It was a normal monday morning. Mia got up at 6:00 AM to go to work at the diner in the town. As she came to the first intersection a young man approached her car. He looked about 18, same age as her. He greeted her warmly but then quickly asked for a ride.
“Where to?”
“Montana.”
Mia, sat in her car, with a face of wonder. Had she heard right? She lived in Boston, did this guy think she would just drop everything and take some stranger on a cross-country roadtrip? He had to be kidding.
“Montana?” Mia asked bewilderedly.
“Yes.”
He had a face of stone. He was not kidding. Mia didn’t answer. He stood there, waiting for an answer. When finally it was clear she wasn’t going to answer he asked again, more persistently, “Please. I need to get to Montana.”
“Why?”
He stood there, arm resting on her blue convertible Jeep, searching for an answer. He began to speak but stopped short. He acted as though even he didn’t know why he had to get there.
“I… I can’t,” he stopped.
“Listen, can we talk about this somewhere else where you can properly introduce yourself? Because we’re kind of holding up the intersection.”
She motioned over her shoulder to the persistent traffic, pushing at the back of her car, urging her to move. The sounds of car horns and people shouting filled the air.
“Get in.” Mia ordered.
“I’ll take you to the diner where I work, then we can sort out this fiasco.
“Thank you.” He said. Even though he didn’t say it, Mia could tell by the expression on his face, he was grateful she gave him a chance.
The drive to the diner was uneventful they listened to the classical rock radio station during the fifteen minute commute. When they pulled into the parking lot they silently got out of the car and hurried inside. Mia’s shift didn’t start for 30 minutes, usually she has 45 minutes for breakfast but, due to her slight delay her time was shortened.
“Okay,” Mia said as they sat down.
“What’s your name?”
He hesitated.
“Dylan.”
“Last name?”
Nothing. A waitress came by and took their order, they each had a glass of orange juice and a stack of pancakes.
“Okay… how old are you?" Mia asked as the waitress walked away.
"19."
"Why don't you take a bus or something?"
"It's hard to explain. I really do need to get going though. Could you please take me?"
"What makes you think I'm not busy, or that I don't have a family who loves me and may worry?"
"I know that you’re 18, you're ID was on the glove compartment, and that you could easily tell your parents that you are going to tour a college and be back in a few days."
"What makes this trip so important that I should leave my family, and lie to them about where I'm going for a stranger I just met?" Mia asked beginning to get angry. She quieted down a bit when the waitress came to set down their food.
"A lot of people are in danger," Dylan began when the waitress had left, "and I can save them, I just need to get to Montana in order to. I can't tell you all the details. A lot of them are unknown to me too, you'll just have to trust me." He explained with a hint of worry.
Mia waited. She thought, she tried to understand and process the situation. Their eyes found each other's as she wondered what he could possibly do, in Montana, to save people from a danger, unknown to her, and possibly himself? What about her family she wanted to do this she wanted to help but, what about her responsibilities? Her five hour shift began in five minutes. She returned her attention to Dylan, "Keep an eye on this," she said handing him a watch. "My shift ends at 2:00, stay close." She hesitated for a minute. "I'll help you." She said finally.
His eyes widened and his face grew bright.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah.”
"Thank you." Dylan said almost as if he believed that it was impossible she had said yes.
"You're welcome. Stay close. 2:00." Mia reminded as she walked away.
Her shift seemed long and tedious as she thought about the drive to Montana. Her car had a full tank of gas she'd probably need to refill once or twice, and food! They'd need food and clothing. Her parents were out until 5:00. She planned on getting food and money from home and then setting out. She'd call them on the road telling them she was taking a college tour, this in itself would leave them ecstatic. She, at the moment, had no idea what to do with whether or not to further her education. Her parents were furious she was skipping a year of school to figure out what she wanted to do. She watched the clock the whole time, it seemed to take an hour for a minute to pass. When her alarm went off she switched out of her waitress apron and noticed Dylan wasn't in the diner any more. She walked outside and saw him sitting by the curb with his head in his hands, she approached him quietly.
"You ready?" She asked.
"Yes." He answered quietly, unstartled by her voice. He stood up and they walked to the car. Their seatbelts clicked and the only sound on the ride to Mia's house was the radio, until they pulled into the driveway. Mia, pulling in, asked, "Why can't you tell me why I am taking you to Montana? It's such a random destination."
