Raven of the Sky - Part l

Ophelia stretched her stiff limbs after the amazing slumber, and a smile forms on her lips as she looks out her hotel window at the waves of the mighty sea.

After a 19 hours flight from Dubai to Hawaii, she had finally landed and checked into her hotel the night before. While her co-pilots had rested and left for their next flights, she was excited to enjoy the much needed vacation after two whole years.

She took a shower and changes into a light dress before heading downstairs for breakfast. She takes a seat at a single table overlooking the ocean and digs into her plate of food as it is brought to her. What a wonderful morning, no chaos, no work, only peace, and quiet. As she sipped her coffee, she breathed a sigh of relief. She leans back, her gaze drawn to the crashing waves on the long beach. Her phone on the table suddenly vibrates, informing her that she has received a notification. She picks up the phone and notices a new message from the Flight Dispatcher. She frowns and scrunches up her brows in annoyance as she opens the mail. She goes through her contacts and dials, "I'm officially on vacation!" She exclaims, and the man on the other end sighs

“I know and I’m sorry, but Sage called in sick.”

"What do you mean, ‘I'm sorry!’ I just returned from a 19-hour flight!" She exclaimed frustrated,

“He is a very important client, Ophelia.”

“He may be an important client but why not ask somebody else?” She whined,

“There is no other available pilot there nor we have the time to fly in someone else.

You are the only available pilot we have there and you are one of the best, Raven. Just fly him to Berlin and you’re done. I’ll make sure you get an extra day of leave.” The voice on the other end begged and she sighed giving in.

“Fine!”

“Thank you. I’ll send a car to pick you up in ten minutes.” She hung up the phone and returned to her hotel room. She put on her uniform and pulled her hair back into a slick bun. She was on her way to the lobby after moisturizing her face and applying lip gloss. She only brought her pilot's bag and left her luggage in her hotel room because she planned to return after the flight.

She walked out of the hotel, and soon a Delta Airlines car stopped in front of her. She slipped in, and they were on their way to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. After checking through security, she headed for the crew lounge. When her phone rang, she took it from her pocket. She rolled her eyes as she saw Sage's name flash across the screen. She took the phone call and placed it against her ear.

"What?" She said brusquely,

"Hey ya, Raven! How's it hanging!" When his upbeat voice came through, she felt like punching him in the face. "I thought you were sick Sage!"

"About that, I'm sorry for this. My girlfriend arrived here yesterday, and if I told her I was leaving for Berlin today, she would kill me. Worse she would destroy my Xbox!" She shook her head as he exclaimed. "You gotta think through your priorities. This is the last time, and you owe me!" As she walked into the lounge, she stated firmly.

"Of course! I gotta go now. Have a pleasant flight! Aloha!" She hung up the phone as she noticed another pilot approaching her.

"Captain Jade?" He asked,

"Ophelia Jade." She said, extending her palm for a handshake, which he gladly accepted, "Dallas Ross, your First-officer. I apologize you had to come on such short notice." He apologized, feeling guilty. "It's alright. Is the crew here?" She inquired as he nodded and motioned her to the opposite end of the lounge.

After Dallas introduces her to the three flight attendants, they begin reading the latest airline information and checking the weather forecast.

They walk to the gate after reviewing the report, where the gate agents have the flight release ready. The flight release is a formal document issued by the flight dispatcher that informs the pilots of the airplane they will fly, the exact routing that has been filed, the fuel calculations, and the altitude that has been filed. She was going to fly a Gulfstream G650, even though she had flown a lot of Boeings and Airbuses, but she had only flown the Gulfstream G650 a handful of times. It was the most expensive private jet in the market so there were not that many clients. She, on the other hand, preferred flying larger planes.

It was the first flight of the day; the airplane had been shut down the night before because the client had arrived the evening before. The ground crew had shut the door and retracted the jet way. The jet way doors were closed, and the terminal door was locked.

They proceeded to the airplane after the jet way was unlocked. The flight attendants checked the cabin emergency equipment’s as they settle into the flight deck. They begin the flight deck setup, ensuring that every switch and lever is in the correct position. She then goes outside to inspect the plane visually. Before each flight, a walk-around is performed to look for leaks, bird strikes, or anything else out of the ordinary. She returns to the flight deck after the walk to continue with the preparations.

They go through their checklist to ensure that there are no errors and that the correct task is completed at the correct time. While she begins reading the checklist aloud and Dallas responds to each task, the fueller arrives with the fuel slip, which must match the dispatch release fuel and the actual fuel on board.

Dallas glances at his watch before turning to face Ophelia.

"The passengers are expected to arrive in about 10 minutes." He informs her, and she nods. "We should be greeting them at them as they board the plane." He says quietly, and she raises an eyebrow. She responds with a hum and turns her head to look out the window to her left.

She sighed and looked at her watch once more. She tried to be patient while standing near the jet's entrance. The lead passenger was supposed to arrive 10 minutes ago whereas she was stood up. Dallas looked at her with apologetic eyes, and she shook her head. When the sound of blaring engines reached her ears, she straightened up and clutched her hands in front of her. A black SUV approached the jet and came to a halt. The back door of the car was thrown open as a leg covered in black clothing was seen getting down, followed by its entire physic. Her gaze moved up the male specimen, from his well-polished shoes to his thick thighs hidden behind the black clothing that fit him perfectly. With his left hand, he expertly buttoned the first button of his suit jacket. Her gaze moved up his toned body, which was clinging to the fabric of his expensive gray shirt. Her eyes moved further up and her breath was caught in her throat. He wasn't a male model, but he ought to have been. His lush, mother lode-gold hair had a rippling quality to it, a sign of his rude health. His only flaw was that he had beetle brows that knitted in annoyance.

His celestial nose complemented his high cheekbones. His basalt jaw and Spartan shoulders spoke of strength in an understated way. He walked with purpose and authority and possessed a latent, leonine power.

He was yelling into his phone, which he clutched tightly against his ear, and this jolted her out of her trance, and she found herself staring at him. He took off his sunglasses and his captivating, wayfarer-brown eyes glanced at her. For a brief time, her breath stuck in her throat as his eyes narrowed, resembling two liquid pools of blazing fire. Her breathing became laboured as the musky scent of his cologne filled her nostrils and the warmth of his body entered her circle. The tip of his tongue pocked his lips and slid across his bottom lip. And she was overcome with the desire to bite his lips and feel his tongue over her flesh.

For a brief moment, she was utterly mesmerized by the male. Her trance was broken as he strolled by her and entered the plane, his thunderous, rumbling voice filling her ears. Behind him was a woman dressed properly in a suit who smiled and nodded as she entered the plane.

She followed them in and entered the flight deck. While she prepared for take off her mind was engrossed with his image. They were ready to take off as soon as Dallas informed her that all of the passengers were seated. Every other thought was pushed to the back of her mind as she concentrated on getting the bird into the air.

After determining and confirming the route, they flew 33000 feet above the ground for the first hour of the 15-hour flight. She leaned back in her seat, attempting to find a comfortable position. She was fatigued despite having had a good night's sleep. Dallas looked at her out of the corner of his eye and after a few moments asked, "Are you all right?" His question piqued her attention, and she turned to face him, saying, "I flew for 19 hours yesterday, and here I am again." He looked sympathetically at her as she sighed. They conversed for a while before being interrupted by a flight attendant. She whispered something into Dallas's ear and then walked away when he nodded. Ophelia looked at him with questioning eyes,

"Mr. Reighs wants to see you." He informs, and her brow furrows in perplexity.