Some Scars Never Fade

Chapter Thirty Seven (LL)

*Chris’s Point of View*

We were all on edge as we pulled into the driveway of the hotel.

“Its room 28,” Seth told us, looking more and more anxious as Nathan parked.

“Be careful out here. When we leave, take the van across the street and wait here, at the restaurant. Nobody will try anything over there,” Tyler told him.

He nodded as we climbed out, closing the doors.

My hands were in the pockets of my hoodie, concentrating on the knife I had stashed carefully to my leg, clipped to my thigh beneath the fabric.

The front attendant saw us walk in and grinned. “More for the costume party upstairs, room 28?” she asked brightly. We laughed and agreed, playing along as she got us the elevator that took us to the second floor.

We stepped out, huddled together, and room 28 was almost the last room.

Stopping just outside, we listened quietly for chatter before walking in without knocking.

The room was large. Red drapes hung loose in the window and the walls were beige. The bed sheets were dark brown, matching the room easily.

There were six people in the room, all hooded like fighters as we were.

I eyed each of them, stepping just inside the door against the closest wall farthest from them, as did the others.

“Friend or foe?” Nathan asked.

The people looked at one another.

Silence.

Translation: foes.

I could sense the danger, see the position of most of their hands that indicated they were holding some sort of weapon.

I shifted my position to the center of the room, holding out my hand as the others formed around me as if for protection.

“We didn’t come to battle,” I said, being sure to keep my hood on.

One stepped forward and we all tensed before his hand grabbed mine.

For a second we were okay.

Then I recognized Ironarm in the corner from the way he was standing.

Pulling back, I tried to dissipate back against the wall but the fighter holding my hand yanked me forward and turned me so his arm was around my throat.

Everyone went into action then.

Dylan stepped forward, too worried about me to think about himself. One of the guys grabbed him and brought him to his knees. I was too busy struggling with my enemy to see any one else.