“Look, Elvis, it’s okay.” I put a hand on his arm. “Broodryk totally screwed with our minds and bodies. You took the worst of it, and you’re going to need time to recover from it. We all will. That you’ve been able to focus on your work to the degree you have impresses me. Give me a chance to impress you.”
His expression relaxed. “You’re right. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. It helps that Xavier and I were essentially finished with the prototype before we left for Greece.” He reached out, touched the locket around my neck. “You wore it.”
I looked down at it. “I thought it should be saved for special occasions. I figured this qualified. So, in a way, it’s as if a part of you will be there, too.”
He met my gaze for a long time, then looked away. “I appreciate that more than you know. Be careful, Lexi, okay. Call me as soon as you arrive.”
“I will.”
We looked up as Basia and Xavier came to greet us. They were holding hands and beaming. Basia’s cheeks were flushed. “Hey, Lexi, did you notice? We’re flying in a Gulfstream. That means we’ll be traveling in total style. God, I love my job.”
“Only the best for my girl,” Xavier said, kissing her on the cheek.
Basia threw her arms around him and kissed him back. I would have never guessed in a million years that guy would be Xavier, but I guess that’s what kept the universe interesting. Basia was transforming in front of my eyes.
We chatted for a bit more until Finn waved us over. “Everyone have their passports?”
We nodded and security hustled us out the door to the tarmac and into a luxury van that drove us to the plane. Fox, Andrew, Oliver and Cezar were standing at the bottom of the airplane steps talking to two men in uniform, presumably the pilot and copilot.
Andrew handed me the titanium briefcase. I’d expected something like an oversized briefcase, but this sleek little thing wasn’t much bigger than a large notebook. Could it really rain doom and destruction on anyone tampering with the lock?
“Remember it can pack a punch to the wrong people trying to open it,” Andrew said, noting my curiosity. “Only you know the process, right?”
“Right.” I took the case from him. “Do I have to chain it to myself or something?” Like the military guy who carried the nuclear football around.
Andrew shook his head. “Not necessary. It won’t be going anywhere. Oliver and Cezar, ComQuest’s security directors who you met earlier in the week, are flying with you and will accompany you at all times. They are both armed for your protection.”
Oliver, with his muscular neck and thighs, looked more like a football linebacker than an executive. I felt sure he could tackle any bad guy that might try to overtake us, even without a gun. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses as he lifted his jacket to show me his weapon.
“They’re allowed to take a gun on the airplane?”
“It’s our plane.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Carmichael,” Cezar said. He was smaller than Oliver in terms of build, but he appeared quite fit and serious. He crossed his arms and his suit jacket pulled tight across the bulge at his waist where I presumed his gun was located. “Once we land in Jakarta, the rest of the team will be there to greet us. You’ll always have someone looking out for you.”
Andrew patted my shoulder. “In fact, your security team is already en route so they are ready and in place when you land. I want to assure you that we’re taking your safety very seriously.”
“Good to know.”
We talked for a few more minutes before we were instructed to board the plane. I gave Xavier and Elvis one last hug before climbing on board. A blonde flight attendant dressed in a light blue shirt and navy skirt greeted us with a smile.
“Welcome aboard. My name is Amanda and I’ll be your flight attendant for the trip to Hawaii. Please sit wherever you’d like and let me know if I can get you anything before takeoff.”
One look at the interior, and I froze with indecision. This Gulfstream wasn’t like any airliner I’d flown. Basia pushed me along from behind. I passed four leather recliner-type seats facing each other, each against a window.
“Keep going,” Basia encouraged.
I passed another two seats on one side and a long couch that promised an ultra-comfy place for a snooze should I need one. Large oval windows ran down both sides and through them I could still see the twins watching us board.
The last grouping of four leather seats faced a foldable worktable. Across the aisle ran a long credenza with a flat screen television. A galley with sparkling crystal glasses, microwave and tiny oven finished off the back before ending in a polished wood door that I guessed went to a glorified bathroom.
Basia tugged on my arm. “Look at this.”
On the table were two of those sparkling glasses. Between them was an ice bucket with a champagne bottle and a quart of juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice, strained, no pulp. Rather like Bond’s shaken not stirred. Maybe I had more in common with Bond than I thought.
Basia snatched up the chilled bottle. “Rosé Champagne. How did they know?”
The twins had struck again. Basia must have figured it out, too, because she scooted into a seat on one side of the table and waved out the window. I didn’t have to guess her grin was meant for Xavier. She blew him a kiss.
I leaned onto a chair across the table from her and glanced out my own window. Elvis gave me a casual salute and I waved back.
As the engines started up, I slid my purse and the titanium case in a cubbyhole in the credenza adjacent to our seats. Basia tossed her red purse into a cubby next to it. I sunk into total luxury of the comfy seats and buckled my belt.
I grinned over at Basia. “Wow. You are right. This plane might even change my mind about flying.”
While we taxied, the flight attendant gave a safety spiel and then explained all the electronic functions of the plane at our fingertips. I could raise and lower any of the window shades, choose what movies to watch on the flat screen, use the internet, make phone calls and do more with this multifunction seat than I thought possible on an aircraft.
