“Welcome Mr. Young and guests to flight 310 Air Ambulance to Germany. Our first stop will be in LAX to refuel before heading on to New York then Europe. In the unlikely event there is an inair emergency there are a series of procedures we must advise you of for your safety and for the safety of others on this plane…” Missy droned on in her squeaky voice to recite her memorized speech about the cabin pressure, flotation devices and exit routes while the passengers barely listened, least of all, Evan. He was too worried about Meg’s monitors to think about “first placing the oxygen mask over his own face before assisting someone else.”
Missy was finally done with her canned safety speech when the overhead intercom hissed to life again. “Uh,…ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared, uh, by the tower for takeoff. So, please be sure your carry-on luggage is properly stowed in the available compartments, buckle up and double-check our patient’s safety harnesses as well. Thank you, and if you have any questions now or anytime during the uh,…eight-hour flight to LAX, please don’t hesitate to push the red call button above your head and one of the flight crew will come to assist you. Uh, again, thank you for allowing us to be of service to you Mr. Young and guests and we look forward to a smooth flight. This is your captain, Bob Jacobi, with copilot Vince Trainer, out.”
The engines began to roar louder as the craft taxied to the start of the runway. Alik watched his sister’s I.V. bag swing gently as the plane picked up speed. A quick glance out one of the many oval windows showed the scenic Hawaiian landscape blur by. With a swift pull, the plane was up and off the ground, rising quickly. There was no turning back now. Of course, there probably never was. Alik, Evan and their dying sister were en route to a devil’s den.
37 Farrow’s Fury
Farrow hated be left behind. Williams had informed her of Creed’s progress and told her to keep her distance from him as he maneuvered the metas and the serum to Germany.
“Keep your head down, Farrow,” he hissed into the phone when she had objected.
“Sir, with all due respect, Creed may need to be monitored more closely. I think he’s unsure of his true intentions. The family is getting to him, and he looks like he’s on the fence. He doesn’t even know which side he wants to be on.”
“While I appreciate your reporting your observations, I cannot risk introducing you into the fragile mix right now. Let Creed bring them in. You will fly back separately.” Williams’ voice waffled between coaxing and barking.
He was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, but no one knew that better than Farrow. She had watched this man spiral into depression and power almost equally as fast. Farrow had been his trusted weapon for the last year. She had seen him try to work with his daughter. She saw him use humans like test rats for his scientific purposes. He was a genius and a monster, but that drew Farrow to him. She was mesmerized by his power. Besides, being his personal aide had its benefits, too. She was privy to more information than any other meta at the Facility.
“Farrow, do you understand?” Williams asked, disturbing her thoughts.
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m trusting you to follow my orders.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Before you leave, take care of one thing for me?”
“Name it, sir.”
“Creed never got around to killing Margo before he left. Terminate that wretched woman.”
Farrow smiled softly, “With pleasure.”
“Call me when she’s out of the picture. I’ve been waiting for revenge too long,” Williams’ voice had a tired hint to it.
“I’m on my way to Dr. St. Paul’s home now, sir,” Farrow smiled widely at the prospect of finally doing something. “Do you have a preference as to whether Dr. Andrews is terminated as well?”
“No, no preference there. He’s only in the picture because Margo brought him in. He poses no threat to us, but if he gets in the way, take him out, too.
“As you wish, sir.”
“Farrow, my dear. I treasure you as my assistant and look forward to many more years of you being my personal right hand, but if you fail me by allowing Margo Winter to live, don’t even bother coming home. Have I made myself clear?” The old scientists’ voice was throaty with old anger by the end of his statement, and knowing him as well as she did, she was sure he had spittle dangling from his leathery mouth. She grimaced at the image.
“I understand, sir.” She waited respectfully for the audible click indicating he had hung up the phone, and bit her lip furiously forcing herself silent as she waited.
Click.
