On The Run

Chapter 7

Once they were in the clear, Ana pulled off to the side of an abandoned cafe. He stared at the old boarded up building for a moment before exiting the car. Christian was already dressed in the new stuff Ana absconded.

The white paint on the building was chipped, fading and pealing away. The railing on the front was half gone, but Christian could envision what was.

"Come on." Christian walked towards the front door.

Opening the door, Ana got out, and followed Christian, asking him, "What are we going to do here?"

"Hide out here for awhile." Christian walked around looking for an easier way into the building.

The only light source they had was one in the back, illuminating the back door, which wasn't boarded up. He knew ramming the door was gonna hurt but he didn't expect Ana to do this, even if it was kind of sexist him. That was his way of protecting her.

"Chase..." Ana called after him. He still hadn't told her his name yet. "You can't bust the door down in your condition. You're not well enough." She handed him the bag and rammed herself against the door. It gave away and she nearly fell on the ground but she fought herself on an old, dirty, dust counter inside.

The dust went flying all around her and she waved it away. The smell was a musty, dirty smell that made Ana cough. The light from outside allowed her to make out the large box refrigerator, the counter in front of her, and the large oven and grille. Above that was window to see the restaurant. There was also a door on her right that led to a restroom and straight ahead into another room that led a door to the restaurant.

Behind her Christian walked in glancing around, coughing at the musty smell. He saw the light switch next to him and he tried it, to his surprise the electric was working. The whole room came to life but it was like stepping back into time fifty years ago.

"Who would leave the electric on in this old place?" Ana wondered as she made her way through the building.

"I'll be back. Just gonna pull the SUV around the back."

"Okay." Christian heard her say from another room.

Making his way out side, the former agent walked around the front, and kept his eyes peeled before opening the SUV and starting it up. He knew they were going to have to dump it somewhere and soon. The police and whoever else would be looking for it, for us. So they've been lucky, but at some point that was going to wear out.

Backing out of the space. Christian drove towards the back, and parked behind the building. He cut the engine and got out of the car, heading inside. Once inside, he shut the door as best he could and went in search for Ana.

Christian had found her. She was in the front room cleaning up the counter and seats. She'd even had a couple of the booths cleaned up as well. They looked sparkly and new now.

The main part of the restaurant had yellow walls and red booths and gold tables. The counter looked as if it was 100 years old. The stools were gold with red patting. There was an open window into the kitchen where the waitress's would give out their orders to the cooks. Some of the old machines were still on the counter behind her.

Christian slid up to the bar, sitting on the stool.

"What can I get ya?" Ana said flirtatiously as she battered eyelashes playfully at him. She set a couple of can goods on the counter. It looked fruit cocktail and a veggie. It wasn't really hungry. I was more sleepy than anything.

This was a cute game Christian really wanted to play, but he knew he owed her more than what he gave her back on the road.

"I'm not hungry. Just tired." He sat back in the chair.

Ana wasn't hungry either. She needed sleep too. "You didn't tell me'" she walked  around the counter and over to one of the booths, "What's your real name if it's not Montgomery Chase!" She sat down in the booth.

"Christian Grey."

"Christian Grey sounds like it belongs to some megalomaniac." Ana teased him.

"Not today, babe." Christian walked crawled to the booth and laid down.

The sleepy brunette smiled at him. It was was cute a smile and he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"liked your name btw." Ana said closed her eyes, but I also like Chase too."

Truthfully, Christian didn't mind what Ana called him, as long as she was his, but that was a hope for another day. Sleep claimed him a moment later.

"Goodnight Chase...I mean Christian. See you in the morning." Ana rolled over, closing her eyes, and drifting off to sleep.

Both left the lights on, neither caring to get up to turn them off.

"What the hell is going on here?" A deep male voice called after them. 

Christian and Ana woke with a star and sat up in their booth, looking at older gentleman, lines lining his once handsome face. He was waring a cap over his salt and pepper hair and wore overalls.

"We were just camping out, sir," Christian tried to explain. "How did you know? We thought this was abandoned."

"A neighborhood up the road drove by and saw your SUV parked out in front, called me, and I came as fast I could." The old man said annoyed. "Wanna tell me why you're here?"

"We just needed a place to crash for a little while," Ana replied, hoping her explanation would soften things. "We have been driving a long way. We just need a place to sleep and we will be out of here by morning."

The man stared at the a little bit too long. It was as if he'd seen them some place and couldn't recognize them. "Do I know you?"

"I don't think so," Christian finally spoke.

"Are you folks in some kind of trouble? Cause I don't want that on any property I own." The man said looking directly at Christian.

"Sir..." Ana interrupted the stair off between two men. "Too be quite honest, yes. My friend has been accused of some horrible things. He says he didn't do them and I believe him."

"Are you sure about that."

"I trust him with my life. He's protected me and I've been taking care of him. Please sir."

The man looked at them both, realizing he couldn't leave them like that. What kind of person would he be if he left them like this. It wouldn't be very Christian of him and he knew it. He let out a sigh. "Come on. Leave your vehicle. Come with me. I have an extra bed you two can, share or not, for the night, have breakfast in the morning, and be on your way will an old jalopy of a truck."

"Oh my god, thank you so much sir." Ana and Christian hopped out of their booths, followed the man out the back. The man shut the lights out and closed the door.

Christian went back to the SUV, grabbed their bag, and the guns, stuffing them into the bags. He hurriedly walked to the man's truck, and got in next to Ana and they drove off.