The threesome arrived at a motel that looked like it had seen better days.  The paint was peeling off the building and the vacancy sign was blinking rapidly as if at any minute the sign would go completely dark.  Megan had volunteered to be the one to go into the office to get a key and when she emerged she made a face but held out a key.  The group traveled down the row of doors until they found room number four. 

Izzy continually looked around as she waited for the door to be opened. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched but she couldn’t see anyone around, the place was seemingly deserted. She let out a sigh of relief when all three made their way inside the room.   

Brian was relieved to find that the interior of the room did not reflect the outdoor appearance.  The beds were neatly made, the room was clean and nothing appeared to be falling apart.  There were two queen sized beds, a table with a couple of chairs, a dresser with a television sitting on top of it.  The sink was outside what they all assumed was the bathroom and was on the wall opposite the entry into the room.

Izzy sat herself on the edge of one of the beds as Brian sat in one of the chairs. Megan looked between the two expecting one of them to start talking.  “You know what,” She spoke up, the first words spoken since the short conversation after the fight.  “I am starving; I am going to go grab some food.  I’ll bring you both back something too.” She smiled and quickly left the room before either one could protest or ask to join. 

A thought flitted through Izzy’s mind, what if more of those people come back and do something to Megan.   She relaxed when she realized that during both encounters Megan had come out unharmed as they never seemed interested in her.   She smiled awkwardly at Brian and he returned her smile.

Brian and Izzy sat looking at each other then around the room avoiding each other’s gazes.  Neither one of them knew exactly how to start a conversation with a complete stranger, a conversation that included vivid dreams that were possible memories. 

“Well we aren’t going to get anywhere if we don’t talk,” Brian finally blurted out.

Izzy looked in his direction and realized he was right; she needed to forget he was a famous personality. She, after all, came hundreds of miles to seek him out to get answers.   “Okay,” She agreed.  She let it all out, everything that had happened to her since their initial encounter.    She mentioned the strange dreams, the strange encounters, forgetting then remembering a friend, or ex friend while she was being attacked by her professor. 

“Dr. Thompson, or whoever he is, mentioned that I was part of his mission.” 

“Leighanne mentioned the same thing,” Brian half whispered.

“Leighanne?” Izzy questioned unable to believe that one third of the family that looked perfect could also be part of what was going on.

“It’s been six months, only six months,” Brian murmured.

“Explain,” Izzy demanded.

“Leighanne, she mentioned how she and I have only been together for six months total.”

“But don’t you have a son?”

Brian nodded.  “He was grown in a lab,” Brian looked up at Izzy confusion covering his face.  “I’ve been having dreams too, and seeing you everywhere.” Brian admitted.

“Oh?”

“I dreamt of meeting you.  You introduced yourself as Isabelle and threatened that if I called you anything else there would be pain,” Brian chuckled then stopped remembering how much pain she was able to cause, she killed three men.

“Isabelle,” Izzy let the name linger on her lips.  It felt right. There had always been awkwardness when anyone talked to her; it made sense if she didn’t like shorter versions of her name.  She smiled at Brian to try to encourage him to continue.   

“My own band mate, Howie, attacked me.  I thought,” Brian paused and shook his head before continuing.  “I thought I had killed him but later that night he showed up with the other guys at my hotel room.   When the other three left, he, he stuck me with a needle full of something.”

Izzy’s eyes went wide when Brian mentioned the needle.  She had told him about Dr. Thompson’s attack but had forgotten to mention the needle. 

“In one of my dreams, I remember being strapped to a table across from you,” Brian looked a bit embarrassed to admit that Izzy had been in the dream with him.  “Some man entered and injected you with a needle; your eyes went blank after.”

“Dr. Thompson had a needle. When I asked him what was in it he said it was something to make the dreams go away.  I injected him, on accident, and his eyes went blank.  It seems it is something to make you forget.  But if you were injected, how do you remember anything?” Izzy felt suddenly suspicious of Brian.  Was he really a decoy? Instead of being someone to help her was he going to be the one to finally manage to inject her and make her forget? Forget what though, a few dreams?