With that sound, Farrow felt both liberated and isolated, and the thought occurred to her. What would happen if she just walked away? She could catch a flight stateside before Williams would cut off her financial support. She may even be able to buy a car when she landed in California. All she would have is her suitcase, her sniper rifle, the clothes on her back, the cash in her wallet, and hopefully a car with a full tank of gas. Would it be worth it? Is any of this really worth it?
All she had ever known was the Facility and Dr. Williams. She thought power and prestige were the world. The more she did his bidding, the more in his good-graces she was, the more power she felt she received. All the other metas knew who she was and never even thought to challenge her. Her status as Williams’ personal assistant kept her an elite at the compound.
But she was having second thoughts now. Something about this particular assignment was making her question her personal motives.
Farrow shook her head as though swatting away a pesky gnat. It was easier not to think. Just obey orders soldier, she told herself.
38 In-Flight Conversations
Only twenty minutes in to the flight and Alik was already bored. Missy came by with a tray of sodas. “Is there any access to internet on the flight?” he asked.
“I’m sorry sir, but wireless devices are prohibited because they could interfere with communications in the cockpit. I could bring you an assortment of in-flight movies that are available for viewing on your personal screen. We also have a large collection of magazines and books if you’d prefer.” Missy smiled helpfully.
“Yeah, I could read something. Anything having to do with medical news or current events would be great.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up for you,” she said with a wink and sashayed down the aisle.
“‘Medical news or current events,’” Creed echoed. “A little light reading, eh?”
“Not much else to do,” he said, obviously uncomfortable talking with Creed.
“We have seventeen hours to kill,” he glanced up at his fellow meta warily. “No pun intended.”
“What were you planning to do?”
“Well, I thought of taking a nice long nap, myself,” Creed leaned back in his plush chair causing the leg rests to extend.
“Didn’t you sleep well in Paulie’s guest house last night?”
“Oh, well, don’t get me wrong. The accommodations were great. It’s just…”
“Bad dreams?” Alik asked probing.
Creed shrugged.
“Hum…”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, man. It’s just not unusual for a guilty conscience to cause a person unsettling dreams,” Alik shrugged innocently. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”
Creed shook his head and gave a half laugh.
Missy was hurrying back down the aisle with her arms full of reading material. “Well, we have Science Weekly, Scientific Now, and I found a Physician’s Desk Reference,” she said proudly. “Then there are all of these I brought just in case none of the others sounded good to you.”
“Thanks, Missy. I appreciate it,” Creed smiled back at the flight attendant as he took the stack from her.
She looked pleased with herself and sauntered away.
Alik started sifting through the first magazine. Evan unfastened his seatbelt and walked over. “Hey, I’ve got to run to the bathroom. Kee
p an eye on Meg, will you?”
“Sure. How is she?”
“Stable, for now.”
“Do you think she’s going to crash again before we get to Europe?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even know why she crashed the first time. Heck, I don’t know anything anymore.” He shook his head obviously discouraged.
“Why don’t you go play with the plumbing in the bathroom? That usually cheers you up,” Alik said to his little brother trying to lighten the mood.
Evan smiled, but only slightly. “I don’t even think airplane plumbing could get me to relax right now.”
Evan walked up the aisle toward the cockpit to the lavatories slightly hunched over as the head room in the plane didn’t allow for a tall person to stand upright without regretting their attempt.
“What was all that about the plumbing?”
“Long story; you kinda had to have been there,” Alik said smiling at the memory.
Then his facial expression changed.
He was squinting as though trying to see something far away. “Wait…maybe you were there.” Alik peered over at Creed and replayed scenes in his mind. He made himself think back and ran Creed’s face through sort of his own mental image search engine. “I can’t believe I hadn’t put the pieces together before,” Alik said after a few moments.
“What are you talking about?” Creed asked, though his heart began pounding violently in his chest.
