Auggie and Annie continue to play various card games, most of which it seems the blind man excels at. Since their jet is not as bulky as most, it glides through the air quickly and virtually undetectable. They are flying at top speeds and Auggie argues that they might reach back to Langley in less than forty hours. Annie gives it at least fifty, and even the tall woman Jaclyn feels a need to bump the timing to sixty-five. Lane begins to complain about a short bladder and turbulence; Jaclyn orders one of the men to go back with him.
Lane assures the man he can handle it on his own and lifts the seat. The man holds his hands in surrender and turns his back. Lane then reaches into the back of the toilet bowl, removing a plastic baggy someone from his old team had planted there when they originally got caught six years ago. He and Shay managed to escape and the baggy hasn't been necessary until now. The baggy holds a dismantled radio and a screwdriver. Lane gets to work quickly, though the scraping of metallic surfaces causes the guard to turn back in alarm.
When he sees just what the convict is doing, he raises his walkie to warn the others. Lane cuts him off quickly. He slices the walkie cord with the screwdriver and begins to place the man in a chokehold with the chain of his cuffs. He skillfully brings the man closer to the porcelain throne, slamming his head into the seat. With the guard knocked out, Lane begins to infuse the walkie and his earpiece with the radio. He places his contraption inside his jumpsuit, just within pocket reach. Lane walks back to his seat, arrogantly informing the other guard when asked that guard number one had to visit Niagara Falls.
A little later, Lane subtly places a hand in his pocket and twists on a handmade knob, causing the lights to dim and brighten. Though everyone obviously notices, no one bothers to check on such things. He places his hand to the speaker, hoping to detect another craft in the air. So far, no such luck. Shay is being watched over by both detectives and a steward at his side. The steward carries a tazer rather than a gun but it hasn't been much trouble. Juliet is playing solitaire and Carlton is reading a western novel, imagining himself as the main character.
The lights on the Santa Barbara jet begin to hum. As they begin to dim ever-so-slightly, Shay announces his need for the restroom. The steward carries him back and stands away so he may do his business. He admires the portable radio the steward possesses and decides it is something he desperately needs. Without warning, Shay springs at the unprepared steward and strangles him to the ground similar to Lane and the guard. He loses consciousness before smashing into the throne and Shay gasps lightly at the sight of blood pooling from the wound.
Not placing too much thought onto the matter, he digs into his skin around his wrists and underside of his elbows. There are skinny pieces of metal embedded inside of him. He carefully sparks the edges with the tips of the tazer and inserts them into the radio. He adds the earpiece as well, causing the planes to be connected via earpiece and Bluetooth. Shay places the piece in his ear and calls for his partner.
"Gris?"
"I miss my girl." Lane replies quietly.
Shay mentally slaps himself. The two agreed that, to not draw out suspicion, they would use code phrases. The phrases would be something easily spoken between one another but sounding like something a convict would murmur to himself under duress.
"My dog ran away." Shay responds a moment later.
"Was your dog hit by a drunk driver?"
The soft sigh on the other ends tells Lane that Shay accidentally killed someone prematurely. Their plan is to frame the others, though not enough for actually killing someone. They've never necessarily killed anyone directly, other than during their practice run. Lane begins to run calculations in his head, muttering ever-so-slightly.
"There'll be a parade soon for my dog." Lane coughs out.
His supplementary security man becomes wary of the first guard's disappearance. Jaclyn remains vigilant, though she doesn't notice when Lane follows the other protector to the restroom. He quietly slips behind him, locks the door and thrusts the cuffs around his throat before he become aware of the first man's fate. Angered that his subsidiary cohort has committed direct homicide, Lane has created a new destiny for the two. When he comes down from his thoughts, he realizes he has strangled this man to death.
"I am in the throne, hon." Lane connects, disregarding all code. "We are going for the kill shot. Keep them busy and a grand sacrifice will be our final hour."
"We'll be lost at sea." Shay counters upset.
"It is for the greater good, don't you see?" He answers in a patronizing, slightly hypnotizing voice.
"Of course." Shay answers, standing. "Before we are lost?"
"Yes?" Lane questions before heading to the control deck.
"I love you, Lane."
"Love . Shay." Lane answers somewhat cryptically.
