"Still wet behind the ears." Michael added. "So what intentions do you have towards a seventeen-year-old girl?"
"Um, she told me she was eighteen." Varick replied for the first time.
"She just blew out those candles." Shane retorted.
"What I want to know is how reformed are you?" Luc cut straight to the point of his worry. "Are we reformed once we saw a piece of tail we wanted or are we donating to black churches when this is over reformed?"
"I left them before I met her, but my skin can't leave so easily." Varick replied neither upset nor afraid.
"Hm, decent answer." Shane said, the boy was smooth he would give him that.
"Whether or not it's true is another matter." Michael added.
Luc leaned in. "I don't know if you're just her friend, or some guy she picked up, or more. You will say your goodbyes, go to your side of the airport, and stay there until you depart, are we clear?"
"Crystal." Varick replied. He had to fight the urge to rebel even as he understood the reason for this small interrogation. "Can I go now?"
"That's enough. Let him through." Hazel said not liking the display. "He wanted to ditch me several times, but I was the one who chose to stay with him and even held him up from meeting up with his family sooner, and because of that..."
"That's not your fault." Varick stood and walked past the men until he was free. "Can we talk?"
"Yeah."
"Hazel." Luc called to her before she departed. "There's something I want to talk to you about."
"Okay." Hazel nodded. "I'll see Varick off first then we'll talk."
"All right." Luc nodded watching them head off and disappear to the next area.
"Finally, gonna tell her." Michael said crossing his legs.
"Yeah, although I'm scared of how she'll take it. I want to speak to her about it alone." He said knowing this would require privacy and understanding.
"And this Varick person? Is that all you managed to pull on him?" Michael asked unable to shake his uneasiness.
"Aside from a few arrests and some school records I got nothing. No birth certificate, no hospital, no vaccinations, nothing. Almost like he doesn't exist. Someone went through a lot of trouble to keep his records hidden. And get this." Luc leaned in. "There are two planes heading to Montréal." Luc continued. "It turns out, one party bought off the entire flight and want no other passengers on board."
"And how that guy was able to get us through inspections. Seems like they're the ones behind it."
"That's what I'm thinking." Luc sighed. "I'm worried about letting her go off with him like that."
"I got it covered, I sent Shane to spy on them."
Luc looked around and noticed Shane's absence for the first time and chuckled.
Hazel and Varick continued to walk languidly through the empty airport. "I'm sorry about that." She apologized.
"Don't worry about it." Varick dismissed it. "If they didn't care about you, they never would have said anything, I know what I look like." he said thinking of his tattoos. He stopped at a clothing shop and entered.
Hazel looked at some of the items on the rack. "Looking for something sporty?" she smiled.
"Looking for a suit. One that doesn't make me look like a rich asshole."
"I don't think you can fight well in a suit."
"Yeah, but I met the people around... my father... and they both look like rich assholes, enough to make me feel out of place."
Veronica and Hans entered the shop as though right on cue and Hazel turned to Varick. "I see what you mean." She muttered feeling a bout of self-consciousness herself.
"Hello. My name is Veronica." She smiled reaching out her hand to take Hazel's and holding it longer than Hazel liked.
"Nice to meet you."
"And I'm Hans... don't you look lovely." He said taking her hand and kissing it.
Hazel looked to Varick who shrugged.
"Feel free to purchase anything, price is no object." The woman and man left them alone but sat outside the shop on a nearby bench.
"Okay, that was..."
"Weird." Varick finished.
"At least you get to go on a shopping spree." Hazel laughed.
"I suppose, I hate shopping." Varick said picking up a suit he thought would look decent.
"Blah." Hazel said putting it back. "Are you going to a funeral? Go with something like this." She handed him a black stylish sharp collar lapelled suit, and a white buttoned up shirt and smoky gray and black jeans, and for good measure, a pair of metallic gray laced up brogue ankle boots.
He looked at the pile of new clothes and back at Hazel.
