“All I know is that they landed somewhere in Louisville, Kentucky.”
“There could be a lot of small airports that could accommodate him.”
“Not as many as you might think.”
“How so?”
“Well, it has to land a Falcon20, so the runway has to be long enough. And they would want to have flown without authorities asking questions about their passengers or cargo, so it would have to be a private airfield.” As he spoke, Alik was using his smart phone to search the area.
“Okay, from what I can tell, it’s going to be one of three places on the outskirts of Louisville. The good news is I’ll know it when I see it.”
“What’s the bad news?”
“These three airports aren’t exactly close to one another. Any guesses?” Alik held the map out to Farrow to glance at as she kept glancing back at the road.
She sighed deeply, a worry line creasing her brow. “What if we just took the one closest to us? Maybe we’ll get lucky?”
“Sounds as good a plan as any,” Alik nodded. “Maybe we’ll luck out.”
“I thought you said there was no such thing as luck, only blessings?”
“Touché.”
Minutes later, they were pulling up into the first private airport. Farrow parked right outside what looked like the main hanger where the building sported a sign reading, “Bluegrass Air Streams.”
“Wait,” Alik said, his eyes glowing indigo. “I think…yeah, pull the SUV around the back of this hanger.”
“What if the cops are called?”
“Trust me.”
“Okay,” Farrow said with a worried sigh. She backed out of the spot she just parked in and pulled around the back, following Alik’s instructions.
“Stop here,” he said, eyes still glowing blue.
Alik was deep in retro-cogging when there came a loud rapping at the driver’s side window.
Startled, Farrow rolled her window down just enough to talk with the man dressed in blue jeans and a clean shirt. He was scowling. “What the hell are you doing, miss? You can’t be back here. Turn this vehicle around and go park in the front, like everyone else.” He looked mad enough to spit nails.
“Yes, sir. Sorry. We were just…”
“I don’t care what you were just doing. Get your vehicle off my tarmac!”
Farrow nodded her understanding and rolled up her window before putting the SUV in drive. “Well, we just made a friend,” she said under her breath in case the guy was a lip-reader. He stood with his arms crossed angrily, watching her every move.
“They were here.” Alik’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Are you sure?” Farrow whipped her head around to look at Alik’s stoic face.
“Yes.” There was so much more behind that one word, but Farrow knew they didn’t have time just then to go into it.
“I have them now,” his voice was as hollow as his eyes were filled with rage. He reached up and pointed his hand back to the main road.
“I won’t lose sight of them, Farrow. Don’t make me stop tracking no matter what. Do you understand?”
“What are you seeing Alik?”
“I see everyone bound and drugged. But I also see we’re not the only ones tracking Arkdone. Williams is here, too.”
“Oh, shit.”
“He’s brought a large plane full of metasoldiers and he’s very obviously pissed. They left not two hours ago.”
“What are you thinking Alik?”
“I’m thinking we may be too late, but nothing’s going to stop me from trying to save my family. I’m not expecting the same from you Farrow. You can just drop me off outside wherever they ended up stopping their vans.”
Alik’s glowing eyes never left the veiled images in front of him, however desperately he wanted to read her facial expression just then. He didn’t have to read it; she said what was in her heart.
“Where you go, I go. Like I promised your mother, I’m all in.”
“Farrow, this looks like it’s turned into a suicide mission.” Alik shook his head; sadness laced with determination defined his tone.
“I choose to fight beside you, Alik Winter. If that means I die beside you, so be it. I have a lot of atoning to do. This would be an honorable way for me to go.”
Never letting his eyes deviate from his echo of a target, he reached out to Farrow, ran his fingers slowly down her right forearm. Once at her hand, he spread her hand palm up and wove his fingers with hers. “You don’t have to atone for anything. God forgives and forgets the moment you simply confess your sins and ask for His grace.”
“I’m not talking about saying a bad word, Alik.”
“I know.” He pointed with his right hand to a turn he wanted Farrow to make. She nodded and obeyed without saying a word; they’d been doing this for so long, she was accustomed to his ways. “Nothing you’ve ever done, said or thought is unforgivable, Farrow. Nothing.”