(This chapter goes all over the place, a lot of time will pass through, but just bare with me.)

10 - 03 - 15

"She's pissed off to put it nicely," Matt says into my ear.

"I knew she would be." I say and rub my forehead with my left hand.

"She's blocking everyone out, but hopefully she'll open up to Carol. Oh, sorry I've gotta go." He says before hanging up. I put my phone down on the old couch and look around. The blinds are covered with wood, there are two broken chairs in the corner, the floor is wooden with dust everywhere, in the kitchen there is a small fridge, sink, oven, and a little counter space. Then there is the bathroom. It's just a nasty looking toilet that has a smashed mirror on the wall above it. I have my backpack on my right and lean back into the uncomfortable dark green couch. My phone starts ringing again. Picking it up it's the same number. I take a deep breath and answer. "What do you want?" I answer in a monotoned voice.

"We'll find you. You may have made sure not to make any friends, but you're still going to be found." He says before hanging up. At least they don't know about Alexis. She can't be brought into this, not with everything she's gone through. Why now? Why do they now come after me? I run my fingers through my hair frustrated.

***

"How don't you have the records. Well, it's bullshit." I yell at the person on the other end. She tries to calm me down, but I hang up the phone and keep pressing buttons until I find a picture of Alexis. She's smiling at the camera in a shy way. She didn't want me to take a picture, but I said that it would make me sad if she didn't. She was so easily persuaded. 

I go to the next picture and she's covering her mouth. I smile and go through all the photos. She made me have a picture of us in one. She's on my back and has her hands on my head. I made a funny face so she made me take another one. This one we are both smiling, but her arms are around my neck. She said she was going to strangle me if I didn't smile. 

I turn my phone off and close my eyes. I imagine her laughing like when she did when she found out I hated fish. She makes me feel different. Great, now I'm going all cliche. I hope she doesn't build up any more walls and lets Carol, Ashley, and Jake help. She is so stubborn and wants to protect everyone. She was always seemed more free with me, but she still holds back, even with Carol she never really is herself. She is one amazing, yet confusing girl.

After I awake from my nap I grab my stuff and get ready to leave. I may be in South Dakota, but the further from Wisconsin the better. Once I know I have everything I get on my bike and start off on the road again.

I pull up to what looks like an old building. I park my bike in the back and go up the stairs. The place isn't much different from the other one, but it's better. I start looking for leads on Zack and their group, but can't seem to find anything. It's only been three days and I already want to go back, but they can't get hurt. Not because of me, I won't allow it especially not to Alexis.

The days go by slow and Matt doesn't call, but I told him not to unless it was important. Every time I get a call I get upset and have to punch something or start doing push-ups. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to stay mad when doing push-ups. 

I look out the window and see cars pass. The city is wide awake. I hear rumbling from under me. I grab my backpack and put the bread, apples, and water into it. I slowly walk down the stairs and see three men. Shit, he found me. I run down a hall and here the men start to run after me. I just keep running and try to find a way out of the building. I hear one of the men fire a gunshot and dodge into a room. I look around, there is one window. I open it and it's too far of a drop. I hear the men shout to each other and barge into the room. I air bend at them making two fall to the ground and the other one go into the hallway. I make water form around them and freeze it. It should hold them. All three glare as I run out of the building. I guess now to Montana. Oregon isn't safe anymore.

As I run out of the building I see a car and the driver. He's on the phone with someone and then he throws it in the passenger seat before running out of the car. I start my bike and hurry out of the place. Dammit. How'd they find me?

***

"Thanks." I say to the lady at the desk. She hands me the key and I go to the room. The hotel is crap, but better than the other two places and this one has a TV and computer I can use. No more run down buildings with zero electricity, they will expect me to go to one again. I throw my backpack on the bed and plop down next to it. Someone knocks on the door. I open it not thinking and you can guess what I find. I try to slam the door close, but two men walk in and each take an arm. "How the hell did you find me?" I yell at him. He puts a smirk on as I try to wriggle free.

"The other men were sent to get you, but I knew they would fail so I had my men follow you." He says stepping closer to me. I should have been smarter. "I told you I would find you." He says right in front of me. I knee him in the stomach. He groans, but then punches me in the stomach a few times. Before anything else can happen my phone rings. He looks at me and then at my pocket. "Answer, but if you tell anyone Corrine will die. Yes, I know about her. Oh and put it on speaker." He says and I feel like I've just had the wind knocked out of me. The whole point was to keep her safe and know he knows about her. I knew I shouldn't have gotten close. Why? Why was I so stupid? Zack raises his eyebrows and the men let go of me. I slowly take out my phone and answer it.

