Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

After... What happened in the previous chapters, Enzo followed Ana to the military base, while Vini and Belgium were in the mission to find information from Charlie's mother. A priori, Vini's job was easier, because in his mind, it wouldn't be too difficult to seek information from a woman who was searching for two children. But as it turned out, the problem with going missing is that the information and the motivations of the public servants are also sketchy.

- Hello, we've come to find out about a woman. - Vini said to the receptionist.

- Do you know her name? - She answered without any enthusiasm.

- Not exactly.

- You don't know her name or you don't know what you want?

- What? No, I know who I am looking for, but I don't know the name. Wouldn't you have a picture book of missing people, or a picture board, like in those police series?

- I'm sorry, Stabler, but we don't have that here. I am sure that Mrs. Benson over there agrees with me.

Vini looked at Belgium, who raised her shoulders. No one had many ideas, except...

- All right, thank you.

- This is going to be more difficult than I thought. - Belgium commented.

- No, it won't. - Vini stood up and went to the desk again. - I need to get some information about my father. His name' Thomas, and he has gone missing. Would you be able to help me?

- Your father is missing?

- Yes.

- Sign the file.

- Sign the file? Shouldn't they be searching, or asking me about his characteristics?

- That's why you should sign the file!

- All right, all right, all right.

Oh, what a waste of breath. Vini sat down again and began to fill out the card with untruthful facts.

- Name: Thomas Valverde. Profession: annoying people and sending his son to therapy. It could easily be a job. Age? I don't know, 90? Family relationship: Sadly, yes. Gender: human. Civil status: how should I know?

- You see, Vini, you never told me about him.

- Who?

- Your father.

- You don't have to know. Your dad's great. Mine's a scumbag.

- So he's out there, but you don't have his contact address?

- Pretty much.

- And you don't want to talk about it?

- Nope.

- I get it.

A few kilometers away from there, Enzo managed to make some progress, since Ana's father was very influential. They had no problem getting past the walls and armed security guards of the air base. Ana's father talked to soldier Rodriguez. He asked him to take care of his daughter and her lover, meaning that he would be the babysitter for both of them against his will.

- We wanted to know about the UFOs. - Ana started.

- Very discreet, Ana. - said Enzo.

- We don't know anything about UFOs. - Rodriguez replied.

- I know, I know. - Ana didn't accept. - But we have a missing child.

- Did she disappear floating in our airspace? If so, then it's our problem. If not...

- Look, Rodriguez, don't be foolish. Many people have reported seeing lights in the sky. Why are you denying it?

- Look, I'm not authorized to say these things.

- Ah! So I'm right.

- Look, I don't want any trouble, so give me your cell phone.

Ana took the phone out of her pocket and handed it to the soldier, who pressed the buttons for a few seconds and then handed it back to Ana.

- Look at the screen.

The message was clear. Rodriguez didn't want to discuss the matter there, at the base, but was available to answer questions elsewhere. Ana thanked him and asked Enzo to follow her.

- Look at my father over there. - she said, pointing to the group of men gathered in fighter pilot outfits.

- Yes, all together for the preview of Top Gun 2.

Ana thought it was funny.

- You idiot.

- What? I'm excited to see it. Tom Cruise flying jets and not being killed. Sounds really good. Take my money.

He means take Vini's cash.

- I've always liked flying. I find it fascinating.

Enzo didn't know what to say, so he hoped he would go on with the monologue. But sadly he was out of luck.

- Me too. I love flying.

- Shall we go hang gliding?

- What?

That was a jump into the relationship. Literally a hop.

- Hang gliding.

- Honey, I don't think so. There was a hang gliding accident not too long ago.

- What happened?

- The guy jumped, and a fucking blast of wind came and knocked him down. He fell on top of a Prius. What a horrible way to die. In a terrible hybrid car. It must have been a horrible scene. Scattered body parts and a less ugly Prius.

- What does it mean? If we hang glide we are going to fall on top of a car?

- I didn't say we will fall, but it is a very feasible possibility.

Enzo would not get out of it without a few scratches. The damage control was a bit of a failure, as Ana really wanted to jump, but without Enzo, it wouldn't make any sense. As it turned out, he was incapable of saying no. Therefore, all he had to say was:

- All right. Let's go hang gliding.

- Yay! - Ana hugged him. - I'm very excited.

- You won't be when you fall on the roof of a Prius. The battery will give you a shock and you'll die!

No way. Not even a nuclear bomb could change her mind. Still, it could be worse.

- I talked to my father. He said he wants to take you to a flying demonstration.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

That sounds interesting.

