Page 23 of Venom Island
“All right.” Elias claps me on the shoulder. “Don’t knot the Omega on the jet. You have no copilot, and while the autopilot system is good, it’s notthatgood.”
I arch a brow at him. “I know how to control my wolf, Elias.”
He grins. “Yeah, but he’s chomping at the bit to sink his teeth into that Omega. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at her.”
“We just met.”
“As I said yesterday, that means shit.”
“I think you told me it meant little to our wolves,” I correct him.
“Same thing,” he tells me before turning to leave. Then he pauses and adds, “Thanks for doing this.”
“It’s the least I can do after everything you all have done for me,” I reply, meaning it.
When Ander said he needed someone to take a group of Omegas to their sectors of choice, I volunteered for the job. It seemed like an appropriate task for me.
And it also prolonged the inevitable reunion with my brother.
“We didn’t do it for you,” he murmurs.
“I know.” They did it for Kari. “But I benefited.” Because Carlos is finally fucking dead. My brother is free… to an extent. Kari and Savi are safe.
And I’m… in a to-be-determined state.
“I think that remains to be seen,” he says, his expression knowing. He can’t read my mind, but he no doubt understands my current predicament. “See you in a day or two. Then we’ll talk more.”
He claps me on the shoulder again and exits. I finalize a few items while the Omegas board, Elias’s voice traveling to my ears as he instructs them all on where to sit.
“You’ll be welcome to move around after takeoff,” he’s saying, providing an overview of takeoff procedures.
The Omegas don’t say much, but their nervous energy speaks volumes. For some of them, this is probably their first time on a jet. And the others who have flown before—to reach Bariloche Sector—likely didn’t enjoy their previous flight experiences.
“All right, Captain. You’re all set and cleared for takeoff.”
I glance back at Elias, my eyebrow cocked. “Your imitation game needs some work.” Because he just attempted—and miserably failed—to do a radio controller’s scratchy tone, like he was mimicking some old movie from the Pre-Infected Era.
He chuckles. “You and I are going to have some fun when you get to Andorra Sector.”
“Why does that sound like a threat?”
Amusement flashes in his midnight gaze. “Because I’m the best shot in all of Andorra Sector, and I just picked you as a new sparring partner, amigo.”
I smirk. “You should have vetted me before challenging me,amigo.”
“I vetted you yesterday when we took down Carlos. You didn’t miss a single target.” He cants his head. “As I said, we’re going to have some fun together.” He steps out of the cockpit. “Fly safe.”
“You, too,” I tell him.
He nods and closes the cockpit door. It locks automatically, not that it’s really needed. But the jet is equipped with safety features, just in case.
Less than a minute later, a green light appears as the outer door is secured, telling me he has officially disembarked the jet. I pull on my headset and do a final check, then focus on the cameras to find a Beta waving a flag.
There isn’t a runway, but these high-tech jets shoot upward like a rocket. Very, very different from the planes of my youth when humans still ran the world.
“All clear,” Sven says, acting as my land crew. “Enjoy the skies.”
“Always,” I reply.
