Hello everybody, hope you are all well and happy! I'm so thankful for the amount of reviews that I've been getting... my stat page shows that there have been 1500 hits so far, nearly three times what "The Tunnel" ever received, so I'm quite shocked about that particular figure. You guys keep reading and I'll continue writing.
Thanks again :)
Alternate Destination
Chapter Eleven
"DAMN THEM!"
Petulantly flinging the flimsy screen door shut, Looten Plunder looked as if he was about to burst a blood vessel. A vein was sticking out quite prominently from his forehead, pulsating through the beads of perspiration now collecting around his temples. Plunder had every reason to be stressed out: Zarm was most displeased about this unexpected development.
They had fully expected to take the planet-brat's by surprise. By the time they had arrived in port, Plunder had already locked onto Linka's location via the cell phone she was carrying in her back-pack. Contacts were an invaluable resource in his usual day-to-day dealings, especially those who worked for telecommunication companies and could pin-point a person anywhere in the world with dead-on accuracy.
Unfortunately, their good luck evaporated from the moment they entered the farmhouse. Linka was nowhere to be found, nor were the other members of the household. All that remained were remnants of an uneaten breakfast, and the cluttered, untidy household belonging to people who had obviously left in a hurry.
Verminous Skumm entered the cottage after Plunder and Zarm, sniffing the air carefully for any trace of the previous tenants. Eventually, it was he who had found the odd shaped blanket lying across the sofa, seeming to hide an unknown, bulky form beneath it.
"Hey guyssss, someonessss ssstill here..." the rat-man hissed, extending his long, gnarled fingers in the direction of the lounge. Zarm materialized immediately, demanding that Skumm remove the offending article. The entity's lips were curled into a triumphant grin, his eyes narrowed as others entered the room, curious as to how Zarm would dispatch the unfortunate victim.
The spirit's confidence was shattered from the moment the blanket was lifted. A mound of damp sand lay across the sofa cushions, crumbling as soon it was exposed to the air. Plunder and Skumm gawked at the sand in confusion and surprise, the human observers exchanging muttered comments.
"What does it mean?" Plunder hesitantly asked Zarm, beginning to regret the mission and it's countless blunders. Zarm didn't answer: the entity simply floated menacingly in front of them, seeming to stare blindly at the dull, white particles
Sly Sludge was the first to feel it: a build-up of electricity was buzzing around them, the static effect causing their hair to stand on end.
"They're not here. We should just... OUCH!" Dr Blight rubbed her arm, having felt an almighty shock assault her right limb, the cause of which was unknown. "What the hell was..."
"Ow!" More shouts sounded through the air as Zarm turned around slowly, red sparks crackling around his aura in a most disturbing manner.
Looten Plunder was the last to flee the cottage, feeling the spirit's wrath being unleashed from behind him. Light of the brightest red shone fiercely through the windows, bathing the peaceful surroundings in an eerie, shade of crimson.
Practically throwing himself into the car, Plunder gripped the steering wheel and attempted to gather his nerves. Dr Blight sat in the back seat, still rubbing her arm and pouting petulantly. She leaned forward and patted Plunder on the head, perhaps in a clumsy attempt to console him.
"We still have the tracking system, darling," she rasped, eying the house suspiciously. "The brats seem to have stopped, at least for now."
Plunder shook his head angrily, thumping the steering wheel. He knew that they were in trouble. At least one of the rings should have been in Zarm's possession by now, the first ring crucial towards the survival of the thing currently in Duke Nukem's safe-keeping. However, Zarm had neglected to mention the creatures' shelf life until after the heist was well underway.
When a 'bal-rog' is removed from the 'otherworld', it kills and feeds on the souls of it's victims until it literally explodes...
With the power of the rings, Zarm's pet would continue devouring anything in it's way (or theirs, for that matter), as well as possess the dormant forces that were once so perkily displayed by the Planeteers.
Oh well. Perhaps no big, scary monster? World domination comes a pretty close second...
If Zarm can get his act together.
"Can you ask for no butter? I'm trying to cut out dairy products." Ma-Ti nodded, amused at Gi's attempt to stick to her latest diet fad. He turned and headed off towards the cafeteria area, the slight spring in his step belying his physical appearance.