"I told you before, I can't tell you, I just need to go. It will save more people than you can imagine."
"Save them from what?"
"Human experimentation."
Mia nodded, confused, and stepped out of the car, Dylan did the same. They walked together up to the front door of her house, Mia pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. She was greeted warmly by a small dog, her dog. Since she was 7 she's had Gracie, a happy 11 year old white Coton de Tulear. Dylan immediately stepped away from Gracie, on her route to Mia.
"What's the matter? Afraid of dogs?" Mia asked, holding back a smile, petting the small dog.
"No. I just wasn't expecting it. That's all. I'm not afraid."
"Okay. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Mia retorted. "Follow me, we'll grab some food and other necessities."
Dylan followed her to the kitchen where they packed a backpack full of frozen meals, individually packaged snacks, and lots of water bottles.
"Anything else?" Dylan asked looking at the fully packed oversized back pack with raised eyebrows.
"It's a 36 hour drive! I want to be ready." Mia retorted defensively. "You can drive right?"
"Of course."
"Good, we'll switch off every 5 hours when we're driving." Mia planned as she lead the way to her room.
She loved her room, it was never messy. She spent a lot of time there, not for any sort of punishment, but just because she liked it there. When she was 8, her grandmother died, she locked herself in her room for 2 days with fruit snacks, candy bars, and a Hello Kitty water machine, only coming out to use the bathroom.
Her room was her safe place, as she’d grown older she re-painted from a rosy pink to a faded blue. From a glance it would seem like she owned barely anything, that she is a minimalist even, but this is definitely not the case. Mia secretly is a huge hoarder. Her walk- in closet is filled from the floor to the ceiling with boxes each holding about 2-5 years of memories. She has every birthday card and candle, pen-pal letter and report card since she was a baby.
Dylan scanned her room there was a bed, desk, bookshelf and a pale gray rug in the center of the room. There was a nook in the wall where a rounded fishbowl was kept. Inside the fishbowl, however, wasn’t a fish but a tiny turtle, walking around on the bottom. He wandered toward it, mesmerized by its movements.
"I got it from Chinatown, when my family and I were in Chicago." Mia explained noticing Dylan's interest in the tiny turtle.
“It’s so small.”
“Painted Turtles don’t usually grow longer than 5 inches. She’s only about 3, so she’ll grow a bit more.”
Dylan nodded and continued to look around her room.
“Alright,” Mia said finally, slinging a bag over her shoulder and handing Dylan the one packed with food.
“What else did you pack?” Dylan asked.
“Any other necessities I could possibly have a need for.”
With that they headed towards the door, but not before Mia placed a few pellets of food into the turtles’ tank.
“Be home soon,” she whispered. “you can’t pass up an adventure.” She smiled, walked out and shut her door.
Mia and Dylan got into her car with their packed bags in the back, Dylan in the passenger seat and Mia the driver. Once they had been driving for a while she called her parents. Her dad answered.
“Hey Dad.”
“Hey Mia, how are you?”
“I’m fine dad, i just wanted to let you know i’m taking a college tour today. It’s kind of a drive.”
“How far?” Her Dad asked much too obviously overjoyed by the fact she was taking interest in colleges.
Both him and Mia’s mother are doctors and they always wanted Mia to become one as well, but she never really took interest in it. They were good parents. That is a fact. They threw her parties, supplied her with basic needs, they loved her and as doctors and parents to an only child they had extra money most of the time. They loved vacationing all over the world, however Rome was their favorite.
“Montana.”
“Mia that’s great, it’ll give you a chance to be more independant and prepare you for the real deal.”
The real deal. Mia hated when he said that. As if not going to college would make you less important or your life less valuable. What is she never does go to college? She didn't like to envision her parents' disappointment.
“Thanks. I should be home in five or so days, so i’ll be back by Saturday, probably.”
“Alright Mia, we’ll see you then. I love you.”
“I love you too Dad, bye.”
“Bye.”
She hung up.
About five hours into their thirty-six hour drive they stopped to eat. They pulled over into a rest stop and opened up the bag of food. Mia pulled out a bag of chips and a pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Dylan had a bag of dry cereal and a bottle of water.
Mia had been thinking about why she was so willing to help a stranger. Maybe, she decided to help him to get away from decisions regarding college because that’s all her parents seemed to worry about. She wasn’t sure but other than a few things Dylan seemed like any other guy she knew.
