Chapter 9,

The car stops in front of me. When I peer through the windows I see 2 men. A small boy steps out of the car. Where did he come from? I didn't see him? Even though it's just a child...he looks creepy. Black, beads looking eyes and his skin looks like burned meat. He is bald and stares at me like I'm a statue or something. 'What was your business in the jungle woman?' The man from behind the steering wheel speaks terrible English. 'What is your native language?' I ask polite. The other man steps out too and they start a discussion. 'Jungle why?' The other asked. 'I was chased and hid there.' I explain in their own language. This was the only moment I was happy with the many lessons of Gift inc. The men look at each other again. 'Why were you chased? How do you know our language?' Before I can answer the small boy makes strange twitches with his body. I see his eyes become dark and suddenly he falls on the ground screaming. 'What is happening?' I ask confused. It goes on for another minute and then he stops. He scribbles up and looks at the 2 men. 'She was chased by soldiers…she is a fugitive.' He says. 'You see girl, we have this little guy who can find everything about, even why you are running…' It sounds like a threat…Ouch? 'Well if that's so…Shouldn't you run away now then?' I'm bluffing because at this moment I feel my wounds burn, I am tired and I just want to see a hospital. 'She is bluffing.' tThey boy whispers in this creepy voice. 'Why did you run?' The man asks again. 'I escaped okay? I escaped a crazy facility who locks up boys like him or girls like me so they can change us in soldiers!' Our eyes lock and everybody is quiet. 'We should kill her!' the other one says. They start a discussion again and finally the man who wants to kill me walks away angry and steps back in the car. 'We take you with us… to tend your wounds.' I nod and follow him to the backseats. The small boy sits next to me, staring, like a creepy psychopath. 'Are you alone?' The angry man asks. I nod and I almost fall asleep when we drive away. 'My name is Adisa, The boy next to you is called Afolabi and my brother is called Akachi.' I nod and close my eyes, I could sleep right?

When I wake up I see Adisa grabbing a clean cloth. 'You are awake.' He says. He puts the cloth on my forehead. 'We tended your wounds. Akachi is getting Ladonna, our sister, she has clothes for you.' 'How long have I been out?' I ask in English. At this moment I was so tired I can't speak their language. He shushes me and put a small bowl against my lips. I taste a spicy tea…or maybe a broth…I don't know it didn't even smell familiar. 'I have clothes, you go help Afolabi with his bath.' a A beautiful African woman walks into the room. She has the greenest eyes I have ever seen and her hair is trimmed like a military. Adisa nods and walks away. 'Can you stand up?' She asks. I blink several times and slowly try to sit.

'So where do you come from?' She asks when I'm undressing myself. She made a bath with strange smelling herbs in cold water. 'England.' I let myself slide into the water and suck the coolness in while Ladonna washes my hair with her own made shampoo. 'What is an English girl doing here in Africa?' 'Escaping' I answer dreamy. 'Escaping from what?' 'Gift inc.' all of a sudden she stops massaging my head and backs away. I look at her and for a moment her eyes lightened. 'How did you do that?' I ask and slowly step out of the bath. 'I escaped Gift inc. long ago.' She answered. I grab a thin bath towel and hide my body. 'When I touch you, you will tell me everything I want to know!' I take a step back. Can I trust her? Can I run? Do I have choices? 'Go back in bath, wash your hair and get dressed!' She commanded. 'Why should I?' 'Well because you still have shampoo in your hair.' She has a point there.

After a lot of talking and a couple days further they bring me to Cape town. 'Whenever you need help…just call this number.' Afolabi gives me a small card and drive away. So I am alone in a city I don't know….Sounds like old times.

