Apex Predator

Flight Risk

Why won't you let me go?
Do I threaten all your plans, I'm insignificant.
Please tell them you have no plans for me,
I will set my soul on fire, what have I become?

-Ode to Sleep, 21 Pilots

Over ten hours later, I was standing outside the Westchester Airport with a duffle bag tossed over my shoulder and my shredded uniform replaced with a sweatshirt and leggings. Even though it was freezing out and rain was coming down in buckets, I was wearing flip flops.

The only reason I was wearing them instead of actual shoes was because I used all my money to buy a plane ticket and since my 'transformation' ripped my shoes off, I could only afford cheap flip flops from the dollar store.

Westchester. It was a long way from Calgary. But it was also in New York and ten years ago, a man from New York came to my doorstep, saying that he could help me. New York was a big state but if he truly wanted to help me control this curse, he would help me find my way to him.

I was banking on that idea because I couldn't exactly walk around New York for the rest of my life. I didn't have enough money for a cab – well, I did but I'm doubting two dollars can get you anywhere in America. Besides, I'm talking two dollars in Canadian. My money's worthless here.

I started walking down the street, passing a group of guys and making my way to a map of NY. There were the obvious places labeled but nothing that said, 'If you're a mutant freak and looking for some bald guy you saw ten years ago, come here.'

I stared blankly at the map before letting out a sigh of defeat. I pressed my forehead against the clear plastic that separated the map from the outside and closed my eyes. 'One... Two... Three... Four...'

"Uh, can I help you with something, kid?" One eye opened and glanced to my side. There was a man standing there with dark hair, sideburns and a fat cigar in his mouth. He was wearing a leather jacket and I could see a shiny motorcycle behind him. He looked like the bad boy straight out of a 90's movie.

"Unless you're willing to spare twenty grand so I can buy a car and adventure around America to look for a man I haven't seen for ten years, then no, you cannot help me," I snapped and the man held up his hands defensively.

"Hey, don't chew my head off, I'm just trying to help," he said easily.

"Yeah whatever," I grumbled and closed my eyes again. I could hear him walk away and mutter something about hormonal teenagers under his breath. I may have snapped at him a bit but I doubt he's ever gone through anything I just went through yesterday.

I pulled my head away from the map and sighed. I couldn't just stand here all day so like it or not, I had to choose a destination and stick with it. There would be no point in walking all over the state to find this Professor guy so I would have to find out more about him.

'What better way to find out about a guy than Google?' But getting on the Internet would be harder than I thought because I didn't bring my phone or iPod and I don't know how many people would just hand over their phones so I could find out where someone lives. 'You could steal one. I mean, you already killed someone so what's a little theft to add to the pile of crimes?'

I shook my head and started walking again. I had to focus on the moment without looking back on what happened. If I thought about my family, I would break down and who knows what would happen to my powers if I lost control of my emotions again?

With my eyes set on the Starbucks in the distance, I picked up the pace. There were bound to be people there and the free Wi-Fi was a plus. By now, I was jogging and for the first time in what seemed like forever, there was a sliver of hope that life would go on.