Tears stained Eutopia's cheeks as she woke, disorientated in the bright light of the bedroom. She had fallen asleep with the light on but the window to the right of her enormous bed was still black. She glanced at the nightstand beside her for a clock, but didn't find one. It was clearly still night though, if the blackness outside was anything to go by. A heavy sigh escaped her as she rubbed a hand over her face, trying to shake off the sadness that still clung to her from the dream she'd been having. Eutopia untangled her legs from the duvet and slid off the bed soundlessly onto the floor. She crept across the room and into the hall, crossing the space without even thinking about what she was doing. Her thoughts were still fuzzy in the cocoon of sleep, safe in that space that was halfway between waking and dreaming. Opening Jinn's door without knocking Eutopia let the welcoming beam from a bedside light spill over her toes as she glanced sleepily about for him. She couldn't get rid of the empty loneliness her dream had left her with and she felt the need to be near somebody, even if it was that strange yet somehow familiar man.

Eutopia found Jinn laid on his bed on the other side of the room, his back propped against a mountain of pillows and his un-booted feet crossed at the ankle. He had a book in his hands, his black hair loose about his broad shoulders. He glanced up at the soft creak his door made as Eutopia entered, looking dishevelled from sleep and a little bit haunted.

'Are you OK?' he asked, placing the book face down on the bed as he sat up. The girl nodded, her eyelids were heavy with the slumber she longed to return to.

'Strange dream s'all,' she mumbled, climbing onto the bed and curling up cat-like on her side. 'Needsomecompany.' Her words merged together and were cut off by a huge yawn that made Jinn grin. He pulled the thick duvet out from beneath himself and folded it back from his end of the bed to cover Eutopia with it. He shook his head with a smile as he watched the girl burrow deep into the warmth of the covers, barely taking up any space at the foot of his bed as he stretched his legs out around her.

'Do you want to talk about it?' he asked.

'No. I can barely remember it now, just that feeling you sometimes get with dreams, you know? I've always had strange dreams, vivid ones, ever since I can remember, but give it ten minutes and all the detail drains out of them,' she yawned widely again and wriggled about so she could see Jinn at the other end of the bed whilst still remaining tucked in. The huge room was quite cold. She nodded at the book he had picked up again. 'What are you reading?'

'It's an old book, by Thomas More,' Jinn replied, twisting it so she could see the title printed on the front cover.

'Oh,' she said. Jinn studied her for a moment.

'It's called Utopia,' he offered.

'Oh?' the girl sat up with interest, pushing the duvet back with suddenly bright eyes as she crawled to the head of the bed and settled herself against the pillows beside Jinn, taking the book from his hands to look at its plain black cover. Utopia was printed on the front in elegant silver script. 'But that's my name,' she said, tracing the letters with a finger, 'it's spelt differently though.'

'How do you spell your name?' he asked, curiously watching as she traced out a hesitant capital E before the U. The movement was careful and considered, slightly shaky, like a child learning to write. It confirmed Jinn's suspicion that she could not read or write particularly well. He smiled, watching her as she collected the pages in one hand and flicked through them with one thumb, eyes skimming the small print, only to gather them again and do the same as though she were looking for pictures.

'Good place,' he said, softly.

'What?' Eutopia asked, handing the book back to him. Jinn showed her the front cover again.

'Utopia,' he said, tracing the title as she had, 'it means 'no place' it's a play on words. When the book was first written it was sold as a true tale about a perfect country called Utopia that many people were led to believe was a perfect paradise. It never existed. But your name,' Jinn drew an E at the beginning of the word, 'Eutopia, means 'good place', the 'eu' means good in Greek, you see, whereas the 'ou' sound that the U by itself makes means 'no' in Greek. So when Utopia is spelt like the title of the book it means 'no place' Your name means 'good place.'' His eyes were fixed on her, flickering with a light that Eutopia was too sleepy to catch.

'So Utopia is a country?' she asked, struggling to get her groggy mind around what Jinn was talking about.

'Yes. But not a real one, though Thomas More wrote about it as if he had really travelled there, he described everything; the hierarchy, the politics, the currency, the people and their customs. Many people believed it was actually a real place because he even included co-ordinates and directions on how to find the island again.' Jinn continued enthusiastically, warming to his subject and his seemingly captivated, though mostly still sleepy student.

'Wow,' Eutopia said, reaching down to pull the duvet up over herself again before taking the book from Jinn's hands and opening it at random, her finger idling over the bold letters of the chapter heading. She let out such a soft sigh that Jinn barely heard it.

