"Excuse me," I said, approaching two people who looked around my age. "Do you two have a moment?"
The man turned around and responded to me.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"My name is Mike Bobaguard, and I was wondering if you two would like to help me and my girlfriend in a challenge we're in with our friends. We were challenged to get someone to wear these wigs," I said while handing them wigs that were very similar to Rebecca and I's hair. "We were wondering if you'd be down to help us out?"
The young took the wigs and handed the blonde wig to the women sitting next to him. I gave him a kind smile.
He flashed a smile and put the wig on.
"Of course, Mike! We'd be happy to help."
I sighed a sigh of relief, then stuck out my hand for him to shake.
"Thanks, just keep them on until you get on your next flight if you could."
He nodded.
"Got it, man. Best of luck to you two."
"Thanks."
Rebecca and I went and hid behind a different terminal, where it'd be harder to spot us. She gave me a quick punch on the arm then giggled.
"So you just happen to have wigs for our hair conveniently on you?"
I sighed then shook my head.
"No, I bought them a while back. Back when we were at the hotel in Virginia. They had wigs in the gift store. I picked ones out that look like you, me, and TJ. I figured they could be useful in a pinch. Looks like I was right."
She nodded with her finger on her chin.
"I see! So, you foresaw something like happening all the way back then."
I shrugged.
"I guess, it was more so a contingency tactic in case we needed it. A last ditch effort, but it came in handy."
She gave me a small slap on the shoulder.
"Give yourself more credit. You're brilliant."
I sighed.
"Fine, but I don't want to gloat too much. I'm very impressed with myself thus far, I mean, we're several steps ahead of genetically bred superhumans. I really wonder how far we'll go."
A part of me churned, although this was bound to be another huge victory, something gnawed at me.
I was using TJ. Yeah, the plane misleading strategy was good, but it relied on TJ being there to beat up Mark for us. It really hurt me to think about that, while it is my plan, it only works because of TJ's strength. I wonder, if it was just me, how would I get out of this situation without him?
That's just it, I need to know.
What would it be like on my own? No one to hold me back, yet… no people to rely on. I know how important it is to have allies. But, getting rid of TJ? Just because his strength is a valuable asset? I'm not sure how much I like the idea, but it's in my head now, and it's here to stay.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself not to look at Rebecca. This plan only worked because of TJ. It was my idea, but his strength carried it. That fact sat in my stomach like a lead weight. I hated relying on him. Hated that I needed to. People are meant to be used as tools, but what am I without my tools? Am I still somebody? What I'm doing here, isn't going to prove how smart I am, but how strong TJ is.
I don't like that.
At the same time, I feel similarly about Rebecca. Despite the fact that we're a "couple" now, I still don't fully trust her. What if she's playing the long game, for the Syndicate, or maybe even for Viktor? Things aren't 100% in my control, and I'll have to fix that before moving on.
Rebecca sat across from me, tying her shoe, completely unaware of what I was thinking.
If I was really going to do this, if I was really going to move forward on my own… this would be my chance.
She'd be fine without me. Wouldn't she?
She looked up and immediately saw my thoughts on my face.
"Hey," she snapped, bringing my gaze back towards her. "You'd tell me if something's wrong, right?"
I shook my head.
"I'm sorry… it's just…"
I trailed off.
"Tell me."
Dammit, she was insistent.
"Fine. I'm wondering if it's smart to continue doing this with people. We don't know the extent of what these magic items can do, I'm tired of relying on TJ's superhuman strength to get me out of situations, and I still don't know what your purpose is."
I let all my worries spill out, not intending to sound as helpless as I did.
She sat there for a moment, pondering my words. The people crowded around us, completely unaware of the importance of this single decision we had to make.
"Well, I've already told you, I wanted to join you because the Syndicate threw me to you guys as a sacrifice. Plus, I'm still a human, I can fall for people too, and the way Fredrick was talking about you was hard to ignore. Relying on others isn't a bad thing, it shows your ability to think ahead, and understand your weaknesses. You can't take on an entire organization with unknown amounts of influence that's existed for generations on our own, y'know?"
I sighed. She was right, and I needed to realize this.
"Still, TJ needs to go."
A concerned look appeared on her face as she realized the weight of my decision.
"Does he have to? I mean, his strength is beyond useful, and you know that. We need a bodyguard, because nothing else is stopping Mark and Fredrick just killing us when they get us alone."
"I've thought about that. There's a reason they haven't yet, and TJ has nothing to do with it."
"Why's that?"
"Fredrick is just like me. He's childish and wants to prove how much smarter he is than me. He wants to show that I'm not as smart as I've made myself out to be. Same with Mark, he wants to prove that he's not completely under my control, that I can't predict every thought of his. Besides, if they change their mind, they still won't be able to kill us. I'll have the watch, and once we get the next magic item, which we're guaranteed to find before them, it'll be as easy as that. Keep the watch for myself, then hide the other item somewhere they won't be able to find."
Rebecca sat there, stunned.
"So… you're sure all that will happen."
I nodded.
"Positive."
Before she could say anything else, a familiar face ran past us. The next flight was boarding, and the two people who put on wigs that looked like our hair were boarding, and now, someone else was boarding with them.
Mark Lawrence.
He just ran right past us, and he didn't even realize.
That was also because of me. Since TJ had my phone. Mark was tracking that phone, that TJ now had.
Luckily, I got normal wigs as well, so once he realizes, Rebecca and I will blend in with the crowd. Completely different hairdo.
Mark fell right into my trap.
That flight left.
Rebecca and I boarded the next flight, now, Mark is sandwiched between us and TJ.
Rebecca and I changed wigs while flying, so in case he recognized the old ones, we'd have new ones to make recognizing us much harder.
As the plane took off, I closed my eyes for just a moment.
I'd won again.
Mark was trapped between us and TJ. The plan had worked flawlessly. But this time, something felt… off.
It wasn't Mark and it wasn't Fredrick.
It was TJ.
The truth was undeniable. I didn't need him, and I never had. His strength is useful, and it was what made this plan work. But the plan? The misdirection?
Me.
I did that.
However, deep down… I know the real truth.
I relied on him too. If I wanted to prove my intelligence, it needed to be the only thing I relied on.
I slid the phone underneath my seat. Nothing more needed to be said. The plan was for TJ to beat up Mark, then meet at a hotel.
Rebecca and I would go to a different hotel.
I learned back, watching the city lights shrink beneath us.
From now on, it will be just Rebecca and me.
Onto Vegas, I go. Something important was about to happen.