blood moon, marc spector

three.

LILITH HATED BEING ON PLANES. she didn't think that there was anything more dangerous than being suspended hundreds of feet in the air, with no real way to escape with assured safety. it would always be so easy, she thought, for a plane with a wanted criminal (which she technically was) to be taken down. and so easy for it to be covered up.

she didn't think she was claustrophobic, or even afraid of heights. she just constantly had a target on her back, and felt a need to look over both shoulders everywhere she went.

lilith was sitting in the back of the plane, in the seat that she tended to rush to. she liked to have her back against walls, never wanting anyone to sneak up behind her.

jean-paul "frenchie" duchamp was maybe the only person in the business that lilith ever felt she could trust. he had been a part of the french foreign legion's mercenary team, and had been a part of jabez's mercenary team for a few years before lilith met him.

he was kind to her, which was hard to come by in her job. he was only a few years older than her, but she felt that he treated her as a younger sister. frenchie had learned about her fear of flying, and had promised fo sit by her on all future flights.

"i'm a pilot," frenchie had said, "if anything is wrong with the plane, i'll fly ya down to safety."

frenchie moved to the back of the plane with his duffel bag, awkwardly hitting his legs on every single seat he walked by. once he reached the back of the plane, he gave a small smile to lilith, who was chuckling at him.

"hey, french." lilith said as he put his duffel bag in the overhead compartment, moving to sit in the same row as her. it was the same pattern every time: lilith in the window seat, an open seat, and then frenchie in the aisle.

"feeling good about this?" he asked, rubbing his hands together nervously.

she chuckled again. "feeling better now that jabez told me you're in my squad."

he nodded in agreement. "yeah, no kidding. i still can't believe he's having us do this. i mean.. a civilian mission?"

it was lilith's turn to nod. "i think i've only done three civilian missions in all the years i've been doing this shit."

"jabez is starting to get more and more comfortable with being seen." frenchie said, his eyes narrowing.

lilith looked over at him, her brows furrowed. "what do you mean? comfortable with being found out?"

frenchie nodded. "these missions.. the more people on each squad, the more dangerous it is. for us. civilians are gonna see, and we could all get arrested."

"that's marc's problem." lilith replied, checking the cabin of the plane. he still wasn't there.

"what's your problem with spector?" frenchie asked, amused.

lilith shrugged. "i don't have a problem with him. he's just.. always got to be the best at everything. can't take no for and answer, can't listen to anyone who disagrees with him. jabez keeps putting us together, and marc is calling for a truce. acquaintances."

frenchie chuckled. "you don't really do acquaintances, do ya?"

"you're my acquaintance." she countered, as if to prove that she could get along with people.

"i'm your friend." he corrected, a serious tone to his voice. "i've got your back today. it's dangerous, but not impossible."

lilith smiled, feeling genuinely moved by his words. he was her friend, even though it was difficult for her to admit that. lilith had always been a loner, but having someone to watch your back in a job like that was not easy to come by. she was lucky.