It's Dangerous Business

A wonderful place full of mysteries and adventure! "Huh, sounds promising..." It was raining for hours. Elena was still in bed, it must have been around 15:00 PM. She zapped through the programs, but that series about mythological places all around the world has kept her watching for quite a long time now. "Well... I don't really have anything to do now anyway", she sighed, when she finally got out of her bedroom and went into the bathroom to wash herself. The journalist didn't have good job offers the last months and had a regular and kind of a boring life since then. Her last big story was probably the one about the mysteries of Shambala. She even wrote a book. The places in this book are fictional and based on myths and legends, she wrote. Nobody would have taken her seriously anyway, even if she wrote it was real. "Oh well...." The rain kept banging against her windows when she shut of the TV after brushing her teeth.

Richard sat in a taxi, he took a sip from his coffee he just picked up from the coffee shop across the street. He took a look at the clock, 14:53. He laid down his magazine and stared out of the window. "Damn, this weather really doesn't make my day any better." He stared out for another minute when he realized he should take off and pick up some people he has to take to their destination. He started the car when he sighed "This day better be done soon." He drove away tuning in on the radio not knowing what's ahead of him.

She was sipping an ice cold beer, leaning in her backrest, looking at the rising sun.
Another day began along with another dirty job. She sighed, enjoying the last bits of freedom and peace before she'd have to throw herself into another monkey business.
She finished her beer and threw the bottle down the crashed plane she lives in, onto the sandy ground of the dry surrounding.
Grabbing her guns and her long Katana sword, she left the small but comfortable place and soon found herself in a big city again.
"Stupid flight" she mumbled, still pissed over having to travel by plane. That's why she probably liked her crashed one so much. For that reason, it was crashed.
The weather here had changed, it was cloudy and rainy, which did not really help her mood to improve. But she had a job to do.
She grabbed a taxi, got in and told the brown-haired driver, who didn't look much happier than her, to take her to the (wherever we are to .. whatever destination XD)

A woman stood by the road calling for a taxi, of course Richard, as a taxi driver, pulled over to pick her up.
"To the airport" she said with a grumpy voice. "Oh dear, her day is bad as well" he thought. Driving further he looked through his front mirror to the lady behind. She looked back and Richard gazed his sight with a shock back on the road.
The silence was deadly, and he didn't had a conversation to make up. "Uuh, nice weather isn't it?" Richard asked her in a sarcastic happy voice, actually knowing that the weather was really bad. He saw her look angry back and he thought "why did I even started to talk." "What's actually your business here in Miami", Alpert asked nervously, hoping he might receive an answer this time. "Shut up, and keep driving", she said with a sharp voice. "Man she's really grumpy" he thought, while the taxi driver shamefully drove further. After another deadly silence they reached the airport. It was really busy. Must be the weather, cause everyone came by car and bus. "I'm really sorry miss, but it seems I can't drop you off here there's no place for me to get in." Richard said. "Drop me off somewhere else then!" She said. He had to drive a few blocks away to a dark street which was, surprisingly to him, without people. Richard stopped the car knowing he had to ask her something again. Luckily for him she started. "How much?" She asked. "Uuh, that'll be $45 please" the taxi driver said, again with the same nervous voice. She gave him the money and he reached out to change but she said "Leave it." He watched her leaving the car and walk away. Richard sighed relived thinking that this was the weirdest customer he has ever had.

"God damn, won't anyone answer?!", she sighed after calling one of the taxi agencies of Miami for several times. "Hello there, Miami Taxis here, where can I pick you up?", a nervous voice finally asked. "Thank god. Carlos Arboleya Boulevard, I'm waiting outside. There's only one house so you" - "Not to worry, I know everything about this city." Then the taxidriver hung up. "Oh well... if he sais so." Elena had already packed her bags. One big trolley case for clothes, cameras, books, movies and stuff for writing and two small bags for hand luggage. The journalist already booked the hotel Phnom Penh for three weeks, she considered that to be enough time for a good report and getting used to the culture over there in Cambodia. She also planned to write a book about it, even though there are thousands already, but her book was going to be a special one. It was around 15:30 PM now, when the blonde woman went down the stairs of her little apartement, closed the door and stood on the rainy streets of Miami. "Farewell bad weather, I hope you won't miss me", she smirked while she got into the car, which got there faster than she thought. "Afternoon. To the airport please." "Again?" "Excuse me?" "Oh... my bad, nevermind."

