EP for the Island Titans

[capable_of]

It was more the jerking back and forth of the plane than the thunder that caused Lex to wake up and open his eyes. He couldn't help a wince due to the headache and the harsh lighting flashing around the dark, trembling plane. It was a feeling he knew too well, unfortunately, the feeling of having been drugged. Once he could concentrate past the pounding in his head, he looked around frantically, the cabin empty except for the dangling oxygen masks. "Helen?" He asked the rattling cabin before pulling himself up out of his chair. '

The plane jerked as he took a step, stumbling into one of the chairs across the way and catching himself as he called out over the thunder, "HELEN!" His thoughts were turning frantic as the panic set in. Where was she? What had happened? He didn't bother asking himself who, there was no doubt his father was behind this. He hadn't wanted Lex to get married, convinced it was another form of rebellion versus love of two young people. But then, Smallville would be a normal Kansas town before Lionel Luthor believed in love. Of course he would want to ruin any chance Lex had for happiness.

He needed to know what was going on, so he began stumbling his way toward the cockpit. The plane shook again at a loud clap of thunder and Lex fell hard into the bar, sending dishes flying against the wall and onto the floor. Using the bar top as leverage, he managed to push himself up to grab the cabin partition and then on to the cockpit door. The door opened with a jerk and Lex gaped at the empty pilot's chairs amid the trashed cockpit, consoles smashed and sparking. But the thing that caught his eye the most was the ocean that Lex could see approaching through the windshield. He could only stare in horror for a few moments before slamming the cockpit door and bracing himself, just as the plane hit the water.

---

Somehow, Lex had fought the water and the wreckage of the plane to make it to the surface and to one of the floating wings. Exactly how though he couldn't remember when the next thing he knew, he was looking at the dawning sun and the water lapping over the aluminum of the wing. He just lay there for a few long moments, categorizing each ache and pain. Along with minor cuts and bruises, he had some glass in his arm from not shutting the cockpit door fast enough when the windshield had exploded on impact, a long gash in his leg where it had scraped a twisted bit of metal while he'd been escaping the hull. His lungs still burned from the massive amounts of ocean water he'd ingested and a large bruise blacked his chest from dodging one of the chairs that had come loose. After each bump was cataloged in his mind, he took another moment to curse his father though Lex had no idea what he'd done for his father to finally decide that he didn't need an heir, and to lament the loss of Helen and the times they weren't going to get to share. But only a moment, as one his father's prime lessons came to the forefront of his mind. A Luthor never shows weakness or let emotions get in the way of what needs to be done.

With a small groan, he looked around and spotted an island in the distance. He bit his lip and prepared to slip off the wing and into the water to start swimming for shore. Or he would have, if he hadn't passed out again.

Comments

[needsarobin.livejournal.com]

Tim judged the wreck of the plane, smoke curling lazily up into the clear tropical morning, to be nearly a mile out. For a moment, he thought of telling the other Titans to turn back but if there were survivors, he'd need all the help he could get so he just put his head down and concentrated on swimming.

After the earthquake, when so many had vanished beneath the waters of the bay and Batman had had to swim out of the cave, nearly drowning, it had become part of Robin's training to be very good at this. The result was a strong form that wouldn't have won any Olympic records but only for lack of specialization.

Still, it took the better part of 20 minutes before Robin reached the wreckage. For a moment, he treaded water, surveying the scene then spotted the figure slumped on the plane's broken wing. He waved back at the Titans then swam for the victim.

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

He'd managed to pass the two girls, and put on a burst of speed as Bart saw the wave. It still took time to cover that last bit of distane, but Robin wouldn't have waved if there wasn't signs of survivors.

Moving closer, he stayed back enough for his friend to move easily, treading water. He saw the man passed out on what was left of the wing, and looked concerned. "Think we can move him?"

[healerofharms.livejournal.com]

Jill watched the two of them with the man on the wing, and dove, knowing they could handle it. She was checking for other survivors, as well as watching for predators. She didn't have the lung capacity that Dairine did, but she was doing what she could.

[wizard_errant]

There's nothing so frustrating as needing to be somewhere other than where you are now, and not being able to speed up the process of getting there any. It feels like a century of quick breaths and strokes that make her arms burn before Dairine surfaces near the plane, long enough to make sure everyone's all right.

"Think there's anyone else?" she calls over the waves.

[needsarobin.livejournal.com]

Robin checked the man, finding a pulse and breathing and nodded at Bart, "We'll have to tow him back to shore. He's alive but I don't know what sort of injuries he may have taken. Get him back there and lay him on his back until I can get there to check him out. "

He swam away from Bart, back toward Dairine, "Not sure but if they're trapped in the plane, we don't have much time. Work fast, don't risk yourself." From one of his pouches he produced a small rebreather. "It's good for about ten minutes of air if you do find someone."

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

Bart nodded, and carefully took the man into his arms, preparing for the swim back to the beach. At least the waves would help some coming back. It was still exhausting work, and he was glad when he felt the sand under his feet and shifted to carefully pull the man up the beach and kneel beside him.

"You are one lucky bastard," he told the unconscious figure, as he checked for further injuries.

[wizard_errant]

Dairine takes the rebreather from Tim with a nod, bobbing in the water, and dives again. The plane is sinking rapidly, and even beneath the surface water is splashing from the movement of dying propellers. Or else from the bits falling off, she can't quite tell; the explosion, whatever it was, did enough damage that if anybody is still in there, she doesn't hold out a whole lot of hope.

Stubbornness, though. She hasn't done too much testing with the lightsaber underwater, and it sputters and crackles when activated, but slices through the metal.

Empty. Good. She knows it hasn't been ten minutes, but her lungs are starting to protest, and she's gasping for breath as soon as she breaks the surface. "It's clear."

[healerofharms.livejournal.com]

Jill broke the surface a moment after Dairine, and the moment she scrubbed the saltwater from her eyes, she sucked in a breath. "Look-" She couldn't believe it. Gone. The water was clear enough that they should be able to see the sinking plane, but there was no sign of what she'd just swam down and looked at, no bits of metal sinking in the water.

[needsarobin.livejournal.com]

For a moment, Robin considering diving, trying to see if anything of the plane was left behind but it would be a fool's errand. Anyone down there would have long since drowned. "Back to shore," he ordered and turned immediately back.

On the beach, he hit his knees next to the man, on the opposite side from Bart, hoping they hadn't paralyzed him in saving his life. "I think we can move him if we're careful," he determined finally.

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

"To be honest, I was more worried he'd wake up and start fighting me on the way back," Bart said, nodding, then considered. "We could probably use your cape and some poles for a stretcher. Is it an issue that the guy hasn't come 'round?"