x
Everest explained that it was the perfect time to board a train because with all the people it would have been harder to spot us, or for CCTV to easily capture our whereabouts. I wasn't a hugely fond of vast crowds, but didn't mention this either.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA4eqE1egnzV
As for the toilets, they were as disgusting as I expected them to be, and it was just the motivation I needed to change as fast as possible.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAosO6alHkta
Folding the dress as neatly as a dress can be folded, I walked out, keeping it in my arms. I was strongly allured to the idea of dumping it in the cubicle, but figured it would be a dumb decision, that practically screamed "find me!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAfSzOxX9VUu
Everest stood there waiting impatiently for my return, and when I did, he started walking off before I'd fully reached him. Charmer.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAJxnNAgHpyv
Despite, almost being swallowed by quicksand, he didn't bother with a new outfit, as I did. Turned out, he didn't need one, as Mother Nature had been kind enough to provide him with free laundry in the form of rain. Somehow, the universe always seemed to be on his side.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAGiqW9livtN
It was when we were at the ticket area when it dawned onto me that we didn't possess train tickets — neither could we buy any.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAjKhwMmTfd6
"How are we going to get through?" I hissed.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAOxa7UEAgot
He look at me as if I were brain dead – so as he always looked at me. "Walk through with the stranger in front of you."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAUbFwpHlCNQ
At first I presumed it was sarcasm talking, but soon realised he was being serious.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAR28fR9QmG5
"But–but... that's illegal!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAwsHHONFGjj
"So is shoplifting, but here we are."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAJpvM7rUg4i
Okay, he had a point.
485Please respect copyright.PENANATUjHHnVJWy
In the end, the whole boarding a train without a ticket thing wasn't really that big of a deal. Due to the rush hour, we were concealed like lions in a meadow, and besides, everyone was so busy getting to work, that no one really seemed to notice each other.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAPN6Cpi3tYX
The train journey itself wasn't much to write home about. The windows; black. The lights; dim. The people; half dead.
My hand clasped a pole above my head, as the occasional jolt of the train swayed my body from side to side. Boarding the train, I found, you'd have more chance winning the lottery than finding a seat in this wretched metal tube.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAKBvLqKx71L
Besides that, there was absolutely nothing to do, not a thing! In a place with no service and no scenery to stare out of the windows for, the most that these middle aged passengers could do was bury their heads in the morning newspaper.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAIdrH1NOgnQ
The newspapers!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAgkEOZ7NaMb
I must admit, I felt quite stupid for not recognising it sooner, but one glance at the front page of my neighbour's paper, sent my heart racing.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAMPrPJIpEFN
"A world without cancer, it's right at our fingertips."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAgbkWu8tiIE
That was the headline.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAopFo80I6fM
"202; not just a few numbers, rather the miracle we've waited on for centuries."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAVl8rHxjy3P
That was the stand-first.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAjanb0ON5od
And under it? A nice big image of me and Director at the launch evening, blanketing the entire page.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAZsoBOpgSAS
Calmly, I turned away from my neighbour – and half of the passengers on the train – to face Everest, who was standing behind me. The fact that he was able lean against the wall of this jerky train with his arms crossed, and still remain upright, proved what he really was: stone.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAphdr2SorsI
Keeping my head down for the sake of my security, I waited impatiently, as station after station passed by. However, the wait soon grew tedious – so tedious that my grip on the metal pole unconsciously relaxed. Big mistake, I came to realise a moment later, when the sudden acceleration of the blasted train sent me flying.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA6kBXsIZTRS
I hit something hard; solid, strong. But no, it wasn't a something it was a someone. Now how many people did I know who felt more like an inanimate object that a person? One.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAViGM191AHD
"Stupid Newton's First Law!" I growled, my weight pressing against Everest's steely body. In my fall, I somehow took him to the floor with me. Alright, I might have over-did the falling part, but I hoped it didn't seem too forced – no pun intended. But, judging by the artic look in his eyes, I realised my charade wasn't appreciated by the ice demon.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAS3dVI2hoTS
Still, I took my sweet time, climbing off of him. This also wasn't appreciated.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAw50RncPg2C
"There are these things," he spoke, getting up. "They're called poles. They're all over the train. And you hold onto them like this," he took my hand, propelling it onto a pole. "... so you don't do that," he referred to my infamous, and semi-deliberate fall.
