[MAX]
For the first several seconds that I was awake I stared at the ceiling and tried to remember where I was. I vaguely remembered having had a headache and wandering through a dreamlike version of Boston. I thought I remembered that Alexei had been there, too, and ...
And I had shown up at the safe house where the twins and Phoenix had been waiting several hours for me. Right.
My phone buzzed a few times on the nightstand. I managed to lean over far enough to grab it, and skimmed through the twelve messages, all of which had Reznor's name glowing above them. I rolled my eyes when the phone buzzed again, punched in a short response, then fell back onto the bed.
When it buzzed again I didn't bother to look at it.
Eventually I found it within myself to sit up and attempt to flatten my hair. About a minute after that I even discovered the motivation to swing my legs off the bed and pull my boots back on. By the time I had laced them up I felt more coherent, and less apprehensive about standing.
I grabbed my leather jacket off the chair on my way out of the bedroom and tugged it on as I went. I shoved my phone into one of the jacket pockets right before I emerged in the giant open area that acted as both a living room and a kitchen.
The twins and Phoenix sat around the coffee table playing what looked to me like spoons.
Dylan was the first one to notice me; the smile that lit up his face was the likes of which I hadn't seen in a long time. It was the full-faced, genuine kind, the kind that brought slight crinkles to the corners of his eyes and caused an inexplicable warmth to exude from him.
Danny and Phoenix both turned my way when they saw Dylan's expression. Phoenix looked relieved — probably that I was upright — and Danny smiled cheerfully with a little wave.
"Morning, sweetheart," Dylan said as he set his cards face-down on the coffee table.
"Morning," I returned, my voice rough from lack of use. I made my way to his side of the table and took a seat beside him on the floor. I fingered one of the bullet holes at the bottom of my jacket once I was seated.
"You slept longer than we expected," Phoenix told me.
"The FBI finally put out a BOLO for you," Danny volunteered.
"Fantastic," I said in a tone that suggested the complete opposite.
Dylan did a great job not audibly laughing at the exchange, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.
"Actually," Phoenix spoke slowly, "it's more than just the FBI at this point. I'm afraid the majority of the New England area is very interested in you right now.'
"I always wanted to be part of the popular crowd," I said.
Dylan scoffed, "No, you didn't."
"No, I didn't," I allowed with a smirk. I looked back to Phoenix and Danny. "I already know about the BOLO. And the popularity." I pulled my phone partway out of my jacket pocket by way of explanation. "Somebody went a bit berserk once he had a way of communicating with me again."
Phoenix gave me a look that communicated her empathy for Reznor. "Can you blame him?"
I shrugged. "Guess not. I'm honestly just glad the texts he sent didn't wake me up."
Phoenix laughed. "I don't think a hurricane could've woken you up."
"You didn't look too hot when you got here, Maxy," Danny said.
"And that means ..." I glanced sideways at Dylan, "I look better now?" He shrugged in what I decided to take as agreement. I shrugged in turn and gave Danny a look. "So don't worry about it."
