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“It’s good to be back,” I replied.

“Good to have you back.”

We were over the eastern Balkans when the radio crackled. “Vipers, this is Control. Update. Unknown aircraft approaching the eastern boundary. Track indicates military aircraft. Stand by.”

I took a breath before responding. “Viper One copies.”

The unknown contact appeared on the radar. Two contacts. And they were moving fast.

“Viper One, radar contact.”

“Confirm.”

“Two aircraft. Heading parallel to boundary. No violation at this time.”

Before, I would have been waiting for the aircraft to make a dangerous move, but now I was praying they wouldn’t. Barb and I pulled up to them and they veered off. Once we escorted them safely from the airspace, I let out an enormous sigh of relief, sweating under my visor. I patted the meteorite in my front pocket as we sailed out of there and back toward the base. By late afternoon, we were back in Italian airspace, the familiar mountains up ahead. My heart sped up with the prospect of seeing Diana again.

***

Once I was back on the ground a new kind of exhilaration swept through me. One I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I tapped the flank of my jet, thanking her. I got dressed in a hurry, apologizing to my squadron members who wanted to go get a drink that evening.

“What about tomorrow then? It’s somebody’s birthday, isn’t it?” Barbarella nudged me.

“Why not?” For the first time I was looking forward to my birthday.

But mostly, I was looking forward to seeing Indy. The way she’d been acting this morning was still worrying me. So as soon as I stepped outside, I dialed her number.

No answer. My stomach tightened and I called her again. Still no answer.

Okay, I tried to reason with myself. Maybe she was in the shower. Or she might be on a video call with her parents.

I’d called her half a dozen times by the time I made it to the South Gate. That’s when I heard an eerily familiar voice call my name. Turning around, I was struck dumb as another ghost from my past materialized.

Ashleigh.

She hadn’t changed since the last time I’d seen her, except that she had more blonde highlights in her light brown hair. She wore a red dress heels, and the guys that were standing around the visitor center were all staring at her as she raced toward me.

I waited to be hit by the tumult of emotions I was sure I’d experience upon seeing her again—heartbreak, anger, desire. But there was nothing. Just confusion.

“Ashleigh?” I managed to croak out.

Before I could say anything else, she threw herself at me. On autopilot, my arms closed around her.

“I’ve missed you so much! Levi!” She took my head between her hands and then covered my lips with hers.

I didn’t kiss her back, but I also didn’t push her away. My whole world was spinning. Finally, the shock wore off, and I gently grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm’s length. “Ash. What are you doing here?”

“I left Carlton!” Her blue eyes were glassy with tears, and she took my face between her hands again. “For us, Levi. So we could be together.”

“Uh, Ash.” I tried to make sense of what she was saying. I had no idea how she’d gotten on base, but she was clearly emotional and needed defusing. “Let’s get a coffee and you can tell me everything.”

I led her inside Déjà Brew and got in line to order, anxiously tapping another message to Diana. Indy? Please call me.

The panic was starting to overtake me, but I had to get the Ashleigh situation handled. I brought her a bottle of water and a tea and sat down across from her. “Does Indy know you’re here?”

“You still call her that silly nickname? She’s not a kid anymore, Levi.” She scowled and tapped her spoon against her cup as she stirred in the sugar. “Although, she sure has been acting like one. I can’t believe that she’s been hiding me from you.”

I rubbed my forehead trying to take all this information in. “What do you mean she’s been hiding you from me?”