Prologue

I stared at the captain in front of me, a steaming cup of coffee heating up my frigid hands.

“Two pilots-two captains- have already been killed. I’m just telling you, Adelyn. I hope there aren’t any of that group on your plane. But, if there are, be very careful. Their weapon is nearly invisible, so when or if they inject it, you’ll have to radio for help immediately. Or let the copilot do it. Before they destroy it. Then, remember you only have about half an hour left to live.” 

Those words hit me like a bomb and I squeezed my coffee cup harder. All of a sudden, I was scared before a flight and had no desire to fly.

“It’ll be alright. Act fast. Don’t worry. Trust your training. 

Everything’s going to be fine.”

I forced myself to smile. “Thank you, Captain.”

“You’re welcome, Captain Rys.”

I walked on toward my gate.

“Flight number and destination?” The announcer asked at her desk littered with paper.

“236. Paris.”

“You’re Captain Rys?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.”

She waved me on to the long, glass-lined hallway that led to the open plane doors. A few stewards and stewardesses followed, and the copilot ran to escort me to the plane.

“You need extra protection, Captain.” He declared solemnly, though a small grin was visible on his face.

“Thank you, copilot.” I smiled despite my worry.

“Everything’s going to be fine.” I replayed Captain’s Sand words in my mind. For a moment, I knew everything would go fine and dandy.

Then I saw him. One of the killers, in the line to get his passport checked.

I suddenly knew everything was going to go wrong.

Chapter 1

The constant engine's hum made me feel drowsy as I scanned the sky ahead. The puffy, cotton-like clouds, looking as soft as a blanket, soared past me.

"Fifteen hundred feet." My voice barely shook as I announced the altitude to the copilot.

"'Kay, Captain."

A feeling of joy surged through me as Mark Thornton called me captain. I smiled.

"Feeling nervous, Captain?" Mark glanced at me.

"Well, kinda. But, as Captain Sand said, everything's going to be fine!"

"Yeah."

I was so concentrated on checking the altimeter and other monitors that I didn't hear a soft knock on the door. My breath immediately stopped. A knock on the door was how the first two pilots had been killed.

"Do I open?" I questioned the copilot, already pale.

"I-I don't know, Captain. " The pilot shrugged. "You're the captain."

Quick, think fast. I glanced down at my watch. 4 p.m. I finally decided to open the door.

"Be ready to radio for help." I ordered.

The copilot nodded grimly.

Taking a deep breath, I called out,

"Come in."