Transport Shuttle: Stirrer 34, Midflight to West Drop
I’m crazy, just crazy. A sane person wouldn’t do this. I have to be crazy. Brisa regretted getting on the shuttle the moment it showed signs that it would start moving. She was on assignment to track a group people that didn’t like her in the slightest. Any one of them could kill her. She knew for sure that one of them hated her; Jaquan hated reporters. She also knew for sure that one of them found her and attacked with no warning.
The ship had taken off about twenty minutes ago. Brisa has had plenty of time to think about her mental state since then. The original event was fresh in her head; forced to stare into those red in black eyes; hanging helpless in the air. They found her once, they’ll find her again. They could already know that she was there.
“No, no,” she said out loud trying desperately to push that thought away. They found her once and she got off with a warning, a warning she will never forget. She may not be so lucky if they found her again.
They can’t know that she was there. The shuttle was huge. There was no way they saw her get in the shuttle. She sat in the back of the shuttle they were in the front. They couldn’t have seen her enter the shuttle either. The fans bombarded the Champion and his crew before she entered. Besides, if they knew she was there, she would have known by now.
She was safe as long as she stayed out of sight. Her part of this mission was about finished. Things were going well. All she had to do was get to West Drop, meet the other reporter, and go back home.
The pulsing heat on her chest was getting easier to bare. It was far from gone though. Maybe she was getting used to it. The heat was getting to the point where she could possibly ignore it if she was distracted enough. Now she just had to bare this flight, however long it would be.
—–
In the celebrity cabin, Jaquan, Liana, and Justice were on the phone with the last of the angry fight commission representatives. Jaquan was under contract to fight Orien Quan plain and simple. If Jaquan failed to make the appearance at the fight his title was forfeit.
Jaquan was perfectly fine with losing the title. Things got a little complicated when ticket sales were added into the equation. The promoters and event center owners were counting on people in the seats and gold in their pockets. One at a time, everyone with a voice in the matter expressed their displeasure with the situation. Some even made interesting threats.
Neely and Catlin were sitting on the couch sound asleep. It was a wonder they slept without stirring. As the messages played on, the speakers became more and more intense. However, Jaquan had made his decision. The BigBad Crew stood with Jaquan. They were moving forward with this to see where it landed them. If it gave them troubles later, so be it.
No doubt how Quan would spin this. He took every opportunity to tell the press Jaquan was dodging a fight with him. He would use this move to only “prove” his story. As the messages ended, the three sat in silence.
Liana was the first to speak up, “Now that we’ve disappeared from the promoters, they’ll think you’ve run away from Chuan.”
“Not scared of him,” Jaquan responded as he would to a nagging parent. When did Chuan get so important anyway? It really was getting old. All Quan did was talk about himself on the news.
“How would the public know that,” Liana gave the basic logical response.
Jaquan couldn’t get mad at that. He was half thinking that to himself, “I’ll say it.”
“To whom,” Liana responded, “Whatever you say, Orien will spin to say whatever he wants it to mean. He’s been doing it for years.”
“I find that face time is only good for drawing attention,” Justice added with an air of insight, “like advertisements. Even if you sent a convincing message though the press, Chuan will counter. But, if we show what you’re doing and prove Chuan a liar, he’ll have nothing to say.”
“No one respectable is here to film us,” Liana said, “We left without any notice to the press. For all the promoters know, we’re going to West Drop to party. No one even knows that we’re…”
They all came to the same conclusion, even Jaquan. He slapped his head with disgust, “A reporter, really.” He didn’t like it, but it was the fastest option they had to stay credible. They had to get the word out that he was not hiding or running. This would silence Quan before his loud mouth even opened.
They looked at Catlin and Neely napping on the couch. If Brisa was truly from Champion’s Chronicle she’d be on this shuttle somewhere. Once Catlin woke up, she could easily track Brisa down. Then they’d have a special exclusive for the rookie news starlet.