Utah. October 1940.
The first attack caught everyone off guard.
One moment, all was calm and quiet, a normal evening, the next chaos reigned. Jacob Cutter stood on the deck of the log cabin he called home, sipping on a cup of hot coffee, no cream, two sugars, a nightly ritual as he watched the sun start its slow descent behind the mountain range that offered him a panoramic view each day and night. He loved it here. It was peaceful.
Most nights.
This night would be different.
The first hint of trouble came in the form of a howling wail, as if the very heavens themselves had begun to scream. Mr. Cutter had lived there all his life. He thought he had seen it all, heard it all, that he was prepared for anything.
He was wrong.
They came out of the purpling night, looking from a distance like large fireflies streaking across the darkening sky. A shimmering white glow surrounded them, adding to their unearthly appearance. Cutter had never seen anything like them, as though they were something from a dream.
When they zoomed by overhead, buzzing his cabin, he realized that this was more than just some sort of trick of the light. They were airplanes. As a pilot, and former Naval Air Corp officer, he recognized the design of the planes as they passed by overhead. They were an older model, similar in design to those he had flown while a naval aviator during the war.
He didn’t know where they were going, or why they glowed like… well, the only word that seemed to fit was ghosts, but he planned to find out.
His coffee forgotten, Jacob Cutter ran through the cabin, grabbing his keys and shotgun as he headed out to the well-traveled pick-up truck parked out back. He hopped in and followed the planes. The glow was a mystery, but it helped him keep an eye on them as he careened down the dirt road in pursuit, kicking up clouds of dust in his wake.
Who are you? he wondered. Like most pilots, he had heard stories about ghost squadrons who had been lost during combat, continuing to fly missions as specters. He didn’t believe such nonsense, but he was hard pressed to come up with a better answer.
Smiling as he gained on them, Cutter felt his adrenaline flowing. It reminded him of combat, of leaping headlong into the unknown without a parachute. He was enjoying the chase, which is probably why catching up to the planes didn’t alarm him. At least not at first.
The lead plane arced right, its wingman going left. That maneuver told him that he’d been spotted. They turned and flew toward the truck speeding down the back road.
The planes might have looked like ghosts, but their bullets were quite real. They opened fire.
To be continued…
Lance Star had landed planes on every terrain imaginable, from airstrips to aircraft carriers, from fields of wheat to mountain passes, and more. Setting the Skybolt II down on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere Utah did not pose a problem.
It had been years since his last visit to this part of the world. Back then, he'd been delivering a custom-built plane to another satisfied client. In addition to being a world-renowned adventurer and war hero, both of which brought his life no end of excitement and annoyance, in equal measure, Lance owned Lance Star, Inc., an aircraft design and manufacturing facility located in upstate New York. They built planes for various businesses, medical organizations, Hollywood movie studios, private clients, and they also held a few government contracts. He also owned and operated Star Field, a private airport connected to the manufacturing complex. He lived in a small cabin on the far end of the property. The business paid the bills that allowed Lance and the other Sky Rangers to travel the world on their various misadventures.
A frantic phone call from a friend sent him flying out from Star Field in the wee hours of the morning with Buck Tellonger tagging along as his co-pilot. Cy Hawkins and Red Davis were scheduled to follow later in the morning in their one-man Hornets. The Hornets were fast and maneuverable, perfect in aerial combat. Their adventures during the war inspired the sleek, aerodynamic design.
The Skybolt II was the signature vessel of the Sky Rangers, the name hung on Lance's team back during the war when newsreel footage captured amazing footage of the original Skybolt in action. When that fabled plane was destroyed, the team immediately started designing a new one. The design remained similar, though the new plane carried several upgrades over the original.
Jacob Cutter waited nearby, shading his eyes to ward off the glare from the silver sesquaplane as it rolled to a stop in the space marked. Lance, Buck, and Jacob had all met during the war when the Sky Rangers were temporarily assigned to aid his unit with a mission. The mission was a success but remained classified to the day.
After deplaning and a round of hellos and greetings, the three pilots headed toward Cutter's cabin. As they hiked across the field, their old friend explained why he called them. “Thanks for coming, guys,” he started. "I didn't know who else to call.”
“We'll help if we can, “Lance said. “You know that.”
“I appreciate it. I talked to the local sheriff, but he all but laughed me out of his office.” He opened the door to his barn. Inside sat his pickup truck. “Even with the evidence, something tells me he won't be much help.”
“Do you know who attacked you?”
“Yeah. But you’re not going to believe it. It was a ghost.”
To be continued…
Chapter 3.
