Wednesday, October 4th, 2018
10:43 a.m. Alaska Airlines
Meredith Gray
The suitcase thumped against one of the many aisle seats and tittered to the side, rolling on one wheel. Meredith cursed under her breath and yanked her luggage back on to its two wheels. She looked down at her ticket, 18 B, following the list of numbers up above, and walked to her row.
Meredith’s eyebrows raised the slightest when she saw the man seated next to her—he was gorgeous, had a chiseled jaw, swooping black hair, vibrant blue eyes, and glowing complexion.
“Meredith,” Adam hissed and pushed up against her back, making her go forward. “Move.”
Stumbling out of Adam’s way, Meredith took her time admiring the mystery man’s luscious hair, and when she shuffled into the middle seat, her knees brushed against him, making her cheeks flushed. She contemplated introducing herself. Would that be weird?
Still indecisive, she gazed at him while he was engrossed in his phone, and as curiosity rained down on her, she turned to the object.
To say she was shocked was an understatement. She was disgusted. The man next to her was watching porn, and he wasn’t even trying to be discreet. She felt goosebumps rising up on her arms as she squirmed closer to Adam.
Meredith scoffed, her eyebrows raised. “How’s Grace?” she asked as casually as possible, turning to Adam and ignoring the indecent act to her right.
Adam’s smile was grim when he spoke in a hushed voice. “She’s okay. Obviously unhappy about me leaving and everything. She’s got it in her head I’ll have an affair or something; sorry that T.V. depicts secret agents as horn-dogs willing to have sex with some random woman, but real life is different. I’m different.”
With fast handiwork, Adam slipped the safety manual from the seat pocket in front of him and read over the planes procedures. “Sometimes I don’t get your sex. Like, can’t a guy just be loving and faithful? Leave it at that.”
Meredith nodded with a tight-lipped smile. “Yeah, but I understand her concerns. Luc, my ex-husband, thought the same thing.” She fixed her eyes on her hands, “but then Luc was the one who betrayed us.”
Adam jumped back in. “Well, it doesn’t help that she read something online that said men are more likely to have an affair during and after their partner’s pregnancy. Like, what kind of bullshit is that? I’m a dedicated husband and I’ll be a dedicated father. Why would I jeopardize my life for something like that?”
“I can’t say it’s not true; Luc is a testament to that.” Her throat closed at those words and her fingers tingled. Luc’s betrayal got to her like that. Everyone warned her about foreign relationships, but she called it a stereotype and married him to prove her point. She was wrong.
“I met him once when he was working as a translator for the French Embassy. He seemed like a schmoozing ass then,” said Adam casually.
She brought her fist up to her mouth and tried to stop a giggle. “He has that effect on a few, most like him instantly. His persona was nice for dinner parties, terrible for marriage.”
“Ugh. . .” Adam let his head fall into the cover of the plane’s window; it rattled upon impact. “Why is marriage so hard?”
Meredith didn’t answer; she knew his question was rhetorical. So she let him think it over silently, laid her head back, and prepared for a nap, oblivious to the flight attendants as they began their drooling monologue on plane safety—it was lights out for her.
--
Meredith’s nails raked down his smooth back, blotchy, red lines followed in her wake. Their movements were in sequence, their bodies dancing together. His heavy breaths fell where her neck and shoulder met, and hers flowed in the surrounding air.
Her fingers curled around the white bedsheets, and she tugged on them as the sensation grew. Her frizzy, brown hair stuck to the back of her sweaty neck, making her feel clammy and out of control. The man above her moaned; the raspy sound filled the room and reverberated from his chest to hers.
With her head tilted back, her neck straining and her blood pulsing, she called to him, shouting his name—
“—Meredith.”
Meredith shot out of her seat, heart racing and face flushed a violent red. When her eyes refocused, she saw the noir color of the seats in front. She rested her head against the faux leather, breathing heavily.
“The plane’s landing.” Adam took his hand off her shoulder. “Better get ready, Fen-Rock is meeting us at the airport.”
Wide-eyed, she nodded, her heartbeat fluttering in angst. “I know, I read the report too. You startled me, that’s all.”
He shrugged off her comment. Meredith was defensive, and he would not counter her. She knew this as she was also inquisitive, and it made her a better agent, not always the greatest of friends.
She leaned back into her chair and stretched out the tight muscles in her toes and calves. The man next to her was still on his phone—this time, playing a game of solitaire. Meredith looked back over to the shielded window.
“Can you open that?”
“Mhm, yeah, no problem.” Adam grabbed the small handle and pulled it upward. The bright light from outside briefly blinded them both, and they shielded their eyes.
Meredith leaned over the armrest and peered out the window as her slight quickly adjusted. For a while, there were only white slopes and frosted treetops. She was on the outlook for any wildlife but from this height, no one could see any. All the snow and open woods mesmerized her. Back in D.C., there was yet to be a single snowfall and the only source of nature was a large park, and it didn’t provide the solidarity feel of the wild like Alaska did.
