Axel
We arrived at the airport about twenty minutes later. As the girls were flying First Class, the airport staff had known in advance of our arrival, through the booking process. A few attendants waited for us near the fast track check in, which led directly to the fancy, First Class lounges.
At least I ain’t gotta lift those fucking cases again.
With the attendants helping the girls out of the car, and struggling with their cases, I had time to stand to one side, surveying the traffic surrounding us. I felt the weight of my revolver in my jacket, reassuring.
Don’t think we’ve been followed. Good. Everything going to plan so far…
The girls rushed off to check in, babbling excitedly. I was momentarily forgotten for a moment.
I turned my head slightly toward the girls, and saw Chloe looking back at me over her shoulder. She smiled at me briefly, her face lighting up. I nodded back, smiling awkwardly.
I hope I ain’t going mad. Now ain’t the time. Otherwise though, this is actually happening…
I wasn’t sure which thought scared me more.
I grabbed my bag from the back of the limo, slinging it over my back. I took one last look at the crowd behind me, waiting until I thought the girls were likely to have checked in. Once through security, they were as good as safe. And by then, I’d be right behind them.
I dumped my knife and gun in the glovebox and parked the limo, ready for it to be chauffeured back to the depot.
I grabbed my passport and ticket from my bag and headed through to check-in.
I walked through the crowd with ease, people subconsciously parting for me as I walked directly to the checkout desk. People seemed to not want to get in my way, which suited me. I fucking hate crowds.
After checking in my meagre baggage, and going straight through security, I went through to the Business Class lounges, adjacent to First Class lounges. Nice, but not quite as luxurious.
To find Chloe standing there outside the lounge, waiting.
She turned to face towards me, her face lighting up as she saw me. “Hey, big guy!” she said, smiling.
“Hey, Miss. First Class too fancy for you?”
She was still smiling at me, her eyes studying my face.
Wonder what’s going through that pretty little head of yours?
“Listen, I just wanted to say thanks. And apologise for my two bimbo friends. It’s just their way of having fun.” She looked at me, expectantly. “And once they realise you’re not interested, they’ll get bored and find something else to amuse them. Promise.”
“Don’t worry, Chlo’. Your friends ain’t my type.” I didn’t include Chloe in my statement, letting the suggestion that she might be remain unspoken. Her eyes widened slightly as she continued to study me for a second.
“Good. Now, I can take a guest into the First Class lounge with me. Interested?”
I didn’t say that I had planned on spending the couple hours remaining before the flight loitering outside the lounge, keeping an eye on the comings and goings.
“Lead on. Bet they have nicer whiskey in there.” I almost flinched when she hooked her arm into mine, guiding me back to the First Class lounge. I felt a building of sexual tension as her hips and thighs pushed close to my leg, and she looked up at me, smiling, as we walked. I tried my best not to get aroused, and only half managed not to.
Damn, girl. Hope you ain’t playing with me.
Chloe
I looked over at Axel, sitting on his own in a big leather chair in the corner of the lounge. He had a large whiskey in front of him which he was taking occasional small sips of. He was making a show of reading a newspaper, but I kept feeling his gaze wander towards me.
After bringing him into the lounge we’d both grabbed a drink and chatted awkwardly for a moment. I could feel that his attention wasn’t completely on me, his eyes surveying the small pockets of passengers dotted around the spacious lounge. I didn’t like it.
I plan on getting his full attention at some point. If he’s interested in me, that is…
He was still frustratingly hard to read, especially when in his bodyguard mode.
I had returned to my friends, and the excitement had died down somewhat for Jess and Amber. They looked bored.
I was trying to engage her in meaningful conversation, and we chatted about the past, present and future plans. But my gaze kept wandering back to Axel’s scarred, chiselled face.
A little while later we were called personally to board the plane, escorted by airport staff to the plane. Jess yawned. Amber was glued to her cell phone.
Axel
I followed along behind the girls as they left for the plane.
