Dark City

21.

The night held the promise of redemption. The girl had been dead to him. He had accepted it. Now, like Lazarus, she had returned from oblivion, restored and resurrected in his mind. He flew through the empty streets, pursuing his destination with all the passion of a knight errant riding out to his lady's tower.

The Super8 was a dive, with dimming lights in the sign and cars parked tightly near the front. It was no place for a girl like Alex.

Nathan parked and followed around the side of the building until he found room 109. He deliberated on whether he should knock or wait for her to come out. She could be in trouble. This gave him the conviction to bang on the door. Nobody answered, so he banged again. Nothing.

Nathan headed toward the front desk. A young Latina woman was watching a mini-TV in the corner. She looked up and asked if he needed help.

"I locked myself out of my room," he said.

"You got ID?"

"I left everything inside."

"What room you in, sweetie?" The girl made eyes at him. He smiled, noticing she liked him.

"109."

"I'll let you in," she said. She made a new keycard and gestured for Nathan to follow her. They traveled along the exterior concrete hall. At room 109, she put the key in and opened the door for him. The lights inside were turned off.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem, honey. You get some sleep, ok?"

Nathan nodded. He waited just a second for her to go before stepping into the room and turning on the lights. There was Alex lying unconscious on the bed in her underwear. The eye of her elbow was dark. This was worse than any nightmare he'd ever had. The poppy fields of Afghanistan had travelled all this way, all this way to claim his Alexandria.

Nathan propped her up and checked her vitals. "No, no, no. Alex, wake up."

She moaned, her voice weak. She looked up through her messy locks of hair.

"Alex!" he shouted. "Talk to me!"

"I..." she looked around. "I just need a few days." Looking down, he noticed that her ankles were all cut up and scabbed over. He found her dress on the floor and pulled it over her head for her.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked as he hurried to dress her.

"Nathan? Go away. Don't pretend like you care." Alex lurched forward and swallowed hard.

"You shoot up?" Alex didn't answer. She closed her eyes and held her breath. "Come on. Let's get you home." He took her hand and tried getting her up. She resisted the pull and shook her head adamantly.

"I can't."

"Everyone's been looking for you. You've been missing for a week."

"My friend will wonder where I went."

"This person isn't your friend, Alex. Your parents are living in a nightmare thinking you could be dead."

She fell backward, moaning. "I wish I was," she said.

Nathan couldn't leave her here, but he didn't want to get the police involved. He could have carried her out if he still had both his legs.

"Just come to my car. We'll go for a drive."

"I don't want to,'" she said.

"I just want to talk. It's not safe here."

"I'm not leaving. But I'll come outside with you."