****Melanie
When we arrived at the Lachute airport, we decided to rent a car, instead of getting a cab. There was a bit of drive to get to our hotel. It took about an hour to get there. We stayed in a suite at the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport hotel on Cote De Liesse. The room was like a small apartment. The only thing missing was a laundry room. "I could get used to a place like this."
"Me, too." Garret agreed.
"Not me. I like quiet and secluded myself."
We stared out the window, enjoying the view. "So where do we start?" I asked.
Myron offered "First, we track down anything that smells like us."
"What do you want me to do? Sit here rubbing my thumbs together? I have to do something, Myron. Don't leave me here in the dark."
Garret suggested "I could take her with me."
"No. If either of us get too close and get out numbered, she'll be in trouble. We have a chance of out running them. She doesn't."
Garret nodded, and I said "I can't just SIT here, Myron."
"Oh, yes, you can and will. I'm not arguing with you, Mel. Alexis would tell you the same thing. So would Charlotte and Vincent. You know damn good and well you need to stay here."
"Hurry up and wait? That's the plan for me? Great."
Garret said "I agree with him, Mel."
This is where I would usually throw the typical teenager hissy fit, but I thought better of it. I could go out after they left. After all, how many places would look like what I had seen in Alexis' memories. "Fine." I huffed and stomped off to a bedroom. 'A castle like building. That's what I'm looking for.' I pulled out my laptop and searched for old buildings in the surrounding area. Nothing really popped out at me, so I tried a sort of virtual tour with my Google Earth program. I almost missed it. There was an enormous cathedral looking building far off in the background of one of the screen shots. I couldn't get the picture any closer, so I decided to jot down the closet thing to it, a street name. I put the paper in my purse and unpacked the rest of our things from the single bag we brought. 'I'm pretty sure I saw a clothing store on the way here. I don't think it's far, either. Good thing I got credit cards.'
Before they took off, Myron knocked on my door. "May I come in?"
"Sure." As he walked in, I handed him the bag with his and Garrets things still inside. "Here."
"Mel, you know we're just trying to keep you safe. We've already lost everyone else. If we can't get to them, we're all that's left."
"I know. I just want to help."
"I know you do, sweetheart, but you need to stay safe, too. I'd get my ass kicked, if anything happened to you. After Charlotte and Alexis got through with me, there wouldn't be much left for Garret to do."
He smiled, and I couldn't help but smile, too. "Okay, uncle Myron." I sighed. 'Maybe he's right. Maybe I should stay here.' As I reached for my purse, I said "I think I might know where you should start." I handed him the paper and said "I'll show you what it looks like."
As I reached for my laptop, he gave me a look that said he knew what I had been planning. "You weren't really going to go alone, were you?"
"No." I said, sheepishly. "Here. Look." I quickly directed his attention to the screen. "It's Google Earth. You see that big cathedral looking building in the background?" He nodded. "I think that might be a good place to start. It's old. It has to be one of the few buildings with a stone foundation. Like I remember from Alexis."
"Stone?"
"Yeah. Remember when Alexis connected with her mother, before ... Well, you know. Anyway, I remember there was stone walls everywhere. When I connected with aunt Lex and my mother, there was stone walls, too. So I figured it must be an old place we're looking for. The same old place. This is the only place I could find without actually being out there."
Garret cleared his throat as walked in. "I think it's as good of a place as any to start with."
"Could you do me a favor?" They both nodded. "Keep me informed. Call me every so often. Please?"
"Of coarse." Garret said.
"Thanks. Be careful."
I paced the hotel room for almost an hour, before Myron called me. "Mel, I think you should stay inside. I've got a bad feeling. Something isn't right."
"What kind of bad feeling?"
"Just don't open the door, even for us. We have keys. Just remember that. Okay?"
"What's going on? Are you two okay?"
"We're fine, but we just saw Damian's favorite twins. They can look anyone they want, after they drink from that person. Before you ask, I have no idea how they can do that. All I know is that they can."
"Okay. What about you? Where are you guys?"
"We're within view of that place you showed us. From what we can tell, it's got to be the right place."
"Be careful."
"Always. ... Stay inside that room. I know it's driving you crazy, but please trust me. Okay?"
"Okay." I reluctantly agreed and hung up. 'People who can change their appearance after they drink? That's insane. ... Dr. Adams and Mary. I bet that's what happened.' I dialed the hospital and asked for Mary or Dr. Adams. Mary wasn't in, and that was a little unsettling. Dr. Adams was in, though. I tried to act casual and not sound worried, but I wasn't sure how well I did. "Hi, Dr. Adams. I'm sorry to bother you, but have you seen or heard from Mary? Alexis and I can't seem to get a hold of her."
"No. I haven't talked to her for a couple of weeks. I think she went on vacation, but I thought it was only for a week. It must have been for two weeks."
"Yeah. I'm sure we just forgot. If you happen to hear from her, will you have her give me a call on my cell?"
"Sure, Melanie."
"Thanks. I really appreciate it. Oh, Alexis said she had a missed call about four days ago, but it didn't beep in on her phone until this morning. She thought it was your number. Did you call?"
"No. I think the last time I called her was for Marvin. Wasn't that about a month ago. I think."
"Yeah. The call must have been from the hospital. Maybe she got the number wrong."
"Is everything alright, Melanie?"
"Yeah. Everything's fine. We're worried about Mary. That's all. Well, I better get going. Thanks, again Dr. Adams."
"Your welcome. Tell Alexis hello for me."
"Will do. Bye." I quickly hung up, before I screwed up. 'So it wasn't Dr. Adams. It must have been one those twins. I'd bet that wasn't Mary, either. ... Alexis knew! That's why she sent me out to the car! ... She knew! Then why the Hell didn't she just leave with me?! ...' I couldn't find answer, so I called Myron. "She knew! She knew and didn't leave with me. What the Hell was she thinking?"
"Calm down, Mel. What're you talking about?"
"At the hospital, Alexis sent to me the car to wait for her. She never does that. She knew it was a set up and still did it. What the Hell?"
"If she knew, she would've left with you."
"Well, she didn't leave. I'm telling you, Myron, she knew."
"There has to be a reason she would go in spite of ..."
"What? What is it?"
"She might have figured it would be worse if she didn't stay and do what they expected."
"What do you mean?"
"Why did they leave us alive? Why not kill us when they had the chance? If Alexis didn't go with them, I bet we'd be dead or with Vin and Charlotte."
"You're probably right. Give me a call when you're on your way here. Okay?"
"Okay."
After I hung up, I decided I'd better try to connect to Alexis. I caught a brief glimpse of her. Only enough to know Damian was draining her, literally. "Stop him, aunt Lex!"
I barely heard her answer in a weak and quiet thought. 'I can't.'
