Chapter 2-The Bus Ride

I walked to the nearest shuttle bus stop and waited for one to take me to the Wichita Airport. It was a cool, windy night. In the distance, I could hear prairie dogs barking. Otherwise, it was eerily quiet. Thankfully, I didn't wait too long before the shuttle arrived. I hastily got on with my one bag of luggage and requested the autopilot computer to take me to the airport. It was about a 30-minute drive to the airport, and I was the only one on the shuttle until a middle-aged woman got on a few miles down the road. She requested to go to the airport as well. This woman was a bit on the frail side, but she was well-dressed--her bracelets were made of fine metals, and her clothes were of the highest quality material. When she seemed to have settled in her seat, I asked, "I noticed you are going to the airport too! Where are you headed?" She looked at me and smiled, "I am headed to the Eastern Provinces to visit family. I was forced to move here as an infant due to the Revolution's violent take on the east coast of the USA. I still have family there, and I am going to visit them," she said, seeming excited, "What about you, young man?" I just realized I had made a big mistake. What if she was against the WCO? I never really got into politics, but it seemed that she could be one of those conservative nuts who would be angered by my career aspirations. I couldn't just say I was going to work for them! She might get offended or aggressive towards me! In a panic to come up with a cover story, I shuffled my hands around my bag, accidentally bumping the power button to my iHolo. It turned on, displaying a reminder not to miss my flight to New Seattle. "New Seattle, huh?' she said, "That's one of the main installments of the WCO here in the ASA," "Oh yeah, I… I was hoping to find a job there…" I blurted out, blushing. The shuttle came to a stop, and the doors opened to drop us off. "Uh, I guess this is us!" I said, trying to change the conversation. I hurriedly grabbed my bag and walked out of the bus, trying not to look at her. As I paced quickly to the entrance of the airport, I heard behind me, "Be careful, they're not who they say they are!" I paced even faster, blushing at the thought of being judged like I just was. But what did she mean by "they're not who they say they are?" I pushed that thought off, merely deeming her as a conspiracist and just another province folk. I tried to forget she ever existed.