"No dairy? Not even ice cream?" Linka was perplexed. Gi's fondness for chocolate ice cream had been legendary amongst the Planeteers. Gi winced slightly, as if the mere thought of her favorite desert would ruin her resolve.
"Don't tempt me, kiddo. I put on fifteen kilos when I was pregnant with Lin."
"You look fine, Gi. I feel guilty now for ordering a chicken schnitzel, now that I will have to eat it in front of you!" Gi waved off her worry with a good-natured grin and relaxed back into her seat. They sat in companionable silence, watching the bustling crowds weave their way through the busy international terminal.
Upon reaching the airport, they had found a flight departing for Los Angeles at 7:30pm. Since check-in would not commence for several hours, the trio had resigned themselves to eating lunch and wondering around the shops to keep themselves occupied. The girls had quickly found a spare table and chairs near the eating area, and had positioned their luggage safely against the wall, each girl sitting on either side of it. Manila International Airport had become a haven for pick-pockets and thieves and Gi wasn't about to take any chances with their valuables.
"I still do not understand how Zarm and Plunder found us so quickly. It would have taken them some time to get off the boat, organize the transport and then contact... whoever he needed to contact."
Gi nodded distractedly, her clear brown eyes observing a child throwing an almighty tantrum in the center of the food court, his flustered parents buying a chocolate to appease him. She sighed, before returning her attention to Linka's questioning gaze.
"That kid certainly deserves something other than a Hershey's Bar," she muttered with disapproval, twisting her hair into a high pony-tail and skillfully winding a thin elastic around it. "Oh, sorry Linka. What were you saying?"
Linka smiled and shook her head, indicating that it wasn't important. "Da, if I had a child, she would have eaten cold oatmeal for a week if she had..."
Linka trailed off, the smile vanishing from her face as she contemplated the statement. Gi looked away awkwardly, at a loss as to what to say, or how to console her friend. The grave reality of the situation had been thrust upon them only an hour or two ago, Gaia's words leaving a hollow and empty sensation in the pit of Linka's stomach.
You cannot remain here.
You will corrupt this reality if you remain.
Linka buried her face in her hands, feeling frustrated and totally helpless. A soothing hand massaged her back in large circles, comforting her somewhat.
"We'll work it out Linka. We always do."
"I want things to go back to the way they were." Her voice was muffled and strained, barely perceptible to Gi. "I'm not meant to be here, but I cannot go back. Why is this happening to me?"
Gi shuffled in closer and hugged her best friend fiercely, at a loss as to how to answer Linka's question. "Look, we need to concentrate on the present. We'll worry about all that stuff later. In a few days, we'll all be back together again."
Linka raised her head angrily. "That is only if the Yankee decides to..."
Gi cut her off in mid-sentence as Ma-Ti approached their table, a tray balanced with one hand and a newspaper in the other. "If he doesn't come, then we'll include you in Ma-Ti's next message. THAT ought to get him moving pretty quickly!"
Linka chuckled lightly, feeling slightly better. She helped Ma-Ti remove the food from the plastic tray, while her stomach lurched happily at the tantalizing aromas gracing the air around her. She was starving...
"Dig in, guys! No butter, Gi... or at least I think that was what I asked for..."
Gi inspected her sandwich suspiciously, before taking a huge bite out of it and munching away contentedly. Linka followed suit, savoring the taste of the decidedly unhealthy fried chicken breast. Ma-Ti's attention was divided between his stir-fry and the large-screen television on the other side of the court. Catching Linka's attention, he motioned towards the screen where a news report was cutting to an image of a large cruise ship, it's appearance somewhat recognizable to the stunned Russian.
Linka stopped chewing for a moment, concentrating on the next picture of at least 40 people being led off the gang-plank in blankets, armed escorts assisting the grim procession. Linka recognized Barbara and one of the British backpackers immediately, her heart leaping with joy at their escape. Silently, she applauded the efforts of Mary, Amy and Matt. They had obviously been successful in their efforts to alert the authorities.
Gi's eyes scanned the foreign subtitles, providing Linka and Ma-Ti with a running commentary. "Okay... survivors of hostage crisis located alive on Pacific Sky ...found trapped in the ship movie theater, um... one man suffered a heart attack, another three treated for dehydration... police are investigating... a massive man-hunt has begun for the hijackers, who are still at large..."