485Please respect copyright.PENANACKFPgWIYns
I let out a mocking breath of relief. "Phew! I thought you were going to say something else about the poles."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAxfirvlOLJK
He ignored my cocky comment, and turned around. Staring at the back of his dark head, I could just feel his annoyance radiating off of him.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAPTv6WJL5df
The pleasure's all mine.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAcpg71TwQIv
I tapped his shoulder, desperately needing to inform him about the headlines. He ignored it. So, I tapped again, which was also ignored.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA8wTWPwllCC
"Everest!" I called in a hushed whisper.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAjMAe4NU1Yv
"What do you want now?" He asked rather irritatedly.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAKFyqpOEmAk
"Shh!" I commanded, as though the passengers would have heard him over the ear-blocking screeches of the train. "Loo-a-th-fr-pehes-o-th-noopapes," I mumbled, leaning close.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAxaIixVskf2
He stared. "What?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAcePvCSGpg
"Loo-a-th—"
485Please respect copyright.PENANApEcJMxpNvK
"Just say it!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAabybagNue2
I mentally groaned. "Look at the front pages of the newspapers!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAGAe2ZAOPDd
Again, he stared at me for a moment. But this time, it was blank stare. A stare of nothingness. The kind of stare that makes you think you said something stupid. The ones that he had given me one too many times already. "202, we've been on this train for just over twenty minutes, and almost every person in this train is holding a newspaper. You think I didn't notice that your face is plastered across every single one of them?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAruwtKhElEE
Okay, that did make me feel stupid. And frustrated. "You saw them and didn't tell me?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAifah6MJNyb
"You didn't see them up till now?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAnETqJomzOf
That made me feel stupider.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAnNzSM7iuuv
"Psht... no." I lifted my chin up. "I was just making sure you knew."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAwCaNrlaPVe
"202—"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAHZRzE7vii9
"Stop saying that!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAe5fQhv6TeX
"No one can hear us!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAG2R1eHtw12
Fair point. "Continue."
485Please respect copyright.PENANANcf4S0WQhF
"Although they can't hear you, I'm almost certain the same doesn't apply for sight. So if I were you, I'd keep my head down."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAkSGaxIyIhi
That, I followed.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAI4l0AcQcd6
The rest of the train journey wasn't anything interesting enough to go into the details of, especially when all I did most of the time was keep my head down. I knew I should have gotten sunglasses!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAvQNkaS1XL
A quick twitch of trains landed us on the c2c train to London, and it wasn't long at all when we finally reached the notorious city itself. The short journey filled with numerous staircases and escalators, brought us out of the underground tube and onto the fancy streets of London, where breathing also proved to be easier.
485Please respect copyright.PENANADgk7fot0E2
Most roads curved like a baby's hand over a thumb. Others stretched as far as architecturally possible until another elegantly constructed street intersected it. One thing was for sure though, wherever the pavements went, masses of luxurious white buildings followed. Wherever there was concrete, raven coloured lampposts decorated the scene, like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Another unmissable black object that roamed the city in packs, were the famous cabs of London; these could be found with pretty much every blink. The last factor that made this place scream English from every possible angle was the soaking weather. The thing you needed to understand about England was that it rains. A lot. The rain never made an exception for the seasons. Ever. Spring? Rain. Summer? Rain. Autumn? Rain. And, that was why, even in the midst of December, instead of snowing, it was – drumroll, please – raining!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAtnHkTRFJEE
I brushed my wet hair out of my even wetter face. "Good–" I spat some rainwater out of my mouth. "–weather, huh?" I conversed with Everest, as we hurriedly made our way to 87 Marshall Avenue, Carnaby Street... London.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAQAy7tZn8vP
He wisely ignored my sarcasm, although, ignoring Emerald seemed to come as a reflex for him on normal occasions, anyway.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAyZXVnrS5XX
We found ourselves standing before the Reynolds' building, after several minutes of rapid footsteps and wiping rainwater out of our faces – well, actually, Everest didn't bother with the second part, instead allowing gravity maintain its job of ushering the water down his fine features.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA0h5gIUR0xt
Aside the gold framed glass door, a single gold button was embedded into the stone wall. Above it, was a tiny black hole.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAooTXZ4x1mg
"So is there a plan? Or are we just going to storm in there?" I asked.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAHtj2lNLeSM
"We will improvise. Press the button."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAOkL9TfYauH
"So, there isn't a plan?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAYh5tRctYr2
"Press the button."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAmKHrgJ2UM9
"Press the button." I mimicked, pressing the button.
