Chapter 20 The Night Is Ours

Chloe

April 22nd, 2014

3:46 PM

45 Miles To Portland

Highway 26

We still have another hour left of driving before we reach Portland. I drive my truck down on Highway 26 that would take us there. Even now as Max walks a free girl and we're off to another adventure of ours that might get us killed again, I worry about her. It's not just my life that needs to be feared for. I have a right to fear for Max too. And though I may not have the powers she has to protect me, I have a more natural power to protect herself.

I turn my head next to her while a drive for a second or two to make sure she feels fine. I fell like I have something to say to her, but I just can't spit it out. When I do finally say something, I'm instantly cut off by Max's voice and we both pause before finishing our sentences. She let me speak first, but I insisted she'd speak first. And she did.

"You think Rachel still should've came back for you when she could've," she asks.

"Why do you ask?" I reply.

"What if she did? What if she came back for you before I did? What would've happened? What would you have done with her?"

"To be honest, Max, I'm not so sure. As I've said before, Rachel and I always wanted live big in LA and that never happened. And speaking of honesty, I never imagined you'd be back for me that day. For a time, had lost the most two important people life until Rachel came into it. She was the one good person in my life at the time. You wouldn't believe how much I wanted you back. Even though Rachel was my new Max."

"Do you really believe she actually ran away and actually became a star in LA and met that Jack Divine character of hers? Something doesn't feel right, Chloe. Not just about Rachel, but something else too."

"What would that be?"

"I don't know. All I do know is that the world could be coming to an end sooner than we think and it'll be so much worse than the storm. I can sense it. I can foresee it with all those vision of Chronos and Elysium. But that's a little besides the point. There's something else I wanted to say too."

"What is it?"

"I couldn't have imagined the chain of events that were triggered from that day in the bathroom until now. Only because I chose to be there for you. Because I was coincidentally there for you. You may have never asked to be saved during that storm, but you deserved a lot better than what you received from Nathan. You deserved a better continuum just to live with me again until the end of time. You should be glad I chose you over the town. Even if I did do the opposite, what would it be good for? The storm would've still been made by Neo-Chrysalis and you really would've died for absolutely nothing. Died like an animal killed by it's predator."

"You think I don't know any of that, Max? I alone even regret myself making you chose between me and Arcadia. And you ended up choosing not to martyr me to save a town over a storm that was never yours. Besides, people would've thought I died in a tragic accident just like my Dad. My mom and David especially. Not a martyr."

"My thoughts precisely, Chloe. My thoughts precisely. You and I should be both proud of ourselves that I saved you. Nothing more matters."

After another hour of driving, we finally arrive in Portland. Passing through the Portland Oregon sign with the deer symbol. Max and I have been to Portland quite a few times now. Back when we kids, when my Dad was still alive, we would take family vacations together in Portland with my mother, my late father, and Max's parents. Then we had to pass through Portland to get to Seattle with Max. And then I had to visit Max and pick her up from Chrysalis HQ in town. By now, this must be our thousandth time coming here.

Mom had text Max saying her and David had already arrived in town and got themselves a hotel room they had reserved a couple days ago for us when coming to tonight's event. She text Max which hotel room we were staying and that's where I drove my truck. After driving through traffic across every street in the city and eventually making it to the hotel, I park the truck in a public parking garage near the hotel, and hop out to find the hotel room we were staying at for the night.

Once we find our room, we all start getting dressed for the night. Max, Joyce, and I have to put on our formal dresses on and David had to put on his tuxedo. Once everyone else was dressed, it was my turn to get in the bathroom and put my expensive dress on. I look at myself in the mirror, take off my beanie, jacket, tank-top, and boots, and dress myself up in my beautiful blue dress and high-heels.

I swift my body left and right to see how gorgeous I looked in my dress. The getups Max and I were wearing was something we were going to wear to the Prom at the end of the school year. That's what my mother originally paid our dresses for that is. Just wait until everyone else in the hotel room sees me now.

"Chloe, almost done in there?" asks Max knocking on the bathroom door. "You ready?"

"I'm ready," I reply.

I step out of the bathroom with my dress on with everyone else dressed and everyone else puts on smile for how formally fabulous I look in my dress. My mom gasps in amazement.

"Chloe, sweetie, you look adorable," said Mom.