"Took you long enough. Corrine is in the hospital." Matt says and I look up at Zack. "Her step- brother and father found her, we didn't notice soon enough because she kept leaving for long periods of time. Ashley says she's going to lose her memory, but"

"Matt. Take care of her. If she doesn't remember me, it's better. Don't call me again." I say and end the call. I told her that I wouldn't let him hurt her and now she's in the hospital. I should have been there, but no. I'm stuck here. I feel dead inside and Zack knows it. He smiles at me. I stare up at him with no emotion.

"I guess someone got there before us. How did they find her?" He says in a light happy voice. I pop up off my feet to charge at him, but the two men pull me back.

"Bastard. I'm going to kill you." I shout as I thrash around in the men's arms. Zack laughs before hitting me in the head with something. I try to stay awake but fail.

***

Opening my eyes, everything I see is out of focus. They have me in a chair tied down. There are bright lights making it harder for my eyes to focus. All the walls are white and there are metal things next to me on a table. "Glad you woke up." I hear Zacks voice over the speaker. 

When I told Alexis about how my family died I had left some stuff out. I went and found there group and killed the rest of the group, but what I didn't know was that his son and wife were in the group. That's why he wants me because I had killed his family. I had killed them and two other people. I was just so angry and started shooting everywhere with one of the men's guns. I know what I went there to do, but I didn't think I could go through with it. It haunted me and still haunts me, but Alexis helped. I had never slept that well before I met her. She made me feel better, that I wasn't a monster, but know it all is coming back. I am a monster. I made her go to the hospital. If I had just been cold with her, she wouldn't have gotten hurt.

I see the door open and one of Zack's people walk in. He grabs something from the small table and stabs it into my leg. I scream and hear Zack. "I won't let you die. You will have to live with what you've done until I think you deserve to die. The pain I felt will start now for you." Is the last thing he says before my scream comes again.

***

"He'll survive, but you can't touch him this week or his body can't keep fighting." I hear the doctor say. He has to come in like every other week. I don't know how long I've been here, but it's been more than a few months.

"Fine. Leave. Now." Zacks demanding voice says. I open my eyes and see him looking down at me. I laugh at him. I don't know why, but I do. I regret it once his fist connects with my jaw. I spit the blood out and watch as he leaves the room. I have an upgrade now. They don't always strap me to the chair and I have my backpack and phone. They trace anything that goes through it which isn't much, just people calling the wrong number. 

I look down at my phone and see my reflection. I have blood on my chin and cheek. My face is pale and my eyes look dead. I look away and hear it ring. Matt's picture pops up. This is the first time he has called. I don't answer it though. Just let it ring. Once it ends it tells me that I've missed a call. Zack doesn't know what he says if it's a missed call so I put it to my ear and press play.

"You told me not to call you, but you need to know. Alexis has most of her memories back. If you wouldn't have ended the call you would know that Alexis had lost her memories, but that they would return. People and things that didn't mean much to her returned first and then more meaningful memories would return. She remembers you now. You needed to know and you better call me back so I know you didn't kill yourself or that you're dead. Sam call me back." Is the last thing he says before the phone call ends. She remembers me and probably hates me, but she remembers. I need to get out of this place. I need to see her and make sure she's ok. I can't end on a bad note with her. 

***

As I sit and figure a plan out in my head Zack walks in. I don't show any emotion as usual to make sure I dont give anything away. It's the first time I've seen the bastard since the phone call. "Come." He demands. I slowly get off the ground and put my phone in my pocket. He takes us through turns multiple times and I only see one exit. He lets me walk around more and more now, because he doesn't think I'll try anything. What he doesn't know is that I have a reason to get out now. 

Zack opens a door and I walk in. It has a chair and just like the other room and small table with what he calls tools on it. I take a seat and then he leaves the room. This room doesn't have a camera in it. I look at the items on the table and see a few knives, some curved metal, and other things I can't describe. I take two of the knives and put them in my sweatshirt pocket. They will come in here and I'll have to hurt them to break out, but now I've had a week to recover and make sure I'm strong enough when I need to be.