Lance Star whistled. “This is some heavy-duty artillery, Cut,” he said, taking a closer look at Jacob Cutter’s bullet-damaged vehicle. “You're lucky to be alive.”
Cutter ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t I know it.”
“Did you get a good look at the attackers?" Buck asked.
“Yes. That's the problem”
“How so?”
“It's the darndest thing, Lance. I could have sworn these things were ghosts. Four of ‘em.”
“Ghosts? You mean like the shadow brigade we faced over Berlin that time?”
“No. I don't mean stealthy. I'm talking a Bob Cratchit kind of ghost.”
“You realize how that sounds, right?”
“Yes, I do, Buck. But bullet holes don't lie, do they?” He pointed at the battered truck.
Buck shrugged. “It is hard to refute the evidence.”
“So, you'll help me?”
“Of course,” Lance said.
“Good. Because there’s a four plane ghost squadron out there, gentlemen,” Jacob Cutter said, staring off toward the open plains and the mountains that dotted the horizon. “And they're up to no good.”
“Then I suggest we go take a look,” Lance said. “Can you take us out to where you were shot at last night?”
“You bet,” Cutter said. “I have to tell you boys, despite the situation, I’m as excited as a schoolboy to get to ride in the famous Skybolt. I’ve seen you guys in action in recent newsreels. Bob at the deli doesn’t believe me when I tell him I know you guys.”
“Maybe, once this is all over, we’ll swing by and let you introduce us,” Lance joked.
“Deal.”
After gassing up the Skybolt, Jacon Cutter climbed into the seat behind Lance Star in the Skybolt II’s main cockpit. Buck Tellonger climbed into the second cockpit, the co-pilot nest. Once they were strapped in, the silver plane’s mighty engines roared to life. Seconds later, they were in the air, the plains stretching out beneath them.
“It’s your backyard, Cut. Which way?”
Cutter relayed directions and coordinates to the pilot. The plane arced in an easterly direction, following a dirt road that cut through the wide-open plains.
“Any idea what we’re looking for?” Buck asked, his voice coming through the speakers.
“None,” Cutter responded, squeezing the pressure plate on the throat mic each of them wore. “There’s a whole lot of nothing in front of us. A few ranchers and farmers scattered about, but nothing that would warrant an attack squad like the one I saw.”
“Let’s head toward those rocky buttes,” Lance suggested as he changed course. “If I were trying to hide a squadron of planes, that’s probably where I’d start.”
“You might be right,” Buck said. “Someone just fired a rocket at us. Incoming!”
To be continued...
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 4.
Lance Star took immediate evasive action. As a veteran of a world war and countless adventures that put his team and aircraft in the crosshairs of one villain or another, his reflexes were sharp. There wasn’t much he couldn’t pull off in the cockpit of an airplane.
The Skybolt dropped like a stone, the straps tightening as they pinned the passengers to their seats. “Talk to me, Buck!”
“Bogey coming in from two o’clock,” Buck’s voice echoed in his ear. A combat air ace, his voice remained neutral, calm. “One incoming surface to air missile. We’re being painted as the target, but I can’t tell from where. Bring us around for another look.”
“Hold onto your hats.” Lance took the plane into a roll, spinning the Skybolt out of the path of the missile, which passed by them, missing by only a few feet. The maneuver also gave Buck a better line of sight with the launch site. Surface to air missiles followed a search beam pointed at the target, painting it for the missile to find. Selenium cells reflected the beam to keep the missile flying true.
It was a good system, and worked well enough, but an experienced pilot suck as Lance Star had a better than average chance of escaping the beam.
Above them, the missile exploded, a shockwave hitting the Skybolt. No damage, but a turbulent ride.
“See anything, Buck?”
“Not yet. I--- We’ve got another missile incoming!”
Buck’s shouted warning sent Lance into instant evasive maneuvers. The missile flew past, missing the Skybolt by mere inches.
“Number three incoming,” Buck called.
“Hold on,” Lance told his passenger before pulling up hard on the yoke and taking the silver streak of a plane into a steep climb. “Anything, Buck?” he called through the mic.
“Clocked it!” Buck shouted, triumphant. “I’ve got a fix on the launch site’s location. They’re tucked in under a massive rocky outcropping. Or maybe it’s a cavern entrance. Hard to see from the air. I only got a fix on it because of the missile’s smoke trail.”
“Where’s the missile now?”
“Heading right for us, Lance,” Buck warned. “Putting us in place to spot the site also put us in the crosshairs.”
“We’re not beat yet,” Lance said. “There’s still a few tricks I haven’t tried yet.”
“Oh, my stomach doesn’t like the sound of that,” Cutter said from behind Lance.