Chloe had asked if I could board with them, and the staff were all too happy to oblige.
Ain’t surprised, the amount her Dad paid for the tickets…
We were first onto the plane, and I’d be able to keep tabs on everyone entering by Business or Economy. I’d checked out the rest of the passengers in the First Class Lounge. None struck me as remotely dangerous. Mainly rich families, and high-ranking executives.
I left the girls to their huge personal suite in First Class and took my seat in Business Class, which was comfy enough. The seat reclined flat, boasting a length of 2m. Which gave me just over two spare inches.
I sat at the front of Business, as close to Chloe as possible. I waved away the champagne offered to me as a pretty air attendant approached.
“I’ll take a whiskey, darlin’. On the rocks.” She smiled and hurried off to oblige.
I made a show of setting up my seat, standing regularly to survey the other passengers as they boarded. I even helped a few older ladies out with their cases, so I could get a better look at everyone around the cabin.
Only one guy stood out, grim faced, observant. He was sizing me up, a calculated look in his eye. Trying to gauge if I was a threat.
Don’t worry, Mr. Air Marshall. I ain’t a threat. To you, at least.
Having decided there was no one worth spending any more time inspecting, I settled into my chair and pretended to relax.
I just need to walk through Economy, and take a look upstairs, if they’ll let me. Then I can relax.
The last few passengers boarded, and the crew made the final flight checks. The bustle of noisy activity washed over me, waves on an immovable rock. I was thinking, re-planning my route to the Paris hotel. I’d memorised the location of the safety deposit box, and would go there as soon as possible to collect my guns.
Chloe
I had watched Axel walk down into Business Class, longingly. I’d have upgraded his ticket, but First Class was full. I’d sighed, and resigned myself to getting comfy in my mini suite.
An attendant asked if I was OK, and would I like some food or drinks?
My mind flicked back to Axel, sitting on his own down in Business Class. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and felt a desperate need to be near his big, protective frame.
I decided to take a quick shower in the suite, applying a bit of makeup and brushing my hair. I undid a few buttons at the top of my shirt, wondering if I should show a bit more cleavage. I fastened one back up, happy with the compromise, then left quickly, heading down to Business Class.
And found Axel’s seat empty. My shoulders slumped slightly, and I crossed my arms.
How did I manage to lose my bodyguard? He’s not exactly inconspicuous.
I surveyed the rest of the cabin, and felt the eyes of a few men on me. I frowned back.
There was no sign of Axel. I decided to sit in his seat and wait, fiddling with the controls for the entertainment system.
Axel
I’d wandered back into Economy after a while, trying my best to not look suspicious. I headed for the rear bathrooms, hoping the cabin crew would assume the other cubicles were occupied.
I walked down the plane on the right, surveying the passengers as I did so. No one caught my eye until I reached the end of the plane.
Sneaky bastards…
There were three men sitting in a row on the right, near the end of economy. All three looked hard, grim faced; eastern european or perhaps Russian, it was hard to tell. They had all spotted me as I’d been walking up the plane, and were trying their best to look nonchalant. I wasn’t fooled.
The words of one of my contacts rang in my ears. The warning I’d been given about a Russian crew out to get get their hands on Chloe’s Dad’s software. Possible high level organized crime, or even secret military.
My gut told me these guys were serious. They looked mean, scarred and vicious.
Why would three Russians be heading to Paris, from San Francisco? Flying right at the back in Economy, as far as possible from my seat as they could get?
I looked around - the majority of the people near me were asleep or watching a film. I approached the three men, putting my hands on the seats on either side of the aisle in front of them.
“Having a nice flight, comrades?” They looked up at me, blank expressions on their faces. I caught one of them smiling meanly for a second. I knew he’d understood. The Russian in the aisle seat waved his hand at me dismissively, saying something in Russian that didn’t sound very nice.
“What’s that, Dmitry? Got a problem?”
I paused and leant forward toward him.
