At five in the morning, Tyler urged the group to get up. Despite their exhaustion, they climbed out of bed and began packing for the trip to the airport.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the roads were nearly empty. The drive, which typically took forty minutes, lasted only twenty. When the four of them entered the terminal, they moved through the check-in process smoothly. Without drones or heavy technical equipment to flag, they dropped off their suitcases and headed toward security with only their carry-ons.
The screening was routine. They placed their bins on the belt, walked through the scanners, and gathered their belongings on the other side without incident. Since it was early morning, the terminal was quiet, and the walk to the gate was quick.
Once they boarded the plane, they found their seats and stowed their bags in the overhead bins. As the aircraft pushed back from the gate and began its taxi, the four of them settled into their seats.
Before the plane had even reached cruising altitude, the sound of light snoring drifted from their row. They had been working without steady sleep for days, and the early wake-up call had exhausted their remaining energy.
Nick woke up as soon as the plane began its descent. He yawned and looked at Tyler, who was scrolling through his phone in the next seat.
"How close are we?" Nick asked.
"We should be landing in Miami soon," Tyler replied.
Nick glanced toward the back of the cabin. "Where are the other two?"
"They went to use the restroom a few minutes ago, they couldn't handle my spicy chicken quesadillas this morning" Tyler said. "They'll be back before the seatbelt sign stays on for good."
Nick nodded and looked out the window at the clouds. "Do you think we can succeed this time?"
Tyler didn't look up from his screen. "Since when did you become so unconfident? Back then, you were the one saying we would definitely succeed."
"There's no such thing as a guaranteed success," Nick said, shaking his head. "I'm doing my best. I can manage ninety percent of it; the remaining ten percent depends on luck."
"The luck of those who work hard usually isn't too bad," Tyler comforted him.
Terry and Zack returned to their seats just as the cabin crew made the final landing announcement. "The boss is awake," Terry noted, buckling his seatbelt. "Too bad they didn't serve a full meal on this flight; I'm starving."
"Hey I'm supposed to say that!" laughed Tyler.
"We'll eat once we're on the ground," Nick promised.
When the plane touched down and arrived at the gate, the group gathered their bags and headed for the exit. Walking out of the terminal into the humid air, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Tyler checked his watch. "What's the plan now?"
"We'll split into two groups," Nick decided. "Zack, you and Terry take a ride-share with the luggage to the hotel then go meet the courier. Tyler and I will go straight to the venue to check in and get a feel for the layout."
"Alright, leave it to us," Zack said.
"Once you get to the hotel, get some rest," Nick added. "As soon as our site is confirmed, we need to start work immediately. There is still a lot to finish."
Zack waved his hand. "We've come this far. Success or failure hinges on this; we're going all out."
Nick turned to Tyler. "Let's go. There's a pile of things waiting for us at the venue."
Tyler nodded to the others. "We're unfamiliar with the city, so stay sharp. If anything happens, call or message the group chat immediately."
"Don't worry," Zack laughed. "We're not little kids."
They watched Zack and Terry climb into a larger vehicle with the suitcases. Once the car pulled away, Nick and Tyler hailed a taxi and began the trip toward the exhibition grounds.