This Isn't Lukedonia…
"This looks different somehow." Tao looked up. Hundreds of portals cast light through the ceiling, and the same porous design repeated on the walls. Columns slanted to the floor in the shape of a "V." Row after row of hard, plastic chairs filled the area. Such architecture had no place in the home of the nobles. "Maybe we're in a different part of Lukedonia? The modern district?"
Takeo shot him a glare. "Where they speak Spanish?"
"They were able to speak Korean to us. It could happen."
"We're in terminal 2 of the Mexico City airport." M-21 announced, sending his own dirty look at Tao. "You made us hide on the wrong private jet."
"We could be stopping for fuel."
"Just admit it. We're in the wrong place."
"Haha, I guess I could have accidentally boarded the wrong jet." Tao shirked away from them and laughed nervously. "We might as well look around while we're here."
"Don't tell me you did this on purpose." Takeo covered his face with his hand. This would be a very trying experience. "Did you think this through at all? I didn't even bring money since it's useless in Lukedonia."
"¡Que chava tan alta!"
"¡Checa su cabello!"
"¿Trae peluca? No puede ser de verdad."
M-21 glanced over his shoulder at the teenagers behind him. "Es un tipo."
"¿Qué? ¿Es Maricón?"
[Translation]
"That's one tall chick."
"Check out her hair."
"Is that a wig? It can't be real."
M-21 glanced over his shoulder at the teenagers behind him. "She's a man."
"What! Is he in drag?"
[Translation End]
"What did you just say?" Takeo followed his gaze to the kids. They giggled loudly and gestured to each other as they caught his eye. "What's going on?"
"Oho, M-21! Do you speak Spanish?" Tao cheered, already calculating their next move. "You're going to be our guide. You've been here before, right?"
"It's been a long time."
"No, we're going to call the boss. Did either of you bring your passports?"
"Takeo, I can make passports for us easy enough."
"Did you bring a printer or do you intend to use a public computer for something like that? Are you trying to get us arrested?"
"Keep your voice down." Tao hugged his laptop protectively. Obviously, he didn't bring any means to create the fake passports in a physical form. "It's not like I smuggled weapons into the country."
Takeo dropped his gun case to the floor. "I wasn't even planning to be in this country!"
"Disculpe." An old woman bumped into them, and her suitcase spilled out on the ground. "¡Ah, mira este desastre!"
"Let me help you." Takeo kneeled beside her and scooped a few items into her bag.
"¡Es usted muy amable!" She gratefully took her bag from him. "¡Muchas gracias! ¡Es un gusto ver a un joven tan caballeroso como usted!"
Takeo looked to M-21 for the translation.
"She said that it is inappropriate for a man to go through a woman's clothing."
"I know what 'thank you' is in Spanish."
SCRAPE!
"¡Esto está demasiado pesado!"
SCRAPE!
"¡Guarda silencio!"
"Hey!" Takeo spun around as two men struggled to lift his weapon case from the floor. He quickly snatched it from their hands and slung in over his shoulder.
The two men fell backward, and one of them pointed up at him. "¡Es un monstruo! ¡Acaba de levantarlo con una sola mano!"
"¡Corre!" They both scampered to their feet and took off through the rows of chairs.
[Translation End]
"Excuse me." An old woman bumped into them, and her suitcase spilled out on the ground. "Ah, look at this mess!"
"Let me help you." Takeo kneeled beside her and scooped a few items into her bag.
"You're too kind!" She gratefully took her bag from him. "Thank you so much! It's so nice to see a chivalrous young man like you!"
Takeo looked to M-21 for the translation.
"She said that it is inappropriate for a man to go through a woman's clothing."
"I know what 'thank you' is in Spanish."
SCRAPE!
"This is too heavy!"
SCRAPE!
"Be quiet!"
"Hey!" Takeo spun around as two men struggled to lift his weapon case from the floor. He quickly snatched it from their hands and slung in over his shoulder.
The two men fell backward, and one of them pointed up at him. "He's a monster! He just lifted that with one hand!"
"Run!" They both scampered to their feet and took off through the rows of chairs.
[Translation End]
"They said you were a monster and to run." M-21 didn't wait for him to ask for the translation this time.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"That is what they said."
"Takeo!" Tao called with a singsong tone. "Don't you know that bumping into someone is a good way to distract them so that someone else can steal their luggage? No wonder you're always being robbed when we travel! Shinwoo had to save your wallet from a couple of thugs when we first came to Korea. Your so helpless!"
"I still have my case. Where's your bag?"
"What?" Tao searched the floor, but his suitcase was gone. "My money was in that bag!"
"Well, I guess we can't leave now." M-21 pulled a couple of bills from his wallet. "Go exchange this for pesos, and I'll hunt down your bag."
"Alright!" Tao counted the money and quickly stuffed it into his pocket. "Meet you back here in half an hour! Come on, Takeo."
"I'm going with M-21."
"You can't go with M-21. You always come with me. We're comrades."
"M-21's our comrade, too, and he speaks Spanish."