Rachel was woken by the motel room door shutting little too hard. She had actually managed to sleep soundly through the night, which she had desperately needed. No nightmares. No subconscious guilt trips. Just sleep. As fucked up as this situation was, Gail had actually made her feel better last night. She briefly panicked when she realized Gail wasn't beside her, before realizing she was standing beside the bed, holding a paper coffee cup.

"Look alive, sunshine, you've been out for like...I don't even know, like, years."

"What time is it?", Rachel asked, yawning. Not willing herself to sit up yet.

"Eleven, I got up a while ago. I decided to let you sleep...you, really needed it. Here", Gail said holding the cup out to her. Rachel finally sat up and took it.

"Shit, sorry. I was fucking shot...man, i'm hungry."

"I tried to tell you last night."

"Shut up, I was…emotionally compromised."

"I know. I grabbed you some stuff from the lobby, just a couple donuts and stuff, I don't know what you like, so..."

"That's perfect, Gail. Thank you."

"I'm gonna go take a shower, I overslept too, but wanted breakfast. After that we should really get going, I mean…"

"I know, Gail."

"Are you alright, Rachel? I'm sorry about last night, really...all of it, I-"

"It's okay. Yeah, I feel much better. I needed to sleep. And thank you."

"...for what?"

"I dunno. For being...you. Reassuring me, staying with me last night."

"...Rachel, you don't have to thank me for that...I-"

"No more words, Gail. Just, go take your shower so we can get out of roach city, here."

"You need one too, whatever was left of your eyeliner is all over your face."

Rachel touched hand to her face, her fingers came away slightly black.

"Stupid waterproof makeup, not tear proof."

"I wouldn't know."

"No...you wouldn't. You don't need it. You're so cute...and pret-...just, go take your shower, Gail, Christ", Rachel said, flustered.

Gail blushed and looked away, did I really kiss her last night? And….try to justify it...I...need help...

She took her messenger bag off, set it on the floor and headed for the bathroom.

Gail shut the door and undressed, sighing. She missed Chloe, she prayed she was alright, had been able to hold it together without them. Without...her. She was scared, though. This situation was as serious as they got. Chloe could wind up in prison, or worse. They all could. But Gail was scared of something else, too. What was the story with Rachel? She was lost on this. How were they going to deal with this?

Chloe loves me….I love Chloe….Rachel loves Chloe….I...really...like...Rachel...not the same way as Chloe...she's not...a part of me, like Chloe...but...and does she...how does she feel?…how are we supposed to deal with this…

Gail shook her head, she ran the water and then stepped into the shower, trying to block her thoughts out. She found herself thinking about photography, she had been thinking about it more recently, she realized she could recall things she couldn't before. Names, brands, processes, photographers. She realized that she had a burning passion for it. This just made Gail feel even more lost, her head was in so many places.

Where...did that...I mean….I knew I could take a picture...and i've always liked the old analog stuff but….Max, i'm-

She lost her train of thought. These thoughts were fleeting, like her memories. She finished her shower and dressed, she caught her reflection in the mirror, for a split second she saw herself with shorter hair, a pink t-shirt and grey hoodie, replacing her long hair, grey shirt, black hoodie and Chloe's necklace. She blinked and it was gone.

That...was my imagination….right?

"Wowser."

When she came back into the main area of the motel room, Rachel still hadn't really moved, she was sitting cross legged on the bed, staring into space again. Rachel sitting there lazily, in nothing but her slightly too big white t-shirt, framed by the late morning light, was beautiful. Her eyes no longer bloodshot and swollen from crying, some mascara on her face, but not too much, her hair was messy, but looked vibrant in the way the light hit it through the white curtains. Gail just stood and looked at her for a moment, before speaking.

"Rachel…"

"Huh? Oh...sorry, just thinking."

"About?"

"This whole clusterfuck."

"Well, we have like a five hour bus ride to think about this clusterfuck, so get dressed."

"Yeah. Sorry. Can I borrow-"

"Yes, you can borrow another shirt, just buy some of your own clothes soon, I don't have much."

"Sorry, I will."

