Louis Klein grinned at his employee’s reactions, but Ben could see he was equally pleased with the luxurious interior of the executive jet. His partner, Dan, was smiling at Louis as he was delighted too.
This was Ben’s first time in this particular aircraft, and he saw it was definitely appointed with the highest levels of luxury in mind. He imagined it being leased out to corporate CEOs, a-list celebrities, and even high-level government officials and royalty. It all felt a little grand for his tastes.
“Is this how you normally travel?” Louis asked him.
Ben shook his head. “No, this is the first time I’ve used this jet. Their other jets are also very comfortable but nowhere near this fancy. I was told this is the only jet in their fleet with the range we need for the trip.”
Louis and Dan took seats and began stowing their carry-ons as Ed and Mark moved to the next quad of chairs to put their bags away.
Evelyn returned from speaking with the flight crew. She nodded to Ben. “All good.” She’d arranged to be in the cockpit’s jump seat during their flights. This gave her communication access, and in a pinch, she could assist the crew as she was a licensed pilot herself. Ben was a little jealous as he’d have loved to geek out over the tech gear in the cockpit. She headed back to her seat.
Liliya entered the cabin and nodded to Ben with a smile as she took the first seat to cover the door. Tatiana would be taking the seat at the back of the cabin to cover the rear entrance.
Speaking of their last passenger, Ben raised an eyebrow at Liliya in question.
“She was having a last cigarette in the terminal’s smoking room. She will be here shortly,” the lovely blonde said.
Ben nodded. He wasn’t surprised she had the habit.
The tall brunette strode into the jet without the slightest reaction to its luxurious appointments. She passed Ben with a minimal acknowledgment of his presence and ignored the other passengers as she made her way to the back. She settled into her chair and turned her face to look out her window. Ben shared a weary look with Liliya, whose smile was stiff.
Movement at the front drew Ben’s attention. The last flight crew member was speaking with one of the ground crew, going over some paperwork. They smiled at each other, and their flight attendant closed and sealed the jet’s door. She stowed the paperwork in a small storage bin, spoke briefly to the pilot on a handset, and walked toward Ben.
She was a stunning six-foot redhead wearing two-inch pumps. Her silky smooth, straight crimson hair was pulled back and tied into a ponytail hanging down her back to her tailbone. Blue-eyed and fair-skinned, she had a bright and wide smile with a slight overbite as she approached and held out her hand to Ben, who shook it.
“Welcome aboard Sky Shepherd’s premium service craft. I’m Robin, your inflight service attendant. If there is anything you need during the flight, please feel free to contact me.” Her crisp British accent made his ears perk up.
“I’m Ben. Thank you.”
Her smile widened as she gave his hand another squeeze before releasing it. “Everyone at Sky Shepherd is thoroughly briefed on who you are, Mr. Shepherd. I’m thrilled to finally meet you.”
“Briefed?” Ben asked in surprise.
She nodded with a smile. “Mr. Thomasson makes sure everyone who works for the airline knows the truth behind the terrible misinformation about you.” Her eyes practically twinkled with delight.
“Oh!” he said, wondering what exactly Dennis told his people.
“If you could finish stowing your items, we need to take our seats as we will be leaving the gate shortly,” she said.
Ben nodded and packed his laptop case into the overhead bin as she moved back to speak to the others.
As he buckled himself in, Robin stopped next to him once more. “We’ll be on our way shortly. Once we’re in the air, I can offer drinks and snacks.”
“Thank you, Robin,” Ben said, and she nodded with a smile before moving to her own seat at the front.
They taxied out to join a short line of waiting planes and were soon racing down the runway. Ben noticed the thrust felt more intense than the commercial airline jets he’d traveled on before, then they leaped into the air. Watching the city below, he realized they were moving significantly faster than he was used to and once more wished he was sitting in the cockpit.
Quickly, they reached their cruising altitude, and the seatbelt light turned off. Robin made an announcement over the cabin speakers with the usual safety recommendations. She joined them, going from seat to seat, asking if they cared for a complimentary drink and snack.
Ben shook his head, then unbuckled to walk back to see how his fellow travelers were getting on. Robin headed to the galley to prepare their orders, passing Ben with ease as there was a lot of space in the cabin.
