Sinners and Saints

Sinners and Saints Chapter 23 - He's Not My Boyfriend

The phone rings again, making me jump in my seat even before my brain registers that it was just asleep and now it’s not.  “Easy,” Butch chuckles at me and answers it. 

“Claire?” Drake’s voice comes over the speaker, “You hanging in there?” 

“I’m fine,” I tell him, “Are you in Miami?” 

“Yes – I got here a few minutes ago.  I’ve been working with Rick to pinpoint your exact location.  We’ve got a lock on you now.  Matt’s got everything you asked for.  You’re in the cockpit, right?” 

“Yes, Butch and I are locked in the cockpit,” I answer, “Do you have a schematic of the plane?” 

“We’re on it, Claire,” Rick’s voice answers back, “I’ve flown that model many times.  Drake’s got a download of the schematic on his phone and we have it all under control.  We’re ready to send Drake in now.” 

“Send him in?” Butch mouths to me and then shakes his head again, “Never mind.” 

“Ok – we’re ready too,” I answer. 

And then his cloves and woodsmoke washes over me.  I turn to see him dropping his bundles on the floor and he immediately grabs me up and kisses me - hard, “God, Claire,” he mumbles, kissing me again, “Are you all right?” 

“I’m fine,” I tell him, giving him a hug before pulling away, “Drake, this is Butch.  Butch this is Drake.”  I’m a little confused about his worry over me, of all people.  Out of all of us, I’m the most likely to wash up on the beach the least hurt and the soonest.  I’m far more worried about the humans on the plane than I am about me. 

“Good to meet you, mate,” Butch extends his hand, “And I’m not saying a damned thing about you poofing out of thin air.  I don’t want to know,” he turns back to the controls again. 

“I told you you poof,” I tease him. 

“I – do – not – poof,” he growls back and me and I give him a very innocent smile in return. 

He rolls his eyes and dials Darius’ number on one of the phones he’s brought, “Here,” he gives it to Butch, “They’re conferencing us all in so you’ll be able to hear everything.  Claire, you can turn yours off now.”  

I end the call and turn my phone off when I hear Rick answer the line. 

“I’m going down to take a look,” Drake announces, “Rick, how much room is there going to be down there?” 

“Probably not much,” Rick answers, “A tiny monkey would work – that way you’d still have hands and you could hang from your tail to take pictures when you find it.” 

A second later Drake shimmers and changes into a small Capuchin.  I get up and turn the camera on the other phone and hand it to him, resisting the urge to pat his little head.  He’d probably bite me if I tried.  And then he’s gone. 

“Did he just,” Butch starts to ask me and I shoot him a look, “Never mind.  This is me shutting up now,” he says and we both listen intently for clues to what Drake is doing.  We can hear some scrambling and scratching sounds and occasionally breathing, but that’s it.  Eventually we hear the sound of repeated pictures being taken.