Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1078 - 141 : Is It Worth It?

Chapter 1078: Chapter 141 : Is It Worth It?

*Lucas*

My hand clenched around the phone, the device crackling under the strain.

“What do you mean you can’t spare any flight control software?” I growled.

“We’ve done a huge update, and it would be too expensive to send you the updated copies of the software that you’re asking for.”

“So, send us old versions of the software. We don’t need the newest and the best. Once the airport starts generating revenue, we’ll upgrade.”

“I’m not sure that will do you much good, Mr. Black. The old software doesn’t work with the new software. Air travel between the realms would be impossible. You wouldn’t need an airport at all.”

I sighed and bowed my head. “What will it take to get that software?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I’d been arguing with air traffic control in the Light Realm for three days over these issues.

“Well... if you came here in person, you could talk to the supervisor of the software development. They might be able to work out a deal with you.”

“Why can’t you hand them the phone?”

The man on the other line sniffed. “He’s not in today.”

I rolled my eyes. That was a lie. “Fine!” I hung up the call and threw it down on my desk. Breathing out a long, deep breath, I flopped down in my chair and rubbed my temples.

Every way I turned, the Light Realm threw up red tape and I couldn’t cut through it all. First, it was the people at the plane engineering factory. They refused to provide blueprints and technical specs because they were “trade secrets.”

Then there was the pilots’ school. They refused to send a single teacher to help train pilots in the Dark Realm. They wanted us to send all our pilots to their school. It was far more expensive and far more work than having one teacher come here and run aviation courses.

It seemed like the Light Realm really didn’t want us to have air travel. They didn’t say it in so many words, but they certainly weren’t making it easy for us.

The sad part was, people in the Dark Realm were getting excited about it. I had no problems contracting a company for the tarmac. They were already laying it down at the airport site, and another group was laying the foundation for the airport and the airplane hangar.

Work on the construction was ahead of schedule. But it wouldn’t mean anything if the Light Realm refused to help us get our machinery built, our operations up and running, and our people trained.

I groaned and threw my head back. How could they be so stingy with their technology? Did they really want to keep that kind of technology all to themselves?

“Lucas, how’s it going in here?” Xander poked his head in. He frowned. “I heard you... sounding annoyed.”

I scoffed and stood up, stretching my arms over my head. “Companies in the Light Realm are not making this easy.”

I tossed my notepad at the king and he looked over my notes. I had written down all the vendors and companies I contacted, why I’d done so, and what their responses were.

Xander sighed and tossed the notepad back. “I had a feeling this wouldn’t be easy. What about the construction? How’s that going?”

“Fantastic! We have eager contractors that are ahead of schedule for an airport with no functioning systems, several manufacturing factories gearing up to make planes they don’t have schematics for, and hundreds of applicants for pilot and flight attendant programs.” I threw my arms up and growled.

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Xander asked.

“It would be if any of the companies in the Light Realm would cooperate and allow us to move to the next steps. I spend hours a day overseeing the work at the airport site, and even more time making desperate phone calls to people that give me the run around.”

“Lucas, stop pacing. If you were having trouble, you should have come to me.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t handle this project.”

The king rolled his eyes. “I don’t think that. This is a huge project and it is going to take a lot of people. No one expects you to seal the deal on these trade relations with people in the Light Realm.”

I paused and arched an eyebrow. “You don’t?”

“No.” He shook his head. “You’re not a politician or a diplomat. That’s my territory.”

“I wish it were that easy. Most of these people refuse to talk to me unless I show up there in person. I have a feeling you’ll run into the same resistance.”

“Hmm.” Xander nodded and stroked his chin. “Well, there’s got to be a diplomatic way to make this work. It’s not like we’re enemies of the Light Realm. If they want to see you in person, then we can make that happen.”

“How?” I frowned. “Travel to and from the Light Realm takes weeks. I can’t spend all that time going back and forth when I have my family here and a major project I’m working on.”

Xander offered a sly grin. “Come with me, Lucas. I’m going to show you something that’s been kept a secret here in the palace.”

I looked at my desk. “I have a lot more calls to make before these companies close up for the day.”

