Fiction: How to save 127 people with a lot of trying

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Sean Jeating and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: hear, modern, influenza, physical, organs, original, pea, human, rather, size. 

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Fiction: How to save 127 people with a lot of trying [The first part is here]

01 - "Cordelia Elizabeth Anne Allbright, get your arse up." Tabby's voice sank into Cody's mind. It was quiet, firm with plenty of bossiness that reminded Cody of her granny, Gerty, who whisper-yelled all her names whenever Cody was in trouble. 
    "We agreed I only have to do this once a month not whenever you feel like it!"  Cody responded. There was still one day before September ended. She was exhausted from two hours of cleaning bathrooms at the Groovy Diner. She deserved her rest.
    Tabby kneaded Cody's back. "Do you wish to let 127 innocents die?" 
    Guilt, Gerty was an expert on making Cody feel it with a few words. Somehow Tabby knew the same trick. Growing up with Gerty, Cody had learned never to do anything stupidly immoral because 'karma doesn't just bite you, it obliterate your soul' as she relished in reminding Cody.
    "You have no time to linger. Get up and get to JFK airport ASAP."
    It was jarring to have Tabby's voice in Cody's head. Tabby said transferring thoughts was faster and a talking cat led to all kinds of trouble.
    "No, I—!" Cody's voice dropped. It was vexing how Tabby turned on and off her voice like a radio. It made arguing with her maddening. All her life, Cody either write down what she wanted to say or not say them at all. She knew sign language but rarely used it. But there was an advantage in not speaking - you don't have to answer questions you don't want. Such as why you have men's clothes in your closet when you're a single woman. Mrs. Roman, Cody's landlady, knew why. A year ago, Cody was sleeping in her room when she heard screams. Without a thought, she changed into Male Cody (MC), charged down the stairs and knocked out Mrs. Roman's ex-husband before he could kill her. In fear, MC had changed back to Cody. As easily as she was to accept Cody's ability, Mrs. Roman still snooped around Cody's room now and then.
    When Cody first realized her ability to change forms, she thought she was a genetic freak. Gerty assured her at least she wasn't a cockroach. Gerty evoked all small animals had tougher lives than humans.       
    Over the years, Cody had changed into many different faces and body shapes but no matter who she changed into, they would always be the same age as her. MC had been her go-to disguise since her teens. If there had been an original MC, Cody didn't remember. As she reached eighteen, she made MC's physical size to six feet six inches and then was unable to change it. Gerty said it was fate.
    Perhaps meeting Tabby was fate. At least, Gerty would say so. Tabby, like Gerty, had a sense of righteousness and an abundance of bossiness. As she walked toward the bathroom, Cody reminded herself Tabby was only trying to save lives. Everything else, including Cody, was minor stuff.

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02 - Trying not to freak out, MC entered the JFK airport terminal. His hands were full so he couldn't wipe his sweaty forehead. On his left, he held the cat carrier with Tabby and on his right a black, plastic trash bag. He glimpsed at the high ceiling with its modern designs and took in the new paint smell.
    After MC passed through security check, he followed the signs to a men's restroom. Two men were at the urinal but they pay no attention to MC. MC left the carrier under the sinks and got into the stall at the end. On the back of the stall door, there was a flyer on preventing influenza and overlapping it, another one about organ donation and over both, genetic giant peas for sale. MC smiled.
    When MC heard Tabby's meow, he got out of the stall. Before he let Tabby out of the carrier, he checked the stalls to make sure they were empty. Once done, he removed his jacket and stuffed it in the bag and left it under the sink beside the carrier. Having already changed into the gray uniform, he straightened it a bit and put the lanyard with the security badge around his neck. Tabby didn't say how she got the badge but it was real. Being nearsighted, MC leaned toward the mirror, held up the badge and compared his face with the photo. Under the bright lights, McClare's freckles on his chubby cheeks and face stood out. He leaned back and caught something below his left eye. He lifted his cap slightly and peered closer - it was a lopsided, gray-black, horizontal scar, the same one on Cody's cheek. He erased it. Cody's features did not belong on this guy. 
    Tabby, sitting on the sink counter, licked her mouth. "Do not do more than necessary, Cordelia." Tabby spoke directly to his mind which MC sometimes found aggravating.
    After assuring himself he didn't look like a panicked deer, MC left the restroom and followed Tabby as she made her way around the crowded terminal. A few people glanced their way but didn't linger. The pair stopped at a set of doors marked personnel only. "Cordelia, stop the plane no matter what." Tabby glanced at MC and left.
    
