Another Chance Book I of III

Book III-Chapter 97, The Talented Ray Burgess and the Red Carpet Walk-LA 2

Ray's POV

From the time they had started down the aisle toward seating in the back of the plane, Carlos had sensed a change in his friend Prince. Gone was the lightheartedness of the morning and the easy camaraderie of lunch with close knit family and friends. At first he thought it was because of the three passengers that were on the plane when they boarded at the invitation of Christian. Theirs was purely a courtesy ride home by the owner of the plane though, and they were well known to Christian and completely vetted. But there remained now, a posture of watchfulness, why, Carlos did not know. He sat forward a little as though he was adjusting his seat so that he could catch a glimpse of Prince's face. He was talking to Ray about the hire package and then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Carlos had no way of knowing that his friend was having a telepathic conversation with Ray Burgess. Prince had asked Ray again who he was. 'That will take some serious explanation and therefore some time' Ray said in thought. 'But I ask you to trust that I have been assigned to be with you by the Creator Himself. We need to get through this flight and on the ground in LA and then as He is my witness, I will tell you everything that you want to know. For now, know that Kellie Ryan is either a demon or possessed by one and she is definitely here to do you and yours harm. I must be focused for now on her and what she is doing and thinking. Please trust that I will do my best to help you'. Prince did not know it, but his best was beyond anything that Prince or any other man for that matter had ever known when it came to defense and battles. It had been so since the time of Moses. All the while that this conversation had gone on, Ray had appeared to be filling out his employment package...and he actually had been. Many lifetimes of dealing with the enemy had trained him to use his mind far differently that anyone else on this plane. Carlos had seen all of this as had Frank. Both men sensed no fear of Ray in Prince, but did sense that he was on hyper-alert as did his bride. She had heard the dialogue between Ray and Prince and had looked up to see Kellie Ryan moving down the aisle. "What would you like to drink", she asked Ray? "Bottled water please". Take the same Prince, Bella, he said to them in thought. "The same' the two of them said. I would like a can of Apple Juice, Carlos said picking up on the bottled or not opened choices of Prince and Bella. "My girl will have the same", Carlos said. Elaine said nothing but looked at Carlos and saw in his eyes..."Don't!" Frank and Larry took their cue from the 4 and also went with bottled water. Kellie looked deflated, but said nothing and went after the drinks. Prince and Carlos could hear their fathers near the front of the plane talking smack over their card game. Many of the band members were napping and their mothers, all 4 of them, were chattering about the wedding. Only the back of the plane seemed to be quieter than normal. Kellie brought their drinks back and Prince watched as Ray checked the seal. She had brought a glass of ice with it. Ray pointed at it and shook his head no. Prince and Bella sipped their water directly from the bottle after Prince had checked both seals. Frank, and Larry followed suit as did Carlos and Elaine drinking directly from the can. Kellie returned to the drink station at the front of the plane, Ray handed his completed papers to Prince to review and watched Kellie carefully. She opened a can of Coca Cola and then poured it over some ice cubes, but then he saw her drop what looked to be an additional ice cube in the glass. She also took an unopened bottle of water with no ice and no glass, put both items on a small tray and knocked on the cockpit door 3 times in an interesting rhythm and he heard the familiar sound of the pressurized auto lock on the door unlocking. Kellie handed the drinks to the assistant pilot. When Ray had fist bumped Greg and his co-pilot, he had noticed right away that assistant captain was Hawaiian. He saw Greg reach for the bottle of water and his co-pilot for the glass of Coke. He had to get into that cockpit. 'Bella' he said telepathically, 'when I say now, get up and go to the bathroom back here and take the normal amount of time and then return to your seat. Prince at the same time, ring for the attendant and ask for another bottle of water'. He waited until Kellie was back at her station and then said now to them telepathically. He got up checking the knife holster under his jacket and grabbing one of the bags for sickness moved slowly up the aisle toward the cockpit. Kellie walked past him eyeing him seductively. 'You wish' he thought to himself. He sped up and got to the cockpit door and knocked three times in the same rhythm that he had heard Kellie use. The door unlocked and he quickly stepped inside and pulled the door behind him. Greg said "man you know you can't be in here". "Libertatum Defendimus", Ray said and then rapidly said "Klai O Ka Lewa". Greg who had his weapon drawn down by his side said, "okay so you are really Air Force. You have 5 minutes to explain and then I will blow your head off". "I think that Kellie attendant put something in your co-pilot's drink". "Akoni did you sense anything in your drink" Greg asked? Before he could answer, he slumped forward and started to gasp. Ray pulled his head back and stuck his finger down his throat and then as Akoni began to gag put the sickness bag to his mouth and he threw up with most of it going into the bag. "Man are you alright", Greg asked? "Better" he said. "Something was in that drink". 'Michael I could use some help here', Ray thought. Out loud he said "Kellie, get her up here Greg". "Calmly Greg said "Kellie, please come to the cockpit".