“I’m your copilot,” I say. “Keep the cockpit open for me. Call me once everyone is off the plane.” I hang up.
“You have a pilot’s license?” Phoenix asks.
“Hell, no. But, I’d rather pay the fine when I get back than go to prison for kidnapping.”
“Oh God, this is a bad idea.” Phoenix covers her face with her hands, but I pull them away.
“It’s our only idea. Bye, little thief.” I kiss her on the mouth once, twice, before she lifts her hands to my hair. I feel her fingers on my scalp as I slide my tongue in her mouth.
The pilot calls back, and I have to cut our kiss short.
“Everyone’s gone,” she says. “Let’s go.”
“Sleep hard, Rebel.” Phoenix kisses him on the forehead, hands me a small bag, and waves as I take off toward the plane.
Rebel starts crying as soon as the doors close. So much for good luck. I stick a pinkie in his mouth and let him suck on it while I shut the door.
“What the fuck are you doing?” the pilot asks when I carry him into the cockpit. I sit in the jumpseat and dig around in the bag for a bottle.
“I’m kidnapping a baby,” I say. “And if you don’t get this plane off the ground, you’ll be arrested for conspiracy to kidnap a baby.”
She stands up, her face pale. She drops her headgear and turns toward the door to make a run for it.
“Sit the fuck down,” I tell her. “This isn’t just any baby. This is Rebel Donohue. No matter what pathetic excuses you give the police, they’ll lock you up for so much as breathing in his direction. Do you really want to lose your pilot’s license?”
She looks at me, frozen to the spot, unsure of what to do.
“You just dismissed an entire flight crew, including your copilot,” I say. “Think about it. All looks pretty premeditated, doesn’t it? You sit down and fly out of this place, and no one will know you had anything to do with it,” I say. “But make no mistake, you get off this plane or say a word about it to anyone, and I’ll take you down with me.”
She sits down.
“Good girl,” I say. “Do I need to make my own drink…?”
TWENTY-EIGHT
PHOENIX
A male Adélie penguin gathers rare rocks to give to the girl he likes. The problem is, if another male comes along with a nice rock, she will mate with him, too.
I am wrought with worry the next morning. Having heard nothing from Jackal, I spend the morning following the news as they report the kidnapping of baby “R.”
“Terrible,” Sean says, as we sit at the breakfast table.
I’ve not touched my food and he’s eyeing my plate in concern. I pick up my fork and spoon eggs into my mouth to appease him.Don’t do anything to cause suspicion.
“And to think it happened right under all of our noses,” Sean comments. “The kidnapper could have been right next to us.”
“Stop it, Sean. You’re making me feel sick,” I say.
He sets down his coffee cup and stares at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know R’s disappearance would have you so upset.”
“His name is Rebel,” I snap. “Why is everyone calling him R?”
“It’s the initiative they’ve taken to separate the baby from the movement his mother started,” Sean says honestly. “Changing his name would have caused an uproar, so they just...gave him a nickname.”
I look away, disgusted. It’s so twisted. The government is manipulating us, right down to what we call our babies. Why aren’t more people seeing the truth of it? He reaches out to take my hand and I resist the urge to pull away. I haven’t had the talk with Sean—I’d been too distracted. There are too many more important things taking precedence.
I’m quiet on the flight home. When Sean asks me if I want a drink, I order a double and then pretend to fall asleep against the window.