All Chapters of His Wife, His Wingman, His Regret: Chapter 11

The second half of the foundation reception was a closed demonstration for the new autonomous wingman project.Julian stood at the presentation platform, briefing the board and military representatives on the cooperative control system. When the flight-adaptation segment began, he handed me the remote terminal and said quietly, "This part is yours."I looked at him.He stepped aside and gave me the floor.I took the terminal. My right hand still carried a faint numbness, though it was steady enough now. On the screen, the simulated formation split, regrouped, evaded, and returned under my commands. Above the hall, the full flight path projected across the dark display. The things that had once belonged only to runways and cockpits had found their way back to me in another form.When the demonstration ended, applause filled the room.For a moment, I stood still. Then Julian glanced at me, a faint smile in his eyes."Welcome to the project, Consultant Morgan."I smiled too.Ethan approac