The king beckoned me with his hand. “You’ll want to see this. Trust me, I’m about to solve a lot of your problems.”

I narrowed my eyes. Well, the king certainly had me intrigued now. I followed him down the corridor. He led me to a portion of the palace basement I’d never been to. There was a big, heavy garage door that was locked tight.

Xander smirked at me and opened the door into an underground garage. No, it wasn’t a garage. It was an underground hangar with a large opening. Sun poured in, and I could see the small private jet deep in the underground garage.

The garage entrance was on an incline. They’d have to roll the jet up a small hill and outside before it could take off.

“You have a private jet?” I gawked at the small plane.

Xander walked right up to it and ran his hand along the smooth, metal exterior. The jet could hold no more than four or six passengers. It was small, but I knew it could make it to the Light Realm.

“How did I not know this? Where do you keep the airstrip?”

“It’s a well-cared for lawn strip. It isn’t paved because that would draw too much attention. But it is right outside the garage. I’ve flown to and from the Light Realm many times.”

“Is that why you decided the Dark Realm needed its own airport?” I went up to Xander’s side and examined the plane up close.

“Do you think our techs could reverse engineer this thing?”

“I thought about that. It’s not a bad idea if we can’t get the specs from the Light Realm, but I’d prefer if we got the schematics. The commercial planes are much bigger, and I’m not sure our techs, inexperienced with this technology, could reverse engineer it safely on a larger scale.”

“That makes sense.” I nodded. “So, you can take this thing to the Light Realm and make the diplomatic arrangements?”

Xander arched an eyebrow at me. “Me? No. I’m thinking you should go and talk to them. You’re heading the project.”

“Me!?” I gasped. “But I’m not a politician, or diplomat, as you said.”

“But you’re passionate about this project, Lucas. I think that passion is what will sway these people the most.”

“Well....”

“With the jet, you can fly there in the morning, meet with a few people a day, and be back by dinner time. It won’t take away any time from being with Hunter and Sasha.”

“What about the airport? I need to be there to supervise the construction. If I spend all my time going back and forth, it will slow that portion down.”

Xander shrugged. “You already said that construction is ahead of schedule. And I’m sure you have a foreman to oversee things. They can keep it under control a few days at a time.”

“Yeah.”

“Besides, if construction finishes and we don’t have what we need from the Light Realm, the project won’t be able to move forward. You’ll only need to go a few days a week, and the rest of the time can be spent at the construction site.”

“You’re right. If this is what needs to get done, I’ll do it.”

My mind immediately went to Sasha and Hunter. I felt like I hadn’t held my son in weeks, and I knew Sasha was upset with how long my days were. Flying back and forth between realms wouldn’t free up my time.

But if I could get it all done more quickly, then I’d have more time to spend with my family.

“Great. I’ll arrange for a pilot to take you where you need to go. Once in the Light Realm, I assume you have connections to get around?”

“Yes, I’ll manage,” I nodded.

Xander nodded too. “If you run into any resistance, give me a call. I still have a few cards to play in order to ensure their cooperation.”

“Oh? Why not resort to those now?”

Xander chuckled. “I’d rather not trample all over companies that we may need to work with in the future. Let’s try to diplomatic approach first. If you being there in person is their demand, then their excuses will be gone once you show up.”

“Good point. I’ll give it a try.”

I headed back to my office and made a few more calls. Once the sun set, I headed back to my suites. I knew it was past dinnertime and Hunter’s bed time.

The lights were out. Carefully, I took my shoes off and only turned on the softer lighting in the kitchen. There was a cold plate of leftovers for me.

My heart sank. I missed eating meals with Sasha and seeing my son. But the airport project was important. I had to get it off the ground, no matter what. Not only would it secure my job as a Royal Engineer, but it would mean my family would be taken care of forever.

I ate and showered quickly before going to the bedroom. Sasha wasn’t there. I crept to Hunter’s room and saw them in the recliner chair together. Sasha was asleep, her hand on Hunter’s back. Our son was curled up close to her.

I could see her eyes were a little red. Had she been crying? I felt my heart tremble in my chest. Soon, I’d be traveling between realms regularly.

Was the job and the future prestige worth the sacrifice of time with my family right now?