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03 - "New guy," said MC. Winslow (name on his uniform) took a peek at MC's badge, nodded and returned to the clipboard he was holding. As he lugged baggage onto a plane, Cody kept his eyes on the runway.
    By 7:40, a light drizzle began. And a minute after, a plane with the tail number N172AA landed without its landing gears and careened toward the terminal. MC's stomach did a few flip-flops at the sight of the mammoth. He shouldn't have eaten so much of Mrs. Roman's pancakes. 
    "What the hell is he doing?" said Winslow. The other men stopped to watch. 
    In the distance, there was Tabby inside the terminal watching through the wall of windowpanes. Behind Tabby, people were scrambling to get away. MC could hear the alarms even from outside.
    MC raced toward Plane 172's cockpit and lay his hands beneath it and pushed. The plane was a giant compared to him and it fought back like a giant. "This is stupid," he thought. He raced toward the side of the plane and shoved until the plane turned away from the terminal, back onto the runway. He was hot and sweating. As if he needed a soak, rain came down in thick sheets and drenched him.
    Back on the cockpit side, MC kept his hands on the plane, keeping it in place and ignoring the men staring down from inside through streaks of rain running down the windshield. "Be smarter, not tougher." Tabby's thoughts flew into his head. MC grunted. He wanted to send her flying to the sky but she wasn't there. But she was right. When she briefed him on the situation, she noted the plane's engine had malfunctioned so it couldn't stop. It was why he was needed. 
    Around the field there were several rows of massive poles waving various state flags. Swiftly, he ran toward them and yanked out a couple of poles, ripped away the flags, twisted one end to another until he had one elongated pole. He carried it toward the plane, sank one end of the pole to the ground, climbed on top of the cockpit, curled the pole around it and plunged the other end into the ground and then repeated the process for the middle and tail of the plane. He returned to the cockpit end and kept his hands on it and waited. When the plane lost its resistant, he let go. Without discerning how many vehicles were gathering toward him, he ran. Going into the terminal meant being chased. Climbing the thirty-foot electrical fence that surrounded the field might just kill him. Between the rain and the darkening sky, he couldn't see where to go. A sharp pain bursted on his right leg. He braced his hands on the ground as he fell. When he was on his feet, something nicked his left arm.
    "This way, Cordelia." Tabby's voice was in his head. He spotted the cat not far ahead and limped toward her and into an opening. Once he was inside, it closed and he was enveloped in darkness. "No worries, Cordelia. Zeno will get you out," she said in his head as they started moving." 

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04 - Tabby walked out while MC unfolded and crawled out of the crate. Someone helped him to sit against a wall. It was Zeno Winslow. Was it why the old man barely blinked when he met MC as McClare?
    "Hang on, Cordelia, we'll get you fixed up." Tabby's words swam in his head. The pain in his leg ebbed and rose. The old man began addressing MC's wound. Through his tired eyes, MC glimpsed Zeno's lined face and ponytail with a few gray strands. He squeaked when sudden pain overtook him. He heard the sound of a thud but didn't look.
    Zeno blinked in quick successions when he glanced at MC but he continued on bandaging MC's leg. MC ran a hand over his face and felt the beard. He must had shed his McClare disguise. After Zeno was done, he gave MC two pills which he downed with water from a paper cup. Tabby sat beside MC and looking as calm as ever. "Are you better now, Cordelia?" she asked.
    MC nodded. He veered his eyes around the white walls, tables and chairs and rows of light blue lockers. The fresh paint smell was in the air. At his feet and around him, were dirty rain drops on the smooth, white tiles. 
    "Cordelia, I'm sorry. Next time, I will make sure to caution you more thoroughly." Did her eyes look apologetic? Tabby leaned on his wounded leg. He lifted his hand to shoot her away but dropped it. Her warmth seeped through his body and the pain lessened. 
    "I've your things, Cody. You may change in the bathroom over there." Zeno was holding a plastic bag. He pointed at a door to Cody's left.
    Cody dragged to his feet and took the bag from Zeno. He limped into the bathroom. Everything was white aside from some light blue tiles on the wall. He unzipped the jumpsuit and gingerly got out of it. The graze on his left arm was dotted with blood but barely ached. And his wounded leg wasn't as painful as before. Tabby had healing abilities but it always surprised MC. He took out the clothes from the bag and changed into them. The cap, jumpsuit and the security badge, he placed into the bag and stepped out of the bathroom.
    "...damn your rules. But they saved my life." Zeno was smiling at Tabby. They sat facing each other. MC had a feeling there was something between the two.
    When Zeno noticed MC, he stood up. "How are you feeling?"
    "Lovely," said MC. In the quiet space, his voice was quite resonant. As long as Tabby was around, MC could speak. 
    "We should get going. Give me the bag, I'll dispose it for you," said Zeno.
    MC handed the bag to Zeno and followed him and Tabby out the exit.
        
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05 - MC wanted to complain about being boxed inside a crate half his size but when you're wounded and couldn't run too fast even with super speed, you had to relied on people. MC didn't like it but it was a necessity. He would have used Cody but that wouldn't do. Using MC's disguise was so Cody would never have to worry about being seen. And MC wouldn't be found, at least, not by fingerprints since he had no friction ridges on his hands. And McClare, because MC had no real identity and wouldn't be able to enter the airport. Plus, McClare was in jail so that would baffle the police.
    After a while, he dozed off. A sudden stop jolted him and he hit his head on the ceiling of the crate but he made no sound. Tabby wasn't with him but if she was, he might have cursed her out. They started moving again. He was grateful Tabby knew what to do. It was the first time he got shot and it made his head cloudy.
    Another jolt and he hit his head again. The ceiling of the crate opened and MC climbed out. Rain quickly soaked him. They were on the side of a road with another car ahead. He looked up at the gray sky. It was barely 9 am. 
    "Gus will take you home," said Zeno.
    "Thank you, Zeno," said MC.
    "No need. You've given me a chance to repay Tabby." Zeno turned to glance at Tabby who was looking out of the backseat of the white car. "Tabby is an unusual lady. I'm sure you will learn to appreciate her. Some things she does might seem rather unreasonable but later you'll understand. It was nice to meet you, twice, Cody," Zeno smiled. MC nodded. Zeno had a thin frame but when he shook MC's hand, it was strong and warm.
    MC got into the backseat beside Tabby who gave him a glance. Zeno closed the door and the car sped off. Gus drove keeping his face forward and barely glanced behind him when MC and Tabby got out. MC half-limped toward the front door, getting soaked again by the rain. He turned around to watch the car sped away. The front door opened and Mrs. Roman said, "You're back early. Come in." MC went in with Tabby following her. As he made his slow way up the stairs, he began to shed Male Cody. 
    Before she fell asleep, she heard Tabby said, "You know tomorrow is October first but I will give you a couple of days before your next assignment.