"Take me to Kompong, please. I need to get home." Mika begged. " I just need to go home." His voice cracked. 

Olafia's eyes widened exposing more of the whites of her eyes. Then she shifted in her seat, giving Mika more room to breathe. Her lips quivered slightly but she covered it with a dainty hand. She smoothed the fabric of her dress before responding.

"I urge you to re-consider travelling. It's not safe. You can leave in the morning."

"No! No! No!" Mika shouted. "What is it with you? Who are you? Why is my safety any concern of yours?"

Olafia opened her mouth to respond but shut it quickly. Her eyes started to water and she looked away. What did she want from him? Was it money? No. She wore riches around her neck and on her hands. Her dress though a little crumpled was silken and shimmered when the slightest hint of passing light caught it.

"Mesukans look out for each other," Olafia responded after a while. "That's one thing I learned from your brother. That he wanted to instil that as a village a moral to live by. Not to be selfish."

Mika's chest tightened at the mention of his brother. "Y-You knew him?"

Olafia shot a look that could tear into your heart but also made you want to hold her. "We'll take you to the airport."

~~~~

For the rest of the drive, the only sound heard was the low hum of the engine and the occasional passing car. It continued like that until they arrived at Kompong city, the streets were empty as they should be at that hour in the morning. Mika was instructed to stay in the car while Robby retrieved his items. He had no idea how they did it but moments later they had come back with his belongings in tow. He didn't want to ask questions. He just wanted to get home.

At the airport, he bid Olafia goodbye and nodded at her security who had saved his life a few hours ago. Her eyes, though dry were a bit sorrowful. She wished him a safe trip, which was a typical comment but she seemed to mean it. They watched after him as he went through the security.

After checking in, he decided to clean up and change. Many eyes were on him, in his filthy clothes and scratched face. As he stared at himself in the mirror he wondered how he'd justify it to Sherrice? Maybe it was a rough football game. She wouldn't believe it as he'd never been interested in sports before. Or maybe she would. He could make it seem like they hassled him to play. Or maybe he fell somewhere, like a parking lot. He washed his hands. The dirt looked like it would stain the white porcelain sink. The cuts on his palms and face stung as he applied the blue liquid soap. He squinted at the pain. He unbuttoned and shrugged off his shirt. He grabbed a few sheets of paper towels from the dispenser and wet them. He began wiping himself down as best as he could.

Just then the bathroom door swung open and hit the wall. Mika jumped. A man walked in dressed in a black jacket suit, wet pressed shirt and brown tie. The man froze. Mika eyed him through the mirror. The man drew his eyes away and proceed to use the first urinal, far away from Mika. He cautiously continued to clean himself up. The hairs on his arm stood on end and seemed to react to every move the man made. He shifted away when he came to wash his hands at the sink next to his. 

He went to get a sheet of paper towel but the dispenser was empty. He eyed the wad of wet towels in Mika's hand. Mika raised an eyebrow trying to look as menacing as possible. The man flashed his hands vigorously. A few drops fell on Mika's chest. The man hurriedly left the room.

Mika continued to clean himself up, secretly praying no one else would interrupt him. What if he recognized him? The thought crossed his mind. What if he was also a rebel? He was wearing a suit. Was he also at the funeral? His heart rate quickened. He changed quickly into a blue t-shirt and black pants and sneakers. He stuffed his belongings into his suitcase before leaving the bathroom. He pulled a blue cap low over his head. He scanned the scanty crowd for a man in a suit. He was nowhere to be seen.

Why was the man so surprised or shocked to see him? He could be a rebel too. He convinced himself. But what was he going to do? The plane couldn't come fast enough. He quickened his pace toward the gate waiting area. His stomach rumbled. He sat in a corner chair as he watched the crowd, choosing to ignore his upset stomach. He wanted to see if that man would show up again. But what was he going to do? Question him? Beat him? Mika hadn't trained in years. If tonight was any indication, he had no use in defending himself. He wasn't a fighter.

Mika stiffened. The man in the suit appeared again with his luggage in tow. But this time he was with a little boy and a young lady. The little boy walked between them and held their hands as they swung him. They took a seat a few rows ahead of Mika. The man didn't seem to be looking for Mika either. They were just talking and giggling when the little boy made funny faces. A smile crept across Mika's face. 

What would a day in the park be like with young Daina or Daniel? Sherrice would be dressed in a pair of khaki shorts that matched his and a yellow blouse. She looked beautiful in yellow. It was the colour she was wearing when they met. It caught his eye immediately. That and her smile curved more to the left than the right. He'd never forget that day at work. At the time he'd been working at a small art shop, she'd wanted a specific type of thread for some project. They didn't have it in stock but he searched almost every shelf trying to find something she could use. To show him gratitude she offered to buy him a drink the next day and she'd actually shown up and took him out for a milkshake. Mika smiled and all uneasiness dissipated like the wind to a cloud of smoke.

The man turned but his eyes passed over Mika. Mika chuckled. He probably was just shocked at seeing a half-naked man in an airport bathroom. Why would he recognize him? This was Kompong, the second-largest city in the country, no one outside of Mesuka cared about Mesuka. This was probably because most crimes from the village were never reported on. It made it even easier to hide where he came from. The Village was one of the largest in the region and held some political weight, but they handled their issues themselves under the ruling of the Alpha.

Mika's stomach churned again. Maybe it was the thought about the Alpha that soured him. He decided that he'd eat on the plane. When they called for his flight, he got up and joined a short line. The man in the suit stayed seated, he was talking on the phone, while the young lady held the little boy. She rocked him gently as he slept. Mika showed his documents and not before long he was on his small flight back to Sherrice, back to his peace.