Chapter 397

After coming over the mountains, the Citation X glided out of the low clouds, its nose soon lined up with the faint lights of Boulder’s runway in the distance. The heavy, snow-laden clouds hung, darkening the day. Snow flurries obscured the pilots’ view, but the instrument package was the best money could buy and the aircraft was also equipped with Jeff’s radar. Jeff’s brainchild, however, couldn’t help with the gusting crosswinds that any sane pilot hated. Eileen had landed a plane in worse, But not much worse, she thought. She halfway expected that Bill, her instructor, would at least offer to take the controls, but if he considered it, the thought didn’t pass his lips. She was an experienced pilot with many flying hours in several different types of aircraft, but the X was new to her. She had aced her written test and had spent time in the cockpit toward her certification in the X, but this was her first real test in this plane with conditions less than perfect.

She had fallen in love with the plane when she had first read about it, and had lusted after a job that would allow her to fly one. Now that dream had become a reality. And not only did she have a personal instructor and all the flying time she wanted, any time she wanted it, she was able to do it with her Alpha sitting beside her. It wouldn’t be long until she would be fully qualified and checked out on the plane. Just don’t screw up. If I mess up now and make a sloppy landing, I’ll embarrass Bill in addition to myself, because Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright are onboard today. I thought Bill would elect to take the controls, but even before we boarded, he subtly indicated that he would continue to fly the copilot’s position as usual since I’m training, despite the Wainwrights being on board.

A half mile from the runway, the plane shuddered as a particularly strong gust pushed the nose out of line, but she skillfully brought it back a heartbeat later. Unseen by her, a half grin touched Bill’s lips for a second.

Heavy snow suddenly hit the windshield with a vengeance just as a downdraft from the surrounding mountains added to her tension, but her responses were long since automatic, even if she wasn’t totally accustomed to the Citation X just yet.

Put her down gently, Girl, Bill thought as he stilled himself to appear casual. The crosswind gusts were stronger than he expected, making Eileen have to crab the plane hard into them as the jet passed over the fence.

“Fifty feet,” the sensors announced a moment later as Eileen struggled to keep the plane centered over the runway.

Another gust – different to the previous one – made the plane shy away in the opposite direction, but again, she caught it before Bill could even tense.

“Forty feet.”

“Thirty feet.”

“Twenty feet.” Again, a violent gust shook the plane causing the pretty pilot to have to crab hard, then immediately realign as the gust quickly diminished, then the right wing dipped a little in another gust, but she immediately corrected.

“Ten feet.”

At the last instant, Eileen caught a break and the wind held steady but still forced her to crab hard to the right. There was a gentle bump as the tires barked and a sway as the plane aligned itself to its direction of travel on the tarmac. Then they were rolling down the center of the runway.

“Well done,” Bill said as he reached to lay a hand on her thigh. “You make me proud.”

A lightning bolt of sexual energy burst through her at his touch, the tension of the landing having heightened her responses.

“Thanks, Lover,” she said, not risking a glance at him lest she allow the plane to drift out of perfect alignment on the runway as the gusts continued.

When the plane had slowed, Frank Wainwright crouched behind the two pilots. “Well done, Bill. I wouldn’t have said a thing if you had aborted to Denver.”

Bill let out a chuckle. “You’re complimenting the wrong one, Sir. I’m the copilot this trip. Eileen put us on the ground.”

Wainwright put a hand on Eileen’s shoulder. “I apologize. That was a beautiful landing. Please don’t feel insulted by my thinking that was Bill. Until Kathy came along, I wouldn’t fly with anyone at the controls other than him.” Then with a grin that Eileen couldn’t see, “I suspect he has given you his version of what happened – tempered with his modesty, of course – when our rental quit on us on takeoff. Little One later rid him of the scars, so he didn’t have them to inadvertently advertise and show how much he actually did for me, but one of these days, I’ll give you the straight of it,” he finished as Bill tried to glare at him.

“Frank...” Bill said with a sigh when the glare had no effect on Wainwright.

But Wainwright interrupted, ignoring his friend. “You two have things to do, so I’ll get back to my seat. But again, well done, Eileen.”

“Thank you, Sir,” she managed, her face red.

As soon as Wainwright was out of earshot, “Quit on takeoff? Scars?” she hissed at him as she turned onto the taxiway that led to their hanger. “Not only did you not give me your version, you haven’t mentioned a crash at all.”

Bill sighed as they came to a halt. “Something that I would rather forget – if Frank will ever let me,” he grumbled.

As they got up to help Jill assist their passengers, Eileen whispered in his ear. “I’m going to have that talk with Mr. Wainwright as soon as I can.”

Bill didn’t get a chance to respond just then, because they were involved in taking care of the plane, and getting the baggage and passengers out of the aircraft.

Because of the storm, they wouldn’t be using Reed to fly them home in the helicopter.

Frank and Margaret Wainwright waited in the lounge as the plane was fueled and secured in its hangar. Most of the ultra-rich would never think of waiting for pilots to finish their business, but the Wainwright’s weren’t your average ultra-rich, nor were the pilots and flight attendant mere employees to Frank and Margaret Wainwright.

