Page 61 of Ace

“So, you’re still mad.”

“I guess so.”

“Look, you see what a complicated mess this is. You see how dicey it is without all of your and my emotional baggage about Panau getting in the way.”

“My emotional baggage?” She looked out the window, tempted to eject him from the plane. “Caring for the innocent civilians on the island is not emotional baggage, it’s called being a decent human being.”

“Gi. We’re on the same side here. I don’t want them hurt any more than you do. What I meant is, I can’t be the negotiator with you here, in my head, staring me down with your evil stare.”

“My evil stare.” She couldn’t help laughing again. “What is this stare?”

“You’ve got a new stare since the last time I saw you. It’s worse ’cause I know what you’re thinking half the time on top of the look.”

She tucked this bit of information away to think through another time. “Well, anyway, it was uncool of you to just take off. And I see no sign of you ever changing from your lone-wolf ways. That makes me sad.” Suddenly tears were welling in her eyes. And she stopped talking. At least she’d hidden any sign of a waver or emotion in her voice.

“Gi. I’m sorry.”

She nodded even though she knew he couldn’t see her.

“It’s okay. I can see you.”

He waved, and she remembered the monitors. “Oh right.”

She made eye contact. “Look. I guess I forgive you, but that doesn’t mean I have to let you in again. Doesn’t mean I have to let you push me away all the time.”

“I don’t want you to push me away.”

“You just don’t get it. That’s the difference between you and Rocky.”

“Between me and Rocky?”

“Yeah, he gets it.” She bit back a laugh.

“Alright, you know what?”

Their instruments started beeping alarms at them.

“Okay, here they come. Don’t go easy on them. And today, there’s no talking any pilots down. We’re the bogies. We’re the enemy, Gi.”

“I got it. Remember, top of our class.”

“I’m willing to bet I’ll never forget.”

She smirked. And then dove off to the side, rolling with the fall, slowing things down, and then coming up behind the first student to find them. “Hello there.”

“There’s no talking to the enemy.”

She locked in on them. “One down.”

Dex got on the radio. “Tiger, head back.”

She lowered their position, planning to test the pilots’ ability when closer to the lower allowed threshold. And she became lost to any other thoughts. She and the plane were one. Dex was her copilot and they worked together. Seamless. They were one. And nothing had ever felt so natural.

When they had sent home every student, including Rocky, Omar talked in their ears. “I’m heading back too. See you at the hangar.”

“Roger that.”

But Gianna waited.

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