“You were there, at the hospital in Kansas. I saw you in several locations there: once in the corridor, again in the cafeteria and the last time I saw you, you were standing in the crowd of people watching me spar with Meg and Evan on the hospital lawn. You were the guy Meg met there. She didn’t want to tell us about you, but we made her. Then you stood her up. She was supposed to meet you at noon, but you weren’t there.” Alik was tensing his muscles reflexively and sitting at the edge of his seat. He looked about ready to leap down Creed’s throat with each new piece of the puzzle he snapped into place.
“Look, she was just an assignment. You were all just assignments,” Creed looked heart-sick with guilt.
“Assignments? You were the one who tried to attack our mom that day! You shot Maze!”
Evan had been on his way back to his seat when he just caught the tail end of this conversation. It sent him into a furry. Before Creed knew what was happening, Evan charged down the aisle and full-on tackled him out of his seat. “You piece of crap! My family trusted you and you have been trying to hurt us all along!” Evan was whaling on Creed. He had him pinned against the cabin wall and was smashing his face into the leather side paneling.
“Evan, cool it! We’re forty-thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean!” Alik had to work to pull his brother off Creed. “Cool it, man! This isn’t the time or place!”
Evan allowed himself to be separated from Creed long enough to deliver a stream of expletives Alik didn’t even know his brother knew. “Dude, enough. This isn’t helping Meg! Beating the crap out of the guy who’s taking us to get her cure isn’t going to help her.” Alik’s hand was still on his brother’s shoulder. The veins in Evan’s neck were pulsing and his fists were involuntarily clenching and releasing.
Turning back to the stunned Creed, Alik said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as ready to kill as he is right now, so for your sake, you’d better start talking.”
“Just so we’re clear, asshole. If you try to deliver even a fraction of a lie to us, I will kill you, quietly, and no one will mourn your loss,” Evan fumed, but held back, waiting for the vermin to speak.
“You’re right,” Creed nodded. “You have every reason to off me now. I’ve done nothing but hurt your family since the moment I snuck into your lives.”
“You’re not helping your case here,” Alik cautioned as he felt his anger surge.
“Remember the story I told you about the Retribution Match where I was set up to fight my brother?” Creed stopped and waited for acknowledgement.
“That was all true. Everything right up until I was three days out of the surgery to fix my kidney. Commander Oldham wanted me dead for defying his orders in battle. Williams offered me another option.” Creed explained.
“He said that he would help me find the rest of my real blood family and release me of duty as a meta soldier if I completed two objectives for him,” Creed had never been to confession, but he felt an unreal need for absolution from these two men whom he had harmed.
“Keep talking,” growled Evan.
“My objectives were laid out by Williams. The first was to find and kill the ‘thief’ Margo Winter. The second was to bring the three ‘stolen’ assets back.”
“Just to be clear, we’re the ‘assets,’ right?” Alik looked sick to his stomach.
“Yes.”
“So your first objective—to kill our mom?” asked Alik.
“I didn’t complete that objective.”
“Williams is going to let her live?” asked Evan.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you ‘don’t know’?” Alik yelled.
“I mean, he was so thrilled that I got you three on a plane en route to Germany that he didn’t bring it up,” Creed explained.
“He’s not going to just let it go,” Alik said, deep in thought.
“So this whole thing with Meg getting sick was just a convenient excuse to get us back to Williams?” Evan asked, appalled.
Creed’s face fell. He didn’t say a word.
“No, little brother. It was all part of the plan.” Alik was revving up.
“What the hell did you do to our sister! Was it poison? A deadly virus? What did you do to Meg?” Alik was so angry spittle was flying from his mouth and now it was Evan who was holding him back.
“Gentlemen, the captain asks everyone to please calm down and take a seat. We’re headed for some unexpected turbulence, and you’ll need to fasten your seat belts.” Missy, the flight attendant spoke in a squeaky voice. The looks on the faces of the three huge, fighting men was arguably the scariest she had ever seen. Without saying another word, she turned-tail and slipped behind the blue velvet curtain.
