In The Hands of a Stranger

Road Trip: Part 5

"Wow," Rogue said. "Ah never realized Alabama was so big."

"You alright back there? We almost to da border."

"All right, Tennessee, here we come." She was shouting and whaling and having the time of her life. "Ah always wanted to visit Memphis."

"'Cause a Elvis," Remy teased.

"No, for the dancing, an' your taking me."

"Whatever the lady wishes." He stopped the bike and got off. He helped Rogue off. "So there's Tennessee. Wanna go first."

"This is kinda stupid, but okay." She jumped over the border like she was a five year child playing hopscotch. "Okay, ah'm over. We still riding or we gonna walk the rest of the way?"

"Non. Dat be a long walk, besides if Julien be tracking us he catch us in no time."

"That big dumb jerk ain't no match for us. 'Sides, we took care of him last time even with his two goons."

"Might bring more next time, an' if Bell put him up to it, it be a bad situation."

"Ah think ya worrying too much, 'sides what they gonna do? Kill us."

"Yeah," he said like it was the most natural thing.

Rogue's heart dropped. "They'd do that? Why?"

"They trained assassins. Dat's what dey do." Rogue really couldn't say anything. The prospect frightened her even though she tried to hide the fact. "No worry, chere, Remy protect ya."

She smiled at that then shrugged, "What makes ya think ah need protectin'. Ah can take care a mahself just fine."

"But Remy like takin' care a ya," he said putting his arms around her waist. She followed suit and put her arms around his neck. "So ya no afraid a Remy no more."

She smiled refusing to look on his face. She didn't want him to see her blushing. "Neva was," she said. "Ah's afraid a mahself. Ah don't wanna be afraid anymore. Been like that a long time." She reached up and kissed him. "See, ain't afraid a touchin' ya."

"Remy like touchin' ya, chere. He like it a lot." She started to feel awkward again. "Somet'ing wrong?"

"Ah jus' feel like people are lookin' at us. Cars goin' by. Wonder what they're thinkin'."

"Who cares," he whispered. He leaned in kissing her long and hard. It made her forget where they were. On the border of Tennessee, cars buzzed by. Right now all she saw was him. He broke off the kiss when he heard a plane overhead. It was so noisy it brought him back to reality. "We should get going."

"Yeah," she said, getting on the bike again. "Come on, Cajun, let's go. I wanna be in Memphis by nightfall." He got back on the bike and soon they were off again.

If seemed like they were driving for hours before they reached Memphis. Rogue grew tired and hungry and so did Remy. He stopped at a convenient store at the corner of the road. They could get a light snack and find out where there was a nice hotel they could stay at. They walked in and looked around for a bit.

"They don't had much, do they?" Rogue said. "Oh, well, it should hold us until we can get some real food." Rogue picked up a few snack cakes. She was having a major sugar fit. They also picked up some sodas. Traveling on the open road gave her an awful case of dry mouth.

Rogue got that uneasy feeling again like something bad was about to happen. They reached the counter where Remy paid for the food. They were heading for the door to leave. That's when it happened.

"Put your hands in the air," they heard a man yell.

Rogue turned around to see a man with a gun. Remy stood in front of her. "Don' move, chere," he said.