485Please respect copyright.PENANARQfotjHoq7
There was a small ringing sound, and then nothing more.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA0as2FWmyRI
"Hello?" I peered into the hole. "Is anyone— goddamn!" A group of laser beams shot out of the hole, startling me half to death. It was a face scanner.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAqiHY8LJps0
I turned to Everest. "Should I be worried?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANA8aEbNyIqlW
Just as I said it, the door bolted shut. In fact, there were several bolts, that latched themselves automatically onto the door, out of nowhere. Advanced security seal. Impressive.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA9zitnKowAB
It was then followed by the wiring of gun machines that seemed to come from above. Looking up, that was exactly what I saw. From every angle. Ah, the anti-202 squad in action. Still impressive. But not good.
485Please respect copyright.PENANACQcVlPXnOk
"Relax guys, I'm not going to attack! I wouldn't have wasted time pressing the buzzer if I were going to now, would I?" I chuckled, hoping it would cease the tension. "So, like, put those away now, come on."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAs0mQUGcbjR
The guns remained exactly were they were.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA9pGbcnK1O5
"You don't think it would have been a wiser decision, if I had pressed the buzzer instead of you, do you?" I heard Everest say.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA969mdShIJm
"I'm sorry, weren't you the one saying 'press the button'?" I retaliated.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAuh5fTot9m2
"And I should have known that they were going scan your face?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAZBoModBT8U
"What did you think the hole was for?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAYPaavZT7b3
"Yes, I certainly knew it was going to shoot lasers, because as part of being the architect of this building, I saw it on the blue print." Sarcasm.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAdRbRVFpR7m
"Then you shouldn't have told me to press the button!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAtRfeGLJNIN
"Did you know what the hole was for?" He cornered me.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8uyi2qrMA
No.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAbEJ9Ks5ylm
"Well—" I started.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAbenSq3RT2z
"Exactly. So, don't pin this on me."
485Please respect copyright.PENANA5k0f66frTs
"Still, it's a little late now to be critiquing who pressed the button and how they pressed the button, and oh, how their face looks like, don't you think?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANA3uzqRnBj4C
"Find a way to get us in," he commanded.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAfAvFxQRIk
"What do you think I'm doing?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAyvwAeBwXxb
"Speaking to inanimate objects."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAQ95jzizkPF
"Oh– you— just shut up!" I hissed, turning back to the hole in the wall. "Hey! Let us in! It's raining out here!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAfpfKsBSFJw
"Oh good, because they're going pity you based on the terrible weather conditions," Everest commented.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAFkdP25FfFL
"So you're just going to stand there making sardonic comments, huh? Yeah, that's really productive." I literally applauded.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAqOxd4Y9xn
"I would help, but it seems you have it all under control."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAjOlo8tF2NZ
Yeah right. But as if I'm going to ask you for help!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAUWl9E2WIOf
I ignored him. "Hello? Open the door, I just want to talk!" I clasped the golden handle of the door. It wasn't an ominous act, I simply touched the handle as any normal person would in an attempt to open a door, but as I did this, the guns wired closer to my face.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA6dS4k3mKwj
This is ridiculous!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAVMogU3Uqo
"This is ridiculous!" These people thought I was bomb or something!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAvY5xnfXUEs
"Have it your way," I muttered, before concentrating on the weapons above. In a swift motion, I flicked my hand. With an audible sound of metal bending, they limply faced the ground, lifeless. Electromagnetic power. Came in handy at times like these – no pun intended. It was the exact same technique I used to break into Director's office.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAdpQuWs9c3J
And look where that landed you.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAPIDOIdt9Ul
"I think you just gave them a better reason to leave us out in the rain."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAUy81HaB4qV
Another thing I had, had enough of were Everest Stone Faces's stupid comments. Too bad I couldn't shut him off too.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA6vLcHiJ1vL
"What do you want me to do? I asked them nicely, and that didn't work!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAzqYSlODjrC
"And telepathically disarming their weapons, was supposed to make them welcome you with open arms?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAbxnIDiUEBx
"No, it was supposed to keep your brains from blowing pieces."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAmlYr1lQlhq
"And the locks are still on the door. So what's your next move?"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAQMOmY9eUTP
"You know what, if you so badly want to get in, why don't you do something? And while you're at it, I'll see if I can fix the guns, so that they're right back at you, seeing as you seem to miss them, oh so much. And then, maybe they can knock some humanity into you!"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAiCjqLGkDnt
He stared me, expressionless, for a few seconds. Then: "Well, get on with it then."
