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Aboard Mathornian Airways Flight 487
Polaris to Pempotowwuthut-Muhhecanneuw

AHMAD AL-TOUNSI: (grumbling under his breath) Flying economy class is bad enough, but being stuck in a middle seat for 6 hours? in a normal voice( Excuse me ma'am? Is this Row 37? I'm in 37B and I need to get in to the middle seat.

WOMAN: Oh, sure; I'll stand up and let you in. What's a tall guy like you doing in a middle seat?

TOUNSI: This is a last-minute booking; my newspaper won't spring for business class - declining circulation, you know, the internet, free content, "fake news" and all that. And this is a full flight, so it's the only seat I could get. Who's that kid in the window seat?

WOMAN: The kid? I dunno; I think she's what they call an "unaccompanied minor" - the flight crew escorted her in.

TOUNSI: (lets out a groan, and mutters again under his breath). Economy class, middle seat, six and a half hours, nothing but jetlag to look forward to; and a kid sitting next to me. Gonna probably be kicking the seat all night.

WOMAN: So, you said you work for a newspaper?

TOUNSI: Yeah, I work for Al Ahram; the name is Ahmad Al Tounsi.

WOMAN: Fancy that. I'm with the Polaris Evening Star. My name is Linden Avery. Are you headed to P-M on a story?

TOUNSI: Pleased to meet you, Ms. Avery. Yeah, I'm going there on a story. What about you? Vacation?

AVERY: You can call me Linden. I'm headed there on a story, too. What a coincidence - and seated together too.

TOUNSI: Haven't I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar.

AVERY: Do you say that to all the girls? Or just the ones you are stuck on an intercontinental flight with? I'd expect a better line from a famous international journalist.

TOUNSI: Who said anything about famous?

AVERY: I've read your work. You have quite a good reputation. And if you're headed to P-M on a last minute ticket, it must be something big. Does it have anything to do with the guy you were meeting over in the coffee shop over at Bedford Centre yesterday?

TOUNSI: How the hell did you know about that?

AVERY: I was sitting at the next table. I didn't think you noticed me.

TOUNSI: Life is full of strange coincidences.

AVERY: I'll say. Looks like we're going to have a lot to talk about. I don't know if a six hour flight is going to be long enough.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Cabin crew, seats for takeoff please.

TOUNSI: Well, maybe this flight won't be so bad after all. The kid over there isn't going to let me sleep anyway, so there are worse fates than talking to a pretty young woman for a few hours.

AVERY: (blushing) Hey, now! Mind your manners!

TOUNSI: My apologies; no disrespect intended.

AVERY: No offense taken, but I think you're going find what I have to tell you more interesting than the way I look. (reaches into her carry-on bag). Here, take a look at this . . .