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“Are you all ready?” Officer Brown asked politely.
Suki nodded. The officer used a touchscreen sitting on the conference room table to complete the setup. The video conference screen at the head of the table flickered, and then Suki saw the twins hogging the screen, arguing with each other.
“It was your turn last time, let me talk to her first!” Lucas complained.
“Dude, she’s right there!”
“What? Where? You made me miss it!”
“Uh, hi Suki,” Brillante said, giving her a little salute.
Her heart clenched with relief when she saw their faces.
“Boys, you’re too close to the camera,” someone said. “Back up a little.”
“Hi, Monica,” Jordan said, wagging his eyebrows.
The FBI agent appeared as the boys backed away from the camera. Suki saw her mom, looking healthy, and it made her throat catch. Jane Louise was sitting at the table too, grinning brightly.
“Dad! Do you know what we had for breakfast?” one of the boys said. “French toast with crushed Cap’n Crunch! It was awesome!”
Suki started to laugh even as she felt the tears sting her eyes. She wanted to reach through the screen and touch them. Then she saw Lund standing against the wall, watching the scene. He’d done so much to try to save their family.
“Hi, Uncle Steve,” Suki choked out, rubbing tears from her eyes.
He gave her a proud look. “Hey, kiddo.”
Flying back to the United States in a military cargo plane wasn’t nearly as comfortable as if it were a private jet or a commercial airline. It was noisy, bumpy, and they were strapped into jump seats along the sides, with tons of military gear crammed in the middle. At least they were all wearing some new clothes. The liaison officer had taken them shopping at the base exchange where they’d picked up some new apparel.
Roth had taken two showers, which had felt amazing, and managed to get all the pomade residue out of his hair. His beard was still nothing but a bristle of whiskers on his face, but he was beginning to feel more like himself. He’d need to, with what lay ahead.
Once more he was a world-famous author—but for different reasons from before. His e-mail and social media were exploding. Everyone wanted to know more about his novel about the death games and what had inspired it. Even more so because he’d taken the new book down—the FBI and CIA had ordered him to pull it now that the situation was resolved and no further information was needed from the public. He’d listened, of course, but pirated copies were circulating through the dark web and other places faster than the NSA could take them down.
The notoriety was something he would need to adjust to. He hadn’t sought it and didn’t want it. All he wanted was a chance to see his wife again. To hold her hand. And hopefully not blubber like an idiot.
There wasn’t really anything to do on the plane other than endure the sickening bouts of turbulence, although Jordan was hamming it up with the army guys from the 82nd they’d come with. So Roth had plenty of time to stew on his thoughts. He’d asked about what had happened to the world leaders who’d been captured by the jaguar priests and learned they’d been hustled back to Europe with State Department officials the previous night. The news outlets didn’t even know about it. Their reports focused on the global pandemic, the unknown occurrence at the White House, and Mexico’s political posturing. One report he’d seen in his little bedroom in the military base had theorized that a biolab in Mexico had inadvertently unleashed a genetically engineered form of the plague that was spreading through Europe and making everyone sick.
There was no way the truth was going to stay out of the press for much longer, however, not with so many notable people involved, and especially not with his book blowing up across the globe. He knew some social media sites were already talking about it, tagging his profile, pleading for more information. This wasn’t the time to respond. Nor did he have the leave to do so. He’d made an agreement with Director Wright that the Roths could go home for a little while so Suki could do the school play. Then they’d be back in DC to “consult” with the government about a few things. Like all the glowing structures in Mesoamerica. Others might have the natural ability to tap into the kem äm, but in the meantime Suki, Sarina, and the boys had the corner on that talent.
Suki wouldn’t be going to college anytime soon.
The pilot announced some military jargon, and the sudden plunging of the plane brought the realization they were preparing for landing. He gripped the harness straps, feeling his stomach roil with nerves. Not just from the bucking plane but the uncertain future.
“Dad?” Suki asked.
He glanced at her, trying to smile despite his sweating face. Another ripple of turbulence shook the cargo plane.
Suki gave him a knowing grin. “The pilot just said all the engines failed. We’re going to be stuck up here forever now.”
It was similar to the punchline of a joke he’d told her and the boys when they were flying to Cancún that first time.
“Ha ha,” he said, then grinned. “Good one.”
“I thought so.”
He gritted his teeth until after the plane landed. It took forever for it to taxi to the hangar, and his patience was wearing thin by the time the pilot said they could unhook from the harness straps. He released his fine, but Suki couldn’t figure it out, so Jordan came by and helped her.
Suddenly the back of the jet let out some noises, and the entire back section began to lower. Since they were near the rear of the plane, they saw the hangar and could see the military jeeps and people who had gathered. He saw the twins bouncing up and down.