'What's up?' he asked.

'I wish I could be in another place right now. I'm most definitely in 'no place' at the moment. Have you ever felt like that? Like you wish you could just slip back and be someone else, anyone else? In some other time, maybe?' Eutopia tugged at the pillow behind, wriggling into it to make it more comfortable as she settled back. 'Never mind. Maybe in my next life I'll get a slightly better deal.'

'Do you really believe that?' Jinn asked, 'in reincarnation?'

'My mother was constantly saying that I'm an 'old soul',' Eutopia said with a gentle smile, 'she said from the day I was born that I knew too much about the world. It's in the eyes, apparently. I'm too knowing. I just wish I knew what to do about this whole situation. But yes, I do believe in reincarnation. Life is a form of energy isn't it? And if I remember anything about science from school, it's that energy can never be destroyed. It can only be reformed or reused or whatever. Like water. It only changes form, rising up as condensation to turn back into rain.' She yawned, loudly, closing her eyes. 'Plus, I think as almighty as God is meant to be, I doubt heaven would be big enough for every single person he's ever created from day one. So I think he just rounds us up and sends us out again.'

'That's a very interesting theory,' Jinn murmured.

'Everything happens for a reason,' Eutopia said, mostly to the pillow as she turned into it, 'I just wish I knew what the reason was.' Jinn leant over her as she slipped back to sleep, angling the hood of the bedside lamp down to dim the light in the room. He retrieved the book from Eutopia's hands and continued to read long into the night.

When Eutopia eventually found her way into the kitchen the next day it was to discover Jinn cooking a huge omelette in a heavy iron skillet. She smiled, feeling refreshed after the remainder of her undisturbed sleep and a long soak in the claw-footed bath in her room. She had felt a bit embarrassed at finding herself in Jinn's room that morning but thankfully he had already left before she woke. Eutopia hadn't had the nerve to use his bathroom and so had returned to her own room to get washed and dressed. She wore a clean pair of dark jeans and a hooded blue jumper that bought the sapphire tone out in her eyes. The heavy grey clouds of her window threatened rain again. She pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, securing most of it with a plain band, as Jinn poured out a glass of orange juice for her, setting it on the table as she sat down.

'Morning,' she said.

'Morning,' he replied, back at the stove now as he slid the omelette onto a plate. 'Did you sleep well?'

'Not really. I never really sleep well in places I'm not used to.' Jinn smiled. He placed the plate and a knife and fork in front of her. It wasn't until Eutopia had almost finished her large helping of omelette that she realised Jinn wasn't eating.

'You were ages in the bathroom, I've already eaten,' he said, answering her unasked question as he lent back against the counter top with his arms crossed.

'Sorry. What time is it?'

'Not a problem. You may as well make use of the facilities,' he grinned, 'and it's past ten,' he said, glancing at the expensive looking watch at his wrist. He was wearing clean clothes too, a marl grey jumper over stonewashed jeans and his usual heavy black boots. Eutopia took her plate to the sink and began to wash it beneath a stream of hot water from the tap.

'Thanks, that was delicious.' She smiled at him, 'Are you sure you're not Nigella Lawson's secret love child?' Eutopia asked, thinking that his striking good looks and dark hair would not make him a stranger to the glamorous celebrity chef. 'I've never met a man that could cook before.'

Jinn chuckled.

'I might be, if I knew who she was.'

Eutopia laughed softly too and placed the clean plate on the drying rack, turning to face him.

'So, do we have a plan for today? I was thinking last night, if I can just find Will first, I'll go to the police and tell them everything. But I don't really know where to start.' Eutopia eyed Jinn a little cautiously, unsure of how he would react to the mention of police again.

'If going to the police will make you feel better about it all, then fine. But I agree, you should try and find your brother first.'

'They're bound to catch up with me sooner or later. I just hope it's later. So. I was thinking about what you said, also, whether I had any contacts in London? Well, there was a guy I met when I was on the run. I met him in Basingstoke, but after I got put back into care we kept in contact for a time and the last I heard he was living in Peckham. I have a number for him, but I haven't tried it in years so there's no guarantee I can get hold of him, but it might give us a starting point if it works, right?' her eyes were bright and hopeful.