Linka returned to her meal, listening with faded interest as Gi continued to interpret the report. "The police are describing the hijackers now... seems pretty spot on, actually," she commented tartly while attempting to hide the knowing smirk now forming on her face, as the female reporter now produced an identikit picture of a man with decidedly piggish features.
They finished their meals at a leisurely pace, occasionally discussing the past few hours in hushed tones. Finally, the prolonged stillness seemed to get the better of Ma-Ti. "Shall we look around? There is an MP3 store over there that I wouldn't mind browsing through." Linka's blank stare prompted a brief explanation of song downloading, before the trio stood and collected their belongings. Ma-Ti grabbed the baggage trolley and practically ran with it towards the store, leaving the girls with their hand luggage and empty plates.
Tossing the litter into their correct recycling bins, Gi grabbed Linka's arm and half dragged her to a clothes shop, aware that her friend couldn't survive with only her own, tattered clothes for much longer.
After pushing the Russian beauty into the change-room with a large pile of jeans and shirts, Gi chatted animatedly through the doors, occasionally walking away to remove something off a hanger that caught her eye. Throwing it over Linka's change room door, the conversation would continue thick and fast, leaving her slightly breathless from the effort of changing and answering questions at the same time.
"Gi, do I even have a passport? Please tell me you..." Linka's voice sounded uncertain, since this was a potential problem she had only just realized.
"Yes, lucky for you. One of the few things I did get. How's the dress I found?"
Linka gazed uncomprehendingly into the mirror, finding it difficult to recognize the reflection that stared back at her. She fidgeted with the neckline for a moment, feeling totally self conscious. She rarely wore dresses, even in her younger days. Not that this was too over-revealing: the dress was plain black in color with three-quarter length sleeves, and an attractive princess-line cut and bodice which accentuated her figure in an extremely flattering manner. The fabric fell in soft drapes around her calves, gaining an appreciative whistle from Gi who was currently sneaking a glance over the top of the door.
"You'd stop traffic in that dress, Linka..."
"I do not know," Linka began, still unsure if she could confidently wear the outfit. "It is still winter in the U.S...I will be cold!"
"Actually, they're coming into spring, now, so you'll be fine. If you're worried about it, we'll get you some boots or something..." Gi's arms were crossed, her chin resting on the frame as she mentally assessed possible wardrobe combinations.
Linka was still unconvinced. "Nyet, I think I would be more comfortable in this," she replied, tilting her head towards a pair of indigo jeans and a camisole. Gi, however, was not to be deterred.
"Look, we'll get both, and you can do a fashion show for Ma-Ti. He'll pick the dress, though. Who wouldn't?" Gi chuckled at Linka's forlorn face as she disengaged herself from the door frame and waited in the shop for Linka to dress.
Shuffling the back-packs into one hand, Gi struggled to find her purse. A cell phone fell suddenly from a zippered pocket, bouncing across the carpeted floor. Bending down to pick it up, Gi scrutinized the latest Nokia model, curious as to how it came into Linka's possession.
"Where'd the phone come from, Lin?" she asked, looking up curiously when Linka exited the enclosure with several clothes over her arm, staring at the gadget in confusion, then dawning horror.
"Boshe moy, I totally forgot I had that..." she whispered, retrieving it from Gi's hand and turning it over, her green eyes scanning the illuminated screen. "It is Plunder's! Could they... locate us with it?"
"Ah...definitely."
"We have to throw it away... they may already be here!" Linka exclaimed, her voice rising in panic at her obvious mistake.
"Wait... lets buy the clothes first. I have an idea..." Gi replied, a mischievous smile lighting up her dimpled face.
The girls observed the check-in line closely, having found that Scandinavian Airlines had a flight scheduled to Norway at 4pm, due to leave soon. Since this was the only flight operated by the airline today, they knew that this was their best chance.
"Be careful!" Linka hissed to Gi's departing back, gaining a thumbs up in response. The Planeteer skillfully weaved her way through the line of harried-looking people, expertly dropping the phone into a severe-looking woman's open shopping bag. The woman glared at Gi as she pushed past, making it to the counter and asking a question to the stressed-out check-in attendant. A curt response followed, and Gi was on her way again, seemingly oblivious to the death-stares of those in the queue, having assumed that she had been trying to cut the line.
