London is such a different city than New York. I want to live here one day, of course, this is an impossibility. I will never be able to live where I want. I was owned from the day I was created and will be owned until the day I am Executed. Two hours later we touch down at Heathrow Airport. The Country purchased a jet that was created with rocket engines instead of regular plane engines because with the new regulations when I am in the air, they lose money. I heard rumors that a scientist in Sydney built a Particle Accelerator and while that would be insane, I don’t know if I could handle that amount of travel- I wouldn’t have any excuses as to why I could not do appearances. 

 I did what Molly told me and posted four times while I was in the air. One was a picture of me smiling. One was a picture of my abs. One was a picture of me lying in my empty bed with the caption ‘I miss you.’ This was not meant for anybody in particular but gets the best rise out of the majority. The final picture was me looking out the window 30,000 feet in the air. These posts are nothing special but I did what Molly asked and that is all I am required to do. 

 The jet taxis to the private terminal and I see the red carpet rolled out from where the stairs will touch the ground. My security team emerges from the back of the plane and walks toward the front while the camera crew files behind them and immediately bolts for their equipment in the cargo hold. Molly departs next but she is talking to someone as they walk next to her. I Zoom on my EYE but do not have clear Resolution to determine who it is; I swear Molly came onto the plane completely alone. Before I dwell on the irregularity any longer, the pilot unlocks the inner chamber and lower the stairs - time to smile. I wait for the pilot to get out of my way and hang back until the copilot gets out. 

 The copilot is still in her chair and I ask if she is leaving now or is going to move the plane but she doesn’t say anything. I move a little closer and ask again. Then I get the feeling deep in my stomach. She is not moving. I call out to her one more time before I turn around. The cabin is empty from what I can see but I switch modes on my EYE. I scan for any detectable heat signatures and see none. No one is going to ambush me from behind. I refocus my attention towards the copilot and still, she is not moving. I reach up to tap her on the shoulder. As I do, she spins around and throws me against the wall. Good Spike is she strong. She flips me over and tries to pin me against my chair. How inconsiderate. I turn my EYE back off because I already know this is going to be too easy for me. I let her slam me against the chair two more times before I get to work. 

 She reaches for what looks like a filed end of a spoon. Are we in prison? As she goes to slam me a third time, I grab her hand and snap her fingers all the way back. I hear the pop and the click as they dislocate and then break. Her hand falls limp but she keeps coming at me. Props to her, I have done that to grown males and they cry out. I grab my half-finished vodka and tonic and throw the remains of the drink in her face. She momentarily falters and wipes at her eyes. I grab my backpack trying to unzipper it but it is too late. She has recovered. Grabbing my arms, she brings it against her knee like she is trying to snap a stick for firewood. Come on lady, who do you think I am. 

 I cry out in pain and she looks at me in surprise. Of course, she looks at me in surprise, she probably thinks there is hope for her. Reminder sweetheart, I do not feel pain because pain is a feeling doctored by emotions. Sorry to ruin the fun. She starts flailing around as I grab her by the throat and bring her nearer to the exit. I am standing fully upright in my cabin, arm outstretched, dangling her above the ground. There is a gasp from outside and see my security team standing below me, smiling. They are always smiling when I am hurting someone. I would probably find that alarming if I was not a Spike. My camera team (I think I should refer to them as ‘SQUAD’ from now on) are hoisting their equipment while the one in charge barks orders for the best shot. They missed the beginning of an Encounter; their bosses are going to be on their asses for that mistake. 

This would be a good time to reacquaint myself with London so I step out onto the first step, still holding the struggling copilot, and wave her around for everyone to see. My security team is beaming, my SQUAD is quiet and filming, Molly is clapping, and the person she was talking to is just standing there looking at me. I still cannot get a good look at its face. It looks really tiny to be any type of new member to my team. You have a Famous Alpha giving you a live performance and you are just standing there? Fine, I am up for the challenge. I throw the co-pilot into the air before I catch her by her head and throw her against the side of the plane. She dies on impact. I feel her lighten as her soul lifts from her body. My crowd goes wild but that Being on the ground is still staring at me. 

We make, what I assume is, eye contact. Its eyes are a piercingly blue...almost mesmerizing. I want to drop the copilot and walk towards this person. I blink, which seems to release me from whatever spell I was under and grab the co-pilot again. After two more good slams against the outside of the plane, I throw her against the ground where her body stops with a thud. SQUAD is already sizing up the best angles to capture the body, while Molly is already shouting for security to get me into the transport. 