'Sure, it's an idea, definitely worth a try.' Eutopia pulled the battered grey Nokia from her pocket and Jinn motioned to the door. 'Might be better to sit in the lounge, this kitchen is at the back of the house, I doubt you'll get much reception here.' He led the way back down the hall and into a large living room that was sparsely yet sumptuously decorated. Eutopia sank into one of the two brown leather sofas, much like the ones that had been at Jinn's flat, yet bigger. An oriental rug stretched across the dark stained floorboards and forest green velvet draped the huge almost wall to ceiling windows that looked out over the expanse of the drive, where Eutopia could see the sleek black lines of Jinn's Mercedes settled on the gravel. Green, gilt and subtle marble matched with dark, glossy wood that dominated the room, but not a speck of dust seemed to have settled anywhere. Eutopia silently wondered why Jinn rented his London flat when he seemed to have a perfectly good home here, and how did it stay so clean if he barely lived in it? She hardly gave it another thought though as she flicked through the contacts stored in her phone and then pressed 'call'. The blood pounded in her head with each ring in her ear, disappointment creeping in as the ringer continued.

'We can always try some…' Jinn began, reading the expression on her face, but he fell silent as Eutopia held up one hand and spoke hesitantly into her mobile.

'Hello? Mike?'

'Hey lady, how's it going?' Mike's smooth and easy tone, so familiar and almost unexpected, made Eutopia smile.

'Uh, not so good, Mike,' she said honestly.

'Yeah, I saw you on the TV. Got into a bit of trouble, huh?' Eutopia could imagine his soft grey eyes crinkling with amusement. 'Anything I can help you with?' he asked, seriously.

'I don't think so, not in that respect anyway.'

'I thought you'd say that. What can I do for you? It's been a while. Going on for two years in fact.' Eutopia winced at the hint of pain in his voice. Mike had been so doped up when she'd last seen him she had hardly thought he would realise how long it had been since they had last spoken.

'I'm sorry, Mike. I'm hopeless at keeping in touch; you should know that by now. I did mean to ring you sooner; I guess life just got in the way.'

'Yeah, it does that sometimes.'

'Last time I spoke to Kayla she said you'd moved to Peckham?'

'Oh, Kayla, Kayla,' Mike sighed down the phone and Eutopia could imagine his long rust-coloured dreadlocks swaying as he shook his head, if he still had them by now. 'Haven't spoken to her in ages either. But yes, she was right, I did move to Peckham. My dad died a few years back, so moved back in with me old mam. Best move really, for both of us. S'kept me clean for the past two years.'

'Oh, Mike. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. But wow, it's great you've been clean so long! I always told you that stuff was no good.'

'Yeah, just wish I'd listened sooner. Never mind though, eh?' Eutopia thought momentarily of Kayla again, the curvy, confident redhead who had been the best thing that had happened to Mike in a long time. She'd finally left him when his drug debt had gotten too much for either one of them to manage. Older than Eutopia by at least five years, Kayla had looked after her like an older sister, when she could; though her and Mike's lifestyle had been too transient for either of them to help her in any real way. The thoughtful silence at the other end of the phone led Eutopia to believe that Mike was also thinking of Kayla again.

'I still have her number, I'm sure it's the right one,' she offered, gently.

'Nah, lady. But thanks. What is it I can do you for, anyway?'

'Well, do you remember me telling you about my brother?'

'Will? How could I forget! So you've done it? You worked your little behind off and saved all that money you always said you would, huh? So you're in London?'

'Sort of. I've been to London already,'

'Ah, yes,' Mike said, meaningfully.

'But it's not what you think, Mike, really it's not,'

'Things aren't always as they seem. I remember you saying that a lot. I believe ya. But I don't get where you need my help?'

'I can't come back to London just yet. I need to find Will first,'

'He isn't in London anymore?'

'He is, well, I think he is. But because of… what's happened, I need to keep my distance until I find him. Once I've got Will back, I'll explain everything. I was hoping that because you're in London you could make a few enquiries for me. You probably don't move in that kind of circle anymore, but you might still have contacts?'

'For you, lady, anything.' His upbeat tone made Eutopia smile again. The thick, sluggish slur of his speech was gone, no doubt kicked with his weed and who knew what else habit. He sounded much healthier. 'Obviously I can't guarantee anything, but I'll keep an ear out and see what I can scout. Will Midnite, right?'

'Right. Unless he's going by another name now.'

'Sure. It was great to hear from you, lady. I've often wondered how you were getting on.'

'Thanks, Mike. It was good to speak to you too. I'm sorry I left it so long.

