"Don't worry. We'll take care of you." She tucked the light felt blanket about Valori tighter. "I have a feeling our hosts will let us go free after they make their point."
"Their point?" Valori tried to smile, but Olivia could see how difficult it was for her.
"Said their piece. Isn't that the way with those who feel they're entitled? They want to make sure we know how stupid and weak we are and how rich and powerful they are and..." Olivia's thoughts trailed off into another direction. "I remember who owns this mansion now. A big blustering buffoon my dad—and a lot of other people—call him."
"Are you psychic as well?" Hernando leaned across the aisle and took a quick glance back at the sleeping men behind them. "Do you suppose these are the only hired goons this gentleman has at his disposal?"
"No, he could afford to hire many more if it's who I think it is." Olivia reached over to the pocket in front of Valori and retrieved her magazine, then flipped it open to the page she'd seen the photo of the mansion on and passed it to Hernando and Annara to study. "I knew this place looked familiar. It's Roland Grundfest's palatial home. They're always writing about him and his former runway model wife in the fashion magazines. The media can't seem to get enough of him and his antics."
"Billionaire businessman buys yet another estate in the Hamptons," Hernando read aloud, frowning. "Why would a real estate tycoon be interested in kidnapping me or any of us? He doesn't need the money, does he?"
Olivia shrugged. "Probably not. Then again, he's filed for bankruptcy a few times already, and his wife's shopping habits are beyond legendary. I wouldn't want to pay their credit card bills."
"You think this is a simple kidnapping for ransom?" Annara shook her head. "It seems too risky an act for raising funds to cover debts."
"I agree. It's even too stupid a decision for a blustering buffoon to make." Olivia sighed. "The only other thing I can come up with is he's doing this to show off for his Clan Alpha contacts. He wants to show them what a big shot he is and how capable his operatives are so they'll continue to do business with him."
"Hmm, he's a big, fat coward is what you're saying?" Annara rolled her eyes and sniffed. "He cannot fight his own battles, so he hires street thugs to make himself appear powerful and scary."
Olivia nodded. "That's a good way of putting it." The plane came to halt at the opening of a small hangar. "Looks like we'll be meeting the blustering coward in a minute. What's our plan?"
"We talk to him—make him see reason," Hernando said. "I'm certain a businessman wouldn't want to make enemies of a foreign government by kidnapping its representative. Starting out on the wrong foot would be bad for long-term trade agreements and commerce. He'll let us go."
Hernando sounded confident, but Annara's frown reflected Olivia's own feelings. "You're assuming the man's a rational human being and not a spoiled brat used to getting his own way, who will stop at nothing to get it."
There. Olivia had said it. She and Hernando and Annara had risked their lives before in a worthy cause, but still...
"I may not have my bow, but I now have this," Annara whispered, holding up a wicked-looking combat knife and flexing her fingers.
Olivia looked at the blade as it glinted in the light. "Where did you get the knife?"
"From one of those thugs. I took their knives and some small canisters of something called pepper spray they'd clipped to their belts." She produced one from her pocket and looked at it with a dubious squint. "It doesn't resemble any weapon I know, but I presume it has the same effect if I hit someone with it?"
"Yikes!" Olivia swallowed, and gingerly moved Annara's fingers away from the trigger at the top of the nasty looking device. "They came prepared."
Annara shrugged. "They are but common hoodlums. I can deal with them. Cowards are easy to kill." Smiling, she produced three more of the slim black canisters and clipped them to her belt.
Olivia felt uneasy at how quickly her friend had grasped the principle of pepper spray. "Please, Annara, don't kill anyone. It'll look bad to Earthers—Earthlings—if you do."
"We'll see." Annara's expression of indifference didn't instill any confidence in Olivia her fellow Resistance member would follow orders.
The pilot's door opened, and the outside hatch was unlatched. Steps were swung around to meet the aircraft, and the pilot gestured for them to disembark.
"Get off. Now. I have to return this plane from where I got it." The pilot took in the snoring henchmen in the back rows. Her gray eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What the..."
"Not staying to enjoy cocktails with Mr. and Mrs. Grundfest on the veranda?" Olivia's forced laugh didn't make her sound nonchalant the way she'd hoped, but she enjoyed the sudden stricken look on their pilot's face. The pilot was taken off guard. "I'm sure they'll sleep it off soon enough, but who's next?" Olivia grinned.
The implications they had a weapon which could do just that did the trick. The pilot raised her hands and backed toward the cockpit door. "Look, I didn't sign up for any funny stuff. Just a simple flight. I hold no ill-will against you, folks. It's just a job."
"We might possibly hold some bad feelings towards you." Annara jumped to her feet and rushed the pilot, but it was too late. The woman slipped into the cockpit and locked the door behind her
Olivia sighed. "Well, she won't take off again while the aircraft's main passenger door is open, but \ the stairs being moved into position for us to disembark indicates we're not alone."
Annara peered around the corner of the hatch and scanned the area. "I don't see anyone, so perhaps they've returned to the hangar?"
"Makes sense." Olivia rose and smoothed down
