Skydiving was on Victor’s bucket list. According to the research he had done, when you do it for the first time, you are attached to another person so you can learn how to do it properly. His current situation was probably similar except that he didn’t have a parachute. What he did have was a ball of airplane smog and the limp body of a woman who moments ago tried to throw him off an airplane.

Victor had ridden several roller coasters in the past, so he knew the feeling of falling hundreds of feet, with his heart in his throat and his whole body tingling from where all the gravity had gone. Falling straight down exasperated those feelings and made his stomach tighten up. It took a lot of energy, but he managed to hold the ball of smog together and pulled it directly underneath him.

The water of the lake approached faster than Victor had anticipated. The next move would require precise timing. When he thought they were about a hundred feet above the water, Victor pushed and launched the ball at the lake. It hit like a volleyball splashing in the water and he hoped it made a big enough impact. He held his breath and closed his eyes as air became water.

In his disorientation, Victor was unable to tell if was hurt, or which way was up. Opening his eyes, he saw a school of colorful fish skittering away from him. He also saw Jensa who was slowly floating to the sandy bottom, however from his position it looked like she was floating up. Flailing his arms and legs, he was able to right himself.

His lungs burned and he began to swim up, but he stopped and looked down at Jensa’s sinking body. It would be easy to leave her body down there. Vee and his shady group could probably fish it out and make sure it disappears. Internally sighing to himself, Victor pushed himself down and grabbed onto her harness. Swimming back up with one arm took too much effort and his vision began to darken.

He fought until finally, thankfully, they broke the surface of the water. The first breath of air he inhaled tasted almost as good as smog. It didn't fill his body with energy, but it at least kept him alive. Victor positioned Jensa so that her arm was wrapped around his shoulder. Her head awkwardly leaned to the side. He hoped she was still breathing. They started to sink again so he didn't have time to check. Instead he kicked his legs and swam towards the shore.

It took the better part of fifteen minutes for Victor to make it to the shore. The trek involved a lot of huffing and puffing while moving inches forward. Every few feet he had to take a quick break. Any energy he had received from the smog ball he ate disappeared ages ago. Through sheer force of will he made it, and if it hadn't been for a random fishermen to pull then farther up, Victor may have collapsed in the shallow water and drowned anyway.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

"Did I just see you two fall off an airplane and survive?" The fishermen asked.

Victor laid on his back and gasped for breath. His whole body felt like jelly. "Is she breathing?"

There were a few moments of silence before he responded. "Barely. Should I call 911?"

Victor reached into his pocket and was momentarily surprised to find that the laminated card Vee had given him was still there. He held the card above him lazily. "Call this number. Tell them exactly what happened and where we are." The fishermen hesitated. "Take my word, it's best if you do it this way."

The fishermen took the card and pulled out his cell phone. He began talking almost immediately. He described Victor and Jensa falling out of the sky and his reaction. According to the fishermen they were near a campground. The rest of his half of the conversation was several okays and yessirs.

After the conversation ended the fishermen walked over to Victor who had managed to sit up, albeit painfully. "The man said they'll be here in forty-five minutes." Victor nodded. The man looked out towards the lake. "He also told me to stay put. Well he kind of threatened me in a polite way. But do you mind if I grab my fishing pole from over there?" He pointed down the shoreline.

"By all means." Victor said.

Victor didn’t remember falling asleep, but he was awoken by the sound of several engines. He opened his eyes, sat up and looked towards where the fisherman was staring. Three vans had pulled into a parking lot that was next to the beach. Vee and Piper got out of the first van from either side and walked down the beach. Piper didn’t look hurt, only irritated and she sped up in front of Vee to reach Victor first.

Piper looked at her father, then the fisherman and then to Jensa laying in the sand, still unconscious. “You fall off an airplane and somehow you’re able to save yourself and the person trying to kill you?” She smiled. “That’s impressive even for you.”

Before Victor could retort, Vee interrupted and walked straight to the fisherman. He pulled out a bulging white envelope and handed it to him. “This is five thousand dollars. You take it. You go home, and you pretend nothing happened.”

The fisherman took it and put it inside a tackle box. “The fish weren’t biting anyway.” He reeled in his line, picked up the box and walked away from the group as quickly as he could.

When the fisherman was out of sight, Vee looked at Victor and smirked. “You did well, Mr. Lancaster. As we speak my security team is rounding up everyone at the hangar, including Gene Taylor. As for her…” he looked at Jensa, “well what’s done is done.” He waved towards the vans and several people got out. They ran down the beach and to Jensa’s body. In several quick movements, they cuffed her hands and legs and then lifted her up and carried her back.

“Are you hurt?” Piper asked.

Victor took a minute to climb to his feet. His entire body ached and his head spun. Piper held onto him to make sure he didn't fall. He didn’t mind. She was sturdy.

“I’ll have one of our physicians check you out.” Vee said. “Let’s leave. We have a few things to discuss.”