'It's cool. This the best number for ya? I'll see what I can find out, if anything, and get back to you asap.' Mike was the only one Eutopia knew that could make that abbreviation sound like an actual word without it sounding cheesey. 'Take care, lady, speak soon.'

'You too, Mike, bye.' Eutopia was grinning at Jinn as she pressed 'end' but her joy was cut short as she noticed the expression on Jinn's face. He was perched on the high arm of the sofa next to her, his arm resting on one drawn up knee with a remote control in his hand as he stared towards the far right corner of the room, where a forty-two inch plasma TV sat on a mahogany stand and managed to look small in the vast room and yet somehow in keeping with the country-chic décor. Jinn had found the news channel again which was now playing a grey-green video clip of a tall dark figure throwing a grey haired man over the bonnet of his shiny Saab.

'Police are now searching for two suspects they believe may be linked to the earlier murders of two men in the Covent Garden area of London on Friday 12th August. The bodies were discovered in the early hours of Saturday morning. DNA evidence was obtained from one of the bodies at the scene that links the female seen here in this CCTV footage, taken at Heston Services on the M4 at about 11.35pm on Saturday, to the crime. Police have reason to believe that the man also caught on camera may be involved in the murder and are appealing for any further witnesses of this violent incident caught on the service station CCTV, to come forward,' the male newscaster was announcing gravely, his slick brown hair gleaming in competition with his perma-tan beneath the studio lights as the camera shot flipped from the grainy images of Jinn pinning down the bewildered man and Eutopia, so small and insignificant next to his bulky frame, desperately trying to tug him away, to a close up of the newscaster's serious face. 'The female has been identified by police as Eutopia Midnite, a twenty year old, originally from Hook in Hampshire.' The screen was filled with a close up of Eutopia's face taken from the CCTV. Gone were the hesitant pencil lines of the e-fit, now the eerie image of the service stations night-vision filter was unmistakeable. The picture shrank to take up only half of the screen as Jinn's face appeared to fill the gap beside her, his beautiful features were twisted and frozen in a snarl as the soothing voice of the newscaster said, 'The male suspect, seen here on the right, is as yet unidentified, but is thought to be in his late twenties, Caucasian in appearance and stands at about six foot seven inches tall. Police wish to question him with regards to the assault seen here at Heston services, for what was described by eyewitnesses as an unprovoked attack, as well as the double murder in London. Police are advising that members of the public do not approach either of the suspects, but to dial 999 should you come across them. Now, in other news, a swan was caught causing havoc in a rural village in…' Eutopia tuned out, her frightened eyes wide and glazed as she turned from the TV to Jinn.

'That's what Mike meant when he said he'd seen me on TV…'

'Will he call the police?'

'No, I don't think so. Besides, I never said where I was. But they have CCTV… that guy at the garage… won't they be able to trace your car?' her thoughts were sent reeling as she tried to piece together the fragments of the mess she had somehow landed herself in.

'Possibly. I don't think the police will have much luck though. The car is registered to the flat in Kensington. They won't get far with that lead.' Jinn smiled a small smile, seeming unfazed by it all.

'How can you be so calm?' Eutopia demanded, standing up as she ran a hand through her hair, causing tendrils to tumble from the band she had used to keep it up in a ponytail.

'Getting worked up about everything isn't going to help. It won't change what's happened or what's going to come. Plus, if we're to find your brother and sort this all out, keeping a level head is the way to go,' he said, standing too, his towering frame keeping Eutopia from pacing as he blocked her path and held her frantic eyes with his own cool indigo ones. 'There isn't anything we can do now, but wait for Mike to come back to you. If you've got no other point to start from then keeping calm and waiting for a lead is the best thing to do.' Eutopia sighed, heavily, and sank into the creaking leather of the sofa, folding her arms with a slight pout.

'I guess you're right.'

Jinn flicked the TV off with the remote, cutting off the images of a huge white swan shot with a home video camera, judging by the shaky quality, as it pulled a bed sheet off a clothesline in someone's garden.

'I usually am,' he said, with another little smile.

'Irritating, too,' Eutopia added, giving him a narrowed glance.

'On occasion that has been said, yes.' He sat on the sofa beside her, his back against the corner as his body angled towards the girl, totally at ease.

'So… now we wait?' she asked, turning to look at him fully now. Jinn nodded in confirmation.

'Now we wait.'

Eutopia huffed.

'I hate waiting.'