Louis looked up at Ben and gestured to one of the seats facing him and Dan. Once Ben sat, Louis leaned forward. “We really appreciate the efforts you’re going through on this project.” He gestured to their surroundings. “This is truly over the top!”
Robin returned with a tumbler of scotch for Louis and a hot tea for Dan.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Robin asked Ben.
“I’m good, thanks,” he responded, and she moved back to serve Ed his apple juice and a tea for Mark.
Ben watched Louis take a sip and smiled as the man obviously enjoyed the drink.
“This is exquisite scotch!” He turned to Dan. “You teetotalers don’t know what you’re missing.”
Dan sighed and looked at Ben. “Do you enjoy scotch?”
Ben shook his head. “I don’t drink anymore.”
“Oh! Sorry!” Louis said, but Ben raised a hand.
“It’s fine! I have no issues with others enjoying a drink. Years ago, I lost myself in the bottle, but once I sobered up, I decided that was it. No more.” He noticed Robin had returned holding a plate.
“Oatmeal raisin cookie?” she asked.
Ben grinned. “Sure.” He accepted the treat from her and then looked at the other men. “I still have my guilty pleasures.”
Robin chuckled as she served Dan a cookie, but Louis shook his head with a small shudder.
“I’ll never understand how people can enjoy raisins in cookies. They trick you into thinking they’re chocolate chips!” Louis complained.
The lovely redhead laughed lightly as she moved back to serve Ed and Mark. Ben saw Robin pause by Tatiana, but the brunette snapped at her without looking her way. The attendant simply turned and walked away. She caught Ben’s concerned expression but shook her head with a small smile as she passed by on her way to the galley.
Ben scowled at Tatiana for a moment, then brought his attention back to Dan, who said something. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
“I was just seconding Louis’ thanks for making these arrangements. These trips are critical but can be very draining. Commercial airlines are always crowded and noisy. The hotels we stay at are typically adequate at best. The seats on this aircraft are more comfortable than my bed at home, and I saw the hotel listing on the itinerary the Sergeant arranged. These are beautiful properties!”
“Evelyn chose them for a number of criteria, mostly security-related. The higher-end hotels must have higher security to protect their guests. I’m not a great traveler on my own as I tend to find myself in some kind of trouble. I’m hoping Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana can run interference for me this time. I’d welcome an uneventful trip,” Ben sighed.
“We’ll try to avoid the slavers and mobsters. The worst we should encounter is some overzealous sales pitches. We did our research before selecting the developers we’re seeing but seeing them in person and hearing their pitch is always enlightening,” Louis said with a smirk.
“That I can deal with,” Ben agreed.
Ben sat with them, talking about the Foundation he was building. Ed and Mark joined them, and Robin stayed close, offering water that Ben accepted with thanks.
When Ben yawned, they took that as a sign to put a bookmark in their conversation. He was a little embarrassed that the others were deferring to his fatigue, but he admitted he could use the rest. He said his goodnights and went back to his seat. He collected his toothbrush and toothpaste from his carry-on and made his way back to the washroom. Taking care of business, he stepped out to see Ed waiting his turn, toothbrush in hand.
Ed smiled at Ben. “I promised Grace I wouldn’t get lazy on the trip.”
Ben grinned and patted him on his shoulder. “Smart man.”
Ed’s answering smile showed how pleased he was.
Ben went back to his seat and packed away his stuff before settling down.
“Would you like a pillow and blanket?” Robin asked, standing next to his chair.
“Oh! Uh, yes, that would be great,” he said.
She moved to the other side with a smile and a nod to collect the items. Ben couldn’t help but notice how toned her body was as she stretched up to pull down a fresh planet and pillow. He recalled the Sergeant telling him about the hotel’s fitness facilities. He hoped he’d be able to get in some workouts while he was on the trip. He wondered how Robin kept fit on trips like these.
He put his seatbelt on and accepted the items from her when she returned.
“Thank you, Robin.”
“You’re welcome, Ben! Sleep well,” she said with a smile, then moved back to offer pillows and blankets to the others.
Ben relaxed back in the comfortable seat and sighed. It was a very luxurious recliner, but it was missing something he’d come to depend on for a good night’s sleep, the soft bodies of Tina and Lucy at his sides.