Author's Note - Merry Christmas Everyone!
The city bus lightly rocked back and forth as bars of white streetlights flashed in and out of the large windows; casting shadows of the empty navy blue seats onto the gray floors. Suddenly, a feminine figure appears next to the seat shadow and makes its' way to Olivia. Taking the next available seat close to her, she looks over to her host. "I really hope you know what you are doing Olivia" she resolves, twisting her head to the over sized window. The buildings and bright lights are rushing by while Naijya turns her attention to the full moon above everything and everyone.
"Something about this 'Domino City' feels right, as if I am somehow connected to this place. As if something inside of me is pulling me towards this place. But this feels too easy, I just come here and I find my mother? No. There has to be some kind of danger ahead of me". Suddenly she hears snoring from her host and looks down at her. "I mean the two of us I suppose. Why are you so certain that this Atem person is somehow connected to me? I am Libyan and he is Egyptian, we are a country apart and from what I remember we did not get along. But regardless, there are so many questions that I need answered if I am ever going to see my mother again. Why was I trapped in the tablet in the first place? Who trapped me and why? Is my mother trapped somewhere as well? Where is she?"
Olivia suddenly rolls off of her seat and lands hard on the cold ground below her. "We're here at Saladin Airport". The driver yells from the front of the bus, pulling the handle to the front door. "Now even though you pay good, I got to get home to my wife. I'm in enough trouble as it is for being late". Taking the hint, she sits on knees and quickly gathers her bags, "thanks for the water". Olivia says speed walking to the door, feeling the cold, Maryland breeze brutally slap her face. "Thanks for the tip and keep the pillow. Consider it covered in your initial payment." The driver says, shooing her off of the bus as she tries to hand the pillow back to him. Nodding her head in thanks, she zips her jacket and runs off of the bus and through the airport's constant, revolving doors.
"Wow, the airport is surprisingly empty today" Olivia takes note, observing the ticket agents directly in front of her working with only a line of thirty people; and some not at all. "Ok, all I need to do now is find a computer and order my ticket." "Didn't you bring...eh…small computer?" Naijya says, appearing behind Olivia, causing her to jump. "You really need to stop doing that" she whispers as she sees two elderly people staring at her from the ticket line. "The door, it needs to stop opening so quickly" she stated, flashing a toothy smile at them. Satisfied, the man tipped his hat towards her and turned his attention back to flight list above them. "But you're right and it beats standing in that line". Turning her head left and right she spots an empty desk around the corner near a very active charging station.
"Why are you buying ticket online when you can just go to station?" Naijya inquires, "because when you buy the ticket upfront, you normally have to pay more money. When you buy them online, there are normally more deals. More often than not you find the same tickets for less money." Olivia goes to take her seat when a child runs ahead of her and claims it for themselves, "Ok, I'll just grab a seat over there" walking towards one of the many blue chairs in the concourse B. Taking her seat, she rummages through her Nike bag and grabs her tablet; only to see the flashing 'low battery' appear on the screen. "Damn it! Now I got to stand in line" Olivia hisses at the screen. "We just saw the line…how many more people could have come in between now and two minutes?"
Olivia picks up her things to walk back to the ticket counter and sees a huge line of taxis and double decker buses outside of the gate. The taxi drivers and men are unloading the varies types of luggage from Gucci to Fossil from the trunks while the children are anxiously awaiting to come in, some of them holding a copy of their pre-printed ticker. "Ok, we're gonna run it!" Olivia thinks out loud so Naijya can hear her. After she gets a better grip on her bags, Olivia sprints to the nearest open booth just before the packs of tourists were starting to haul in. Maneuvering her way through the different carts and food stations she finally makes it to the ticket booth with seconds to spare. "I need the fastest flight to Domino City, Japan for tonight" she said, taking gasps for air after her run. "There is a flight leaving in ten minutes to Los Angles, California which will connect to Tokyo, Japan by tomorrow night. There are no direct flights to Domino so this is the best that I can do for you". Nodding her head, she begins to go into her bag and grabs six one-hundred dollar bills. "So can I confirm this flight for you?" the worker asks, not looking up from her computer. "Yes, I'll take it." "Great, so the flight comes to five hundred and eighty-six dollars and seventy-two cents." The worker sees the money on the counter and quickly counts and types on her computer. "Now I need to see your passport", nodding she takes out both of her passports; lightly bouncing on one foot, running out of patience.
"I don't mean to be rude but I really need to make this flight" Olivia disclosed, anxiously looking at the flight board. "Yea you and every other person behind you as well. You're lucky that you got here when you did." Preparing to run to the gate she rolls her eyes and snarls, "Look I just went from ten minutes to five, so could you please?" moving her right hand in a rapid circular motion. "Your flight is on gate J12. Good luck." Grabbing the ticket, she runs as fast as she can to the gate; maneuvering her way through young children and oversized suitcases. When she makes it to the gate, she realizes that she only has one minute left to board the plane. "Here" she says to the service agent at the hanger. "You are just in time ma'am" she presently states, ripping her part of the ticket and giving the second half to her. "Thank you."
Running through the hanger, she makes her way to her actual seat. "26B" she thinks to herself, lifting her head to check for any obvious empty seats. "Can you please find you seat ma'am? The senior flight attendant is about to make his announcements." A tall, curvy flight attendant says, leaning just a little too close to Olivia, "Will do". Walking down the narrow pathway, she finds her seat, "Nice, a window seat" she says to herself; smiling at the fact that she has two seats to herself. "I can't believe how easy and quick it was to get on this flight. I mean they didn't even check my luggage or care about that fact that a fourteen-year-old just paid with that kind of cash! They need new security. But I know that LA is going to be harder, I have to call Zumi and tell her what's going on. I need a new look too…There is so much I have to plan tonight.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign. If you haven't already done so, please fasten your seat-belt."
Olivia grabs her phone and keeps her carry-on luggage near her, knowing that she has a lot of explaining to do tonight. Leaning back in the chair, she takes out her blanket and stares out of the window.
"It's now or never".