“Didn’t you used to do barrel rolls after eating a big breakfast?” Lance joked as he took the Skybolt into a similar maneuver to the one they were discussing.
“That was a long time ago, pal,” Cutter groaned, feeling intense pressure push him deeper into his seat. “I’m not that guy anymore.”
“Lucky for you, I am,” Lance started, but a hard impact silenced him. The missile slammed into the Skybolt and exploded.
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 5.
“We’re hit! Going down!”
The play-by-play wasn’t entirely necessary since Lance Star, Buck Tellonger, and Jacob Cutter were all in the damaged plane as it sputtered and shook in a futile attempt to remain in the air.
The three men were all combat experienced pilots. They had each been shot down before and walked away from the experience more or less unscathed. No crash was easy, but if the pilot kept his wits and remained calm, the odds of making it to the ground in one piece improved.
At the controls, Lance Star was as cool as a cucumber. All around him, sirens and whistles wailed, alerting him to the danger he was already aware of and making efforts to correct.
“Can you see the damage?” he asked his passenger.
Cutter turned in his seat, angling for a better look aft while trying to remain in the seat as the damaged bird tried everything it could to kick him out. It reminded him of riding an angry bull, an experience he only had to try once to realize such sport was far too dangerous for him. Crashing to earth in a burning airplane, on the other hand, didn’t seem to faze him as much.
“We’ve got smoke,” he reported. “We took heavy damage. Wing’s still intact, but there’s considerable frame damage.”
“Landing gear appears intact,” Lance,” Buck reported from the second cockpit, which gave him a better view. “We can land, but it’s going to be rough.”
“Rough I can handle,” Lance said. “Buck, can you find me a good spot?”
“On it.”
“Looks like we have another incoming,” Cutter called, pointing out the cockpit window at the missile streaking straight at them from the canyon floor.
“Talk about overkill,” Lance said, trying to make the Skybolt turn to evade a direct hit. The damage done to his baby was severe, and that was the result of an indirect hit. “Whoever these guys are, they don’t want us telling anybody about them.”
Shuddering wildly, the Skybolt finally relented to her pilot’s commands and rolled, allowing the missile to pass them by, a near miss, but awful close. Too close. The missile exploded without contact, obviously detonated by a spotter on the ground.
The force of the explosion only added to the turbulence forcing the silver plane toward the rocky deck below.
“Can you land?” Cutter asked, still holding on for dear life.
“We’ll know in a minute.” Lance wasn’t the kind of guy who trafficked in false bravado. His well-earned reputation spoke for itself. If he could put the Skybolt on the ground safely, he would.
“Brace yourselves, gentlemen,” the pilot relayed as the ground rushed up to meet them.
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 6.
“This is gonna hurt!”
Damaged from missile damage, the Skybolt II, famed shiny silver aircraft belonging to Lance Star, the leader of the adventurers known the world over as The Sky Rangers, dropped out of the air like a stone toward the rocky ground below.
While Lance fought the controls in an effort to land them as safely as possible, Buck Tellonger, his co-pilot, called in a mayday. They were a long way from civilization, somewhere in the open wilds of Utah, steep mountains, desert, buttes, and mesas surrounded them. It would be far too easy to get lost in a place like this. Even harder for rescue planes to find them.
Provided they survived the crash landing.
That was the first order of business. A gifted pilot, Lance had the situation in hand. In his varied colorful adventures, this was not the first time he had been shot at, and not the first time a plane he was in had been shot down. Between luck, talent, and experience, he was still in one piece, still flying.
Between him and Buck, they had logged in more hours in the cockpit than most. Their passenger, Jacob Cutter, was no stranger to air combat either. That’s how they all met. During the war. It seemed so long ago now.
The ground rushed at them quickly, rocks and brush zipping by like a blur. The Skybolt’s landing gear touched earth, the rubber wheels bounced, sending the plane back into the air before coming in for another attempt. The landing was rough. Pockmarked dusty trails filled in in place of the non-existent airstrip.
Once the wheels gripped the ground, the pilot pulled back, throttled down, and the great airship began to slow. A trail of dust trailed the plane as the wheels dug into dirt.
The Skybolt slammed to a halt, the front wheels buried, the plane’s twin noses pointing down. The pilots breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the twin propellers survived undamaged. That increased their chances of getting back in the air exponentially.
“Everybody good?” Lance asked.
Both Buck and Cutter responded favorably. Once they were certain there was no risk of fire and everyone was unharmed, Lance popped the seal and followed Cutter through the Skybolt’s fuselage toward the cargo door at the back of the plane. The port side door took damage during the attack. By the time they hit the ground, Buck was already waiting for them.