The pilots wasted no time getting airborne and Baltimore grew smaller before disappearing beneath clouds.
Amanda served the champagne, and Basia and I toasted the start of a new adventure—her with the champagne and me with my orange juice. We chased the setting sun for a bit of the trip, but in between the movies Basia and I watched, I managed to check in with Elvis and discovered a message from Slash, sent on one of his layovers.
Finn, Oliver and Cezar played cards until Finn broke away to get work done. Amanda brought us drinks and food so often I had to turn her away. I felt a little sick from eating too much and sipping some of Basia’s champagne.
The pilot and copilot each visited the cabin and stopped to chat. I noticed the flight attendant was careful to sit with whomever was flying the plane so no one was alone in the cockpit.
After a while, I dozed. When I woke up, Basia and Finn were sleeping, their seats reclined way back and footrests deployed. Neither Cezar nor Oliver seemed inclined to sleep on this leg of the trip, and I caught them staring at me on more than one occasion. It was a bit creepy.
It seemed to take forever, but finally the pilot told us we were about twenty minutes out of Hawaii. Basia woke up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. She came out smelling like toothpaste and looking as if she’d just visited a spa. My ponytail was plastered to my head and my teeth were fuzzy. I felt a zit forming on my chin. Even with all the luxury, I felt cranky.
“I wish we could have a day or two in Hawaii. It’s my first time here.” Basia peered out the window. “Look at the lights of Honolulu. That big shadow over there must be Diamond Head.” She pointed it out for me as I leaned over her to get a glimpse. “I’d love to check
out the beaches in the daytime.”
“I don’t care for the beach,” I grumbled. Our last beach vacation had ended in disaster. Then, I smiled in spite of myself, because it was also when I’d first met the Zimmerman twins. Now we’d gone from Ocean City, Maryland to Jakarta, Indonesia. Who knew where our friendship would take me next?
We landed outside of Honolulu a few minutes later and were instructed to stay on the plane while we had a crew change, refueled and got more food supplies. Wendy, a pretty Asian girl with long black hair, replaced perky blonde Amanda. She stowed her gear and immediately insisted on serving us champagne and hot washcloths to steam us awake or make us go back to asleep again. Either way, I just wanted to get the heck on with it and get to our destination already. I needed people to quit plying me with food and asking me if I needed anything. My grouchy level was rising exponentially with each mile we travelled.
My mood must have rubbed off on our new pilot. He came back for a personal announcement to us after we’d been on the ground for an hour, and informed us we had a bit of a delay.
As soon as we took off I played a couple of games on my phone, and started Sixty Shadows of Black on my electronic reader. A few hours later, with night fully in vogue and the stars shining outside the big windows, I dozed off thinking about paddles and nipple clips. I awoke six hours later after dreaming I’d been chased around a factory by an oversized microchip with a whip.
My neck was stiff and I needed to go to the bathroom. After I returned, I continued reading and must have gasped aloud at some point because Basia gave me a weird look.
“What in the world are you reading?”
I hugged the reader to my chest. “Nothing. Why do you ask?”
She looked at me and tugged at the reader. I released it and she lifted an eyebrow when she saw the title. “Really?”
I peered up the aisle at Finn, but he was asleep. Oliver was reading a magazine and had his chair in massage mode. Cezar was laid out on the couch with eyes closed and earplugs in.
“Keep your voice down,” I whispered. “I’m doing research.”
“So, you’re taking it seriously?”
“Of course I’m taking it seriously. But I’m worried. So far, I don’t think I am cut out for this level of sexual experimentation, especially the role-playing part.”
“It’s just fantasy.”
“I know it’s fantasy. But there is real pain involved.”
“Only as much as agreed to ahead of time.” She handed my reader back to me.
“And just how do you calculate that? Are there specific metrics I need to be aware of? A mathematical equation of some kind to determine the correct threshold of pain? How is it measured, you know, in the moment? For example, how do I determine the correct velocity at which to snap the whip in order to meet the previously agreed-to level of pain?”
She giggled. “Only you would ask that question.”
“Of course I’m asking that question. It’s logical to know the exact parameters before the roleplaying starts. What if I hurt Slash?”
“Wait. OMG. You’re worried about hurting Slash?”
“Shhhh.” I looked around but no one seemed to be paying any attention to us. “Of course I’m worried about hurting him. There are whips and chains involved, in case you didn’t know. I’m a total klutz. What if I seriously injure him? I mean, come on. Dating Slash is like dating the President. He’s followed around like some freaking national treasure. If I injured or impaired him, I could be locked up in the slammer for life.”
The giggles turned into laughter and she had to cover her mouth to keep it quiet. “Oh, dear God, Lexi. I would seriously pay to see you in action. Who needs Sixty Shadows of Black when we can have Geek Girl Dominatrix.” She shook with silent laughter.
“Not helping, Basia.”
She pressed one hand to her chest and wiped her eyes with the other. “Oh, honey. You slay me. Totally. Look, you can relax about this whole BDSM thing. The game stops once you use a safe word. If he hurts you or you are hurting him, all you have to do is say the word and the roleplaying stops.”
