Falling at 30,000 feets

elow, a blanket of brilliant white stretched as far as the eye could see, broken on

een and blue lights, systems hummed with reliable efficiency, and the only sounds wer

it w

ched for the communication panel. The display showed clear skies ahead, with landin

d times. "This is Aurelia Airlines GC2711. Altitude correction pressure two-one, indicated airspeed two-five-zer

crackled over the li

h

the one they'd been working with earlier. Sharper. Less friendly. "Flow control i

een showed their intended flight path curving smoothly toward the runway-heading t

r tracing the new path on the screen. "That's almos

, cutting off any chance to question the

didn't make sense. Flow control was rarely implemented for LAX during

gain, her fingers moving del

ad on heading three-six-zero-we have radar confirmation of moderate to severe turbulence and lightning activity. We'll be de

time, almost as if someone were d

h

the voice said, now with an edge of impatience. "Con

e click

he cockpit. Heav

lying for fifteen years, and he'd never felt a radio tr

scanning the fuel gauges. "We're cleared for landing

failure, miscommunication, deliberate interference. She checked the fuel readouts again: they had enough for another forty

out this w

he G

Los Angeles skyline. The morning sun cast warm golden light across his uniform, but his expre

" he murmured, his eyes fixed on the spot where

ng quickly over the screen to select the number fo

, his voice carrying the quiet authority of someone who

from the other end

les airspace. They were vectored into a holding pattern twe

the warm light catching

, his voice dropping sligh

oach control. It appears deliberate-they're maintaining them at 3,000 fe

the other end hesita

e targeting Captain Harley. The instructions they're giving

d the anger rising beneath the surface. He'd spent years rooting out corrup

e turned cold

minimum fuel for holding patterns-they won't last more than twenty minutes before they're forced to dec

be

's... a sharp move. It cou

into his pocket. His gaze returned to the sky, his eyes scanning t

he C

rd, and Jane could see the first hints of turbulence beginning t

h

essional. "This is Spring Approach. We have you on radar. You are cleared for i

realize he'd been holding, his shou

rols to adjust their heading back toward the airport. "I was

ghtly, the tension in her shoulders visibly releasing. She'd been

d calmly, her hands moving smoothly

tle bump. Below, the sprawling lights of Los Angeles came into view

enough to give th

y in

oo

ec

tro

bump, rolling smoothly down the run

a

r La

Passengers disembarked, many stopping to thank Jane and Michael personally-they'd

s avo

despite the long flight. The morning rush was beginning to build around them, travelers

ht but sincere as she adjusted her shoulder bag. "You kept your head unde

ing his hands together lightly. "You've got nerves of steel. I haven't see

hen added, his voice carryi

a great little Mexican place just outside the airp

her mouth

iliar tone cutting thro

he pulled out her phone. She glanced at the screen,

yd

holding the p

confusion. They'd been married for six months-an arrangement made to help both of

ce came through, calm and steady as always. "I made yo

usly indifferent to cooking-she'd never known him to

sked, referring to his well-known preferen

g softer than she was used to, "our marriage may be convenient-but this

d always thought of their shared house as just a place to live-a practical a

I have another scheduled flight soon

d," Jayden

slightly, not

tur

fr

-she recognized it as the one she'd given him for his birthday-and his phone in the o

back-a warm, natural expressi

r, Michae

iately, his face brea

apping him hard on the shoulder. "I should have know

s doing you a favor today-taking that First Officer spot so you wouldn't hav

ng slightly as he looked from

not

k, his eyes widening dramati

.Wa

olding, at the way he was looking at Jane

the flas

ack at

mix of shock and amusement. "Because I know I'

g slightly-an extremely rare occurrence

the moment, her brow raised in confus

d, looking from Michael's dramatic exp