said with dollar signs in his eyes.
"Good. I'll give you the cash when you are done and verified it won't jam," Trevor said and extended out his hand.
They shook hands to seal the deal.
Trevor off his knees and rushed out of the tent.
Trevor walked back and went the Humble Abode. He felt a little better as he was afraid his dream was a prediction his machine guns would fail today.
He walked down the aisle and noticed Carl left the tent. He saw Ben at his locker, putting on his flight suit.
Trevor walked over to his locker and removed his pants. While he got dressed in his flight suit, he glanced over at Ben. Then he couldn't resist, and he walked over to Ben.
"Hey listen, I have this terrible feeling about today's mission," Trevor said with concern in his eyes.
"Don't worry about it," Ben replied. "We'll be okay," Ben replied with a reassuring smile.
"No. In that bad dream, I had last night that," Trevor said then stopped and looked around to make sure nobody could hear them. The coast was clear, so he decided to continue. "In my dream, you got shot down. Can someone else go on this mission for us? I'm really scared this time, and my gut is telling me my dream was predicting the future," Trevor pleaded.
Ben looked concerned. "I've had those dreams, but we're Marines. We can't back out of a mission because of a bad dream," Ben replied not a bit concerned.
Ben patted Trevor's shoulder. "Everything will be just fine. Now, let's get some chow. We can't kill Japs on an empty stomach," Ben said.
Trevor walked over to his locker and discreetly placed the key to the time machine in one of the leg pockets of his flight suit.
Trevor looked worried while he walked out of the Humble Abode with Ben.
After some more powdered eggs, toast and a little coffee, Ben, Carl, Henry, Trevor, Larry, and Kurt finished breakfast and took one last trip to the latrine tent.
It was a long walk to the flightline, and Trevor's stomach got sour from being nervous.
The Raiders, led by Fred and four of his experienced senior pilots, got inside their Corsairs.
Numerous crews prepared the four new B-25 bombers for the mission.
Larry and Kurt walked up to their Corsairs and climbed up their fuselages and got inside.
Henry walked up to his Corsair and climbed up his fuselage and got inside.
Ben, Carl, and Trevor walked up to Ben's Corsair.
Bronson walked by them with a camera in hand. Ben saw him, and his eyes lit up with an idea.
"Corporal," Ben called out after Bronson walked past them.
Bronson walked over. "Yes, sir."
"Can you do me a huge favor and take a picture of my friends and myself? I'll buy you some beers," Ben offered.
Bronson licked his lips, thinking of some free cold beers. "Yes, sir."
Ben walked Carl over to the front of his Corsair.
Trevor stayed with Bronson, and Ben noticed.
"I want you in the picture with us, Trevor," Ben said.
Carl looked upset. "Why can't it be just the two of us? We're still best friends? Right?"
"We're going to have a talk after this mission," Ben replied, pissed with Carl's behavior.
Trevor looked at Carl and saw he didn't look happy with Ben's offer. Then he thought for a second as he remembered Diana showing him this picture.
"Ben, I think it would be best if two childhood friends stay in the picture. Besides, I'm camera shy," Trevor said, knowing it would be too strange for Diana to see Trevor in his picture in the future.
Ben nodded in agreement.
Bronson got the camera ready.
Ben and Carl stood in the exact pose from the picture in Diana's album.
Bronson snapped their picture. "I'll make you two copies," he told Ben.
Trevor thought this was so cool to see the picture he saw back in 1995 actually take place.
"Thanks, corporal. I'll buy you some beers tonight," Ben said.
"Great!" Bronson said with a smile then he walked away.
Hall walked up to Ben in a rush with 1st Lieutenant Roger Osborne by his side.
"Good, you haven't left. Listen, Ben, I want Roger Osborne from Koenig's unit to go on this mission instead of Trevor," Hall said.
Trevor looked upset with Hall's orders.
"Why?" Ben asked a little upset. "I know Trevor can handle this mission," Ben added.
"I know, but Roger is a more experienced pilot than Trevor. Weaver believes we're going to have strong opposition," Hall replied.
"But," Trevor interjected.
"Sorry son. Weaver's orders and make Roger Fireball Eighteen," Hall said and with a tone that he wasn't going to go against the Colonel's orders.
"See you later, Trevor," Ben said, as he knew he couldn't change Weaver's mind.
Hall walked away.
Trevor looked sick while he watched Ben, Carl, and Roger climb up their fuselages and got inside their Corsairs.
He moped away and wondered how he was going to save Ben's life now. He stopped and looked back and saw Ben start-up his plane. His eyes welled up while he walked away.
