CHAPTER 22 - CONSTANT DISTRACTIONS
We all piled into Gadth's car and drove.
Cilas had explained to him that it was very important. Gadth was very reluctant, but in the end, he decided that he'd let us borrow it.
"Bring back in one piece," he yelled as Brian stepped on the gas.
Brian had explained that the nearest airport was about an hour and a half away, in a city called Oka. Unfortunately, O'Bryan would already be there, but hey, we had to try, right? I mean, I did not go all the way to Congo just to lose. I was not a quitter, and I would not start now. No matter what, I was determined to do whatever I could to stop Connor O'Bryan.
The car sped across the desert. We were all pretty cramped. I mean, the car was designed to seat four. And even at four it was tight.
We had six.
Brian drove, and Cilas sat right behind him. I took the middle seat in the front, Carter in the back. Zane sat up front, by me. Mason sat by Carter. In the end, we were all pretty squished.
It was almost four o'clock when we got to Oka.
There was a plane going to America (I call that luck.), but unfortunately, they wouldn't let us on. They said there were no available seats.
Lucky for us, we had two Dopplegangers. Carter and Mason distracted the guards long enough for us to sneak on board. Poor guys dind't even know what hit them. Literally. No joke.
We sneaked down into the luggage compartment. That was our ride. We'd ride back to America with the luggage, sneak off, and find O'Bryan. That was the plan anyway.
Since they didn't need sleep, Carter and Mason kept a look-out. The rest of us slept. It was going to be a long ride, and we had no clue when we'd get to sleep again. "This might be our only chance," Brian said, getting comfortable with a small, red blanket and a backpack for a pillow.
We all did what Brian said, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
It was probably a long ride, but I didn't remember. I slept almost the whole way there.
Carter and Mason woke us up when we were almost there. We'd be landing in Raleigh, North Carolina. Not to far away from DC, thankfully.
With the helpful distraction of Carter and Mason, we got off the plane without being seen.
"Anybody have money?" Cilas asked as we approached the rental counter. Unfortunately, he and Brian only had African money, and I doubted our dollar and thirty cents would do much.
"I've got a better idea," Zane said with a smile on his face. "Meet us at the front gate in ten." Then, he and Mason took off.
"Where are they going?" I asked, but nobody knew the answer.
Ten minutes later, the four of us made out way out to the front gate.
"What is that?" I asked.
Standing right in front of us were Zane and Mason. They both had their arms crossed, and had huge smiles across their faces. They had evil glints in their eyes. I was very suspicious.
"Well," Zane said spreading his arms, "what do you think?"
I looked at where Mason pointed. There was a sky blue minivan. It was running and the side doors were opened.
"Where'd you get that?" Carter asked, staring at the vehicle.
Zane smiled and glacned at Mason. "Don't worry, we'll bring it back."
"You stole it?" Brian asked, shocked.
"You were the one who taught me how to hotwire a car," Zane shot back. "Besides, we're bringing it back. And, it was in long-term parking. Since this morning. Owners won't be back for two weeks."
I smiled and walked toward the car. "You little car thief," I said as I passed Zane.
He smiled. "Don't act so suprised."
"I'm not."
I climbed in, followed by Zane and Mason. Cilas climbed in the front seat and Brian drove.
Carter crossed her arms. "I'm not riding in a stolen vehicle."
I looked at Zane and we both laughed.
"What?" she asked.
"Do you even know how we got to Owando?" Zane asked.
Carter shook her head no.
I said, "Zane stole a truck. We drove to DC. Then, I stole a plane. That's how we got to South Africa. Get in the car."
Carter began to protest.
"Get in the car," I told her.
She got in the car.
"But I still don't like it," she said as she buckled up and shut her door. "And you two," - she pointed to Zane and Mason - , "had better return it."
Mason waved his hand at her. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
"Oh, be quiet Mason."
Zane and I laughed. Did we really sound like that? Because that's like exactly what we've said sometimes. I hoped not, but there was always the possibility.
Unfortunately, we had to use Carter and Mason as a distraction again. The security at the airport was the best security in the whole country, I thought. They would not have let us through.
Carter was reluctant. I learned she was like that a lot - another way she was like me. She was done with distracting dumb guards while we sneaked out, but she had not choice really. In the end, she and Mason got out of the car, sneaked over to the guards, stole some cash, and ran for it.
The guards had no clue what was going on. They just knew that there was money running away from them. So, they chased it. We got through the gate, and everything went smoothly, I have to say.
Carter finally dropped the money, and she and Mason ran back to the car, got in, and told us to drive.
"No more silly games," Carter said once she got in. "I'm tired of distracting. Sometimes, I just wish they could see me."
Cilas laughed. "Well, if that's what you want, why are you trying to stop O'Bryan from doing just that?"
The rest of the ride was silent. I could tell Carter was thinking. But in the end, I knew she'd make the right choice.