"Just make sure I hear him scream." Zack's cold voice says. I open my eyes and Zack is talking to another man. I need to get out of here. Today is going to be the day. Zack leaves and the man closes the door. I'm not tied up yet which is going to help me. The big guy walks up to me with ropes. He grabs my left hand to tie it, but I grab a knife from my pocket with my right hand and stab it in his arm.

He yells and pushes away from me. I stand up and go for the door, but he pulls me down. I hold the knife out and when he pins me down it goes in his stomach. He looks down at it and I push him off of me. He struggles to breathe and I slice his neck. I won't have someone suffer. I can't look at him anymore though, I open the door with blood on my hand and start running. I don't remember where the exit is so I just turn down hallways. There is an alarm and I know Zack knows I'm trying to run. I run into three men, but air bend them to the ground. Like the first time at the apartment I make them freeze in water. Zack has always known about my powers but never cared. He would tie my hands, knowing that I can't cause damage if I can't bend.

I run into many of Zacks men, but I make them all stuck in water. I don't want to kill anyone. I can't do it again. I hear more men behind me and build a wall of ice. It should hold them for a while. I take another turn and Zacks there. I start to water bend when someone puts a gun to my head. "Stop or you'll die," Zack says also pointing a gun at me. As he walks closer I know I can get the guy behind to fall, but without getting shot by Zack is another story. 

Once Zack is only a foot away I knock the guy down and then air bend him down the hallway. I had grabbed his gun before doing it and now Zack has a gun at me and I have one at him.

"I knew there was something different. Your eyes are what told me. They had hope in them, that means Corrine remembers you. Do you really think she wants to see you? The person that has caused her so much pain. You should have thought about that. After what you had put her through, how could you think she would even look at you?" He taunts and his words sink deep into my heart. He's right. After what I've done she's not going to want to see me. "Yea, but you have hurt my men and my family." He's about to shoot, but I do it first. It goes right into his head and he falls to the floor dead. His eyes are dead. They don't even have the devil look in them.

I turn around and push the door open. I don't have a clue where I am though. I walk around and it's all flat ground, with corn stocks. I walk to the road and it doesn't look like it ends. What am I in? Nebraska? I walk down the road and look for anything really. As I walk all I see the corn get longer and longer.

***

I finally find a gas station. I walk faster to the building. When I get into the station I go to the restrooms and clean the blood off my hands, clothes, and my face. Once I don't look completely like crap I walk back out. I go to the front desk. "Gesh Nebraska and the corn," I say and he smiles.

"Ya, but ya gotta love it here." He says. So, I was right. "What can I get ya?" He asks and I realize I don't have any money.

"I just had to use the restroom," I say, but before I can leave he stops me.

"You look a little pale. Did you get in a fight with someone?" He asks and sounds genuine.

"Um.. Just having a rough patch. You know." I say and he nods his head.

"Well here, ya look a little thin." He hands me some chips and protein bars. I take them looking at him confused.

"Thank you. Really." I say and he waves me off.

"We've all gone through those times. Now go home, ok." He responds. I nod my head again and walk out the door. I put the food in my pocket and feel the knives. I walk to the dumpster and throw them in it. I also eat one of the protein bars and start walking again. I remember that Matt wanted me to call. I take out my phone not knowing if I should. I don't want him to worry and I can't tell him about what happened. I'll just have to act. I press his number and wait for him to pick up.

"I'm going to strangle you." I force a laugh out.

"Sorry, just needed time alone," I say trying to sound normal.

"Have you heard anything on them?" I hear him ask, but can't seem to form any words.

"No, nothing." I lie and I hear him let out a sigh.

"Guess that could be a good thing." He replies. Yeah, well that's what he thinks. I continue to walk down the mundane road.

"How is Al-Corrine." I correct myself. Always forget no one calls her that, but me.

"She's....different. She keeps to herself. It's been seven months she hasn't had her memory and it's only like five days that she has her full memory. I didn't tell you before, but Carol was there when everything happened. She was driving Corrine to the daycare when a car crashed into them. Carol was knocked unconscious when Corrine was confronted by her step-brother. Apparently, it was her real brother, but I highly doubt it's true, probably just another person willing to help team up with her step-father. She said she tried to get them away, but she was too weak. She can definitely control her powers now though. She doesn't like to waterbend and says she doesn't want to learn it anymore, though." He says and I think about how she never really liked it in the first place. She was always tense, you can't bend water like that. You have to be relaxed. 

