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Brian had followed me to the bus, a perplexed expression on his face. When I blew onto the bus, I looked around quickly for Amie, but she was nowhere to be found. Once I was certain the coast was clear, I turned back to Brian. “Dude, that was freaking Claire on the phone,” I gasped.

Brian nodded enthusiastically.

“She knows where I am, she’s keeping up, I’m not imagining this shit…” I rubbed my hands together and paced. “God damn it, and that was our last scheduled thing until the break.”

“Now what?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know,” I muttered. I was pacing. My feet were carrying me back and forth and back and forth the length of the bus, wearing a pathway in the carpeting. I wrung my hands. “I dunno what to do Brian, I don’t know what to do. Why the hell did the phone hafta disconnect for?! I mean seriously, what is that about?” I stared up at Bri’s face.

Bri folded his hands together. “What if –“ he stopped. “Nawh, nevermind.”

“What if what?” I asked.

“Well, it’s weird,” Brian said, “That she’s been following us – as public as you’re making your schedule – and hasn’t caught up yet. It’s weird that the one time she does she sounds… panicked.”

“I thought frantic,” I answered, like she was pressed for time to talk to me because it was a radio show.”

“Or because she knew she was having a problem contacting you.”

I stared at Brian. “What are you getting at?”

“You don’t think there’s someone like keeping her from getting to you, do you?” he asked.

Immediately, my thoughts went to Dimitre Pyre. “Shit. You mean like the Ministry?” I asked.

Brian nodded. “Yeah.”

“Shit that makes so much sense,” I gasped, “They didn’t want me saving people, they’re pissed at me as it is, why would they want me to end up with Claire? They wouldn’t.” I turned away and wandered the length of the bus, biting my knuckles. When I turned around again, I hissed, “They’re keeping her from me. Those bastards. And it’s so close to Janu—“ I stopped mid-word.

“To what?” Brian asked.

I swallowed. “There’s a part of this all that – that I haven’t… told you…” I stammered.

“There’s more to add to the freak show?” Brian joked.

I was just about to tell him – when the door opened and Amie stepped up into the cabin of the bus. She came around the corner and stopped short, looking shocked between Brian and I. “Hey,” she said, looking us over, “What’s going on?”

I glanced at Brian. “We were just – you know – hanging out,” I said, “Brian was trying to cool me down… This—this girl, I – that I used to date was – she called the station and – yeah.”
Brian grinned. “I know, Nick’s dated so many women, we shouldn’t be surprised by such things but, alas alas!” He stood up. “I’ll see you when we stop at the big Taco B – E – Double L?” he asked, pointing at me.

“Drop the Chalupa!” I responded, laughing and winking as Brian slipped out the door. He mouthed the words we’ll talk later and bolted off across the parking lot. When I’d closed the door behind him, I turned back to Amie.

“A girlfriend, huh?” Amie asked.

“Claire called the station,” I gasped out the words, “But she got disconnected before she could tell me where she was.”

Amie’s face flashed with surprise. “Wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah. I dunno what to do,” I explained. “I can’t very well leave if she knows where I am, but there’s really no reason for me to stay here either…”

Amie slipped down into the seat that had been occupied by Brian just the moment before. “Is it a local or a national broadcast that you just did?” she asked.

“Oh good point,” I stammered, “It was local. So to hear the interview, she had to be local, right?”

Amie smiled. “Yes.”

“So she’s gotta be here, somewhere…” I concluded. I stared at Amie.

“So I’d say that staying put is going to be your best bet, Nick,” Amie said quietly, smirking. “So she can come and find you.”

I dropped into the seat opposite Amie. “If you think it’ll help Claire find me,” I said boldly, “Then I won’t move from this chair until she arrives.”

Amie smiled, “They say that sitting still is the best way to allow anyone to find you, don’t they?”

I smiled back, “You’re absolutely right.” And just like that, all the things Brian had said had gone out of my mind like pigeons taking flight....