The signal for the seatbelt lit up. Meredith and Adam buckled themselves, preparing for the landing.
The plane started its downward arc as it came into the city of Nome, in North-East Alaska, out of view from Russia, which was just across the Bering Strait. Nome was a small town, the descent was nothing like Meredith was used to. There was no lit up roads and red brake lights. There were white-topped roofs and shabby marinas—it gave an old-timey vibe.
Adam leaned over the window. “Wow, I haven’t seen anything like this for awhile.”
Meredith tore her eyes away from the blinding, natural light of scenic Nome and turned to Adam. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m originally from Northern Michigan and I haven’t been back in sometime and this place brings me back home.” He ran a quick hand through his hair. “Before I joined the military, I skied a lot with my pals, you know, downhill skiing. Anyway, I even went out West on some trips, it was a dedicated pastime of mine. But since D.C. I haven’t found the time and with a baby coming I wonder if I ever will.”
Meredith patted his shoulder. “Yeah, that may be true, but one day you can teach your child how to ski. Passing on your love of something to your child is a wonderful experience.”
Adam’s hand came up to rub the crease of his nose, a soft guttural sound escaping his mouth. “I know, sometimes I just wish I could have a remote to fast forward time and live my golden years now.”
Meredith scoffed at his comment, amused by his naivety. “There is no such thing as the golden years. Don’t be foolish.”
Adam hid his smile, his partner was such a pessimistic person; Meredith didn’t know how to dream for the future.
“Now, don’t be so optimistic,” Adam replied sarcastically, an almost scolding tone to his voice.
Meredith got this response more often than she cared for. It was in people’s nature to think on the bright side and they frequently didn’t care for Meredith’s realistic point-of-view, and so she ignored them as they ignored her.
“What’s the name of the man we’re meeting again?”
The plane’s landing threw Adam forward in his seat, and they both braced themselves against the chairs in front. The rough movements knocked the yellow folder off Meredith’s lap.
“Redd Burcken. He’s the Director, I really don’t know much.”
“Red? Poor man, his parents name him that.” He laughed, sitting back up in his chair.
“He’s probably from the south.” Meredith’s voice came out strained and awkward as she bent her body at a weird angle, trying to retrieve the fallen folder.
“Mhmm, I wouldn’t be so sure. No Southerner is going this far North.” The southern drawl in Adam’s voice was over-the-top dramatic, and it made Meredith laugh. Her smile was soft and girly which contrasted her normal iron-clad appearance.
Her fingers feathered the floor and searched for the folder in the cramped space. When her hand brushed against the thin, shiny material, she sat back up with a disgruntled huff. Meredith was reaching for her bag to slip the folder back inside when her eye caught something yellow on the floor.
Her mouth was agape as her folder slid lackadaisically across the plane’s floor. In her hands was a Playboy magazine, a nearly naked girl gracing the front cover. She dropped the magazine, snatched her folder, and stuffed it in the bag.
She sighed in relief as the man’s focus was still on his phone.
This man was ridiculous. Has he any considerations for the people around him?
Feeling awkward, Meredith packed her few belongings, jammed them into the large bag under the chair, and made herself busy with work.
Finally, the plane reached its designated gate. All passengers disembarked with ease and practice, and soon enough, Meredith and Adam were in the airport, heading to baggage claim. Fortunately, by the time they arrived the carousel was already moving and they found their bags in no time.
“So Burken is meeting us outside?” Adam asked, his forehead creased.
2:17 p.m., her wristwatch read. “Yes.” Looking out the fogged windows, Meredith pushed open one of the glass doors. “Come on, we’ll go find him.”
Adam zipped up his coat and threw on a pair of mittens. “Alright, but I say if he’s not there we come back inside.”
Meredith’s head popped back inside, and with a brilliant smirk, she said, “I thought you missed this.”
“Michigan, not Alaska.” He braced himself for the cold, brisk wind before marching outside with Meredith.
A small winter storm brewed, creating a winter wonderland and they found shelter behind a large, round concrete poll. Meredith looked down the open street, and there were only a few lingering vehicles.
“Maybe he’s stuck in the storm.” Adam pulled his hood up.
“This is hardly a snowstorm.”
Adam’s hands clutched the handles of his suitcase, fighting with control against the sharp burst of the wind. “I want to go back inside.”
Meredith was about to open her mouth to tell off her partner when she felt someone watching her. Snow flew into her eyes as she turned, hissing, she rubbed them furiously.
“Who are you?” Adam demanded, his body brushing against hers when he stepped back.
Meredith opened her stinging eyes and saw an older man standing a few feet away. He wore a pair of tan, beat-up Carharts, heavy boots, and a dark green parka fraying at the bottom, and when he moved, little, white feathers fell out of the coat, getting lost in the snowy air. He seemed no older than mid-forties with a stubble far past the five o’clock shadow. He had a few deep-set wrinkles around his eyes and the beginning of a graying widow’s peak.
