Jhondie
"You're saying your good-byes in the garage," Zack growled as the three of us walked down the hall.
I snorted. "The problem with kicking someone out of the loop," I retorted, "is that you have no idea what they've been up to either." He gave me a withering look and even after everything, I almost changed my mind. "I'm good, but I can't do a sectional from the back of a motorcycle. Justin can drive to where we have to go and then we're on our own from there."
Zack wasn't happy. My gaze hardened. "You're the one that walked on me," I reminded him. "So don't complain now that you don't have a clue what I'm talking about. For once, trust me. This is a subject I've thought long and hard about. I know what I'm doing and my way out of LA is going to be a hell of a lot better than any plan you can come up with."
I spun on my heel and continued down to the garage where Justin's car was. He always had a flight bag in the trunk and it had the sectional charts and flight computers and the like that I would need. There was also the fact that the numbers on the plane tended to change occasionally depending on the anonymity needed and the needed information to pull all of that off was also in the bag. We had both learned a lot over the summer from trying to figure out the radio lingo to figuring how to quite literally keep the FAA off of our tail.
I started to work the second we got into the car. It usually took a good hour to plot out a long trip like this and that was when you were spread over a desk with everything you needed right there. There were a lot of calculations to make so that you would end up where you wanted to go. I think Zack started to pick up a clue when he saw me pull out a sectional chart, sort of a map for the air, and start plotting out the lines. He didn't comment though. Not that he would. I didn't realize it then, but even though he didn't know how I was using the sectional, he knew what it was. And it started to make him get some ideas. Odd how everything would have been so different in our lives had I simply decided to climb on his motorcycle behind him and tear off towards the horizon.
I was mostly done by the time that we got to the airport. I was lucky that I could do most of the calculations in my head. It annoyed the heck out of Justin. We got out of the car and opened up the hanger doors. For a second, I almost thought I saw Zack smile when he saw the beauty that was sitting inside.
The plane had been designed for speed and maneuverability. It only sat four people and had enough luggage room for about one good-sized suitcase for each of them, but it was still a twin engine. She could hit 200 knots without breathing hard and still have plenty left to give. It had been hard to go from the single engine, fixed gear that we started with to this plane. There were a couple of times that my instructor almost started praying or something as I practiced the maneuvers but I got the hang of it. And now, as much as I wasn't really thrilled about the flying when we started, I had to admit that I now loved it.
With efficiency born of great practice, we attached the tow bar, pushing the plane out of the hanger and starting the preflight. I had no doubt that Zack was not happy about the delay, but you never skip a step on a preflight. There's a reason that those steps are in place and the one thing about flying is that it quickly weeds out those who are too stupid to understand the concept of following directions.
Still, Justin and I were used to teaming on the pre-flights and we had it done in a matter of a few minutes. Now all I had to do was jump in, do the internal checks, do the run up and then I would be in the air. Oh God. In ten minutes I was going to be in the air. And as much as I had been convincing myself this whole time that it was going to be over in a matter of a few days, all of a sudden, I didn't know. This could take more than days. What if it was weeks? What if Zack got me in a new city and it was months before I heard anything again?
Justin came around the side of the plane as I finished the final checkmark, making sure the baggage compartment was locked. We both paused for a second, for the first time silence being awkward between us. Oh my God. I was supposed to leave him? Our eyes met. "I can't do this," I whispered, trying to fight the tears that threatened.
Justin's arms were around me in a second. "You're going to anyways," he murmured. "You're so strong. I know you can do this. And if it takes a day or a month or a year or ten years, I'll be waiting for you. You know that right? I will never let you go. You are mine. No matter where you go or what happens, we belong to each other and nothing changes that." His fingers lightly touched the small bulge under my shirt where my engagement ring hung on its chain.
I didn't care that Zack had come around the front and was watching us. Screw Zack. He really needed to find someone and fall in love with her so that he would understand for once in his life. "I love you," I said firmly, leaning up for a long kiss.
"Be careful," Justin said when we finally separated. "I love you so much. You keep yourself safe and get back to me."
I nodded, knowing that if I said another word, I was going to burst into tears. I took a deep breath and glanced over at Zack. "I'm ready," I said gruffly. "Get in and we'll get moving."
Zack was looking...thoughtful. "You're going alone," he said firmly. My jaw hit the ground.
"When did it become safe for you to stay but not me?" I demanded.
