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"Sure He’ll say he needs to use the bathrooave his shoulder a squeeze and clinore hirin as she went aft
Escape was the furthest thing froht , just to feed a little kindling to Skyler’s paranoia Souilty expression when the pilot checked on him would keep the man tense and provide a little amusement
This tie, at least A welcoer to her step, a confidence in her movement that he found undeniably attractive When she ducked through the cockpit’s door he craned his neck in hopes of a gli woman’s small, proud breasts ell covered by a buttoned-up shirt
At least she was still wearing those khaki shorts They left plenty of long, tan legs to study
"Keep looking at me like that," she said, "and I’ll blindfold you"
"Whatever you’re into, I’m into," he shot back
A few seconds later her bandanna was firht "I was just having a bit of fun," he said
"Have soainst his lips, and opened his ave hi to eat?" he asked
"Later," she said Her hand pressed hard against his shoulder, leaning his
"I’m not sure what you two are so worried about Where the hell a any chances with you Skyler says he knows you too well"
"He barely knowsat you but you must be used to it You’re very attractive"
She leaned in close He felt the heat of her breath on his ear "Do you really think so?" she cooed
"Yup"
"Well, Blackfield, everything you see"--she leaned in closer until her warm breath tickled the skin of his earlobe--"is Skyler’s Is that clear?"
He chuckled "A bloke can look, can’t he?"
In answer she tightened the blindfold
Touche, Russell thought "You could just take it as a co away
"I need to use the head!" he called out In response he heard her slip back into the co-pilot’s chair Some conversation he couldn’t quite make out passed between the wohed
He wanted to hate her, then Wanted to tap into that well of rage that had always been ready and waiting, as long as he could rehted hih The day he’d left Darwin so to be unearthed
For Ana he found so unexpected Attraction, yes, but also ad desire to conquer her like a h with Skyler The way she looked at him, as if they were a teaame No woman had ever looked at Russell Blackfield like that Or if they had he’d never noticed
Somehow Skyler had earned it From this little tart and Dr Shar that drew such women in like moths to the flame? Perhaps it was all just that cocksure flyboy attitude, orhis apparent total lack of ambition
Russell slus and selfless heroes to slumlords and priestly white robes
"There’s the path," Ana said, pointing
Skyler guided the Magpie in low over the Liberian coastline Where the Azores had mostly rocky cliffs for a shore, this part of Africa was dominated by kilometers of sandy beaches broken by the occasional river delta A remarkable portion of the land beyond was still forest, and sure enough he could see a swath of flattened palm trees exactly where they’d predicted After half a kilo a path of destruction exactly like those in Belem
He knew little about Liberia, or one through an explosion of investo or so, when ht political stability Foreignin glea new cities like Sinoe The place reminded Skyler of Darwin in solass towers, tall at the center and shrinking down to residential structures on the outskirts Slu the coastal edge and lining the river that ran through the heart of the city
"I’ve got four possible landing sites," Ana said She’d been poring over ht
"I really need to piss back here!" Russell shouted
Skyler ignored the outburst "Our best bet is a hts on"
"I know, but the nearest is a hundred klicks north I did find two corids within the city"
"Nice work"
"Marking them for you now"
He flew over the first and didn’t even bother to slon Skeletal reround around a handful of crashed aircraft, a sight Skyler had coet to Darhen the disease finally cah rooo, no one can" mentality
The second location proved better A row of ten landing pads, all eated warehouse district He’d scavenged dozens like it all over Southeast Asia In crisis situations, for reasons Skyler couldn’t quite fathorocery stores and the like to loot their supplies Riots ensued and hardly anyone found what they needed, all the while the warehouses that supply such venues were left relatively untouched
Blue landing beacons still winked on and off at steady intervals Skyler picked the one at the end of the row and circled around so that the Magpie would be pointed down the rest of the row,it easy to hop pads if needed
"One of these days," he said to Ana, "I’ll teach you how to parachute I hate landing without soround first"
"Sounds like fun," she said
If only she had the patience for a sniper rifle, he thought, she’d be a perfect stand-in for Jake In tiet there, but time wasn’t exactly an abundant coeto grow on hiines unwind and unbuckled his harness "Watch for subs," he said to her "I’ll get our passenger suited"
"Yes sir," Ana said She winked when he glared at her
He luht of Ana’s impromptu blindfold tied across Blackfield’s face He yanked it off and tossed it on the seat across the aisle
Russell blinked a few tiainst the seat "Where are we?"
"Africa"