Then the strangest thing happens, as I look back down at the body, my EYE becomes fuzzy and then my whole world starts to spin. I try to recalibrate my EYE and shake my head but all I see are stars in my field of vision. I look towards my security team who has noticed that I do not look well and see Rosen and Cassidy start to ascend the steps. But as quickly as it came, my EYE reboots and my vision is back to normal. Holding up one of my hands for Rosen and Cassidy to signal a halt to their ascent, SQUAD has missed the entire moment of confusion. 

A second later, I regain composure and slap on my smile as I continue descending towards everyone. SQUAD has refocused on my face and the usual questions are thrown my way. They are all so excited that I had Executed someone before even stepping foot on London soil. I’m sure the headline tonight will be something like “Cai Executes crazed pilot as she tries to choke him.” I answer none of the questions though as I walk towards my caravan of cars. I cannot shake the feeling of that woman watching me on the steps. What the hell just happened with my vision? I am not designed to have any glitches with any bodily function, much less the most important part of my body. I keep smiling as I step into the Bentley and give everyone a wave. 

I step into the Bentley and turn to see that I will be the only one in this car. I should be used to this at this point; every second of every day, I am forced to interact with people. I am rented out to sleep with the highest bidder but am used to it. I am mandated to remain in isolation but am used to it. What the heck just happened out there? Someone must have paid that Siv to Encounter me, that happens on a regular basis. Why did I have those glitches though? It felt like my heart constricted and I couldn’t get enough air. That has never happened before. I need to find out who that woman was. Maybe my drink was poisoned? The Siv remains motionless next to the front wheel of the plane. The body is about to be moved so my jet can be stored for later. I crane my head to see if the mystery Being is anywhere in my field of vision. 

*Profile Match: None. 

 Weird. I bring my attention back into the car and observe the contents of the Welcome Package. In it, there is a diamond stud, a bag of chocolates, gold chain, a pair of new shoes who I think are Tod’s, and my vial of blood. These people have clearly not done their research. I have not worn an earing since I was fifteen. I hate chocolate. Gold is no longer a precious metal in Country. I have already promised Testoni that I would wear their shoes while around London. The only thing they got right was the vial of blood. I must have burned at least half a vial during that last Encounter and about a quarter during the one this morning. I reach into the bag and take out the vial. I give it a shake so the plasma and red and white blood cell’s can mix then take my syringe out of my Tumi backpack, press it into the vial and then pull the end outward. I see crimson color stretch from the needlepoint all the way through the syringe until it is filled. 

I hold my syringe in my hand like it is my lifeline - it is. Supposedly, Spike’s are the only beings that require an everyday transfusion of blood. Sivs make this stuff on their own and have an abundance of it so they are required to donate it to the Spike Program. I wonder what life would be like if I did not have to rely on the blood of others to continue surviving. It holds a sort of symbolism in my life. They give up part of their life to help create mine, but then I am paid to take theirs. The needle is still resting in my hand and normally, I inject the blood immediately but after what happened today I am wondering if I need this. Molly would not have let this Welcome Package enter my car if it was not approved by at least three different Keepers. Holding someone else’s life in my hand holds a different weight with me today. Why? It doesn’t even matter, I tell myself. I inject the blood into my quadriceps and feel the physical euphoria half a second later. My body is already eating this up. 

 Relaxing my head against the rest, the car starts moving. I really spend so much time being transported to and from these places. It is nice not to have anything to worry about in the larger scheme of things, but sometimes I wish I could do what I want. The caravan files past the taxiing jet, past the Sivs body and towards the exit of the tarmac. Luckily there are no incoming RPG’s this time. I am in London now! 

 Great Britain has outlawed the use of Spike’s in every way. Obviously, The Country will send some Encounters my way to make sure I receive active views but England has imposed a Special Permit for anyone entering this state for an Encounter. My head costs about five million pounds right now which brings me an incredible amount of relief but I bet Molly hates this right now. In the last thirty days, I have had approximately 64 Encounters. I have Executed 129 Sivs and have fought and Executed another four Beta Spikes. I wonder why the Country even creates Beta Spikes anymore. There is no way they could hurt me if they tried but they are a cheap way for them to make money - its reality television. Maybe this is a sign. 

I must be exhausted from the past thirty days, that I have not received an adequate mental break. That would explain my biological reaction today on the jet. The only thing I have to think about now is how hard I am going to party and how long will it take for me to get into the princess’s bed. Colman, let’s do this buddy. The cars fly past the gates of the tarmac and drive onto the road reserved for private flyers. I do not have to smile right now but I find myself looking at my reflection, a gleam in my Artic sky eyes, ready to have a good time in London.

Next Chapter: Chapter 5