The Summer of Fighting His Enemies (COMPLETED)

Chapter Fourteen

"Are you serious?" Taylor said as she closed her eyes.

"Yes." His voice was quiet as it floated up from the front.

"How far is the drive?"

"It's fifty three hours, but it will take two days to get there."

"So we're going to stop somewhere?"

"Yes."

"Is that safe?"

"Probably not, but I can't drive straight through in the condition I'm in and you need proper sleep to get off all those drugs."

"Why would you have a second home in the coldest state?" Taylor asked placing an arm over her eyes to block out the headlights of passing cars.

"Because, it's like back home." He said quietly

"What does that mean? You mean where are you from? I thought you were from here?"

"It's nothing." Taylor scoffed.

"Okay then, why do you even have two houses?"

"I just do. There's a lot you don't know about me Taylor, but right now, I can't tell you."

"You better soon."

"In time Taylor, in time." They rode in silence for a long time. Taylor was half out of it still from the drugs they had given her to keep her calm, but as her thoughts ran she decided it was time he answered one important question.

"Stone?" She asked sleepily

"What?"

"Why me?"

"Why do you mean" Stone asked even though he knew what she was asking.

"Why did you choose me to-I don't know what you would call it, but why did you choose me to run away with you? Why not just leave on your own and deal with the demons on your own?"

"Because I-I can't fight this by myself anymore, I need someone strong, like you will be in due time. I chose you because you're my neighbor and I know how you operate. But more importantly because you were close by."

"Anything else?"

"I trust you with my past."

"Your past? What does that include?" She asked half sitting up

"I have some secrets that I've held onto for so long that when they come out, I trust that you will be the only one to understand me. That you won't go running to the cops and you won't try to send me back"

"Send you back? What are you even talking about?" He sighed loudly

"Stop asking questions I can't answer."

"Well then you stop saying things you can't answer." Taylor countered back.

"Just get some sleep Taylor, couple more hours and we'll find a hotel."

"Fine I will sleep, actually no I will try. But I-" Stone turned up the music so that he couldn't hear the rest of what she was saying. He couldn't spill all his secrets yet, he needed to tell her over time to prepare her for the big reveal he knew he would have to tell her some time some day. It was something he was dreading for fear she would not believe him, or worse yet call him insane and find her way back home where danger lurked everywhere.

A couple hours later, Stone spotted the Welcome to Oregon sign. He drove further into Oregon and once there, his eyes eyed the side of the road looking for hotel signs. He spotted one and took the exit. He had long ago turned down the music to find Taylor snoring softly in her sleep, which he was glad of because he couldn't take any more of her questions. Not that she was annoying, well sort of, but it was questions he just simply couldn't answer for the time being. But yet she kept asking them as if she couldn't get it through her mind not to ask them. With grinding teeth, he arrived at the parking lot of the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel. After parking, he shook Taylor awake and she leaned heavily upon him as they walked to the doors, he put a cap on her head and one on his own head. This was so that it would be a little bit harder to identify them. Stone put Taylor in a chair and walked up to the counter and told them he was looking for a room with two beds on the back side of the hotel. The people at the counter eyed him curiously as they did as requested, he paid for it in cash and he could see their awkward smiles as he went and grabbed Taylor from the chair.

"Come on."

"Where are we?" She asked sleepily

"Portland Oregon."

"We haven't made it very far." She said as they stepped onto the elevator.

"No, we can only hope that it's far enough away from them though."

"I suppose. This hotel smells funny." She said wrinkling her nose.

"Like what?"

"Cleaning products, smoke and a pool." Stone chuckled as the elevator dinged. He stopped in his tracks as they came face to face with a police officer.

"Sorry, excuse me." The officer said as he moved aside. Stone nodded and tugged Taylor out and quickly walked down the hallway. At the door, he punched the card in and it unlocked. He closed the door and bolted it, peeking outside as he did so.

"Are we sleeping together because I-I'm not old enough to." Taylor said with a childish giggle.

"No, we're not. You have your bed and I have mine."

"But where's the fun in that?" She said with a pout.

"Come on now. A nice sleep will do you good." He said, directing her to the bed to the window, he sat her down.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I fantasize about us being together. Is that weird?" Stone smiled as he took off her hospital gown that he didn't even realize she had on until now. He growled softly as he began to think about who all might have known it was a gown. Rifling through his bag, he pulled out one of his shirts and put it on her.

"Just a little. But hey, I think you'll feel very different in the morning. Now let's get you tucked in."

"Okay." She smiled at him as she got under the covers. He pulled them up to her chin and then turned out the light. He changed and climbed into his bed. He couldn't sleep though as his mind began to think of his mission. The reason he had come to America.