Zack walked up to me deliberately, his eyes boring into mine coldly. "I'm dead. I died in a helicopter accident a few months ago, remember? You will leave. Now."
Justin glanced at me and then Zack and back again. "You two work this out," he muttered and left Zack and I alone. I think he thought I was going to try and strangle Zack and he didn't want to get in my way.
I crossed my arms, trying to be defiant. I knew I should go. But Zack wanted to stay. That didn't sit right with me at all. Instead of giving me an explanation, he handed me a piece of paper. It had a single number on it. "The new contact number," he explained. "You haven't been moved around a lot, so I'll keep it simple. If we don't need to travel together, then it's better that we don't."
"But the Reds..." I protested.
"Don't know that I am alive," he finished. "Being dead is liberating. You don't have that luxury. I want you out of here now, and when you get settled, contact me and I'll make sure you're good for now."
My lips tightened. I wasn't leaving forever. As soon as I could come back, I was. And thing something else hit me. "Okay," I said. "I'm going to leave. I'm going to trust you totally blind on this one. But let me tell you this, if this is some ploy to get me away from Justin, then it's not going to work. And while I'm gone, if something happens to him, some unfortunate little accident, then I'll make Manticore look like a sweet dream all over you."
He gave me that cold arrogant look that always made me want to smack him. "You need to go." He turned on his heel.
"Zack!" He stopped and glanced over at his shoulder.
I had a really angry retort all lined up, expecting to yell it at his back. But the jerk stopped. I couldn't yell at him angrily then. "Be careful, yourself," I said simply. "Trust me, this city's pretty mean to outsiders."
The corner of his mouth lifted in what might have been a half-smile. "I promise not to hurt him too bad," he said and all I could do was gape. Zack actually teased me. I felt faint. And then he turned again and was gone.
I got in the plane and ran through the start up. Justin and Zack were standing by the car watching me as I began to taxi out onto the runway. Justin blew me a kiss and I waved back and then they were to my rear. As I took off, I turned left so that I could get one last glimpse of the two of them and then I set an easterly course and was heading off into the clear blue sky.
Justin
"Slick," I said casually as Zack and I watched Jhondie taxi out onto the runway and take off. "But you know if she wasn't so upset she would have seen right through that 'I travel separately' crap."
Zack looked at me sharply. I smirked. "If I was going to tell her, then I would have done it before she left. But we both know that if she knew you were going to poke around LA to find out more about the Red Disposables, then there is no way in hell she would have left. And since you're dead and I'm just a regular guy, then that's not going to attract attention."
Zack glared. "I'm leaving as soon as I get my bike," he said sharply.
I snorted. "Yeah right. There's no way you haven't been wracking your brain trying to figure out how this group manages to track down not one, but two X-5's in this short of time. Manticore has been searching for ten years and the only reason they got one of you was by default."
"It's not hard to figure out," Zack replied stonily. "The Reds found the two most careless X-5's."
"If you haven't noticed, this city is huge," I said quietly. "Unless you already have a network of contacts, then there's no way you're going to find those guys and then find out what they know and how they know it. You're going to need help on this."
"I am or you will?"
"Does it matter?"
Zack shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me. But they'll kill an outsider in a minute."
His concern for my well-being was *so* touching. If I dropped dead, he wouldn't mind at all. It was just what Jhondie would do to him that was of concern. Then it hit me. "What if I wasn't an outsider?"
Zack looked at me, curious despite himself. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded. "A temporary tattoo on the back of my neck would make them think I was one of you. And that's on the very off chance that I was even spotted. Hell, it might make them a little more cautious approaching me and give me time to scram."
Zack thought about it. "If they see you, then they'll know for sure that you can lead them to another X-5. They'll never back off because they're worse than Manticore. They're desperate."
I shrugged. "Then I'll go blonde or something like that for the duration if need be. Something to look different at any rate. I told you a long time ago that I would do anything to help you guys out."
He nodded and then got back into the car. Something seemed kind of odd and it wasn't until much later that it hit me what it was. Zack knew all about my work for Eyes Only. But for as cautious as Zack was and careful about who knows what, there wasn't a single warning about mentioning the Reds to the boss. Not a hint of a threat. That should have clued me in then, but the mind was still focused on Jhondie and what contact I should go to first.
Funny how every now and then, life really throws some curve balls.
