Chapter 9

     Flying

      

       "Thanks for the ride," I said as I hopped up into Dante's giant truck.  I almost had to jump just to get in the passenger seat.  He nodded his head, not verbalizing anything, but the look on his face told me he held something back.  He was carrying my bags, my entire life's possession thrown around his shoulder, mocking me with the sound it made as it hit his truck bed.

       "It's at the old Tire store on West Elm, just down by the river.  I hid the bike behind some used tires in the back lot."  Dante gave me another rough nod and then continued down the street.  I didn't press him for what was on his mind, I wasn't narcissistic enough to assume it was me even if I did suspect it.  We drove in silence, he didn't even once reach for the radio. 

       "Turn here," I motioned when we were close enough for me to see the slight sparkle of the handlebars.

       "I don't see it," he said, and he was right I placed a pretty powerful charm on it so that no one would notice it.  I blinked once and removed the spell for him, he nodded when he finally was able to discern where I was pointing.  I released a long breath, feeling much better once I could see she was safe and sound.  He pulled the truck parallel to the bike, and I jumped out to inspect the one thing I owned in this world, truly the only thing I had ever owned.  I ran my hands over her, inspecting and prodding here and there, thankfully finding she seemed to be in fine order.

        I heard Dante behind me, and I stood up from my crouch to address him.  "Can I ask you a favor?" I asked.  I couldn't read his face, and from the chilly silence from the ride I really wasn't sure where I stood with him anymore.  He inclined his head, and I continued.  "I need to find an apartment, something close to campus.  While I'm gone can you give me a few names, maybe people that would be inclined to ignore who I am?  I can pay upfront when I get back, if you can just leave them with West I can get them from him at school."  The thought of returning to West gave me a bit more of jolt than I was anticipating, there was something comforting almost about him.  It was the promise of something, the idea of indulging myself in him almost sent a spark of electricity through me.

       "I can do that," he said carefully. 

       "I appreciate it Dante, and if I can impose on you once more," I asked, entering the more serious topic of conversation.

       "I don't think it's likely but if my father comes, or get a whiff of trouble let me know.  If they threaten you give them these coordinates," I told him handing him a small slip of paper.  "These are for the island, do not hesitate to give me up, or if you can get it to Logan and he can fly to a message to me.  Preferable some warning before I face Remy would be good, if you can manage."  I could feel a little deranged smile bubble up at the thought.

       "You want me to give you up?" he asked looking at me like I was mad.

       "Of course, it's really a long shot though.  I don't think my father would ever trace me back to a governance facility but if it gets to him I know you, he might use you to get to me.  If that happens give him the coordinates, I'll handle Remy."  He was shaking his head at me, like he was throwing water out of his ear.

       "I've known you for a day, West has known you about twelve hours longer.  Raquel wants to boil you alive, and the school just suspended you but you want me to send all the trouble your way?  You would spare us?" 

       "Of course, It's all my trouble Dante not your own, you have no dog in this fight.  The school is wrong but I can't tell them that, they will have to decide that on their own.  Plus I may have taken it far with them, sometimes I put too much stock in the theatrics of it all.  Raquel is threatened, and until she issues me a direct challenge I have to protect her as well, and West, Mave, yourself and Logan are good people.  I've been around enough evil to be able to recognize what little decency is left in the world.  Cherish it while you can Dante, and if it comes to it, send them to the island.  I've been itching for a true fight," I informed him.  I could feel it too, my magic was itching in my bones, the parts I didn't normally let out.  The parts that I kept down were thrashing against their chains for release.  He kept my stare, and then nodded in agreement looking resigned.

       "Is it a good idea to be going by yourself?" Dante asked when I started stowing my things in the back compartment. 

       "I'll be fine, Miguel has a pretty strong sense of paranoia so it's heavily warded."  I grabbed my helmet and put it on, fixing my hair underneath it and adjusting my backpack. 

       "Well I'll see you in a bit?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

       "That's the plan," I told him smiling and throwing down my shield as I started the bike up.  She roared to life under me, and it was the same exciting sensation I had the first time my bony little body climbed up on her so very long ago.  I gave Dante a mock salute and then let the wind carry me away.

