Light A Way

48

"May I put in a request?" The ride so far had been silent. The music blaring from Peter's headphones had quietly hummed in the air. Though no one could really hear the lyrics, or the song in general. But it seemed to cause the younger male to be at ease. Elsie was actually sure he had gone to sleep behind his dark goggle like glasses. But she wasn't going to disturb him. Even more so with what he was about to do. Which bought her mind back to the task at hand.

Charles looked at her while moving from leaning against the door handle. "What's wrong?" There was evidently something wrong. There had to be or else she wouldn't have spoken at all.

Turning as much as she could in her seat, without ending up in Peter's unsuspecting lap, she looked to him. Placing her hands gently against his arm she patted the sleeve of his jacket gently before thinking of the right words to say. "I'm staying in the car."

"What?" Hank turned in his seat and looked back at the three of them, mainly Elsie and Charles.

Elsie looked at him, she supposed having a private conversation in a full car wouldn't work. "I can't come in."

"That still doesn't answer the question."

"Don't you join in too!" She exclaimed while looking to Logan with a frown. "Three against one, really?"

"I've technically not really said anything yet. So don't include me in with this." Charles said while she ran a hand down her face and sighed heavily.

"I can't be around possible armed men. Security cameras, just...everything...the people..." Elsie could openly admit that really the mere thought of it all caused her to feel rather uneasy. This feeling grew as they got closer to their destination. "I'll stay with the car."

"So it's your turn to be the getaway driver, huh?" Hank smiled slowly and sat back in his chair.

She looked uncertain yet nodded slowly. "If that is what you want." Charles said while taking a hold of one of her hands and grasping it gently in his own. Truthfully he didn't know where she would be able to fit in when it came to freeing Erik anyway. And if he was to be completely honest: her staying with the car was safe. She wouldn't be near armed men. She wouldn't be surrounded by serious suited people. Those things unsettled and annoyed her anyway, it seemed the feeling had doubled since being locked away.

Finally pulling over everyone filed out of the car. Logan passed the keys to her and walked along the sidewalk casually while pulling Peter by his sleeve when it looked like he was about to bolt somewhere.

"Please come back in one piece." Elsie looked between Hank and Charles. "I'll see you two soon." Leaning forwards she managed to put an arm around each of them and hold them tightly. Standing and leaning against the car she waved at the group.

She felt good, as bad as it sounded, to not be with them. She couldn't think of anything worse. Regardless of the hacking device which Hank had briefly explained to her. Sure the cameras would be down, but that still didn't put her at ease. Even as she stood watching her friends leave she was receiving curious looks. Climbing back into the car she started the engine and pulled away. She groaned, people! Why did people have to be so instantly curious?

Gritting her teeth she turned the corner and sat and waited. She ended up turning the radio on and tuned it to the local station. Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel she sighed. Perhaps she should've gone with them? Snorting she rolled her eyes and kicked the engine into life. With a screech of tires she skidded the car to the pavement, doors opened and even before everyone was fully seated she was off tearing down the road. "Good afternoon, all! Welcome to Hart Taxis, where we put our hearts into getting you from A to B." Elsie paused and chuckled, "I crack myself up, move it granny!" Hauling the car to the side she listened to the groans of people banging into each other. "Sorry! Sorry everyone!"

"Hey, for a tagline you could have: 'We Don't Miss A Beat', in really bold colourful letters down the sides of your car." Peter said while Elsie childishly laughed and hit the brakes so she could swerve down another street. Peter laughed over his own continuation of the rather pathetic joke and the two received blank looks from the others in the car. "We're laughing alone. Lighten up! We've done what we intended to do, right?"

"We didn't do all we did only for Elsie to crash us into a lamp post."

"Now you know how it feels." Elsie said while slowing the car down so it could well and truly mingle in with the other traffic which was out in the day.

"This isn't a time for a karma lesson." Charles said while looking wide eyed at the sudden route she had taken to get out of the line of direct traffic.

"I hate to be a backseat driver. But do you know where you're going?" The all too familiar sarcastic tone she hadn't heard for years spoke up strongly.

"Hah! No!" Elsie said and then hit the brakes. Everyone vaulted, and glared, a lot. But the looks lessened when they spotted a cruising police car up the end of the street. Turning slowly she looked at the squashed passengers. "Hello, Erik."

"Time and a place for reintroductions, Elsie. And I believe this is neither." Erik said while looking at her sharply.

She smiled and nodded. Starting up driving again she followed the prompts and road signs before the sight of the airstrip appeared. She nervously fidgeted in her seat. Flying. Aeroplanes. It was still a sore subject. Sure they had to travel in one to get to Peter, but that was a relatively short trip, and that was fine. But long distance? Long distance caused her to hit the brakes hard. She was rather sure someone's head impacted against the back of her seat. She jumped out of the car while apologising. In a flash Peter was beside her seemingly trying not to laugh.

"Who head banged?" She whispered while leaning closer and glancing up at him and then at the others as they exited the car. In a not so subtle way, Peter coughed and nodded towards Logan. Seemingly catching onto the pair he looked at them with narrowed eyes. "Sorry!" Elsie exclaimed while holding a hand up. He just rolled his eyes muttering away to himself about something as he entered the plane.

"You might be receiving glares and silence for a while." Peter commented and nodded slowly at Hank as he waved a farewell and entered the plane. He had been lucky enough to not get squashed in the back of the car, so for the most part he was the only one from the car journey who was doing okay.

"I'm going to be drowning in testosterone, more like." Elsie dryly stated while crossing her arms and frowning slowly.

"Yikes, yeah, I didn't think of that. I feel sorry for you." Peter scratched the back of his neck and grinned at her.

Shaking her head slowly she smiled. "That's kind of you Peter, really...so kind." She said sarcastically, regardless Peter still laughed. Whether over her words, the general moment, the situation she'd find herself in when on the plane, or just because he felt like laughing; she honestly didn't know. "Oh well, I better hop to it. It was good meeting you, Peter. Perhaps we will cross paths again. But if we don't: stay out of trouble, and keep avoiding capture." She winked and held a hand out.

"Should you really be encouraging me? Doesn't seem like it's something your boyfriend would agree with." He replied while casually shaking her hand and then letting go to place his hand back in his pocket.

"Shh, what he doesn't know won't hurt him." Elsie smiled and patted him on the shoulder before walking off towards the stairs which led up into the plane. She frowned and turned to retort to Peter's other words only to notice he was now driving away in the rental car.

"Elsie?" Blinking slowly she looked down at Charles. "You okay?"

"Yeah...just, Peter...I had something else to say to him, but whatever." Elsie shrugged and walked into the plane. Boyfriend, she thought with a pout. She wanted to retort that they weren't like that. Once, yes, but now? Elsie wasn't sure what they were, rolling her eyes she edged out of the way so Charles could sit. "Where's our escapee?" Elsie asked noticing Erik was missing from the cabin. Logan looked up from over the top of a newspaper and simply jerked a thumb in the toilets direction. Elsie let out a quiet: "Oooh," which got dragged out quietly before she sat down on one of the sofas.
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(Edited: 24/June/2019)

(Reedited: 10/Dec/2021)