4. P R O T E C T O R S : Primordial

CHAPTER V

Camilla woke with a start.

Sunlight was pouring through the airplane's windows, forcing her to shield her eyes. Grimacing, she glanced over to her right, where Autumn was still fast asleep (and snoring like a chainsaw). Then she checked the clock on her phone, which flashed the numbers "08:00" back at her.

Camilla groaned and stretched her arms upward. "Only ten hours to go," she muttered to herself.

Suddenly, Taxi's voice blared over the plane's PA system. "Hey, kids! Up n' at 'em!" she sneered. "We've arrived at our destination, an' we're touchin' down in five!"

Camilla frowned, confused. "What?" She undid her seatbelt and headed up to the cockpit, knocking lightly on the door.

"What? What is it?" Taxi snapped from inside. "I'm drivin' here!"

"Um, Ms. Taxi, ma'am?" Camilla said. "I thought you said we'd be here by six tonight. And what about the gas stops?"

"We got a little assistance while you were sleepin'," Taxi snarled. "Now scram! I'm tryin' to put this thing down in one piece!"

Camilla hesitated. Then she nodded and replied, "Yes, ma'am." She turned and walked back to her seat, sitting slowly and staring out the window.

Sure enough, the plane was descending through the clouds toward an airstrip on the ground far below. "'Assistance', huh?" she mumbled. "What kind of 'assistance' gets you from the Northwest Territories to Mexico in half the time it should take?"

"Huh?"

Camilla looked over as Autumn snorted and opened his eyes, blinking at her blearily. "Whadjyusay?" he slurred, smacking his lips.

"Good morning to you, too," Camilla responded with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"Uh-huh," Autumn said through a yawn. "You?"

"Yeah..." Camilla turned back to the window as her voice trailed away.

Autumn cocked his head. "Cam? What's up?"

Camilla glanced at him and replied, "We're landing."

Autumn's eyes widened. "What?" he exclaimed, leaning over and peering out the window. "How's that possible?"

"Ask Taxi. She said something about getting some kind of 'assistance'."

"Huh. Weird."

"Hey! If you losers ain't buckled in, I'm circlin' around!" Taxi yelled over the PA.

"We're buckled in, Taxi!" Camilla yelled back, rolling her eyes.

"Good! Brace yerselves."

Suddenly, the plane hit the ground. Camilla and Autumn bounced in their seats, crying out in protest as the plane taxied for a few hundred feet before screeching to a halt.

Taxi's evil chuckle resonated through the cabin.

"Very funny!" Camilla shouted, unbuckling herself and standing. Autumn did the same, and both of them took their luggage out of the overhead storage compartments before heading to the plane's boarding ramp.

"Whoa there, C!"

Camilla yelped as Taxi yanked her back into the plane by the back of her shirt. "What the—hey!" Camilla cried. "What're you doing?"

"There's been a slight change in plans," Taxi said with an appropriately wolfish grin. "Autumn's runnin' recon. Yer comin' back with me."

"What? Why?!"