"You're saying your good-byes in the garage," Zack growled as the three of us walked down the hall.
I snorted. "The problem with kicking someone out of the loop," I retorted, "is that you have no idea what they've been up to either." He gave me a withering look and even after everything, I almost changed my mind. "I'm good, but I can't do a sectional from the back of a motorcycle. Justin can drive to where we have to go and then we're on our own from there."
Zack wasn't happy. My gaze hardened. "You're the one that walked on me," I reminded him. "So don't complain now that you don't have a clue what I'm talking about. For once, trust me. This is a subject I've thought long and hard about. I know what I'm doing and my way out of LA is going to be a hell of a lot better than any plan you can come up with."
I spun on my heel and continued down to the garage where Justin's car was. He always had a flight bag in the trunk and it had the sectional charts and flight computers and the like that I would need. There was also the fact that the numbers on the plane tended to change occasionally depending on the anonymity needed and the needed information to pull all of that off was also in the bag. We had both learned a lot over the summer from trying to figure out the radio lingo to figuring how to quite literally keep the FAA off of our tail.
I started to work the second we got into the car. It usually took a good hour to plot out a long trip like this and that was when you were spread over a desk with everything you needed right there. There were a lot of calculations to make so that you would end up where you wanted to go. I think Zack started to pick up a clue when he saw me pull out a sectional chart, sort of a map for the air, and start plotting out the lines. He didn't comment though. Not that he would. I didn't realize it then, but even though he didn't know how I was using the sectional, he knew what it was. And it started to make him get some ideas. Odd how everything would have been so different in our lives had I simply decided to climb on his motorcycle behind him and tear off towards the horizon.
I was mostly done by the time that we got to the airport. I was lucky that I could do most of the calculations in my head. It annoyed the heck out of Justin. We got out of the car and opened up the hanger doors. For a second, I almost thought I saw Zack smile when he saw the beauty that was sitting inside.
The plane had been designed for speed and maneuverability. It only sat four people and had enough luggage room for about one good-sized suitcase for each of them, but it was still a twin engine. She could hit 200 knots without breathing hard and still have plenty left to give. It had been hard to go from the single engine, fixed gear that we started with to this plane. There were a couple of times that my instructor almost started praying or something as I practiced the maneuvers but I got the hang of it. And now, as much as I wasn't really thrilled about the flying when we started, I had to admit that I now loved it.
With efficiency born of great practice, we attached the tow bar, pushing the plane out of the hanger and starting the preflight. I had no doubt that Zack was not happy about the delay, but you never skip a step on a preflight. There's a reason that those steps are in place and the one thing about flying is that it quickly weeds out those who are too stupid to understand the concept of following directions.
Still, Justin and I were used to teaming on the pre-flights and we had it done in a matter of a few minutes. Now all I had to do was jump in, do the internal checks, do the run up and then I would be in the air. Oh God. In ten minutes I was going to be in the air. And as much as I had been convincing myself this whole time that it was going to be over in a matter of a few days, all of a sudden, I didn't know. This could take more than days. What if it was weeks? What if Zack got me in a new city and it was months before I heard anything again?
Justin came around the side of the plane as I finished the final checkmark, making sure the baggage compartment was locked. We both paused for a second, for the first time silence being awkward between us. Oh my God. I was supposed to leave him? Our eyes met. "I can't do this," I whispered, trying to fight the tears that threatened.
Justin's arms were around me in a second. "You're going to anyways," he murmured. "You're so strong. I know you can do this. And if it takes a day or a month or a year or ten years, I'll be waiting for you. You know that right? I will never let you go. You are mine. No matter where you go or what happens, we belong to each other and nothing changes that." His fingers lightly touched the small bulge under my shirt where my engagement ring hung on its chain.
I didn't care that Zack had come around the front and was watching us. Screw Zack. He really needed to find someone and fall in love with her so that he would understand for once in his life. "I love you," I said firmly, leaning up for a long kiss.
"Be careful," Justin said when we finally separated. "I love you so much. You keep yourself safe and get back to me."
I nodded, knowing that if I said another word, I was going to burst into tears. I took a deep breath and glanced over at Zack. "I'm ready," I said gruffly. "Get in and we'll get moving."
Zack was looking...thoughtful. "You're going alone," he said firmly. My jaw hit the ground.
"When did it become safe for you to stay but not me?" I demanded.
