Greece

Starline Suspense/Thriller

The sterile hum of the Iniki Airport conference room still echoed in my ears, a chilling counterpoint to the storm brewing within me. My name is Aiden, and I was just a personal assistant to the director, a quiet cog in the massive machinery of global aviation. But on that fateful day, I became something else entirely: a witness, a father, and a man consumed by a singular, burning purpose.My daughter, Ariana. Even now, four years later, her name catches in my throat like a forgotten melody. She was a star, destined for stages bathed in the spotlight. Ichi City, Greece, our home, was too small to contain her talent. With a voice that could soothe a tempest and a dancer's grace that defied gravity – "twisting her ankle to all angles" she'd say, "that's how you do the leg flip" – she was my pride, my joy, my entire world as a single father. When she announced her eighteenth birthday plan to go to Thailand for auditions, a part of me recoiled in fear for her safety and the gaping void her absence would create. But the rest of me, the part that truly believed in her boundless potential, said yes. That "yes" felt like the best day of my life, a moment of pure, unadulterated hope.The following week, she was set to fly from Iniki Airport, our local hub, to Thailand – a journey that was supposed to transform her from a local prodigy into a global sensation. Little did I know, a far more sinister transformation was underway, one that would shatter my world and leave an indelible stain on the annals of deceit.It began subtly, with a manuscript distributed to all airport staff: "The U.S. Federal Government is pleased to announce the creative, special project known as, The US Reenactment of Greece 2025-2027." The document spoke of a monumental commitment of U.S. resources to "renovate Greece in all aspects of the economy beginning with technology," promising global economic support. To me, it sounded less like renovation and more like an experiment. And the initial phase? Aircraft with Titanic-like technology, starting right here at Iniki Airport, the very airport where Ariana's flight was scheduled.A strict, clandestine meeting followed, bringing together U.S. and Greek federal officials, project overseers, and key personnel from Iniki Airport. As a mere personal assistant, I was an anomaly, an uninvited ear in a room brimming with secrets. When Sec. John Bowls, the project's leader, declared the conference "secret," requesting only federal government officials and direct airport officials to remain, I humbly excused myself. But as I stepped out, an old instinct, honed by years of navigating the opaque world of international collaborations, flared within me: "When there's a collaboration between two nations, it's bad business. When an airport is involved, it's risky business. And when that airport involves the airplane my daughter boarded, then it's my business." My hand, almost unconsciously, slipped a voice receiver behind a small shelf, facing the very men who held the fate of nations, and perhaps my daughter, in their hands.I called Ariana, her voice a sunshine melody even over the phone. "When's your flight boarding?" I asked, feigning casual interest. "Today, Daddy," she chirped. My world tilted. "What?!" The shock in my voice made her flinch even across the distance. I fought to control my rising anger, my fear. "Ariana, just because you're leaving doesn't mean you keep things from me and refuse to do what I say! Didn't we talk about this? I said the flight should be next week, and now you're talking tomorrow! What's wrong with you, Ariana?" I heard my voice crack, the carefully constructed calm shattering. "I'm sorry, Dad," she replied, her voice soft, apologetic. "I didn't mean to disobey you, but the audition is next week, and I have to be there to settle down at least." That was Ariana, always knowing how to disarm me.I hung up, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach. Then I remembered the voice receiver. I switched it on. The words that followed struck me like poisoned darts:"Since we are starting from technology, no better way to improve than advancement in aircraft. That is why we've assembled the officials of Iniki Airport, Greece, so that we can introduce the testing of our new development, the 'Ultra Airway.' This newfound technological aircraft is already on your airport, ready to fly passengers to their destinations in a limited time you'll never imagine."I could almost see the plane warming up, a monstrous, untested marvel, my daughter innocently stepping into its metallic belly. Without a second thought, I jumped into my SUV, calling Ariana, my heart hammering against my ribs. Seven desperate rings later, she answered. "Yes, Dad?" "WHERE ARE YOU?!" I screamed. The sky truly fell when she said, "I'm already on board." Peace, a fragile thing in my life since her mother's passing, evaporated completely.

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