Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
I forced myself to stand still long enough to explain it without tearing something off King’s desk.
“It wasn’t the same signature we saw in Carson’s crash.” I shook my head, my jaw tight. “They’re not stupid enough to copy-paste their own crime scene. Every incident we’ve reviewed was slightly different—variations in injection point, system priority, or failure cascade. Enough to keep pattern recognition from lighting up like a Christmas tree.”
Blaze’s mouth flattened. “Adapt and conceal.”
“Exactly,” I agreed with a nod. “This time, it was buried in the command stack for a system override—coded as a contingency test parameter. On paper, it looks like redundancy logic. Something you’d expect to see during simulation or remote diagnostic runs. But it wasn’t passive.”
King leaned forward slightly. “Active?”
“Dormant,” I corrected. “Waiting for a handshake.”
The memory of seeing it sitting there—like a loaded weapon tucked under the seat—made my vision sharpen to a blade’s edge.
“It was a clean injection,” I explained. “Different architecture than Carson’s bird. Another pathway entirely. This one would’ve nudged the flight control law under very specific parameters—high-G maneuver, high-altitude envelope, maybe during a weapons simulation. Just enough to create a destabilization event that would look like a pilot miscalculation or structural anomaly. And while I fought it, they’d be logging every damn millisecond.”
Blaze swore under his breath.
“They weren’t just trying to crash it.” My voice went colder. “They were trying to study how much override authority they could exert before I noticed, or anyone else. Before the fail-safes tripped and exposed them.”
King’s stare never wavered. “And you’re sure?”
“I’m positive.” I didn’t raise my voice, but the fury underneath it was unmistakable. “Wizard watched the data stream live while I isolated the subsystem. We ran controlled probes to confirm the trigger logic. It was there. A command branch that had no business existing in that configuration.”
I exhaled once through my nose, trying to bleed off the heat crawling up my spine. It didn’t work.
“They messed with my plane.” My words were coated in something feral. “Mine.”
It wasn’t just metal and composite. The plane was an extension of me. Every switch, response curve, and vibration through the frame—I felt it before most men even registered a change in tone. The idea that someone thought they could slip code into my aircraft and I wouldn’t catch it was more than reckless.
It was insulting.
“Of all fucking pilots,” I continued, shaking my head once. “Me? Seriously?”
Blaze’s gaze flicked up. “Arrogant assholes.”
“Suicidal,” I corrected flatly. “The only thing worse than messing with my bird is messing with my woman or my club. They were already on my kill list for the former, but they also thought I wouldn’t find it.” I let out a humorless breath. “Even if I hadn’t been suspicious, I would’ve caught it eventually. I’m that fucking good at what I do, and they should know it.”
“Can’t argue with that,” King murmured.
My lips curved into something that wasn’t a smile. “And if I hadn’t caught this on the ground, I would’ve handled it in the air. Because short of a fucking missile, no one brings my bird down but me.”
I went on to tell them about my early afternoon meeting with two representatives from Aegis Aerospace Systems. I'd managed—barely—to keep my composure as we discussed a handful of proposed design changes after the last test flight. Collaborating on those changes had seemed routine enough until today.
During the meeting, they had suggested the adjustments were minor enough that we could fast-track the next flight to the following day. An entire week ahead of schedule. It didn't take a genius to connect those dots. Of course they wanted me back in the sky as soon as possible. They'd rigged my fucking plane, and I was nothing more than a data point they needed to complete.
But I hadn't let them see my rage. I'd kept my expression carefully neutral, pretending to consider their arguments, nodding thoughtfully as if I were genuinely tempted by the idea. My agreement hadn't been enthusiastic, but it had been enough to make them confident they'd convinced me.
“I told them I'd take the night to think it over,” I explained to King and Blaze, folding my arms across my chest. “I acted like I was seriously considering it—using positive language, leaving the door open. I didn't commit, but I didn't refuse either. It's exactly what they'll expect.”
King nodded approvingly. “Smart. No need to tip them off. Let them think they've still got control.”
Blaze scowled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “What's the play tomorrow?”
“I'll call it off in the morning,” I replied calmly, though my voice held an edge sharp enough to cut steel. “Give them some bullshit excuse about needing more prep time or wanting to double-check a subsystem before I’m wheels-up again. They won’t question it too much. I have enough credibility that they'll trust my caution.”