Page 88 of The Prince of New York

One day, someone would drop him a clue he was as good as hitched and whipped; his future wife just needed some encouragement. I hoped I was around when the fireworks went off, as I expected Deidre would take Eddie for the ride of his life by the time she was finished with him.

I suspected the terrorists crawling around the airstrip like a bunch of irritating ants would get the job done nicely. As I liked coming prepared, I took off my watch, handed it to Terry, and put on the one I had hoped I would never need to use, which would amplify my talents. “So, can one of you fine gentlemen fly this cargo plane?”

The plane had already been refueled, it was ready to roll, and it was even placed on the end of the tarmac, ready to take flight the instant a pilot got in.

To my amusement, both agents raised their hands.

“Dad has no idea I’m a pilot,” Eddie informed me. “After I got Black Sand, Senator Padrino started taking me up in his helicopter and teaching me. I flew my first Cessna when I was sixteen, and I had my full license at eighteen. I qualified to fly commercial planes at twenty, and at twenty-two, I was registered to fly royalty. We donottell my dad I’m qualified to fly royals. Dad will have a literal heart attack.”

That was a problem; I could see him having a literal heart attack once news spread about the terrorists making a mess of our day. “And what’s your excuse, Terry?”

“I’m pulling a prank on Daphne. I started pulling this prank after my wife died; the RPS thought it was a good idea to have more emergency pilots, and they thought it would fill the empty spaces. I don’t really care I’m a pilot, so half the time, I forget I’m one, but I’m trained. I’m due for a refresher, though.”

Some prank. “You learned how to fly to prank Daphne?”

“I am one of the agents she tolerates with grace, and she flies a lot. As such, she needs someone qualified to work as a co-pilot. I got licensed years ago, but I’m rusty. I can handle co-piloting for Eddie, though. And yes, I’m qualified to fly this monster. Why?”

“If we can get it in the air, the RPS agents are not going to be concerned about one of us getting hit in the crossfire.” I glared at my leg. “Again.”

Eddie sighed. “I love your ingenuity, but there are literal holes in the plane, and she’s bleeding jet fuel.” He pointed at the tarmac behind me, and sure enough, fuel spilled onto the ground at a rather alarming rate. “Will is going to have entire litters of kittens. This plane is grounded for at least three weeks, and with the number of holes in her, he might have to upgrade. He does not want to upgrade his baby. This is hischild. This is his second born child, as he got her shortly after his daughter was born.”

His Royal Majesty of Montana was going to lose his shit once he found out about his precious plane. “I’ll help pay to repair it.”

“Please do not blow up his plane,” Terry begged. “We will never hear the end of it if you blow up his plane. He is going to lock himself in his suite and cry for weeks over the bullet holes as it is.”

“I’m not going to blow up the plane, but we’re going to send a cascade of jet fuel onto the ground, which I’m then going to use in creative fashions. Madelyn watercolors. I create glass art with terrorists, apparently.”

“Is it possible to turn a terrorist into glass?” Eddie eyed where the fuel port was for the plane. “Wecoulddump the fuel, Terry. The release on this model isright there.”

“As is the emergency beacon to notify the RPS across the world that the plane is involved with a terrorist event.” Terry sighed. “In good news, the terrorists are still fighting around the perimeter, so wecouldget to the release somewhat safely—and trigger the beacon. But your dad is going to be notified, Eddie.”

“He’s already going to be notified. Ian is on his notification list, and we couldn’t do jack shit to stop him from gaining notification rights. He already knows.”

Well, that was going to spice up our day more than a little. “Eddie, your dad is a pain in the ass.”

“He really is. You go first. Terry, you all right with doing cover?”

“I’ll cover,” Terry confirmed, and he drew his firearm, holding it with his right hand while flexing his left. “Once we’re in the plane, we need to move to the other side of the cargo bay; jet fuel is toxic, and we do not want to breathe in those fumes, especially not at the volume we’re sending across the tarmac.”

Well, there went some of my secrets. “I’ll handle the air issue. What are the odds this plane is going to be replaced, Eddie?”

“Call it eighty percent. She’s old, and she’s bleeding from her main tanks, her reserve tanks, and I’m pretty sure there’s damage to the landing gear. The tires on this fucking plane cost two million a pop, Ian, and at least one has several bullets in it now.”

Ouch. “How much does this fucking thing cost?”

“He’s going to have a two hundred million dollar bill replacing her. She’s a top line jet, she’s specially configured and was built from scratch. The repair job is going to be offensive. He might keep her and have a new one made, because this beauty is no longer viable for royal transport. We bar planes that have been used as target practice from being restored to service unless she passes her salvage checks. It’s rough getting them through those checks. But Will is insane, so he might salvage her anyway. Helovesthis plane.”

“Terry, I have a new hobby.”

“Please don’t tell me it’s killing terrorists.”

“It’s killing terrorists. Specifically, these terrorists.” I secured my enhancer on my wrist. “Do you know what I am right now?”

“I’m afraid to ask,” the head of my sister’s detail replied.

“Pissed off and ready to rumble.”

Eddie snickered. “Let’s get into the plane first, trigger the release and the alarm, and then discuss this in more detail. Terry, I’m with Ian. I have a new hobby, too.”

---