As soon as she got out of the car and was sure that no one had followed her, she turned right into an even darker and smaller street.
There was no human soul to be seen. The wet ground underneath her boots was splashing, the rain was getting so strong now, that she got almost drowned in it.
"Shit.." she just mumbled, pulled an even angrier face and got to her destination "We've been waiting for you" without a word, she was loading her guns "Okay, okay." "You called me, I am here. Make it quick!" "Sheesh.." the bald guy sighed and stepped a bit away from her. He was surrounded by two other guys, bigger, stronger. Probably his bodyguards. Rubi just rolled her eyes. "O-o-o-okay I .. I need you to t-t-t-t-t-to go to Fat Tuesday, at the Biscayne Boulevard and find a man called Matthew Syr. I .. I .. I want him dead but I want a proof for his death" "And the money?" "$1000" "Not enough" She immediatelly pointed with her gun at his face, not caring that the two bodyguards were stepping in the way and were about to attack her, but stopped, as their boss told them to "I-I-I-I-I ... I can give you $2000" "Fair enough" she put her guns away again and went off, to the relief of the bald guy, who sighed breathless.
She waited 'till it became night, she was already at the bar, not bad. It wasn't too loud and at least they played some good western music. She was sipping on her third beer as a man joined the building and caught her attention. A drunk man was sitting next to her, almost drooling over her presence, she didn't care. Low folk, easy to use. "Who's that guy over there?" "Thaaaaaat guuuuuy overrrrr there?!" he slured "It's Machew!" "Machew?" she wrinkled her forehead "You mean Matthew?" "Yessssssssss .. do you want a kisssssssssss?" she sighed and punshed her fist in his face, so he fell of the chair where he probably immediatelly fell asleep.
She was watching the guy, who is obviously supposed to be her aim and waited for the right moment. "Ahhhh .. Syr Matthew!" the bar keeper greeted him. Rubi lowered her head, pretending not to listen and just to stare at her beer "What brings a rich man like you to a place like that?" "Ah just a break. Going to Cambodia tomorrow" "Ah Cambodia! A nice place!" "No it's not" he chuckled, the bar keeper laughed nervously and just handed him a Martini. Matthew sat down next to her. She secretly grinned. A plan entered her mind.
"Ahh .." he sighed, he must have been walking the whole day. Walking or just dealing drugs, making business. Monkey business.
"Oh .. what nice interior decor!" he grinned and bent down to see her face. Rubi played along "No .. I am just new here" "So! Are you?" She nodded and smiled sweetly. "Well if you want, baby, you can join my last night here!" She saw her chance. As soon as they'd go to his room, she could kill him. So she just smiled even sweeter.
"Hey! A Martini for me and the sweet lady next to me!" he shouted, so the bar keeper would bring more. Rubi pulled a face over his stupidity but knew it was the only way to get him.

