Chapter 840
The private airfield was gray and windy.
Parker and Victoria stood by the sleek Gulfstream jet.
“I’m sorry I yelled,” Parker said, hugging me. “I’m just…”
“I know,” I said. “Be safe.”
I gestured to two massive men behind me. “This is Marcus and Leo. They are Oracle’s best. They don’t leave your side. Ever.”
“Thanks, Skye,” Victoria sniffled.
They boarded the plane.
I watched the stairs retract. The engines whined to life. Lucian stood beside me.
𝗔𝘤𝘁i𝘃e co𝗆mu𝘯і𝘁y 𝗼n 𝗴a𝗅n𝗼v𝗲𝘭ѕ.𝘤𝗈m
“I don’t like this.”
“Me neither,” I said.
My phone buzzed.
It was Alistair.
“Skye! Stop them!” Alistair’s voice was urgent.
“What? Why?”
“I found him. Hayes Sr. isn’t in Switzerland. He’s in Nevada.”
My blood froze. “Nevada? The ghost site?”
“Yes. The signal Lucian traced? It’s coming from the same complex where Hayes is being held. It’s a setup, Skye. They aren’t flying to safety; they’re flying straight into the enemy’s base.”
“The flight plan…” I stammered. “Parker filed for Zurich.”
“The pilot is compromised,” Alistair shouted. “Stop that plane!”
“Lucian! Stop the plane!” I screamed.
Lucian sprinted toward the tarmac, waving his arms. I ran after him, my heels clicking on the asphalt.
But the jet was already moving. It turned onto the runway, picking up speed.
“No!” I shouted, watching it accelerate.
It lifted off, banking sharply into the clouds.
“Too late,” Lucian said, panting.
I stared at the sky, rage burning tears in my eyes. “We lost them.”
On the Gulfstream:
Parker poured a glass of scotch. His hands were shaking. He pulled out his tablet to check the flight path one last time. The screen blinked green: DESTINATION ZURICH.
He let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
Then the screen flickered.
The word ZURICH dissolved into static.
A new destination appeared: NEVADA.
“What the…” Parker tapped the screen frantically.
The flight attendant, a woman with a severe bun and cold eyes, walked over.
“Champagne, sir?” she asked.
“No thanks,” Parker said, standing up. “There’s a glitch in the nav system. I need to speak to the pilot.”
“There is no glitch,” she said smoothly.
“The Phoenix sends his regards,” she added.
Parker dropped his glass. “What?”
He looked at Marcus and Leo, the bodyguards. They were slumped in their seats, heads lolling. Foam at the corners of their mouths.
“They had the coffee,” the attendant smiled.
“Victoria!” Parker shouted, jumping up.
The cockpit door opened. The pilot stepped out.
He was wearing a mask. A blue mask.
“Sit down, Mr. Hayes,” the pilot said, holding a taser. “We’re changing course.”
“Where are we going?” Victoria screamed.
“Nowhere you can be found,” the attendant said. “Welcome to the game.”