Always Watching

Chapter 2

His eyes glittered as he walked up to the front desk of the Holiday Inn. Room 74. He had seen the hotel card settled on top of Lita's bags when he entered, and had immediately memorized the number. '74,' he repeated over and over in his mind, 'I'll see her again tonight,' he thought, twisting his hands together in anticipation. 'She'll stay up as long as she can, but I'll see her…I always do.'

"How may I help you?" the woman at the desk spoke up. He felt a jolt of fear go down his spine, and then pushed it away. There was no way the woman could possibly recognize her. He had searched over his disguise inch by inch before he stepped into the Holiday Inn—he couldn't even recognize himself. It was nearly August, and the hotel was in California, so he'd picked a disguise fitting to that. The carefully glued wig was, in fact, made out of human hair-a shade of dirty blond that hung along his cheekbones. Contacts made his eyes appear a chocolate brown. With the skill of an artist, he had applied make-up so that his face looked just slightly sun burnt. Along with his outfit of shorts, a tank top, sunglasses, and sandals, he was sure that anyone would simply pass him off as another surfboarder coming for a vacation.

The woman was in her mid-fifties, obviously plotting retirement soon. She was a little chubby, the notion enforced by the half an inch-long spikes of brown hair on her head. Colorful glasses hung around her neck, and there was a permanent frown seemingly imprinted upon her face.

He gave her a smile as he leaned forward on the desk, perfectly playing along with his role. The knowledge that this woman would probably be the last on Earth to remember her in detail set him at ease. "Hello, ma'am," he said graciously, pulling an accent from the back of his throat. "I'm here to check into my room—room 74, I believe."

She looked at him, scowling. After a moment, she turned in the gray rolling chair she was sitting in, and began typing rapidly at the computer next to her. Her frown cut even deeper into her face as the screen lit up. "How did you reserve?"

"I came in here earlier," he replied, "There was a young blond woman here, and she said she reserved it for me, and that I could get my keys and check in later. She mentioned something about a view of the water." He grinned to himself. By watching the hotel nearly all day, he had learned that when the elder woman took her lunch break, a young woman by the name of Tiffany came in and worked.

"What's your name?" the woman asked.

"Brad Thompson," he told her, using a common name. 'Rule 1: Always, always, be common. Be the guy next-door…Be forgettable,' he told himself.

"I'm sorry but there is no reservation under Brad Thompson," she told him. He frowned, creasing his face to look confused. "You said Tiffany reserved it for you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I said I wanted a room with a view of the water… She said that this was the best one because you got a view of the water and you could see the sunset." 'Don't be too specific,' he warned himself.

The woman snorted. "I don't know what that girl was thinking. Number 1, room 74 has no view of the water or the sunset. It faces the interior of the building, and if you can possibly manage to see away from the building, you're looking east!" she sighed, obviously frustrated with Tiffany. "I don't even know why she said she could reserve this room!"

"Just out of curiosity…Why not?" Brad asked.

"A redhead and her boyfriend have already reserved the room, and they just checked in a few minutes ago," she told him.

'A redhead…' just what he wanted to hear, but…her boyfriend? His blood boiled. 'She can't have a boyfriend! She's mine! MINE!' he screamed inwardly. Quickly, he swallowed his temper. He couldn't afford to have his cover blown. "All right then… Is there another room available for two nights?"

He didn't pay attention to the woman as she booked a room for three nights for him. Five minutes later, keys in hand, he stepped into an empty elevator. 'Lita… Lita, darling… My Lita… You can't have a boyfriend…Why would you want one? You have me… You'll always have me… And I'll always have you.' He leaned against the back wall of the elevator as the floors silently ticked by. 'You think that a boyfriend can stop me from getting to you… Well, you're wrong, dearest… Nobody, and nothing, can stop me from getting to you.' He shoved his hands into his pockets, and was instantly reminded of the cheap disposable camera in his right pocket. 'Nothing will stop me from getting my work done tonight…nothing.'

The elevator slowed at the seventh floor with a small beep. He stepped out, pulling a key into his hand while he did so. 'Soon, Lita…' he thought to himself, a grin on his face. 'Soon, we can be together, just like we're meant to. I'll get rid of those pestering cops watching you 'round the clock, take care of your annoying boyfriend, whoever he is, and then I'll show myself to you. Then, finally, I'll take you away… We'll go where no one can bother us again. We'll be together…forever; for all eternity…because I won't let anyone between us. And if anyone tries, they'll meet their fate sooner then originated. If anyone somehow turns you against me, I'll kill us both, because in death, we'll still be together…

Together for all eternity.'

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Author's Note: Here's another chapter! Just got back from camping—had to come home early because we're going to have a busy week here! I'll try and update on Thursday-Saturday, but no promises. I hope you guys like!! Please review!