Chapter 3

This meant Lance still had a chance to become Elvira's sole flight partner.

However, he merely rose to his feet slowly and nodded.

Elvira froze for a moment.

Lance didn't flash his usual bright smile and ask, "Really?" Nor did he proudly promise, "I won't let you down."

Instead, he walked past her impassively without so much as sparing her a glance.

That was because he had already made up his mind.

Once this mission was over, he would submit his resignation.

Ten years was long enough—it was time for him to wake up.

On the flight line, a figure in a white lab coat was leaning against a fighter jet, reviewing some documents.

The moment their eyes met, both of them froze.

"Lance?" Surprise flashed across Edith's eyes. "I thought Supreme Commander Skye would be the one escorting me."

"My flying skills are excellent." Lance inspected the fighter jet in a strictly professional manner. "Please board the aircraft now. We'll take off in three minutes."

During the flight, Lance encountered several pockets of turbulence, but he navigated around every one with flawless precision.

As a result, once they had landed, Edith leaned back in her seat and asked, "My team needs the best pilots in the field. The annual salary is three times what the base pays. Are you interested?"

Lance finally turned to look at her. "I'll need about another month."

"No problem."

On the return flight, Lance remained focused on piloting the fighter jet.

Then, without warning, the flight path vanished from the radar screen, and all the communication signals were cut off.

Lance's heart sank.

He tried every method he knew, but nothing could restore communications.

With no other option, he circled until his fuel was down to one-third.

If he couldn't contact air traffic control in time, he might not even be able to locate the correct runway for landing.

Just as he was about to initiate the most dangerous blind-landing procedure, a faint voice suddenly crackled over the radio.

The connection was back.

Lance immediately radioed in, "This is Lance Archer, requesting landing guidance. I repeat, this is Lance Archer, requesting—"

His words trailed off abruptly because the voice coming through his headset didn't belong to an air traffic controller.

He heard Andre's slightly labored breathing.

"Elvira, are you really going to marry Lance?"

Elvira's voice was softer than Lance had ever heard.

"...Yes."

"Then what about me?" Andre pressed, his voice growing more insistent. "I'll go crazy! I've always thought of you as my closest confidante."

A brief silence followed.

Then, Elvira spoke, her voice so gentle that Lance felt sick to his stomach.

"After we get married, I'll tell Lance that I need to spend a lot of time living at the base to handle official business. He'll accept it."

Lance tightened his grip on the control stick and relied on his exceptional flying skills to bring the fighter jet safely back toward the base.

At the same time, he finally managed to establish contact with the control tower.

Just as Lance was preparing to land, Elvira's voice came through again. It was as cold as ever.

"Why did it take you so long this time? And your fuel is almost depleted! Do you realize how dangerous that is? Land on the nearest runway, Runway Three, and make sure you get down safely—"

Before Elvira could finish speaking, Andre interrupted her, "No. You can't let Lance use Runway Three."

Andre raised his voice. "That's your exclusive runway! How can you let an ordinary fighter jet land there? It'll dirty your runway!"

Lance was so furious that he almost laughed.

Urgent footsteps and the sounds of a struggle came through the radio.

Then, Elvira's voice returned.

She, who had always regarded a pilot's safety as her duty and mission, now issued an order with chilling indifference.

"Lance, change of landing destination. Proceed to Runway Five. I'm sure with your skills, you'll have no trouble doing that."

Runway Five was the most remote runway at the base.

"I don't have enough fuel to land at Runway Five," Lance stated plainly.

Elvira's voice turned even colder.

"That's an order."

Lance cut off communications, then sent his fighter jet diving toward Runway Three.

Inside the air traffic control tower, Andre suddenly bolted out.