Part 21  (by Val Kyrie)



Just as the sleek plane was about to taxi down the runway and make

its way into the skies, the captain came over the loudspeaker and

annouced, "I'm sorry folks, but I've just gotten word that we need to

return to the airport and everyone must disembark and take another

plane. Your luggage will be waiting for you, so don't worry about

having to wash out your socks in the hotel sink."



Val closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She'd been looking forward to

this trip and it was already circling the toilet. Thankful that she'd

packed her most important things in her two carry-ons and that her

weapons were invisible not only to human eyes but also to their

security systems, the only thing she had to worry about was her

garment bag with her clothes for the KISS show. Lost in thought, she

followed the rest of the passengers off the plane and back into the

airport. She stepped to the side to let a gaggle of tourists go by,

then began to make her way to baggage claim. She was half tempted to

say 'to hell with it' when she saw a very good sight for sore eyes.

Standing with his back to the wall, dressed casually in a leather

jacket, blue jeans and a "FarScape" t-shirt was a man who redefined

the word "eye candy"---Paul Stanley himself. Their eyes met and she

smiled up to him, hurrying to hug him.



"God, it's good to see you," Val said, snugging herself under Paul's

strong arm. Paul dropped a kiss on the top of her head and

replied, "You aren't looking too bad yourself honey. What's up? My

flight got cancelled and I noticed that a couple of the planes that

left a few moments ago came back to the terminal. Let me guess...you

were on one of 'em."



"Unfortunately, yes. If I didn't think otherwise, I'd swear this trip

is cursed," Val said. "I don't know what plane I'm gonna transfer to,

what are your plans now?"



"Let's go see what's on the boards," Paul replied, taking one of

Val's duffel bags from her in one hand and one of her small hands in

his own. Val blushed slightly as he lead her across the wide floor

and up to the arrival/departure boards. "I thought you told me on the

phone the other night that you were gonna drive up with some of the

Girl_Talk ladies," Paul said as his dark eyes scanned the list of

arrivals and departures.



"I was, but at the last moment I had this feeling that I'd better fly

up, so I e-mailed everyone but haven't heard back. And to top that

off, I got a message from a...well, let's say he'd be the equivalent

of an FBI agent if he was human that there was something nasty coming

down the pike after us. It's nothing I can't handle but it did kind

of put the shakes on me," Val explained, savoring the warmth of

Paul's hand. He looked down at her and said softly, "I've kind of

missed ya, Val. I mean I know you said you didn't want anything

lasting but...shit. I'm babbling."



Val smiled and whispered, "I've missed you too Paul. We'd better find

out what planes we're supposed to be on just in case we need to do

the 40 yard dash in sixty seconds." She scanned the boards and to her

dismay, found that the connecting flight she would have been on had

been cancelled...and so was Paul's. A shiver ran up her spine, a

thrill of warning and danger setting her nerves alight. Closing her

eyes for a second, she saw a woman holding a melted telephone in her

burned hand and other images that flashed before her eyes too quickly

to be recognized. Without a word to Paul, she grabbed up her duffel

bag and began dragging him across the concourse. "What the..." Paul

said, slipping on the tile as Val tried to hurry. "Shut up, Paul and

just follow my lead. Let's get out stuff and get over to the rental

counter. I get the feeling that I...we need to get out of here and

fast."



"Tell me where your stuff is and I'll get it," Paul replied,

realizing that Val wasn't being an alarmist. He'd known her too long

to put down her intuitions. She pointed at the luggage carousel as

she hurried to the rental counter. As Paul collected her luggage and

his own, ("Strange," he thought, "I could have sworn my stuff

wouldn't have been at this carousel,")he felt as if something

malevolent was watching his every move. By the time he collected Val

at the rental counter, the pressure was nearly driving him nuts. Val

wasn't much better and managed to get her credit card and licence

back into her wallet without dropping them. She all but tore the car

keys out of the clerk's hand and with Paul in tow, headed out the

door to the small rental lot. "What did you get?" Paul asked as he

ferried their things out.



"Something mean, fast and hopefully something I can radar proof," Val

replied, stopping near a jet black 1999 Mustang GT. Paul whistled at

the sight of the car as he slung their luggage into the trunk. Val

flung herself into the driver's side and belted herself in. Paul

snugged his belts tight as Val fired up the powerful engine. He'd

ridden with her several times and knew she was legendary for putting

white hairs on a passenger's head. She made a few gestures in the

air, whispered a few words and with a *pop* that made Paul's ears

ring momentarily, set a spell on the Mustang that would not only hide

it from radar detection, it would also make it invisible to magic.

She pulled the car out of the lot and raced down the hilly road,

heading for the interstate. "Where're we going?" Paul asked, hanging

onto the door strap with white knuckles.



"New York City. Wanna see if I can break last time's speed record?"

Val replied.



Paul made a little whimpering sound and slid down in his seat.