Codes (Book 2)

Chapter 10: Justin

I can't believe I haven't posted a picture of Queen Saralee yet! Here's one on this chapter.

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By the time we were through security, even with the Glitches having to practically Code their way through every checkpoint, it was still only 9:30. Because it's no fun just sitting idle at the gate, especially when you have the stress level of a teenager expected to save the human race, Amanda gave the Glitches twenty minutes of free time before they had to be back, ready for the flight. The moment the words left her mouth, Claire rushed around the corner to where I stood, a reasonable distance away.

"Is everything going fine? Did anyone see you?" She asked frantically.

"No. So far, so good," I gave her a thumbs up.

"Great," she sighed with relief. "So, now that we're away from the other Glitches, we have twenty minutes. What do you want to do?"

"What do you think I want to do?"

A few minutes later, the two of us were sitting at a tiny table in front of the miniature airport version of Sonic.

"We had better really enjoy this," Claire said gravely as she plucked a deep, red cherry off the top of her swirls of spotless vanilla ice cream and popped it into her mouth. "These are probably going to be the last ice cream sundaes we ever eat."

"Okay, that's just sad," I angrily jabbed my plastic spoon into the hard ice cream. "Goodbye, ice cream sundae. You were always so delicious, and I loved you so dearly. You will be sorely missed," I let out a feigned sniffle.

"But Lessaenite food is great too!" Claire beamed, licking her lips. "I'd kill for a fresh, warm Linaberry tart right now..."

"Why should I care? It's not like I'm going to make it to Lessaenes," I sighed.

"Sometimes, I feel like we WGO regs have it the worst. Why do we have to suffer through the agony of knowing what's going to happen to us? I wish I could be like the seven billion other oblivious regs in the world and die peacefully and instantaneously, without the long wait."

"Don't say that!" Claire gasped, furrowing her eyebrows. "You're not going to die, you're coming with us. I'll find a way to get you safely out of the Program, I have to! You're going to help defeat Queen Saralee, and then everything's going to be okay."

"Suit yourself," I shrugged, although I didn't believe in her fantasies. I had accepted the fact that I had less than two weeks to live.

"But your best bet on Lessaenes would be to hide and hope no one- or nothing- finds you," I told her. "Don't do anything stupid, like joining some rebellion or something."

"But I have to join the Flame!" Claire exclaimed. "Eight years ago, Queen Saralee placed the curse of cold, the most powerful and painful of the four Aural curses, on my sister! Every day she rules is a day Tara suffers! We need to bring her down!"

"Claire...hate to burst your bubble, but the closest thing to a weapon you've ever used is a butter knife. Even awesome alien genes can't turn a high schooler into a ninja assassin."

"But the gift can," Claire looked down at her arm and flexed her fingers. I noticed that her veins were a bit bluer than normal. "It's just too perfect, I'm the one that escaped Lessaenes and also the one who inherited her gift. It's like I was born to kill her. It's my destiny."

"Are you okay?" I raised an eyebrow. "You're not a superhero, Claire. You're going to get yourself killed!"

"Maybe I'm not a superhero now...but I can be!" Claire beamed. "We'll never know until I get to Lessaenes, the Lessaenite atmosphere is really good for your Aura!"

"I think Kelly's seriously rubbing off on you," I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, dreaming's the first step," Claire shrugged. "It's time to get back to the gate, we better get going," she said, looking down at her watch. I nodded and began to follow her, before a doubt struck my mind.

"Wait...you aren't actually going to Lessaenes, are you?" I asked.

"Not immediately. I'm guessing Amanda will take us to Rhena, since that's where the Flame base is."

"Oh," I slowly nodded, that wasn't a bad plan. At least they weren't being dumb and attacking Saralee's capital on their first night on Lessaenes. With the way Claire was talking, I wouldn't have been surprised if she decided to do something like that.

I continued to follow a few yards behind Claire as we walked back to the gate.

Once we were there, I made sure to sit a few rows away from the cluster of Glitches. Wouldn't want to risk being spotted.

"Okay, guys, here's the plan," I heard Amanda say, and unconsciously began to eavesdrop.

"When we get off in Alaska, we'll Code some taxis to take us to a hotel. Then, we'll Code the receptionist to give us a few rooms, and spend the night. Tomorrow, we'll see about getting to the Northern Lights."

The Glitches smiled, high giving Amanda and each other before they made the boarding announcement for business class and the top two fifths of our organization got in line.

I made eye contact with Claire for a second, and she responded with a thin smile.

When it was our turn to board, Claire purposefully got at the very end of the line of Glitches, so that she was directly in front of me.

The Glitches handed the woman Amanda's fake, Coded boarding passes and one by one, disappeared into the long tunnel that led to the plane. Claire Coded her to look the other way as I walked through, my heart jumping for a second although I knew I was perfectly safe.

I was filled with a strange sense of deja vu as I walked in and took my seat on the plane, a few rows behind the Glitches.

My trip to WGO. Funny how things worked out.

I buckled my seatbelt and half listened to the safety announcement as I pulled out my phone. This was going be the longest five hour flight of my life.