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Central International Airport This choice: The plane touches down at Honolulu airport. • Go Back... Justin couldn't help but feel dismayed as he shambled through from the luggage carousel into the main concourse of Honolulu airport. The human species had an unerring capability for taking the beautiful and unspoiled and turning it into the soulless and enervating. Even in Shangri-La, it seems, we must have a Starbucks...
His watch said eight-thirty; well past midnight by his body clock, and he felt as though he was running on instinct and prayer. Probably another hour before he could get to his hotel; half an hour to unpack, wash and have dinner (and not necessarily in that order) and then get some much-craved sleep. In keeping with the rest of their set-up, Ararat had not stinted when it came to accommodation for this trip; from the look of things from their website - not least the prices it showed - the Kapalama Star was a five-star establishment only because the system didn't allow for seven. Justin thought for a moment about those large, inviting beds and almost sighed. Just what this particular doctor ordered...
'BOO-YAAAHHH!'
The stentorian bellow was almost enough for Justin to lose his footing. As it was, he recovered his presence of mind to turn around and yell, 'Thad! You dumb lummox, are you trying to kill me?'
The big, beefy hand slapped down hard on Justin's back. It hurt. 'Hell, no, man, just trying to wake you up. Damn, but you look like something the cat sicked up!' Thad Avery grinned. Three years older than Justin, he had the same red hair and scattering of freckles, as well as an extra four inches and forty pounds. 'Still glad to see you, even so. Here, let me grab that,' he added, snatching Justin's suitcase from his hand.
'You too, Thad,' Justin conceded. 'I hadn't thought you'd be able to make it. Demands of duty, and all that.'
'You kidding me? The first time my little brother gets all the way out to Hawaii, and I can't get even a lousy 48-hour pass? I thought you were supposed to be the brains of this family. I'm a goddamn Master Sergeant, Justin. I say who gets passes and who doesn't.'
'Yeah, well, the brain's a little fogged at the moment.'
'Hey, I got the cure for that. Great place I know off Kapiolani. Blow your socks off, man.'
Justin shook his head. He knew his brother's capacity to raise hell well enough; and from the sound of his letters, he'd been giving it full rein since he and Diane got divorced last year. 'I don't know, Thad. I'm jet-lagged to hell, and tomorrow's going to be pretty heavy-duty. I...'
'All the more reason for you to relax and chill out while you've got the chance. Check out these beautiful Hawaiian babes, bro. Out-standing.' The beam was back on Thad's face as he contemplated the prospect. 'Just trust Thaddeus Nicholson Avery, my man. TNA's the name, T & A is the game.'
Justin closed his eyes for a moment. If he didn't get some sleep soon, he'd be a zombie tomorrow morning; but Thad on leave was not so much a man, more a force of nature...   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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