"It's just because she doesn't let it flow. She's too restricted."

"Yeah, but no one's gonna push her. Also, Ashley hates me, thanks. She says I knew you were leaving and I didn't tell anyone." He says but I hear him chuckle.

"Sorry, but thanks for covering me. I also lost my phone charger so I'm going to have to get a new one sometime. Don't panic if you don't hear from me." I say knowing I'm gonna need to sort some things out.

"K- Um, ya I think." I hear him say. He must be talking to someone else. "Hey wait." Yup must be talking to someone else. "How are you?" He asks. Who is he talking to? I hear a faint "Fine." "Carol and I wanted you to come with us to eat. What do ya think?" I hear the faint voice again. "Can't".

"Who are you talking to?" I ask and here shuffling on the phone.

"I was talking to Corrine. Sorry man, I've gotta go. Call me when you can." He says and before I can say anything he ends the call. She didn't sound herself. She seemed on edge, but I couldn't really hear her. My thoughts are interrupted as someone honks at me. "Hey need a lift?" A man asks.

"Were yea goin?" I ask leaning down to the car window.

"To Montana. I can drop you off somewhere though if you want." He says. Today there are just full of loving people. Must be the state.

"Sure. I don't really care where you drop me off." I open the passenger side and hop in. He talks my ear off, but it doesn't bother me too much.

"Well, good luck to ya man." He says. I nod my head after saying thanks. I close the door and he starts driving off. I look around and find another run down building. While going up the stairs two men walk out a door.

"Are you the police?" They ask. I shake my head. "Why are ya here?" One asks.

"Need a place that I don't need to pay for. Broken doors and windows seem like the right place." I say and the men look at each other.

"Ya can stay, but this is our floor. You can have any other. We keep our mouth shut you keep yours." The other one says. I nod my head and the walk around me. I go up one more floor and open all the doors. Out of the eight rooms, two are decent. I look back in both before picking which one I want.

The one I pick has a small kitchen, living room, bedroom in the back, and a small bathroom with a shower. I turn on the water, but nothing comes out. Go figure. After finding a broom and cleaning a little walkway I try and get some sleep on the dirt-filled couch.

***

I wake up sweating and breathing heavily. I sit up and run my fingers through my hair pulling on the ends. I look out the window and see a gas station. I walk out into the cold air and then into the building. "Are you guys hiring?" I ask the guy at the desk.

"Ya, you want a job. I'm the manager actually." He says looking me up and down.

"Ya, need anything I can get," I say and he nods his head.

"We had someone quit. When do you want to start?" He asks and I look around.

"Now or as soon as possible."

"I can train you now. Welcome." He says and shakes my hand. Step one complete.

***

"Have a nice day." I say as the couple walks out the door.

"You off. Go. Get some sleep. I'll see yea tomorrow." Tom, the manager says. I nod my head and walk to the rundown building. I fixed the fridge and the shower. I have water and a cold food, living the dream. I open the fridge and drink some milk. I start to work out as I listen to the city below me.

***

I see his dead eyes staring back I at me. I sit up instantly and start pacing. I look out my window and see the sun is rising. I'll go to work early.

Once I step into the building Tom shakes his head. "Everyday, you're here an hour early." He says and I force a laugh. They're starting to come naturally. "I don't know how you work so much. You work almost 14 hours a day, which is just between us." He says as I walk behind the counter. I wish I could work 20, but I'm already going over the legal amount. I'm pushing the boundaries, but I take a two-hour break for lunch, so he keeps me around.

"Well after today's paycheck I'm getting a new phone," I say as a customer walks in. He grabs two water bottles and a bug juice. Must have a child. I look outside the door and see a woman and a child in the back. A little game for myself. 

"Will this be all sr?" Tom asks.

"Yup." The man says. Once he has everything Tom looks to me.

"It's always the bug juice. Have you ever had the stuff? Nasty." He says and shivers.

"It's not bad." I say and he shakes his head again.

"Young kids." He says before going to the back of the store. A woman comes. She's got brown hair and is probably 5'5. As she walks closer to me I see her eyes are also brown. She looks kinda like Alexis, but not nearly as beautiful.

"Would you tell me the total?" She says in a snobby voice. Not nice like Alexis either.

"Sure." I say scanning the bag of chips and gum.

