"Where are we going this time, Fawkes?" Hobbes asked, as he shoved eggs into his mouth.
Darien picked at his pancakes, staring at the map in front of him. There were red dots covering many of the towns in Southern California, as well as several in Northern California . Each red dot corresponded with a town that they had visited and that she wasn't in. He looked the map over. " Nevada ."
" Nevada ?"
"Sure. She'd probably not even in California . Too many people looking for her," Darien said this with such certainty that Hobbes almost believed he really knew where she was, and wasn't just guessing.
"Sure. So where are we going to start?" He motioned to the waitress for the check.
"Redemption."
The waitress set down the check and cleared away their plates. "Sounds like fun," Hobbes remarked. He put some money on the table and the two men left.
When Laurel woke up, fading sunlight was streaming into her room. She clicked on the TV and found the evening news on. She'd slept almost 10 hours. Her head was mildly better and she rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.
The phone rang and she reached blindly for it. ""Ello?"
"Hey, kid. How're you feelin'?" Steve asked.
"How'd you know I'd be up?"
"Just did. Now answer the question." He sounded annoyed.
She smiled. "Little better. Food and more sleep will help."
"Okay. If you need anything, just call. I can send the wife over if I'm at the bar."
"Kim hates when you call her that." She sat up and scratched her head.
Steve chuckled. "I know. Get better, kid."
"I will, Steve. Bye."
"Bye." There was a click that signified he'd hung up and Laurel did the same. She threw her legs over the side of the bed. A hot shower and some dinner would make her feel a little better.
She went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. Staring at herself in the mirror, she ran her hand through her blonde hair. She felt like she was looking at a stranger. Her green eyes were her own, but the rest of her was someone else. With a sigh, she pulled her t-shirt over her head and turned on the shower. She stepped into the hot water and let it run over her. She tilted her head down and let the water beat on the back of her neck, easing some of the tension from her body.
As she toweled off, Laurel wondered how much longer she would be able to stay in Redemption. She kind of liked it there and wasn't sure where she would go if she had to move again. She pulled on her underwear and a t-shirt and went back out to the main room. A sitcom was on and she settled back against the pillows to watch.
Laurel was back at work a few days later. She was scheduled for the day shift and was busy washing the glassware behind the bar. The door to the bar opened and two silhouettes briefly blocked out the blinding sunlight. She threw a smile at the newcomers and wiped her hands on a bar towel. The door shut behind them and Laurel 's eyes had to readjust to the darkness of the bar. She still could not make out the features on the men, only that one was much taller than the other. They approached the bar.
"Hi. What can I get y'all?"
The taller one stepped forward and stopped. "Maggie?"
Laurel looked startled for a moment. "I'm sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone else. My name is Laurel ."
He came forward, shaking his head. "Maggie, what are you talking about?" He turned back to the shorter man. "Hobbes, this is her, isn't it?"
Hobbes leaned against the bar and looked her over. " Darien , Maggie is a red head."
"Hobbes, look at her eyes."
Laurel backed away from the two men. Steve heard the voices and came out of the office to check out what was going on. "What's going on here?"
"They think I'm somebody else." Laurel said quietly, turning towards him.
Darien turned and looked at Steve. "Her name is Maggie and she belongs with us."
Steve saw how upset Laurel was getting and stepped from behind the bar. "I think you two need to leave."
"Maggie, what's going on?" Darien called to her as Steve and Dean ushered them out of the bar. Laurel leaned her head against the wall, ignoring them.
Steve came back inside and raised an eyebrow at Laurel . "Office, now." She followed him into the backroom and sat in the offered seat. "Who were they?"
"I don't know, Steve. They came in and they were asking about this Maggie person. I don't-"
He stopped her. "Okay. Now tell me the truth. I've never seen you so scared in the whole year you've been working here. Who the hell are they, and who the hell is Maggie?"
She leaned forward, her head in her hands. "Their names are Darien Fawkes and Robert Hobbes. They work for the government. I'm Maggie and I used to work with them."