The woman who came into the car this time seemed more friendly then the one Richard had moments ago. She stared out of the window with a sad face. “Must be cause of the weather”, he thought.
The taxi driver looked back on the road, again not knowing if he should start a conversation this time, since the other one turned out badly. He looked back in the front mirror of the car to the woman behind him, blonde hair in some kind of ponytail. Her eyes where brown. “Damn, she looks good” he thought. He became a little nervous when she started to say, “Man this weather really is bad isn’t it?” “Yeh, it does” Richard said, when he turned the car’s wipers faster because the rain began pouring down more and more. “So where are you headed for?” Richard asked. “I’m heading to Cambodia to report some stuff and get used to the culture there” she answered spontaneously. “That’s very nice!” “Yeh, it is isn’t it?” Alpert was happy he had a spontaneous woman this time, and also good looking. He started to blush at this thought, when he went his gaze once again on the blurry road before him.
At the airport the people where still running away from the pouring rain. The taxi driver parked in a, maybe the own, free spot. “Here we are miss, shall I help you with your suitcases and bring them in for you?” Richard asked her nervous but politely. “yeh, yeh, that might be a good idea” she answered. He got out of the car and he immediately got soaked wet cause of the rain. He got her suitcases out of the trunk and opened the door for the lady. “Thank you”, she said taking her two hand luggage bags and hung them over her shoulder as fast as she could. “Here let me take one of them as well”, Richard said politely, when she handed over one of her bags. She started to rush towards the entrance of the airport. Richard rushed behind her in the pouring rain with the suitcase and a very heavy bag. “Jesus, what is in these bags!?” he thought. When they entered the warm dry hall Richard put down the suitcase and then bag beside it. The woman turned around and opened up her purse. “So what’s the price of such a nice trip to the airport?” she asked with a smile on her face. Richard became a little bit nervous again about the fact she smiled so nicely to him. “Uuh, that’ll be, uuhm, $48 please” he replied when she handed over her money with the same smile. “That’s a low price for such a nice trip” she replied giving the taxi driver 55 instead of 48.
She walked away with her luggage leaving Richard soaked wet with his mouth open in the hall. He shook his head knowing he had to go back on duty. When Richard walked back outside he looked over to see if he could still spot her, no success. “I gotta plan a trip to Cambodia!” he thought with a grin on his face.

"Attention please! The flight from Miami to Phom Penh, Cambodia will be delayed for about 2 hours. We kindly ask for your understanding."
"Oh, this day is getting better and better", Elena sighed and sat down on one of the benches in the big hall. The rain kept falling, the people kept yelling trough the airport and the journalist kept being bored. She placed the two bags on an empty seet next to her and the case in front of her on the wet ground, which was full of dirty foot prints. Then she took out one of the books she bought about Cambodia some days ago. It was a travel guide about the most important buildings and things you should see. Elena scrolled trough the pages, when she got to the biggest chapter in the thin book. Angkor Wat, a temple complex in Angkor which was built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. She started reading the first lines on the first page in that chapter, when someone suddenly sat down next to her. "Cambodia, you said?", a familiar voice asked. "Hey! You're the taxi guy", Elena said when the man started to laugh. "Richard, the taxi guy", he grinned. "I'm Elena, nice to meet you. So... what kept you at the airport?", she started another conversation.

The night came fast, fortunatelly. She survived this sensless, naughty conversation only, by the amount of beer and simply ignoring that idiot.
She sighed quietly as she followed him upstairs. He asked her in and closed the door. As she got herself ready he suddenly pointed a gun at her head "Just stay calm .. Rubi Malone!" he grinned and loaded the gun in his hand. She wrinkled her forehead and narrowed her eyes "How do you-" "Oh don't ask!" he interupted her rudly "Everybody knows you!"
She was looking for an exit, a way to escape, but as soon as she tried to go for the small window, he called his guys, tons of them, breaking through the door behind him, appearing underneath the window "Oh shit!" she hissed but jumped down anyways, pulling her guns after she landed hard on her feet, shooting what and who crossed her way, jumping over the parked cars, running across several steets, turning a dozen times left and a million right until she finally felt save and knew no one was chasing her anymore. She stopped, bending down, her hands on her knees she tried to catch her breath. It was still raining and she was already soaking wet, at least it washed the sweat away. She sighed, ran a hand through her jet black, wet hair and headed to the airplane. She needed to get away from her.

"A ticket to Cambodia please" she asked the lady at the counter. She nodded, typed something into her computer and soon printed out an airplane ticket "The last one, you are lucky" Rubi smiled sarcastic and just handed her the money before she left.
She sat down in the lobby and wrinkled her forehead as she recognized the guy next to her "Hey .. aren't you the taxi guy?" "I have a name!" he complained.