“How’s it look?” Lance asked.
“It’s not pretty, boss,” Buck said, chewing on a thick, ugly, unlit cigar. Lance never understood his friend’s fascination with them. “We took damage, but it’s all fixable.”
“Can we get back in the air on our own?”
“I think we can get her in the air,” Buck said, running his hand along the silver hull. “I can’t guarantee she’ll be combat ready.”
“We may not have a choice, Buck,” Lance said. “Whoever shot us down is bound to come looking for us. We need to be ready for them.”
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 7.
Lance Star surveyed the damage to the Skybolt II. The plane was as tough as they come but had taken a pretty substantial hit from that missile. He hated the sight of his pride and joy ripped apart like this.
“What do you think, Buck?” he asked “Can you get her airworthy again?”
Buck Tellonger ran a hand over his chin and mouth, ruffling his big, thick mustache. “Yeah. We can work with this. The ol’ girl needs a hangar for a full overhaul, but I can get us in the air. It’ll take a while. Several hours, at least. Maybe close to sundown.”
“What if we have to take her into combat?” Lance Star asked.
“I’d rather avoid it, if possible, boss,” Buck said, chomping down on his unlit cigar. “She’ll fly, but she’s still pretty banged up.”
“Do what you can.” Lance started pulling equipment out of the plane, putting a few items into a backpack.
“Uh, pardon me, but are you planning to go somewhere, Lace?” Jacob Cutter asked.
The pilot smiled. “Whoever fired those missiles our way is bound to come looking for us, either to make sure we crashed, or to make sure we don’t escape. I’d rather see them coming than get caught off guard.” He pointed toward a rocky mesa to the east. “Based on the coordinates Buck triangulated, they’ll be coming from that direction. I figure it couldn’t hurt to get a look and early warning when they come for us.”
“You can’t go alone,” Buck started.
“I need you to fix the plane.” Lance held up a hand. “And before you argue, Cut, I need you here to help him. And watch his back.”
Lance checked his ammunition, slipped his sidearm into its holster, loaded up on extra ammo, a compass, binoculars, a handful of emergency ration bars, a portable radio, some rope, small mallet, stakes, and a canteen.
“Better take an extra canteen, boss. It gets hot out there.”
“Thanks, Buck,” Lance said as he pulled on a hat with a bill to keep the sun out of his eyes. He took the canteen, dropped it into the pack. He put on a pair of sunglasses before tossing the bag over his shoulders. “Get this thing in the air,” he said. “I’ll radio in if I see anything. When you think they’re within range, radio Red and Cy. Worse comes to worst, they fly us out of here. Or bring help.”
“Be careful.”
“You two. Both of you.”
With that, Lance Star started out across the rocks and sand. It didn’t take long before heat distortion blurred Buck’s line of sight. Eventually, he could no longer see his friend.
“Okay, Jake,” Buck said, climbing up on the wing. “We got a lot of work ahead of us and very little time. Let’s get to it. Grab that toolbox.”
“You think it’s wise to let him run off a lone like that?” Cutter asked as he handed up the toolbox.
“No,” Buck said softly. “No. I don’t.”
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 8.
Lance Star was hot and tired. After walking through the oppressive heat, he found a spot under the shade of a rocky ledge and perched. After an hour, he moved on again, repeating the process again and again. After five hours, he had traveled a good distance away from the landing zone.
The coordinates for the missile launch site that Buck gave him drew nearer. Since he was this close, Lance figured it couldn’t hurt to get a closer look. Famous last words.
Using the compass and a quick hand-drawn map Buck had scribbled in a small pocket notebook the pilots all carried, Lance set off in search of Jacob Cutter’s ghost squadron. He didn’t believe in coincidence so that meant the mystery planes and whoever fired the missile that brought down the Skybolt were one and the same. Or working together. Whatever they were up to, it was no good. Legitimate business didn’t require squirrelling your base and planes from detection in the middle of the desert.
No. Something hinky was happening out there and he was determined to find out what.
At the top of the next rise, he clocked his first look. A small, single seat prop jockey flew up from behind the rocky outcropping where he rested. Careful to remain out of sight, Lance watched the plane climb. Thankfully, the flight path took it in the opposite direction of Buck and Cutter.
“What are you up to?” he muttered. Only one way to find out, he decided. Pulling the binoculars free, Lance moved cautiously across the rocks on his stomach until he found the best position to study the enemy base.
Cutter had reported the bogeys he called a ghost squadron consisted of four planes. From his hide in an indentation on the rocks, Lance could see three planes. That, plus the one that took off equaled four. There could be more, he knew, but he would have to get a lot closer to find out.
