The Deception ~ LN4

1

Mercedes drummed her fingers against the smooth wooden table, trying to ignore the slight awkwardness of dining alone in a foreign country. The restaurant, a cozy establishment in central Monaco, buzzed with the quiet murmur of evening conversations and the gentle clink of silverware against plates. As a commercial pilot for the past two years, she'd grown accustomed to solo meals in unfamiliar places, but something about tonight felt different.

She adjusted the collar of her crisp white shirt – a habit from her uniform that carried over to her civilian clothes – and glanced around the warmly lit space. The smell of fresh herbs and garlic wafted from the open kitchen, making her stomach growl. Her layover wouldn't end until tomorrow afternoon, and after a long day of flying, she'd decided to treat herself to something better than room service. That's when she saw him. Two booths down, partially obscured by a decorative wine rack, sat Lando Norris. Mercedes' heart skipped a beat, but she quickly schooled her expression. Despite following his career since his F1 debut and having multiple photos of his McLaren saved on her phone, she made a split-second decision. In Monaco, where F1 drivers were practically locals, she'd noticed how they tensed up whenever they were recognized, always preparing for the inevitable photo requests and fanfare. He was dressed casually in a black t-shirt and designer jeans, his usual playful energy somewhat subdued as he studied the menu. Like her, he appeared to be dining solo.

Mercedes took a deep breath, channeling her professional pilot's calm, and called out softly, "Excuse me?" Lando looked up, his eyebrows raised in friendly curiosity. "I'm sorry to bother you," Mercedes continued, keeping her voice casual, "but I couldn't help noticing you're dining alone too. Are you waiting for someone?"
A smile spread across his face – that same genuine grin she'd seen countless times on TV, though she pretended not to recognize it. "Nah, just me tonight. Team dinner got canceled, and I wasn't in the mood for room service."
"Team dinner?" she asked innocently, though her heart was racing. "Are you here for work then?"
"Yeah, you could say that," he replied, seeming to relax a bit at her apparent lack of recognition.

"I'm here for... a racing event."

"Oh, that's interesting! I actually used to race go-karts when I was younger," Mercedes said truthfully, enjoying the genuine surprise that flickered across his face. "Nothing serious though. What kind of racing do you do?" Lando's eyes lit up with interest, and she could see him trying to decide how to answer. "Formula 1, actually. I'm Lando."
"Formula 1? That's impressive!"

Mercedes allowed a hint of recognition to creep into her voice, but kept it measured. "Wait, Lando... Norris? I think I've seen a few races on TV when they're showing in airport lounges. You drive for McLaren, right?" He nodded, looking both pleased and relieved at her understated recognition. "Yeah, that's me. You said you raced go-karts? And what do you do now?"
"I'm a pilot – commercial aviation. Airbus A320 for the past couple of years. I'm Mercedes, by the way."

"So, how long have you been flying?" Lando asked, twirling his fork in his risotto.

Mercedes paused. "I'm 23, actually. Got my commercial license pretty young. Started training right out of university."

Lando chuckled. "I'm 30. Sometimes it feels weird being one of the more experienced drivers, but not exactly an 'old timer' yet."

"Age is just a number, right?" Mercedes replied with a light laugh. "In racing and aviation, experience matters more than years."

"Exactly!" Lando grinned. "Skill is skill, whether you're 23 or 43."

She gestured to the seat across from her. "Would you like to join me? Promise I won't ask for a selfie," she added with a wink. Lando laughed and gathered his things. "My name is Mercedes by the way"
"Mercedes? Really? Like the team?" He slid into the booth across from her, visibly relaxing. "And thanks for not making a big deal about... you know. Sometimes it's nice to just have a normal conversation."
"I can imagine," she said sympathetically.