Page 39 of Dan

“They’re waiting on the White House to give the thumbs-up today. You can’t let them do this. Something else is happening here, and it stinks to high heaven.” They heard the click of heels as Malina walked back toward the group with a smile plastered on her face.

“Gentlemen and ladies,” she nodded, “we really need to get your approval for this so that the White House will sign off. I need to have my team get this ready for review by the military. I can get the president on the line right now.” Doug nodded at her, smiling.

“I think that’s a good idea,” he grinned. “Why don’t you make that call and get him on the line? Right now.”

“Splendid!” She dialed a number, nodding at the group as if she were the only person who had access to the POTUS. “Malina Ramirez for the president. I understand that he’s busy, but I need to speak with him. You don’t….”

“May I?” asked Gaspar. She frowned, handing him the phone. “It’s Nine. Thank you.” He handed the phone back to her, and she stared at him, unsure what ‘nine’ meant.

“Mr. President, I’m going to place you on speaker. I have some people who have just inspected the jet.”

“Nine, what are you doing there?” asked the president. Ramirez stared at the men, then down at the phone. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

“I’m here to tell you that we will not be doing business with FormJet, nor will we authorize our guidance and defense systems to be placed on these jets. Doug, Savannah, and Evie have taken a look at the plane and have identified some serious concerns in its abilities to handle the system. As you know, they have more than a hundred years of flying experience combined between them. I trust them with my life and the lives of every American.”

“What are you saying? No! You’re wrong!” she yelled, attempting to grab the phone. Gaspar gripped her wrist, intentionally squeezing tighter than needed.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The jet is a piece of shit.” She turned to Rhodes, glaring in his direction. “You think he told us? I’ve got three top pilots here and four engineers who could take this thing apart without anyone telling them how. Your jet is a piece of garbage, and we won’t be using it, and we won’t give our recommendation to the president.”

“Thanks, boys, that’s all I needed to know,” he said, ending the call.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” she sneered.

“We are G.R.I.P., and you will be out of business by the end of the week, although I seriously doubt that you will live to see it end,” said Dan. She tried to get free of Gaspar but to no avail. “But right now, you’re going to tell me where his brother is.”

“He’ll be dead by five o’clock tonight unless I call,” she smiled. Gaspar twisted her wrist, sending her to the cold concrete floor, screaming in pain.

“Try that again,” he said through clenched teeth. “Where is his brother?”

“He’s fine! He’s fine! He’s at my home,” she said, crying out in pain. “In Bellevue, on the water. I’ll take you there.”

“No,” said Dan, shaking his head. “You’re going to give us the address, and we’re going to go and get that boy. If there’s anything wrong with him, so much as a scratch, you’re a dead woman.”

“You wouldn’t,” she laughed. “The president knows that I was with you. He’d come for you.”

“You don’t know him very well, do you?” laughed Ryan. “Dan and Eric, you two take Rhodes and get his brother. Meet us at MQAE in two hours.”

“What about her?” asked Rhodes. “She’s fucking evil.”

“We’ll take care of her,” said Doug. “I think she should take a solo flight in her own jet.”

“Wh-what? No! No, you can’t do that!”

“Worried about something?” asked Doug. He looked at Gaspar and nodded. “Tie her to the seat. We’re going to test out the remote flying capabilities. It should be interesting with all the mountains in the area.”

“No! What do you want? Money? Is that what you want?” she begged.

“Information,” said Dan.

“What information? Anything!”

“Who is behind this deal between you and MQAE?” She looked at him, shaking her head. “Get her out of here.”

“Alright! Okay, it’s Yancy Baker.”

“Yancy?” frowned Dan. “Do you mean Yancy Xavier?”

“That’s her married name. I knew her as Baker. She met Zach in college, or at least that’s what she told everyone, and they were stupid, crazy in love. The first dinner with family was certainly an eye-opener. He was in love with his half-uncle’s illegitimate daughter.”

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