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Ben Jackson
Somewhere over Mexico
Ben watched Regan sleep from across the aisle, her head resting on Gracie’s shoulder. Tear tracks still marked her face, but the puffiness from her crying jag had gone down. Gracie kept her arm around Regan, protecting her like a mama bear. His heart had shattered seeing her bawl her eyes out over Gray. Not that he would admit it to anyone here. Or, anyone at all in his life.
Jax and Liam sat across from Gracie and Regan. A small table sat between the four seats that faced each other. Ben sat alone across the aisle in his own grouping of four, the other three seats empty. Jax and Liam kept their heads bent together, whispering quietly, both having recently woken from naps.
Ben focused on Gracie, an unwelcome and surprising addition when he’d re-entered the terminal. Gracie stared back at Ben now. Her eyes full of knowing. Ben would have to watch her more closely than the others. He knew Jax, Ben and Liam, and knew how they thought. Gracie was a puzzle to him. A close player in this game. A loose cannon, in Ben’s eyes.
Ben went back to his reading. Using his satellite phone as a wireless link for his laptop, he read every file on Gracie Williams, wife of one Guy Bianchi. His team had worked overtime piecing together the information. Ben understood Regan’s thoughts on bringing Gracie along. Even if Ben didn’t agree with them himself. If the exchange turned violent, Gracie could try to thwart Ben. In trying to protect her husband, Ben could be hurt on accident. Or Regan. Liam and Jax didn’t concern him as much as himself or Regan. Just casualties of war.
The other players concerned Ben, too. Right now, he had no idea where Frank Donato and Michael Thomas were. They could come in shooting and just clean up the mess later. Both men had the means and the violent history to make it a possibility. Ben knew money talked in third world countries. Freedom could be bought for a price.
Regan stirred. Ben closed his laptop and moved it aside. He’d given Regan time to rest, but now it was time to work. They had less than two hours until landing and Ben still didn’t know what Regan and the others were hiding. But, most important, Ben still didn’t know who had Gray. Well, they knew who: Guy Bianchi. But he wasn’t using that name. All searches ended in his disappearance. Ben needed to know his new alias to learn any more. Without that, all of them were going in blind.
Regan opened her eyes and sat up. She stretched, extending her arms above her head. She looked much better than earlier. Her eyes were clearer and less strained. Ben reached above him and rang for the flight attendant. She appeared moments later. Ben eyed her while he asked for food and drinks to be brought for everyone. Even remembering at the last minute, it should be peanut-free because of Regan’s allergy.
The flight attendant brought out a tray of sandwiches and chips. She served everyone and then brought out another tray of bottled water and cans of soda. Everyone shoveled the food in. No one needed a reminder that they didn’t know when they would have a chance to eat again.
“Regan, would you join me?” Ben asked after all the plates had been cleared. Regan stood up and moved across the aisle, taking the seat across from Ben. Ben reached into his bag and withdrew a zip tie but kept it out of her sight.
Regan rested her hands on the table between them, wringing them together in worry. Before she could react, Ben struck. He grabbed both of her hands, pinning them to the table. He quickly secured the zip tie around her wrists, tightening it as far as it would go.
“What the—” Regan started.
Liam jumped from his seat, but Ben was quicker. Ben pushed Liam back down before Liam could swing at him.
“Take this off now!” Regan screamed at him. Jax and Gracie stared, their mouths hanging open in shock. The well-trained attendant stayed in the galley away from the chaos.
“No,” Ben said. He needed to prove his point, and example always went further than explanation.
Liam lunged again. Ben punched him in the chin. Liam fell back into his seat. Jax grabbed Liam and cautioned him to stay down. For now.
“What are you doing?” Panic strained Regan’s voice. “Take it off.”
“No. You.”
“How?” Regan asked.
“Exactly. We don’t know what kind of danger we are walking into. You need to be prepared for all possibilities,” Ben said. He motioned Regan with his hand to join him in the aisle. “Stand up.”
“Ben, just cut them off. Please,” Gracie pleaded.