He stared in her eyes knowing he just yelled towards the woman he had in his taxi earlier. She, on the other hand, looked at him like he was insane. With a shameful look he noticed he had to introduce himself this time. “My name’s Richard” the taxi driver said politely and reached out his hand. “Name’s Rubi” and she shook his hand. “Seems you made it to the airport after all”, Richard said to Rubi. “Yeh, well it wasn’t a fun trip.” She looked away again and Richard glanced to Elena, she looked back and made a weird face symbolizing the situation. The taxi driver thought if he would introduce Elena to Rubi. But still what would accomplish that? They just knew each other. So in short words they are all strangers to another. He looked how a plane landed on the landing strip, then took a glimpse of both Elena and Rubi and he looked forward again. Richard hated these kind of situations. “What will they both think right now? What if one thinks I’m having a relationship with the other…” He stood up and said to Elena he was going to the bathroom for just a minute and he left the two women alone.
When he got to the bathroom he splashed some water in his face. “What am I even doing here”, the taxi driver said to himself. He looked into the mirror when a man entered the bathroom. He was quite large and he looked like he was in his 40’s.
He greeted the taxi driver spontaneously and Richard just said “Hi” back. The taxi driver thought he smelled alcohol when the man passed by him. The brown haired man followed him with his eyes when the large man walked towards one of the toilet doors and shut it close. The taxi driver stood there frozen, thinking that this might be one of the weirdest days he could ever had. He dried his hands and face and he walked back outside the bathroom. When he reached the exit of the bathroom, two bodyguard shaped men where staring at him. Richard just walked further with a straight face back to the women he left behind.

Elena didn't even look at the woman next to her. Why would she? She heard, Richard knew her from a taxi drive as well. She might have been a bit jealous but didn't really let anyone know. Richard sat down between the two women again, saying nothing at all. "Back to... my question", Elena started again. "Why aren't you driving people around?" The taxi driver looked at the journalist for a while, then to the other lady next to him and then back to Elena. "I'm waiting?", she asked further. "Well... I have two weeks holiday left this year so... I thought I'd go to Cambodia as well if you don't mind?" Elena started to laugh. "Why should I care? I'm not the only person going there." "Indeed", the other woman interrupted. "So... we're three now? Oh well." Elena looked as confused as Richard and the other person next to him. "And you are?", she asked. "Rubi...", the other one answered. "Elena Fisher. Nice... to meet you." "Excuse me ladies, I'm going to get a ticket", Richard suddenly said and stood up. "Uh... you don't have one yet? Well, bad luck, I've got the last one", Rubi grinned.

There was silence for a while and Rubi was probably the only one grinning. She leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head. "Don't worry" she said as Elena just opened her mouth "There are other ways to get in a plane, here" she handed Richard her ticket, then rubbed her neck for a while and headed somewhere.
Richard and Elena gave each other a confused look, shrugged and followed her after all.
The plane was there by now and they were able to get in. The two others were checked easily and quickly, Rubi was the problem.
"Madam, you are not allowed to carry guns. And where is your ticket?" "Behind you, it's running by and waves at you" the security guy was stupid enough to look behind. That gave Rubi a chance to kick him between the legs, so he fell on his knees moaning and holding his crown jewels.
"Done" she simply said, passing her two new friends.

Finally they were in the plane, ready to take off.
Rubi was sitting by the window and gave the two others some privacy, since she wasn't very interested in a deep conversation anyways, but whenever they asked her something, she answered honestly and not too rude. She got away, so her mood became better. Until she noticed the smell of alcohol. "Oh oh .." she mumbled, sliding down deeper in her seat so he wouldn't see her.

“Good evening ladies and gentleman, my name’s Frank Lapidus and I will be your pilot for the rest of the flight. Please, have yourself a fish biscuit and enjoy your ride to Cambodia and I will make sure we will get there in one piece.” Richard buckled up in his seat with Elena next to him.
He never knew his day would end in a flight to Cambodia! Glad he could take two weeks of just like that! Richard looked around in the plane, and saw some people struggling with their suitcases. “Damn, I don’t even have a suitcase” he thought. “This could be worse after all.” Elena saw that he looked worried. “Are you okay?” she asked to the worried taxi driver. “I just think that I never had any chance to pack my stuff”, he answered worried. “Don’t worry!” The journalist said “There might be some shops in Cambodia to buy some new clothes!” “You could be right!” Richard smiled at her and received an warm smile back. He looked towards Rubi who sat very low in her seat and looking out of the window. The taxi driver wondered why. The plane began to drive to the runway to take off. Richard became a little nervous, he never was one for the flying. The stewardesses did the usual safety measure speech and the taxi driver always listened to them just in case, you never knew. The plane began to make starting noises and was ready to take off. Take off to Cambodia where three people might get an adventure of a lifetime.

