Alex felt as if the walls were closing in on her so she decided that no one would be the wiser if she slipped out of the hotel for a walk. But the ghosts of her past followed her into the park four blocks away from the hotel. The dreams that she'd had were all too real, all memories but all too much to process at once. She picked up the pace, red and yellow leaves crunching underfoot as she looked over her shoulder in anticipation of someone following her. The girl gave her the creeps because she somehow knew too much, like using a sixth sense or something. How could she have become a part of something like this? It was why a burning hatred of Gordon had fueled everything she had done since she'd learned the truth. The only person in whom she'd confided had been John, and he'd still provided her with surprises. Like saving her twin sister.
Alex took her burner phone out of her pocket and dialed his number. Her heart beat in her throat for every ring that went unanswered until he finally picked up.
"Are you alright?" Alex breathed a sigh of relief but the breath hitched in her throat. "Why did you take so long to answer?"
His voice was weaker than in their last call. "I'm tired, Alex. But it was worth getting the phone."
A small smile played on her lips. "Really?"
"You know I don't lie when it comes to you."
She knew. "Then can I ask you something?"
"Yes." Her lover's answer was confident, stronger than that which usually came from a dying man.
"Why save Marissa? You were working against her when she blackmailed you."
John sighed. "Because of you. We had a brief fling twenty years ago, before I even knew you existed. But when I met you, I stopped comparing the two of you almost right away. You were the one I chose, Alex. You. After I found out… about the bullet… I didn't want anyone who even remotely reminded me of you to have harm come to them. And part of me hoped that you'd discover some goofy twin connection and that you wouldn't be alone when you're in my shoes."
"You chose me? John, do you realize that no one has ever done that? It was always her. Dad took her home to the States and left me behind with the military. As he was training me, he always shamed me because I couldn't keep up with her. I've been secondary all of my life," she said in one big torrent of emotion.
"Not with me," John said. "I promise you, Alex. Now, I don't want to talk about this, but if… no, when you get a call that I'm gone, I don't want you to waste any time. Use your freedom as if you were one of those passersby we used to admire. The one whose biggest worries were losing their keys or being home for dinner on time. Can you promise me that?"
"Yes," she said, still in awe of what she had meant to him. They disconnected the call and Alex sat down on a park bench and stayed there until the sun went down and a chill ran through the air.
Marissa stormed through the room after answering a phone call.
"Alex isn't in her room." She couldn't stop pacing back and forth.
"What?" Hanna asked, eyes wide. "Do you think she suspects me of the DNA test?"
"I don't know," Marissa replied. "But I don't think it's a good sign."
"I'm so sorry, Marissa. I hope I've not caused trouble."
"No," Marissa's voice grew more tender. "You did the right thing. We had to get a lead on her and who she really is. There are so many questions yet to be answered. You didn't do anything that cAused trouble. Maybe she left for an entirely different reason. We know little about her, it could be something else."
"Tomorrow I'm going to the lab to find out exactly what kind of poison is in the hair sample," Hanna said. "That might help."
Marissa nodded. "It will. If we confront her with the poison, she might tell us something." She had said nothing about it to Hanna, but not knowing why her twin had saved her weighed heavily in Marissa's mind. Depending on the reason, she still may or may not be in danger. And if she was in danger, Hanna could be, too.
Alex was so lost in thought that it shocked her to notice that it had grown dark around her as she sat on the bench. As if waking from a dream, she stood up and shook the crumpled leaves off before walking back to the hotel. She hurried along as she neared the hotel because a wind had started to blow and she realized for the first time that she was so very cold. Was this what her lover had experienced?
She stepped into the lobby, hoping to be unobtrusive, but she nearly ran into Hanna as she headed for the elevators.
"Nighttime stroll?" Hanna asked.
"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. No one ordered me to stay inside twenty-four hours a day." Alex tried to move past her but the blonde was too fast, blocking her way.
"It is my business as long as you're keeping secrets from Marissa and me. We both want to know why you saved her life. Whose orders were you following?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Alex said. "I'm going up to my room and straight to bed." The phone in her pocket began to ring. She picked it up, murmured a one or two syllable response that Hanna could not hear before dashing toward the other bank of elevators on the other end of the lobby.
"You don't look good, Alex," Hanna commented to herself. "What are you hiding?"