"Too easy," she breathed gleefully, following Linka out of the area. "I guess we just stay under the radar now and hope that flight leaves on time."
"Da, we can check in after it leaves. You were always good with the plans, Gi!"
Gi shrugged nonchalantly, giving her a sideways glance as they returned to the food court. "Not every plan worked, Linka. You and Wheeler are living proof of that."
Linka chose not to respond to that statement. Instead, she waved to Ma-Ti, who was sitting cross-legged on top of the suitcases. "You two took your time. Where were you?"
Gi grabbed the handles and pushed the trolley forward, causing Ma-Ti to lurch unsteadily and jump of the luggage. "Taking care of business, 'heart-man'! We need to keep an eye out for Plunder and Co."
The shopping bags were piled into the trolley's front basket as Linka explained the situation with the cell phone to Ma-Ti.
"Ha, you think they're stupid enough to fall for it?"
"Da, I certainly wouldn't put it through them!"
Ma-Ti chuckled, correcting her. "Past them, Linka."
She pouted in mock frustration, feigning annoyance. They had always been able to master various English phrases so well, while she struggled with even the simplest of terms. "Da, whatever..." she mumbled, brushing her mistake off airily.
With no sign of the eco-villains, the three made their way towards the United Airlines check-in counter. It was now 4:30 as the trio cast the odd nervous glance around the bustling terminal every few minutes or so.
"I hope this works," Linka whispered to the others, worried about how the airline would react if a 'deceased' person boarded the plane. "Wouldn't my death be on file? Or my passport canceled?" she queried, looking around nervously as if half-expecting to be forcibly arrested by armed guards at the ticket-counter.
As they approached the front of the line, Gi leaned towards the others. "You'll get on the planehere: It's the United States I'm worried about!" she exclaimed, not doing much to soothe Linka's nerves. "Los Angeles has very strict security measures in place now. How we're going to get you through LAX is totally beyond me."
Linka groaned, staying close behind Gi and Ma-Ti as they moved towards the counter. She held her breath anxiously as Gi handed over their passports, barely able to watch the attendant scan her fifteen year old computer for the booking they had made earlier. Ma-Ti lifted the suitcases individually onto the platform, while the attendant attached adhesive tags with stark black letters, their destination securely in place. He watched them move sluggishly along the rubber gangway and eventually out of sight.
The woman's hands busied themselves behind the counter for several moments, before the machine printed out three crisp boarding passes. Linka breathed a sigh of relief as the tickets and passports were handed over with a smile.
Gi grabbed them and thanked the attendant. She turned and shuffled her friends along the rope towards the exit, distributing their passports and tickets as they left the check-in area. The looming gate-way to customs beckoned the trio enticingly, however Gi noticed a toilet in the vicinity and expressed the need to visit the ladies room. Linka accompanied her friend, the girls leaving their hand luggage in Ma-Ti's care. As the girls headed off, Ma-Ti sat down in front of a garden display (consisting mostly of plastic plants and an unappealing tropical backdrop).
Remembering the chewing gum hidden away after his last flight, Ma-Ti found the half-empty packet in the front pocket of his bag. He opened it and popped a piece into his mouth, enjoying the burst of flavor assaulting his taste-buds. Ma-Ti's hand had no sooner left his mouth when he stopped chewing altogether, the gum sitting idly underneath his tongue. He froze, unable to breathe as Zarm floated by, unseen by the rest of the passengers. Ma-Ti's mouth dropped open, too shocked and unprepared to act. The spirit changed direction, floating towards the check-in counter, followed by a woman in a bright pink jump-suit, chatting on her cell phone. She stopped some ten feet from where Ma-Ti was sitting, overtaken at great speed by a red-faced man in a safari suit, his pony-tail swinging idly behind him.
You have got to be kidding... he thought with dismay, his eyes locked on Dr Blight's profile. She hadn't noticed him... although she seemed a little preoccupied with her conversation. Ma-Ti looked nervously from Blight to Plunder's retreating figure, practically jogging towards the check-in counter.
He activated his ring when the thought occurred to him that the girls would exit the toilets soon: in plain view of Dr Blight.