"Oh god...", Elena started to sigh. "I hate planes. Last time I flought one it ended up not so well." Richard seemed interested but Elena stopped at the exciting part of her story. "I never knew such a spontanous person like you. I mean jumping on a plane to the end of the world in the last minute without anything... Oh, I'm sorry." The man next to her started to feel a bit nervous about it, so she stopped talking. "But anyway... why don't you tell me something about you? Where you come from, how long you are in the taxi business, stories of your life and stuff", Elena smiled, when a stewardess came towards them with a tablet and some kind of menu. "Good evening you two, would you like to have a drink or some of our fish biscuits? These are only available on our Miami Airlines flights so you better taste one!", she said with a smile on her lips. "Sure, why not... you also want some?", the reporter asked Richard. "Uh... well.. ok", he answered. "Okay, bring us two portions please", the blonde woman talked further. "Sure, back in a minute", the other woman said and went trough a door into the kitchen.

"I'm a... reporter", Elena answered a bit skepitcal about Rubi's true intentions. "What about you?", she went on. "Well I'm... a problem solver", the black haired woman answered. "Interesting... And what made you go to Cambodia?", the blonde one asked further. "Problem solving business?", the black haired one answered with a sarcastic voice. "I see ... so the reporter, the killer and the taxi guy on a plane to the other end of the world", the journalist smirked. "Hey, I didn't say I'm a killer", Rubi interrupted. "But you are." "True..." "Your fish biscuits ladies and gentlemen!", the stewardess, nobody saw coming suddenly said. "Oh and your... beer", she finished her sentence and handed Rubi her drink and the other two their meal. "Enjoy! And call me whenever you need something." The attractive woman left again heading to another row of seats to ask other passangers for their wishes.

While taking a bite from his fish biscuit, Richard listened to only half of what the two woman where talking about. He went his sight once again through the plane, and saw the man he saw in the bathroom earlier, sitting a few rows in front of them. “That the man even was permitted to get on the plane with so much alcohol down his throat” the taxi driver thought. Richard went back with his thoughts to the conversation the two woman made since he heard the word “killer.” He looked shocked but anxious towards the woman. “Oh great…” Rubi replied by just seeing his face. Elena said it was alright but the taxi driver bow over Elena to Rubi and went through asking. “Who is it you’re dealing business with?” “Woa, don’t be so close!” Rubi said with waving her beer towards Richard’s face and he went a bit back. “Ok, I’m sorry I’m just anxious!” the brown haired man replied. “So can we both know what the real business is?” he asked further. Rubi sighed and glanced towards the mysterious bathroom man. Richard watched as well and grinned, “So you’re going for him aren’t you?” Rubi became inpatient and said it was none of his business. “Fair enough”, Richard grinned further. Elena sat between the two and thought about what person in the plane they where talking about. “So, now you mister... taxi driver”, Rubi said. “Let us know the real reason why you’re heading towards Cambodia then and don’t!”, when Richard wanted to open his mouth to answer about his free time, “even dare to say you had just happened to have two weeks off!” Richard bent shamefully back in his chair not knowing how to answer. He saw the grin on Rubi's face and the taxi driver just got more nervous of it. He glanced at Elena who looked back. With a nervous voice he replied “I… I think I’m in love with the woman next to me…”

She was torn between giving them a disgusted look and being nice, but since they didn't seem to freak out on her yet, she chose the second option.
Taking another sip of her beer, she looked out the window, hoping they'd land soon.