"I know I'm a walking cliché right now, but I like picking out clothes for men." Hazel smiled. "I even picked out some nice clothes for Luc, that outfit he's wearing now. I picked that out."
"I'm trusting you then." Varick smiled and entered the changing booth and when he exited, Hazel gave the thumbs up.
"I think you can still kick ass in that, while not looking like a rich asshole." She nodded approving of her tastes.
"Since you picked out something for me, I'm gonna do the same for you." Varick smiled in a very mischievous way, enjoying the break from running for his life. 'If I’m gonna have walk around dressed like I came from a night club, it's only fair I get to pay her back.'
"No." Hazel shook her head. "I'm cool."
He pulled out a light pink cotton embroidery loose high low dress, the boho designs traveled along the front and the length of the long sleeves. "Put it on."
"Okay, but I'm only trying it on, this is your shopping trip." she gave in and entered the changing area.
She emerged with the item on and performing a little spin. "I need boots!" She headed over to the small section and picked out a pair of brown suede knee high boots and slipped them on along with a weaved brown hat.
Unbeknownst to them their every move was being recorded.
Chapter Seventeen
Hazel and Varick settled down near the boutique away from the prying eyes of the man and woman, this was it and they knew it. Once they had left the shop Veronica informed Varick that his flight was ready to go.
"Look at me, I'm getting this nice dress all sweaty." Hazel sighed hating how the garment was now sticking to her. Varick on the other hand looked fine though he still hid his eyes behind those shades the same as her. "So where is this safe house?"
"Montréal."
"Really?" Her brow cocked.
"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Varick felt her hot flushed forehead.
"Yeah." She nodded. "So far, I've been holding up just fine, even danced with Luc, but I think the moment I see a bed I'm gonna pass out and sleep for... well until I wake up." She chuckled feeling the sting of regret at their eventual parting.
Varick sighed, hesitant, everything in him told him not to leave her behind. "Why don't you come with me."
"I don't know..."
"Your friend wants to throw you on a plane to Europe, you know anybody there?"
Hazel laughed and shook her head.
"See."
Hazel smiled. "You know Varick, if you didn't have to go with those people I would have asked you to come with me. I wouldn’t have left you here."
"Your hair has gotten longer." He ran his fingers through it feeling the longer strands. Hazel grew nervous, quickly checking the ends which were just past her shoulders now.
"Oh? I didn’t notice." She felt her breath increase, and she didn't know what to think of the gentle contact.
"So, what do you say about my offer?" Varick asked withdrawing and already missing the heat of her skin and scent of her hair. "I know this is a selfish request, but, I want you there because I don't trust myself to go alone. And I don't trust leaving you alone. You're sick and need help, and I know you're strong. Hell, you've gotten me through a lot but how long can you keep it up? Your friend wants to keep you locked up somewhere, alone and safe but I don't believe that's what you want."
"We
ll, it seems like all roads lead to Montréal." She sighed. "When they took me from the hospital, that's where they were gonna take me, to some place called Ambrosia Tech. Maybe, when we go there, we can finally get some real answers, about what's wrong with us, and we can save Jonathan and get the truth from your father. I will admit, I don't feel so well, I haven't for a while but... fuck it. Let's do it."
Varick smiled. "Good. We held up for this long as a team and I don't plan to go in there blindly. I don't trust him, I don't trust any of them."
"Which means we need to come up with a plan to go there, get everything we want, and get out if we have to."
"Right."
"Oh my god, I'm actually doing this." She laughed. "I have to call Luc, but I know, if I call him now he'll just come over and stop me. I'll do it on the plane."
***
Varick entered the private lounge with Hazel by his side. Veronica closed her book and Hans finished his glass of white wine.
"I hope you got enough room." Varick said making it clear Hazel would join them.
"Of course!" Veronica chuckled. "I thought she was always coming all along."
"Good."