"Wowser, Chloe," said Max. "I've never actually seen you this...formally before."

"You look wonderful, Chloe," said David. "You and Max are gonna shine tonight. That's for sure."

"Thank you for your compliments, ladies and gents," I say taking a bow. "Tonight, the night is ours."

Someone was now knocking on the door of our room. David walks over to the door to get it for whoever's coming in. He opens the door to reveal Derrick Crosby coming to visit us in our room.

"Why hello there, Mr. Madsen," said Crosby at the door. "May I come in?"

"Mr. Crosby, what brings you here?" asked David.

"Same reason it brings me here," replied Crosby. "Is Max, Chloe, and Joyce with you?"

"You're looking at them," said David letting Crosby in.

Crosby enters the room and sees us all dress for the night. He puts on a smile for all of us as we smile back and return the pride he gives us all.

"Well, I must say," he begins. "You all look dressed up and ready for tonight."

"It's such an honor for you to drop by in our room, Mr. Crosby," said Max. "So what exactly does bring you all this way here other than saying hi to us?"

"About that Max, I don't like notifying any of you on such short notice, but I have good news. You two are gonna ride a limousine with me on the way to the expo."

"Are you cereal?" asked Max in surprise. "Us? A limousine?"

"Screw you," I say. "You're actually giving us a ride on a limo tonight?"

"A limousine, huh?" said Mom. "You just telling us now?"

"Forgive me if I'm just telling you this now, Mrs. Madsen," said Crosby. "But you and David are also welcome aboard if you will."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Crosby," said David. "But I think my wife and I just gonna take our car. Let the children ride with you. This is their night after all."

"Very well, Mr. Madsen," said Crosby. "I'll be waiting down in the lobby. The limo will be parked on the street just for them. I'll see you all at the expo."

After that, Crosby left and closed the door behind him. On his way to the lobby to wait for Max and I.

"I'll be off to the lobby as well, David," said Mom. "You two behave yourselves now. We'll see y'all at the expo. Have fun."

"We will Mom," I say. "Thanks."

Then my mother walked out and to the lobby to wait. David wanted to have a little conversation with us before we left.

"Max, Chloe, let's have a little talk before we go, shall we?" he asked us.

We do as we're told and we listen to my step-dad.

"About tonight," he began. "About what the two of you and Rachel have got planning with that Frank guy and that Warren kid, I just wanted to say that we should call it off."

"What? What are you saying?" asks Max.

"Did you just say call if off?" I ask. "What do you mean call it off."

"I'm just saying that I believe the two of you have gotten yourselves in enough trouble over the past week," he says. "And I don't want Joyce breathing down my neck over this end of time thing that your trying to stop. Maybe you should just let Rachel handle this or something. Leave ourselves out of it."

"David, Rachel and Frank are getting themselves ready to help us right now," said Max. "I really don't think it's possible to just call if off right now. It'll be up to us now to stop this."

"I know, Max. But I don't want to get you two or myself in trouble over this. I want you stay out of trouble this time. This heist thing of yours may not be worth it for any of you."

"I'm sorry, David," I said. "But even if we do get in trouble over this, we can live with the consequences. And even if there are consequences after, it could be well worth living with. We have to do this. We just have to."

"Do what you want," he says. "No matter what you decide to do, the consequences are on you."

David walks out the room without another word to tell us and makes way for the lobby. Max and I turn over to each other before we leave.

"He's right you know, Chloe," said Max. "However this goes, whether it goes north or south, we must be cautious with this one. This won't be like that night in the principles office. It'll be more like Ocean's Eleven without George Clooney or Brad Pitt."

"Right, let's finish this as discreet as possible," I said. "And hopefully it won't be like the Prescott Estate or the foundry between Rachel and I. Just to be on the optimistic side of things."

"Consequences are avoided by actions. Not optimism. Let's go."

As we make our way out the door, I get a text from Rachel and answer it.

Rachel: Chloe, we're now up on the building across from Chrysalis Plaza. Getting a grand stand view of the expo opening. We'll be awaiting for your arrival now.

Chloe: Thx alot. We'll be ready when you are.

Rachel: No problemo! ;]

Chloe: No emoji!

Note: Okay, everyone. We're getting close. Just five or six more chapters to complete until the episode concludes. With that said, I say no more.

Until next time, stay golden!