Connection: An Esteban Granero story

Part III: Runaway by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Esteban jerked awake, half expecting to see himself covered in blood. The nightmare he just had was much too vivid. Closing his eyes, he felt as if he could still hear the wailing of the sirens, the smell of spilt gasoline and the carcass of what was once an expensive sport bike, his expensive sport bike. No, he said firmly to himself, shaking his head frantically to clear away the unpleasant images. That was not him on the bike, helmetless and roaring down the rain-slicked highway. Nor were the arms he had felt around him the arms of his girlfriend, Pilar. He sighed. He had a dream about the mysterious woman again, another item on the extensive list of things he knew he could never talk to Pilar about.Hoping that another hot shower would wash away the remnants of the nightmare, he disrobed and made to climb into the tub, his eyes still blurry with sleep.

"¡Mierda!" He swore as he stubbed his toe on the ledge.

He glanced up in shock at the already fogging mirror in front of him.For a second, he was sure that grey eyes had stared out at him where his own brown one's should be. Wiping off the steam with his hand, he gasped as the transformation took place.

"Help me."

He sank, weak-kneed, onto the tiled floor.

"Ayúdeme."

***

"What the hell?"

Exhausted, Lorelei had fallen asleep in the car that was meant to take her home, which was clearly not where she was headed right now.

"What is going on?" She demanded of the bodyguard in front of her.

There was an important business meeting at the corporation today and neither of her parents was able to pick her up from the hospital. She told them that she could just take a cab, but her mother had insisted on sending two of her best men to accompany her. After her grandfather had passed away, Shannon had graduated from being just a member of the board to chief executive of the corporation. With the promotion came an increasing sense of parental paranoia, hence the bodyguard.

"Sorry miss, it is not our place to tell you." He wouldn't even turn to look at her.

She stared out of the heavily tinted windows as the roaring of an airplane taking off met her ears. Sudden realization dawned on her as she recognized the highway they were on. They were headed towards the South Terminal, the one for international departures.

"Which door?" asked the chauffeur.

"The third one after the ramp." replied the stoic bodyguard."There should be somebody coming out to get her in a couple minutes. Pull up over there, behind those cops."

The chauffeur paused and gave the bodyguard a frustrated look.

"What are you, crazy? They'll give us a ticket in no time!"

Lorelei didn't stop to hear what happened next. Seizing the opportunity, she opened the door and hurled herself out of the car.