Chapter 51
TWO YEARS LATER
The plane taxied across the runway and deftly lifted into the air. It was a beauty to behold, what with white and red colours glistening all over its body. The interior was even better. The cockpit sported state of the art dials and buttons, while the sitting areas had plush leather chairs and gadgets as well as many other attractions. A woman sat in one of the chairs peering down the lens of a camera. Her lips curled in a joyful smile. Every so often, she gasped as she sported a cloud. She turned to the man sitting beside her. "The clouds are so beautiful, they look just like cotton candy."
Her smile was wide and beautiful, making it difficult for anyone to resist smiling back at her. The man only managed a slight tweak of his lips as he turned to spare the clouds a glance. Within a few seconds, he turned his face back to gazing at the television, where the map-charting of their journey was visible. His face, an unfathomable mask as he continued staring at it.
The woman sighed and gently put the camera on her laps, then turned to the man. "Alex, please be calm, we will soon get there." She laid a hand on his and found it was shaking. At first she said nothing, sadness sparing her insides. Coming to a conclusion, she took his hands in her's. "Now, now, enough of that, aren't you tired of feeling sad? All this time and you still-"
"You can't expect me not to," was all he said before he turned back to watching the charting of their journey once more.
"Alright, let's see." The woman got up. "Let's change seats. I'm going to make you a cloud watcher by the end of this journey."
At first Alex didn't budge, but after some seconds, he reluctantly stood and changed seats. The woman gave him her camera and he began to take pictures. She could tell from the stiffness of his hands and the robotic way he clicked on the camera that he was only doing it to please her. His interest was evident. She was about to speak when the plane shuddered. She had been flying for so long and knew turbulence was normal, but when the plane shook once more, she turned to Alex with wide eyes.
He had put down the camera and was already facing her. Although he didn't look worried, his hands, however, clutched the armrest of the seat he was in. The red light went on and the pilot''s voice buzzed from the speaker. "We are experiencing some mild turbulence as a result of a storm brewing ahead. Kindly use your seat belts."
As if his words had conjured it, the sky suddenly darkened. Alex buckled his seat belt and so did the woman. Her eyes grew even wider. A sudden fear speared her insides and she began to breath harder. Sweat pooled on her forehead despite the cold temperature inside the plane. Alex noticed this and took her hand in his. "Ciara, relax, nothing is going to happen, we will get through this."
Ciara, however, did not seem to buy it. Her breathing got much worse as the plane shook even more. Forgetting about his own rising fear, Alex unbuckled his seat belt and knelt in front of his sister. "Ciara, look at me! Concentrate on my face." When he found out he had gotten her attention, he nodded. "Now, breathe deeply. In and out. While doing so, I want you to realize that you are safe, and nothing will happen to you."
He held on to her hands and continued talking to her as the plane shook and shuddered. After a few minutes of near-death experience, the sky cleared and the pilot's voice boomed through the speakers once more. "The worst is over, please unbuckle your seat belts."
Ciara let out a shaky breath as she pitched forward and hugged Alex. "Thanks, bro, I never want to experience that again."
Alex grinned and sat back in his seat. The rest of the flight went hitch-free until they arrived Japan. As soon as the plane banked and landed on the runway, a flurry of technicians spilled onto the tarmac and rushed towards the plane. Alex and Ciara took their carryon bags and walked out. "Welcome, sir, and madam!"
A short distance away, a smallish man approached them. His smile was wide as he greeted them in heavily accented English. "My name is Akio and I will be your driver and guide on the journey to camp Anuhi."
Alex's brows furrowed. He craned his neck left and right. "I don't see a car."
"It's right here." Akio pointed to a banged-up looking car behind him.
Alex found his mouth going dry. "I can't go in that."
"It's a very good car, sir, we will get to camp Anuhi in two hours." He raised his hand in the air in a peace sign.
As Alex shook his head and began backing away, Ciara placed a hand behind his back. "Relax! If he says it's fine, then its fine."
He looked at Ciara, fear, evident in his eyes. It took a bit of time for it to recede, but when it did, he nodded. Ciara took ahold of his hand and guided him to the car, just incase he changed his mind. She figured she could do nothing if he did, but at least, she could cajole him. When they situated themselves inside and were on the way, she turned to him. "Look at us, we're a pair of class acts- me, scared of a little turbulence." She gave a small laugh and shook her head, "and you - an unnecessary fear of cars that are not sleek."
