xp_logs | Skeleton Coast: All Aboard

Moira really wasn't letting them go anywhere without back-up. Pete and Nathan arrive at the airport to find that she arranged for a very fast plane and two very logical 'babysitters'.

"Damn," Nathan said as they strode out onto the tarmac and he got a good look at the plane. "That's a G550. We'll be in Namibia before we know it." Gulfstream's longest-range model, but impressively fast, too; Moira had put some thought into ordering them up a plane. Nathan eyed Pete for a moment, wondering if the other man would sleep at all on the flight. He certainly looked like he needed it. "Charles promised to call ahead and clear us through customs in Windhoek," he said, then grimaced as the wind shifted, driving rain that felt more like ice pellets at them with entirely too much enthusiasm.

Pete pulled his jacket tighter about him as it began to flap, then shouldered his bag and strode toward the plane "Thank christ for rich and powerful friends, eh? Makes life so much more convenient and legal..."

"Mmm. I suppose we could have asked for a Blackbird drop-off, but really, I think that plane's violated the airspace of enough African countries for one year. Last time, they shot back." Nathan shook his head as they approached the stairs. "I'm not happy that we haven't heard back from GW yet."

"He had an army to run away from. And while we both know he's more than capable of that, it's probably occupying a bit of his attention. I'll start worrying if we haven't heard anything in 24 hours or so." Pete shrugged. "It's not going to do anyone any good if we start tying ourselves in knots over everything." Somehow, he didn't quite manage to sound entirely convinced.

"Well, he's got the manpower these days to knock off most small African armies, but you know him. He frowns on the whole concept of excessive loudness." Nathan put one foot on the bottom step of the plane and then froze. "What," he said, quite loudly and angrily, "the hell?" All at once, he was storming up the stairs and into the plane, leaving Pete to follow as he chose.

The pilot, stepping out of the cockpit to meet him, did a double-take, blanching at the look on his face. "Uhh... Mister Dayspring, right?" he ventured, his eyes flickering to Pete and then back to Nathan. "And Mister Wisdom, I'm guessing. The other two passengers Lady Kinross told me to expect are already aboard."

Nathan turned an impressive color of purple. "That woman," he growled, turning in the direction of the cabin. "ALISON!"

"Howl that any louder and you might actually be heard in Namibia before we even take off," was the reply, Alison's head appearing over the edge of one of the seats to peer through the doorway at Nathan and Pete. She wrinkled her nose at Nathan, pausing long enough only to stick her tongue out at him before smiling a touch wryly at Pete. Since Nathan seemed to have forgotten all about the pilot, who was busy giving her a slightly wide-eyed expression before scrambling out of sight, Alison didn't bother telling the irate looking telepath to leave the poor man alone, head dissapearing from sight instead as she sat back down.

As Nathan looked stunned and Pete looked slightly bemused, both their expressions changed to mild shock as Cain appeared out of the washroom. "What?" he exclaimed, "You really thought your wife was going to let you and Secret Agent Man go play in Africa without a responsible chaperone? Get in the damn plane already!"

Nathan opened his mouth, then closed it again, seething. "That interfering..." he gritted out, then reminded himself that he wasn't supposed to be calling his wife names. She tended to hit him for things like that. He shook his head, then glanced sideways at Pete. "Well. The more the merrier, I suppose."