“Follow the taxi in front of us,” Charlene said once in the taxi.

“I charge extra for spy missions,” The taxi driver said, turning back at them, a grin on his face.

“Whatever… QUICKLY!” Charlene said, putting on her seat belt.

Charlene and Aaron both ducked their heads in a position as to not be noticed by the mirrors of the taxi in front of them.

“And don’t look so obvious.”

“I-”

“We know, you charge more.”

The taxi driver continued to drive, satisfied with getting easy money.

But the other men’s taxi stopped not 5 minutes from the airport.

“Don’t tell me they noticed us…” Aaron muttered, sliding down farther in his seat and trying to pull Charlene with him.

“No… look… they’re meeting someone!” Charlene whispered, sitting on the taxi floor with Aaron but peeking out from window. Conveniently, the clever driver slowed down and parked in the parking lot of a McDonalds nearby.

He looked at Charlene grinning.

“I know,” Charlene sighed. “You CHARGE for STOPPING.”

“Look, Charlene! They got back in the car!”

Charlene turned to the driver, but he, in turn, shrugged and turned to the wheel. “I know, follow them.”

Charlene shook her head at him. “I know, you charge.”

“I see we understand each other well.” He raised an eyebrow, glancing at her briefly from the mirror.

`

“Where are they going?” Charlene asked the driver, wondering as to why they were now driving through dense trees and rocky roads onto a mountain.

“They’re not leading us to a trap, are they?” Aaron asked, grabbing tightly onto the straps of his backpack.

“Likely, but if they do, there is almost no chance of them coming back out. This part of the forest is mysterious in how people that go in almost never come back out.”

“And you’re driving us right smack into the middle of it,” Charlene stated flatly.

“You’re not afraid of dying?” Aaron asked, looking out the window in amazement.

All this beautiful nature…. Is nothing but a dangerous trap?

“I know that you won’t pay until I get you to where you want to be, and I want the extra that I charged. You know, idiots like you guys don’t come along often.” He smiled, not for a second doubting these two young people here.

And for some other random reason, he saw no gain in giving up on them, rather, he saw Charlene as a younger version of himself, being the smart aleck he had been. Aaron balanced her off, his positivity and honesty holding her back from mischievous deeds.

Of course, he was too COOL to say that aloud. :D

“Are you sure you know the way out?” Charlene asked, not wanting the taxi driver’s life to be on their hands.  

“To get out of here, there’s a very small secret that you have to know.” He winked, continuing slowly on the path, as to not be noticed by the other car.

Charlene looked at Aaron, shrugging, but there was a confidence in the driver’s voice that made her believe him. He was smart, for somebody that was willing to drive them into a possible death.

And that’s when they arrived at a huge mansion, it’s large, magnificent walls constructed of white marble, but it’s door was of steel.

It was made to assure that whoever came in… didn’t go back out.

The taxi driver slowly came to a stop, his hands moving uncertainly above the wheel. Should he tell the smart aleck girl the secret?

“Listen to me.” He commanded, turning around to Charlene. “There are two ways of getting out of this area. One of them is to fly out in a helicopter; the other is to… follow an underground trail located underneath the only pine tree next to the house, but you have to be sure of choosing doors. Only go through doors with a imperfections, the ones worn out. You should be safe if you follow my rules.”

Charlene didn’t seem shocked at him knowing so much.

“How do you know? How will you get out?”

His smile was fatherly rather than arrogant now, with a hint of worry. “I built it. I memorized exactly on top of what I built it.”

So he wasn’t just any random man, there WAS something about him that made him special.

Aaron leaned over and gave him a brotherly hug, touched at his willingness to help them. Although rare, Charlene leaned forward to him a hug as well, thankful. “Why did you help us?” She whispered.

“My daughter also believed in doing right things, besides, you didn’t hear that from me.” He winked.

Charlene saw the sad glint in his eyes, and silently acknowledged the fact that “believed” was in past tense. 

~~~~~~~~~

- ICEDCOFFEE 

Sorry for grammar errors! Hope you liked it!