Chapter 78

To Martin's dismay, Richard and Maine kept their professionalism while at work, both focusing on the job at hand while they were on duty. Although Richard kept visiting Maine's station whenever he gave control over to Jerald and Sam, he would just stand behind the curtains, watching her work, doing his best not to bother anyone from his position. He would stay there for 10-15 minutes and would head back to the cockpit.

Even when they were on standby in the crew lounge before boarding, Martin would see Maine with his team and Richard with his pilots, focusing on the briefing and very rarely would he see them glance at each other. It was still Jerald and Valeen who he could catch stealing private moments together when they can.

It was a whole different story once they landed though. Richard and Maine would be inseparable once they have settled in their hotel. They would sometimes join their team in sight seeing, but would be a step or two behind the group having a tour of their own.

Martin noticed that Richard never let go of Maine. He would either hold Maine by her waist, shoulder, or her hand while they walk, keeping a physical connection between them. On the rare occasion that they would separate, they would easily find each other. Neither Richard nor Maine would have a frantic look in their eyes when either partner was out of their sight, unlike Valeen and Jerald. They seemed to know where the other one was all the time as Martin observed that they would always find each other, however crowded the place may be.

But more often, Richard would take Maine around on their own, giving her a special guided tour of the city they were at, especially if Richard has a particular interest in the country they were in. More than one occasion, Richard and Maine left the team immediately once they were settled in the hotel, only coming back the evening of the next day. Those moments were happy ones for Martin, as he was happy for Richard to have found Maine. He had never seen the younger man as happy as he was right now and he wanted to keep that happiness. A plan forming on his head when the experiment starts.

On their last assignment in the current rotation, the team were getting checked in at a hotel in the Bahamas. Martin and Richard were at the reception, getting their team's rooms in order while the rest of the team were huddled together so as not to get in the way of the other guests.

Suddenly, Richard felt agitation coming from Maine. He turned to face her and saw her scowl at the group that went in, especially at one guy in particular.

"Martin! Jase!" A man in a tie-dyed shirt and trunks said as he waved at them when he approached. "On time as usual! You should head for the beach once you've checked in. The water's great!"

"Hey Marc!" Richard smiled and gave the guy's hand a shake. Martin did the same but once Marc turned, Martin rolled his eyes and discreetly shook his head. "You guys are flying back tonight, right?"

Marc was a batch ahead of Richard and was another captain of his own flight team at MJN. He was about Martin's height and had a lean built. He had a reputation of being too arrogant and a playboy, but his heart was in the right place although he sometimes gets himself into trouble for his misplaced arrogance. He was a good pilot nonetheless, second only to Richard. He knew that Richard's team would be arriving that day, and he wanted to greet the new arrivals.

"Yeah," he replied. "We're just trying to enjoy as much as we can before we head out. So, we'll see you guys later at the beach?"

Marc didn't wait for a reply from either Martin or Richard as he looked around. He saw that his team was interacting with Richard's team. The whole group was happy and some started to become a bit rowdy, except for one girl who only smiled timidly beside Ardee.

"Maine!" He shouted as he approached the group.

Upon hearing her name, Maine took an involuntary step back and went a little closer to Ardee. Her team saw her uneasiness and were discreetly on alert, especially Jerald and Sam who both shot a look at their captain, who scowled when Marc called Maine's name.

"Hey Captain," Maine smiled timidly and bowed her head to look away.

"I told you to call me, Marc," he said as he was standing right in front of her. He gave her a once over and a half smile formed on his lips. "Leave your luggage with your roommate, I'll show you around the hotel, Maine. There's this spot in the beach that looks amazing, let me show you right now."

Without waiting for her to reply, Marc reached out and grabbed her wrist. There was an audible gasp that could be heard from the whole group as he started tugging Maine. Then they started talking all at once while Maine tried to free herself from his grasp.

"Please let me go..."

"Marc, you should let Maine go. Now."

"Marc, not a good idea man."

"Captain, you really should listen."

"Oh you should not have done that, Marc..."

"Take. Your hands. Off. My girl."

Everyone stopped talking as they heard Richard's voice cutting through the noise. He didn't shout. His voice was only loud enough to be heard by everyone. But it was his voice devoid of emotion, and his face was set in a scowl. He looked menacing.

Startled, Marc loosened his grip on Maine, enabling her to free herself from his grasp. She rushed towards Richard, who enveloped her in his protective arms immediately, and felt him kiss her on her temple.

"My Home," she sighed and snuggled closer into his embrace.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked in a whisper.

"Self-inflicted," she replied quietly. "I was tugging to get my arm back when he didn't want to let go."

Richard looked up and faced Marc, still with a scowl on his face. He didn't like what he just heard.

"Don't you ever come near Maine again if you know what's good for you, Captain," he said Marc's title as an afterthought. His voice was low, still devoid of emotion that Marc just found his throat drying up and nodding an affirmative.

Marc watched with the rest of their crew as Richard instructed a bellboy, who was already carrying his luggage, to take Maine's luggage as well up to his room.

"Jase," Martin called. "You forgot Maine's keycard."

"No need," he replied softly. "She's bunking with me."

Martin was suppressing his giddiness as he watched Richard placed his arm possessively around Maine's shoulder and Maine placed her arm around his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they followed the bellboy to the elevators, not looking back at the onlookers.

When they were out of sight, that was the only time Jerald whacked Marc on his head and said, "what were you thinking, Marc?"

"I didn't know she was his girlfriend," he replied, nursing his head from where Jerald hit him.

"Have you been living under a rock for the last 3-months?" Sam said in disbelief. "Everybody knows they're together!"

"Forgive our captain, guys," Adele, Marc's Head FA, remarked with a laugh. "He had the hots for Maine when she was on our team before her transfer. He was really disappointed when she switched with Tanya and wouldn't believe that she already has a boyfriend. So when he heard you guys were coming well...All our warnings fell on deaf ears and he was blind over the situation. He needed to see it himself. He thought he'd stand a chance against Captain Jase."

"Ouch, Adele," Marc said. "I thought we were on the same team?"

"Only when you're not making a fool out of yourself, Captain."

Everyone laughed and let the incident die down. Small conversation followed as Richard's flight team were handed their room keys and prepared to head upstairs.

"Should I go up and apologize?" Marc asked the group once everything was settled.

"Do you have a death-wish?" Sam smirked as the rest laughed.

"Leave Jase and Maine alone for now, Marc," Martin replied with a smile. "Whatever they're doing in Jase's room, you shouldn't even attempt to disturb them. You can talk to them once we're back in Manila. There's a GA next week because of the experiment. Talk to him then."

They were getting ready to part with Marc's team when Martin added, "I actually forgot to thank you, Marc."

"For what?"

"We've been trying to get Jase and Maine to stay in one hotel room," Martin explained. "Who'd have thought that all it takes was for Jason to be overly territorial towards Maine for him to actually finally bring her up to his hotel room himself? The team has been trying to think of a situation for the longest time and all it took was for you to be the best you today, Marc."

Martin ended his statement with a smile. Marc just shook his head and gave his half-smile. He ushered his team back outside so they can enjoy the rest of their stay.