Chapter 157: Taking A Look Around The Flying Palace
Liam and Captain Adler exchanged firm handshakes, the older man’s grip respectful and very steady, testament to the number of years he has flown.
Behind him stood his co-pilot, a broad-shouldered man in his forties with a neatly trimmed beard, and three hostesses, each dressed immaculately in tailored uniforms.
They greeted Liam one after another, voices polite, postures professional. Yet beneath the polished manners, Liam could see the faint tremor in their eyes. Shock. Disbelief. Even a touch of fear.
They couldn’t help it. Their minds were trying to reconcile two truths: that this was no ordinary private jet, and that its owner, the man they were now addressing as sir, was not a seasoned tycoon or retired magnate — but a young man barely out of boyhood.
If this had been a Gulfstream G700 or a Bombardier Global 8000, they might have nodded in silent acceptance. Ultra-wealthy people buying private jets was nothing new. But this... this was different.
The Airbus A380 — the double-decked giant, the behemoth of the skies. An aircraft so massive and complex that only the richest airlines and national carriers had ever operated it.
Its private version had been dubbed "The Flying Palace," whispered about in aviation circles as a fantasy project for oil sheikhs and royalty, and even then, it was considered impossible to bring to life.
And now... here it was. Real. Finished. Gleaming like a black titan under the hangar lights. And it belonged to a kid.
How? That was the question buried in each of their hearts. How was this possible? How was this fair?
Liam caught those silent thoughts reflected in their expressions, but he said nothing. There was nothing to be said. Explanations wouldn’t lessen the shock. Time wouldn’t either. All he could do was let reality itself do the talking.
"Follow me, sir," Captain Adler said with a professional smile, gesturing toward the lift.
Liam inclined his head, and the group moved. One of the hostesses hurried ahead, heels clicking against the polished concrete, joining them as the lift descended.
The platform touched down with a soft thud. Liam stepped onto it and Adler followed, the hostess at their side. The platform groaned faintly as the hydraulics pushed it upward, carrying them toward the open door of the aircraft.
The moment the doorway loomed before him, Captain Adler extended his arm with a faint smile. "Welcome aboard, sir."
Liam crossed the threshold and stopped.
Even though he had seen pictures and read through the document of A380 "Flying Palace," nothing could have prepared him for this. The scale alone was overwhelming.
The entry hall stretched before him like the lobby of a luxury hotel. Marble-inspired flooring gleamed under golden ambient lighting.
A curved staircase, its railing polished steel wrapped with soft leather, led upward to the second deck. Off to one side, a lounge spread out with velvet sofas and a wide screen that blended seamlessly into the wall.
Liam had no words for several seconds.
Captain Adler’s lips curved knowingly. "It’s something else in person, isn’t it?"
"It’s..." Liam exhaled slowly, eyes drinking in every detail. "Perfect."
Adler began the familiarization tour. They moved first through the main deck, past a dining area that looked more like a Michelin-starred restaurant, complete with crystal decanters and hand-stitched chairs.
Next came the private suites, each designed like five-star hotel rooms, soundproofed, with beds framed in polished wood and mood lighting programmed to simulate sunrise or starlight.
The master suite at the nose of the aircraft nearly stunned Liam into silence. A king-sized bed sat beneath an arched ceiling where an artificial sky projected shifting constellations. A walk-in wardrobe stretched along one wall. The bathroom boasted marble tiling, a rainfall shower, even a compact spa.
Everywhere, technology and luxury blended seamlessly. Augmented reality displays disguised as windows offered any view Liam desired — an alpine sunrise, a Tokyo skyline, or the real world outside.
Adler led him through entertainment zones, a private cinema with reclined leather seating and a gym with polished chrome equipment.
Finally, they reached the cockpit. Adler gestured proudly to the twin seats, the vast array of avionics, the panoramic windows that overlooked the expanse of the hangar.
"This," Adler said, his hand brushing affectionately over the controls, "is the heart of the beast. And she is ready whenever you are."
More than thirty minutes later, the tour was complete. Liam returned to the main lounge, still absorbing what he had seen. He lowered himself onto one of the sofas, running his hand absentmindedly along the leather.
It’s everything I imagined... and more.
And yet, despite his calm exterior, a small fire of impatience burned inside him. He was itching to take it out. To feel the giant wheels lift off the ground, to see this impossible machine climb into the sky under his command.
But he waited as Daniel still hadn’t arrived.
***
Daniel slowly drove into the hangar, his expression unreadable but his mind racing.
He had spent his life around wealth. He had walked the mansions of millionaires and billionaires, but as his sedan rolled into the shadow of Hangar 14, nothing in his career prepared him for what came into view.
At first, he thought it was a trick of the light — a black shape too massive, too surreal. But as he pulled closer, the lines resolved, and his breath caught.
It wasn’t a trick. It was a monster.
The aircraft loomed over him, dwarfing even the cavernous hangar, its wings stretching outward like the arms of a slumbering giant. Its body gleamed black, polished to a mirror sheen, with subtle platinum lines tracing along its length. The engines — four of them, each big enough to swallow a car — hung like silver crowns beneath the wings.
And standing near the lift were Mason and Nick, their figures tiny against the titan.
Daniel stopped the car and stepped out slowly. He wanted to speak, to ask what this was, but before words could leave his lips, Elena, his personal AI assistant, informed him that he has a message from Liam.
He opened the message and it read, "Come on up."
He turned, and saw the lift platform lowering.
Daniel walked toward it with his pulse hammering. He waited as the platform touched the ground, then stepped aboard, followed by Mason and Nick. As it rose, the impossibility of the situation sank deeper into his bones.
When the lift aligned with the open door, his eyes widened. The interior stretched before him like something from another world. The marble floors, the staircases, the lounge that looked like it belonged in a palace — it confirmed what his instincts already screamed.
Liam had acquired an Airbus A380 private jet.
Daniel stepped inside, followed closely by Mason and Nick. Both bodyguards were slack-jawed, their usual stoic professionalism crumbling as they took in the sight. Their eyes roamed every surface, every glowing light, their footsteps hesitant, almost reverent.
"Take a seat," Liam said smoothly. "Mason, Nick — make yourselves comfortable."
They obeyed silently, still dazed.
When Daniel finally sat, Liam leaned forward slightly. "Well?" he asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "What do you think?"
Daniel exhaled, shaking his head faintly. "Amazing," he admitted at last. His voice was hoarse, stripped of the usual composure he wore like armor.
Liam’s smile deepened slightly. He gestured between him and Adler. "Daniel, this is Captain Adler. From now on, he’ll coordinate with you. You already have someone assigned to manage my logistics. That person will coordinate with Nick, Captain Adler, the helicopter crew, and the captain of the yacht."
Daniel blinked, his banker’s instincts snapping awake. He understood immediately. This wasn’t just a show of wealth. Liam wasn’t parading his private jet for bragging rights. He was weaving together a network — land, sea, air — an autonomous infrastructure built entirely around himself.
The message was clear: this wasn’t about luxury. It was about power.
Liam leaned back against the sofa and turned his head toward Captain Adler. "We’re ready. Take us into the air."
Adler bowed his head once. "Yes, sir. I’ll have them tow us out immediately."
As the captain left to issue the order, Daniel turned back to Liam, wanting to start making arrangements.
"Where are we flying?" He asked, his voice edged with disbelief.
Liam smiled faintly, "My private island."
Daniel sat back slowly, words failing him. For the first time in years, the seasoned banker — who had seen everything, calculated everything — was left utterly speechless.