Author's Note: I've made some changes on this one, including additions to the chapter.

Chapter 2: New Management

June 28, 2011

The house was actually part of the property. This only made things easier. David and Kei were a sort of traveling pair. They'd have to move from place to place to avoid any publicity. Here on Mallora Island, there really was no need. Most people simply mind their own business. So no one really objected to their presence. The house was several years old, with some older furniture left behind; It was medium sized house. For seventeen days straight, the pair did almost nothing but improve their inherited home. They did in seventeen days what it may take a month for regular couples to do. Perhaps it was drive; however, David would simply say, "What else do we have to do, really?"

As that thought passed over them as the job lay completed, the two simply sat on the floor with arms around each other relishing an amazing accomplishment.

"After all that, I'm too tired to even sleep." said a tired Kei.

"That's pretty bad. But, man...this place looks nice. Well, we may have to do something about the siding and we're going to need some better furniture but otherwise, we're done...somewhat." said David.

"Ugh, I'm a mess. I've got paint all over me, my hair's a wreck and the dye's going away." Kei complained.

David simply laughed. "Who'd have thought it? A few months ago we were discussing what ordinance to put on a fighter jet. Now we've redecorated a house in seventeen days and had a fight over what paint we were going to use!"

"I know, I'm still sorry about that. I don't know what I was thinking with the pink paint." said Kei in a very self loathing tone and shaking her head.

"In retrospect, my sister's room back home is painted pink so..."

"You mean...oh...We might have a use for it." Kei said.

Kei held back a chuckle. David wondered about it, but was interrupted by the sudden the sounds of planes over head. It sounded like two of them. But they were definitely not jets.

"You hear that?"

"Yeah. Probably transport planes or something."

"Ya know, there's a company out here that flies transport planes for the industries in town. I'm going to go check them out sometime."

Meanwhile...

Van and Claude were in their respective planes flying over the island in an ordered pair. They were flying like wingmen in war times long ago. They flipped and turned almost on a dime. They flew down towards the town at about a thousand feet. Below them, was a small school they often frequented at this time whenever they were free; a school that their children attended. They'd shout and yell and cheer like children do when they saw the two old friends perform their stunts for their pleasure.

"This is why I love flying!" exclaimed Claude finishing his roll over the excited children.

"You can say that again." said Van in a normal tone.

Suddenly, as both prepared to turn back into the island, a third plane joined them, a Fiat G-55. He flew right above them, rolled and sliced between the duo. Afterwards, he sliced upward and hovered in the middle of the pair.

"Where have you been man? We've been waiting forever!"

"Sorry. I had some technical difficulties. So did you hear?" the man said.

"Hear what?" asked Van.

"Someone else is taking the scrapyard. This young couple that flew here a couple of days ago."

"So they were the ones in the Cessna? I see. Well, I think we should pay them a visit shouldn't we? Give them a little island hospitality. What do you say, Needle?" asked Claude.

"Good idea. Besides, our house is being fumigated." said the man.

Van simply laughed in his usual hearty tone.

Even though none of them were in combat and hadn't been in combat for some time, they still shared the common bond of fighter pilots. They sometimes referred to each other's nicknames, that they would use as call signs. Claude was Red Rose and Van was Silver.

Quara Quaramine, the youngest of the trio at 30, was the man flying the Fiat G-55; he was the man known as Needle. He was always in a strange situation. He'd spent most of his time in northern Osea. He was Anean-born, and lived in Northern Yuktobania as a child. He eventually entered flight training at the vaulted Doten flight academy. He preformed so well he was sent to Osea as part of a rare exhange program. But Quara chose to remain in Osea, and flew F-15s for the 273rd TFS. Five years later, he returned to Yuktobania with the family he gained while in Osea. He was reassigned to the 107th FS on the small island of Bouganville, a former Anean colony. The 107th was one of the few squadrons was trained to fly foreign aircraft. He flew ended up flying with the infamous Umbrus Kadenas (Ghost Riders, loosely translated)that decimated the OFS Kestrel's naval squadrons in the month long battle of attrition in the Fuscum Sea. He flew with Flight A, the most battle-hardened, that the Osean pilots called "The Rat Pack". He shot down some 20 enemy planes. He also participated in the most famous aerial intercept in history, the 1,440 mile long shoot down of the much hated Osean General Collins; his Marine artillery platoon He returned to Osea at the end of the war. He eventually moved to the island, by the advice of a fellow pilot and got him a job as a mechanic, his first job.

Quaramine was once a man of divided loyalties.He felt like a double agent, and spent the war in a state of depression. Everytime he went out, he felt like a corrupt devil.But now everything was in it's right place. He felt whole again.

All three men now turned toward the scrap yard, to greet their new neighbors.

Meanwhile...

