The Quest for Skye: Chapter 34

Recap: Well, last time, Skye had ANOTHER near-death experience, which reminded people yet again that they're supposed to be working to cure Batten. Also, Morgan is planning some sort of big surprise for her before she dies but we don't know what it is yet.

It's early in the morning, and Dr. Rozak goes to wake up Skye. He and Tammy tell her she's doing well enough that she can go on a trip with Tammy and Morgan, so she rushes off to get ready. They meet up with Morgan in the cafeteria, and Skye tries to figure out where they're going.

“Then we’re going on an airplane ride.” 

“Where, Dad?” 

“Florida.”

Um, OK. What on earth are they going to do in Florida? Skye's never expressed any interest in going to Florida. Also, that's a LONG way from Leontiou Island. I had gotten the impression that this was like a day trip, but clearly not.

Moments later, the Hamiltons were on a helicopter heading to the airport in Athens. 

In Greece, they boarded Leontiou’s private jet.

OK, I understand if there's not enough room on Leontiou Island to keep his private jet, but it's gotta be awkward storing his jet in some other country's airport. It's not like he's even a Greek citizen. And a lot of the people in Greece are actually opposed to him. I feel like "the airport of an antagonistic country nearby" is not necessarily a safe place to stash your belongings.

Then she did what she always did when she flew, she ran up to the cockpit and sat with the pilot when they lifted off.  

When they were at cruising altitude, she came back and nestled between Tammy and Morgan.

Because every pilot's favorite thing is an incessantly chatty, overly bouncy eleven-year-old sitting in the cockpit with them as they take off. It is also the safest place for children to be. Not, you know, in a seat of her own with a seatbelt. What does "sitting with the pilot" even mean? Is she sitting, like... on his lap as the plane gets going?

I guess I shouldn't really be that surprised. I mean, Rothdiener established in the second chapter that he has a terrible grasp of appropriate child-on-airplane behavior.

To pass time, Morgan and Skye played their favorite game, checkers.

Checkers is... not a terribly good airplane game. The tiniest bit of turbulence and everybody loses.

Also, Athens to Orlando is like a 16-hour flight. That's a lot of checkers.

Morgan hated to leave the privacy of the island because usually the paparazzi harassed them, trying to get a picture, especially of Skye.

...Why?

I really don't feel like there'd be that much public interest in all of this. I mean, do paparazzi harass Bill Gates and his kids a lot? It's not like they're entertainment celebrities. They're... doctors. Nobody reading tabloids cares about doctors. Or sick kids. They're not nearly gossipy enough.

But then again, if Skye is a cult leader as she seems to be, maybe it's just her devoted followers trying to steal some of her magic powers with a photograph.

They take Skye to the beach, but then Tammy worries that the sun is bad for her, so they leave and go to Sea World instead. During the dolphin show, the trainer singles out Skye by name and brings her down to touch the dolphins... and Skye recognizes the dolphin she kissed in Jamaica a year and a half ago.

She recognizes the dolphin.

Because it's not like dolphins look similar or anything, or that Skye only spent a couple hours max with the dolphin, and of COURSE this dolphin would have been randomly moved from Jamaica to Sea World in Florida, and Morgan would have been able to track them down by, um, going to Athens on a secret plane right in the previous chapter.

In the meantime, they worry that Tammy only has two shots of medication left for Skye. That's not two shots left for the trip... that's two shots left, ever.

Skye interrupted their thoughts. Holding up a stuffed dolphin, she exclaimed, “Mom... Dad, this looks just like Jessie.”

Yup. That's because it's a dolphin.

Skye goes home and goes to sleep in the hotel, and Tammy and Morgan talk about it being their life purpose now to take care of all the kids with Batten and find a cure.

“I now understand what Lance meant when he said that Skye held the answer to the future of the world. It was not only the seriousness of the political situation at the time, but more the amazement of the young girl’s attitude, her zeal for life, her unconditional love, and encouragement. All qualities she demonstrated in every aspect of her life— she set the example. Now it’s time for us to lead. To lead by following her example.”

THAT was what Lance meant when he kept saying Skye was the key?!?

While Morgan was busy asking, "What's up with these conspiracies?" and "Why the Locked Door?" and "Why are we being stalked by reporters?" and "Is Doctor L. L. dead?" Lance's answer was essentially, "Let's all remember to be nice like Skye"?!?!?

There's no big answer to the mystery of why Skye is so important, it's just Lance trying to tell them (very vaguely, for no reason at all) to appreciate life?!?!?!?!?!?

THAT IS THE WORST ANSWER.

Thankfully, this chapter is over, because that speech has made me CRAZY and I need to run away now.