Rachel finally got up and rooted around in their bags, finding something she liked apparently, and grabbed her flannel and the jeans she'd been wearing yesterday and started heading for the bathroom. Before she got there, she stopped and hugged Gail.

"What is this?"

"Nothing", Rachel whispered, "Just thanking you for not hating me."

"I'm going to, if we miss another bus."

"Alright, alright. Sorry", Rachel said, letting go. Gail found she hadn't really wanted Rachel to let go, though. She didn't know if it was Rachel, or if she just missed Chloe and needed the comfort.

When Rachel was finally ready, they left the room. Rachel went to return the key, while Gail went ahead to the bus terminal. There was one leaving towards where they needed to be in ten minutes. Rachel got there with about thirty seconds to spare.

"And I was this close to hating you", Gail said, sweetly, holding her fingers up to demonstrate how close.

"Sorry…", Rachel said, a little too sadly.

"Rachel...I was just kidding."

"Oh...well...still, sorry."

"What did I tell you last night about beating yourself up?"

"I know, I know. I'm trying."

Gail could see that Rachel really was trying. They got on the bus and found an empty row, again Rachel took the window seat. Gail stowed their bags away and sat down. This time Rachel put her head down on Gail's shoulder.

"We have to find her. I think she was the only thing, against all logic, keeping us sane", Rachel said.

"Our Dark Knight, not just Arcadia's?"

"Pretty much."

Gail took Rachel's hand.

"We'll find her, and she's going to be okay. And everything will be okay, somehow."

"I hope so, Gail. I really do."

Chloe did the same thing she'd done every morning for the last few days and walked out to the beach, to the ocean. Last night had been bad. She thought she was strong enough to deal with this alone. Could manage long enough, but everything was starting to bear down on her. After she'd made it back to the cabin last night, she'd mostly paced around, getting progressively more angry about everything, at herself, until she tore a framed picture of some nature preserve off the wall and threw it against the far wall of the cabin. She'd found a still sealed bottle of Johnnie Walker that someone had left behind in a cabinet in the cabin. She had been done with drinking, drugs, everything, but she couldn't help herself in her state of mind and had drank a good portion of the bottle, talking to herself and going over everything that had happened thus far. Until she eventually blacked out and woke up this morning, her head pounding. Now she stood looking at the ocean, again entranced by the constant return of the waves.

I can't do this alone...I need you, Max...Gail...and you too, Rachel...you may have fucked up hella bad, but you stuck with me through this mess...and it's not all your fault. I couldn't leave well enough alone. And running...I really...didn't think this all the way through. Just had to keep you guys safe…

Her mind registered a loud motor somewhere behind her, but she wasn't really there, she was somewhere else.

"Hey…", a voice called from behind her.

Oh God, why?

"Even bigger creeper alert, dude", Chloe said passively, not turning.

Alain.

"I was just...cruising, I do that sometimes...when i'm not working. I saw you out here, alone. Everything alright with your friends? You said you got in a fight and you walked all the fuck the way back into town, which is...man, long walk. And now you're out here alone, just wanted to make sure you were-"

"I'm fine, shouldn't you be serving coffee?", Chloe snapped.

"I'm off today."

"Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

"Nah, got kicked out. Smoking weed under the bleachers and spraypainting 'Slayer' on the walls will do that."

"Heh. Nowhere near what I did to get kicked out", Chloe said, forgetting herself for a second.

"You got kicked out of school?"

Chloe finally turned.

"That's none of your goddamn business. Look...just go cruise or something. I want to be alone right now."

"Dude...are you sure you're okay? You're like...the angriest person i've met out here. People don't come out here to be pissed, they come out here for the scenery, or some shit. I don't know, I live here, so it all looks the same to me. "

"I'm not angry, Alain. Just...lost."

"Something about your friends or…?"

"You could say that."

"Do...you want to talk about it? Look I know i'm just that weird metal dude. Everyone does, I don't really have friends...but, I...can listen."

Chloe looked at the boy in front of her. Skinny, he'd shaved, very long blonde hair, very blue eyes, still all in black, black Mayhem shirt, black skinny jeans, black Chucks. He wore a cross around his neck, which stuck out as odd in Chloe's mind, in contrast to the Slayer and Mayhem shirts. But she also didn't care that much. Looking at his face, she had a hard time believing he didn't have friends. He had a very...almost feminine look. Pretty.

