Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

55. Trust No One

(A/N: Season 1 Episode 13 - "Trust No One")

It was a quiet, breezed night and Alex awoke to yet another nightmare. She was running away from Vincent, her phone had been ringing in her pocket. Now, with her eyes open, she realized her phone actually was ringing.
She didn't know the number, so she swallowed dryly and pressed 'accept', putting the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Go down the backstairs. Out the side door and around the corner," Catherine said in her ear. She told her what car to look for then hung up.

Alex got dressed and did what she was told. She spotted the car and walked up. Getting in she was almost scared Vincent would be there, but he wasn't, it was only Catherine.

"Earl's diner around the corner," Cat says as soon as Alex is inside her car. They've been keeping an eye on her. And it was way too easy to follow her.
"You used your credit card to buy breakfast."

"You followed me?" Alex asks in surprise.

"If I can track you down this easily, so can Muirfield. They're everywhere."

"How is that even possible?" Alex gasps out a dry laugh.

"I don't know," Cat tells her earnestly. "But you saw it for yourself in the woods." Cat looks at Alex. "They're hunting Vincent. And now that they know your connection to him, they are hunting you too." Alex stares ahead of her, at the dashboard. "You need to be more careful."

"H-How?"

"You can start by trusting me. And by checking into a new hotel. Under a different name with cash."

"I have some friends...From my activist days...they could help me...
Maybe help Vincent too?"

"You will only put them in danger." Cat sighs and checks out the window. "Okay," she takes a cellphone from her pocket and hands it to Alex. "I got you this. It's a burner phone. I have one too. You can only use it for three days then get rid of it. I'll call you with my new number before you do." Cat keeps her eyes on Alex to make sure she is taking everything in. "Obviously you can only use cash from here on out." Cat takes out a stack of money. "You can pay me back later but I need your credit cards."
Alex stares at Cat. She couldn't believe what was happening. She took the money slowly. "I wanna trust you, but we can't risk you using them again."

Alex shakes her head, drops the phone and money in her lap and then she sighs, taking out her wallet. She removes her cards and Cat takes them. She can tell that Alex feels lost and confused. She is only trying to help her by doing all of this.

"This isn't happening," Alex says, her eyes widely staring out the window. Cat doesn't say a word to this because it obviously was happening. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," Cat blinks, also looking out the windshield.

"How could you just..." Alex swallows. "Put yourself out there like this for him? Knowing what he is?"

The two women look at one another.

"He saved my life. And that's all he wants for you too."

Alex nods, tears drop her eyes and she wipes at them before she gets out of Cat's car.

**********

The next morning, Cat was busy getting ready for work when she saw the note on her bed coming out of the bathroom, laying next to her belt.
She picks it up and nearly has a heart attack when Heather comes in.

"Hey, watcha doin'?"

"Geez!" Cat grabs onto her chest and exhales. She frowns at Heather who is dressed in head to toe red.