“I don’t need to.” Ben’s voice was rough, forceful. Ben looked back at Regan and used a gentler tone with her. “Now, stand.”
Regan used the table as leverage, placing her bound hands on it and shoving herself up. Anger radiated off every part of her. Ben took two steps back. He wanted space between them for when she freed herself. He knew she would attack in retaliation.
“You can break these, but you need to know how. Make sure the cuffs are tight and the extra line is sticking out between your wrists.”
Regan glared at him and then looked down at her hands. The cuffs were leaving her wrists red and raw already from her struggles. The end sprouted up between her hands.
“Up or down?” Regan asked.
“Either. As long as it isn’t to the side,” Ben said. “Now, hold your hands above your head and then swing them down toward your stomach. As you do it, you’ll want to pull your shoulder blades back and strain your hands against the plastic.”
Regan glared at Ben again before following his instructions. She grunted as her hands hit her stomach.
Nothing happened.
“Try again. Sometimes it takes a few swings,” Liam said. Ben glanced his way. Liam wouldn’t meet his eyes.
Regan raised her hands again and brought them down. On the third try, her wrists snapped apart and the zip tie flew to the floor. Pleasure brightened her face at her accomplishment but quickly disappeared as she lunged at Ben. Ben grabbed onto both of her wrists, holding her back from striking him.
“How are you going to get out of this?” Ben taunted her.
Regan grabbed Ben’s right wrist with her right hand. She pulled back on his thumb while rotating her arms up and over his. Ben lost his grip.
“Good,” Ben said. Regan turned to sit back down. As soon as her back was turned away from him, Ben grabbed her in a bear hug. His tight hold locked her arms to her sides. “How about now?”
Regan jerked and strained against Ben’s arms while he just tightened his grip further. He locked his hands together across her chest. Regan pulled her head forward and tried to land a headbutt but missed when Ben turned his head to the side. Regan’s head grazed his chin. The pain was mild compared to her actually landing the move.
“Take a step to the right and then angle your left foot behind my leg.” Regan stopped struggling and listened to Ben. “Ready?”
“Yes.” Regan’s answer came out in a huff of air. The struggle had winded her.
“Twist to the side and push against my chest.” Ben lost his balance falling back into the aisle, his lock on her broken by the fall. Before he could congratulate her, Regan’s arm came up and elbowed him in the nose. Blood gushed down. He swore as he tried to staunch the bleeding.
Liam and Jax clapped at her success, but Regan wasn’t done. She threw her arm back and tried to punch him in the nose. Ben brought his hand up and caught her fist in his. He closed his fingers over her hand and squeezed. Regan pulled, but Ben wouldn’t let go.
“Did I get my point across?” Ben asked.
“That you’re a jerk and I never should’ve called you? Absolutely,” Regan said. Ben pushed against Regan’s fist, the momentum sending her backwards. She tripped over her own feet and fell on her butt.
“Too bad you’re stuck with me now,” Ben said. Regan huffed in response.
“What was the point of that display? To prove your manliness?” Regan asked as she rubbed her battered wrists. “Gray’s never felt the need.”
The jab hurt worse than the elbow to the nose he’d taken. Gray proved time and again that he was the better man. To Regan, at least.
“I needed to know if you could defend yourself.” Ben pointed to Liam. “I know he can and now I know you can, too.”
“You could’ve just asked,” Jax said. Regan took the moment to strike since Ben was distracted by Jax. Regan swept her leg out and caught both of Ben’s ankles, knocking him back. Before Ben could reply, he found himself lying on the floor staring up at the ceiling.
“Too late now.” Regan pulled herself up and then reached down to help Ben up.
“Everyone, get some more rest. We’ll be landing soon,” Ben said, straightening his clothes.
“How far behind them are we?” Gracie asked.
“A couple of hours at most. My plane is faster and we didn’t need to stop to refuel.” Ben’s voice came out nasally from the injury. Based on Regan’s smirk, she heard it and enjoyed it.
But why did Gray’s plane stop to refuel? Ben thought. It should easily have been able to make the trip from Las Vegas to Tegucigalpa without the need.