Fucking pretty boys...I hate them...boys...in general…gross…

But, she also remembered being "that" kid. Maybe he was telling the truth. Of course, Chloe didn't have her blue hair, her hoodie covered her sleeved arm, and she was wearing normal clothes, which was killing her pride a little. She supposed her haircut might still give away her tastes on certain things, maybe that's why he wouldn't leave her alone. Maybe he was just bored. Maybe he was lonely too.

Chloe sighed. She started walking along the beach. Alain wasn't sure how to take this.

"You coming?", Chloe asked, not stopping.

"I uh….guess."

Chloe walked along in silence, a cigarette burning between the fingers of her right hand. She carried her boots in the other. She gave up on the flip-flops. It was cold, but mostly it was her pride screaming at her to stop looking like a fucking tourist, even if it was necessary at the moment.

"So why are you following me, Alain? I told you I want to be alone."

"You just said-"

"No, I mean before. You just happened to roll by where you dropped me last night, saw me and...okay, dude."

"Uh...alright, honestly, I just...you are really...pretty", he was not good at this, Chloe noted, "...and you seem….like you are upset about something. I felt bad. Wanted to see if I could catch you around here and make sure you're alright."

"Alright first off, snub that thought out now, because i'm taken. And also not-"

"Yeah...I remember you said you had a girlfriend…"

"Yeah, that. Second, you don't seem like the type to care what others think much, like me. So why bother?"

"Nothing better to do?"

"Figured."

"So...problem with your...girlfriend, or.."

"Sort of. Ever been in love with two people?"

"No. Just one. In my life. It didn't work out."

You have no idea what 'not working out' is…

"Sorry to hear that. Well, on top of some other crazy shit, that's basically the issue. Or they're in love with me. And i'm in love with one of them. But I think I might also love the other one. I don't know. That's why i'm here. Needed to get away from everyone. And some...other hella crazy shit in my life."

"I thought you were camping with some friends?"

"I lied."

"So you're out here alone? Man, that's crazy."

"I can take care of myself, Alain."

At least I..thought I could…

"I don't doubt it. You seem like a tough chick."

"Do I? Good."

"Did you really have those cars? The Daytona, the Roadrunner, the others?"

"I did. Long time ago. Like I said, much older than I look."

"Lying?"

"You decide."

"I don't think you are."

"Well then, there you go, man."

"You hear about that shit in Arcadia I mentioned yesterday? Shit is nuts."

Chloe had no way of hearing and realized Alain might be useful, for this. Not that she disliked him, she just didn't really want to be around anyone other than Max or Rachel.

Max...not even thinking of her as Gail anymore…

"Not past what you told me yesterday."

"Apparently this Chloe chick got that teacher twice with a shotgun, really close range, in a barn outside town. Not a good scene from what I hear. I guess she took off, the police are saying they've had trouble with her in the past, nothing like this though. Drugs, vandalism, stuff like that."

"They looking for her? Show any pics of her? I can't imagine someone would do something like that without...a reason."

"They're looking, but it's pretty confined to Arcadia for now, I guess. Until they get clearance to look further or some shit. They had a mugshot from some tagging arrest or something, shit quality, you could mostly just make out the blue hair. They say one of her arms is sleeved. They think she might be wounded, they found traces of her blood, I guess. It looks like there was a struggle. So, i'm guessing there was a reason."

"And why do you know so much about this?"

"Morbid fascination, I guess. Not often something like that happens near here, in hickville up there."

"Yeah, I guess not. Hope it's sorted out soon", Chloe meant this, she just didn't mean it the way he probably thought she did.

"So, you wanna like, go for a ride or something? You must miss those cars, if you really had them."

Fuck it.

"Sure. Not much else to do at the moment."