Both boys switch off their earpieces and remove their radios. Shay turns off the lights, alerting Lassiter and O'Hara. The detectives reach for their guns, but Shay only smirks at their attempts. Because of Lane's radio control, both planes have slowly been drifting toward a hasty lightning storm. The brief lightning strikes become their only source of luminosity. Their weapons have somehow been removed and tossed into the cargo hold. The detectives race to where they suppose Shay is hiding, though the man is tricky and evasive. Down under, Gus is hyperventilating from the sure-fire storm outside and Shawn jumps at every lightning strike, covering the cabin. They huddle just beneath the latch, with both boys grabbing hold of the handle in case they feel the need to join Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara.
Lane has his arm wrapped around Jaclyn, leading her to the front though he is sure to make it look like she is leading him. Annie notices the strangeness but brushes it off in a huff. Auggie, of course, recognizes the sharp intake and questions her on it matter-of-
factly. She sighs again and he tilts his head.
"Either something's happened to those two guards or Lane is missing."
"Both actually." She confesses.
His joking fa ade falls and his eyes widen in shock. "That was a joke. Annie, where are those two guys?"
"I don't know. They've been gone for a while." She realizes, sitting straighter. "And Jaclyn just took Lane up front."
Auggie drops the deck he had been shuffling. "Jaclyn took Lane or Lane took Jaclyn?"
Just as Annie stands, all the lights go out and she frantically grabs for Auggie. She hits his head before sliding down to his shoulder and arm.
"Ow, what just happened?" He asks in a quieter tone.
"Electricity's been cut off." She whispers back. "Stay with me."
Auggie takes out his walking guide and starts maneuvering with Annie on his arm. They attempt to walk to the back curtain toward the restroom: this is where their carry-on luggage is. The plane jars and the two stumble into the cramped restroom. Auggie lands on top of Annie, but Annie's head hits something soft and cold. Nervous, she tries to look through the dark and notices something warm and liquid beneath her. Lightning flashes and Annie can make out the two corpses of Lane's guards. She buries her head in Auggie's shoulder and screams.
"Annie?" He slides off her in a shocked whisper. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"The guards are dead." She sniffles. "We're in trouble."
On the Santa Barbara jet, the seats are folding in. The plane has lost direction and is grating one way to the next in sharp twists. Juliet finds her legs trapped beneath while Carlton is ambling around, trying to find the loose convict. The pilot is not breathing, having been electrocuted by live wires. Carlton notices Juliet is positioned just over the cargo hold. The plane's engine begins to crash and Carlton forgets about the bad guy. He moves over to Juliet and tries his hardest to lift the sunken seats to no avail. Juliet finds it difficult not to cry out in pain, though it gives Carlton much more incentive. Down in the hold, Shawn and Gus are holding onto one another. The farthest hatch has cracked, revealing a failed engine and fire threatening the heavy storm to enter the hold. As they grasp each other, neither has released the hand clutching the cargo door. It is impossible at this angle to push it open, so they remain where they are able.
Invigorating lightning volts shine against the cold metallic surface, striking through the covering. The hole in the hold widens and the best friends scream for help. Carlton maneuvers himself beneath the seats to take the brunt. He covers himself over his partner, holding her tight like an older brother. The plane is defunct and is barely keeping afloat among the hazardous weather conditions. The Langley plane has maintained a new course. Lane manages to trek to the restroom, relishing in the horror passing through Auggie's face and Annie's eyes. The plane is taking a nosedive to its new target and Lane stands juxtaposed against the doorway, toying with a bloodied gun.
"You're right, Walker. I do have a partner."
"Who is it?" She asks through gritted teeth, pulling Auggie closer as lightning flashes.
"Orvald Shay." He answers calmly. "From California. Don't worry, you'll meet him soon."
"Is he letting us go?" Auggie turns to Annie hopefully and cynically at the same time.
Lane laughs at the insinuation. "You'll meet in Hell." A fit of turbulence hits the agents with surprise. "Here's my stop."
The toilet ruptures, blood splattering across the room. Another round of lightning and Annie easily sees the malicious grin invading Lane's features. He turns back to face her, wordlessly heaving the stained blade into her shoulder before leaping out of said plane. Annie screams at the excruciating pain, which turns into harsh crying. Auggie doesn't realize he is crying but he squeezes Annie's arms reassuringly. In a breathless voice, he promises her.
"Don't worry, Annie. We won't die."
- Hope you liked. Sorry for how I dropped off, but enjoyed writing this. If anyone knows where I can find Covert affairs season three for a cheap price, I'd be very happy. Reread and review! -