Voyage [Part 2]

Jim's time with Kay did not seem like a wasted time to him. And neither did his conversation too. At this moment, he was on his phone just idling by. From time to time, he would continue his conversation with Kay. And from the conversation, he did get to understand part of the personality of Kay.

"You do really think you can survive in the Academy? Brother's girl!"Jim had asked.

"Say what you will." Kay replied. "You do not want to cross me."

That alone with her character personality including the way he she had always answered his questions gave Jim the idea that she was a strong and agile person. The attendants who this time were unmistakably attendants had had moved round the room dishing out snacks including drinks. Jim surely had displayed his voracious eating habits at this point in time.

"Really, do you eat that much?" Kay had asked looking at Jim who had a little wine stain on his shirt and was not very comfortable with it.

Jim stared at Kay for awhile and then looked at the stain on his shirt. He turned back to what he was devouring before finally muttering.

" You have no idea"

This only drew a laughter from Kay who had gotten used to his responses already.

Almost two hours after the travel began, an attendant entered the VIP section of the plane. Walking from the front of the section to the back she kept repeating a piece of information.

"All passengers, please fasten your seat belts. The plane is about to land." The lady repeated herself for some time before leaving the room.

Jim felt good, and at the same time, he felt bad. He felt good because his almost two hours in a plane was about to come to an end and he would finally return to land and get this little sick feeling he felt off his stomach. He felt bad as he did enjoy the conversation he was having with Kay. Most importantly, this journey coming to an end would reawaken the feeling that he never wanted to feel again. The feeling that he had left his family and may never see them again. However, he strapped across his seat belt and waited as he felt the craft land, while several 'be calm' notifications were sounded in the VIP section.

Jim looking out the window could see where the airport was landing. It looked like an Airport on an island in the centre of a large water body. The architectural design was a wonder. On the island itself were what resembled fortresses, military bases in addition to the drones that were hovering over the island.

Soon after, the plane descended, and after some motion on the runway, the craft came to a halt.

Passengers who were eager to get off the plane began to do so as soon as the doors were opened. As for Jim, he wasn't so eager to get off the plane neither did he habour any thoughts of remaining where he was. He got up and carried his luggage which was just directly above him and descended down the plane, Kay directly in front and himself behind. Finally Jim had descended off the train. But for some reason, Kat was still waiting with him. The airport was quite navigable because it's layout was pretty understandable and the place to go was clearly defined on the piece of paper the butler told him to keep safe. Jim walked on in hopes of finding it on time. His butler had warned him not to rest or sit for a moment or else, his movement could be delayed by days.

Kay was also following him up close and he had to ask.

"You're sure we're going the same way? The directions I have here pretty much seem to be peculiar to me."

"I'm just following for the time being

I really do not want to sit idly by." she said

"Moreover" she continued, "I sent my brother a text message when I arrived according to his instructions. He hasn't replied yet. So I guess I'm free to do what I like. Besides, we've gotten close like friends over our long time conversation. It wouldn't be wrong to know you a little more. "

" I guess so " Jim muttered.

Soon enough, he had found the section he was looking for. It was an intersection of the waiting hall, farer into the airport. On the top glass wall situated before the section was inscribed - ITF.

The meaning of ITF became clear when the white washed display walls displayed the words 'Immediate Transport Facilities'.

This section did not look any different compared to the others. It was still as busy, and there were several individuals in white behind counters who attended the the growing crowd. Luckily for Jim, Kay had called his attention to a counter which was deviod of much people. After some moments of waiting, Jim came across the counter, he passed the golden card his butler had returned back to him across the counter to the male behind it. The attendant pushed the card into a small device. A ringing sound was heard from the little speaker at the other side of the table. It sounded very much likes call was being put through. The attendant had looked at Jim for a brief moment and turned back to the device he was handling. It seemed like he was on a call, but the speaker did not resound anything being said. That was except for the words the male attendant mouthed. Soon after, he was done with his call. He turned to look at Jim, and handed to him a card gold in color. But this time, the color was less intense. The card was a digital device.

