Page 105 of Exit Strategy

Two more rounds fired and those who were still standing quickly adopted submissive body postures, surrendering.

“What’s going on back there?” The intercom from the cockpit buzzed.

“Everything’s fine back here, just having a restructuring discussion.” I clicked the intercom.

“We heard gunfire,” a different voice said. Copilot?

“The discussion has been intense,” I said.

“Is that you, Kurt?”

“Arizona?” I asked.

“Yessir. I heard…”

“I’ll talk in a few.”

I clicked the intercom off.

“Listen to me, you pieces of human waste,” I said, resting my foot on Soren’s chest. His eyes were getting a glazed look, and there was a lot of blood. He was bleeding out and would be dead soon enough. “You’re going to exit the forward cabin and go to whatever RV you want. You’re going to lock the doors behind you, and if I see one head poke out for the duration of the flight, I’ll shoot that person. I have more than enough ammo for everyone on this bloody plane, you understand me?”

They nodded.

“Take these pieces of shite with you.” I waved a pistol at the bodies.

They did, and there was a lot of confusion at the ladder. The important people made their way down, and I never took the gun off of them. Then, the girls started coming up while I covered them from the top of the ladder.

I counted them until all thirty-nine were in the front cabin.

“Who is the bravest among you? Who is your leader?”

“If there was a leader, it’s Cass,” one of the girls said, and pointed to a quiet girl with hair so blond it was almost silver, a set of black eyes, and her arm in a sling.

“I put up the most fight,” the silvery blond said. “I’m Cass.”

“Can you handle a firearm, Cass?” I asked.

“I know how, yes. My dad used to be a police officer,” she said.

“We’ll get you back to him,” I said, and handed her one of the two Berettas. “The safety’s off, and you’ve got eight… nine rounds in the clip, and one in the chamber.”

“I hope I’m not reunited with my dad, at least not yet. He’s dead,” she said.

“We’ll delay that reunion then. There’s still work that needs to be done here.” She smiled, and the others seemed to brighten. This was becoming real for them.

“No one will come through this door… sir,” she said. I gave her a salute and hurried back to the first bunk. Callie was still tied to the bed, her eyes red from tears. I untied her quickly and pulled her into my arms.

“I’m here, I’m here,” I said. “I’ve got you.”

“Kurt, I can’t, I don’t, I can’t believe it. Am I hallucinating? Have I finally gone completely mad and living out an insane fantasy?”

“This is real, and we’re going to be going home real soon.” I gathered her clothes back up and helped her get dressed.

“Where are all of the rest of them?” she asked.

“The girls are here in the forward cabin. All of the New Eden people are in the cargo hold, and one of the girls is holding the door with one of my pistols. Do these people have guns with them?” I asked.

“Probably not. They’re all top-echelon people, and they were forced to leave their security people behind. The only people with weapons were Soren and Brynn.”

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