I awoke with a start. It was still raining, and it was pouring quite steadily. "KARR?" I whispered, although I wasn't sure why I whispered. Perhaps it had to do with the silence, or the conversation we had yesterday.

"Good morning Quinn, what is it?" If you looked closely, you could decipher the jumble of emotions as being fear, protectiveness, and a little bit of something I couldn't identify.

"What if we were to go to FLAG, and I was to explain what happened and all, and get your name cleared, then maybe-"

"No." The answer was short and crisp, the meaning clear. The idea was absurd. "It's not that your idea was bad, Quinn, it's just they wouldn't listen. Even Wilton Knight, my creator, did not listen. He brought me into this world and then turned on me." KARR explained, finishing with a growl.

"Maybe things have changed... Maybe since there's this new guy working for FLAG, he'll be more willing to listen and understand, though."

KARR let out a drawn out sigh, filled with impatience. Time was ticking, he knew, and it was only a matter of time before the other car and its driver tracked them down to this very spot. The question was no longer if, but when. "Quinn. They won't listen. Understanding and listening is something that nobody at FLAG has. They just don't, and they never will."

I hesitated. "But you used to be with FLAG..."

"Yes, but I left. I was the last being that was at FLAG before it completely slid downhill. In fact, that's exactly why. They were too quick to judge, too quick to shut me down before figuring out if there were any other reasons." He said, and I winced. This was a touchy subject for him, and I knew rehashing it would just make him upset. So when I was just about to tell him to just drop it, and let's talk about something else, he spoke again. "Let's just drop it, ok? There's other things we need to talk about, and our bickering won't solve anything."

"Right." I acknowledged, waiting for him to go on.

"As you are aware of, the other car and its driver are after us. Tracking us. They're trying to find us like bloodthirsty hounds on a scent trail. I mentioned that I had a friend who owed me a favor, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did."

"You're not going to like this."

"Tell me why I'm not going to like this, then I'll decide for myself, okay?"

"I'm sending you to London." KARR said bluntly, and my breath stilled in my throat. A thousand things coursed rapidly through my head, but there was one question I found most coherent in my jumbled mind.

"Why?" I asked, exhaling slowly. There was a moment of pause, decision. I knew it was him thinking, but at the moment, I needed answers. And fast. "Why, KARR?"

"Because they want me. And to get to me, they'll capture you. They'll use you as bait because they know I couldn't leave you, especially if they put a time limit on your head. They'll do anything to get their hands on me, even if that means using you. They're after us, Quinn. I can't risk losing you to FLAG. Please," he was begging now, "don't put yourself at risk because of me."

I was having none of it. "KARR, think of everything we've been through together. Eric and Anthony, they still need to be stopped. And Aaron, Oliver, and the rest of them, they all need someone to protect them. They can act brave, but it won't matter to Eric and Anthony. Those two are hardened criminals. And do you really think you can handle this other car and its driver, all by yourself?"

"Quinn, I can't lose you. I can't lose you like I lost Jack."

My heart softened. He was afraid. Not just for himself, but for me. "You won't lose me." I laughed. "You really think that you can get rid of me that easy?"

His tone was relieved. "Good. Then you'll agree to going to London."

"No!" I proclaimed loudly, and I swatted the steering wheel. "I'm not going, and I'm not leaving you!"

"Look, we have maybe another day, do you want to think it over?" He asked desperately. He knew he couldn't force me to make a decision, but maybe a day to think about it might change my mind.

"It won't make a difference. I'm still staying."

He growled, frustrated. "I'm trying to save your life! You don't know what they can do! I have connections, I have a pilot that owes me a favor because me and Jack saved his life once, and he'll get you to London safely. I know what can happen, I know the capabilities of what I can do, and if this car is anything like me, he'll be a formidable opponent." I could tell that he was getting more upset. "Why won't you just leave? I'll be fine, you know that."

I shook my head. "No, I don't know that! And I lost my parents, and I don't want to lose you too!"

He sighed in understanding. "Alright… I understand. We've both lost someone close to us, and we both don't want to lose each other, and we don't want to be in fear for each other's lives. Am I right, or am I right?"

I laughed, a relieved laugh, the kind you have after you've narrowly missed an injury of some sort. "You're right." I admitted.

"Quinn, Quinn, Quinn… What am I to do with you?" He murmured, amusement in his voice.

I smiled and looked out the window, where a raindrop trickled down. I traced a finger along it as it trailed along slowly, being pulled by gravity towards the ground. This was what I would miss, our playful bickering…

I swallowed once, and my throat was parched. Suddenly it felt as if there was an entire desert in my throat, dry and scorched. "Hey, can we go to some truck stop or something? I need some water…"

"Of course." KARR replied immediately.

Hi everyone... so sorry that I didn't get this posted earlier. I hope you all enjoy it.

I have a question; do you like the song that I choose for each chapter? Do you guys listen to them or does it seem like a waste of time?

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Stand by You by Rachel Platten