"Place your finger on that spot right there" the attendant spoke directing Jim.

When Jim did as told, the spot where he laid his finger upon turned blue and then returned to normal.

"That's a finger print scanner. The card now only responds to you." the attendant explained. "When you place your finger on it, you will receive a holographic guide. However, when paired with your personal digital device, you can receive voice messages. It'll get you to the Academy safely."

Jim now understood the purpose of this card. It was like an artificial intelligence designed to respond only to navigation and guide problems.

The attendant directed Jim to a hall and told him to wait for a notification from his paired device. While seated, Jim took a moment to analyze his surroundings but soon got bored with that. He switched to discussing with Kay, but they both got bored with that. She herself was more interested in browsing the social media than listening to him, some of the time.

Ding dong

A notification bell rang from Jim's phone. Jim unlocked the phone and stared at it. However, he wasn't staring at the notification. Instead, he was staring at how much his phone had changed since it was paired with the card.

"Do you understand this" Jim asked Kay showing her his device.

The device had the letter a displaying itself as the background of the phone. There were also notifications that the phone had been accessed by some unknown and not traceable third party which could not be blocked.

Kay shook her head to indicate she didn't understand it either.

"Welcome to the Academy" a tall figure spoke from behind Jim. Jim turned back to look at the individual who had spoken. Turning behind him, he saw a tall man who well was the definition of tall even when he was sitting.

"What'd you say?" Jim asked back.

The tall man smiled and continued his testimony.

"The card is paired with the central Academic program restricted only to this place. Thus, anything like my privacy should be disregarded. Anyway, you won't be able to use this phone very soon."

Jim was very annoyed. This had just spoiled his mood. He wouldn't be so stupid to ask an attendant to reverse the what had just happened for him. Right now, even Kay could see the look of anger in Jim's eyes.

" It's not always what you expect Jim. The Academy is just not one of those your expectations." She tried to pacify Jim. "It was the same way my brother felt when he came here for the first time. He would have actually abandoned his reasons to come here if it were not for some connections he gained."

"How do you know that?" Jim asked.

"He narrated his experience to me" Kat replied.

"Are you just trying to pacify me?" he retorted.

Kay was shocked Jim could think such a thing. However, they had just met.

"What do you think?" she replied back.

"Just let me be" Jim angrily stated, in a commandeering way.

Kay looked at Jim for some time. After wards, she packed her golden hair which had gotten in the way of her sight, backwards.

"What can you really do about it? " she responded referring to Jim's phone.

"If any one wanted, they could just beat you up or kill you and dump you some where with the rest of your arrogance."

Jim stared at her from a corner of his eye and finally sighed. He looked at her face and just wanted to reach out to caress it. The thought of that alone, dispelled all of his anger. Jim smiled and raised up his hands in surrender.

" I get you. And I'm sorry" he apologized.

Kay nodded her head, signifying his apology had been accepted. She also noted that Jim kept his eyes locked with hers and turned her face away leaving Jim amused.

Another notification sounded. This time, it wasn't Jim's phone, but Kay's. Kay looked at her phone and turned to Jim.

"Jim" she said.

"I've got to go. It was nice meeting you." she concluded before running off in the distance.

'I hope we meet again " Jim thought.

Soon after Kay's abrupt leaving, a notification came up from his phone. Others around him recieved similar messages. Jim was about to continue his voyage once more. This time, without Kay. Soon, he would be at his new home. This was Jim's thought.

Some military personnel came over to where Jim sat and directed everyone who had recieved a specific notification to follow them.

The military personnel led them through a walkway different from other sections of the airports. The walkway was only wide enough for three persons at a time, so others followed behind in groups of three. The walkway was designed as a bridge over a river in what looked like an underground region.

After some moments of strolling in the dimly lit area, the group running into hundreds reached an open space where there were several hundreds of buses larger that the normal coaster ones.

"Are we going to drive the rest of the way?" Jim thought.