As she opened her eyes again she got blinded by the sun. "Mmmm" she moaned and looked around, the taxi guy and the blond chick were still next to her, the only really weird thing was, that no one else was on the plane. She stood up and checked the scene, one hand on her best friend - her gun.
"Ahhh .. I see, you are finally awake. Did you like your drink, Rubi?" she backed off a bit, got in position and glared at the bad smelling guy that stepped out of the cockpit. "Mixed with the world's latest drug, and so were the fish buscuits" he grinned proud. "Now what has that got to do with me?" she asked grumpy. "Well .. you are one famous agent, Rubi Malone. You've brought quite a riot into my business, not just me now but all the others before" "All working for you!?" she asked surprised. He just laughed.
"Guys .." a few big bodyguards stepped out of the nowhere and appeared behind her, grabbing her upper arms to hold her back. Of course she tried to free herself and cussed as always.
"Na, na, na na!" Matthew smirked and placed a finger under her chin so she was forced to look at him. At least gave her a chance to hurt his pride. A thick drop of saliva was running down his face and he had to close his eyes. She grinned big, spitting was one of her all-time-fav activities. Especially into dickwead's faces. "Rubi!" Elena suddenly yelled. Both had just woken up. "Guys!" Matthew growled again and they grabbed Elena too, but she has had the time to figure out a way to trick them. She kicked the first one at a place, where it shall hurt him the most and the other one was so stupid, a rock would have had more braincells than he did. She ran a bit, then stepped aside and let him crash into Matthew. "YOU IDIOT; how come you..." but they didn't hear the rest of his cursing. Elena's attack has given Rubi the chance to deal with the other guys, Richard meanwhile had grabbed some more fish biscuits so they could look at it more closely later. They opened the door but immediatelly stepped back again. They had not checked if the plane had landet yet .. but where were all the other people?! Rubi bent out of the door and saw another plane right underneath them "Holy .." "Well .. good plan, I give him credit for that" Richard mumbled but soon gasped as he saw Rubi suddenly jumping out the plane "ARE YOU INSANE?!" he shouted after her "MORE OR LESS!" she answered, grinning, falling free.

"C'mon, we gotta find parachutes!", she screamed as she grabbed Richards arm, and headed towards the backwall of the seat rows. "HOW?!", Richard gasped, when the two bodyguards came again after the other guy locked himself into the cockpit. "THIS WAY!", Elena yelled, jumped on one of the chairs, kicked one of the guys straight into his face and landed behind him, where she grabbed two of the parachutes she threw to the taxdriver. He quickly got the first one onto his back while holding on on some iron pole to not fly out because of the wind. "WATCH OUT!", he suddenly screamed to the other end of the plane, where Elena looked very confused towards him, as he made signs for her to turn around. The reporter smashed her ellbow behind her, being on her knees and knowing what she'll hit if she did so. The tall and bald guy fell towards the door and hit his head against it, when he went down to the ground. "Thank you", she sighed, when she also got her parachute on and went towards the open door ready for jumping out after Rubi, who was only a small black dot somewhere between some glasses, plates, bottles and tablets that also fell out during the fight.

He looked down next to Elena. The wind was intense! “You first!” she yelled towards the frightened taxi driver. "Jump down there!? Richard replied frightened. "Just go!", Elena yelled again. Richard looked down again. “How do these parachutes even work!?” he yelled back at her. “Just pull the cord when you think it’s the right time!” He looked down again then looked back to the seats of the plane. The though men were coming towards them again. “Go!” Elena screamed at Richard and pushed him out. “Woa!” The taxi driver screamed and felt the adrenaline rushing through his body. He tried to look up if Elena also jumped but the wind was to strong to even look. Richard fell down more and he didn’t knew he would pull the cord or not. The taxi driver reached for the cord and he pulled it. The parachute flew open to his big relief. Alpert didn’t even know how to control these things but he just let it do the work. The clouds where getting thinner, and the ground was visible through it. It was still far away and he gasped by the look of it. He wanted to know if Rubi and Elena where save as well. With this thought he flew lower and lower towards the ground.

