Karri were already there. Ryker hadn’t told them anything except to get in the SUV and that he and Miles had taken care of everything.
They were a quiet group as they drove into Charleston. No one felt the need to fill the space with small talk. Instead, some stared out the windows while others napped.
“This isn’t the airport,” Peter said, breaking the silence.
“Mr. Davies got you another kind of plane,” the driver said, pulling into a designated gate at the Charleston Air Force Base.
The driver flashed a military ID and the soldier at the gate saluted. Skye looked at Trent who shook his head. “Sometimes I feel as if I don’t know my cousin at all,” he whispered to her, even though in the silence everyone heard him.
They pulled up to a large plane whose back was down forming a ramp as cargo was loaded inside. “Here you go. There will be someone waiting for you when you land,” the driver told them.
Trent opened the door for them and climbed out first. He held his hand out for Skye and she took it as they walked onto the plane.
“Right here, y’all,” the pilot told them as soon as he joined them. He pointed to the few chairs and gave them a smile. “I was told not to ask who you are. You’re the only people on the flight, so no worries. Ground crew is waiting for your arrival. It won’t be that long a flight so off we go.”
“Why does this feel like a horror movie where we fly into a parallel dimension or get dropped into the middle of a jungle to be hunted by some ancient evil?” Skye asked the group as they buckled in.
“I don’t like not knowing, but I know we can trust Ryker,” Granger answered. Skye looked over and saw Karri sitting with Peter and holding hands. Likewise, she and Trent were holding hands. Granger was the odd one out, and while he was emotionally closed off, Skye saw the tight jaw before he relaxed it and shut his eyes for the rest of the flight. Somewhere there was a woman who could break through whatever he’d built to close off his heart.
“Prepare for landing,” the pilot’s voice came over the intercom.
Skye looked out and saw the Atlantic Ocean before the pilot began his descent over land. “Where are we?” she asked as soon as they landed.
Peter had his phone out and pulled up the maps as they taxied on the runway. “Andrews Air Force Base.”
“That’s not in New York.” Skye wondered what was next as the plane’s tail opened and the morning light slid in.
“No, it’s in Maryland. He did say someone was meeting us. Maybe we’re driving?” Trent shrugged and took her hand in his once again as they walked off the plane.
A drop-dead sexy man in a flight suit stood smiling at them from the bottom of the ramp. His brown skin was rich with warm copper undertones. His black hair was in a buzz cut and he had swagger just standing there.
“So, which one of you is related to Keeneston?” he asked with a grin that showed off his kissable lips.
“My family is, but I’m from South Carolina,” Trent told him as he tried not to look confused.
“Ah, the cousins Dylan has talked about.”
“You know Dylan?” Trent asked, and Skye was left wondering who Dylan was.
“Yup. I’ve worked quite a bit with him and Abby recently.”
“Trent Faulkner,” Trent said, holding out his hand and shaking with Mr. Sexy Pilot.
“Crew Dixon. I’m your HMX-1 pilot for the day. You’re coming in under diplomatic papers today.” Crew handed them all papers and when Skye read it, they said she was a diplomat of a country named Rahmi. “And I must say, you are way hotter in person, and I didn’t think that was possible.”
Crew winked at her and Trent wasn’t amused.
“Do you have a favorite pick-up line too?” Skye asked with humor. She’d met enough men like that to know Crew wasn’t the creepy kind.
“Pick-up line? That’s for amateurs. I don’t need pick-up lines. Normally I just pull an LL Cool J.” Crew looked at her and slowly licked his full bottom lip. Yup, that would definitely work. Gracious.
“Wait,” Peter said, interrupting Crew’s display. “If you’re HMX-1, that means you fly the president.”
Crew just smiled in response and motioned with his hand to follow him. “The flight will only take ninety minutes. We’ll land atop a private building. It’s rare since New York