David wanted to be out of the hospital. He felt exposed here. He knew he was in immediate danger, if word had worked it's way back that he knew. The Prescotts would silence anyone any detractor. Jefferson had already tried, but hadn't been a good enough shot. Still, recovering from a collapsed lung, David was still stuck here. He needed to talk to Wells, who wasn't answering his calls, and he needed the rest of his files. He was sure he could sort this mess out, at least enough to expose Jefferson. He prayed that would be enough to get Chloe through this. He knew they were going to have to come up with a story as to why she was there at all, though with Jefferson's...history, should it be exposed, that shouldn't be too difficult, even if someone like Chloe wasn't his...usual, target. He was actually glad, in a way, that Roberts and Amber had skipped town. Yes, it looked terrible, but there was nothing provable tying them to anything. And they were safer out of Arcadia Bay, for the time being. At least he hoped so, for Chloe. Joyce still wouldn't talk to him much, or about Chloe at all. She just went to work, visited David for a little while and went home. He tried to tell her, without telling too much, that it wasn't what it looked like, and he got the sense that it wasn't necessarily the "crime" that was getting to Joyce, she just wanted her daughter back. Safe and sound. And David, he wanted the same thing. But he also needed to deal with this. Before Chloe was found or any more evidence slipped away.

"God fucking damn it, Ray", David griped, slamming his phone down on the bedside table. Wells still wasn't taking his calls. Wells might actually be able to help him, he had plenty of proof that Nathan was...unstable. But he wouldn't risk losing his precious money, at least, David didn't think so. He couldn't go right to the police, they'd already been by multiple times to ask him about Chloe. Of course, David had said nothing, that there had to be a mistake, he didn't know where she was. There was something wrong with Jefferson, he was the one who had shot him, but he couldn't prove that, had something to do with Kate Marsh's suicide attempt. They didn't care much, or so it seemed. Just wanted to know where Chloe had gone, to which he genuinely didn't know, and wouldn't have told them even if he did. He was about to try calling Wells again when he heard someone enter the room.

"Madsen", Wells said.

"What in God's name...Ray, i've been trying to get ahold of you for days I-"

Wells sat in a chair next to the bed, his expression was somewhere between concern and fear. He looked very tired. He was very obviously sober, which was very rare for him.

"I know. I know, David. I've been dealing with the police, media, everything…"

"So do you believe me now? Finally?"

"I...look, David. You're onto something. There was something wrong with Jefferson. And the entire Prescott family. I-"

"Jefferson fucking shot me. You weren't willing to let go of their money."

"I never imagined-"

"That my step-daughter's life would be destroyed?"

"David...listen to me. And listen carefully. I have Sean Prescott breathing down my neck. I honestly didn't think there was a connection, until my phone started exploding with calls from him. The sums of money he's offering to never discuss this topic again. Trying to tell me exactly what to say to the police, the media…he has no reason in involve himself in this...unless there really is a connection and that's what led to Chloe assaulting Nathan."

"You? You turned down money to stay silent, Ray?"

"David, whether or not we agree, I care about Blackwell. And all of it's students. I never liked Jefferson, thought he was a pretentious wash-up. But I also didn't think he was some kind of deranged psychopath, but...I know Chloe. I know she's...troubled. But she isn't a killer. As for you, I like you, David. I do, but you have to understand the position you put me in, I know your past. And I know, at least, I thought, you were paranoid...but the more I think about it, the more i'm inclined to believe there is something wrong here, more wrong than what's on the surface."

"So Sean is involved?"

"It looks that way, yes."

"Son of a bitch, I knew it."

"I know. What exactly do you think was going on, David? I need to know."

"I know exactly what was going on, Ray. Jefferson manipulated Nathan for money, sound familiar-"

"David, i'm on your side here."

"Alright. He built that room, or had it built. And he was mentoring Nathan, acting like a sort of father figure to him, he needed funding somehow. He drugged girls, took pictures of them compromised, and then killed them when he was done. Never enough to look like anything more than missing persons. Until…"

"Nathan...screwed up, with Kate."

"Yes. And Chloe, before that."

"How do you know all of this, David? This is beyond what was in the file you gave me."

"I have other sources."

"Where is she, David?"

"I don't know. I honestly, don't know. But she came here and told me the entire story, filled in the missing spots. There is evidence, Ray. But it's gone missing. He kept records, portfolios, but Chloe couldn't find them. He moved them."

"So, Chloe was there?"

"You and I both know she was, Ray."