"I'll take you to the plane." The tall blonde stood, ready to escort them out the door but Hazel stopped in her tracks, fixed on what she thought she heard; a groan nearby. Varick stopped when she did, curious why she didn't continue and fearful of her having second thoughts. “What is it?" Varick asked.
"I thought I heard something but I don't think it was anything."
Veronica held the door open, waiting for them to arrive, that same toothpaste smile. "What's wrong, darling?"
"She may have heard something." Varick spoke up.
"Maybe I'm just paranoid, leaving Luc behind. But, maybe we should check up on it.... or maybe..." Hazel fidgeted, feeling the pit of her stomach give in to nerves.
"I'll go have a look around and see if your friend is okay. Perhaps ask him and his friends to join us." Hans smiled, not as welcoming as Veronica, but not as creepy.
"That's possible...?" Hazel sighed, the light fading. "No. He'll just send me off. But if you can check on him before we go that would be nice."
"Of course."
"Are you sure?" Varick stopped her from reaching the door. "If you want to go back and check yourself or if you don't want to--"
"No, I've decided. Luc can be stubborn, there's no way he would be okay with me going no matter how hard I put my foot down."
"Okay." Varick followed her out the door.
Once they ascended the stairs and entered the plane, he whistled an impressed tune once they entered the plane. He squeezed the soft leather seats and checked out the champagne kept on ice and the tray of fruits stationed nearby. 'Rich bastards really do have it all.' He opened the curtains separating first and business class and saw a row of seats occupied by a group of men and women dressed in military gear, like they were off to a war zone.
"They are here to you keep you safe." Veronica said taking a seat on the left.
Hazel sat down near the window on the right and Varick sat down beside her admiring the comfortable seats and extra leg room.
"Wow, never had a whole plane to myself." Hazel laughed.
"I never been on a plane before at all." Varick replied taking in all the sights and sounds.
"The first time I flew I was really nervous being so high up. It took a while before I could relax. I thought, if I died at least I would have had a great view."
"Well, that's comforting." Varick chuckled in a mocking yet non-malicious tone. A part of him almost treated this like a vacation, removing all the things he couldn't control from his thoughts, shut everything down and just pretend he's going someplace fun and exciting. Perhaps to a warm tropical island with a white shore beach. They'll rest on one of those lounge chairs with the umbrella to protect them from the sun's rays and she'll sip those sickeningly sweet drinks while he downs a few hard shots and then head to one of fancy hotel rooms with the plush white pillows with chocolate candies on top. He didn't allow himself to continue the fantasy.
Hazel leaned over Varick enjoying the fresh spicy scent which emanated from his skin, but taking in his scent was not the reason for her actions. "Excuse me." Hazel said gaining the attention of the clean-cut woman in the next row. "May I borrow your phone, I need to make a phone call."
"Is it important?" She replied hesitant to loan the girl her device.
"You can use mine." Hans appeared almost from nowhere and reached into his breast pocket and passed her his phone ignoring Veronica's look of dismay.
"Thank you." Hazel smiled.
"And nothing was out of the ordinary." He reported. "The police and military are patrolling; your friend is safe." Hans assured her before taking a seat.
"That's a relief." Hazel sighed.
Luc paced the small lounge upset at the rotten turn of events. "They're fucking gone!" Luc's phone rang, he checked the number but didn't recognize the caller. "Who is this?" He answered unable to hold back the heat of his voice.
"Luc, it's me, Hazel."
"Where are you?"
"Yeah. You might wanna cancel that plan to send me to Europe." She laughed. "I’m with Varick and we're going to Canada."
"You what?" Luc yelled before taking a breather. "Hazel please get back here."
"It's too late, we're taking off right now. Look we'll be in Montréal and I know we'll meet up with you later, just trust me We will find Ambrosia Tech."
