Chapter 65

*Jayden*

Once again Mark had escaped our net and slipped through it. I was very frustrated and wanted to punch the wall out of anger but decided the pain was not worth it.

Something else that was bothering me to no end was Olga's sudden disappearance. Yes she had told Frankie and me that she would be traveling but that was close to three weeks ago. Frankie had tried to reach her and so did I but we never got through except for one day when by luck both our calls went through for a few minutes.

Though Olga never answered the calls I was slightly relieved to know that she was at least alive. As long as she was alive that meant that my baby was safe too.

Frankie had advised me to just give her space and knowing Olga, she would be back as if nothing happened.

Other than Mark's disappearance, the only other missing person who gave me a few sleepless nights was Sierra. Unlike Olga, her phone was constantly off and I know because I tried every day to call her but she was always off network.

I sighed and put down the phone looking at her contact on my phone screen. A week ago Cynthia had taken some days off and traveled, I suspected that she met with Sierra because she was the least worried out of all of us.

On a few occasions I had wanted to ask her if she was communicating with Sierra but something always stopped me.

My phone buzzed in my hands and for a split second, I imagined and hoped it was Sierra finally getting back to me. My happiness evaporated on seeing Frankie's name on the screen.

"Hello Frankie,"

"You sure sound excited to hear me," she said. So she could pick on the disappointment in my voice. "I have some news that will cheer you up."

"Go ahead," I said.

"You better check your email and confirm but WoShCo has given you the green light. You are to go to Seasbury over tomorrow."

I put my phone down and put it on speaker then opened my laptop and sure enough there was the email from the council. I quickly read through the email and sent the reply.

"We will travel so prepare," I told her.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Yes you will be accompanying me. Also get Stanley in the loop, let him prepare the plane."

I heard Frankie sigh before she agreed. I then hung up and looked outside. Well that was some good news for this week, what better way to begin the weekend than enjoying myself at the seaside resort.

Richard pulled up outside the gate. The security guard walked to the side of the vehicle and nodded at me then signaling for the gate to be opened.

The gate silently slid open granting access to the property behind the large walls. This was my private hangar and aerodrome. I had to wrangle the city to allow me to build this place and hadn't it been once again for Nathan Sinclair's intervention I wouldn't be owning it now.

The hangar is a stunning architectural masterpiece, blending modern design with natural elements. The hangar has a curved roof that mimics the shape of a wave, and large glass windows that offer a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

It is spacious enough to accommodate several of my aircrafts, including six sleek jets, fifteen luxurious helicopters, and a few vintage planes. There was also a state-of-the-art security system that spanned from the automatic gate and the security guards to cameras, sensors, and alarms.

Frankie and I stepped out of the car after Richard had parked and he opened the doors for us. I was informed that Stanley was still doing some final checks and we would be up in the air in thirty minutes.

The last time I was here, was to go on a short trip with Brian and we had taken one of the helicopters. I had a valid PPL and could operate most of the planes in the hangar.

"Still chartering out?" Frankie asked as she saw a plane taxi out to the runway.

I nodded, "Wouldn't want them to accumulate rust."

Further out down the property was a bigger hangar that housed planes that I chartered out to the public. Only a few people were allowed to charter my private collection of planes. The one on the runway was a Boeing Business Jet and I have an idea who was inside it currently.

The glass door slid open and we stepped onto the escalator that took us to the upper floor where we entered a lavish lounge area. There were black and brown leather sofas in the center of the room. Five giant screens hang from the roof and though they were all turned off I still remember their volume from the last event that had happened here eight months ago.

There were two pool tables as well as a section set aside for bowling and darts. I walked over to that section and ribbed the counter with my finger. It was dust free which meant that it had just been cleaned. The last time I had passed by, the place was dusty enough to make me sneeze and cough.

"Would you like a drink?" Frankie asked. I turned around and nodded as she walked to the fully-equipped kitchen. She opened one of the lower cabinets and pulled out a sliding drawer that had a bottle of unopened smoked whiskey.

She slapped it on the bottom and opened it before pouring a drop on the ground. I watched her but didn't comment.

"It is a custom in a certain country to do that, it is called blessing the bottle," she explained seeing my look. I shook my head amused and accepted the drink from her.

The rest of the hangar on the ground floor was a cozy bedroom, a luxurious bathroom, that has a Jacuzzi tub, a steam shower, and a separate room for a sauna.

Back when Hildie was alive, we used to travel a lot and this hangar had become like a third home to us. Up the stairs was another floor that had three office areas, a workshop area, and a library area.

I looked outside and saw the sprawling but well maintained private garden, which had flowers, trees, and plants growing in it. There was a winding paved path that meandered through the garden. That had been Hildie's project.