       ***

    

       I was waiting for the charter plane, another of the conditions that came along with the island, in a small dingy airport off the tip of Florida.  It took me a four days to ride down the coast, a trip to which I took slow and enjoyed, but I eventually made it to the small airstrip with a bag full of swimsuits.  I smiled at the thought of what West would say about my new purchases, I intended on spending the next two weeks in nothing but them. 

       I took a deep breath in, and was assaulted once again by the pungent smells of the airplane hangar.  It was also owned my Miguel, and it heralded the promise that it would take me to his island, which I now considered my own.  The operator of said premises only spoke Spanish and shared an immense disdain for women, especially human women.  This afforded me no pleasantries when I informed him to call his patron to confirm he needed to take me to Camilla, the island in question in which he names after his most favorite maid.  He thought I spoke none of his native language, and I almost bit off one of my nails in a fervent attempt not to rip his balls out when he called me a few particularly nasty names.

         I heard voices behind me, the small and not air-conditioned office I was sitting in made it almost impossible to discern the voices, but it oddly almost sounded like yelling.  I shrugged it off and kept my current position, sitting with my sandal clad feet up on the secretary's desk.  I had an iced coffee in my hand, attempting to suffer through the heat in my now thirty minute wait for the pilot to show up.  I heard another word in  voice of which I instantly recognized, and shot upright from my chair, immediately throwing open the door to the office and taking in the sight of all of them together.  West was in a heated exchange with Alec, the operator, with Mave and Logan lagging behind oblivious to the numerous Spanish swear words that were being thrown around.  I stifled a laugh and hid my length against the side of the office, wanting to watch what was playing out.

       "This is the only one she could be at, the only one that is equipped with the flight plans for the island.  You want to tell me again you haven't seen or transported a young lady by that description?  I just want information, my friends and I only want to know where she is, we mean neither you nor her any harm.  Are you going to continue to lie to us?" West asked, a small tick in his jaw was the only indication he was getting angry.  How long had they been looking for me?  The operator had made a sound, promising a sound yelling but I interrupted him to save time.

       "Oh I can assure you Alec, they can't hurt me," I said stepping into the light of the hanger and smiling despite myself at the sight of them.  All three of their heads snapped in my direction, and I made my way over to them.  I would have thought the heat had finally gotten to me, seeing them there was like a mirage.  I reached a spot right in front of him, I reached out and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind West's ear, lingering for a moment longer than was probably acceptable but unable to stop myself.  I head two voices cough roughly behind me, and found Mave and Logan grinning foolishly behind us.

       "I needed to make sure you were real," I said not taking my eyes off West.  The very tips of his ears turned pink, a small flush had taken over his neck under my gaze.

       "We all thought maybe you needed some company."  Mave and Logan were grinning behind him, somehow I doubted they needed much convincing to come along.

       "And school?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips and raising an eyebrow.  My best impersonation of Marion.

       "We won't be missed, to be honest we three skip a lot anyways," Mave said, and I didn't doubt it for a minute so I let it go.

       "Won't you be missed by other people?" I asked, directly meaning Raquel but not wanting to invoke her name.  If she was stashed somewhere in a suitcase for the trip I wanted to be warned before she jumped me.

       "Raquel and I have come to an...understanding," West said, the flush in his neck blossoming towards his face.  I gave him a speculative look, not sure what exactly that meant.

       "They coming too?  You pay extra!  Miguel only authorized you, not them!" Alec snapped out to me, reminding me we still had an audience and forgetting my original train of thought.

       "Of course we're coming!" Mave said, throwing an arm around me and smiling at the disgruntled operator.  Alec looked to all of us and then stormed off, saying something about changing the flight manifesto, again.

      

       ***

      

       We were just taking off when I thought of something.  "Your brother is going to beat your a*s when he finds out you got the co-ordinates from him you know.  It was only for emergencies," I said, attempting a more serious attitude.  I was trying to make a better impression on him and it wouldn't do if they did this without his knowledge.