"Hazel, you don't know what you're dealing with--" The long beep interrupted his plea. "Fuck she hung up." He tried calling the number back, but no one answered. Either she was ignoring him or someone else kept his call from going through. It was pointless. "We gotta catch our flight. Those bastards have Hazel, she's heading to Montréal."
"Okay." Michael was ready to go except Shane was nowhere in sight. "Shane's not back."
"Shit. Let's check the other side."
"Shane should have been following Hazel, if he didn't get in touch with us before she left then something happened." Michael tried to remain calm but found himself more on edge than ever. They marched until they reached the other terminal and sure enough a plane had just reached the air, flying fast and away from their sight. Luc knew Hazel was on board. "Oblivious and stubborn." He sighed moving on.
"She takes after you."
"Yeah?" He glanced to Michael knowing full well what he means. "This time it could get her killed."
A sudden scream rattled them causing them to halt their stride and once gunfire mingled with the guttural roar they knew their moment of peace was shattered.
"Fuck!"
"This way!" Luc yelled running ahead toward a group of soldiers pressing against the bulging doors as another aimed his gun to fire.
"Help us!" The trembling soldier yelled and Michael and Luc rushed to help when they gave way, bursting through with piles of Jaggers tearing the soldiers apart.
"Shit! Open fire! Open fire!" Luc hollered firing on the creatures, but the advance of the fast-paced stumbling creatures pushed them back until they were left with no other choice but to run.
Jaggers spill in from all sides coming after them, they high tailed it down the stretch of terminals finally losing them. They pressed their backs against the walls near a door and signal each other, ensuring each was ready before opening. Nothing so far but they couldn't ignore the rustling sounds of Jaggeds nearby. Sure enough they beat down the nearest door trapping them inside the halls. Luc fired on the first, a perfect shot to the head, then another. Michael lead a group around the bend careful not to fire on Luc with his high-powered assault rifle.
Luc fired on one and then another, twisting and turning to avoid the clawing fingers, unable to get a hold of him. Michael had taken down the last and they rushed into a nearby room and tossed the vending machine at the door to barricade themselves inside.
"Son of a bitch!" Michael was fearful of trapping himself inside a place he couldn't escape but his fears a
lleviated when he spotted the exit across the way.
They heard a wet smacking noise nearby and glanced at each other as if to say 'not again' and held up their weapons, reloading fast and heading further toward the sound.
A creature huddled in the corner cradling something in its long scaly arms, by the slumped legs and arms dressed in cameo, it was most likely a soldier caught in the vice like death grip. Michael squeezed the trigger but stopped once the creature rounded on him.
"Michael." It said before scampering to the other side of the room. "Don't look!"
"What the hell?" Michael gasped.
Luc gestured for him to halt his advance, Luc had no doubts that if this thing wanted them dead they would be fighting right now but it seemed frightened more than anything. "Come out now." This was the first creature that hadn't tried to kill him and more importantly could speak! The agent in him filled with curiosity, he wanted Intel if he could get it.
"You heard the man..." Michael backed off a little, though prepared to blow 'That thing' to hell and back if it so much as breathed in his direction.
"It knows you?" Luc asked approaching the huddled figure, it hunched in the dark with small bits of light reflecting on its rough surface.
"Let me explain!" The creature turned and finally faced the two men.
"Shane?!" Luc looked into his eyes recognizing the familiar color and... his face, the contours, it had to be!
"Bullshit! What the hell are you smoking!" Michael turned away before pressing his weapon in the creature’s face. "Where is he?! Where's Shane?"
"It's me!"
Michael fired a round in his leg. "Where is he?"
The creature howled in pain.
"Michael! Wait!" Luc lowered his gun. "What if he's right?"
"No! These things are intelligent, you saw for yourself." Michael squeezed his eyes unwilling to look at the monster before him. "I wouldn't put it past them to pretend to be our family or friends to fuck with us." He turned to Luc, tears in his eyes. "Shane wasn't infected."
"He looked ill when I first met up with you guys."
Michael put another hot one in his arm.
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