Chapter 3:

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Synergy had once again saved all their necks. Jerrica would have missed the rescheduled meeting with Tanaka, and possibly lost Starlight Music in the process, if Synergy hadn't been monitoring the computers of all the major airlines and caught the change made to Eric's flight to Hawaii. Synergy had then gone into the computers at Tanaka's corporate headquarters and found the specifics of the rescheduled meeting. A few phone calls later, Jerrica had booked the seat next to Eric, deciding that the old cliché about keeping your enemies close was very good advice.

Jerrica had once asked Synergy how she could get information from computers thousands of miles away. Did she project herself to where the computer was and peek over someone's shoulder? Synergy gave her an indulgent smile and told her that major corporations, government agencies, and universities where beginning to connect their computers to each other through phone lines. They were beginning to form a sort of web, or net, of communication using computers. Emmett Benton had foreseen this technological development and gave Synergy the ability to do the same.

Jerrica had merely shaken her head. The idea that computers could talk to each other was truly outrageous.

Sitting next to Eric for six hours hadn't held much appeal for Jerrica. She had dressed in one of her business suits in preparation for the meeting later in the day, but had added a large hat that when tilted at an angle hid her face from view. She hadn't wanted Eric to recognize her until it was too late to get off the plane. She wasn't about to go chasing him around LAX while he tried to book another flight and attend the meeting with Tanaka without her.

What Jerrica hadn't been expecting was Eric hitting on her not thirty seconds after she sat down in her seat. She had fibbed about betting Kimber ten dollars, but she had been so shocked at the gall of the man she had said the first thing that came to her mind. Judging by the look on his face, her comeback had done its job.

The flight had been mercifully uneventful, the only person either Jerrica or Eric had spoken to being the flight attendant. After the plane pulled up to the gate and the seatbelt signs had been turned off, Jerrica got up and retrieved her carryon bag from the overhead bin. She had only brought a few things along since this was solely a business trip and she was scheduled to return to Los Angeles the next day.

She saw Eric quickly grab his own bag and start to make his way to the exit on the other side of the airplane, pushing people out of his way in his haste. He was trying to ditch her! Before Jerrica could go after him a flight attendant stepped into his path and said something to him. A few seconds later Eric was turning back towards her with a scowl on his face.

"Patience is a virtue, Eric", she said with a smile in her voice.

"Shut up."

She laughed outright, amused by the disgruntled look on his face. Passengers were starting to disembark the plane, beginning with first class. Jerrica kept close to Eric as they made their way from the gate and through the airport terminal.

Near baggage claim Jerrica saw a stocky man in a chauffeur's uniform holding a sign that had "Raymond" spelled out in block letters. She poked Eric in the arm and pointed towards the chauffeur. "I think that's our ride."

Eric still looked disgruntled. "What do you mean 'our ride'? I don't see the name "Benton" anywhere on that sign. You can take a taxi."

She ran to catch up with him as he made his way toward the chauffeur. She reached the man a moment before Eric did.

"Hi, I'm Jerrica Benton. I'm guessing you're here to take us to the Royal Hawaiian Waikiki hotel to meet with Mr. Tanaka?" Jerrica transferred her hat from her right hand to her left to shake his hand. As she did so the hat slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. The chauffeur immediately bent down to retrieve it, and when he handed it back Jerrica gave him a large smile that had the man visibly melting under her attention.

"Thank you so much Mr.,"

"Redmond. Josh Redmond," the man stammered.

Eric rolled his eyes and muttered a barely heard "You've got to be kidding me" as he stepped past the obviously smitten chauffeur. He turned and barked at the man, "Well, are you coming or not? I'm on a schedule here."

Jerrica took a hold of Josh's arm and led him toward the limo waiting by the curb. "Don't pay any attention to Mr. Raymond, Josh. He doesn't fly well. It upsets his delicate constitution."

Jerrica felt a feeling of satisfaction well up inside her as she saw the back of Eric's neck go red. She was getting to him, keeping him off balance. Exactly what she had to do to make sure he didn't get his hands on Starlight.

As she followed Eric into the back of the limo, taking a moment to flash another grateful smile at Josh as he held the door open for her, she vowed that she would do anything to keep Starlight from Eric. Anything.

Next chapter: we meet the man himself. And a twist will be revealed.

Author's note: I think I like writing from Eric's POV better. So the interesting stuff might happen on Eric's chapters. But I'm trying to make Jerrica a bit more interesting than she was in the show. I don't want to make her into uber-tough-girl, but just give her more of a backbone.