Elements of Madness

Crucible

The ride over was a balancing act. Too much load, poorly distributed with straps and a bit of praying. It was nearly midnight by the time he puffed his way to the back of the hotel. He pedaled to a ragged stop across the street just like he'd been told and pulled out his phone to check for any more messages. None. He had a moment to feel very foolish.

Then a figure crept up the ramp down into the underground parking. Chloe, in her usual clothes, but with an oversized puffy down jacket against the night chill. She scooted across the street and threw her arms around his neck without a word before bouncing back on her heels. She was slightly out of breath and her eyes positively glowed,"Come on, We've got to hurry!" Luka unloaded his bike as quickly as possible. Chloe was skittishly looking up and down the street the entire time there was a breathless quality about her and Luka felt the music begin to tumble in the back of his head in response. She caught him looking for a spot to lock it up,"Leave it." she whispered,"I'll buy you a new one if anything happens."

They crossed back, She actually took the guitar, while Luka struggled under the amp and speaker. In the garage she took hold of his jacket and used it to guide him, start, stop. He realized; she was dodging her dad's own security cameras.

Apprehension grew, but he was here. Chloe keyed in the digital combination on a sleek black sedan, not her limo. The back was already half full of boxes. They packed his gear in, with Chloe jumping at every little bump and noise. She unlocked the driver side then grabbed his collar and pulled him into a sudden intense kiss that ended before he knew it was happening. She grinned and dashed around to the passenger side.

Inside Luka dared to speak,"Chloe, what're we doing?"

She curled herself up in the passenger seat, sitting on her heels,"Making music of course." The mischievous spark of excitement was still lighting her from within.

"Then why does it feel like we're doing something illegal?"

"Making TRANSGRESSIVE music." she ruffled the hair on the side of his head but ended it with a little tug,"Now, are you going to go? It's push to start. N1 out of town."

Luka asked himself how he'd ended up here, but when Chloe tucked her knees up against her chest and pulled her arms in, fitting all of herself into her oversized jacket he had his answer in that fey expression. With a resigned laugh he started the car and pulled out into the midnight air.

During the drive out she barely said a word, just directing him as needed into the middle of nowhere. Her expression, when he dared a sidelong look, had gone from excitement to an intense focus. Growing up with Juleka, Luka was used to silence, but this silence was thick. There was a tension to it that riled something inside him. He longed to break it but didn't know where to begin. He swore one or two times he looked over, her cheeks were wet.

When they left the city proper she shifted, coming back out of her jacket and sitting up. She kept her eyes on the road, staring out into the middle distance but rested a hand on his thigh. The contact was fire, he couldn't focus on driving.

"Chloe-" he warned.

"Shhh." she didn't move an inch, leaving him to suffer trepidation and anticipation in equal parts.

Paved road to gravel, gravel to dirt, skirt a closed gate and they pulled up a service path into a glade. No part of this was remotely okay. As soon as the car stopped Chloe opened her door and darted out, leaving Luka to shake himself,"Jul, your brother is so in over his head." He mumbled to the steering wheel.

By the time he got out Chloe was already running back,"It's perfect!" She cheered, catching his hands and spinning around him once,"Leave the headlights on and help me with the boxes."