The dark van that appeared too familiar to be ignored was parked just a bit further from the bus station, illegally, next to some small restaurant. For a second she doubted herself, thought if it was just some delivery guy who parked there. It could be that. The lights were blinking, and she stopped to look at it, staring at it for a long second, deciding that maybe she could wait for her bus in the cover of the trees and then make a run for it once it came to the stop. It was a good plan. No need to risk going out and showing herself.

And then, just as she debated if she was becoming paranoid, she spotted them.

Two tall guys dressed in dark suits, looking down the street, chatting and checking the street up and down. Their fancy suits, plush and thick, probably with body armor underneath it.

Then suddenly, a white van pulled next to them, and a few cleaning crew humped out, went to sweep the sidewalk around the station.

But they made a mistake. One of them made eye contact with the men in black suits and nodded his head, and that was enough for Tala. Especially since two guys in black immediately entered the dark van that, suddenly, with the sound of squealing tires, decided to leave.

The cleaning guys were more interested in watching what was happening around them and paying attention to every person who was walking by, not interested at all in using their brooms to clean the place. If she had not seen them come, she would have not paid any attention to them.

A girl wearing a similar uniform to hers passed them by, and instantly two sweepers tensed up, looked at her, and even made a move to grab her, but then a businesswoman that stood a few feet away, so inconspicuous that Tala did not even pay attention to, had stepped toward them, called them and shook her head, and they instantly backed off and let the girl go, bending over and apologizing.

That is how they get you. They are slick. Very slick. But not so slick, she thought as she realized the all-white van was not covered in the signs that declared it a city utility company.

I bet they would grab me and throw me in there.

*Ding, *ding, *ding

The bugging ringing sound started to ring, making her feel even more nervous.

*Ding, *ding, *ding

"System, am I done with Integration yet?"

[Update:

Estimating time of complete Integration is:

2 hours and 15 minutes]

Hum, not too bad, Tala thought to herself and swiftly grabbed her last energy bar and swallowed it all without much chewing it.

*Ding

“So, what is it, why are you ringing like that?” Tala asked, all annoyed.

[New Mission Available]

“What? What is that?”

[You’re invited to participate in a Pre-Integration Mission.]

“And…” she was going to ask all about that, but then she looked up and saw a bus coming. Was it hers? She pulled out a bit from behind the tree. She could not see its number yet.

“Okay, now, I'll check about that mission once I'm on the bus. Can't play with it right now. I need to take that test. I need to get there. It was so good that I left early. Thank you, Chitto.”

In an instant, she came up with a good plan, thinking she’d wait for the bus to stop, wait for all the people to come out, and then run into the back entrance just before the last of the passengers were entering it, making it inside at the last moment.

A telephone call interrupted her, startled her, and she pulled behind the tree again. It was her mother calling. She decided not to answer it, putting her phone to mute. She had no time for her now.

She peeked out of the tree trunk and was ready to dash for it when she realized it was not her bus and she stopped herself short, pulling back behind the tree, and now able to check her phone again.

She went to the app and saw that her bus was two minutes late.

Stupid, should have done it right away, she thought while reading the message that said there was road congestion due to an accident and that bus arrival time might not be completely accurate.

Two minutes. Two minutes to think. And make a decision that your whole life would depend on. That’s what she felt it came down to.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Would the woman be able to reach me as I jump on the bus before it shuts its door? And then, when I was inside the bus, what then? Would they come after me on the next stop?

Who am I kidding? They could just trail behind the bus and then pick me up as soon as I get off the bus.

No, she needed to somehow sneak on it.

Could I just run to the next stop? Maybe the man in black would not be there? And… how did they know to check on buses? How would they know? And if they were trying to capture me, I bet they had a very good idea of how far I could get in a matter of few minutes.

Maybe... my alien friend could help me. If he could disappear in a flash, who knew what kind of power he had?

But before she was going to beg and plead her alien friend for help, hoping he would hear her, she found herself wondering and then asking about the mission.

[Pre-Integration Mission: Go to Yokocho Park, to the 2343 Building, and enter the elevator

Mission Class Level: 1

Time Allotment: 60 minutes.]

That location was on the opposite side of where her test was. She could not go and finish this mission, not unless she was... no. She studied for the last four years for this test, working odd jobs so she could afford extra food for her brother, having no social life, buying crappy clothes, and sacrificing everything to be able to afford a few extra classes that were supposed to propel her up, so she could get a high score. Get in a good school. Get a good job. Make money, and live a life away from poverty and misery. No. She needed to go and take the test.

