Thanks Dawn and Meadow for suggestions. I know there was a delay and I felt instead of keeping everyone waiting I would break the arrival at the island and the meeting into separate chapters. I wanted to thank everyone for reading. Don't forget to vote. I appreciate the following!
Enjoy,
Meridian
Transit and Trouble
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Meridian checked the plane making sure parachutes were in a hidden compartment. Extra guns were locked and loaded in various places. She could feel the hairs on her neck and the intuition that dire things were coming. Drake and Alex noticed her face become stern as if she was itching to shoot something or someone.
"What's wrong Meridian?" Drake asked as they settled in for takeoff.
"Something is going to happen. Everyone stay locked and loaded. I'd love to let everyone rest but I need you wide awake." Meridian could feel a fury of fire run down her spine and she felt an odd vibration.
Telepathically she tried talking to Alex, "Can you hear me?"
"Yes, what's going on? You're on edge and acting real funny."
"I feel like fire is running down my spine and I am feeling an odd vibration. Something is going to happen in approximately one hour into the flight. I can't see what it is but I have us prepared. I just hate feeling like this. We need to give Drake the timeframe. I'm going to take a tour around the plane after takeoff. I want to see if I can figure out what I'm feeling."
"I'll get Drake the message."
"Hello Marisa, it's good to see you. Come sit for a second so we can chat." Meridian motioned to Marisa. They had worked together years ago; they had their own coded language they shared.
"What a delight to see that my Queen is safe after all. I had your favorite chocolates brought with us. Please let me know of anything else you require." Marisa was giving her a knowing look.
Meridian grabbed her hand to hold it and using a finger traced the number three in her palm without anyone noticing. "Let me get you drinks. I found you the number one vodka you like. Is that adequate?"
"Yes it is. Thank you Marisa, be sure to get our other Queen and soon to be King gets a drink and a box of chocolates."
Marisa grabbed the boxes of chocolates and drinks. She leaned close to Drake whispering in his ear. "The chocolates are to die for. Our countdown is one hour." Marisa moved back and Drake nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Marisa gave Meridian her drink and box of chocolates.
"Thank you Marisa. Sit and have a drink with us."
They chatted for about thirty minutes and then Meridian went searching the plane. She decided to follow the vibration she felt. As she moved to an overhead panel she grabbed an angled mirror and saw the bomb. Thirty minutes left on it. If she wouldn't have contacted the pilot to change the flight path they would have been over water when everything happened.
Meridian came out and grabbed Marisa's hand tracing a zero under it. "Marisa, you should go change into something more comfortable. Clothes are in the closet." Marisa changed in record time and hurried out.
Meridian pulled Alex in with her as they changed into combat gear with a Kevlar vest underneath.
"Can you hear me?" Meridian asked telepathically.
"Yes, you found something?" Alex was almost holding her breath.
"No, we're just wearing a Kevlar vest as a fashion statement. Yes! A bomb, we'll be exiting the plane with hidden parachutes. I prepared for this. Everything had auto parachutes and transponders and trackers. We'll be fine but we need to keep an eye out. I say we bail out as soon as Drake changes."
"Deal! He'll never want to fly again you know." Alex said laughing.
They walked into the other room. "Drake, there is a change of clothing sitting out for you. Best change now." The rage in her eyes told him he needed to hurry.
Drake nodded and came back a few minutes later. Just then a copilot came out and quickly pulled a gun. Meridian swiftly snatched the pistol from under the chocolates and shot the man twice in the chest. She quickly went to check the pilot and found he was dead. She set autopilot and went to get everyone off the plane.
"Time to exit this death trap. I've got the plane heading for an open field. The pilot is dead, we are set on autopilot but it won't last long." Meridian threw parachutes at each of them. "Everyone ready?"
"No, but I'm not staying here." Alex said.
Meridian tossed the luggage out and watched as everyone jumped. She saw a shadow from the edge of her view and heard a sound just as she was clipped in the arm by a bullet. She shot back and jumped.
After they all were on the ground they regrouped. Drake looked at Meridian, "You've been hit."
"The chant is supposed to keep me from dying but obviously not bleeding." Meridian grabbed one of the bags and pulled out a packet of gunpowder sprinkling it on the wound.
Alex tilted her head to the side, "Do you commonly carry gunpowder with you? Do you store it next to the vibrator?"
"I never take a vibrator on a plane. Haven't you seen all the horror stories of it vibrating and security blowing up your luggage?" Meridian teased as they laughed.
"I could feed you to heal you but we would be linked." Drake said as he heard Meridian cussing from the pain of the gunpowder.
"It's not that bad. If it were urgent I would consider it but this is just a flesh wound."
Meridian was relieved she had purposely sent the majority of guns and ammo with Marcus. They gathered the luggage and used a tracker to find a road. It was time for them to find the second plane with an Irish contact she had set up just in case this happened but they needed to get to Denver. They started walking across a field in Kansas. Meridian still felt like her spine was hot.
As she turned she heard Alex yell, "NO!" as Alex jumped in front of Meridian.
Alex fell as the bullet hit her lower abdomen, just below the Kevlar. Meridian could hardly see the blur of Drake attacking Marisa and killing her. Meridian's vision distorted and she felt ill until she finally threw up. She turned her attention to Alex who was doubled over bleeding and who had started to throw up.
Drake came over and pulled Alex close to check her wound. When he got close he smelled it, "Poison, she put poison in the drinks." Drake put pressure on her wound until the bleeding slowed but he still worried about her pregnancy and how well the chant to keep them from dying would work. If he had no choice later he would give her blood.
