Who Corey Was

38

With the aid of Sarah's map, we made quick work of the town, ducking and hiding every time a siren drove by. Soon the five of us were crouched in the shadow of a house across the street from 542 Cameron Grove. After a short moment of surveillance, I sighed deeply and stood up. "Might as well get this over with."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Xander intervened. "We're just running in there without a plan?"

I shrugged, walking backwards towards the house. "We're already on the run from the police. Any plans went out the window a long time ago." I turned around as I continued walking. "Once we're somewhere safe, then we plan."

I didn't have to look back to know they'd be following. Sure enough, Dylan and Xander stood right behind my shoulders when I reached the plain white door and knocked before I could reconsider.

When that door opened, I released a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. But before any of us could speak, the small, worn woman before us had given me the once over...and slammed the door with a look of horror.

I blinked once. Twice. Astonishment held my frozen brain. "What the hell?"

"Hey!" Xander banged on the door.

"Go away!" came the shriek from behind the door.

"But we need your help!" Alice cried.

"We knew Wes," supplied Dylan.

"No!" she called again. "No, you're spies for that terrible woman! You killed Wes!"

Xander's mind was working. "What woman? Faus?"

"Don't 'what woman' me! You tell her to leave me alone! Hasn't she done enough?"

"Lady, we don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Sarah!" Dylan scolded. She rolled her eyes. "Please," he implored, "we've just escaped from MSC. They're doing terrible things there. They killed Wes, and they're going to kill us!"

All was quiet on the other side of the door. Finally, it opened a crack "If you're not working for them, then why is she with you?" The woman pointed at me.

"You know me?" I asked as Dylan inquired, "Have you met?"

The door opened about an inch further. I could see her eye, studying my face through the gap. I don't know what she saw there. Old eyeliner smeared under my eyes, terror haunting my features, exhaustion, something that spoke to her. "You don't know me?" she finally asked, still hesitant.

"No, I've never seen you in my life, lady," I responded. I looked to Xander. He hadn't been joking about the mentally unstable part. He cleared his throat. "We're currently being chased by the police. Could we maybe discuss this elsewhere?"

"What's your name, child?" the woman asked me as if Xander hadn't even spoken.

"Corey Cochiti. Why does that matter?"

Again, she looked at me for a long moment. "No," she said decisively. "Your name is Elizabeth St. Catherine, and it seems we have a lot to talk about. You'd better come in."