Project L-137

Chapter 18

We pulled up to the empty motel while the sun was setting. Trevor didn't say a word since he yelled at me. He didn't even look at me for the 3 hours we were in the car. Lydia woke up about an hour in and she looked confused as to why she was tied up and why we weren't even talking. She hopped out of the van as soon as Trevor parked it in the lot. I reached over to the door and I heard the door lock. I retracted my hand from the handle and looked over at Trevor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you."

I took a moment to look at him before responding. It really wasn't his fault that our lives have gotten so screwed up over the past 10 years. And we are all tired of running, hiding, or seeing people die at our feet.

"I know. I just thought I would give you some time to settle down. It's a touchy topic for us considering the amount of people that we have seen suffer from it all."

"I still had no right to take it out on you." He turned to look at me.

I gave him a faint smile. "It's ok. Really it is. We will figure it out. How to take down the labs, but for now we need to focus on getting to California," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a reassuring squeeze. He put a hand on top of mine and looked at me. He took a deep breath before saying what he was thinking.

"How did you do it?" He asked, looking at Lydia breaking open the lock.

"Do what?"

"How did you...stop yourself from worrying? About Jared becoming a pure or dying? How did you stay...sane?" He asked.

"Are you kidding? I never stopped worrying about him. The nightmares. I haven't been the same since my mom died," I said. He stayed quiet before saying what he needed.

"I need you, Amber. Now more than ever because ever since the day you got shot... I couldn't help but think 'What if that was Lydia' and if she didn't survive I don't think I would survive that. She's the only family I have left, after Lisa..." He paused.

"I know. But, Lydia seems like she can handle it. You can't always worry about her because sometimes she needs to stand on her own. She needs to know what is happening around her or else she is always going to need you," I said.

"She does always need me, I can't just show her everything," He said. I took a moment of silence.

"Trevor, you may not know this but Lydia already knows what's happening. She can handle it and if you give her a chance she can also protect herself," I said. He didn't respond for at least a minute. He unlocked the door.

"Maybe you're right. I can't always protect her," He said with a faint smile.

I returned his faint smile. "Come on, let's go inside. You need the most sleep out of all of us," I said. I reached for the handle and jumped out of the car. A few seconds later I heard Trevor slam his door. I walked around to the back of the van to get my things and walked inside of the motel room. It was the same as the other one a few weeks ago. 2 beds, a nightstand in the middle of the 2 beds and a TV against the wall facing the beds. Lydia threw herself on the first bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Can we just get to California already. I'm tired of being so tired," She said. I laughed setting down my bag in the chair that was at the window.

"Maybe you are just tired of hacking all day," Trevor said, closing the door behind him.

"I can never get tired of hacking," She said in a serious tone.

As they kept playfully bickering, I couldn't help but think about Trevor's conversation. I couldn't get his words out of my head. I couldn't get Jared out of my head. Did I make the right choice? Is he safe?