“What if I’m gagged? I read about that, too. It can be part of the game.”
She looked like she might start laughing again, but managed to compose herself. “Well, in that case, you’d better have a safe gesture, too.”
I threw up my hands. “See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. There are too many variables and rules, all of them weirdly kinky. I’ll need a complete spreadsheet to consult, which might take away from the spontaneity of the moment.”
“You’ll figure out what you want.” She patted my arm. “If you don’t like it, by all means tell Slash.”
My stomach rolled uneasily. “What if I say I don’t want to do BDSM at all and it drives a wedge between us?”
She adjusted her seat, then sighed as it reclined. “You are way too worried about this. Slash won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, and he certainly won’t let it drive a wedge between you. He adores you.”
“I know.” I started fiddling with the controls on my seat. “But I feel like I owe it to him to at least give this a try. I mean if he has a whole room dedicated to it, it must be really important. He took me to his place because it was important to me. Now I want to reciprocate by doing something in return for him.”
She slipped her hands behind her neck, cradling her head. “Lexi, let me give you a word of advice. Don’t stress any more about it. I’m sure you guys will work it out.”
I wasn’t convinced, but returned to the book anyway and kept reading. About ten minutes later the copilot came out of the cockpit to go to the bathroom. Wendy went in to sit with the pilot. When the copilot exited the crew head, he caught my scrutiny and walked back to ask how the flight was going. I made sure to press the reader to my chest so he couldn’t see what I was reading.
Just in case.
I gave him a thumbs-up. He smiled at me and headed back toward the cockpit. Finn, who had awoken a minute ago, stopped the copilot and asked a question. Finn pointed to a small flat screen next to his seat. I craned my neck to see him pointing to the view of our flight path.
Whatever conversation he had with the copilot made the guy’s face pale.
The copilot hurried to the cockpit door where he knocked firmly. I exchanged a worried look with Finn who stared directly at me, worry etched on his face. While I sat there wishing I could read his mind, the door to the cockpit opened.
Wendy stepped out, but the copilot didn’t take her place in the cockpit. Instead, she closed the door behind her. The copilot backed up quickly to the first set of seats. His motion seemed a bit odd and I couldn’t figure out what was going on.
It wasn’t until the copilot shifted that I could see Wendy’s gun.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Whoa.” The copilot held up his hands. “What the hell’s going on?” He backed up to the first set of seats.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Basia must have caught the horror on my face. She turned around and took a quick look toward the cockpit, then screamed. The reader fell from my hands and clattered to the table. Behind Basia, Oliver jumped to his feet with a strangled cry. Finn unbuckled his seatbelt and stood. Cezar, across from Oliver, ripped the headphones from his ears and swung his feet off the couch.
“Everyone put your hands up now.” Wendy motioned the copilot to sit.
He obliged by quickly sitting in the first empty seat and keeping his hands in the air.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Oliver demanded.
“I urge all of you to sit back down and not make any sudden moves,” she said.
She trained the gun on Oliver, standing in front of his seat. “Take your gun out with two fingers and put it on the floor. Now.”
Wendy stayed n
ear the front, blocking the aisle past the crew compartment and lavatory to the cockpit. If she came too far forward, she’d put herself between the copilot and Finn. Obviously aware of her position, she motioned again at Oliver. He frowned and reached slowly under his jacket, pulling out his gun and placing it on the floor in front of him.
“Kick it toward me.”
Oliver hesitated for a long moment, as if assessing his chances of rushing her and surviving. After a few seconds he kicked it to her and she picked it up, tucking it in her waistband.
“Good. Now sit down. Buckle your seatbelt and sit on your hands.”
He obliged and she turned the gun on Cezar. “Your turn. Give me your gun. Same process.”
His jaw tightened, but he carefully withdrew his gun and kicked it to her. He didn’t kick it hard enough, though, so it stopped several steps from her.
Wendy left the gun in place. “Everyone. Buckle your seatbelts and sit on your hands. If everyone remains calm and does exactly what I say, no one will get hurt. We are making a small diversion. That’s all. We will land, take what we need and leave in a different plane. We will not hurt you.” For a small woman, she looked very much in charge.
“What is it you want?” Finn asked.
As if we all didn’t already know. Still Finn never asked dumb questions, so I figured he’d asked for a reason. Maybe it was to disguise the fact that he hadn’t buckled his seatbelt. Or maybe he intended it to serve as a distraction. Whatever the reason, I hoped he didn’t have a plan that involved trying to grab Wendy’s gun and getting shot.
My brain was racing at an alarming speed, imagining potential scenarios and disregarding them. I glanced toward the titanium case in the nearby cubby—certainly the cause of this hijacking.
Wendy looked at me. “We want Lexi Carmichael and the case. That’s all.”
I froze. Her answer surprised me. Not about the case, but because there would be no reason to want me along with the case, unless she knew the case was set to my palm print. However, no one knew any of that, not even Finn or Basia. Just Elvis, Xavier, me and a few top ComQuest bigwigs.
No Room for Error: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book Seven Page 12