Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen
The private jet levelled in the air and the seatbelt lights went off. Jesse looked at each passenger and then his eyes fell on Milana. She was still out and he was sure that Connor had misjudged the dosage. She was a tiny thing, reaching Kelley’s shoulder in high heels, petite bordering on too skinny.
For her size though she was fierce as hell and according to Kelley had quite a mouth on her. She was going to be pissed when she woke up. His gaze returned to Marley who looked at him through narrowed eyes.
“If you keep staring at her like that I might just get jealous.”
Jesse smiled as he took Marley’s hand. “You’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about. That girl loves your brother.”
“You know, Jesse, that’s not helping your case at all.”
“I was pretty sure you knew that I only have eyes for you. I did follow you around like a lost puppy even after you broke up with me.”
Marley smiled. “You did. I’m just kidding … I’m not worried, Jesse.”
“I am, but not about this.”
David stood up from his seat and headed towards Jesse. Marley glanced at Jesse and then stood up and went to sit across from Carey. David sat down in Marley’s seat and Jesse wondered how many questions he’d have.
“David.”
“Where’s Marella? Why isn’t she on this plane with us? And who’s the woman strapped on the gurney in the back? Is Milana sedated too and why??”
“Kelley told you that Marella and Blain left. The woman is Andrea and yes she and Milana were sedated for their own safety.”
David nodded but his expression was anything but understanding. “He did, but I still don’t understand it.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, David. We’re going to Scelto Island that’s owned by Kelley, Lee and Mason. It’s for our own safety. Lee’s shooting made it clear that something’s going on.”
“Lee said he didn’t remember anything.”
Jesse regarded him coolly. “He lied, David. He lied to protect everyone. Kelley knows, Lee knows and Mason knows which means Connor knows. I also know, the rest of you don’t need to know and that’s how it’s going to stay. Blaire’s handling the IT so you can all still work remotely, access your emails and so forth. You can’t post locations because the GPS signals are being bounced around the world. We’ll stay on the island until Kelley says it’s safe to return. Don’t ask me anymore questions about that because this is the last time that I’ll answer any.”
“Who the hell are you people?”
Jesse smiled then as he looked at David’s frown. “I’m a soldier, David, that’s all you need to know. Kelley, Mason and Lee are the good guys, fighting a war for all of us. If you need to know more, Lee will tell you.”
“If we’re running away to some hidden island that nobody knows about, that tells me that things are bad. Who’s looking out for them?” David had a point and Jesse kept looking at him, his expression stoic.
“They’ll be fine, they’ve been doing this for seven years.”
Jesse’s expression told David he wasn’t going to get anything else out of him and he huffed as he stood up and walked back to his seat. An hour later the seatbelt light went on again and the pilot’s voice, Jackson Cooper, a soldier that Kelley employed, told them that they’d be landing in ten minutes.
Jackson Cooper was a swarthy, quiet man. He stood a head shorter than Jesse, lean like a swimmer but deadly all the same. He could fly almost anything that had an engine in it and he’d also be piloting the helicopter to the island.
Two guards would take the speedboat to the island and be there before they were. Jesse and Jackson wouldn’t be the only security on the helicopter and he wasn’t worried. Their flight plan was encrypted and for all intents and purposes didn’t exist.
It showed that a man and his wife, Mr and Mrs Jones, had flown to Grand Kingsway where they planned to spend their honeymoon in the small farm town located five miles outside the city. Their names didn’t appear anywhere and as far as anyone knew, they were all at Kelley’s house.
Carey checked on Milana, her breathing and pulse were steady and Jesse exhaled in relief. He would not want to be the one to tell Kelley Alexander that his wife had died on board his private jet. He carried her onto the helicopter and Marley stifled a laugh as he sat with her on his lap.
“Don’t even say it.”
“I wasn’t going to.” Marley looked away but Jesse knew she was laughing at him. He’d turned into a glorified babysitter.
The King Stallion could seat fifty-five soldiers who sat right next to each other but Kelley had outfitted the previously owned military style helicopter with more comfortable seats for thirty people, space for their luggage and Andrea’s gurney was safely strapped to one side.
The helicopter was too loud for conversation but the ride only lasted fifteen minutes. The helicopter landed safely on the helipad and Jesse stood up with Milana in his arms. Staff waited outside the lodge style house that had twenty bedrooms with their own bathrooms, a restaurant style kitchen with a dining area for them and a separate one for the security team and staff.
The security team had an ops room, a control centre, their own bunkers and training room. The island was safer than any presidential residence in the world and Jesse breathed in the salt air. It was quiet, the only noise were the waves crashing on the beach below them.
“All set, Sir.” Jackson appeared in front of Jesse and nodded his head.
“Fall out, soldier, get your men settled and unpacked, do a sweep of the perimeter and check the control centre cameras, make sure everything’s in working order.”
Jackson nodded his head and started relaying orders. He was second in command on the island ranked just below Jesse. Carey and John walked behind Andrea’s gurney as she was pushed down the paved walkway towards the lodge.
Marley hooked her arm in Jesse’s as they followed behind them. In the master suite of the lodge Jesse placed Milana on the bed and covered her with a light blanket. Her suitcases stood in front of the closet and he put her phone on the nightstand.
