937 Last Ones Arriving
While Alex carried their luggage, another car pulled up, this time a limousine, and Kary immediately recognized it.
Mr. Gu exited the driver's side, headed to the back door, and stopped to smile at Kary.
"Hello, Ms. Deveille. I hope you've been well, at least since the last time we saw each other."
As he said this, he pulled open the door, leaving the front of it clear, so whoever was inside could disembark unimpeded.
Out came rushing Jonathan, who was captivated by the black aircraft in the hangar.
"Woah! It looks almost like the one in the X-Men comics!" he exclaimed, running toward the stairs.
"Calm down, Jonathan," Jack said, pulling himself out of the limo with a sigh.
"Jack," Kary saluted him as she watched Jonathan run off.
"Kary. *Sigh* I swear, I can't get a steady read on this grandchild of mine. One day, he is morose, training as if he would die if he didn't, and the next day, he's jumping to the ceiling at the thought of travelling to hunt monsters. Are all kids this unpredictable?"
Holding her laughter as much as she could, Kary nodded at him.
"I believe most children are hard to follow, at times. At least I'm sure I was, if I believe all that my mother tells me. As for Alex, well, he is still hard to follow sometimes, so I don't doubt he was a handful growing up. I think it's pretty normal."
Jack huffed.
"You can say that twice. He was probably a tornado. My issue is that normal just isn't going to cut it with our current future..." he complained, looking nervous.
Kary understood what he meant, but she smiled warmly in response.
"I think it's best to keep hope that we fix that and that he will still have a normal future. I wish that for every kid on Earth, with all my heart. It's up to adults to ensure they do, is it not?"
Jack looked at her, and his nervousness vanished.
"How wise and mature of you, Ms. Deveille. You are absolutely right. It is an adult's and parent's sacred duty to ensure the children get to grow up in the best environment. I would be derelict in my duty as his guardian if I didn't do my utmost for it. Sadly, I cannot join this time," he said, looking annoyed.
Kary's brow raised at his facial expression. She could tell there was something he wasn't sharing, but it wasn't her place to pry.
"Well, I can only hope we can rely on your strength the next time. Whatever is holding you here today, I'm sure you'll conquer and get over it. Your track record is filled with success stories, after all, isn't it?" she said with a big smile.
Jack laughed lightly, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Thank you for the vote of confidence, young lady. It's nothing too dangerous, unlike what you are about to face. But it brings with it the complexity of politics. Sadly, with all I have planned, playing politics is unavoidable," he grumbled.
Kary grabbed his hand, shaking it firmly.
"It's well deserved, Jack. I'm sure everything will go the way you need it to. In the meantime, once we land in Korea, we will try to keep everyone concerned in the loop. Rest assured, we will do our utmost to keep Jonathan and Violette safe," she promised him.
Alex came back down the stairs leading into the plane as she said that, looking toward them. He had crossed paths with Jonathan inside, and Jack had come to drop him off, so he wanted to talk to him before leaving.
Jack scratched his chin, contemplating the offer.
"It's not a poor deal for either of us, I assume?" he asked, wondering what terms Mr. Gu had offered the kid.
"Far from it, sir. I offered him half a million for the entire school year, since he's taking a sabbatical, and if he does his job in the hospital well, he gets a letter of recommendation for any college he wants to apply for.
"Our hospital is one of North America's most reputable private hospitals, so our letter should carry weight, even across the border. And I think half a million is cheaply paid to have a healer on hand for any incident we may encounter over a ten-month period."
Jack nodded his head.
If it had been him, he would probably have offered an extra quarter just to be sure he never talked about the facility. Of course, he trusted him enough to keep his mouth shut since the kid already knew of it.
But an extra incentive often went a long way, in matters of privacy.
Just as Jack was about to open his mouth and say it was a good idea, the loud sound of wings flapping resounded above them, as the zombified drake under David's yoke started descending from the sky.
It landed with a heavy thud before David jumped off, and the monster disappeared into his shadow.
"I'm not late, am I?" he asked, seeing that almost everyone was there already.
"You aren't late yet. Cory still hasn't gotten here either," Kary said, nodding at him.
"Cory?" David asked, confused.
"Ahh, the healer kid, yes. I thought his name was Cody," David said, slapping his forehead.
Everyone looked at him with an expression that said, 'At least get his name right.'
And as if summoned by his name being spoken, the strident sound of a motorcycle engine caught their ear. A sound not unfamiliar to Alex.
"Does he drive a Honda bike?" Alex asked, surprised a sixteen-year-old had a motorcycle licence.
"That's right. You didn't get to see it last time. Yes, he got it for his sixteenth birthday," Kary said, remembering Alex had been dead before he could see the bike.
"Nice. He must be all the rage with his classmates and friends. Honda makes some nice motorcycles," Alex commented, thinking about his dad's bike.
This made his heart pinch for a second, remembering it was also the reason his parents no longer walked this world.
The engine sound got closer, as a spot in the distance started growing, getting closer to them.
"This means we'll be ready to leave soon," David said, heading toward the plane.
"Hi, Jack. Hi, Gu Fang. Bye Jack. Bye, Gu Fang," he added, walking right by them.
"This guy, I swear," Alex said, shaking his head at the scene.
'Always trying to stir people's emotions wherever he goes. Unbelievable,' Alex thought, not realizing the irony of him thinking that.