“‘Cause if you have, that means I’ve got a problem. And I don’t think you’ll fucking like that very much,” I said, grimacing menacingly, feeling the adrenaline pump into my muscles. I tensed my arms, gripping the seats tight.
My gaze flicked to the bathrooms either side of the aisle. Both were unoccupied.
The Russian rose to his full height, a good few inches shorter than me. He didn’t look intimidated. He shrugged as if to dismiss me, and pushed me in my chest. He turned his back and headed for a cubicle, hoping that I was just a random angry American who didn’t like Russians.
Well, he was right about the latter. But my approach wasn’t random.
As he stepped into the cubicle I swiftly forced my way in, locking the door behind me. In the small confines of the cubicle, he was no match for my brute strength. I laid into him savagely with body blows, a series of powerful punches to the chest, abdomen, stomach, with one final uppercut into his solar plexus. He collapsed, winded and in pain.
“Listen, you fuck,” I spat at him, my finger an inch away from his face. “I know why you’re here. I know what you want, and you ain’t getting it. If I see you or any of your friends again, you won’t be fucking breathing next time.” He nodded, gasping for air and clutching his chest.
I pushed the cubicle door open, to find the other two Russians staring at me. They made no move. Now would not be a good time for them to show their true colours, I suspected.
I snorted at the pair derisively, walking back to my seat, my blood up.
As I walked away, I heard the door open to the bathroom cubicle. After a moment of bemused silence, the two Russians started laughing heartily at their colleague, who was presumably still half collapsed on the toilet floor.
I arrived back at my seat to find it occupied. I could see a head poking above the seat, with headphones on. I approached quietly to see who had snuck into my seat, but if I had to guess…
I looked over the top of the seat, and got a view straight down Chloe’s shirt, and found myself staring at the mounds of her breasts, the top of her frilly pink bra clearly visible. The fight had made me feel alive, and the view of Chloe’s large breasts, rising and falling gently, had awoken a feeling within me that I’d long suppressed.
I stood still, not wanting to move my gaze. I didn’t know if she had felt me approach. If she had, the longer I waited, the more of a pervert I looked. But I was enjoying looking, that was for damn sure.
I decided she hadn’t sensed my approach, and reluctantly drew my gaze away from her cleavage after a few more seconds. I laid a large hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She jumped.
“Oh, hi Axel. You made me jump!” She looked up at me and put her hand on top of mine, trapping it in place on her shoulder. I felt a tingle of pleasure at her touch.
“Sorry for stealing your seat. I came down to check on you.” She smiled at me, reassuringly.
So who’s looking after who here, beautiful?
“I’m all good, Chlo’. Just had to take a look ‘round, you know. No trouble to be found.”
We locked eyes for a few long seconds, holding each other’s gaze.
Damn, I want to kiss you.
“How’s things up there?” I said, gesturing with my head towards first class.
She gazed into my eyes for a few long seconds. I got the impression that the minutiae of the First Class experience was definitely not what was on her mind.
“It’s great, thanks. Oh apart from Jess and Amber. They’re starting to grate on my nerves already!”
Her hand was still on mine, and I felt her squeeze it gently. “Why don't you come back up to First with me? They’ve got a bar there. You said there isn’t any trouble down here anyway. Plus we still have about three hours left until we get to Paris.”
I could see her looking up at me, expectantly, her large brown eyes sparkling...
Only trouble on here is those Russians. And they won’t try anything on the plane, that's for damn sure. Fuck it, could use a drink. And wouldn’t mind looking at Chloe for a few hours, either.
“You got yourself a deal, miss,” I said, with an attempted smile. It was more of a rough grimace, but she smiled back nonetheless.
I frowned, looking up at the curtain between us and the stairs to First Class. I put on a serious, hard face, my big jaw muscles bunching. “One thing though. If they don’t let me up there, there’ll be trouble.”
She frowned at me for a second, and then burst out laughing.