"Chloe was trying to...expose Jefferson? But, why?"

"That I don't know, she just mentioned him hurting her friends. She may have meant Marsh or Roberts, but I didn't even know they knew each other. But is 'why' really important right now?"

"I suppose not. You know, i've been taking donations to Blackwell from the Prescotts for years. And even more recently, to look the other way on Nathan's behaviour. And I feel absolutely awful for it. Never again. But i'm afraid it's already too late."

"What do you mean?"

"David, you and I both know that if the Prescotts don't want something to get out, it won't. Look where this put you. We're both in danger here."

"We have a chance.I have evidence. And...we still have a link, two actually."

"Nathan Prescott and Kate Marsh."

"Yes. If anyone knew where there would be proof, it would be Nathan."

"He's terrified of his father, David. And rightfully so. He's not going to say a word."

"He took the blame for the assault in the bathroom, and he hasn't gone back on it. He's unstable, but he's not heartless, Ray. Where is he?"

"Staying at Blackwell, again. I haven't approached him. I haven't even had a chance to. I expect a visit from his father, very soon."

"So we have to get to him before that."

"You're not going anywhere."

"So you're going to have to, Ray. We have no choice."

"Did Chloe do it, David?"

"...with what you know now, what would you say if I said yes?"

"That the motherfucker had it coming."

"Your shifts are still late, dude", Chloe said. She sat on the hood of the Superbird, Alain leaned on the railing of an overlook, looking out at the ocean.

"And the girl who blew hers up is an expert?", he said without turning.

"Mine had the 440, it wasn't ideal for what I did with it, which was beat the everloving hell out of it. This one is the Hemi."

"How did you know that?"

"I'm good."

She slid off the primered hood and walked around the car.

Beautiful, she thought to herself.

Yes it was rough, the car was a mix of grey primer, and it's original white where it had washed away, Chloe could vaguely make out "Plymouth" on the tail of the car, under the thin primer. She walked around to the front and that's when she noticed it.

"The nose is crooked."

"Yeah, it is", Alain said, finally turning away from the water.

Chloe looked a little harder and saw the wrinkle in the driver's side front fender, it had been repaired, but not very well. And the driver's door wasn't original, she could see red through the primer, she was now seeing the nose cap of the car was crooked, just slightly. These cars had an, for the time they were produced, aerodynamic nose added to the front, after production, along with the wing on the back. It allowed the car to cut through the air better at racing speeds.

"I left it, on purpose. I'll fix it someday, maybe", he said from behind her.

"This thing got hit hard, man. This isn't the original nose, is it?"

"No, it's not. The old one was obliterated. Like I said, it sat in mom's garage untouched for a few years. It used to be in better shape. Mechanically, I taught myself, but it's back to where it was. Aesthetically, it's...heh", this last bit was said with a strange affliction. He turned back towards the water, his long hair blew lazily in the seaside breeze.

"It's beautiful, Alain."

"What's your family like, Liz?", Alain asked, this came out of nowhere. They had talked about music and swapped detention stories on the way up here.

"Uh...pretty fucked."

"Mine too. This cross was my father's. I was really close with him."

"The car and the cross? I guess so. I lost my dad too. Car accident."

"Really? Funny you should say that."

It dawned on Chloe at that moment, the crooked nose, the damaged fender, the mismatched door.

"Do….you want to talk about it?", Chloe asked, lost for anything else to say. She found that hanging out with Alain was taking her mind off more pressing matters, for now.

Alain sighed. He produced a joint from somewhere and lit it. He held it out to her, but she waved it away, even though she did want it.

"He was a mechanic. And that car was his baby. He used to race on these roads, on weekends. illegal as fuck of course, guess that's where I got it from."

"The car…"

"Yeah. The car. Some kid rolled up on him in a Honda, normally he wouldn't have even bothered, but the kid wouldn't leave him alone for miles. I know, I was there. I used to love going with him on rides through Big Sur in this car. I was fifteen, i'm nineteen now. He never should have taken the challenge, but, he did."

