High Flying

"Hello," Amber said, sleepily. "Yes... I'm fine... Sorry - yes, I'll tell her." She hung the receiver back on the wall and languidly stretched her arms upwards. "That was the Captain. The plane is about thirty minutes from landing at Henderson - ten minutes earlier than scheduled. We will be starting the descent soon, so I need to ask you to return to your seat in the main cabin."

"Oh, that is a shame," Marta said. "I was enjoying that."

Hair, make-up, clothing, everything about them, about this situation, was messed up. It no longer mattered. She kissed Amber, a gentle and loving reminder that expressed so much more than gratitude. It said that she wished this moment could last forever. The girl kissed back and they fell with ease into another long embrace.

"We must get ready for landing," Amber reasserted, reluctantly letting her go. "I don't want us to get into any trouble."

"You're right," Marta agreed and stood up. She squeezed around her slim companion and moved along the corridor. They hurriedly collected their garments from the floor and dressed. "There is one more thing I need from you. Tell me where I can find the recording console for the main cabin."

"I can," Amber replied. "It won't do you any good. It is protected from tampering by a keypad on the cupboard door. Only a certified security technician can open it. They are very discrete. I know."

Marta guessed that Amber had entertained onboard before - possibly even with her husband. If you ran a corporate hospitality business that catered to a rich and depraved clientele then you were expected to turn a blind eye now and then. However, the plan had not involved such discretion. She wanted the tapes.

"Don't worry," Marta said. "I have the code."

She followed Amber to the locker and switched the tape in the machine for a blank one. Amber looked on nervously as Marta returned the incriminating evidence to her bag.

"What are you going to do with it?"

"I don't know, yet," Marta said, startled by her uncertain answer. The plan had always been to show it to her husband, but now she wasn't so sure. "You should know that I wanted to hate you. I wanted to punish the both of you for making a fool out of me. Marriage is not above disappointment. It is a war, where you must seize every strategic advantage."

"Are going to show it to him?" Amber looked confused and worried. It was quite an endearing look for her.

"It depends. He had you first, but I have you now," Marta answered, gaining confidence with every step. "It doesn't matter how we got here, only that we did. A lot has happened since we left Denver, so much to take in. You do not want to make another serious mistake. I will therefore make it easier for you. When we land, you will accompany me to the Sheraton Hotel. We will order room service. Belgian truffles, caviar, strawberries, roses, champagne, coke - whatever we want we will have. You will call me mamá and we will make love until neither you nor I can remember his name. I will give you everything you will ever need. Do you understand?"

The girl hesitated. " Yes, I would like that, mamá."

"Good," Marta said, curtly. She had her own little secret to keep now. "Well, baby, you best finish tidying yourself up and clean up the cabin before we land."