The base was made up of three trailers, each nestled against the stone wall of a mesa. Earth-colored camouflage nets stretched over the trailers, the plane, a gas depot, and the four pick-up trucks parked nearby. A couple of armed men walking the perimeter. Guards. He also caught a glimpse of a wheel-mounted missile launcher. Portability allowed the weapon to be moved in case they were discovered. That was why it took a few seconds before they launched on the Skybolt. That was good information. Lance scribbled notes in his notebook.
He’d learned a lot, but there was still more he needed to know. He had to find a way to get inside undetected, maybe snoop around a bit to learn the mysterious ghost squadron’s identity and discover what they were up to.
So focused on the mission at hand, Lance did not register the sound of an incoming engine at first. By the time he realized that there was a plane on approach, coming in from behind him, it was too late.
The ghost plane opened fire.
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 9.
The enemy plane opened fire.
Fueled by instinct and adrenaline, Lance Star moved quickly, vacating the rocky outcropping he had been tucked under a second before it was peppered with weapons fire. The bullets spaked and popped against the hard stone, sending chunks of debris and dirt skyward.
Had he not moved when he did, it would have been the end for the famous air ace. Instead, this would make a great story to regale the rest of the Sky Rangers with later. All he had to do was stay ahead of the ghost plane. It was no easy feat to outrun a plane on foot, but thankfully for him, this wasn’t the first time Lance had played chicken with an airplane. Something told him it also probably wouldn’t be his last.
He leapt over a rise and slid down the steep rock face to an oddly stacked pile of boulders below. The plane zoomed by overhead as Lance hit the deck. He quickly looked for a place to take cover before the enemy came back around for another pass.
Too late.
With no open spaces to squeeze into, Lance tucked in tight against the crease where two boulders butted up against one another. He held his breath as the incoming plane opened fire again, bullets chewing up the rocks on either side of him.
Time to fly, Star! his inner voice shouted. He knew better than to argue. As soon as the plane arced skyward to make another turn, Lance bolted from cover and leapt across the stacked boulders, moving fast, but making sure to keep his balance on the uneven surface. When he ran out of room at the far end, there was nowhere to go but down. Lance pulled the rope from his pack and hammered a stake into the stone.
Don’t look at the plane, he told himself as he worked. He looked up to see the plane start its next run. You looked at the plane!
With no time to lose, Lance chanced a look behind him as the enemy pilot flew straight toward him. He closed his eyes and leapt off the ledge.
After a few seconds of freefall, the rope pulled tight, and the air ace soared above the desert sans aircraft. It was an odd sensation.
He liked it.
The enemy plane passed by overhead as Lance braced his feet against the boulder and made his way down as far as the rope would allow. It was still a good way down, but the odds of making it in one piece were greatly improved over jumping from up top without a rope. Slipping free of the knotted loop, Lance Star dropped to the waiting sands below.
The landing wasn’t what he would call soft, or easy, but he survived it and, even more importantly, walked away from it with no broken bones. He was home free. Or so he hoped.
“Hold it right there!” an angry voice demanded.
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 10.
“Buck, you copy?”
“I’m here, Cy. Good to hear your voice, pal,” Buck Tellonger responded when Cy Hawkins’ voice came over the radio. We had a little problem. We’re down in the desert. I’ll send coordinates. Stop and refuel then get out here as quick as you can.”
“Copy that. We’ll see you soon.”
“Don’t worry. Help’s on the way,” Buck told the nervous Jacob Cutter.
“Thank goodness. Lance has been gone for hours and the sun will be setting soon.”
“Don’t worry,” Buck said as he got back to work on the Skybolt’s repairs. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Lance Star can take care of himself.”
#
Lance Star was frustrated. Since his capture at the hands of armed masked men with guns, he had been interrogated, beaten, and then tossed into a dank, dark prison cell where he still found himself sitting hours later.
The room was a cave with bars bolted to the opening. That gave him an opening. A guard paced back and forth, walking the perimeter. After deducing the guard’s schedule, Lance started working on loosening the bars from the rock. It was slow going, but he managed to loosen the top end of the right bar. If he could loosen the bottom, he could pull the cell door open enough to squeeze out.
Once the sun set, deep pools of darkness filled the space around him. It made slipping around undetected easy enough once he managed to get out of his cell. Now that he was free, he had options. Radioing Buck for help was a good idea, providing his friend had repaired the Skybolt. If not, all his call would do was send the bad guys directly to him and Jacob. That meant going with Plan B.
