The flight was smooth and uneventful, with Damon sitting next to Ash and Joey on one side of the aisle, while Svetlana and Ashley sat across from them, sharing their row with an older lady who had nodded off almost immediately after takeoff.
Ty who had a large body, had a sit alone.. courtesy to Vic... or Ash.. who knows.
But the big guy had headsets on, listening to music.
Damon looked at him, and smiled, he was going to do something similar.
He knew he wasn't about to spend the next several hours staring out the window or enduring in-flight small talk.
He leaned back, closing his eyes and taking a slow breath, preparing to dive into his own world.
Pretending to be asleep, he silently activated the simulation.
This was part of his routine now, and he wasn't about to waste any opportunity to train, even thousands of feet in the air.
With the world around him fading, he felt his consciousness slipping into the familiar, controlled space where he could continue to push his limits.
Ash and Joey were chatting, their conversation filled with light banter.
Ash nudged Joey, then pointed at Damon, who sat with his eyes closed and head leaned back against the seat.
"Hey, look at him," Ash said with a grin. "Damon's already out cold."
Joey chuckled, his eyes lighting up with mischief. "Man, if only we had a marker," he whispered, pretending to trace an imaginary mustache over Damon's relaxed face.
The two of them burst into laughter, doing their best to keep it quiet so as not to disturb the surrounding passengers.
Damon remained still, completely still and unmoving, the perfect target, if only they actually had the tools for some harmless pranking.
Ash and Joey, still chuckling from their joke, glanced over at the other side of the aisle.
Svetlana and Ashley were both staring at them with narrowed eyes, their expressions full of judgment, shaking their heads in disapproval.
Even the older lady sitting beside the girls, who had seemed to be dozing earlier, was awake and giving them a disapproving shake of her head, as if she'd heard every word of their silly plan.
Ash and Joey quickly cleared their throats, trying to suppress their laughter and put on serious faces.
Fortunately, the simulation was full of customizable features, and setting an internal alarm had been a simple task.
Now, with the simulation paused around him, Damon took a moment to catch his breath and collect his thoughts, grateful for his own foresight.
Even though he was worn out from being repeatedly ragdolled by Chemasov, he was gonna wake up with full energy.
Damon closed his eyes in the paused simulation, and when he opened them again, he was back in the real world. Ash was leaning over, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Oh, you're up," Ash said, a grin on his face. "We're about to land."
Damon sat up, blinking away the last traces of the simulation. As expected, he didn't feel tired at all, despite the grueling battles he'd faced in his mind. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, feeling perfectly refreshed.
"Perfect timing," Damon replied, giving Ash a nod. Ash raised an eyebrow, Damon woke up before he could touch him, and he didn't even look like he had been sleeping.
He shook his head, brushing it off.
The plane began its descent, and Damon felt the familiar pressure in his ears as the aircraft lowered.
The hum of the engines shifted, and passengers around them started to stir, gathering their belongings and preparing for landing.
The flight attendants made their way down the aisles, ensuring everyone was buckled in and that tray tables were secured.
Damon glanced out the window, seeing the sprawling cityscape of Los Angeles coming into view, It felt surreal to be back after everything that had happened in New York.
The wheels touched down with a slight jolt, and the plane taxied smoothly along the runway.
As they came to a stop, the usual sounds of clicking seatbelts and rustling bags filled the cabin.
Ash turned to Damon with a grin. "Welcome back to sunny LA. Bet you missed the traffic."
Damon chuckled, stretching his arms over his head. "Yeah, nothing says 'home sweet home' like bumper-to-bumper traffic and overpriced avocado toast."
Svetlana, overhearing them from across the aisle, leaned in with a playful smile. "Don't forget the endless sunshine. It's a love-hate relationship."
Joey added, "At least we won't freeze to death walking outside. I call that a win."
They all laughed, the weight of their journey lifting as they prepared to disembark.
Los Angeles.