Echo [11] (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 3

Agent Coulson flagged down a taxi, and I shifted my feet as we waited. 

"So, where exactly am I going?" I asked.

 "America. But I can't tell you where exactly. Compartmentalization and all that. No one but the principal knows," He said.

 A taxi pulled up and we got inside after I set my luggage into the trunk. 

"Do you speak English?" The taxi driver gave him a confused look, signaling that he didn't. 

"Okay. Can you translate? We need to go to Rostock-Laage Airport," He said.

 "Bitte Flughafen Rostock-Laage," I told the driver, and he nodded. He pulled into the street, the car bumping slightly as he did so. An hour later, we arrived at the airport and the driver looked at me. 

"130 Euro," He said.

I sighed, pulling out my wallet and passing over the required amount.

 "130 euros?" He asked, shocked.

 "It's 2.28 euros per mile, and 2.19 for just getting in and saying where you need to go," I explained. 

"You have that kind of money?" He said, surprised. 

"My parents are rich. Did you not see my house?" I said, sending him a questioning look.

"I was more focused on my task," He admitted as we entered the airport. Tickets and stuff weren't an issue, since they had been acquired beforehand. We found our terminal, taking a seat. 

"Is there anything else you can tell me about this academy?" I asked.

 "A lot of other kids go there besides people like you. Some are high-risk kids who need protection, and some just attend because it looks good on a resume," He said.

"How many other people like me are there?" I asked. He started mumbling under his breath, tapping his fingers.

 "Um, 12 others," He said, and I stared.

 "12? I guess I'm not as alone as I thought I was," I said. By then, we were trudging down the terminal that connected the plane to the airport. We found our seats, and I got the window seat, listening to the spiels twice since they were in English and German. 

"You wanna get comfortable. This is a 12-hour flight, so we're gonna be here a while," He said. 

I sighed, shifting in the small seat. I was a skinny kid, and I was underweight by almost 20 pounds for my height. There was zero legroom, which sucked because I was taller than the average person. Eventually, I found a semi-comfortable position and closed my eyes. The sound of muddled voices and the hum of the engine eventually sent me to sleep. I woke up a few hours later, my joints stiff as I moved. 

"How long until we land?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep.

 "About 6 hours. You slept for a long time, I'm surprised you didn't wake up during the turbulence," He said.

"Okay," I said, yawning. I passed the remaining 6 hours by watching Disney movies. I was ever grateful to be able to stand up and stretch after being crammed into the small, beschissen seats the airline provided. It was pitch-black outside, but I wasn't tired at all since it was 8 AM in Germany right now.

 "God, jet lag is the worst," He muttered, looking out the window.

We shuffled off the airplane and into the JFK airport. I saw tired men in suits dragging luggage around, presumably businessmen returning from overseas. We sorted out everything necessary and then got into an old red car. Coulson was very proud when we approached the car, calling it Lola. 

"She's a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette," He said, sounding like he was talking about a child. I shrugged, climbing in after putting my stuff in the trunk. 

"Sorry, but I gotta do this. Protocol, and all," He said, pulling a blindfold out of the glove compartment. I sighed, tying it around my face.

 "Get some sleep," He suggested.

 "I slept on the plane," I objected, not being able to see him.

"You have to get used to this time zone. So sleep," He said, and I begrudgingly followed orders. A while later, I was shaken awake by Coulson. 

"You can take the blindfold off, we're here," He said, and I ripped the black fabric off my face. I glanced at the clock embedded into the dash, which told me it was 4 AM. A woman with a gun came out, aiming it at and relaxed when she saw Coulson.

"Welcome to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy,"