They began to drive again, this time, Dylan was the driver. They passed by a homeless man on the side of the road. Dylan looked at him, as if he was sad right along with him.
“How can there be so many people with absolutely nothing when they are others who have more than they need and then some?” Dylan asked.
“I don’t know. We’re just selfish, I guess.” Mia responded startled by Dylans remark.
Dylan looked disappointed, that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.
They drove until dark. Dylan offered to let Mia sleep and drive through the night. He kept himself awake by leaving the windows open and letting the warm night envelope into the sounds of the wilderness they were approaching as they neared Montana’s wilderness.  
   As Mia began to wake up Dylan turned on the classical music station to lull her out of her sleep. They were only about an hour from their destination.
Mia dreamed that night of all the reasons why Dylan may not have told her why they were going to Montana.
When she awoke the tension in Mia’s head was beating like a drum. She had to know why she felt so strongly about helping this stranger.
“Dylan, pull over.”
“Why?”
“Please, pull over.”
Dylan pulled over into the nearest fast food restaurant. He was confused and wore a look of worry.
“Is there something wrong?” Dylan asked.
“Yes, there is in fact. I’m helping someone I just met today by driving for a day and a half to take them to some state that’s mostly just open land and I don’t even know why!” Mia asked angry with herself for agreeing to do this so quickly. What if he was some kind of fleeing criminal and the human experimentation stuff was just a cover-up? Then what would she do? She had no idea.
“Mia, I told you already..”
“No! You haven’t told me anything!”
“Fine.”
“No, you have to explain, or I will not help you.” She screamed as she snatched the keys from the ignition.
“Mia, I said ‘fine’. I’ll tell you.”
“Really?” Mia looked up, into Dylan’s eyes. He looked back and they held their gaze, in that moment,  they got lost. When Dylan broke their gaze he finally spoke,
“Okay, this may get confusing so stay with me.” Dylan paused. “There is a group of people who found a new neuron in the brain and they wanted to find people with it, and they found some, five. When they found these people they took them captive and experimented on them.” Dylan gulped for air. “Mia, these people are terrible and need to be stopped.”
“What are you going to do to stop them?” Mia asked inquisitively.
“Mia, I have a bigger secret than why I came here.”
Mia looked at him with wide eyes. She had no words. She tried to speak but could not form the words.
“Mia, i’m not human. I was created by a team of scientists, one year ago, for a special purpose. I was created with one of the rare neurons, engineered by them, as a diversion for an escape.”
“They created you to die?” Mia asked obviously upset.
“Mia, it’s not like that. This world is so cruel and unforgiving, I can give these people a chance, they have families and I can give them their lives back. I have been implanted with a dosage higher than any known human there is a man who created me that will meet me at the experimentation site and offer me as a trade off for the five others, if and when they accept they will take me in and prepare to dissect my brain but, before they gain any information I will self destruct.”
“Dylan…” Mia welled with tears. “You can’t do this. Why did you ever come to Boston and let me… let me become your friend only to allow me to drive you to your own execution?”
“Mia. I wanted to experience life before I gave mine up. I convinced my creator to allow me 3 days. I chose Boston randomly, by placing my finger down on a map. I’ve never had so much fun and seen so much as I had with you these few days, and for that I thank you. But i have yet one more favor to ask.”
Mia wiped tears from her eyes and tried to regain her composure as she answered, “What can I do?”
“Mia when I enter in after the trade was made you need to take the captives to safety along the man who created me, please.”
“Sure, I can do that, but Dylan?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to come too. Isn’t there anything you can do? I don’t want to loose you Dylan, this was so much fun. We could be great friends, you and I, if you stay.”
“Mia, I was made to help people, and I want to help people and you can too. I’m sorry Mia, I do care about you, I truly do. This, although, is something I need to do.” Dylan explained choking up. Dylan looked up at the road, realizing where he was.
“We’re here.” he said solemnly getting out of the car.
“I won’t forget you.” Mia stated. “I promise, not many people will know what you did, but I will never forget.
Dylan opened Mia’s door as she transitioned into the driver’s seat. He closed the door behind her and leaned in gently and kissed her on the forehead.
“Thank you Mia, I love you.” Dylan said with an empty voice, he held back a single tear. He walked toward a warehouse-like building and was greeted by a man in a black suit and a bowtie. He turned around one last time and looked at Mia and waved.
“Goodbye.” she whispered.