CHAPTER 5

The blood was everywhere. Blood on the walls, on the floor and all over him, and through it they marched...

"Sam?"

The men without faces, they marched tirelessly and relentlessly towards him. Their headless bodies were covered in blood and the space where they should have faces blown away leaving grotesque lumps of flesh. Despite it he still knew who each and every one of them was by their clothing.

"Sam?"

Who was Sam?

Usually the march was silent, but this time they had a voice. The voice sounded choked, the words more like a blood filled gargle from a faceless throat. And they all asked the same question over and over: "Who gave you the right to take life?"

"Sam! Wake up! Sam!"

He felt something touch his arm and immediately lashed out, connecting with something, or rather someone soft. Opening his eyes he took in his unfamiliar surroundings and the silhouette of the girl clutching her breast painfully.

Shit! Not only had he lashed out at her, he hadn't been awake enough to appreciate that he had connected with one of those beautiful ample breasts!

She didn't look pleased which was understandable given the circumstance but before he could say anything she beat him to it with a harsh whisper. "You were having a bad dream. I don't mind that, but you were groaning and making too much noise!"

"I'm sorry." He kept his voice as a low whisper. "I'm sorry for the noise and I'm sorry I hit you. Especially… you know… there."

She glared at him but nodded. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything by it. At least you didn't pull a gun on me this time!"

That was true. And very lucky because the gun was still loaded and currently under his pillow. In fact, he had no idea why he hadn't reached for it in his usual reflex. His eyes adjusted further to the lack of light. "What time is it?"

"Just after two."

He exhaled his frustration. "Is that all?"

"That's all." She sounded tired.

It felt like a whole night had already passed. And now that he'd had the nightmare he knew that there was no way that he was going to get back to sleep. He listened to the sound of her sigh as she climbed back up into her bed. "What time do you have to get up in the morning?"

"Just after six. I have to make breakfast for me and dad. I'll get something for you too."

There was silence for a while. "Goodnight Sam."

That's you. You're Sam now. Remember she named you?

"Goodnight Mershdish." He pretended that he didn't hear her laugh at his pronunciation and resolved to work on it throughout the day. The least he could do was get her actual name right rather than cheating and using her nickname. He had no right to use it.

"At least the nightmares prove you have a conscience." Her whisper pierced the darkness. He thought that she'd fallen back asleep ages ago. He heard her shift in the bed so that she was facing towards him again. "What do you see? In your nightmare I mean."

He really didn't want to talk about it. "Men."

"The ones you killed?"

"Yeah." Why the hell was he telling her all this? What was it about the darkness that let him lay bare his soul? Was it the fact that he didn't have to actually look anyone in the eye while he was talking about it?

"Do you ever see your family in your dreams?"

"Sometimes." Those dreams were the worst. Especially when he dreamed about his sister. She was always there, standing up in her crib with her arms outstretched, her eyes begging him to save her but he never makes it in time... He needed to change the subject. "So when are you going to tell me about this plan that you have for me?"

He heard her shift slightly then pause. "It's still a work in progress but now that you're here it needs to be executed soon. I can't keep you hidden in my room forever."

"So where do you propose I go?"

"You mean where we go?"

That was an interesting development. "What? Both of us?"

"Yep. You're my ticket out of here Sam. There's a place. A place I need to go and see. And you're going to help me get there."

"Where is it?"

"I'm tired Sam. I'll tell you tomorrow, I promise. I've had kind of a stressful day and I need to sleep!"

He'd forgotten about that. He'd been so concerned about how events affected him that he hadn't thought about the girl who had gone to work in a diner, thinking it would just be a normal day like any other, only to end up running for her life and harboring a trained killer. She sure as hell needed her sleep.

"Sleep tight." He turned over painfully and said nothing more.

He woke to the sound of movement next to him and nearly sent the tray flying out of her hands. He apologized for his jumpiness and she glared at him as she laid down a tray next to him. Warm toast, two hard boiled eggs, an orange and a cup of coffee. "It's the best I could do. Dad and I need to get some groceries."

He thanked her and tried to stand. Before anything he needed to use the bathroom. Offering her arm she helped him up and he resented the need for assistance. He could have done it on his own. It's only that the blood was a little slow returning to his legs.

"You have fifteen minutes to get washed and use the bathroom before I leave. I want to check your wound before I go too."

He hated being told what to do but realized it was in his own interests to get a move on. He took the clothes she offered him and quickly set to work. Catching sight of his reflection he stared at his pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. The injury had clearly taken more of a toll than he had anticipated, as well as the poor night's sleep. Noting the lack of time he got washed as best he could and slipped into the pair of sweatpants he'd been given, noting they were actually a pretty good fit. His chest was still bare and he was just unwrapping his wound when he heard the tap on the door. "Are you decent?"

"Yes."

Her head poked round, eyeing him carefully, noting the damp hair and towel. Saying nothing she helped him remove the temporary dressing. The wound still looked raw and damp because of aloe vera. But it also looked less angry. "Not bad." She pulled out another cut piece of leaf and redressed it. Only as she was tying it off did he notice that she was wearing her diner uniform.

"Are you going to work?"

"I have to!"

"You have no job. The diner will be closed!"

"I'm not supposed to know that yet. As far as my dad and everyone else is concerned I left work as normal last night and came home. Whatever else went on happened after I'd left."

A sudden feeling of dread filled his chest and his voice rose into a harsh whisper. "You can't go. You'll be killed the moment you step foot into the Transit Sector! They'll be looking for you same as they're looking for me! It's not safe!"

Worry streaked her face. She clearly hadn't thought about that and there was no way that he could let her walk straight to her death. The night before her fate hadn't really been of any concern him, but now, suddenly the thought of her being hurt and the sense of panic it created in him was alarming. "Just say you're sick or something!"

She shook her head. "I can't, it'll raise suspicion."

"Just don't go Jay. You can't. You'll die! You said last night that you're not ready to die yet." And I'm not ready for my Angel to die yet either.

"Right now I can't do anything that seems suspicious," she looked at her watch, "and that includes breaking my routine. I have to leave as if I'm going to work but I'm sure I'll be told to turn back before I have to leave this Sector."

He wasn't convinced, but he could see from her face that there was nothing he could do to stop her. It's just- that feeling that he had when he thought of her stepping into the Transit Sector and putting herself at risk- it actually scared him. Alex didn't do scared and Sam wasn't prepared to either. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Nothing. You stay here, eat your breakfast and you wait until I get back. Then we can discuss the Plan." He followed her back out of the bathroom and settled back onto his spot on the floor, sipping his now lukewarm coffee. If he wasn't feeling so weak from the injury he'd fight her on this, but he knew it was in his best interests to stay quiet and go along with things until he could come up with his own solution. Hiding out in this girl's bedroom in a Sector where no one would follow while he regained his energy was infinitely better than being on the run while wounded. "My dad is home this morning. He shouldn't come anywhere near this room but stay quiet and stay down anyway. Hopefully because of the situation you caused I should be back sooner rather than later."

There was more he wanted to ask but time was passing and he knew that she needed to go. He didn't want her to but he appreciated that she didn't really have a choice. All he had to do was not get caught and not kill her dad before she came back. That shouldn't be too hard. He had no desire to meet the man. Sector 17 men weren't to be messed with.

But it was hard watching her go.

During the night something had changed. He was no longer Alex the cold blooded killer. He was Sam. And Sam was different. Sam didn't want this girl to die.