She checked her phone. The next bus arrival was still stated as 2 minutes away. It would take half an hour to get to the testing site. That would still leave her five minutes before the test started. She could do it.

She had a spare jacket. Yes, in her bag. She put that on, and a cap that was there to cover her up in case it rained. yes. Maybe with a changed look, they would not recognize her. Maybe she would not even need to run for the bus. Just nonchalantly walk to the station. She was not sure she could pull it off.

Maybe the better idea was going backward. The black van went down the road. They would not expect her to go back to the station next to the park, would they? Just walk nonchalantly there and stand at the station to wait for her bus?

But how long would those two minutes last? Not forever. Maybe not even long enough for her to walk to the back station.

Do not make eye contact with anybody. Just listen to some music and not look at anyone, just look bored. She could fake it. No matter how many men in black were there, she did not need to stare at them. She could so easily fake it. And if they tried anything, she could just look confused and upset, pretend she did not know who they were.

In a hurried step, she went to a little store and grabbed a pack of gums, then popped one in her mouth and nonchalantly walked to the bus stop, went to stand next to the businesswoman, blowing the bubble ball and getting her phone out to play some game, any game.

Her heart was beating so hard as it tried to leave her chest, but she just frowned and made faces as she could not pass a level in the game.

Then she just tried to look bored, staring straight in front of herself, put the earpiece in and turned the music on, not paying anyone or anything any attention, all the while she was trying not to breathe too deep and too fast.

She could see her bus in the corner of her eye, trying not to look interested in it, thinking what if the woman knew who she was and was ready to grab her? She decided she would just be the last one to get in, slowly moving to the back of it as if it was not her bus to begin with.

The last passengers got out and people started to climb in, and she waited, then she shrugged her shoulders, sighed, and went in, expecting the woman or someone else to pull her by her shoulders, throw her out, grab and shoot her with something that would make her go all limp.

But nothing of that happened, and she went to stand in the back, looking at the opposite window, not daring to check on the businesswoman.

Her phone kept on vibrating in her pocket and then she decided to shut it down.

Casting a quick glance to see if it was still her mother calling, she realized now it was a call from her little brother.

She waited for the bus to make it off the station and then she called him back. He should be on his way to school by now.

As soon as she heard his voice she knew things were not good. Too much fear, actually a horror was what she heard in his voice.

"Sis... I..."

"Let me talk to her," she heard a loud, growling voice of her father, obviously still intoxicated.

"Hey, you get back home right away. Stop at the shop and get us something to drink. Your mom says she wants some red wine and I want Five Leaves Brandy. Yes, we are celebrating. So, you better do it! Don’t be late, do you hear me?"

"I can't do that now. I have to take the test."

"You don't need to take your stupid tests! You’ll flunk anyway! What college would have you?? So, just, be a good daughter and get..."

She sighed, not ready to listen to his drunken voice anymore. They were hard at spending a bit of inheritance that was left over after her grandma died.

"I can't. I just can't, I just can't," she started to repeat herself, not even holding the phone to her ear anymore, feeling the world around her starting to spin.

But her father heard her loud and clear. "Listen, you little punk! You'll do what is told. You will respect your parents or else!"

"Sis, don't! Just go and take your test! Just run, run. Take the test, don't worry about me!" her brother cried.

Then she heard it, the sound of a slap, hard. Another one, even louder and harder. That quieted him down.

“You heard me, you little brat,” her father slurred out in his drunken tone.

She raged inside, but her mind was finally made up of what she was going to do next. "I'll be right there, just don't hurt him no more!"

The way she felt at that moment, there were only two roads to take. One was right in front of her, staying on the bus and letting it take her where she worked so very hard to get. The other one was there through the window of the bus, and it included getting off and going back home. The mission that was mentioned to her was all but forgotten already.

She knew the full implications of not taking the test and not getting into a good school. Another year of living at home, waiting for another opportunity to take the test. Living at home, working, and trying to save a bit of money. But then, she could keep an eye on Chitto. He was only thirteen. She could not leave him behind.

She took a deep breath, then another, anger rising inside of her, feeling tears welling inside her eyes. Then she waited for the bus to come to the stop, and as she got out, she paid no attention to any people there. Just moved away from the station and broke in the run going back home, running faster than the tears could come down, paying attention to nothing else anymore.