Chapter Fourteen: Waiting A Lifetime

 Katherine heard a soft chiming in her ears, and she opened her eyes slowly. She reached up, pulled the headphones off, and looked up at Sophia. "Where are we?"

 "We've landed at Heathrow," Sophia replied. "You should stretch your legs a bit. We're refueling and will be on our way in about thirty minutes." 

 Katherine reached over and slid the window up, it was dark and raining. "I suppose that's typical English weather?"

 "It's been a wet spring and summer," Vincent said sitting up. "At least while it is raining there will not be the usual heavy fog to delay us."

 Katherine got to her feet and stifled a yawn, walked to the back of the jet, and went into the lavatory. When she returned a few minutes later she looked sleepy. Sophia was ready with a new cup of tea. Katherine smiled her thanks, eased back into her chair, and sipped her tea, watching the rain sliding down the outside of the oval windows. "Perhaps I'll get a chance to see England in the daylight one day."

 "You will be able to travel wherever you like," Vincent told her. "But just not until you have trained and been assessed. Whether you are the next gladio or not, you will be able to go anywhere in the world you want."

 Katherine smiled sleepily over at Vincent. She placed her teacup on the side table. "That will be nice."

 "You rest now," Sophia told her. "Fasten your seatbelt and settle in for the last leg of the trip. I will wake you when we land."

 Katherine nodded, put the headphones on, eased her seat back, and snuggled down underneath her blanket. She was asleep within minutes. 

 The captain came from the cockpit and stretched his arms and legs. He went to the door and swiveled it open, and the stairs eased out and locked in place. A sleek automobile rolled out and stopped a few feet from the jet. The driver came around, opened the back passenger door, and opened a large black umbrella. 

 The passenger stepped out of the car, took the umbrella from the driver, and clapped him on the shoulder. The driver touched the brim of his cap and the passenger walked toward the jet. As he boarded the captain took the umbrella and stowed it in a compartment by the door. "How are you, Francis?"

 "Very well, Dominus," the captain replied, "We made good time."

 "Do you mind a co-pilot to Geneva?" Vanderau asked as he shrugged off his jacket. He handed it off to a waiting Sophia. "And how are you, Sophia?"

 "I am doing well, Dominus. How are you this evening?" She took the jacket. "Would you like anything before we get underway?"

 "No, thank you," Vanderau replied, his dark eyes traveling to Katherine's sleeping form. "How is she taking the flight?"

 Sophia smiled proudly. "Very well, sir. She's very pleasant, very interesting too!"

 Vincent came up as Sophia stepped away to hang up Vanderau's jacket. "Dominus,"

 Nicklaus Vanderau took Vincent's hand and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Vincent. You've done a fine job."

 Vincent laughed lightly. "I admit it was not my easiest mission, but I think Katherine will do just fine in training."

 Vanderau's eyes went back to Katherine where she slept. He nodded absently, then stepped silently past Vincent clasping his arm as he moved away. He stood next to the seat Katherine occupied. The headphones were doing their job by piping in the soft sleep-inducing music and Theta waves. He looked at the teacup and looked at Vincent, "Sophia's magical tea?"

 Vincent nodded and he stepped closer to where Katherine slept and faced Vanderau. "Yes, the first cup did wonders."

 "What changed her mind?" Vanderau asked softly, he studied her face. It was striking how much she favored his great-great-grandmother. He had only seen photographs of the woman, but Katherine Van Dermeer looked enough like Elena Marie Vanderau to be her sister. 

 "I spoke to Taylor Ballard and persuaded him to apologize to Katherine," Vincent said.

 Vanderau forced his eyes from Katherine to look at Vincent. He could sense a change in Vincent. "How did that go?"

 Vincent lifted his shoulders eloquently. "I do not think it went well," he said. "She was highly annoyed when I drove up. Ballard skulked off as soon as he spotted me."

 Vanderau smiled. "But he did as you asked," he said softly. "Your powers of persuasion are legendary, Vincent."

 Vincent's eyes flashed in sudden anger, "He will give her no further trouble, I made sure of that." 

 "Good," Vanderau replied. He reached out a hand and held it over Katherine's forehead. Even in her sleep, he could feel the power flowing from her to him. "Vincent if she is not my blade –"

 "I do not know how she could not be, Dominus," Vincent said. "Now that you are here, you feel it too!"

 "But there is always the possibility that she will be drawn to one of the others," Vanderau moved away from Katherine and felt suddenly cold. "I will remain up with Francis for the rest of the flight. When we land, I will leave ahead of you. I will join you in a few days."

 "Yes, Dominus."

 Vanderau paused and looked at Vincent who still stood next to Katherine's seat. "You no longer are bound to me, are you Vincent?"

 "No, Dominus," Vincent responded. "She is under my sworn protection."

 Vanderau smiled at the young Indago. "I understand completely." He said softly. His gaze went to the sleeping woman, and he nodded. "And I envy you."

 Vincent felt a pang of jealousy from Vanderau and was both sad for his Dominus and protective of his new charge. It was different being the envy of a man as powerful as Nicklaus Vanderau! 

 Vanderau joined Francis in the cockpit and took his seat in the copilot's chair. "Once we are in the air, I can relieve you. You look like you could use a nap."

 Francis grinned. "I could use a few winks, sir."

 With the cockpit door closed and locked, Vanderau felt steadier. Contact with Katherine had been heady, like brandy or fine cognac. It was the first time he had ever come in contact with a Potential from his family. It was intoxicating! He went through the flight check with Francis and that gave him something to put his mind elsewhere. After a few minutes, his heart slowed and the adrenaline rush calmed, he felt almost normal. 

 Departure clearance came and Francis turned the jet from the tarmac to the taxiway. They rolled to the end of the taxiway and waited until a 747 had cleared the runway. Francis steered onto the runway and looked over at his co-pilot, "It's clear in Geneva, once we get above this English soup, it will be nothing but moonlight."

 "Excellent," Vanderau murmured. "When we reach altitude you can get some rest, Francis."

 "Thank you, sir," Francis replied. 

 Vanderau nodded and went over his checklist as a co-pilot and smiled in satisfaction. He had not had the opportunity to log flight time in several months. This was a perfect time to do that and keep his navigational skills sharp. 

 Francis performed a nice right banking turn and continued to ascend. As promised they broke through the cloud cover and maneuvered onto their flight path. It appeared that they were heading straight to the moon where it hung low in the sky. Vanderau donned the headset and adjusted the microphone. "Go stretch out in the back, Francis." 

 "Yes, sir." Francis unbuckled his shoulder harness, went to the back passenger area, and within a few minutes, he was quietly snoring away. Sophia would wake him in time to be back in the pilot's chair before she woke Katherine. Until then. they could all doze for a few hours.

 Katherine dreamed. It was odd because it felt as if she was awake. She opened her eyes and looked up into the face of a man she had never seen before, but she knew him instantly! She felt drawn to his dark eyes. His hair was black and fell over his forehead and one eye as he bent down to look at her. When he drew close, his face just inches from hers, she could feel something in her head unlock, and open like a door. It was an odd sensation! Then she looked down at her hands and she held an ornate-looking box. She opened the lid and nestled in the box was a large glowing orb with swirling colors like glitter in a snow globe. "I've been waiting such a long time for you, Katherine."

 "How long?" She asked him and looked up into his face. His mouth was close to hers and she longed to press her lips to his.

 "My whole life!" He whispered.