David and Kei had just finished cleaning up the floor, where all the stuff they used lay scattered across the floor. Boxes were everywhere. On one wall, the initial and famous picture of them lay. Across the other was the group photo at the wedding. Across from that was a not-so-famous picture, one that a man took while David landed after destroying the vaulted SOLG platform while Grimm was in the process of leaping, and Kei and Snow were walking gingerly toward the landing. After cleaning themselves, they walked along a rocky, dusty trail to the airfield/scrap yard.

"So I suppose we'd better finish checking out the grounds." said Kei.

"What about the others? We have to show them the place too. Hell, they may move here too. Why the hell not? Nice weather, nice surf, an infinite amount of planes to screw around with, walking along with the best, most beautiful woman in the world." said David in a jubilant tone of voice.

Kei simply blushed. She loved the constant shower of praise. She never viewed herself as beautiful; but for the first time in her life though, someone else thought she was beautiful.

For a long time, neither spoke. Both were content to just look at everything, with all communication being non-verbal. Each one could feel what the other was saying without talking.

But then the sounds of planes broke the silence. Then three planes could be seen flying overhead.

"Who's that?" said Kei.

"I don't know. But those are nice looking classics." said David.

The lead plane dived low and passed over them at about 500 ft. The others followed suit. They both ducked, David covering Kei from the flying dust. Ever the gentlemen, she thought.

The three planes returned to their respective formations.

"Holy shit! Was that...no way...It couldn't be...Claude, did you see them? They looked like..." said a suprised Van.

"I saw them too. There's no way..It must be...it's Lovecraft! He looked just as his father did 15 years ago." said Claude.

"Well, there's only one way to be sure." said Van.

Meanwhile...

As the couple continued their stroll, it was suddenly interrupted once again as the the trio of planes turned back in. The three planes that landed at the airfield. Ones that had flew right over David and Kei. They landed in a group of three, an almost impossibly difficult thing to do on a landing. Whoever these men were, there were good pilots. They had to be locals. No one just lands classic aircraft at a random airfield for nothing. Suddenly, the canopies opened and three men in their early to mid thirties stepped out at once.

"Umm, can I help you?" said a cautious David.

The tallest man walked ahead of the group and about three feet from David.

"You gotta be kidding me.! Mike's boy in the flesh. I knew you guys were still around."

"What the...I'm not..."

"You don't have to bullshit me. Hell, I'd been following you for your entire 25 years. I knew your pops back during the war 15...16 years ago."

"Really?"

David and Kei exchanged bewildered looks.

"You don't remember me, but I'm actually your godfather, Claude."

"Really? He never told me about..."

"Of course he wouldn't. You spend 4 weeks in a Belkan POW camp and ask me how willing you are to share that "happy" memory. Hell, ask my friend Quara here."

"Hey." he simply said.

David's father never talked about the war back then. His mother didn't either. He never understood why until after he'd lived through a war. Even though they never spoke of it, they both suffered as a result of a war. His mother had a glass eye and his father he now knew endured inhuman treatment. But everything was over and there was really no time to waste hating the Belkans.

"So, with all that behind us...I suppose you're gonna need some directions or something."

"Nah, we'll be fine for now. We got some friends coming in to see the place in two days."

"Besides, we're just looking over the place."

"What to find old planes and fix em up? Join the club. There's plenty of planes here. They've got stuff from World War 1 here. Though, you're probably gonna need an experienced mechanic."

"Well, we got somebody in mind..." Kei said while she and David chuckled a bit.

"Well, let me introduce my friends proper. This is Van Orel, renaissance man, and Quara Quaramine, the only guy in the world who's first name is a part of his last name. He's the young guy of the group, but they call us "grizzled old veterans". Please. I'm not grizzled or old...in fact I feel better than ever. We work for a air delivery service called Exeter Inc. I think you may has have seen it, it's on the other side of the island. You know, we're looking for some people. Why don't you drop by?" said Claude in a somewhat cheerful tone.

"Sure. I'd love to."

"Great. Well, I'll see you guys around and you are welcome at my house anytime. We'd love to have you over. Might give us a chance to reminisce."

"Speaking of that, we're gonna have a housewarming party the day after tommorow, do you-"

"Of course! We'd love to go."

There was a bit of silence.

"Oookay. We'll we're see ya there, I guess." said David.

As the three men turned to leave for their planes, David turned to Kei. "I just have family popping up everywhere."

"Yeah...lucky you." said Kei in a aberrant sarcastic tone. There was a tense silence.

"Look, I know-"

"No, I'm..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you, it's just...Never mind." said Kei in a soft voice.

"What is it? Is it your..." David had started to say, but Kei silently turned and walked off. There was no need for an explanation this time as well; but this was no tender romantic moment...