Sorry for the really, really, really, late update. Life kind of took off and I got super swarmed and lowkey forgot that it existed. This chapter is a lot shorter, but I'm working on the next chapter which should hopefully be longer. Please forgive me!
Guilt eats at Max as he and Alex pull up to the airport. Both him and Alex fly out of the car as it is still going into park. Max runs to the automated pass printer thing and jabs a credit card into it. He selects some random amount of hours before taking the pass out and slamming on the van's window and heading towards the airport.
They head into the airport and scan the area for Jessie. They can only see people checking in and out of the airport though. Max whips his head around looking for anyone that's not affiliated with one certain airline. Alex looks like he's about to start cussing out the entire airport but Max breezes right by him. Max waves down the airport security guard and flashes a pass in his wallet. The blood seems to drain from the guard's face. This doesn't stop the guard from beginning to lead Max away from security.
The guard escorts Max towards a door with employees only clearly marked across the door in big red letters. The guard swipes a key card against a pad. A cover then pops off the pad revealing a key pad underneath what Alex thought was simply an electronic key lock. The guard types in some collection of numbers which is complete when Max holds his thumb to the pad at the end. The light turns green and the door opens up slightly. The guard then pushes it fully open and lets Max enter. Max does with no hesitation but then turns back around.
"Come on Alex," Max yells, "Jessie won't be here if she came to the airport."
"Are you talking about Jonelle Miller?" The guard questions, "Are you going to be flying with her."
"Maybe, is the plane here yet?" Max asks, following the guard closely. Alex sprints to catch up with the pair not wanting to be left behind but is about to be.
"Plane?" Alex asks, coming up on their heels, "Do you know where she's going?"
"Nope," Max tells him, popping the P, "But I know how she's getting there if she used her real name."
"How?" Alex asks.
"Family's private plane," Max admits with a smile. Alex opens his mouth as he follows after Max and the guard like a puppy.
"Private plane?" Alex questions, his mouth still agape.
"Yes, now close your mouth, straighten your back, and stop acting like you don't know a Hermes from Dior anything," Max commands, exposing Alex to a completely different side of him.
"I don't even know what that means," Alex tells him.
Max rolls his eyes in annoyance. "Figures. Just act like you know what you're doing here."
"I was the guard that led Jessie to the company's private area. As far as I know, the plane hasn't arrived," The guard informs Max.
"Thank you," Max tells the guard as they stop in front of an ornate door. Alex glances at the golden plaque on the door with the words Miller Suite etched into the plate.
"How rich are you?" Alex gasps as Max pushes the room door open. Inside there's a collection of fancy furniture, glass casings, and a fully stocked bar. The entire thing makes Max sick. He hated the lifestyle that his parents built for them, despite being appreciative of not having to struggle. It's just always been so much.
"Rich enough," Jessie supplies from her seat on the edge of the large couch. She takes a sip of some brown drink in her hand. "I was hoping to be gone by the time you found that note Max."
"You wanted me to find you," Max retorts.
"Maybe subconsciously," Jessie concedes, not willing to admit full defeat, "Why'd you bring Alex?"
"He was at the hospital when I found your note. Are you seriously leaving?" Max asks, walking in and closing the door behind Alex.
"I was planning on it," Jessie tells him, finishing off her glass.
"I could tell from the many ATM withdrawals you made on your way to the airport," Max states.
"You spoke to Phil."
"Yep, this is your exact same pattern as a few years ago. It's a bit more dangerous this time buddy. Don't worry too much about me. I just have some things to settle out," Jessie assures Max, standing up to give him a hug.
"Is this about what you said about Magnetite?" Max asks, pulling back from her hug.
"Yes."
"We can help you," Max insists.
"No."
"Yes we can," Alex says, coming up behind Max.
"No, you won't," Jessie insists, "Stay here, stay safe, make sure no one is getting killed here."
"Where are you going, I'm assuming it's not Portugal," Max asks.
"Nope,"
"Then where?"
"Somewhere."
"Will you come back?"
"I plan on it."
"Will I be able to stop you?"
"No."
Max sighs, hanging his head low. "Come on Alex," He sighs, "Let's go back to the Academy."
"Not yet," Alex tells Max, "Can I talk to your sister in private for a second?" Max nods before walking out.
"You're not going to convince me not to go," Jessie tells him.
"I won't try to. You're going to protect your brother. I don't know why or how you're protecting him by leaving, but I know you. Don't get hurt doing what you're doing and come back to the Greenhouse, okay. We'll all be waiting," Alex tells her.
"Don't hold your breath," Jessie scoffs.
"You sound like you're preparing to die," Alex comments. Instead of some witty response like Alex is expecting, Jessie just stares up at him. Suddenly the door opens, exposing a pilot.
"The plane is ready for boarding Miss Miller," The pilot states, holding the door open.
Jessie nods at the pilot before placing her hand on Alex's shoulder and standing on her tiptoes in order to place a light kiss on his cheek. "Good luck in life Alex."
"Jessie," The man on the phone greets the moment he hears the phone click as Jessie picks up.
"Phil," Jessie responds, "Is there a reason you're using a secure line."
"Your brother has asked me to get in contact with you and ask if you have gotten sick from poisoning, he claimed it was urgent," Phil responds into the phone, sounding bored.
"Not recently, have you done as I've asked," Jessie asks with a no business tone.
"Of course, have you done what you set out to do?"
"Not quite, it has proved to be more difficult than I previously imagined. I would have much preferred it if I had never gone to Greenhouse and spent time with my brother," Jessie says, sinking into the couch that she collapsed on when Phil called.
"You never would have known he was in danger of dealing with Moon Rock if you had not returned," Phil counters.
"Ah yes, the Moon Rock, I feel as though I brought all this danger with me when I came back. They shouldn't be messing with the Moon Rock," Jessie snaps, her hair beginning to drape over the side of the couch.
"Yet you can? You know your brother is fully capable of taking care of himself," Phil comments over the phone.
"Please, we both know he isn't. At least, not to the extent he needs to be since he's messing with all the Moon Rock," Jessie snaps, jumping up from the couch to pace around the small hotel room.
Phil sighs into the phone. "It was too much earlier that you called me saying you had a problem with the Moon Rock. I didn't think you were capable then, yet here you are."
"I wasn't capable then."
"You became capable."
"I became weak."
"You lost your strength, yet you found it when it mattered."
Jessie slams her fist against the wall making a thud shudder through the hotel. On the other end of the line, Phil jumps slightly in his desk chair. "I was a coward, I ran away from my problems and brought them to my brother."
"Your brother is a kind soul, but he was the reason problems came to seek you out," Phil refutes.
"That doesn't matter," Jessie growls into the phone, "He's my brother. I will protect him."
"Until you run out of breaths?" Phil challenges.
"Until there's no more danger to threaten him."
"You're only a year older than him," Phil retorts, "You are as much of a kid as Max. There's no reason for you to be running around acting like some secret agent."
"If you were so against the idea, you never should have covered for me before the airport."
A loud bang sends a shake through the paper thin walls, but Jessie doesn't flinch at the sound. "I see you are safe," Phil drawls out lazily.
"Safe enough." Jessie's eyes roll into the back of her head. Phil scoffs through the phone.
"Don't let anyone kill you while you're gone, okay," Phil asks.
"No promises," Jessie responded just as a knock on her door sounded.