She landed savely on the ground, how? No one really knew ..
But she was awaiting her friends down there, a hand stemmed against her waist, looking up to them.
They slowly landed, Elena savely, Richard .. somehow awkward, but at least he made it, Actually, Rubi was surprised she jumped. Elena seems to be a good influence on him.
She welcomed them with a short salute and then looked around. "Does anyone know where we are now?" she asked as she looked out at the long, wide dessert, almost looking a little like Africa.

"I have no idea how I always manage it to survive desperate parachute flights...", Elena laughed, whiping hair out of her face. "So...where are we?", she asked, looking at her two friends. "Asked the same", Rubi complained. "I'm sorry..." "So where are we?", Richard asked, both of the ladies looked at him with a confused face. "I'm sorry...", he answered, raising one eyebrow and lowering the other. "Desert you said?", the blonde haired woman asked the black haired one. "I'm sorry but you do have two well working eyes don't you?" "I do but I wouldn't call it a desert." "And what is THAT?!", Rubi yelled pointing her finger at some dusty environment full of sand and nothing else than send. "Guess that's a desert!", Richard grinned with a proud voice, but only got two angry faces as a review. "So... if we think what way we flought... this must either be China... or..." "Or what?", Rubi interrupted. "Well probably any other desert on our earth. You never know what that guy did with the other passengers and the pilot", the journalist said. "True... well, I'd suggest we get ourselfs out of here as fast as we can anyway", Rubi said, going into nowhere. "And... how exactly are you planning to do that?", Richard asked, standing right where he was, not moving any bit. "I have a PDA. With useful stuff and so", the reporter nodded, getting out a little mobile phone like thing with a pen on it's back. "Let's see... we are... where are we?", Elena started. "Isn't that... what we are... trying to find out?", Richard asked, ignoring the fact that Rubi was going straight into the desert. "Uhm yeah true. But let's say that guy headed further to Cambodia, which is likely, if he wanted to go there in the first place, then we must actually be in China. Let's just hope it's not one of these moving islands from mysterious Hollywood movies...", Elena laughed. Richad looked at her with a confused face but then went on looking at the digital map. "Well that's the only possible thing I could think of by now. The desert is up here... so we gotta head to the next big city, which is probably here...", the blonde woman went on explaining. "Probably", Richard complained. "You have a better idea?"
"GUYS?! I'M LEAVING THROUGH THE DESERT SO IF YOU WANT TO GET RESCUED YOU BETTER GET YOUR ASSES DOWN THERE!", Rubi suddenly screamed to the top of the hill the two were standing on, which was some last part of a forest. "Oh she's so friendly isn't she?"Y

Elena already walked off. Richard stood frozen in the warm dry sand. “And I thought this day really couldn’t be any worse” he annoyingly said to himself. “Hey! Wait up!” he yelled towards the two woman who already where moving towards the jungle, forest like area.
The taxi driver was out of breath of running when he joined the ladies again. “So we are going to follow the great and almighty PDA”, Alpert said towards Elena. She glanced at him with a confused look and said, “yeh, it’s probably the only way.” “Well later on with all these trees in the way I wouldn’t be so sure if a satellite will pick up where we are”, Richard replied with a concern look. Rubi immediately turned around and looked at both of them. “Listen up, if we go on with an attitude like that we might as well drop dead already.” She said angrily to Richard. “Is that what you want?” “No, uuh, no of course not.” He replied with a frowned face. “Well let’s keep moving then!” So they all went on towards the green looking area. The taxi driver decided it would be best if he just walked behind and followed them. Rubi was enjoying herself by cutting down some branches and leaves which were in the way of her. Elena was already having a bit of trouble reading her PDA with the trees who were closing in above them. It was getting darker and darker as further they went into the jungle. “As long as we don’t get attacked by a snake I’m all fine...” the taxi driver mumbled to himself. “What is that you say?” Elena said by looking over. “Oh, nothing” he replied with turning around and looking nervously around him. Elena laughed, but so that Richard couldn't hear her. The three went through the jungle hoping they would find the city Elena told them about.

