“I can get someone from the White House on the phone. They really should have talked to you about the changed flight plans.” The man looked concerned that she was concerned, but Sheridan shook off his worry like she shook off her bad feeling from earlier.
“No need to make a fuss. Who am I to complain about an upgrade?” Maybe this had been what the premonition was about, an upgrade to a private plane with Genesis. Not all anxiety was bad.
Unlike the regular airport, she didn’t have to go through TSA. The driver took her right out to the tarmac where the private plane was waiting.
Moments later, dazed and a little starstruck, Sheridan was walking up a staircase to the main cabin door, each footfall punctuated by her bootheel on hollow metal. Just like on a regular plane, a flight attendant welcomed her when she stepped into the main cabin. “So glad to have you aboard, Miss Lane.”
The flight attendant watched as Sheridan took in the jet’s interior.
“I guess Delta can go suck an egg.”
The flight attendant laughed.
“You’re going to love it, Miss Lane. I can promise the food is much better.”
“How long is the trip to DC?” Sheridan asked as she settled into what must be a Nappa leather airplane chair, pretending she wasn’t desperate to know what the in-flight meal would be.
The flight attendant’s eyes went wide. “I’m so sorry. This flight isn’t going to DC.”
“What?” Sheridan sputtered. “Camp David?” She hazarded another guess.
The flight attendant shook her head. Behind her, the staircase began to pull away from the side of the plane.
“Where are we going?” Maybe the president’s home in Massachusetts?
“The Azores,” the flight attendant said with a smile. “The Hawaii of Europe.”
“Is the president there?” Sheridan asked, confused. What would the president be doing in the Azores? Where even were the Azores?
When the flight attendant didn’t answer, Sheridan sat up straighter. “There’s been a mistake. I’m supposed to be on a flight to DC to meet President Simon. Can someone grab my bag for me? I’d like to get off this plane right now.” If she pulled her boots off and ran like hell, she might still have time to make her Delta flight.
“I’m so sorry. Let me see what I can do.”
Behind her, they were shutting the cabin door. A man in an orange vest was driving the movable stairway down the tarmac.
Sheridan’s voice pitched up as she said, “I need to get off this plane immediately. I do not want to go to the Azores.”
“Let me talk to the Big G,” the attendant offered.
“Who the hell is the Big G?” Sheridan asked.
“We’ll get this figured out.” The attendant smiled again.
“I don’t need to figure it out.”
The airplane’s engine shifted into gear.
The attendant smiled and walked toward the rear of the plane as it prepared for takeoff.
“What is so hard about opening the door and letting me off? I don’t understand.” But Sheridan did understand. She was being abducted. Instead of getting into a stranger’s panel van after being offered candy, she’d gotten into a Hollywood star’s private jet after seeing his abs.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to let anyone off the plane at this time,” the flight attendant said in a too-cute intercom voice as the plane started taxiing down the runway. “It should be a clear flight to the Azores. We are serving a delicious lunch, and Genesis would love for you to enjoy the in-flight movie.”
“Let me guess.Power Couple?” Sheridan rolled her eyes and settled tensely into her seat.
The flight attendant laughed, but really, the joke was on Sheridan. “How’d you know?”
“I’m a psychic.” But apparently not as good a one as she thought.
