The Plane at Runway Three
Chapter 09 - The Plane at Runway Three
The private airfield reported no scheduled departures.
Runway Three lights activated anyway.
Adrian, Marcus, federal marshals, and Sofia reached the hangar as a Gulfstream began taxiing.
Daniel Cross stood at the boarding stairs.
Victor was already inside.
Cross held a remote linked to explosive charges beneath the fuel depot.
“If anyone approaches, the runway burns.”
Sofia stepped beyond the vehicles.
“Dad.”
Cross’s face tightened.
He had not heard her use the word in years.
“You were supposed to stay hidden.”
“You were supposed to protect me.”
“I protected you from Adrian.”
“You protected your account.”
Cross insisted the Carter money belonged to him. Salvatore created the trust from assets Anthony built. Leo was merely the legal path to recover it.
Sofia looked at the aircraft.
“Then why did you threaten my son?”
“Because you stopped listening.”
Adrian moved forward.
Cross raised the remote.
Leo’s voice came from inside Adrian’s SUV radio.
“Grandpa, the plane can’t take off.”
Everyone turned.
Leo had remained at the church with Maria, but Salvatore’s toy-car system still connected to the Vale vehicle network.
The boy had activated the aircraft maintenance lock using the brass key’s code.
The plane’s engines shut down.
Cross pressed the remote.
Nothing happened.
Marcus had cut the fuel-depot receiver before the confrontation.
Victor exited the aircraft through the rear emergency door and ran toward the drainage field.
Cross surrendered.
Sofia watched marshals handcuff her father.
She felt no victory.
Only the collapse of one more person who had called control protection.
Victor escaped into the storm channel beneath Runway Three.
May you like
The tunnels connected to the Grand Meridian.
He was going back to where the story began.
