Lifespan Deathwatch

[Damien McEwan]

Nivek and Jaina stepped into a cab and flew away from the spaceport.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked.

"The Arts District, please." said Jaina.

"Where in the Arts District?" the driver inquired further.

"Anywhere. Pilot's choice."

The Cabbie shrugged. "Suit yourself."

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The couple arrived at a museum and took a seat on a bench by the entrance.

After a wordless minute passed, Nivek asked, "What are we waiting for?"

"I have no idea." she said. Her attention focused on all the unremarkable people going about their business around them.

"Uh, OK. How long are we going to sit here?"

"No clue." she responded in a detached tone.

Another few minutes passed in silence.

A group of loud schoolchildren in bright colored uniforms came out of the museum and began to head up the street with their chaperones.

"There." Jaina said. "We go where they go." She shot up, grabbed her boyfriend by the hand, and dragged him behind her like a wheeled piece of luggage, while she tailed the group at a respectful distance.

Eventually, the group of field-trippers descended into the subway, and stopped to watch a street musician perform between the restrooms and turnstiles.

Jaina began to scan the area.

She spots an arrow on the wall that points the direction of 'Line 66' and says, "FOLLOW ME!" as she jumps the turnstile and takes off running through the tunnel towards the platform.

Nivek catches up to her as the train begins to enter the station.

"Where are we going now?" he asked. thoroughly confused and a little frustrated at this point.

"Now, we go where the train goes." she told him.

She snapped out of her concentration when the irritation in his voice finally registered with her, and she took his hand and held it to her heart.

She kissed him and said, "Thank you for trusting me."

They board the train with the other commuters and take their seats.

She turns to him and holds his face in her hands, and connects foreheads with him as she did earlier aboard their transport.

"Like before," she said, "close your eyes, don't think, and pick a number."

"3"

They rode the train for three stops, got out, and exited up to street level.

There, she didn't know if she should go left or right.

She went back to crowd scanning.

A few minutes passed, and she was beginning to feel discouraged when a strong gust of wind came from the south blowing her hair in her face, obscuring her view.

She took Nivek by the hand again and turned to the north, following the path of least resistance with the wind at their backs until they came to a four-way crosswalk, opposite of a flashing 'DON'T WALK' sign.

"Where to now?" He asked, as Jaina went back to detached people watching again.

"I don't know yet." she said. looking across the street ahead of them.

Nivek looked behind them, and felt a sense of De'ja Vu.

"I think I do." he said. "You're looking for a white rabbit."

"That's a good way to put it." she said, only half paying attention to him.

"C'mon then!" he said, as he took her by the hand and started to drag her back the way they came.

She protested for a few seconds until she finally saw what he saw.

A man in a white soccer jersey with '66' in big black numbers on the back.

With Nivek taking the lead this time, they trailed the white rabbit, lagging behind about half a block.

Before they followed their target entering a coffee shop, He caught a glimpse of his girlfriend in his peripheral vision, and saw she wasn't even looking at the target. She was looking at him, smiling for the first time since early last night.

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