Lance would steal one of their planes.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’d liberated an enemy’s plane to make his escape from one nefarious world-conquering plot or another. He hadn’t yet met a plane he couldn’t fly.
As he reached the plane farthest from the guard’s line of sight, he eased in close. The plane was coated in a reflective paint that made it glow when light hit it. Now he understood why Cutter had referred to them as a ghost squadron. They were clearly trying to frighten someone. The question was why?
Lance set about his work. He checked to make sure the plane was fueled. It was. As soon as he fired the engine, the guards would be on him in a second. They were armed. He wasn’t. That meant moving quick and quiet.
Unfortunately, he didn’t move fast enough. Lance climbed the ladder, but before he could ease into the cockpit, he heard the unmistakable sound of a rifle slide.
“Step down. Nice and easy,” a gruff voice ordered. “Don’t try anything stupid, Mr. Star.”
“Too late,” Lance said before leaping off the ladder.
To be continued…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 11.
Lance Star tackled the guard.
Blindsided by the suddenness of the pilot’s attack, he released his grip on his weapon and the rifle slid across the makeshift hangar floor, bouncing out of reach.
Lance pressed the attack and quickly subdued the villain with a one-two punch. The fight ended quickly, but not quietly. Shouts of alarm from nearby were quickly followed by the sound of bootheels slapping the atone floor and weapons being prepped.
From across the hangar, another guard ran toward him, shouting, gun raised.
With no time to waste, Lance scurried past the ladder and slipped beneath the airplane as gunfire erupted behind him. He ignored it, even as bullets bounced off the plane’s hull. If the bad guys wanted to help him out by destroying their own aircraft, who was he to argue?
As he took cover behind another plane, behind him, he heard an engine grind to life. Time was running out. He needed a plan. Nearby sat a barrel of gas. With a grunt of effort, he managed to get the barrel rocking back and forth before finally pushing it over. Fuel splashed across the floor, pooling beneath the plane. Fumes filled the tight space.
Grabbing an abandoned box of matches from a workbench, Lance struck one, lit the box, then tossed it toward the pool. The rest of the matches ignited just as it hit the fumes, filling the hangar with an explosion of heat and fire. The guards were thrown back by the force of the blast. The plane went up like kindling.
Two down.
Legs pumping, Lance made a beeline for the exit, knowing that the remaining two planes would be on his tail any second. The only way to escape them was to find a place to hide, someplace they couldn’t get to him from the air. The dark would help, but only just so. They had mounted lights, plus the strange, phosphorescent paint that made them glow.
Lance pushed through the netting and into the open night. Free! The makeshift runway was made of hardpacked earth and not very long. His pursuers would have no trouble getting off the ground quickly. The remaining two planes were already on the move. They would be in the air and after him in moments.
Think, Star! Think!
He ran toward the rocks he had used for cover in the daylight. He might be able to avoid them there for a short time, but not indefinitely. Plus, he did not know the terrain. There were many cracks and crevices for him to fall into. Not to mention snakes. The desert was lousy with them.
It was the best of all the bad options at hand. He’d have to make do until he could get away, or Buck came riding to the rescue. It was a great thought, but he couldn’t depend on it. He had to assume he was on his own.
The ghost squadron planes hit the air and he heard the growl of engines echo off the rocks around him. He was out of time. Lance knew it would take a miracle to get out of this one alive.
To be concluded…
Lance Star and the Ghost Squadron
Chapter 12.
Lance Star had been in worse situations, though, for the life of him, he was having a hard time recalling one at the moment. The enemy was on approach and had him in their sights. No way could they miss.
Fearing the worst, that his luck had finally run out, the air ace closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable.
Weapons fire echoed off the rocks, drowned out by the roar of engines. Too loud for just two planes, he realized. Opening his eyes, Lance looked skyward in time to see The Skybolt II streak by overhead. The silver bullet’s guns fired and seconds later, one of the ghost squadron planes erupted in flames. The pilot ejected as it spun in and crashed into the rocks, exploding on impact.
Lance let out a loud whoop! Buck’s timing had always been impeccable. Looks like the ol’ Lance Star luck is holding out, the pilot thought as he watched the two Stingers fly overhead as well. Red and Cy had arrived to lend a hand. It only took a few moments for them to force the final ghost plane to land. While Buck and the others took care of them, Lance collected the pilot who had ejected. By the time Lance found him, he attacked.
The air ace countered with a haymaker that dropped the enemy pilot easily. From that point on, there was no fight left in him. Lance took the man’s gun and escorted him back to the ghost squadron’s hangar.
By the time they arrived, the others had the situation locked down. All of the bad guys were secured and the fire extinguished.
