Kian's phone started annoyingly ringing again right after the air hostess asked everyone to switch their phones off.
Kian switched it off and shoved it back in his pocket.
" Who is it? Your grandfather? ” Xen asked.
His grandfather had every right to be worried. He had just purchased four first class tickets to the end of the world, literally to the deserts,after mysteriously vanishing from school.
He wasn't even available to pick up his calls or text him back.
It had been Mira's call and the boys followed her without any question.
The address on the postcard was a North African state. But it looked shady. Nevertheless, they decided to investigate.
Mira and Braze were two seats behind Kian and Xen, eyes closed, sitting with an awkward silence.
They had barely flown for half an hour when suddenly there were some jolts, as if the aircraft was facing some disturbances.
Braze moved the blinds and looked out of the window.
The weather looked absolutely fine. He looked around to enquire about what was going on when his eyes met Xen's.
They knew exactly what was going on.
They had been followed.
" What's going on, ” Mira was about to get up but Braze shut her mouth with his hand and pulled her under the seat.
He crawled all the way to where Kian and Xen were.
" They are on the plane, aren't they? Braze asked, to which Xen nodded.
" What do we do? " Mira asked but this time it was a whisper.
" We keep moving and avoiding any confrontation. Otherwise we are done for , along with everyone else on this plane." Kian put in.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the front of the plane. Shouts echoed, and passengers turned their attention to the disturbance, providing a brief distraction.
Seizing the opportunity, Kian motioned for the others to follow him towards the luggage section, located at the rear of the aircraft.
Mira stumbled, a gasp escaping her lips, but Braze caught her just in time, muffling any noise.
" Careful, " he whispered in her ears. She nodded, straightening herself.
As they edged closer to the rear, they encountered a service door partially ajar, leading towards the cargo area. Kian, taking the lead, motioned for the others to follow.
They encountered barriers next.A series of locked doors and restricted areas.
" Please,let me, " it seemed like Xen's moment to shine. He skillfully bypassed one of the locks,granting them access to a staircase leading downwards.
They reached the storage area, scanning for a hiding spot amidst suitcases and cargos.
"We can't stay here for long," Xen murmured, urgency in his voice. "They'll find us soon if we don't move."
The space was stuffed and it was like a dead end. If they were found in that position, there was no place left to run.
"We need a new plan," Braze murmured, his eyes darting around. "This won't be the end of it."
" Let's jump! "
" What? " The boys turned at Mira with disbelief, shock and confusion but her eyes sparkled with excitement.
" Let's grab the parachutes and jump. We are crossing the Atlantic Ocean at the moment. We can still survive if we land decently on water. Right? "
The boys looked at her and barely refrained from using the term,
" Have you lost your mind? "
Instead Xen said, " Look Mira, it doesn't matter if it's land or water, what matters is... " But he didn't get to finish, " Mira interrupted.
" You know we will die if we come face to face even with one of them. And we will kill every single one in this plane... ” At this point the sound of a crying child reached their ears, " even that child, if we don't abandon this plane... " Then she added with a mischievous smirk, " This will also let us test our limits. We don't even know ourselves. ”
They knew they couldn't win against her.
" Okay! I will hold the door and you guys immediately jump out.I will need to close back up before letting go. We meet at the Port, no matter where we end. Is that clear? ”
Everyone nodded as Xen used his hand and knowledge to open the door. The alarms went off and chaos erupted and he could feel their pursuers, heading his way.
He quickly pushed all of them.
" Don't forget to open your parachutes, " he yelled.
Mira, Braze and Kian watched as he toiled to close the door from the outside.
" Come, Xen! Quick. Make it quick! " Mira yelled in panic.
She could see the hooded creatures creeping towards him.
But they did not have the luxury to keep watching. Gravity was a b*tch.
It tossed and turned them, all the while pulling them down as if it was missing them like crazy.
The three of them collided and separated several times.
But there was more chaos awaiting them as they saw cargo ships, flocking the ocean , just about when they were about to land.
" Mira ,open your parachute, " Braze yelled from the other side.
She quickly nodded and followed his command.
The wind carried the three of them away from each other, forcing each to focus on their own self.
Mira was carried the farthest away.
She went exactly in the opposite direction. She fell in the middle of nowhere and floated there for a while until some men in fishing boats noticed her.
Kian landed right on top of one of the containers that the cargo ships were carrying.
Braze on the other hand, was the luckiest. He was carried very close to the Port. He swam the rest of his way and made his way towards the market.
He knew it would take his friends some time to get back. He needed to arrange provisions for them, as much as was possible.
People watched him walk in the market, dripping from head to toe. But he smiled at the old lady selling the shirts and shorts.
He paid with the soaked money that he pulled out of his pocket in a terrible condition.
He thanked her and went inside a public washroom to get changed.