"After 12 December 2025, the day is now finally 13 December 2025, right now the time is 1:05 am, we will take one more day to reach the Mexican border. "
Alice informed someone in the walkie talkie. She sat in the wall - mounted folding seat inside a moving truck container, beside her seated other masked figures including Noah. They all wear normal clothes.
"Ok then. " The voice in the walkie talkie spoke. "Be careful in your journey. "
After that the walkie talkie became silent, Alice put it down inside a duffle bag, under the seat.
All her companions had fallen asleep, being all other than the driver which she couldn't talk to.
Suddenly the truck stopped, Alice higher her guard.
"Noah. " Alice whispered. "Someone stopped us. "
Noah slowly awoke, his eyes rebelling to not get opened. Still dozing he murmured.
"Mom.. pick up dad first. "
"Stupid, hide. " Alice quietly, angrily informed Noah.
"What!! " All of a sudden Noah wakes up. "Who died? "
Alice put her hand on her forehead.
"Hide. "
Noah quickly opens a secret passage below him, revealing one more thin layer in the truck compartment.
He gets inside it, Alice closes it, swiftly pulls out orange juice from the duffle bag, spilling it on the trapdoor, then again pulls out a small blanket from the bag, placing it on the spilled juice.
The compartment door opened, two police officers, both looking the same age, checked the whole place only to see all passengers inside sleeping.
One of them noticed the cloth.
"What is that cloth? " The police officer asked.
"Nothing.. " The driver, who is a clean shaved young man wearing a cap, replied. "The orange juice spilled off. "
"Ok then. " The other police officer said. "How do you know it's orange juice? "
"Well. " The man hesitated. "We only have orange juice on us, so that's why I know. "
The police officers looked at each other, then one of them asked again.
"Where is this truck exactly going? "
The driver gulps.
"I am dropping these people near town, as you can see it has passed midnight, no taxi right now present. "
The policeman raised an eyebrow.
"Then what are you doing here? So late. "
An awkward smile forms on the driver's face.
"I was coming from my shift and I saw them asking for the lift to drop them off near town. They also offer me money so I accept, if you want I can show you. "
"No it's ok. " The police officer shook his head. "Where are these people coming from? "
The driver gets to Alice, shaking her shoulder. Alice, who is doing an act of being asleep, wakes up.
"Yes. " She falsely yawned.
"Where are you coming from? " One of the police men queers.
"Well. Alice calmly told the police officer. "We were coming to our near late night shift from the near factory, you know about that chocolate company? We are coming from there. I can also show you my id. "
Alice pulled out a fake id of the chocolate company, and the police officer took it. After seeing it they gave the id back
The police officer stayed silent for a second.
"Ok then. " The same police officer informed them . "You may go. "
"Thanks."
After saying that, the driver closed the compartment door and the truck driver drove away from the police officer.
Sometimes later, when there is enough distance, Alice removes the cloth from. She opened the secret passage, Noah patiently waited down.
"Come out. " She silently told Noah.
Noah gets out of the compartment, sitting in the near chair he breathes in relief.
"I think I should sleep again now. " Noah yawn.
"You should hide in the secret passage so that in an emergency I wouldn't have to wake up your lazy ass. Emma suggested.
"Hell naw. " Noah declined.
Alice didn't say anything further, looking at the door of the container. Noah noticed it.
"Aren't you going to sleep? "
"No. " Alice declined. "I have to look after all of you, that's what I am assigned to. "
"That must be difficult. "
"No, it's not. " Alice spoke. "I used to have a night shift as a bartender when I had a normal life. "
"Bartender? " Noah questions. "It must be a cool job. You even became the receptionist of the freedom tower"
"Yeah. " Alice mumbled. "Until your boss decided to fire you because you don't want to do a job when he decline to give you his one year salary
"What? " Noah's jaw dropped. "Why did you even work there? "
"During college my parents could barely afford its fee so I decided to get a part time job. I got a job as a bartender but the owner.. That piece of shit. "
Alice tightened her fist.
"He found something he didn't have and then he started to black mail me to show it to me so I decided to give him free labour but one day something happened then I finally became free. "
"What is the thing he wasn't supposed to find? " Noah listened in interest.
"No! " Alice snapped out. "It's none of your business. "
By seeing Alice's personality switch Noah almost jumped from his seat.
"Ok ok. " Noah tried to calm down Alice. "It's not my business, I will just fall asleep, you continue your security guard job. "
Alice leaned back in frustration.
"Yeah, that will be good for you. "
Noah closed his eyes, still thinking about what was the thing that Alice is talking about, however his head became too heavy, he fell asleep.
—————
Aston drove as fast as he can in thethe car in an empty road, the street ligth glimmre the road.
Suddenly the walkie talkie started to talk.
"Listen everyone. " The walkie talkie informed. "You all are assigned to different place to cross borders with your group but there's something more you should know. "
Aston closely listens.
"For each of the group, a superior will be given you to look after everyone and let you croos the border without much difficulties so now I am gonna inform the superior for each group.. "
Aston slower the car speed to listen the walkie talkie.
"This is interesting. " Aston spoke to himself.