Path of the Hunters [PART 2]

Aurélie buckled her seatbelt, sighing.

The others did the same, Kane pulling out a necklace from underneath his shirt, and kissing it before stowing it back away. "This is it..."

The plane was quickly on the move down the runway, and soon after was into the skies. "It will take about ten minutes to successfully leave french airspace. We ask that you keep your seatbelts on until it has been announced that we are safely out."

The dog smiled slightly. "What is that necklace?" she asked.

"It belonged to Colette," Kane said, a sad smile on his face. "A simple silver chain with her birthstone. This is what helped me stay sane, long after her untimely death."

She sighed, looking out the window. "Our families are little more than barbarians..."

"Yeah," Crescent said, then smiled. "But at least we're still alive."

For now, she thought, then frowned. "Yes, we are."

The minutes passed slowly, almost deliberately. Then finally, the announcement came: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now safely out of French airspace. We will now be ascending to a cruising altitude of 32,000 feet."

Kane blew a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Colette," he said almost silently.

Aurélie turned to gaze out the window once again, sighing. "Running from my home country... It's aggravating."

"We don't have much of a choice," Crescent said. "There aren't many places in France where we can stay safe, not anymore. I can't stand it either..."

"No, I suppose you of all people would know what this is like..." She sighed. "I'm sorry for asking you to return. At the time, I was panicked. Coming here hasn't done you much good."

Crescent shook her head. "You're wrong. Coming here was probably the best thing for me. I may not like the idea of abandoning my home, but I was able to help protect two of the three most important people in my life. That, alone, makes up for the bad."

The dog smiled slowly. "I knew I liked you."

She smiled back. "Well, you have a way of growing on people, it seems. Well, since you're now an official renegade of the Laroche family, you know you can't use their name any longer."

"No, which means I can't stay in the same town I was at the last time... Everyone recognizes me there - I wouldn't be able to work."

She frowned. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Damn, I messed that up... But we have allies there. I am sure they can help us in some way."

"Yes..." Aurélie looked down at her stomach, frowning. She knew what happened when people tried to outrun the Laroches... And if she tried to settle into a quiet life, would the child growing within her be as restless as she had been?

She didn't want a quiet life, either. Abandoning the Laroches had marked two prime locations off of her list and, well, the majority of Europe recognized her...

Was running away like this idiocy? It seemed as though she would die or be miserable no matter where she went.

"Don't give up," Kane said suddenly. "I abandoned the Laroches long ago, and I still was able to do what I did before, even though I was wanted dead. You will find a way to continue on happily."

"You have a different reputation than I do. I flaunt my name, my looks. Most of the world knows me. Any criminal would turn me in happily."

He chuckled. "Contrary to popular belief, I was very blatant in my actions. Once upon a time, I made a promise to my sister, that I was gonna be known across the world as the greatest to ever live. As far as Europe goes, I did not fail. The only reason the Baudoins did not turn me in for a profit is because the elders, along with several other Baudoins, owed me a life debt for protecting them from a Laroche assassin squad. They protected me, and in return, I gave them some of my skills."

"Considering who I'm pregnant by, I won't get a shot at that same deal." Then she frowned. "Not that I would want it."

"The point is, life has a way of throwing us special blessings when we truly need them. You might have taken somebody out or turned somebody in, inadvertently helping somebody else. Most people have a way of returning kindness shown to them."

"Perhaps. We'll see what happens, I suppose."

"Attention, passengers," the captain's voice came on the p.a. "We are now at a cruising altitude of 32,000 feet. You are now free to move about the cabin. The beverage bar in the back is open to all, courtesy of past services rendered. We will be arriving at Evo Airfield in approximately 8 hours."

Aurélie unbuckled her seatbelt, but didn't rise. Her taste buds wanted wine; her stomach and probably her uterus wanted ginger ale. Damn it... She didn't want to be pregnant. She hadn't chosen this!