"Everybody buckle in!" Frank yelled over the intercom. A moment later the plane lurched as he yanked it out of the path of the incoming missile. The missile exploded harmlessly in the spot where they had been mere seconds before.

Joe quickly connected a headset into the arm on his chair and spoke directly to Frank. "What's going on?" he demanded

"There's a MiG behind us. They just fired on us."

"What model?" Joe answered as he started typing furiously on a laptop that was attached to the arm of his seat.

"It looks like probably a 29," Frank answered.

"And he's fired one missile?"

"Correct."

"In that case, he has up to five missiles and a 30 mm cannon left," Joe informed him.

"You're not comforting me here," was Frank's attempt at humor.

"Well," Joe replied, "I hope you have a plan, because there is no way we are going to out maneuver a fighter jet in a passenger jet."

"I have a few ideas," Frank assured him, his mind racing as he thought through his options. Most Network vehicles had many aftermarket modifications, and the Learjet was no exception.

"Launch two," Brandi said as the alarm began to sound again. "And there's three," she added as the fighter pilot triggered another missile.

"I've got it," Frank muttered through clenched teeth.

"Frank!" Brandi yelled. "They're going to hit us!"

"Not today," Frank said. At the last possible second, he punched a button and banked hard to the right. A stream of chaff shot out from the back of the plane and confused the missiles' guidance system. They exploded harmlessly in the field of chaff. Frank released his pent up breath. "Three down and three to go," he said.

Just then several more blips appeared on their radar. "Oh no," Brandi groaned, "don't tell me he brought reinforcements!"

Just then a voice came over their radio. "Lear N8J57, stand down. This is Lieutenant Colonel Jim Bell, United States Air Force. We've got it from here."

"Roger that," Frank replied.

The passengers of the Network Learjet breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Where did they come from?" Brandi wanted to know.

"I called up Langley Air Force Base after the first missile. They sent a flight of F-22 Raptors to give us a hand," Joe said over his headset.

"Joe, I could kiss you right now!" Frank yelled cheerfully.

"Don't you dare!" Joe yelled back. "The mere thought makes me want to hurl!"

The banter ended as all of the passengers pressed their faces to the windows to see the drama behind them unfold. Over the radio, they could here Lieutenant Colonel Bell warning the MiG pilot to stand down. Instead, he launched a missile straight at the Air Force jets! The F-22s easily evaded the missile and fired several of their own. Within seconds the Russian-made fighter jet was nothing more than a ball of flame.

A moment later, Bell's voice came over their radio again. "Lear N8J57, is everybody okay in there?"

"That's affirmative," Frank told him. "We appreciate your assistance."

"Our pleasure," the officer assured him as the F-22s pealed off and headed back towards Virginia.

***

Thirty minutes later, the plane full of Network Agents and assorted guests landed at La Guardia Airport.

"I don't know about you," Joe said as they stumbled off of the plane, "but I am ready for bed."

"It is really late," Frank agreed looking at his watch and seeing that it was well after midnight. "It's a good thing we kept our apartment here in the city. Why don't we all head over there and sack out for a few hours and then we can get on Gina's trail in the morning?"

Everybody agreed that it was a fine idea. They walked out of the terminal to find a very long stretch limousine and a chauffer waiting for them. As the tired group piled into the luxury car, Frank said, "I guess they believed me when I said we needed a big car."

Within minutes of the big car pulling away from the curb, all of the passengers were fast asleep.

***

Frank was awakened by the unmerciful ringing of his cell phone. Where was he? For the life of him he could not remember anything after getting in the limo at the airport. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table as he pushed the button to answer the call. Who was calling him at 5:30 in the morning? "Yeah," he mumbled.

"What is going on?" the Gray Man demanded. "I haven't heard a report for hours."

"We're in New York, we almost got shot down, and we're tired," Frank reported.

"Are you drunk?" the Gray Man wanted to know.

"Just half asleep," Frank told him. "Normal people are sleeping this early in the morning."

"Morning? What are you talking about?" the Gray Man roared. His next words brought Frank wide awake. "It's 5:30 at night!"