Run

Preparation

We walked through the airport without making a sound. Our feet occasionally skidded across the floor. Riley and Hunter walked a little behind me. Riley started telling Hunter all about me and what probably changed since I'd last seen him. The air conditioning felt cool against my skin. We came to an escalator and I jumped on.

Hunter tapped me on the shoulder. I looked over my shoulder at him. "Is there any more security?" He asked.

I looked forward down the escalator and used my senses. They told me what we were coming up to and what we would have to do.

"No, the door is right down here." I said. He nodded and stood up straight.

I reached the end of the escalator and hopped off. Riley and Hunter followed me as I went out the large door that led to Midland. We walked out of it and I stared up at the blinding sun.

"Midland's hot." Hunter said as he started pulling at his jacket. I shrugged and slipped mine off revealing the black v-neck shirt. Riley didn't take his off. I looked at him. He squinted to try to look at me.

"You don't have to be brave, you know." I told him. He shrugged and slipped his coat off. I slung my coat over my arm and they did the same.

"What now?" Hunter asked. We stood in front of a long concrete road that had many cars zooming by. I looked down it searching for an answer.

I turned around and looked at them. "I'll call the others and I'll see if we need to get a hotel." Riley nodded.

Hunter sighed. "Can we just take a break on the whole save the world thing?"

I stared up at him. "I don't see why we'd do that. Apparently you aren't so fit in doing this. Maybe I should send you back to New York."

He stepped back. "I'm good." He said defensively. I turned back around and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I searched for the number Eve called from. I pushed talk and it started ringing.

"Yeah?" Sam said.

"Where are you?" I asked.

He sighed. "We are still in New York. We'll be there tomorrow morning. Find a hotel and I'll find you. We can't take any chances."

I nodded even though he wouldn't see. "Alright, bye."

"Bye." He said. The dial hung up. I closed my phone and stuffed it back into my pocket. I turned back around. Riley smiled.

"I know just the one." Riley said in his velvet voice. I sighed.

"Do you always have to read my mind?" I asked. I knew what the answer would be.

"Like I said, it helps." Riley said. Hunter glared at both of us in confusion.

I sighed. "Run or drive?" I asked.

Riley shrugged. "Let's run considering I know that's what you'll want." I nodded. Of course I would prefer running than taking a cab.

I held my hand out for the both of them. Riley took one and Hunter took the other. They stepped up next to me. I looked up at Riley.

"Where to, boss?" I said mocking him.

He gave me a little smile. "I can steer you, you know." I raised an eyebrow at this. I didn't like to be forced.

My feet pushed me faster than before so no one would see. They would still be blown with wind but, at least they'd just think it was wind. I ran through streets and tall buildings expecting to crash with Riley's steering. Every time he wanted me to turn he would shift my arm and I'd run that way. He tightened his grip on my hand to tell me to slow down. I began slowing down and stopped when his grip got even tighter.

I looked up at the tall building with a big 'Radison' sign on it. I let go of Hunter's hand and looked up at Riley. He smiled.

"Why did you choose the Radison?" I asked. "It's only for business."

He smiled. "I think you can find a way to make this a business trip."

I sighed and grasped onto his hand. Riley had taught me that when we go into airports or hotels and want to get a room or ticket, we should act like a serious couple. It wasn't that hard since we were turning into a serious couple. More than serious. I held onto his hand as we entered the tall tan building.

The man at the counter greeted us with a smile. I gave a fake smile back.

"Do you have a room for three?" I asked.

He turned to his computer and typed something. "We do. How many nights?"

I sighed and looked at Riley. He got in my head. 'Make it two nights just so we can get ready after this little war of ours'. His voice said. I smiled back at the man behind the counter. Why did they all smile?

"Two, for now." I said to him. He smiled.

"Alright, would you like to pay now?" He asked.

"Sure." I said as I pulled out my Visa credit card from my coat and handed it to him. Riley smiled when he must have read my mind. I was trying to make me look good in front of Hunter. He already knew I had money.

"Do you want a two rooms that combine?" He asked.

I nodded. "Why not?" I gave another fake smile. Riley gave him one too. I gave a little giggle to show my fake excitement. The man smiled back.

He slipped my card through a slot and handed it back to me. The man took out a key and handed it to me. "Room 3C." He gave another big smile.

"Thank you." I said taking the key. We moved towards the elevator on our right and pushed the button. The door automatically swung open and we stepped in. We were the only people in it. Hunter walked to the back of the elevator and brushed against me. I smelled how wonderful he smelled. The smell of people like us.

Riley looked down at me. I looked up at him confused. "What?"

He shrugged. "Do you know what that man thought of us?" He said.

I gave him a frown. "I have a feeling you are going to tell me." Riley nodded. His hair was still perfectly cropped and perfectly bronze.

"He thought that we were a couple that took our son to our honeymoon." He said.

I looked at Hunter. "Well, son, what do you think of that?"

"I think that was an insult meaning you two look like an old couple." Hunter laughed. I punched him. He stopped laughing and held his arm. "That was too hard!"

I raised my eyebrows. "It obviously wasn't hard enough. You're still talking." He rubbed his arm. I looked back at Riley.

He smiled. "I don't think you look old."

I gave a small smile. "That's because I can't age." The door opened and I stepped out into the third floor. I walked down to 3A. I slid the small plastic key through the slot and the door opened. Riley came in behind me. I turned around and gave Hunter his key. He smiled and walked to the door next to ours. Riley shut the door behind us.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Riley asked.

"Me? What about you?" I said.

Riley sighed. "I guess we both have to do our own thing. I understand." He said backing up to the bathroom.

I sighed as he closed himself in the bathroom. I walked over to the door and leaned against it. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, I am peeing." He said. I creased my eyebrows and walked over to the large bed. I wasn't expecting him to go pee in the middle of our conversation.

"Do you think this will actually work?" I said through the door. The toilet flushed and he stepped out. His black shirt clung to his shirt.

"Do you mean our relationship?" He asked. "Because I do think it is working fine."

I frowned. "Not our relationship. Our plan to get the virus and find the people." I said.

"Oh, yeah. If we get enough sleep." Riley said. I sighed and looked at my watch. It was already nine o' clock at night.

Riley went back into the bathroom and didn't close the door. I walked over to the entrance and watched him as he took his shirt off and began brushing his teeth. He looked at me.

"You brought a tooth brush?" I said monotonely.

He shrugged. "It was alrea'y in he'." He said through a mouth full of paste. I nodded and walked back to the bed.

I slipped off my jeans and crawled under the comforter. I listened as Riley swished the water around in his mouth and as he spit it back out. He came out of the bathroom and shut off the lights. He took his jeans off and crawled under the comforter next to me. We looked into each other's eyes seeing clearly in the dark.

"I promise." He said. Riley read my mind again. "I promise I'll stay by your side tomorrow no matter what."

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