A different limo driver and armed security guard approached to put the luggage in the vehicle. Frank had already told the others that his regular driver had called off sick with a stomach virus. Because of the forecast for heavy winds and snow for the mountains, Frank’s assistant had arranged for a limo and driver from the company that he had used prior to buying his own limo for the area and hiring a driver full time. He had continued to use the same security company that he started using when he first began construction on the building that Jeff would eventually call the Retreat.

The driver had respectfully introduced himself, as did the security guard. Both were well dressed – the driver in a black suit with cap, and the security guard wearing the company’s regular dark uniform with gold shoulder patches. Both men appeared intelligent and performed their duties professionally as they greeted their charges and put the luggage in the vehicle.

Eventually, the plane was fueled and secured. As the group came out of the building to walk the few feet to the limo, both driver and security guard quickly exited the vehicle to opened doors for their charges.

Later, as they wound through the mountains, the driver glanced at the security guard sitting beside him. At a mutual nod, the driver reached down beside his seat and turned a small valve, then quickly held a mask against his face, even as the security guard did the same. The escaping gas into the passenger compartment made little sound. Within a few moments, the passengers were slumped in their seats and deeply asleep.

Pulling into a little-used logging road, the driver brought the big vehicle to a halt before making sure the valve was shut off and the gas mask was sealed tightly to his face. “Okay. The clock is ticking. Let’s get them secured before they wake up or there is enough delay to cause concern at the hotel when they don’t show up on time,” he instructed, his voice muffled behind the mask.

Getting out in the bitter cold and snow of the mountains, they opened the passenger doors and hurriedly went about searching the men, then the women’s purses. “Both of the men are armed,” the guard said as he found Frank’s and Bill’s weapons.

“Same for the women. All three of them have Baby Glocks in their purses with an extra magazine each.” (Kathy had not gone with them, remaining at the Retreat to work through her academy training while Bill, Jill and Eileen took the trip with the Wainwright’s.)

“Mr. Moreau claims he has fairly solid evidence that passengers and vehicles are not searched in any great detail at the gate, but we aren’t taking any chances, so toss the weapons. The gate guard should know that Wainwright’s driver and security are armed, so we should be good to go.”

The driver looked at the security guard. “You sure you can handle all these people? I can keep the doors locked so they can’t easily bolt, but a cry of help from any of them at the gate and we’re liable to be in a gunfight before we even get to the hotel. But if we tie their hands, the guard might notice and set things off that way.”

“Well, you were in on the planning just like I was. If I keep my gun jammed into Mrs. Wainwright’s side, and hidden between us, it would be stupid for any of them to call out to the guard. Not only will it get him killed, but the same thing will happen to her, as well. If the operation gets bogged down at the gate, no matter what we do, chances are we’ll spend the rest of our lives in jail...”

“Or we’ll have a one way ticket to hell,” the driver injected.

“Yeah. But if this works, what Moreau promised will set us up in luxury for life.”

“Okay. Let’s do it. Toss the weapons and get changed. Wainwright and his wife are already positioned perfectly for us. You’ll be sitting by the window opposite to the gate guard’s position with your gun in Mrs. Wainwright’s side and with him sitting on the other side of her. I can’t see how anyone could get to you before you can kill her, or all of them, for that matter. We’ve searched thoroughly, so we know you will have the only weapon.”

“Be back in a minute,” the guard said.

After hiding the weapons as well as his gun belt and guard uniform coat under a fir tree, he donned a well-cut suit coat from the trunk.

Even though they had all the limo’s doors open, the driver hooked up a blower to make sure the gas was out of the vehicle. After he finished, he tossed his gas mask and blower as far as he could throw them, the security guard having put his mask under the tree with the weapons.

“How do I look?” the guard asked after he had changed. “Shit! I’m nervous.”

“You look just fine. Now get over the nervousness. It’s not just what you look like; it’s what you act like. You’re Jim Hawkins, an associate of the Wainwright’s. You’re used to being around money and have plenty yourself. Just look relaxed and keep your gun out of the gate guard’s sight. One of the few things we know is that any vehicle going up that driveway only stops for a minute or two at the gate. If we can convince Wainwright to play along, we’ll be in without any trouble.”

“And if he doesn’t and starts yelling at the gate...

“There’ll be a bloodbath, and chances are some of it will be ours, so make damn sure you don’t act nervous when the guard speaks to me, or to them. Now get in position and I’ll administer the antidote.”

“I sure wish we could tie them so they couldn’t jump me so easily.”

“Just remember, if you have to kill one of them, the whole operation is done. No way would we be able to get past the gate then.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know, but both of these guys are damn well built. If they jump me, I’ll have to kill one of them for sure.”

They’re not going to risk the women. Are you ready?

“Yeah. Ready as I’ll ever be.”

A moment later, he had settled next to Margaret with his weapon against her side and with her leaning against his shoulder. Bill and Frank awakened almost simultaneously to realize that the guard was sitting next to Margaret.

“I have a .45 pressed against the lady’s side, and if either of you do anything stupid, I’ll pull the trigger and blow her heart out into your lap, Mr. Wainwright.” The guard moved his weapon into view for a moment to show them he did have a gun.