Ignoring the attendant, Evan growled, “Answer him.”
“What?”
“Answer him! What did you do to Meg? Why is she so sick?” Evan’s voice rose with every word until he was yelling.
“I…I don’t know,” he stammered, running a shaky hand through his hair.
“What the hell do you mean, you ‘don’t know?’”
Creed looked painfully over at the frail waif of a girl dying because of him.
“Williams sent his assistant, a female meta named Farrow Schone, with something he called a ‘gift.’ Farrow shot Meg in the neck with it—it looked like a small, silver dart. As soon as she was hit, she fell. Whatever that dart was tipped with, that is what has made Meg so sick.”
“You knew all this time that Meg was poisoned and you didn’t stop this Farrow and you didn’t tell us so we’d know what to look for? You sick freak!” Alik flew into a rage. He grabbed the nearest arm rest of a passenger seat, yanked it off and started beating Creed.
All the guilt and self-loathing Creed felt forced his arms to hold at his side instead of up defensively. As Alik unloaded his anger, Creed knew he deserved it.
“All passengers please take your seats and fasten your safety belts. We’ve hit some unexpected turbulence. I’m sure you noticed we are pulling up, in an effort to fly over the bumpy air. Bear with us while we get the craft to a smoother flying altitude. Captain Jacobi, out.”
Alik administered one more whack to Creed’s neck with the chunk of plush leather wrapped around metal that was the arm rest. The three men glared at each other, not wanting to be the first to move. Feeling more a sense of responsibility to his sister than bravado, Evan turned toward Meg and started to walk down the aisle to check her safety harnesses for the umpteenth time. Under his breath he was mumbling furiously, but he was also forcing himself to cal
m down and think before he said another word.
Just then, the plane vibrated violently. The three men standing in the private jet’s passenger galley instinctively reached out to grab something to steady themselves.
The nose of the jet fell into a steep decline. From all around them, plastic and metal rattled fiercely indicating a worrisome level of breakability to what only moments before had seemed like a safe aircraft.
Even with the warnings, what happened next hit the three boys with complete surprise. Evan hadn’t taken three steps when whole plane shook spastically and dropped a couple thousand feet, as though free-falling. Not having heeded the repeated warnings and instead choosing to continue their furious discussion standing in the aisle turned out to be a really bad idea after all.
Alik, Evan and Creed flew up and hit the ceiling of the cabin. They scrambled to regain their balance but everything was happening so fast, even they couldn’t help but be thrown around the cabin. The nose of the plane dipped and with it anything that wasn’t bolted or secured. The overhead compartments popped open releasing even more debris into the storm that was the inside of the private jet. Oxygen masks burst out of the panels above the seats and an alarm screamed a high-pitched, “beep, beep, beep!” The aircraft was making terrifying noises, sounding distinctly like metal on metal screams.
Their fight abruptly interrupted, the three metas scrambled to their seats and for their safety harnesses. Even during the brutal turbulence of the plane, Evan crawled back toward his sister’s gurney. He was more worried about checking Meg’s oxygen levels than himself, despite the airplane safety rules. The plane was leveling off some by the time he could get the mask over his own face and secure himself in the seat closest to his patient.
Everything happened in the span of no more than three minutes, but it left everyone onboard rattled and out of breath. Finally, the plane felt like it was leveling off and the sadistic screaming of the alarm stopped. Captain Jacobe’s shaky voice came over the intercom. “Mr. Young and guests, I hope everyone is okay back there. That was a highly unusual pocket of fast forming wind conditions causing us to drop…uh, thirteen thousand feet. We’re now traveling at an altitude of about fifteen thousand feet above sea level, and boy, if you look out your window, you can almost see the scales on the fish!” No one laughed at his attempt at humor.
Winter's Storm: Retribution (Winter's Saga #2) Page 15