[COMPLETE] African Pride

22. Surprises in Shanghai

After an eighteen-and-a-half-hour non-stop flight our plane finally touched the ground at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

This was my second time flying, and like before it was the most terrible event in my life. I, of course, saw the attraction of flying in airplanes, as the only other way to cross oceans is by boat which was the snails' way to travel. However, the air sickness made me wonder if it was worth it. Walking to baggage claim, Albert and I watched as Victoria struggled to load a three heavy suitcase onto the trolley.

"Damn, Tori what did you pack?" Albert teased. "Your whole bedroom?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Victoria huffed, putting the last suitcase on the trolley. "I packed half my room. We're going to be fighting bad guys, so I need to look my best."

I rolled my eyes. "Tori, we're here to kick ass, not show off in a beauty pageant. You're going to have to get ready to get down and dirty."

Victoria gasped. "Like in the actual dirt?"

"You know little sis; it's not too late for you to return home..." Albert suggested.

Victoria raised her chin defiantly. "I'm not running away. I said that I'd help and that's what I plan to do. Now come on; let's get to our hotel."

I was surprised at how Albert and Victoria were able to leap into the fire with me. Then again, the two of them had their uses. After that brief skirmish at the airport in Washington D.C., Victoria and Albert showed me that they had spirit and could be relied on in tough situations.

It was nighttime when we arrived in Shanghai, but you could almost picture that it was the day. The lights from the various buildings that lined both sides of the streets shined bright, reflecting against the East China Sea.

"Taxi!" Victoria called, waving her hand.

A taxi car drove forward, giving the illusion of answering her call... only to drive right past her and go to another customer.

"Hey!" Victoria shouted, angrily stomping her foot. "I hailed that taxi!"

"I don't believe you hail a taxi like that," I chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Well then Ms. Smarty-pants, please enlighten us."

"All right, watch this incredibly complicated and sacred way of getting a taxi."

Dramatically, I took Victoria's mobile and installed a unique app. Once it was loaded, I pressed the icon on the screen which enabled me to summon a taxi. Less than five minutes later we were all riding in the back of one.

In China, merely hailing a taxi off the side of the road wouldn't work, you have to install a unique app and schedule someone to pick you up. Like Lyft in America.

"Show off," Victoria grumbled under her breath.

"Nope, just love to read," I retorted.

Gazing out of the window, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the majestic city; as Shanghai was the largest city in China, and thus had its largest population. This could easily be sensed because everything felt—in my opinion—so claustrophobic.

The sidewalks were packed with people, the roads were narrow, the buildings were built almost on top of each other, and yet everyone appeared as if they were okay with this. I knew that I couldn't handle this for long, as I hated feeling claustrophobic.

Thankfully the hotel that we were to stay in for the length of our visit wasn't this boxed in. Because Victoria refused to stay in nothing but the best, she had booked us a three-bedroom suite at a hotel that was known to cater to movie stars and government officials. It was called The Peninsula Shanghai and supposed to be the most luxurious hotel in all of China. However, if everything went according to plan, then we weren't going to be here long.