1.5

Suddenly he was looming over her – the red beard unshaven, the face angry – the nasty bastard looking more exhausted than ever – why doesn’t he just retire!

“This is Buck,” Marlon said.

Buck? What kind of name is that!

Marlon stepped aside, and a fresh-faced, bright-eyed, clean-cut much younger and many thousand times more attractive in fact rather gorgeous with those bright blue eyes fellow appeared and smiled, really she thought, quite sweetly for such a good-looking man.

“Hello. I’m Julia Porton-Wilde,” she said, offering her hand.
“Pleased to meet you Julia,” he said with an English accent.

Buck was carrying three large lever-folders, packed with papers. Marlon clumsily took them from him and threw them on the empty seats beside her.

“Read these and report to us at one hundred hours on the second,” he said.

“And remember we are flying against time.”

His grin was laced with its usual dose of sarcasm.

Julia flashed him her filthiest look.

“And where, may I ask, will you be?” she asked coldly.
“First Class.”
“And Buck?”
“He’s with me,” Marlon said.

She glared at him –

“So… please tell – why am I stuck down here on my own?”

He smiled cynically.

“We don’t want to disturb you – or should I say… distract you,” he said, raising an eyebrow in Buck’s direction.

“Oh great… you think you can leave me down here working while you lie around in first class and…”

Marlon cut her off –

“You’ve got a lot of catching up to do,” he said sharply.

Julia looked again at Buck – yes – there was a flicker of sympathy in his smile. And as Marlon led him away Buck glanced back over his shoulder and rolled his eyes magnificently – the message loud and clear – we’ve got a lunatic here. But of course, she already knew that – Julia had met Marlon before.