485Please respect copyright.PENANATksXGzZjeF
"That's it. I'm done! I'm done talking to you!" I vigorously sat myself, stubbornly facing my back to him. "I'm gonna sit here, on this wet staircase and you can do something useful for the first time since we've been here, and find us a way to get in. Because, you're so smart—"
485Please respect copyright.PENANAAh4FbxSf9y
"I thought you were done talking to me."
485Please respect copyright.PENANAGDRQLjNePl
I clenched my teeth. "Good luck!" My shouted back.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAkvNGyzXsFq
This should be good. As if they were going to let in the granite faced stranger who came in with the infamous 202.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAbZue0rJrZE
I turned around, a little while later to watch the show. He prod his finger into the buzzer, wasting no time. The same automatic lasers struck his face. He didn't flinch. After that, nothing more happened.
485Please respect copyright.PENANACqP21XCKUK
An amused smile crept up my face. There was nothing he could have done that would make them open the door, that I hadn't already tried.
485Please respect copyright.PENANARlI52pl1A7
Then, a sound. Several sounds. It was the same sounds that came out when the bolts were locked in place, but this time, in reverse. The double-glass doors opened.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAq9d0p6sHux
My face slackened, as he turned around.
485Please respect copyright.PENANANPbDx2sqLH
"Are you coming?" His face gave nothing away as usual, but I could just feel the smugness radiating off of him. "You'll get a cold, sitting out there."
485Please respect copyright.PENANA4weffgBTDQ
If I ever get a cold, it will be from you, you narcissistic bastard!
485Please respect copyright.PENANAMfity2qeOQ
He was waiting; which was saying something, because the last thing Mr Everest Whatever-His-Last-Name-Was liked to do was wait. He was probably waiting for me to have a complete breakdown over something he did so easily that I couldn't do despite all my efforts. Which was exactly what I was doing. Internally. However, externally, I kept a straight face, and walked through the doors, ignoring the water that ceaselessly dripped from my hair and clothes even when I was inside.
485Please respect copyright.PENANA9SByd1pz8I
The interior was just as vast and grand as the exterior, just with a lot more gold. Gold coating the frames of numerous paintings; golden strips lined at regular intervals on the polished flooring; gold doors for lifts; everything gold like the home of an Egyptian emperor.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAsfqXOkM3bX
I was beginning to contemplate how one didn't go blind from all the gold in this place, when a figure made its way towards us.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAT0ubEmSz7U
Wiping away the water from my eyelashes in order to achieve greater resolution, I made it out to be a woman. When I focused closer, the familiarity of her face, made me stop dead in my tracks.
485Please respect copyright.PENANASr6ae95Xrx
Amanda.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAPEH7urdp6k
Amanda?
____________________________________________________________________________
Author's note:
485Please respect copyright.PENANABXDOvZuJWI
Now we're in New York, concrete jungle– wait, wrong city.
485Please respect copyright.PENANAPntcVeBCq4
So who understood the force pun? Newton's First Law... force... anyone?
485Please respect copyright.PENANAoif4OUGyai
Stay tuned for the next chapter and please like, comment, and like, and comment, and like, and share, and comment and comment and comment and–
485Please respect copyright.PENANAumdYxVvW5b
Thank you for reading!
-Ruth
ns 172.70.126.146da2