Frankie had gone to the edge of the wall and was looking at the planes below us. I was proud of my small collection of planes though compared to Nathan Sinclair's mine was just a small drop besides his.

I had my six sleek jets that I used at times for business or personal travel. I had purchased two of each Gulfstream G650, Cessna Citation X+, and Dassault Falcon 8X.

For the fifteen Luxurious helicopters, they are all VTOLrotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover, and fly in any direction. I preferred piloting the helicopters myself for the thrill of it as well as going sightseeing with Brian. In my possession were two Sikorsky S-92, an Airbus H160, and [Bell 525 Relentless.

I had four turboprop planes: Pilatus PC-12, Beechcraft King Air 350i and two Cessna Grand Caravan EX. These ones were ever on standby should I need a quick yet fast way to evacuate people and items.

The phone rang and Frankie, who was nearest to it, picked it up. She hung up and then turned to me.

"We are good to go."

I finished my drink and followed Frankie down to the runway where we boarded the plane. I took my seat on one of the plush leather seats and Frankie took the seat opposite me.

The cabin's large windows let in natural light that lit the area well. We settled ourselves in the seats and belted up. A hostess came up to us to make sure we were ready for take-off.

The overhead speakers jumped to life.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard this private flight to Seasbury. My name is Captain Stanley and I will be flying this plane today. This is my co-pilot, First Officer Merril. We are expecting a smooth and pleasant flight, with a duration of about two hours. Please make yourselves comfortable and let us know if you need anything."

"Your lovely hostess will take you through all the safety and emergency routines."

Frankie and I watched as the hostess explained the procedures.

"We are happy to have you on board. Please fasten your seatbelts and turn off your electronic devices as we prepare for take-off. We will be back with you shortly."

The flight to Seasbury was pretty uneventful except for a small patch of turbulence that the pilots handled very well. Throughout the trip, our drinks and snacks were replenished. After a while I told the hostess to just relax and take it easy. Our luggage had been loaded into the plane earlier on so I couldn't take out my laptop and do some work.

Frankie was busy on her phone most likely watching some videos judging on the expressions on her face. The hostess had retired to a small alcove hidden from view but I knew she was keeping an eye out in case we needed anything.

Having a lot of idle time and nothing to do, I started thinking about Olga and Sierra. Two women in my life and both had made an upheaval in it. One with a positive impact while the other while not negative wasn't something I had planned for. As I looked at Frankie, I imagined her to be Sierra seated across me, holding that slim fragile flute in her hands as she sipped on either Cava or Asti.

Brian would be with either Nala or even Lorraine most likely in the cockpit disturbing Stanley with questions. I know Sierra was not money minded in as much as her parting words had been that she was in just for the money. I know she said that just so that I wouldn't bother looking for her.

Olga on the other hand, oh how I wish I had taken another restraining order against her. Right now, I wouldn't be in this mess. Well as soon as I finish this meeting and the whole maritime business, I will do all I can to get back Sierra. I have a feeling that both Frankie and Lorraine would help me one way or another.

The speakers crackled alive disrupting my thoughts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have reached our cruising altitude of 35, 000 feet and we are now flying over the beautiful Derelian Sea. You can enjoy the view of the expansive and never ending blue waters from your windows or watch a movie on your personal screens. We have a selection of snacks and drinks available for you in the galley. Please feel free to help yourselves or ask our flight attendant for assistance."

I picked up the phone to my left, "I hope your boss is paying you enough for this. If not, I will have a word with him."

"Oh he pays us more than most pilots in the country so giving you a step by step narration of the trip is part of the job."

I could hear some snickering from the cockpit. Frankie shook her head and finished the glass of champagne. The hostess came back and cleared the little crumbs on the desk.

"Will we be going back immediately?" she asked me.

"Why waste this opportunity?" I shook my head and smiled. At least three days would be spent here after the meeting with the group. I had already made reservations at the seaside resort with the penthouse suite that overlooked the beachfront.

"Take the time and relax too, I am very sure the hotel can survive a few days without us."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent into Seasbury. The weather is sunny and warm, with a temperature of seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. We should be landing in about fifteen minutes. Please return to your seats and secure your belongings. Thank you for flying with us today. We hope you enjoyed your flight and we look forward to seeing you again soon."

Finally I could stretch my legs again. I looked out of my window and the sparkling blue waters of the ocean met my eyes. Twenty minutes later, we were deplaning.

The door was opened and the stairs unfolded for us as the hostess bade us farewell. Since we had landed at the international airport we had to go through security checks and finally to where our waiting limo was.

The meeting with the council was set for late afternoon so we had just enough time to have a quick bite. We settled for a place near the seashore and the harbor to save on time. As my coffee was served to me I happened to look outside and for a moment I was very sure that I saw someone like Sierra just pass the café.