Anya

New ID, New Me: 5

"Why didn't he pick all of us up in Puerto Rico?" Four of the girls had asked me after we'd arrived in Florida and were on the bus that I'd rented for this occasion while River refueled and flew back to the Dominican Republic. I was astounded that they were actually speaking to me, but then, I realized that Hyacinth was right behind me and that they'd probably directed the question at her.

"Dom-Rep was closer, it's easier to get into that country than a US owned territory like Puerto Rico. Besides, if River had tried to fly to Puerto Rico, he'd have been shot down the second they saw his jet." Hyacinth answered as she sat among the girls and I drove the bus. I was beyond sleep-deprived and exhausted, but I knew that we were almost there. We'd get these girls back to their families or give them the IDs they needed to start new lives wherever they desired. Anya was the only one talking to us, the other girls chose to speak to each other and obey whatever we told them.

"Ty, do you think it's a good idea for you to drive after getting smacked in the back of the head?" Hyacinth asked, but I simply nodded, "we can trade spots when we get to North Carolina, you need to sleep." Hyacinth said and I nodded, eyes trained on the dark road. We'd arrived only half an hour ago and helped River prepare the helicopter for another round trip. Hyacinth was charging her phone with earbuds in her ears while she shut her eyes.

The sun would rise soon and declare that I'd been awake for too many hours to count. It definitely wasn't healthy in the slightest, but I needed to stay focused. Just a couple more hours.

I drove until the sun rose and parked a few cities outside the state of North Carolina. "Cinthy," I called for Hyacinth as her bright green eyes flung open. I'd thought the earbuds were for music, but instead, they were probably a way to drown out the noise of the engine.

"What's up, why did we stop?" She asked, stretching her arms as she walked over to me.

"I need to refuel, and I thought the girls would be hungry by now." I said, hearing my own stomach grumble.

"Sure, the girls are hungry." Hyacinth smirked and I smiled sheepishly. "I can drive from here it's only a couple more hours." Hyacinth responded, a newfound flare in her eyes, "I need coffee anyway."

I stood up and stretched my limbs, staring out the wide rectangular windshield and at the fuel station that I'd parked at. I reached under my seat for my emergency credit card and went to unlock the door.

"Ty, wait." Hyacinth called. I turned to look at her, squinting my eyes in order to regain my focus, "you're covered in dirt. Maybe I should go instead."

"Here, you refuel the gas and I'll go buy the food inside. They're probably starving." I looked over at the twenty-two pairs of eyes that were gazing right back at me. Nobody was asleep as they stared at me. Even if they were hungry, they wouldn't have voiced this out loud. Many were still too consumed in fear to attempt to understand that they were finally safe.

"May I go with you?" Her voice was small, but I recognized it instantly. Anya. The bold, the cunning Anya.

"S...sure?" I stuttered, my voice surprised as Hyacinth smirked at me. Mouthing 'I think she likes you' at me as I looked away and stepped out of the bus. I stretched my aching limbs, I couldn't recall what I'd done to be so sore, but my legs hurt and my shoulders were screaming.

It was calm, peaceful and the roads and infrastructure looked like every other part of America. I hadn't realized how much I missed the oddly shaped, paved roads until now. The cool air almost made me forget about the humidity of a nearby world. I glanced down at my clothes, stained with green grass and dirt. I wouldn't have been surprised to find my face that way as well. All I could think of was the nice, hot shower that I would take once I got home that would erase every marking of the real world.