Hours later I take a seat in a street. 'Constantine?' Immediately I jump up and look around. They find me! I want to run but bump against someone. With a fast come back I hit the person before I look at him. 'Jeremiah?' I help him straighten up. 'Where have you been? Where is Raymond? We have searched for you guys for weeks!' He almost yelled. I don't know if this was because he was angry or because he was happy to see me. 'I don't know where Raymond is…We were separated after we both ended in a fight with someone of the facility...I tried to find him...' I can't find the good words to explain. 'Come.' He says and throws his arm around my shoulders leading me away. We arrive at a small house where Duncan is sitting on the couch…looking tense. 'Look who I found.' Jeremiah pushes me through the door and locks it. 'Constantine!' He hugs me and looks at me like I'm a ghost. 'What happened? Where is Duncan?' I roll my eyes and start explaining. 'So he is still out there?' I shrug. 'I don't know…' I answer. 'What I do know is that we have to go to Egypt.' They both look at each other and frown. 'Why?' They ask in choir. 'Gift inc. moved there and we have to blow them up and save the others.' Duncan laughs sarcastically. 'You crazy?' I nod. 'Maybe…' Jeremiah stands up. 'Why would we do this? We are free now!' 'Technically we are not…They still hunt us like we are wild animals. I can't live like this my entire life!' I practically shout at them. Jeremiah walks back and forth. 'I can't travel that far via the shadows.' He says. 'We can use a plane.' Duncan suggested. We both look at him, frowning and thinking.

We made a plan to board the plane without being recognized. Jeremiah used his travel powers and already sits in the plane. Duncan changed himself in a purse that I carried. And I…Well …I wear a half long, wavy, blonde wig, the highest heels that we could buy on the market, and a tight dress. I take a seat next to a fat American man who is eating peanuts and put Duncan on my lap. When we finally lift of I relax a bit.

The first thing we did was hiring a car and drive to a luxurious hotel and rent 2 rooms. 'If there is something is going on, knock or slam 3 times against the wall.' Jeremiah says. I nod. This was the first time I sleep alone in a hotel. I crawl into bed and sigh. I really wish Raymond was here. Slowly I let my eyes close and fall asleep. Couple of hours later I wake up from a strange noise. The balcony door opens slowly, little did the person know I already know he was coming in. I grab the lamp from my nightstand and wait until the person was inside my room. He stands in the middle of my room looking at me…creep. I jump up run towards him and want to hit him with my weapon. My enemy grabs my arm and he hits it against the wall so the lamp drops on the ground. I kick him between his legs and hear a painful grunt. When I look up to hit him with my fist I see bright red eyes. 'R-Raymond?' I hesitate. Is it really him? 'Yeah…well what's left of me anyway' He hops on bed and sighs. 'But how?' I ask. I'm still in shock to see him sitting there. 'It was a small girl who jumped from behind you…She was something like me but more psychotic.' He yawns. 'I have been in that jungle looking for you.' He mumbled. 'But your scent disappeared and I couldn't trace you anymore. But when I smelled you and Jeremiah at the airport I followed you here…what are we doing here in Egypt?' I blinked and open my mouth but close it again. It was a bit too much for this late hour. 'I will explain tomorrow…' I finally say. He makes a disapproval sound. 'Okay.' He crawls to the other bedside and falls asleep.

The next morning I wake up and I walk towards a mirror. The first thing that comes up in to my mind: THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAS BEGUN GRAB YOUR GUNS AND KILL THEM ALL. The dark circles are back. My purplish hair has been faded into this strange grayish color. Not only that, my black roots were clearly to see for everyone. The weight I had lost in the jungle never came back. 'So are you in this girl mode?' I hear Raymond ask. I turn around and see him laughing. 'You should use some tampons or maxi pads…' He says laughing even louder. I look down and see some blood dripping on my leg. 'Oh my god' I run away to the bathroom and yell at him he should buy me some before we even leave this room. While I'm sitting on the toilet I braid my hair and wait until Raymond is back.

After half an hour waiting I hear a small knock and I unlock the door. 'Thanks.' I say and grab the bag Raymond gives me. The rest of the day Raymond and Duncan are pestering me. So I stay with Jeremiah. 'Let it go, girl' He keeps reminding me. 'Well I'm actually done with it.' I grab Raymond's and Duncan's head and hit them against each other. They both grunt of the pain and Jeremiah laughs loudly while passing them. We talked to inhabitants to get some clues about the facility's location. Alas nobody knew anything. 'Really Constantine do you have a better idea? Because this isn't working' Raymond complained. 'Well why don't you try and pick up their scent' I say annoyed. They all look at me. Raymond smiles and changes into the satanic beast. 'The best idea ever' Jeremiah says. Raymond sniffs in the air. 'Find Mallory when you're at it.' I cross my arms and study him. 'You don't have too…' A soft voice says behind me.

Mallory looks at us with a strange glance in her eyes. How did she come here?