Code Name : Catherine

Chapter 9

        "You wanna stop for food?" These were the first words Nick had said to me since out abrupt departure from his apartment. I had tried countless of times to make him speak but he hadn't complied. To make things more awkward, uncomfortable and weird he didn't even have the radio on.

        "Nope." I mumbled under my breath. I was angry. I didn't know where we were or where we were going but we'd been driving forever - practically for half a day.

        It amazed me when I thought how Nick had been driving for half a day but he still wasn't tired, at least he was acting like he wasn't tired. I had wanted doze off quite a number of times on the trip already.

        I sighed and looked out the window once again. I watched as the trees pasted and the night sky grew darker. I wondered where we were going but I was too afraid to ask. In that last moment in the apartment, Nick had felt unattainable and hard to reach - kind of cold and stand-offish. I couldn't figure out why.

        "How many more hours?" I felt like a whining kid, I had always hated travelling long distances. The fact that I was travelling with Nick that time didn't change that.

        "About ten-ish hours." Nick switched on the radio to drown out the silence.

        "I hope you're having a laid-back, relaxed evening here in Chicago ladies and gentlemen..." the radio presenter suddenly explained one of my questions.

        "Chicago?" I looked at Nick for any clues, "Why are we in Chicago?"

        Nick didn't even flinch under my questioning. He still seemed as cold as he was in the apartment. I needed to know why we had to leave, why there was a great urgency to leave.

        "Nick."

        When he didn't answer me I persisted even more, "Nick, what's going on? Tell me, you're scaring me."

        "That man came back."

        "What man?" I noticed how he didn't even flinch - it could have been because he was watching the road.

        "What did you call him?" He asked himself, "Sean, I think."

        "Why do you mean he came back?" My heart beat picked up. I could feel my palms sweating from sheer nervousness.

        Nick hesitated, "Maybe we should get a motel for the night, I think I'm too tired to carry on."

        "Where are we going?" I pressed the questions further while he was speaking.

        He still remained cold, "You'll see when we get there. But first let's get a motel."

        "Will we talk once we find one?"

        "Yes."

        Satisfied, I sat back in my chair and watched the scenery out my window turn into a city and then, after some more driving, it turned back into country side scenery.

        We found a motel just outside the outskirts of Chicago. It was a small place. It didn't look very upper class but it look well kept - could use the work of a groundskeeper though. The lobby area was warm and cozy and adorned in pastel colours, making it look more exclusive than what it probably was.

        Nick walked to the front desk and pushed down on the desk bell. We waited for a while before a large figured woman peered through a door on the other side of the counter, she looked surprised to see us.