Zack walked up to me deliberately, his eyes boring into mine coldly. "I'm dead. I died in a helicopter accident a few months ago, remember? You will leave. Now."
Justin glanced at me and then Zack and back again. "You two work this out," he muttered and left Zack and I alone. I think he thought I was going to try and strangle Zack and he didn't want to get in my way.
I crossed my arms, trying to be defiant. I knew I should go. But Zack wanted to stay. That didn't sit right with me at all. Instead of giving me an explanation, he handed me a piece of paper. It had a single number on it. "The new contact number," he explained. "You haven't been moved around a lot, so I'll keep it simple. If we don't need to travel together, then it's better that we don't."
"But the Reds..." I protested.
"Don't know that I am alive," he finished. "Being dead is liberating. You don't have that luxury. I want you out of here now, and when you get settled, contact me and I'll make sure you're good for now."
My lips tightened. I wasn't leaving forever. As soon as I could come back, I was. And thing something else hit me. "Okay," I said. "I'm going to leave. I'm going to trust you totally blind on this one. But let me tell you this, if this is some ploy to get me away from Justin, then it's not going to work. And while I'm gone, if something happens to him, some unfortunate little accident, then I'll make Manticore look like a sweet dream all over you."
He gave me that cold arrogant look that always made me want to smack him. "You need to go." He turned on his heel.
"Zack!" He stopped and glanced over at his shoulder.
I had a really angry retort all lined up, expecting to yell it at his back. But the jerk stopped. I couldn't yell at him angrily then. "Be careful, yourself," I said simply. "Trust me, this city's pretty mean to outsiders."
The corner of his mouth lifted in what might have been a half-smile. "I promise not to hurt him too bad," he said and all I could do was gape. Zack actually teased me. I felt faint. And then he turned again and was gone.
I got in the plane and ran through the start up. Justin and Zack were standing by the car watching me as I began to taxi out onto the runway. Justin blew me a kiss and I waved back and then they were to my rear. As I took off, I turned left so that I could get one last glimpse of the two of them and then I set an easterly course and was heading off into the clear blue sky.
Justin
"Slick," I said casually as Zack and I watched Jhondie taxi out onto the runway and take off. "But you know if she wasn't so upset she would have seen right through that 'I travel separately' crap."
Zack looked at me sharply. I smirked. "If I was going to tell her, then I would have done it before she left. But we both know that if she knew you were going to poke around LA to find out more about the Red Disposables, then there is no way in hell she would have left. And since you're dead and I'm just a regular guy, then that's not going to attract attention."
Zack glared. "I'm leaving as soon as I get my bike," he said sharply.
I snorted. "Yeah right. There's no way you haven't been wracking your brain trying to figure out how this group manages to track down not one, but two X-5's in this short of time. Manticore has been searching for ten years and the only reason they got one of you was by default."
"It's not hard to figure out," Zack replied stonily. "The Reds found the two most careless X-5's."
"If you haven't noticed, this city is huge," I said quietly. "Unless you already have a network of contacts, then there's no way you're going to find those guys and then find out what they know and how they know it. You're going to need help on this."
"I am or you will?"
"Does it matter?"
Zack shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me. But they'll kill an outsider in a minute."
His concern for my well-being was *so* touching. If I dropped dead, he wouldn't mind at all. It was just what Jhondie would do to him that was of concern. Then it hit me. "What if I wasn't an outsider?"
Zack looked at me, curious despite himself. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded. "A temporary tattoo on the back of my neck would make them think I was one of you. And that's on the very off chance that I was even spotted. Hell, it might make them a little more cautious approaching me and give me time to scram."
Zack thought about it. "If they see you, then they'll know for sure that you can lead them to another X-5. They'll never back off because they're worse than Manticore. They're desperate."
I shrugged. "Then I'll go blonde or something like that for the duration if need be. Something to look different at any rate. I told you a long time ago that I would do anything to help you guys out."
He nodded and then got back into the car. Something seemed kind of odd and it wasn't until much later that it hit me what it was. Zack knew all about my work for Eyes Only. But for as cautious as Zack was and careful about who knows what, there wasn't a single warning about mentioning the Reds to the boss. Not a hint of a threat. That should have clued me in then, but the mind was still focused on Jhondie and what contact I should go to first.
Funny how every now and then, life really throws some curve balls.