Meredith stepped closer. “He asked you who you were, what’ve you got to say?”
The man gave a crooked smile, showing his yellowing teeth. No doubt a smoker. “Name’s Kirk, Burken sent me. Yer the people from D.C., right?”
Meredith stared him down, “Redd Burken sent you?”
“Yes, little lady, he did.” He gestured to a large, expensive trunk behind him. “And our ride is sitting right over there, nice and toasting for you and your friend.”
“So where’s Burken? We were told he’d meet us,” spoke Adam.
The strange man chuckled, “You two sure are inquisitive, aren’t you? Ol’ Burken is waiting for you at the docks. Hop in and I’ll show yah.”
He walked away, leaving Meredith and Adam to follow at their leisure. When they got to the curb, Kirk popped out the bed of the truck and stuffed their luggage inside, slamming the hatch shut when he was done and walking to the driver’s side.
Meredith reached the front of the truck and opened the door to see one long, leather seat. Kirk grinned from the other side as he pulled himself inside. Turning around, she tried to maneuver out of the way to allow Adam to go in first, but he too had noticed the seating dilemma.
Adam’s outstretched arms moved her back to the truck. “No, lady’s first.” He even had the audacity to open the door wider for her, playing the role of the perfect gentleman. To anyone else, Adam’s smile was infectious, but all Meredith wanted to do was punch it right off his face.
With a hesitant step, Meredith’s fingers grasped the handle on the inside of the truck. She slid her body onto the seat, the melting snow on her coat squeaking when it made contact with the leather, and stopped half a foot away from Kirk.
“Come, little lady, we are all about to get all nice and snug in here. Better make some room for yer partner.” He grabbed the sleeve of her coat and gave it a nice yank, moving Meredith closer until they were flushed up against one another. Adam slid in soon after.
She opened her mouth to complain about the space but let it go as Adam’s shoulder unnaturally hunched against the closed door.
Kirk shifted the truck into gear, pulling out onto the street. “And we’ll be on our way.” He cheered.
They drove through the dull town of Nome to Alaska’s coast on the rim of Nome’s downtown. The Pacific waters were dark blue and the sky above was hazy.
“Oh, this is cool, they have a dog sled race here and to the right—see that sign—is the finish,” Adam said, enthusiastically pointing to the historic, wooden sign.
Meredith snatched the pamphlet in Adam’s hands. “Where did you get this?”
He took back the tourist guide, cradling it to his chest. “The airport, obviously.”
“You know we’re not staying in Nome?” Her beady eyes trained on Adam.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t educate myself,” he retorted before unfolding the pamphlet, making a rouse to look interested in the material.
Meredith rolled her eyes and bristled at Adam’s unprofessional behavior.
“That boy’s right. Nome is a very interesting town, full of very interesting people. Some not so friendly to outsiders, mind you.” Kirk’s words sounding almost like a threat.
“We won’t be staying, so the people of Nome have nothing to worry about,” Meredith said while eyeing Kirk warily.
Kirk shook his head slowly. “It ain’t the people of Nome that would be worried, you should. Long winters do something terrible to some of our minds, making us a bit tilted, I suppose.”
Meredith turned to look at Kirk more directly, and Adam put down the paper. “What are you saying?” she asked, her voice hushed and her brows raised as a chill slithered its way down the base of her neck.
“Just keep a sharp eye, eh?”
At that moment Kirk turned off the paved road and onto a gravel path of the marina. He pulled up next to a sleek black boat built for the seas, a tall man stood on the port side. Turning off the engine, Kirk pushed open the door.
“We’re here, my friends.”
Adam followed Kirk outside. Meredith slid out after them, her legs wobbling from growing numb. She walked to the end of the truck where Adam handed her both of her suitcases before pulling out his own.
“Thanks.”
He waved her off. “Don’t mention it.”
Meredith dragged her bags through the snowy gravel and tiptoed to the dock as her heels staggered on the uneven ground. The man on the dock was none other than Redd Burken, the Director of Fen-Rock. He stood at the end of the boat and braced himself against the wind, holding onto the railing with one hand and waving them over with the other. He looked ever as regal and powerful as pictured in the files.
Meredith turned to see Kirk waving goodbye and driving off. She huffed loudly, her toes now frozen, and made her way to the boat, Adam following closely behind.
A black leathered glove stuck out in front of her. “Hello there, my name is Redd Burken, Director of Fen-Rock Facility. You must be Special Agent Meredith Gray.”
Meredith took the hand, shaking it firmly, leather against leather. “Yes I am, pleased to meet you.”
His smile was weathered, like his face. “And you.”
Author's Note:
As always I want to thank my awesome editor solitarypathways for her amazing work!
Thanks for reading and please vote and comment!
-Anna