“Boy, am I glad to see you guys,” Lance said when he rejoined his friends.
“You okay?” Buck asked.
“I’ll live.” He turned his attention to the ghost squadron leader, the same man who had oh so violently interrogated him earlier. “Who are you? What’s going on here?”
The leader snorted a derisive answer.
“I think I might know,” Jacob Cutter pointed at a map tacked to a nearby wall. Notes, scribbles, and circles covered the topographical map. “See this? I think these idiots are trying to find Dugway. Aren’t you?”
“Dugway?” Red Davis asked.
“Government Proving Ground,” Buck grunted. “Top Secret War Department facility somewhere in Utah. Rumor has it Uncle Sam develops, tests, and stockpiles deadly toxins in case of another world war. Nasty stuff.”
“Really?” Cy Hawkins said.
“I’ve heard rumors,” Lance said. “Beyond that…” He shrugged. “Let’s radio the base.”
“On it,” Cy said, heading to his Stinger.
“I guess these guys were looking for a big payday,” Buck said. “Maybe highjack some weapons, then sell them to the highest bidder on the black market. I believe that’s still considered treason, even during peace time.”
“Lucky you guys came when I called, Cutter joked. “If those toxins got loose...”
“Hey! What are friends for,” Lance said.
They all laughed.
The End.
That's right! Look for an all-new Lance Star comic book adventure from writer Bobby Nash and artist Jeff Austin in Dark Sister Magazine issue 15!
About Dark Sister #15: From space rangers to sword and sorcery, from pinups queens to pirates, this Dark Sister comics anthology delves into macabre adventures that titillate and amuse. Featuring a cast of indy artists and writers at the top of their game! For mature audiences!
Dark Sister Issue 15 is available at the following retailers:
Learn more about Lance Star: Sky Ranger at https://lancestar.blogspot.com
Pulp Reality #4
The Award-Winning Pulp Reality returns with another action-packed issue featuring some of the best authors and artists in the New Pulp genre. Featured in this issue are Charles F. Millhouse, Bobby Nash, Clyde Hall, Brian K. Morris, Brian Rodman, Rick Bradly, Jeffrey Ray Hayes, Clayton Murwin, Ted Davies, Stephen Burks and Erikius Castro.
Pulp Reality 4 is available now in paperback (ebook to follow soon) at the following retailers:
Amazon US (paperback)
Amazon CA (paperback)
More to follow.
Pulp Reality 4 features the second titanic team-up between pulp aviator heroes Captain Hawklin and Lance Star: Sky Ranger in a story called “Switchback” written by Charles F. Millhouse. The Sky Rangers also appear in “The Great Land War” by Bobby Nash. Plus, many other exciting tales.
If you’re looking for non-stop action and adventure, Lance Star: Sky Ranger has your ticket to fly!
Cover/Interior Art by James Burns.
Published by BEN Books.
Stymied by Magnapor's tyrannical dictator, a man known only as The Overlord, Professor Prentiss calls on his oldest friend to help, American Ace Adventurer, Lance Star and his partner, Buck Tellonger.
This one has it all. Action! Adventures! Volcanoes! Vile Villains! Lava Rock Monsters! Pirates! Danger! Excitement! and more!
New Pulp's #1 Air Ace Returns in an All-New Adventure from BEN Books and award-winning author Bobby Nash.
Amazon CA (paperback)
Amazon UK (paperback)
Amazon DE (paperback)
Amazon FR (paperback)
Amazon ES (paperback)
Amazon IT (paperback)
Amazon JP (paperback)
Amazon US (ebook)
Amazon UK (ebook)
Amazon CA (ebook)
Amazon NL (ebook)
Amazon JP (ebook)
Amazon BR (ebook)
Amazon MX (ebook)
Amazon AU (ebook)
Amazon IN (ebook)
Amazon DE (ebook)
Amazon FR (ebook)
Amazon ES (ebook)
Amazon IT (ebook)
Read it FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
The Adventures of Lance Star: Sky Ranger by Bobby Nash (ebook collection)
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Vol. 1 (paperback/audio/ebook)
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Vol. 2 (paperback/ebook/audio)
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Vol. 3 (paperback/ebook/audio)
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Vol. 4 (paperback/ebook/audio)
Lance Star: Sky Ranger "One Shot!" (comic/ebook)
Pulp Adventures #32 (magazine)
Pulp Reality #1 (magazine)
AIRSHIP 27 PRESENTS: ALL-STAR PULP COMICS VOL. 2 (comic)
AIRSHIP 27 PRESENTS: ALL-STAR PULP COMICS VOL. 3 (comic)
The Sky Rangers also make guest appearances in the following:
DOMINO LADY: SEX AS A WEAPON (paperback/ebook/audio)
DOMINO LADY: SEX AS A WEAPON (hardcover)
SECRET AGENT X - “The Sea Wraiths” (paperback/ebook)
Operation: Silver Moon (comic/ebook)
Learn more about Lance Star: Sky Ranger at http://lancestar.blogspot.com
Ready on the flight line!
