After completing Old Debts I turned my attention to the next story for my patrons, a tale of suspense. Fresh off the success of utilizing ChatGPT for Old Debts, I piped in the prompt into the AI tool and skimmed through the resulting idea. While I ignored huge swaths of the micro tale, the kernel of an assault on the plane was interesting. So, I plucked that idea and went back and massaged images of a prisoner, an Icarus figure or a paratrooper, and a plane into a new installment for my monster hunter, Solomon.
So find a comfortable chair and get ready for a suspenseful tale highlighting one of Solomon’s journeys.
After securing a private flight from someone whom Solomon saved, the hunter wakes up to find himself outnumbered by strangers…
As Solomon pulled his hat from his face, he ran his free hand over his stomach, hoping to quell a mounting sense of dread. However, the constant hum from the plane’s engine amplified his unease. With a brief peek through the window, he slid his jacket into his lap and balled up the makeshift blanket as his eyes darted to the other side of the small craft, finding the source of his discomfort, four strangers.
With a harrumph, the hunter leaned forward and opened the bag under his feet. After rummaging through it, he withdrew a small notebook. He leaned back in his seat and reviewed the last entry. When he was done, he dropped the book into his pack, as he arched his back and stabbed the call button.
Satisfied that the attendant would be prompt, Solomon’s eyes whirled back to the strangers. The hunter rubbed his stubble as the lines around his eyes deepened. Just as his eyes shifted back to the call button, a lithe woman appeared next to him, folding her hands together. “What can I do for you, sir?”
“Robert assured me this flight would be private.”
The attendant nodded as she shared a brief glance at the throng across from them. “This is his personal jet. It can’t get any more exclusive than that.”
“I wasn’t questioning the ownership of the plane or the employment of the personnel.” Solomon scratched his ear as he peered past the flight attendant and studied the strangers. Despite his gaze drifting away from their faces, it constantly whirled back as if pulled by something he couldn’t define. “My issue was that before falling asleep, I was alone, but now I’m surrounded by people I don’t know. Why is that?”
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