"Unnecessary?" Alex reared back. "No! This box is a jalopy, it's scrap. It should be dismantled and its parts used for something else." He threw up his hands. "Better still, thrown away."
They looked at each other and laughed off a bit of the anxiety that lingered in the air. Ciara realized Alex had pent up emotions before coming on this trip. Emotions which had lasted for two years. She shifted her legs into a more comfortable position as she looked out the window.
She became entranced with the buildings. Where America had columns, domes and pediments as buildings, Japan had mostly wooden structures which were elevated slightly off the ground, and tiled roofs. Now and then, Akio would interrupt their silent musings and explain the history and tradition of Japan. He also pointed out some famous buildings as they passed.
The car was surprisingly fast, and Ciara could not help but rib Alex about it. Lulled by the movement of the car and the blurring of the scenery, Ciara fell asleep few minutes later with her head on Alex's shoulder, but he remained wide awake. He could not sleep. His nerves were stretched taut with anxiety. Anxiety on seeing Mia again after two years. Those two years had been the worst years of his entire life.
Worse, even, than being tied up when he was young, and left for dead in the basement
If Red had done a good job of investigating, then his findings were about to pay off. Alex's legs bounced but he did not notice. He cracked his knuckles and fixed his eyes on the road.
"Patience, sir, we are one minute away." Akio glanced at him from the rear view mirror.
Alex nodded and continued to bounce his legs, although he slowed it down as he became aware of it so as not to wake Ciara. He brought out his phone, checked the time, then he lifted his head, and his mouth fell open. In the not so far distance, jagged mountains stood. These were no ordinary mountains, though, they were snow-capped, with misty fog swirling around them. It took his breath away as he gazed at them.
"Wow!" Was all he was able to manage.
"It is a beautiful sight and always takes my breath away as well whenever I see them." Akio said, equally mesmerized as he too gazed at them.
Beside Alex, Ciara stirred, and looked up. "It's really beautiful." She shivered, and Alex realized she didn't have a jacket on. He removed his and draped it around her shoulder.. She thanked him gratefully. The car took a sharp right and entered onto a narrow road. There, the houses were smaller and more traditional-looking. They had thatched roofs, sliding doors and wooden verandas circling the frontages of their homes.
"Camp Anuhi, sir and madam." Akio snatched Alex out of his thoughts as the car rolled to a stop in front of a clearing.
Alex frowned as he got out. "But where is. . ." And then he saw it. Expecting to see a traditional-looking Japanese building, he was shocked to see a modern one-story building instead.
"When the former owner passed away, the new owner pulled it all down and built this up. I much prefer this." Akio turned Alex. "Wouldn't you say?"
The man obviously assumed Alex had come here before. He only shrugged in reply to his words. He bade them good bye and left. As Alex and Ciara walked towards the building, she glanced in awe at it. "This must be Mia's doing."
Alex said nothing. His stomach was knotting up and his heart beat had intensified. Even his palms had begun to sweat. He shook off the anxiety seeping into him and marched forward. He didn't notice the swings hanging from tree branches, nor the other toys littering the snow dotted ground. He didn't even notice the large canopy trees shading the children. They all wore the traditional Japanese robes and were singing a song in English.
Alex strode inside the building and stopped. Toasty warmth wrapped around him like a cloak. "Good morning sir, welcome to camp Anuhi, how can I help you?"
At first he just gazed at the woman seated behind a glass desk before he finally found his voice. "I would like to see Miss. Mia Hernandez, immediately."
The woman's brow furrowed. She was about speaking when Ciara poked her head from behind. "Actually, we would like to see Zero."
A look of comprehension spread all over the woman's face and she smiled. "Oh! Miss. Zero. A minute please, let me get her on the line." She picked up a phone on her desk and dialed some numbers. After speaking for a bit, she turned to them. "Miss. Zero will see you on the playground." She pointed back the same way they had come. "You just passed i-"
Alex turned and strode back determinedly, the same way he came. This time, he saw the children singing under the trees as well as a woman standing to the side, but he didn't see Mia anywhere. He looked back at the woman and his eyes bulged. He stopped moving, oblivious of the light snow that had begun to fall. As if drawn by his persistent gaze on her, the woman turned, and their eyes clashed. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. Alex didn't know when he began to move forward, but instead of walking towards him, the woman turned and ran.