Bobby
Chapter 4 of Lance Star and the Crown of Gengis Kai is now live at www.patreon.com/bobbynash
Ready for adventure? Let's go! Lance Star: Sky Ranger rockets into adventure in an all-new serialized novella written by author Bobby Nash for Patreon. You can read the first chapter for FREE HERE. Subsequent chapters are available for patrons only. Tiers start as low as $1. Not a patron? No worries. Joining is easy. Patreon tiers begin as low as $1 a month. The $5 and higher tiers enroll you in the ebook of the month club and all patron tiers receive behind the scenes information, sneak peeks at upcoming projects, and an almost daily writing blog. All monies raised goes to helping Bobby keep creating new stories and adventures.
The story so far...
When an old friend of his calls and asks to meet, Lance Star and his trusted ally, Buck Tellonger head to the mysterious island nation of Magnapor, an island filled with dangers. Professor Simon Prentiss needs Lance's help to recover the fabled Crown of Gengis Kai. Unfortunately, they aren't the only ones on the trail of this missing treasure. The all-new Lance Star: Sky Ranger novella continues.
Learn more about Lance Star: Sky Ranger HERE.
Written by Bobby Nash.
Cover art by James Burns.
Ready on the flight line!
The story so far...
Lance Star and his trusted ally, Buck Tellonger head to the mysterious island nation of Magnapor at the request of Simon Prentiss, an old friend of Lance's. Lance and Buck arrive at their destination as we pick with chapter two. The all-new Lance Star: Sky Ranger novella continues. Cover art by James Burns.
Read more at www.patreon.com/bobbynash
Learn more about Lance Star: Sky Ranger HERE.
Published by BEN Books.
Ready for adventure? Let's go!
Bobby
 |
| original cover |
I used the cover James had drawn back then in the Chapter 1 graphic. Today, James surprised me with a new, updated cover to use starting with chapter 2 next week. This cover will also grace the print and ebook version of this novella when it goes to print later this year. The original strips will be included in the BEN Books edition too. You can read Lance Star and the Crown of Gengis Kai Chapter 1 for FREE at https://www.patreon.com/posts/39619859
Check out the new cover. I think you'll like it.
Thanks again, James.
Bobby
About Lance Star and the Crown of Genghis Kai: When an old friend of his calls and asks to meet, Lance Star and his trusted ally, Buck Tellonger head to the mysterious island country of Magnapor. The tiny island nation is not the safest of places to have a meeting, but Lance Star rarely says no to a friend. What mystery awaits them on Magnapor? An all-new Lance Star: Sky Ranger novella begins here.
You can read chapter 1 for FREE here.
Cover art by James Burns.
A Pulp Adventure Comic Book
2011 PULP ARK AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST PULP RELATED COMIC
LANCE STAR: SKY RANGER "ONE SHOT!" can be purchased in paperback and ebook formats at the following:
LANCE STAR: SKY RANGER "ONE SHOT!"
A Pulp Adventure Comic Book
November, 1941. Ace Air Adventurer Lance Star accepts a dangerous mission into an enemy stronghold to stop the Nazi’s from uncovering plans for a weapon long believed destroyed. Lance flies a solo mission to Kiev where he is to plant explosives and destroy a weapons facility when he runs into an old enemy. Now, Lance is faced with a choice. Complete the mission? Or take down the Sky Ranger’s greatest adversary?
He’s only going to get one shot at this. Will he choose the mission or revenge?
Featuring high-flying adventure, aerial dog fights, explosive action, and stunning artwork, Lance Star: Sky Ranger "One Shot!" is pure pulp fun from start to finish.
"Lance Star: Sky Ranger "One Shot!" is exactly the sort of high-flying, action-packed air war yarn I really enjoy. It's fine pulpish fun from start to finish. Bobby Nash and James Burns are aces!"
-- James Reasoner
LANCE STAR AND THE CROWN OF GENGHIS KAI--
A 10-part comic strip event originally presented at www.lance-star.com
Written by Bobby Nash
Art/Colors/Letters by James Burns
Lance Star: Sky Ranger © Bobby Nash
Click on image for a larger view.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Learn more about Lance Star: Sky Ranger here.
