One In A Billion | Transformers Prime [1]

𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟕

A few moments of muffled shrieking as the train pulling up started to gain speed. It jerked my pen, making my hand scribble a line through my cryptanalysis project. I sighed, ripped the piece of paper from my notepad, and screwed it into a ball. It was no good, anyway. 

I was on the train to Chinatown, Las Vegas, Nevada. Jack, Miko, and Raf were already informed about my absence from base, since I called them beforehand and told them that I'd be in my house until late afternoon. I looked away from the blank expectant page and out the window instead; we had to be nearly there. I'd taken the train not only to evade costing me time, but also to fit in some decoding time, but I had nothing to show for it. 

"Next stop, Chinatown," the conductor announced like I had summoned him with my thoughts. 

I packed my notepad in my bag and stood while the train slackened with a mechanical sigh. I skipped onto the platform and down the stairs.

I pulled out my phone, typing in the city for directions. The line appeared onscreen, and I followed the five-minute-long walking directions, my blue circle avatar sliding along the route in my hands. I reached my destination and looked up to find myself standing at the threshold of Chinatown. 

As I looked up, the downtown area sprawled in front of me. I took in how the buildings were stacked and compacted together, and the signposts and labels written in Mandarin. The streets were teeming with Asian people, their conversations creating a symphony of languages I could only grasp snippets of. Market stalls overflowed with exotic fruits and spices, while the sound of vendors haggling in a mix of languages filled the air. The intricate designs of the buildings and the colorful lanterns hanging overhead added to the enchantment of the place too.

It was like entering another world; completely different from the world I had to get used to six years ago.

I set out, walking on the sidewalk by a major thoroughfare, parting a one-way opening into downtown. My eyes, sharp and observant, scanned the diverse faces and the twisted alleys. It was a place where cultures collided, and secrets hid in plain sight.

As I wandered, the aroma of various cuisines filled the air, triggering a growl in my stomach. I grimaced, the life of a sleeper agent had accustomed me to neglecting personal needs, but hunger had a way of asserting itself. I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, my focus consumed by the intricacies of you-know-what.

"Praxina, my love, you're pushing yourself too hard. You need to rest," 

A woman of Greek descent with long, luscious golden brown hair and spring green eyes, looked at me with a mix of love and concern. She pleaded softly in Greek, the worry evident in her eyes.

"There's no such thing as too much work. I can handle it." The rebellion was clear in my voice as I dismissed my mother's concern. I was just a child with big blue round eyes and a frail physique. 

My mother sighed, the sadness evident in the way her green eyes softened. "You're not invincible, my darling. Your brothers are different, and I don't want you to follow their path. Stop overworking yourself."

Despite my mother's words, I shook my head. "I cannot afford to be like them. I need to prove myself," I insisted, the determination in my young voice belying the fragility beneath.

The kitchen scene played out like a delicate dance between a concerned mother and a headstrong daughter. Mother, with a sad smile, reached out to caress my cheek, her touch a soothing balm. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. Just take care of yourself," she implored, her voice a gentle melody.

The flashback shifted to another poignant moment. Young me, struggling with terrible nightmares and mental health battles, had become too fragile for school.