City of the Fallen - unedited

Chapter Twenty-Three

I didn't even know that we had to get a signature to simply ride the train until a few hours ago. Stacy was right, we're going to need to do a ton of things to even get permission to go on the trip.

"Very well. You better have true intentions my dears." He turns away and stashes the paper into his coat. "Start it up!" He shouts at basically nothing and the train doors close.

"There's nobody else riding this train?" Brooke asks. The two of us are alone.

"Nobody rides the train this early in the morning. Stage twos never ride this train period so the only people that step onto these white floors are stage threes. Once you get to stage three, however, you won't want to come back anyway." He smiles and turns away to face the window.

Brooke and I exchange the same nervous look as we take off. I do not feel comfortable around this person.

"Do we have to take a separate train to get to stage four?" Brooke asks him, and I grimace. I don't want to bother him any further.

He turns around slowly, a confused expression on his face. He almost looks mad. "What do you two have in mind of doing there? There is no place for some stage twos in the city of the stage fours. Who are you two?" He glares at us and we don't say anything. It's just a question. "No, you don't have to take a separate train, just don't get off at the stage three station."

Brooke nods and smiles, completely ignoring his rude attitude. I guess stage twos going to stage four is incredibly rare.

The whole ride there he stared out of the window. He stood flat on his feet with his hands tied around his back like a school teacher. I thought everyone here was supposed to be friendly but I guess I was wrong.

"Did Stacy tell you exactly what to do?" Brooke whispers to me.

"Sort of. She gave me an instruction sheet." I say and hold it up.

"Well what does it say? Where's the stage four that we have to talk to?" Brooke takes the sheet from me and I grab it back.

I begin to read some of the steps she listed on the paper. "Go to the Tindra building. You'll easily find it because it's one of the tallest buildings and it's full of windows. Carter is located on the twentieth floor, room 2071."

"There better be an elevator or else I'm aborting this mission." Brooke scoffs and I laugh softly. Her humor is letting me feel a little more relaxed.

***

Brooke shakes me awake and I break my eyes open. "Look!" She exclaims and points out of the window.

I blink a few times to clear up my blurry vision and I see the tallest buildings I have ever seen. The city is lined with perfectly rigid mountains and at least ten skyscrapers within them. It's better than stage two, much better. But it's smaller.

I see the building that Stacy was talking about and my heart feels extremely light. I smile with contentment and I sit up in my seat.

It's beautiful, far better than anything back at stage two. It looks more real and busy with life despite its small size.

"You missed stage three, but it wasn't that different from stage two." Brooke tells me, bringing her legs that rested the seat next to her down to the ground.

"This is it." I murmur and I gather my things before the train comes to a loud stop.

"Thank you sir." Brooke says to the man, though I don't know what she's thanking him for, being creepy? Being rude?

"I hope the best for you two." He tells us. His words are kind but his voice is still eerie and maybe a little bit worried. He sounds concerned for us two, which doesn't help calm my nerves.