9:00 AM
It had been over 5 weeks since Abbadon's visit and the team were now packing up for their mission in Asi. The past days were filled with training for the mission, final preparations for the journey, and wondering what exactly was on the microchip that sat alone in a safe in the training room. The team had not yet loaded up the chips contents onto a computer, but were waiting until things around them died down.
Mason loaded his duffel bag into the trunk of the taxi and closed it. He then got into the taxi's back row next to Javes.
"We're ready to go." He told the driver, who nodded his head and started moving the car forward.
A couple minutes into the drive, a ding rang through the car. Pax turned on her bracelet and read the message she had gotten. She stared in confusion at her bracelet, before reading the message aloud.
"Hey Pax, its Rio. Mom told me that I have to tell you to call her more or come over for a chat or something."
Wish looked over Pax's shoulder curiously. "You're mom misses you?"
Yup." Pax replied.
"Rio is your cousin right?" Serenity questioned.
Pax nodded. "Yeah. He's a super cool guy." She pointed at Kira. "I'm pretty sure that he and Kira's brother are friends."
Kira momentarily looked up from her bracelet to put 2 thumbs up, signaling she was right. She turned back to Javes and said something to him. He shook his head, no.
"What are you guys talking about?" Hede asked.
"I'm looking for a different route to the conservation center."
"Why? Did something happen?"
"No, its just that we can't land the aircraft within 3 miles of it."
"So?" Hede said.
Javes sighed in annoyance. "It means we'll have to park the aircraft somewhere else and walk the distance."
"So?" Hede said again.
"We have to walk through a civilian area, moron."
Hede and Zak stared at Javes in confusion, before realization dawned on them.
"Oh, I get it!" Hede said. "So, where else can we park our aircraft?"
Kira shrugged. "I was thinking on the opposite side of the civilian area, but Javes says that's a no-go."
"Where is everyone else parking?" Wish questioned.
"Most of the teams will be driving there, and cars are permitted to park near the center. It's only a few of us who will be flying in, since no one in this car has an actual license to drive a military personnel car."
Javes groaned. "Look Kira, a couple of normies won't do any of us any real harm. Let's just get it over with."
Kira sighed. "Fine. Email the other teams flying in and tell them well be landing near the town."
Javes grumbled back in response.
------------------------------------------------------------------
After retrieving the aircraft, the team were now headed to Asi. About an hour in, they arrived at the outskirts of Silva city, the city closest to the conservation center.
Javes landed the aircraft near a walkway just before the small city's border. He turned the craft off and everyone inside grabbed their bags, and went outside through the hatch on top. Outside was a sign that said, 'Welcome to Silva City!'
"Alright, lets get walking." Serenity said as she speed walked towards the city. Everyone else followed at the same pace and, in less than 20 minutes, arrived in the city. The group stopped momentarily to view the scene.
Short towers that reached a few miles into the sky stood looming high above and shops that ranged from small boutiques to moderately sized shopping malls littered the sidewalks beside them. The group looked through the glass of the nearest shop, a small furniture store, and saw all types of people milling around. They shopped peacefully and without a care of what would happen outside out side of this city.
Kira snapped out of her trance and pushed her team along. They shouldn't be wasting time.
The time walked quickly and deliberately into the city, not once stopping to look at the sights. They kept their head down, their bracelets hidden and bags pressed close against their sides, in an attempt to appear inconspicuous as they moved with the bustling crowd. However, it wasn't long before someone caught on.
"Hey," Yelled a balding lady behind them, "what are you monsters doing here!"
Her voice rang through crowed and soon everyone within a 50 foot radius turned to stare at the team with mixed emotion. Most looked wary, some with anger, others with disgust, a few with fear.
The group stood still for a second, before slowly continuing their route. The crowd stepped back as they came closer, and glared as they passed by.
"Freaks." One of them hissed under their breaths, probably not meaning for it to be heard. But with their enhanced hearing, they heard every syllable.
Javes and Zak glared at the man, who shrunk back into the crowd, scared.
"Stop glaring." Kira mumbled. The boys snapped their eyes back to the ground, and walked quietly. The more they walked, the more people seemed to notice them. About 30 minutes in, Wish could have sworn that at least half the city was watching. Most civilians just gave them dirty looks as they walked by, but some went a few steps further.
"You dirty killers!" Yelled a man who had been following them for a solid 10 minutes.
"Did you come here to kill all of us?" Another yelled furiously. "Is alien blood not enough for you?"
The group showed no reaction to the people taunts and kept walking.
"Why can't you monsters just-"
"Be quiet." Javes said coldly. "Or I'll make you be quiet."
The following silence that ensued, stretched until they were on the opposite end of the city. The people that had previously jeered at them dispersed into the ever growing crowd.
It wasn't until they were a few steps out of the city when a voice finally broke the silence.
"Good luck." The voice said.
Serenity turned around and tried to look for the source of those words and saw a small girl standing timidly behind a tall man.
Serenity smiled a small smile and mouthed "Thank you" to her before turning back around and continuing her walk to the conservation center.