Her sword was doing a great job and they were able to find a way through the dense forest, which was not as big as they thought, they saw a city in the distance and they all sighed relieved. "See .. just follow me" Rubi grinned, walking down a steep hill. "Watch out!" Richard yelled but it was too late, Rubi turned around and the snake already thrusted its long teeth into her flesh "AH YOU DAMN THING!" Rubi cursed and simply cut it off, out of anger .. she even cut it into pieces "Mmm .. Mini Snake Sausages!" Elena joked but shut up as she earned an angry look from Rubi. "Do you have anything with you to clear the wound with?" she asked and looked at it. It had bitten her on her lower leg. It didn't look too bad. "Not a poisonous snake" Elena explained smiling. Rubi lifted an eyebrow, shrugged and went on. "Wait up!" Richard said and caught up to the two women. Elena smiled at him and pat his back "You are doing really good" "Thanks" he blushed a little.
Soon they were walking on solid ground and found themselve in a big city. It looked pretty ancient and not very modern, yet better than anything.
"Excuse me, can you tell us where we are?" Richard asked a guy on the street. He spoke with a strong accent "Close to China, small city. Not much going on. You not from here?" Richard shook her head "Can you tell us how far it is from a nice hotel?" The guy pointed at a big building on the other side of the street and smiled lightly. Richard thanked him and the trio checked in the hotel.
Soon they were all having a room, together but with seperate beds. Rubi sat down on it and placed her head in her hands "Holy smokes" she sighed "Now that's a trip" They both smiled understanding at her.

"Pretty much", Elena sighed. She looked out of the window, when it started to rain. "I just wanted to go to Cambodia... without any interruption this time... then I meet a taxi driver I'm suddenly in love with, an assassin, our plane gets kidnapped, we're jumping out of it, landing in the middle of the Gobi desert in China, find a way through the jungle back to some small town and now we're in a hotel not knowing what the hell to do...", she thought, looking at the rainy streets of the small city they were in. "So now what? Who was that guy anyway? One of your... enemies in the killer, excuse me, problem solver business?", she smirked with a sarcastic voice.

When the two women talked about the guy who almost killed them, Richard just sat on his bed listening to only half of it. He only knew these things from movies, why does it all happen right here with them? The taxi driver suddenly sprang up and the two woman looked at him. “I still have those fish biscuits from the plane!” he said excited to the woman. “So we can figure out what he used on us?” Rubi asked with a little grin on her face. “Well it actually doesn’t matter now” Elena said. “If we still want to reach Cambodia we should call, or go, to the airport and buy us some new tickets.” Richard smiled and he said “Seems you two also have a suitcase problem after all!” Elena looked shockingly up, looked at him and finally smiled “Yeh, you can say that.” “Well Elena how are we going to get to the airport then?” Rubi asked. “Simple we drive!” Alpert said with a happy voice. “After all I’m a taxi driver!” Rubi and Elena looked at each other. “How are we going to get to a car?” Elena asked him curious. “Simple, we hire one!” the taxi driver got more and more excited about it. “There’s a car rent like one block away from here! I saw it on the way here.” “Seems you like driving, hu?” Rubi asked with a small laugh at the end. “I sure do!” the taxi driver winked and the situation was forgotten for a moment with forgetting their worries for some time.
They all took a shower but had to use their old clothes again due missing suitcases and they went outside in the rain again. They arrived at the car rent and picked out one of the cheapest cars around. Then they got in and Richard was excited to drive again. “So ladies, where are you headed?” he smirked and looked back to them. “Well, seems we are again headed to the airport.” Elena said to him. “Hopefully you know everything about this city as well!” The taxi driver smiled back and Rubi wasn’t paying attention anymore. “So to the airport it is!” he said and took off.
In a dark alley a guy in a car was watching the trio renting a car. He took his mobile phone out of his pocket and called on an automatic number. “Yes, sir Matthew?” he said with a low voice. “It seems they aren’t dead yet. Should I dispose of them?” Another voice replied, “Take any measures needed to get rid of them.” The man hung up and drove away to follow the trio.