"I'll have marlboro." She says in an impatient voice. I grab a pack of cigarettes and scan it. Once I tell her the total and she leaves Tom comes back.

"She wasn't friendly." He says and I nod my head. "I'm gonna go. I get to go help my wife with gardening, hurray." He says sarcastically. I smile at him and he walks out. Poor guy hates it but always helps her.

***

"Sam, it took ya long enough." I hear Matt familiar voice.

"I had to save up some money," I say thankful to hear of him.

"So, where are you now?" He asks as I pace in the room.

"Montana is where I ended up. It's not bad here." I say looking out the window.

"Do you think you'll ever come back?" He asks and his voice sounds different.

"I-I don't think so. My life is good here. I don't wanna hurt anyone by coming back, I don't even know what I'd do. I've made something good here."

"So you think it'll make things worse with Corrine." He says as a statement.

"Maybe." I say and run my hand through my hair. "How is she?"

"I don't really know. She got an apartment in town a week ago. Carol tries to check in on her, but she shuts everyone out. Speaking of Carol she walking into the room. Do you care if she knows we're talking?"

"No, I don't really if you don't." There is shuffling around and then I hear Carol's voice.

"I would strangle you through the phone if I could," She says and I huff. Should have known she was going to hate me. "but I'm glad you're alive. Matt told me some people were after you and you needed to leave."

"Does Corrine know anything?"

"No, Matt said it wasn't his place to tell her, but I wanted to go after you and knock sense into you or until you were unconscious."

"Well good to know you did want to kill me," I say and hear her laugh a little.

"I know you wanted to leave and make sure no one got hurt, but you should have told Corrine something." She says and she sounds sad.

"I know, I just didn't know how or what to say." I plop down on the couch.

"You should call her and talk things out."

"Yea, I don't think that's a good idea."

"You might be surprised. Gotta go. Think about what I said." She says and then I hear shuffling. Matt's voice comes through the phone. "Well it's 2 at in the morning here I'm gonna get some sleep you should too." He says. Shit didn't think about the time difference even if it's just an hour.

"Sorry about that. Bye." I say and hang up. Why were they both up? I lay on the couch and pull up my pictures. The phone company transferred them over for me, same with the phone numbers. I look at Alexis and it brings a small, but real smile to my face. Never thought I could miss her so much. Here comes the cliche again. I set an alarm for 4:45 just in case I get some sleep.

***

"At least I know you'll never be late," Tom says as I enter the gas station early like every other day. 

"That's a good thing though."

"True." He says and starts to mop the floors. People come in and out through the day, but I'm not all there. I'm worried about Alexis for some reason. I don't know how to describe the feeling, but I don't like it.

When my shift is over I call Matt. "I was just going to call you." He says and that makes me more nervous.

"Why?"

"Corrine has been missing for a few days. She told someone that she was leaving and for them to cover her shift. She told the person that she should be back in two weeks, but I found out where she went and why. She's going or is in Montana and she found a strange place. I think they are holding people with gifts. Everything on her laptop proves she wants to see if it's real and if it is she's not leaving without the people. You need to help her and don't argue. She doesn't know who is there or if she can even fight that many people off. There isn't a real address, but if you go down the street call Autumn, you'll find a huge building which is where she's going to go. I don't know exactly where you are, but it's on the outskirts of Montana."

"She's going to a place where she can get hurt and she's by herself?" I phrase the words as a question, but I'm really just going through what I heard.

"Yes and she might already be there so go."

"Ok, I'm leaving," I say and he ends the call. Everything I have is in a new backpack so I grab it and run out of the building. I run to the gas station. "I'm leaving town. Sorry, it's so quick, but I have to go." I say to Tom ready to run back out the door.

"Wait, here." He hands me cash. "It's for your pay. Go do what ya gotta do." He says.

"Thank you so much," I say and put the money in my backpack. I call a cab and tell them to go to the road. I fidget the whole time while in the car not sure what I'm going to find, or what I'm going to say to her. The ride isn't a short one, and with each minute that passes, I get more anxious.

"Stop. Thanks." I say and hand him the cash. I jump out the door and run down the road looking for any signs of her or the building.

I find the only building out here and pick up my pace. There are trees along the road. No one would ever think there is a building down here. As I get closer to the building I see a small figure starting to go around the house. I race to catch up knowing who it has to be, as I'm about to get her attention she turns towards me.

"Sam?"