Girls... you may want to stay where you are for the moment... we're in trouble.
Gi and Linka immediately acknowledged the message and stayed put as Ma-Ti observed Plunder reach the counter of Scandinavian Airlines. Dr Blight's voice registered in the back of his frantic mind, her voice rising in volume with every word she uttered.
"... sure they're heading towards Europe? If you're wrong, I'll ...yeah... the signal began moving about four-thirty? There was a flight to Nor..." Blight gave Plunder the thumbs-up sign before heading in his direction, her shrill voice trailing off.
Checking to see if the coast was clear, Ma-Ti jumped to his feet and slunk towards the ladies toilets, before knocking politely. Gi stuck her head out cautiously, looking around the terminal for eco-villains. The Indian inclined his head towards the check-in counter as they stepped out, their faces pale.
"We need to get to customs now, guys," Gi pleaded, "we can't fight Zarm without Cap."
The trio quickly left the area, narrowly avoiding Sly Sludge who was lighting up a cigarette where Ma-Ti had just been sitting. Luck was on their side as they passed easily through the security gates and x-ray equipment. The gang strode through the sparse halls, occasionally looking over their shoulders, almost expecting to glimpse unwanted company.
With enormous relief, Gi directed them towards gate 12, a small sitting area with plastic chairs and a small shop. They collapsed into a row of bucket seats alongside the shop, offloading their bags and reclining into the seats.
Gi nervously fiddled with the buttons on her jacket, before rearranging a few pot plants to give them some cover. "What if they get in here? Plunder'll be smart enough to catch a connecting flight to Oslo... they're bound to come through here!"
"Not without passports..." commented Linka dryly, retrieving the satchel out of her bag and spilling them onto her lap.
"Linka, you never fail to surprise me!" exclaimed Ma-Ti, rifling through the package with glee and ridiculing the photo's of the various eco-villains within. "Urgh, take a look at this one... Dr Blight was having a bad hair day..."
The passports kept them entertained for the duration of their wait. Finally, a boarding call was announced for their flight which, judging from the amount of passengers waiting, was only filled to half capacity.
With a final, definitive glance over her shoulder, Linka followed Gi and Ma-Ti onto the open tarmac. They were greeted on board the plane by an American stewardess with a distinctive southern accent. Linka smiled warmly at the comforting voice, before finding her window seat towards the rear of the plane, Gi sitting heavily beside her. Ma-Ti settled quickly into his seat a few rows in front of them, turning to wave at his bemused friends.
Returning the gesture warmly, Linka leaned back and watched the stewards rush around the cabin, handing out headphones and duty-free magazines. The emergency procedures soon began, however Linka was happily distracted by the purchases available in "On-Board Shopping", flicking through the pages aimlessly while the passengers were treated to a tele-visual demonstration of emergency exit techniques. Linka raised her green eyes over the top of the magazine briefly, observing the back of Ma-Ti's head bobbing rapidly in time with his MP3 player.
Why didn't I pick up his iPod?
The question escaped her subconscious without prodding as she recalled the electronic object lying broken and filthy within the battered geo-cruiser. She pushed the thought aside quickly.
Why would Wheeler need it? It is broken... doesn't work.
Gi interrupted her internal dialogue, causing the Russian to whip her head around too quickly. "Hey, at least they're showing some good movies on the flight... I saw this one a few weeks ago!" Linka rubbed her neck as Gi practically shoved the guide into her lap, before nodding in Ma-Ti's direction. The young Indian was sitting rather contentedly between two attractive blondes and chatting animatedly, his headphones still attached to his ears.
Gi sighed, slapping herself on the forehead. "He's such a babe-magnet, now," she giggled with a hint of sarcasm, incurring a similar reaction from Linka.
The cabin crew took their seats as the plane began to taxi along the runway for a few minutes, before pausing at a junction. As the engines whirred to life, Linka gripped the arm-rests, waiting for the familiar sensation of taking flight. The momentum increased, the cabin lights flickered and the plane built up speed until the wheels left the tarmac.
She was on her way...
New York. The reunion. Will they be disappointed? You'll have to stay tuned for next chapter to find out! (devious cackling in background, then a fit of coughing- I have the flu :- ( )
Sarah