Dull Reflections

Three

"Gate 3" the words were prominently displayed. Light streamed in through the windows. The taxiway could be seen clearly, and a jet extended its landing gear. It bounced as it hit the concrete runway.
     "That's probably our plane." Charles said turning to his right slightly. He saw an attractive blonde in a white hat and coat. She was talking to a pair of security guards. "We're going to have some visitors."
     Erik shifted his gaze to match that of his friend. "I don't know about you Charles but I'm really not in the mood for company."
     It was then Ava noticed what they were looking at, she had been enraptured in her own thoughts. "That's the woman from the bathroom." She saw Erik turn to face her his eyes cut through her like daggers. It sent chills down her spine. "All she did was lend me some make up." She said quietly.
     "Don't worry, just leave the talking to me." Charles said tucking his hands into his pockets. He watched as the two guards thanked the woman and headed their direction. "Try to look friendly Erik."
     Erik shot Charles a look and leaned against a nearby column, moving his hat to cover more of his face. He folded his arms and crossed his legs, pushing his back into the lean.
     Ava however felt the panic rising in her. Is this somehow my fault? What if the woman is really working for the people who were after me before? Oh my god I'm going crazy. Her thoughts continued to race. I can't go back to a life like before. She shut her eyes tightly, begging for the situation to end.
     That was when she felt a hand wrapping around her waist. Her eyes opened instantly. She looked to her left and saw Charles smiling at the men who were only a few feet from them. "Hello gentlemen." His voice was calm and even.
     "Good day Sir," the tall guard began. "Miss." He nodded towards Ava. "We just have a few questions if you don't mind." His voice was surprisingly, much higher pitched then expected.
     "Oh of course we don't. Right sweetheart?" Just play along. The last part had reached only Ava, and only in her thoughts.
     "Of course not." She smiled cheekily giggling slightly as she batted her eyes at the shorter guard. The man seemed to choke slightly on his own phlegm. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief wiping his thick red mustache.
     "I'm Smith and this is Jones." The tall guard gestured at his partner. "We're with airport security. And due to some recent information we'd just like to make sure everything is alright." Smith stared down at them from under a set of dark heavy brows.
     "Oh I can assure you everything is just fine." Charles said grinning. "My wife and I are just headed back home."
     "Miss?" Smith said his eyes landing on Ava's waist.
     "Oh I'm fine, just fine." Ava responded, she used her right hand to pull her wool jacket tighter. "What is all this about Mr.Smith, was it?"
     "Just doing our due diligence." Smith said. "That wouldn't be a gun you've got there on your hip would it?" He seemed almost predatory as he inched towards her.
     "I assure you that my wife does not have a firearm!" Charles interjected. "How dare you suggest such a thing!"
     "Forgive me." Smith said backing up abruptly. "Surely I was mistaken." He said looking at her waist. He could have sworn there had been a gun there only moments ago.
     "Clearly they're all right." Jones said looking towards his coworker. "We ought to go get some coffee." The stout man paled as though he had just seen a ghost.
     "Yeah coffee." Smith said slowly pulling Jones with him as he turned to go. "Sorry for intruding, Sir, Miss." The two left without another word.
     Once it was clear the two were out of earshot Ava piped up. "Ok what the heck just happened?... And why are you still holding my waist?"
Charles immediately pulled his hand away. "I just made them see what I wanted them to. And I wanted them not to see that." He said shifting his eyes to the handgun.
     Erik barely moved pushing his hat back up away from his eyes. "Where exactly did you want her to put it Charles?" He mused looking at the pair across from him.
Ava laughed uneasily releasing the nervous energy she had built up. A voice began speaking across the intercom. "Transatlantic flight 345 to Philadelphia now ready for boarding. Please proceed to Gate 3, thank you." Ava dug into her cleavage, she pulled the boarding pass from out of her shirt.
     "So that's where you've been keeping that." Erik said heading towards the line for flight 345.
     "Oh I almost forgot." Charles said digging into his coat's breast pocket. "Here." He handed Ava a blue book. "It's a passport."
     "Oh!" She said opening it up. "How did you get a picture of me?"
     "From the CIA." He responded.
     "And my name is Rebecca Browning?" She cocked an eyebrow as she held the passport closer to her face.
     "Yeah, they didn't know your name. Shall we?" He gestured for her to walk in front, she did.
     Ava tapped her foot nervously as she waited for her turn to be checked in. I can't believe my first flight is going to be across the Atlantic. With two strangers no less.
     "You'll be alright." Charles said comfortingly from behind her. "First flights are always the hardest."
     "Passport?" A dark haired woman in a powder blue suit asked. Ava quickly handed it to her. "Thank you Miss...Browning. Boarding pass please?" She took back her passport and traded it for the boarding pass. "Thank you." The woman handed the ticket back. Ava took a few steps and turned to face Charles as he was being checked in.
     I guess she's going to wait for me. He thought to himself as he went through the usual process. He tucked his passport back into his coat. "Keep going. The attendant at the door will seat us when we get there."
    She did what he suggested and a cute nineteen year old with mousy brown hair greeted her. "Hello." She said extended her hand out for the pass. "Ah, seat 11 right this way, and what seat are you in sir?"
     "Twelve." He held up his boarding pass.
    "Of course. " she said sweetly. "Right here. The window seat. And you're in the aisle sir."
    Ava eyed Erik who was sitting in the window seat directly behind her. She couldn't quite decide what he reminded her of. A shark perhaps.
     Charles chuckled lightly as he watched Ava take her seat first. He then took his. "I can hold that for you if you want." He said pointing at her passport. "Since you don't have a bag." She handed it to him and watched as the flight attendant led a scrawny twelve year old boy with auburn hair and a face full of freckles directly to the empty seat next to Erik.
"Well this is going to be a long flight." Erik's voice grumbled from behind them.
"Hiya there Mister!" The boy shot a grin at the man next to him. "You want some gum?" He pulled a pack out of his pants pocket shoving it just under Erik's nose.
"No." There was a flatness to his voice that belied his true anger.
"Okay Mister, more for me." The boy said ripping into several pieces of gum. He shoved them into his mouth and began to chew noisily.
Erik decided to try and stare out the window, perhaps he could ignore the boy. POP! The boys gum snapped in his left ear. "So help me boy if you want to make it alive you'll keep it quiet." He had grabbed tightly onto the boy's coat. Fear had spread onto his freckled face.
"Rufus!" A redhead in a tight black dress was being led to her seat. "I'm so sorry sir, Rufus can be quite incorrigible." She said smoothly.
Erik snatched his hand back and returned to staring out his window.
"Now Rufus you just leave that nice man alone. Mommy has to sit in the back but you better behave or I'll have to tell your daddy." Erik thought it odd that she referred to herself in the third person when speaking to the boy. Especially considering his age.
Charles laughed slightly, taking in the situation. While Ava had found herself genuinely shocked. How has this woman raised such a rude child?
"She wanted to give him everything she never had." Charles said quietly looking in Ava's direction. "But I think in this case it might have back fired."

     There had been only two more passengers after Rufus and his mother. The flight attendants had instructed the passengers on safety protocols. And flight 345 had been cleared for take off.
This is it. Ava thought to herself as the plane began to taxi down the runway. She felt the excitement swelling inside, this was possibly the best moment in her entire life. She couldn't take her eyes off the window as she felt the force of gravity pulling her down as the ground began to pull away.
She was free from the past that haunted her. There could only be a new life ahead. A life in the land of the free and the home of the brave. She couldn't help but feel relieved leaving the ground behind. Watching the clouds from above. This was the best moment in her life. Not just possibly.