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I’m standing in front of a sleek white plane. Well, I guess I should call it a private jet, judging from the Dalton family crest painted in gold on the side. Gusts of chilly night air toy with the edges of my cloak, bringing me the scent of the distant pine trees on the edges of the vast area of land cleared for the hangars and concrete runway.
“You’re not going that far,” the girl says, giving me a wide smile.
“Then why can’t I drive there?”
She shakes her head, her brown ponytail swaying. “Trust him, Evie.”
There’s a bitter laugh bubbling up my throat, but I feel too bad to let it out. The girl seems sweet, and vaguely familiar. Is she in one of my classes? And no one’s said a thing about my weird cloak, or the fact that I’m hesitating to board a private jet at one o’clock in the morning.
I didn’t even know there was a landing strip close to the lake. Then again, there’s alotI don’t know about this town.
Climbing the short flight stairs, I step inside the plane, finding a cabin accented in soft beige leather. The guy in the black suit leads me to one of the seats, and asks me to belt up for take-off. Despite how my heart is hammering in my throat, I inch toward the window and look out as we start the take-off run down the runway. A giddiness spreads through my body as I’m pressed into my seat by the acceleration, the lights along the runway melting into a bright yellow blur.
I grip the seat beneath me, a heady giggle slipping out of my mouth as the jet becomes airborne, and begins to climb. But the best part is when it finally levels out, the ride so stable and smooth that it feels almost as if we’re back on the ground.
A hostess in a smart black-and-gold uniform hands me a glass of champagne. “Have you eaten?”
“Uh… I’m not really hungry.”
“Are you sure?” She smiles warmly. “The chef can prepare anything you’d like.”
I stare up at her, suddenly ravenous. “Anything?”
* * *
I’m still busy scarfing down the best nachos I’ve ever tasted when the hostess comes back to clear my plate. I almost fight her for it, but there were only a few crispy chips and some delicious, gooey cheese left anyway.
As we begin to descend, I start regretting the food I just ate. Gravity seems twice as greedy as when we took off, and I hate how heavy I feel as our altitude steadily decreases.
In short order, we touch down with barely a bump, and in seconds we decelerate dramatically, the engines roaring as the thrust reverses. Within moments we’re back to a leisurely crawl up another brightly lit runway.
This one is much larger than the landing strip by Scarstone Lake. And there are already a few other jets neatly parked near a large group of airport hangars.
I’m led outside by the same man that helped me into the jet at Pinecrest, and my chest clenches when I see Owen standing a few yards away.
He’s wearing dark clothes and a black leather trench coat.
“I guess if I’m Trinity, it only makes sense that you’re Neo, right?” I say through a laugh as I walk up to him. I’m still holding the cloak tightly closed in front—not only because there’s a brisk breeze nipping at my heels, but because I’m not quite sure I couldeverlet anyone see me in this scandalous outfit. Although there’s barely an inch of my skin that’s left exposed, the catsuit hugs me like a second skin. I never even knew I had such curves until I wriggled into it.
“Who says I’m not Morpheus?” Owen asks with an arch to his eyebrow.
“You haven’t offered me any pills yet.”
Owen smiles. “I’m glad you came.”
“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?” I ask.
He turns, beckoning me to follow him as he heads for a white Rolls Royce Phantom. I’m not surprised it’s there… I’m just surprised at how magnificent it is. And once I’m inside, I can’t believe I was ever happy with being a middle class anything.
I run my hands over the pale leather seats, shifting my butt around. “This is amazing. I can’t believe I’m here.”
“Me neither,” Owen murmurs. Something in his voice makes me look up at him, and I blush at the hungry look in his eyes. “I can’t wait to see what you look like without the cloak.”
I laugh. “Doubt that’s going to happen.” I peer out the window, narrowing my eyes. “Where are we?”
“That’s not important. What’s important is where we’re going.”
I turn to him, eyebrows lifting.
He smiles. “I have a gift for you. I’m sorry I dragged you out of bed on a Friday night, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.”
“It better be.”
“Trust me.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Trust… is earned.”
“Then let me earn it.” He slides his hand over my thigh, using his pinky finger to push away the edge of my cloak. “I owe you that much, at least.”