“I don’t understand why they want us to forget a few dreams.” Izzy spoke her last thoughts.

Brian shook his head.  “I don’t know how I remember, it is strange.  I was more in shock over Leighanne telling me that we had only been together six months, that I’d only been a famous singer for six months.  I don’t understand how that is possible if people worldwide know me and my music.” Brian rubbed the back of his neck.

Both sat silent for a while wondering how what Brian was told could be true if there was media evidence to prove otherwise.  Izzy stood and moved to the window glancing outside. The parking lot was still empty; there was no sign of dark SUVs or the rental car with Megan.  Izzy was starting to worry more about her friend but she realized that getting the food was a ploy for Megan to leave Brian and Izzy alone together to talk.  Megan probably stopped by some shops and was window shopping before she really got anything for them to eat.  

For some reason Izzy started thinking about how she and Megan probably ate out too often. It seemed they were always ordering food or bring food back to the apartment to watch television.

“Natalie,” Izzy whispered.  She pulled up the second chair and sat across from Brian leaning forward.  “The friend that I forgot about and then remembered later.  I was watching the news about an unidentified dead girl, it was Natalie. I remember thinking I should call the police to identify her, but for some reason I didn’t.  I forgot about her until the fight brought the memories back.  Whoever is doing this to us must have a way to control people through television and possibly radio signals.”  Izzy smiled at the revelation.  “It would explain how you became famous in six months if people were brainwashed into thinking you are part of this group.”

“People who like our music have not been brainwashed,” Brian got defensive, he had to defend his music and his fans all too often.  “Oh,” he stopped himself when he looked at Izzy.  What she said made sense, and the fact that he fought hard against the theory made him think that might have been programmed into him as well.

“If people are being controlled over the air waves, how did you remember again?”

“It’s only temporary.  The subject must constantly be fed the stream of information in order to continue to believe it.  They need a means of controlling the populace with a steady stream of what they want the people to know and believe.” Izzy spouted out.

“How did you know that Isabelle?” Brian asked cautiously.  He was beginning to wonder if she was going to flip out on him like Howie did and start chasing after him with a needle.

Izzy still loved to hear Brian say her name and took a minute to relish how he said it before she answered his question.  “I honestly don’t know where that came from.”

Brian was about to say something else when a ringing phone interrupted him.  Both he and Izzy pulled out there phones and checked their screens.

“It’s me,” Izzy smiled at him and moved across the room to answer the phone.  “Hello Mike.”

“Izzy where are you?” the voice of her boss came across the line. He sounded worried, at least he was pretending to sound worried Izzy thought.

“You never checked in yesterday. You never even came in to work like I was expecting.  I thought you were eager to know the results. We got the phone by the way.” He sounded a bit annoyed that she hadn’t come in or called.  

“Mike, that’s great but something came up, family issue. Can we discuss things when we get back?”

“I didn’t think you had family,” Mike sounded even more annoyed with each statement.

“Mike, I just need the time for an emergency. I will get back as soon as I can.” Izzy lied.  Even as she said the words she knew she probably wouldn’t be back for awhile if at all.

“Izzy, I need you back. We have a lot to do.  You have had enough time and I have been understanding until now.  If you don’t get back here I will have to give the rest of this project to Tony.” Mike threatened.

“Give it to him.  I have to do this.”

“Are you sure? It would be giving up a chance for a promotion.” 

Izzy bit her lip.  She really worked hard towards that promotion and she was pretty much handing it over to Tony on a silver platter but she turned to look at Brian and felt reassured.  “Mike, I have to go.”  She hung up the phone and shook her head.  There was a tone to Mike’s voice she had never heard him use before.  He had always been so understanding, never been annoyed with her.  She couldn’t believe that a switch flipped in him so quickly.  She walked back to the chair and sat down.

“Looks like we are both losing our jobs.” he joked.  They both laughed uncomfortably unsure of what was next for them.