Flight 12 to Rome: A Nick Bracco Novella Read Free Page A

CIA?”
    Nick wasn’t about to go into the rift between departments, but Kyle hit the target with extreme accuracy. “Okay, so Clanton is chasing you, trying to take the device and keep it safe from a rogue agent.”
    “Sure, that makes sense, except for one thing. Clanton is the ringleader of the operation. I can prove it. I’ve got photos, recordings, secured emails. It’s all on a flashdrive in a safe deposit box. There is no malfunctioning button this time. I can give you everything.”
    The look in Kyle’s eyes prevented Nick from dismissing the notion. There was something so lucid, so clearly sober about his demeanor, Nick almost believed him.
    “Okay,” Nick said. “What does the device look like?”
    “It’s inside a small canister posing as an inhaler. Like one of the inhalers for asthma patients.”
    “Really?”
    “Really.”
    “Who’s this woman you’re with?”
    Kyle instinctively looked at the seats in front of them where she was sitting. “I don’t know. She calls herself Lisa, but I doubt that’s her name. She claimed to work with Kristin at the Embassy, but I know she’s lying.”
    “So what does she want?”
    “The device.”
    “And whose side do you think she’s on?”
    “No idea. I just know she rescued me from Clanton, but I doubt she’s with the government.”
    “Jeesh, Kyle, what have you been doing?”
    “A lot,” he said sheepishly. “An awful lot.”
    “Tell you what,” Nick said. “We get to Rome, I’ll have my partner check into this right away. You give him the data and we’ll check it all out. But you’ll be detained until we have the device. Okay?”
    “Sure,” Kyle said, “but I doubt this plane is going to Italy.”
    Nick squinted. “What do you mean?”
    Kyle showed Nick his phone. On the display was the face of a compass. “We’ve been heading due south for the past fifteen minutes. And unless they moved Rome to the Bahamas, we won’t be landing in Italy anytime soon.”

Chapter 3
    Nick returned to his seat with more questions than answers. He placed his phone on the tray table with the compass showing them heading south. Nick was going to give the pilot a few more minutes to reroute, before he acted. A temporary flight path could be changed due to weather ahead, so he wasn’t going to jump the gun.
    Jess returned to her seat next to him and began scribbling more notes.
    “Anything?” Nick asked.
    Jess shook her head, then pulled out her cell phone and tapped her screen a couple of times. “What about you?” she said, staring at her phone. “You put a little scare into my stalker?”
    “Your stalker is an air marshal.”
    Jess looked over at him. “You’re kidding.”
    “I wish I were.”
    Jess tapped her screen again, then glanced over at Nick’s phone. “Are you getting a signal?”
    Nick picked up his cell. “Sure, but mine’s a satellite.”
    The interior of the plane was dark now with most of the passengers in a reclined position attempting to sleep.
    A female flight attendant pulled a cart up next to their row and looked at Nick. In a quiet voice she said, “Something to drink, sir?”
    “Diet Coke, please.”
    “And you, ma’am?”
    “I’m okay,” Jess said, then added, “is there a problem with the WiFi on board?”
    “Yes,” the woman said with rehearsed pleasantry. “The WiFi isn’t functioning. Sorry, I know it’s an inconvenience.”
    The plane jostled, yet the attendant adroitly avoided spilling anything as she reached over and handed Nick his drink. “If there’s anything else you need, please let me know.”
    Nick couldn’t help but stare at his phone, praying for the damn compass to move away from the giant “S” on his screen.
    “You waiting for a call?” Jess said.
    “No,” he said, taking a sip of his drink, then added, “I’m just solving a mystery.”
    “What mystery?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Nick, not everything is on the record.”
    He had to grin at that one. “I realize I opened up to