Back in white - Reaper # 4

Chapter 7

The check-in process goes smoothly for Elizabeth Farmer and Julia Burke. We browse through the shops, I buy a novel, and she picks up a Geo magazine. After grabbing a coffee at a bar, we go through customs and enter the duty-free area. I observe her closely, noting the small differences between her and her sister. Her little quirks. Despite immersing herself in her character, I notice, through her purchases and the biscuits she looks at, that she is truly a food lover.

The flight promises to be long, nearly seventeen hours with a layover in Auckland. So we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other. Our arms intertwined, we make our way to the boarding area. I look around at the bustling crowd, whispering, making noise, and getting stressed. It annoys me. I hate traveling with so many people. I feel vulnerable without my weapon.

My arm rests on her shoulder, her head against me. I know she's doing the same as me, scanning the people around us, looking for any potential threat, assessing who would be the target to eliminate first if necessary. If I spot the slightly intoxicated man a few seats away from us, I have no doubt that she would have the little boy who can't sit still for more than ten seconds in her sights. He's my backup option. If he annoys me on the plane, I'll knock him out and toss him into the cargo hold. And if he's behind us kicking our seats, he'll regret that his mother didn't opt for an abortion.

The quality of the onboard service puts us in a good mood as soon as we step foot on the plane and show our boarding passes to the flight attendant, who greets us with a charming smile. Dee prefers the aisle seat, so I settle near the window and lower the shade, even though it's already nighttime at this hour. We chat while observing the various amenities offered, such as USB ports and on-demand television. I laugh when I see that Love Actually is available, explaining to her our first night together. She looks at me with a smile before planting a kiss on my lips, her hands caressing my cheeks, which makes me blush. Shortly after takeoff, I whisper to her the biographies of all the members of the base until our meal is served. We watch a movie snuggled up against each other, and finally, each under our own blanket, we fall asleep, her head resting on my shoulder, her hand in mine.

"Good morning, my love," she murmurs as I wake up.

"Good morning, sweet beauty," I smile, planting a kiss on her cheek so I can whisper. "You have a warm body, just like your sister. It's pleasant. You'll see, the nights are cold, even if it's purely psychological. We used to sleep in the same bed, a single bed, and damn, we slept well."

"I can't wait," she smiles before thanking the flight attendant who brings us breakfast.

The layover in Auckland allows us to freshen up, grab another coffee, for the final leg to Christchurch. It feels like coming back home. We stay there for a day, waiting for the conditions to be right to head to McMurdo. The day in Christchurch passes quickly, between our preparations and our secret meetings. We do our best with the smuggled weapons available, even if the camouflage paint is a minor detail. I know I can acquire more weapons from those I will kill. Then, we head to the CDC, the clothing distribution center, to get our orange ECW suits for facing the extreme cold. As we try on our outfits in the same cabin, seeing her undress in front of me ignites an undeniable excitement within me.

"Sorry," she says, noticing me blushing. "I know what's going through your mind."

"It's unsettling. Besides the scar, you're identical. May I?" I ask, reaching out to fix a bothersome strand of hair, and she lets me. "You look stunning, and the sound of your voice makes you even more alluring."

"Oh? Well... thank you. I'm glad to know that I please you."

I want to show her how much she pleases me, but my phone rings.