Page 2 of Ace

That statement caught Dex’s attention.

General West had stepped in and helped Top Flight get started. It had been his support that had encouraged other countries to trust Dex and bring Top Flight on in the first place. He wanted to keep the general happy for those reasons, not to mention that he’d grown up down the street from him. Their families were tied together in more ways than one.

He tried to keep Gianna’s face from interfering with his concentration, but he could hardly separate her from her father. She was his best friend growing up, then girlfriend, then fellow squadron member, and now she was almost a stranger to him. If you judged their relationship by how often they conversed, which was never, then they had no relationship, which perhaps was just how she wanted things to go.

He moved to the pull-up bar he’d hung in the corner of the office. While he did his repetitions, feeling the power in his arms, he put Gianna out of his mind, put General West out of his mind, and he began to focus on his next job. He had some loose ties in a small nation within the Pacific Alliance, and when the PA had requested a Top Flight training academy, he’d agreed to their terms immediately.

The Pacific Alliance. They were in almost desperate need for some help. With large nations on their borders trying to stake a claim on their islands and territories, if they didn’t increase their own defense, they would have no recourse except to beg the assistance of larger nations like the United States.

He didn’t expect the US military to appreciate Top Flight’s training operations, but then again, there was nothing his former peers could do about it. Top Flight was legal, above reproach, and highly sought after all over the world. In the six months since they’d started their private training and consulting program, they’d been requested by over thirty countries. Once General West had given his approval, everyone else flocked to join or backed down.

The door buzzer sounded; Flyboy’s grinning face on the security camera lifted the corner of Dex’s mouth, and he pushed his intercom. ”Get your big mug in here.”

Top Flight worked in a warehouse for now. With no real center for operations, they planned to set up shop wherever they were needed. And that’s what Dex was about to bring up to the guys…and woman. Amanda. He rubbed his face. They couldn’t run this team without her.

Colton, AKA Flyboy, poked his head in. “Ace, how’s it going?”

Dex stood. “Flyboy.” He man-hugged his friend. They’d gone through Air Force Academy together. He was the fastest pilot Dex had seen in the air. He loved to fly; he loved the planes, but he was here just to make some money. Which was fine with Dex. From the looks of things, they’d be making plenty.

“Commander Finch left his direst warning against our team trying to interfere in their operation.”

“What operations? They’re doing something?”

“Exactly. No, they’re not. So I thanked him for his time.”

“You did not.”

“Okay. No gratitude was expressed. I should have been more polite. But either way, I sent him off.”

“Duly noted. We’ve pissed off the US government.”

Ridley, AKA Bear, stepped into Dex’s office. “I thought we did that last month.”

“And the month before.“ Amanda, the final member of their management team, slipped a large duffle off her shoulder and let it drop to the ground.

“Mustang, good to see you. Bear, you too.” Dex waved for them to sit. “How’s your little girl?”

“She’s great. Not so little any more.”

“Happy to hear it.” Dex thought the world of Ridley. He was one call act and trying to raise a daughter on his own at the same time.

“Right. Let’s get this meeting going.” He pulled a file out of his desk drawer. “Our next job.”

“Where is it?”

“Panau, the Pacific Alliance specifically.”

They studied him for a full ten seconds before anyone said anything. He had a history there. They all knew it.

“So, you’re taking this one.” Colton waved his hand.

“Yeah. I’m taking point. I’ll gather a team.” He pulled out three other folders. “And here are the top three other requests we’ve received so far. Take a look and fight amongst yourselves for who gets what.”

They settled into their chairs while Dex went through the agenda. He tried not to think about his last mission in Panau. He had been out on assignment with a small team, one of the last things he’d done as an active Air Force pilot. The kids they’d left behind never left his mind. He closed his eyes.

“Hey, you okay man?” Ridley studied his face.

“Yeah. Just distracted.”

---