Page 36 of Ace

“You say they shouldn’t be hiring Top Flight at all? How will it help them one bit if they can’t defend themselves?”

“Look. Top Flight is a good thing. But I just want you to have the real information. Who knows who you’re going to be talking to.”

“Your father.”

“What!”

“We have a meeting this afternoon.”

She was silent for so long that he almost repeated himself.

“You know he doesn’t support what I do.”

“It’s not like he doesn’t support you. He just supports other things more.”

“Like you.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. And he really felt like his legs were going to give way any second. “Look, you keep going. I’ve gotta hit the showers.”

She lifted her hand and kept running without another word.

They were back to where they’d been when he’d first told her about his ideas for Top Flight. She’d discounted it as more war games. Her altruistic ideas about giving people food would always sound better than arming them, but he knew he was right. All the food in the world was not going to get the Pacific Alliance out from under Mantuk’s thumb.

Top Flight would do that.

Chapter 13

Gianna entered the old warehouse room her nonprofit leased. Everything looked exactly the same, except… She paused in the doorway; the room was packed with people. She laughed, her grin stretching across her face.

A familiar face turned her way.

“Tony!”

His steps closed the distance. He picked her up and swung her in a huge hug. “You’re back!” He waved a hand. “Everyone, Gianna’s back.”

Conversation stopped, and a room full of smiling faces turned to her. They wanted her to say something.

She lifted her hand. “This is incredible. Look at all of you. I’ve never seen this warehouse so full. Thank you.” She choked a little bit on the last word. How did you thank people for doing what they did? How could she express the grateful eyes of a child or the widow who could strengthen herself with sustenance? Or the man who now had gainful employment. She had no words.

They clapped. And then they cheered.

She felt her face heat. And she suddenly wished to be anywhere else. She shook her head. “No, don’t worry about that. We’re all working hard.”

Eventually everyone got back to work. “So catch me up. What’s going on on this side of the ocean?”

“Just everything you see here. The most exciting thing is we have way more resources. Remember when you pooled your college income to fund the first mission?” He clucked. “We can now send out three more. That’s in addition to the seven already out.”

She nodded. “I’m so grateful. It really is a good thing we’re doing. I wish everyone could know.”

He held up a finger. “I’ve got some ideas about that.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, absolutely.” They entered the conference room. “Senator Callison is coming to the meeting. His manager called to confirm.”

“That’s excellent. I saw him yesterday. He’s in it one hundred percent.”

“So, I think we should start doing a broadcast of the things were doing, some clips of the on-the-ground assistance, a news report.”

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