- Air show? Is your dad gonna do cartwheels with a jet?

- Pretty much.

- And we're going to watch?

- Well, I will.

Oops. Something felt wrong.

- What about me?

- He's taking you to the performance.

Enzo's eyes widened.

- I'll be on the jet? With him?

- Yes, what's the problem?

- Are you guys close?

- Yes.

- Oh, shit. I'm screwed. Especially if you tell him everything we do.

- He knows.

- Fair enough. I'm about to die. He's going to eject me from 10,000 feet. And I'm going to fall on top of a goddamn Prius like the guy in the hang glider!

- Quit it, you dummy! My father is a very professional pilot.

- There are no professionals when your father-in-law is flying a jet with his daughter's boyfriend!

Ana's father approached them both and asked if Enzo was ready to go. The answer was unique:

- No.

- You'll enjoy it. But before leaving, you will need this. - He presented Enzo with a Ray Ban Aviator.

- Now I really feel like Tom Cruise, without the scientology part.

Enzo put on a helmet and climbed into the aircraft, a beautiful silver A-29. His father-in-law sat in the front seat and pulled the joystick forward. The aircraft picked up speed and took off. Rio de Janeiro was tiny and blurred, for they must have been going over 400 km/h.

- So, Enzo, how are you?

- Fine, fine. - Enzo replied. - And you, sir?

- Fine, fine.

An awkward silence. Enzo knew that his father-in-law didn't want to know him, so he took the initiative and said at once what he needed to know.

- I like Ana very much.

As soon as he finished his sentence, he pirouetted the aircraft. Enzo felt the blood rush from his head to his feet. A bizarre and unique sensation.

- And what do you want with my daughter?

- She wants to hang glide! - Enzo answered, upside down. - But depending on how I end up here, I think I'll die before she kills me!

- Cut the bullshit, Enzo! It's 100% safe!

- Tell that to the guy in the Prius!

Ana's father continued with his impossible maneuvers. Physically, that aircraft could well be an alien, because no airplane known to humankind would be able to reproduce so many movements at the same time.

- Have you two spent the night together?

- Sir, I feel like my brain is out of blood. I may say things that I will regret.

- That's the idea.

As if you have to be in a supersonic fighter jet for that to happen.

- Enzo, I need to tell you something. Promise you won't tell Ana?

- I'm upside down two kilometers off the ground. I'm not in a position to promise a lot.

- There are criminal investigations in the air force. Some generals are being investigated for human trafficking and embezzlement. High-ranking people.

Human trafficking?

- Holy shit. - Enzo was surprised. - But this could be the blood coming back to my head.

- Hold still, I'm taking you to Lake.

- Do you know where it is?

- Of course I do.

And, in fact, his father-in-law came zipping past the roof of the condominium. You couldn't even wave to the residents on the rooftop, how fast the fighter jet went over the ceilings.

- Tell me more about these crimes.

- Later, Enzo. Later.

The aircraft returned to the runway. It touched the ground and Enzo could breathe a sigh of relief. He unbuckled his seat belt and ran into Ana's arms.

- You're freezing. - Ana couldn't help but notice.

- It's very cold up there, dear.

Of course, that was the reason.

- How was it?

- Very mad. Too insane.

Ana's father came closer and kissed his daughter's cheek.

- Did you scare him enough?

- He was about to eject from the aircraft.

- No, I wasn't. It's just that I get seasick easily.

Ask Vini. He might confirm.

- Well, honey, I hope you enjoyed your visit.

- It was a lot of fun, Dad. Thank you for having us.

Ana's father returned to the group of colleagues, while Enzo and Ana headed to the exit. But there was still one point left to discuss.

- Did my father ask a lot of questions?

Okay, two points.

- He just wanted to know about us. How the relationship was going.

- And what did you answer?

- That we were doing fine. We are fine, aren't we?

That depends. If Enzo keeps talking...

- I think so. - Ana answered. - I mean, you know.

- I do?

- Anyway, let's change the subject.

Whew. He saved himself.

- When are we meeting Rodriguez?

- Tonight. 9:00. At the Village Mall.

- Why there? It's so far away.

- Enzo, stop complaining! He's willing to tell us the dirty secrets inside the aeronautics. Who knows what they are hiding.

- What do you think it is?

- Corruption. I don't know. I'm curious, still.

Enzo promised that he would not talk about what he learned in the aircraft. Who knows, maybe Rodriguez had the same information as him. But his dubious intuition told him that there was something weirder in that story than just corruption or even what Ana's father had told him minutes before.