The Immortal's Redemption. Kelli Ireland

to slip on his headset. “L1-DEC, Captain Duffy.” He glanced back into the cabin, his gaze landing on Dylan’s. He pulled the headset off. “We need to get in the air, sir. Immediately.” Paul called out for his cocaptain, Angus, with a sharp shout as he began to fire up the plane. “The FAA seems to have noticed our abrupt change in flight plans.”

      “Meaning?” Dylan asked as he slid Kennedy into a seat.

      “Our fuel order was flagged because it came in after our flight plan was canceled.”

       Could nothing go easily tonight?

      Buckling his sedated companion in, Dylan pulled the steps up as the two men put the plan in motion. The flight attendant had stepped to an office across the hangar for some unknown reason and started running toward the plane. “Leave her,” Dylan ordered as he shut and locked the door.

      The plane started out of the hangar as the security patrol pulled in, lights flashing.

      Dylan peered out the front window. “Faster, mates. Those flashing lights don’t mean you’ve won a prize at bingo.”

      Accelerating, Paul and Angus didn’t flinch when the FAA officers moved their cars into the plane’s path in an effort to block it. Instead, the pilots powered forward, forcing a standoff. Security pulled out of the way, and the jet continued to gain momentum.

      “Have a seat, sir. We’re jumping the line.”

      The cabin pressurized, and Dylan’s ruptured eardrum screamed.

      “This is L1-DEC requesting an open runway immediately.” Paul listened and grinned. “We’ll be making our way straight ahead. Many thanks, Tower.”

      The jet accelerated, never slowing as it took a slight turn. The engines opened up. Dylan was thrown to the floor as they raced down the runway and took to the air. He pulled himself up to the window’s edge and looked down on the FAA’s security patrol, their strobe lights growing smaller and smaller before disappearing as the plane climbed into the cloud cover.

      Dylan gained his feet and moved into the chair next to Kennedy. “Let’s hit international airspace as fast as possible, gents.” He looked over at her. The snakes that had been roiling in his gut settled. He’d made it out of the country with her, but one question loomed.

       What now?