"Alain…"

"So, we come to this straight away, alongside the ocean. Should have been easy, right? One stop light to the next. Old school. He just smiles at me, saying this will be over in seven seconds And...it was over in seven seconds. Though it felt much longer, I have to say. The light goes green, we launch, the Honda didn't stand a chance in hell. But…"

"You don't have to tell me this, dude. You shouldn't be telling me this. We just met, I-"

But he kept talking.

"We launched so hard the front of the car pulled up. Best guess anyone had was when it came down, the driver's side shock tower broke free. Well, that is what happened, but that is the only real explanation for why. In any case, that wheel laid down flat, we went right into the guard rail. That side side of the car was annihilated. I was shaken up, but alright. Dad...that side hit so hard…", there were tears coming to his eyes now.

"Alain...don't. Don't do this to yourself. I'm so sorry. And I fucking joked about keeping the car on the road. I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"It's...alright, Liz. I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't have told you this. I don't have many friends. Or any really. Because of why I got kicked out of school."

"Tagging?"

"I lied", he said in the same tone she had earlier.

"The kid in the Honda ran away. But, it so happened he went to my school. I was a Freshman, he was a senior."

"I...see where this is going, Alain."

"Yeah. I was waiting outside, the next Monday, with a baseball bat. Dislocated his jaw, shattered three ribs, broke his leg in two places. I spent the next year in juvie, studied mechanics while I was there. Started piecing the car back together as soon as I got out."

"Jesus Christ."

"Not a good friend of mine."

Chloe sighed, she didn't know how to handle this.

"I'm...sorry, Alain. I really am. I had no idea. I know what it's like. To lose...i've seen..horrible things."

"It's alright, Liz. I just needed to tell someone, I guess."

Chloe suddenly felt terrible about lying to him about her identity, even if it was necessary.

"Hey, pass the joint, I quit, but, oh well", Chloe said, she needed it after these revelations, and it might help the pounding in her head subside.

So they smoked, sitting on the hood of the car, discussing how fucked up their lives were, Chloe leaving a lot out for protection. But still, this chance meeting may have been good after all. Chloe thought in a past life, she may have been attracted to Alain's pretty-boy face and thrasher aesthetic, but as of now, they just had a bond of both of their lives being filled with loss. People can bond quickly over that sort of thing.

"So...best day of your life?", Gail asked, they were still on the bus, nearing their destination, but it had been a long ride. They were running out of conversation topics that didn't delve into the awkward. Though they were still kind of leaning against each other. Gail mindlessly playing with Rachel's hair, out of sheer boredom, and anxiousness.

"Honestly? Meeting Chloe. Even if everything went to hell after that. She needed help. I needed help. We built off each other, that way. Back then, anyway. And then I fucked-...nevermind. You?"

"Either meeting Chloe, as a kid….when I was...or the night I agreed to take a ride with her, last week."

"How much do you remember, Gail? Really?"

"A good amount of up until this last week. Then it splits. And I can't remember everything all the time. Sometimes there's other things too...earlier I thought I saw my reflection...differently."

"Differently?"

"I had shorter hair, and a pink t-shirt and a grey hoodie, but when I blinked it was gone."

"...that was Max."

"I...know. But it's...complicated, Rachel. I can feel what Max felt. I know a lot of what she knew. But I also have me, my...personality, I guess. It's like i'm two people. And it's getting really hard to deal with."

"You'll get through it. I'm sorry, Gail. We did this to you, well...me, more than Chloe...i'm...sorry-"

"Rachel...for the last time, stop apologizing. I'm not mad at you. I'm not."

"...Alright."

Gail was silent for a moment.

"Do you...like me, Rachel?"

"Well, obviously."

"No...Rachel...I mean-"

"...Gail...let's not do this. Not right now."

"I want to know."

"No, you don't. This is enough of a mess."

"So, you do?"

"Gail…"

"Okay."

Rachel looked at Gail intently for a moment, then looked out the window again. The rest of the ride was in silence. They eventually got off somewhere near Big Sur. Monterey. Having no idea where to go from here. Chloe wasn't the most reclusive person, they hoped they may find her through sheer luck, but didn't have their hopes up too much. If she wanted to vanish, she was perfectly capable. Rachel was well aware of that. Rachel stopped in a convenience store for cigarettes and then they walked on, roughly south. Working out how they were going to conduct this search.