Trevor got to the edge of the flightline and looked back. He watched while the five Raiders planes and the five Firebird planes taxied down the flightline like ducks in a row. The four B-25 bombers started their engines.
Inside Ben's Corsair, he looked at his console, and his eyes widened with disappointment. Crap! He said to himself when he realized he left his Santa Monica picture in his locker.
Ben taxied his plane and was next in line for taking-off.
He lined up his plane on the runway. He gave it full throttle and rolled down the airstrip.
Ben's Corsair was soon airborne.
Inside Carl's Corsair, while he taxied up to the runway, he removed the Santa Monica picture from his console. He kissed Diana then stuck the picture back on his console wedged between some instruments.
Carl had an emotionless stare while he gave the plane full throttle and it raced down the airstrip.
Carl's Corsair was soon airborne.
Trevor's eyes welled up while he watched Ben's Corsair fly away in formation with the other planes.
Another Corsair took off from the runway.
Another Corsair took off from the runway.
Then the four B-25 bombers taxied down the flightline to the runway.
"What the hell am I going to do?" Trevor said while he watched the first B-25 roll down the runway and took off.
Trevor eyed a Corsair that was 30 feet away. He glanced at the lonely Corsair while the second B-25 rolled down the runway and took off.
Then the third B-25 rolled down the runway and took off.
Trevor stared at the lonely Corsair. He couldn't resist, so he ran up to the Corsair and quickly climbed up the fuselage and jumped inside.
The fourth B-25 bomber took off from the runway.
A Staff Sergeant mechanic Rocky McFarlane worked on the tire under the other wing. He sensed someone got inside the plane and got concerned. He rushed out from under the wing and saw Trevor in the cockpit.
Trevor quickly started the engine.
"What the hell are you doing?" McFarlane screamed out at Trevor.
Trevor smiled at the mechanic and slid the canopy forward and locked it. Trevor wore the flight helmet then taxied the plane forward.
McFarlane ran out of the way and watched in disbelief while Trevor taxied the Corsair down the flightline.
Hall rushed down the flightline to where McFarlane was standing. "Who the hell is that?" Hall asked a little pissed when he saw the Corsair taxi to the runway.
"Lieutenant Walker," McFarlane replied.
"What the hell is that kid doing?" Hall said then stormed off pissed.
McFarlane watched while Trevor rolled the Corsair down the runway and took off.
"Dumb ass officer," McFarlane said then he walked away shaking his head in disbelief.
Hall ran off toward the tents.
Bourne watched Trevor fly away in the Corsair. "The bastard never paid me," he said pissed.
Hall ran through the base and finally got to the radio tent, and he rushed inside.
Inside the radio tent, Sergeant Keith Woodburn worked the radio while Hall ran over to Keith and grabbed the microphone.
Inside Trevor's Corsair, he searched the area while he flew. Then he saw the Corsairs and bombers 7,000 feet above him at his 10 o'clock position.
"Walker, this is Devil's Den, get the hell back to base," Hall yelled across the radio net.
Trevor hesitated to respond. "Sorry sir, I need to go on this mission," Trevor said into the radio net.
"Turn around, Walker or I'll bring you up on charges," Hall yelled back from the radio net.
"Trevor? Where are you?" Ben said from the radio net a little shocked to hear Hall's message.
"I need to be on this mission, Ben. I can't explain, but I need to fight with you," Trevor said.
"Go back, Trevor," Ben pleaded from the radio net.
From inside Carl's Corsair, he had a smirk on his face, as he loved the thought of Trevor spending time behind bars.
"That's an order, Walker," Hall yelled from the radio net.
"Let the idiot spend time in jail," Carl said into the radio net.
"Shut up," Carl," Ben yelled out from the radio net.
Inside Trevor's plane, he looked pissed with Carl's attitude. "Understand permission to continue, sir. Thank you!" Trevor said while he made screeching noises into the radio net.
"Walker!" Hall screamed from the radio net.
Trevor turned off his radio. "This is not going as planned," he said while he ascended at a high rate of climb after the other planes.
Back on Engebi, Hall ran out of the radio tent and raced through the tent area.
He ran up to the Weaver's hut and immediately knocked on the door.
"Enter," Weaver called out from inside.
Hall opened the door and went inside the hut.
He walked up to Weaver's makeshift desk and snapped to attention and saluted.
Weaver saluted back.
"Sir, we have a problem. Lieutenant Walker stole one of the Corsairs and went unauthorized on the mission with the Fireballs and Raiders," Hall told him.
"He what?" Weaver looked up at Hall and was pissed.
"He stole a Corsair and went on the mission," Hall repeated.
"I want him arrested the second he lands," he ordered.
"Yes sir," Hall said then saluted and rushed out of the tent.