Surviving the Dreams

Chapter 17 - Friends

The second half of January remained busy for Susan at her new job. Having Greg there helped, and as they both got settled into their new positions with the resort, Susan managed to find the opportunity to send an email to Alex on Greg's behalf, telling him where they'd moved. She'd sent one to him previously, the day they left Telleron, explaining what was happening and how they planned to leave, but not where they were going. This one explained what had happened and how to contact both herself and Greg now that they were settled again. Curiously, she didn't receive a reply to either message, and she was beginning to wonder if he'd received them when two months after she sent the first one, they received their first good news in over two years. A pair of guests arrived at the reception desk for the resort, asking to see Greg and Susan by name. Cautiously, Greg went to the lobby first, intending to ensure they hadn't been followed from Telleron by the Wilson's attackers before allowing Susan to follow. Trying to be as discreet about it as possible, Greg entered the lobby quietly through a nearly invisible back door, peering through a screen towards the guests who'd asked for him. To his genuine surprise, Greg found he knew both of the people who were waiting for him.

"Alex! Richard!" Greg exclaimed.

His shout was followed by much hand shaking and backslapping and generally enthusiastic greetings until he remembered to tell Susan that it was okay to come in. The two men looked on curiously as Greg excused himself and returned escorting a woman with golden hair streaked in such a way to hint that normally it was light brown and who also looked at first to be about half his age.

"Alex, Richard, this is Susan," Greg explained.

"Your companion?" Richard asked curiously, then shrugged. "Alex told me."

"As a matter of fact, yes," Greg told them seriously. "She is."

He beamed as he looked at her. Susan smiled back at him while intermittently looking curiously between their two guests as Greg introduced them.

"Susan, this is Alex my manager," Greg began with a gesture towards the man on the left, who was shorter, slightly balding with dark hair and sharp features. "And this is Richard my ... partner?" he hesitated, turning towards the man on the right who was taller than he was and with lighter coloring and pleasing features. "Or at least he used to be."

"I still am. We haven't dissolved the corporation yet. It's run on behalf of your estate at the moment, but I am hopeful after seeing you that we can change that," the taller man said.

"Can we show you to your rooms?" Susan offered nervously. Officially, both she and Greg were still on company time, and it would endanger their jobs to be seen fraternizing with the guests too familiarly.

Richard glanced questioningly at Greg.

"It's true. We work here. Things aren't what they were at home, not by a long shot," Greg said soberly.

He picked up the luggage of his two friends, looked at the numbers for their rooms and escorted them out the door.

"So, what are you doing here?" Greg asked as soon as they were clear of the lobby.

"Richard needed a vacation, and I decided to tag along. Besides, I need to speak to you Greg. From what Susan sent last, your position is far from secure," Alex explained.

Greg looked grimly at Susan. They exchanged a look and a nod before Greg felt clear to answer.

"That is an understatement, Alex. I saw what she sent. The truth is our lives are in danger as soon as anybody finds out we are here," Greg told them.

"Come on Greg, the fans can't be that bad," Richard teased as they arrived at his room.

"It's not the fans Richard. It's the authorities."