Page 8 of Shinji Takahashi: Into the Heart of the Storm

she wouldn’t just leave the Society to go back to Hightower. She despised their greed and their ruthlessness.

But then, if she hated them so much, why was she feeling homesick?

Shinji held up his arm, gazing down at the tattoo standing out against his skin. A brilliantly colored serpent with a feathered hood and golden wings framing its body stared back at him, though there was no spark of life or sentience behind its emerald gaze. Just flat, lifeless ink. Since the last adventure, Shinji had snuck furtive glances at the tattoo more times than he could count, hoping to catch it moving or peering back at him, like it used to do. He had always been disappointed.

“I still have no idea what you want me to do,” he told the Coatl, ignoring the strange feeling he got from talking to a picture on his arm. “You haven’t given me any instructions. I’m trying to figure everything out by myself, but a little hint would be nice.”

No response from the winged snake on his forearm. Not that he was really expecting one. It seemed he was on his own after all.

Standing on the tarmac of a tiny private airport somewhere in the city, Shinji watched the small red plane approach with a mix of excitement and utter dread.

“Oooh, is that Scarlett I see?” Phoebe called, shading her eyes as the whine of the propellers got closer. “How exciting. I haven’t seen her in a minute. Last I heard, she was forced to land somewhere in the Himalayas because one ofRhett’s engines supposedly burst into flame.”

Oliver visibly blanched. “Thanks, Phoebe. I could’ve gone the rest of my life without knowing that.”

Shinji stifled a groan. Scarlett J. Blaurhimmel and her infamous plane were well known and respected throughout

the Society. Supposedly, she flew all around the world in the ancient red airplane she lovingly calledRhett, but the two flights Shinji had been on with Scarlett were not what he would call comfortable. Terrifying would be a better description. And Oliver hated flying even more than Shinji did. He wondered if the plane still only had the one parachute.

The plane bounced once on the runway, landed, and came to a rather screeching halt that left wisps of white smoke curling into the air. After a few moments, the pilot door opened, and a woman with flaming-red hair emerged, a pair of flight goggles perched atop her head. She smiled at Shinji, Lucy, and Oliver, but her blue eyes widened when they landed on Phoebe.

“Phoebe? Phoebe Mystic, is that you?” Scarlett shook her head, crimson hair whipping about in the breeze. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Scotland trying to track down the Loch Ness Monster.”

“Sadly, that didn’t pan out.” Phoebe gave a dramatic sigh. “Nessie was being very camera shy and didn’t make an appearance. It’s fine, though. I know she’s there. I’ll get a clear picture of her one day.” She sniffed, then glanced down at Shinji. “Today, I’m here for Mr. Takahashi. We’re off to the South Pacific, and Priya was kind enough to let me tag along.”

“Oh? Thatwasvery kind of her.” An amused smile tugged at Scarlett’s mouth, and she looked over at Oliver. “And are you in on this, too, Ocean?”

Oliver snorted. “Unfortunately, I’ve been outvoted.”

“Oh well, cheer up. Nothing but blue sky and sun where you’re heading. And don’t you worry”—she reached back and patted the side of the plane—“Rhettand I will get you across the Pacific in record time. There’s even a cooler full of drinks and sandwiches, so we’re all set to fly.” She turned away, but Shinji thought he heard her murmur, “Let’s just hope those repairs on the second engine hold.…”

It was definitely not a luxury trip.

Flying with Scarlett was just as loud, unpleasant, and jarring as last time, only much, much longer. Shinji felt every dip, jolt, drop, and tremor of the plane through the metal seat he was sitting on, and the vibration of the engines made his teeth itch. Scarlett had attempted to make things a bit more comfortable by putting down cushions, but it was still a long, shaky trip. The engines were so loud Shinji couldn’t even talk to Lucy or Oliver without nearly shouting, so nobody spoke much. And sleeping was out of the question. Except for Phoebe Mystic, who propped her cushion up on the wall, leaned against it, and started to snore. Shinji occupied himself with games and movies on his phone, munched the peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches that came out of Scarlett’s cooler, and fantasized about being on the ground.

A couple of hours into the flight,Rhettgave a violent

shudder. Glancing out the window, Shinji saw one of the propellers sputter and stop moving. The plane gave a loud cough and then dropped out of the air.

Lucy shrieked, and Shinji’s stomach jumped all the way up to his throat. Oliver’s face turned green, and he braced one arm against the side of the plane, looking like he might throw up. Before Shinji could take a breath to let out a yell himself,Rhettgave another cough and the propellers started spinning again. The plane stopped its free fall and started climbing once more, but from then on, every little jolt made Shinji’s stomach clench.

Phoebe didn’t even wake up.

Shinji was never as happy to feel a plane’s wheels touch the runway, though it was a very bouncy, jarring landing that would’ve clacked his teeth together had he not been braced and ready for it. Glancing over, he saw Lucy pressed into the seat as well, and Oliver’s clenched jaw. In the corner, Phoebe Mystic continued to snore.

The plane didn’t stop immediately upon landing but continued across a tiny strip of pavement toward what looked like a hangar bay at the end. Through the plane’s small windows, Shinji caught glimpses of blue sky and palm trees, and a rush of excitement went through him. They were finally here.

Oliver was out of his seat before the plane even stopped moving. He grabbed his backpack off the floor and swung it over one shoulder as the engines shuddered and came to

a stop. Lucy let out a sigh of relief as the noise level in the cabin dropped, though Shinji could still hear the echo of the engine drone in his ears.

“And that’s three.” Oliver sighed, shaking his head. “Three times I’ve been on this flying deathtrap this year. Which is three times more than I wanted. How are you two doing?” he asked Shinji and Lucy. “Everyone okay?”

“When do your teeth stop vibrating?” Shinji muttered. Oliver snorted.

“Give it a couple of minutes; it’ll go away soon. The real annoyance will be the ringing in your ears. You’ll hear that for at least an hour.”

“Mm?” Phoebe grunted, and raised her head. “Goodness, are we there already? I was having a nice nap. Time flies.” She yawned, stretched, and stood up. “So, that was easier than I thought. Where to next?”

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