       "He gave them to me," West said, matching my surprised look with one of his own.  "My brother is notorious for liking no one, so just to let you know he gave me his approval just before we left.  What did you talk to him about when you picked up your bike by the way?  He came home in an awful mood, stomping around the house and making calls to people.  He spent about an hour on the phone with Professor White alone," he looked off after saying this, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.  Of everything, I would rather talk about my father than JP at the moment.  Mave and Logan were seated in the rows behind us, loudly snoring away like a couple of old men.

       "I didn't know he knew JP?" I asked, thinking for a moment that perhaps they were the same age.

       "They knew each other when they were younger, and Dante was in the governance agency in the same department that Professor White was part of," West said with a grimace.  Ah, now it made sense, it was a wonder how Dante ever gave me a chance at all.

       "I didn't know your brother worked in the enforcement division."  I tried to sound interested but I knew it came out a little bitter and angry.

       "Yeah, he was done with his assignment around the same time that Remy took you out in the woods those two days...when you...when he made you..." he was floundering and I just sat there staring at him, I was too busy putting the pieces together to help him out.  I threw out a hand to cover his own, I didn't want him to feel bad but my mind needed to do some catching up.

       "I got it," I told him reassuringly.  He nodded, looking thankful for the reprieve.  I felt my sandals starting to bite into my feet, and I reached down to take them off, resting my feet out in front of me, next to the chair that West was sitting in.  He leaned back in his own chair, resting his head against the headrest and looking like a weary traveler.

       'Rest,' I told him in his head.  'I'll wake you in plenty of time for landing.'  I kept staring at him, even long past when I knew he was asleep, putting away in my memory the lines of his face, and the slopes of his high cheekbones.  I shut my eyes and just as I was about to drift off, I remembered why it wasn't a good idea.  I got up and reached over, sweeping his hair out of his eyes, and leaving to find the mini bar.  Why the hell couldn't I get my gods damn hands off of him?

       "Not tired?" Mave said as I passed where he and Logan were sprawled.  His partner in crime was just waking up, stretching like a cat.  I shook my head at him, smiling at their easy going natures.  What would it had been like growing up with friends like them?

       "I usually wake up screaming, not so well for the pilot, or my new guests," I said with a wink as I made my way towards the bar at the back of the plane.  It was fully stocked, which I had been counting on. Miguel liked his alcohol in both quantity and quality and I was intent on cashing in.  I was surprised to find both of them opposite me, standing at attention like customers at the high smooth top of the bar.

       "Having dirty dreams about me would hardly scare us away, I've been known to make a few ladies scream my name..." Mave said wickedly.  Logan laughed and simultaneously punched him in the stomach to get him to stop, glancing over his shoulder to where West was soundly sleeping.  I shook my head a poured a short stubby glass full of whiskey.  I downed the whole thing, and reached to refill when I noticed that the boys were silently staring. 

       "Oh yeah," I said forgetting their favorite trick.  I tapped my finger on the table top and two beers appeared in their hands.  They grinned wolfishly at me, and then waiting, as if expecting something.

       "What?" I asked them, feeling like I had a piece of food in my teeth.

       "I expected another grand toast, something a bit more upbeat this time to eh?" Logan said, holding up his drink in patient wait.  I took a deep breath and downed another drink, to give myself time to think.  I saw Mave give Logan a sidelong glance.  "Don't worry I can hold my own," I reassured them.  I tapped my fingers and three shot of tequila formed a triangle in front of us.  The guys drank their beers down and grabbed the shots, while I cleared my throat.

      

       "May you have warm winds on a cold evening,

       a full moon on a dark night,

       and the road downhill all the way to your door." 

      

       I threw back my shot, and looked to them.

       "Better," Mave told me with a look that said he was hoping for something dirty.  I tapped my finger and made for another round.  Logan and Mave looked to each other, another sidelong hive five slapped the air.

       "Fifty bucks says you won't make it off the plane," Mave said, slapping the bill on the bar top.

       "Double says you don't," I told him back, arching my brow in a clear challenge.

       "Oh easy money, it's almost a crime to take the bet but I will oblige the lady," he said shaking my hand.  I gave him a ferocious grin.

       "Never bet against a Moreau," I told him, throwing back another shot.