The Marriage Pact [antikvár]

I'MI come to on a Cessna, bumping through the air. My head is throbbing, and there is blood on my shirt. I have no idea how much time has passed. I look at my hands, expecting to see restraints, but there are none. Just an ordinary seatbelt looped around my waist. Who strapped me in? I don't even remember boarding the plane.Through the open door of the cockpit, I see the back of the pilot's head. It's just the two of us. There is snow in the mountains, wind buffeting the plane. The pilot seems completely focused on his controls, shoulders tense.I reach up and touch my head. The blood has dried, leaving a sticky mess. My stomach rumbles. The last thing I ate was the French toast. How long ago was that? On the seat beside me, I find water and a sandwich wrapped in wax paper. I open the bottle and drink.I unwrap my sandwich ham and Swiss and take a bite. Shit. My jaw hurts too much to chew. Someone must have punched me in the face after I hit the ground.'Are we going home?' I ask the pilot.'Depends on what you call home. We're headed to Half Moon Bay.''They didn't tell you anything about me?''First name, destination, that's about it. I'm just a taxi driver, Jake.''But you're a member, right?''Sure,' he says, his tone unreadable. 'Fidelity to the tl'''