The Big Players

Chapter Twenty Two

Jackson and Rollins stepped onto the large private jet. The woman was already inside and up front speaking to the pilot. She nodded as their conversation commenced. He gestured and she nodded understanding.

Jackson and Rollins sat down in the luxury leather tan seats. The rest did too. Lawrence smirked looking at the woman. "Who knew that the one we are assigned to protect would be so hot", said Lawrence. Anderson walked inside and hit him upside the head walking past him.

"Jesus! Ow!", snapped Lawrence.

"Manners Mr. Bane", warned Anderson.

"I was giving a compliment", muttered Lawrence under his breath.

The woman turned looking at them all as there was a commotion. She rolled her eyes, "This is going to be a long flight", she muttered walking down the aisle and took an empty window seat. She resumed to pull out her phone and her thumb flicked up as she began to read emails. It hadn't arrived yet. Unsatisfied she refreshed it. Where the hell was it?

She tucked it away not getting any results and the pilot spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seat belts we are preparing for take off", he said pulling out the the landing strip. The co-pilot did something and Jackson saw the head pilot slap his hand and snap at his partner for the incorrect action.

Jackson smirked then he looked over across from him at the woman. She had her cheek against her fist and was watching as the plane speed up and then began to lift off for take off. The runway began to disappear from view from behind them.

It was a rather again awkward silence between everyone as the plane leveled out in the air, thousands of feet above the ground. It was several hours of silence and it was dark outside. Anderson was in the cockpit. The others were dosing off. Macro on the other hand was still messing around with his computer. Rollins was sitting next to Jackson beside the aisle. He glanced over at the woman. He reached in his inner coat pocket and pulled out the picture of his daughter.

"Excuse me...Madam", he said nervously not wanting to wake anyone. He wasn't exactly sure if the woman was awake herself since her eyes were closed as she leaned her head against the window.

"Rollins! She's sleeping your going to wake her!", hissed Jackson quietly.

"Already to late to worry about that, what is it Sir?", she asked turning her head and looking at Rollins. Rollins was quiet suddenly.

The woman waited patiently for a response and did not pressure him to hurry. She had several more hours to go before they reached England itself. She had time. Jackson nudged Rollins in his side signaling him not to get tongue tied. The woman noticed this and sighed, "There is no need to pressure him. Let him take his time. Besides...I can tell this is personal, am I correct?", asked the woman to Rollins.

Rollins swallowed. Her eyes were staring at him softly. Dark murky green eyes...almost brown like her hair. Definitely not what one would think a billionaire would look like. Way out of the normal diamond colored celebrities. Long fancy dresses and all. She was more spunk and still proper with the aggressive suit.

Rollins extended the photo of his girl to her. Of his little MacBeth. The woman took it cautiously. Rollins smiled a small smile he sort of forgot his formalities as he spoke to the woman. Whoops. Anderson was hearing this and turned his head as Rollins spoke. Yet the woman still listened despite this.

"That's my baby girl...she's nine in that picture", said Rollins.

The woman smiled as she saw it. MacBeth's sweet smile was serene and innocent. Rollins was again fighting back tears. He didn't let them fall though. "She was a good girl. She'd always do her homework....loved to read. I can tell you like to read. She was a good girl. She gave me a purpose you know? Made me a father....made me want to be a good father", said Rollins.

The woman handed it back looking at Rollins, "I'm sure you were a more than a good father Sir", said the woman.

Rollins looked up at her as he took the picture back. "That means a lot Madam....really", he whispered.

"DeLacy, is enough Sir, DeLacy is enough", said the woman.

Technically that was her last name and not her first. But Anderson called her Miss DeLacy. Jackson could also deduct that she wasn't married. No ring on that ring finger. Jackson had a few questions though. Questions he wanted answered. He intended to ask them, and he didn't care what Anderson thought nor if he heard.

Jackson turned in his seat leaning forward gaining DeLacy's undivided attention as she looked at him waiting. She looked tired. Drained, but she was still alert the most minuscule thing.

"Can I ask you something?", questioned Jackson. He fumbled as her eyes put him on the spot suddenly watching him carefully. She was staring at him with attentiveness as she waited. She received no response as Jackson was tongue tied. Not mention Jackson felt Anderson's glare scream at him to say something rather than to keep DeLacy waiting. It was rude. The woman glanced at Anderson and sighed closing her eyes.

She then surprisingly vouched for Jackson, "Anderson, get off his case. I can feel your stare and it's not enjoyable", she said. DeLacy didn't say it a threatening tone, she only stated it. Anderson obliged and mumbled, "Apologies Madam", he said.

She rolled her eyes chuckling, "They will never learn when to stop trying to please".

"What's wrong with pleasing?", asked Jackson finding words. That was his original question but he was curious about her statement.

"There isn't anything wrong with it....it simply gets....", she paused thinking. "Annoying. It becomes....devalued", she said.

"How so?", asked Jackson.

The woman smiled sadly, "The more one uses something, the more one takes it for granted. That is why it is good to mix things up at times", she replied.

"Like the Game?", asked Jackson.

The woman fell silent, "You could say that....but....I would rather not-", her phone went off in her pocket buzzing twice. She ignored it finishing after a pause, "One could say The Game helps me not take my life for granted....but I'd rather not take The Game itself for granted. However, that was not your original infuriation. There is something else you wanted to ask me entirely", said DeLacy waiting. 

Jackson glanced at Anderson then looked back directly at DeLacy, "Do you know what they did to us?", he asked.