Chapter 61 (1/2)

Dan stared at his laptop screen in utter bewilderment. Before him lay a bog standard real estate website, filled with listings and locations and prices. It might as well have been written in hieroglyphs. Dan was hilariously out of his depth shopping for a home, having lived with his parents, followed by his college dormitories, followed by an apartment chosen entirely for its close proximity to his workplace. Dan had not the slightest inkling on how to buy a house.

This was a pressing issue, as he had recently decided that living out of a hotel room was both extravagant and idiotic. An apartment was a possibility, should his current plan fell, but Dan was tired of living on someone else's property. He needed a home; a place that was his. He'd never had something like that before. Not exclusively, at least. Even the modest house of his birth had not been Dan's so much as his parents'.

Beyond that, it felt almost symbolic to Dan. It signified his acceptance of his new circumstances, an acknowledgment that this was his new reality. Dan would not necessarily refuse a visit back to his old dimension, but he'd no longer take a one-way trip. He had new ties in the here and now, and it was time that his living circumstances reflected that truth.

Brunswick, Georgia was his first choice, somewhere close to Abby, but looking now at these distant homes and unrecognizable streets, Dan realized, once again, that he was an idiot. It didn't matter in the slightest where he lived. He could be home at the speed of thought. His house could be on top of the Himalayas, and it would take him precisely the same amount of effort to get there as to blink his eyes.

While this astonishing revelation opened his options in some ways, it vastly narrowed them in others. Dan had very few friends, and all save one were located in Austin. He attended classes in Austin, and was actively attempting to create a social presence in Austin. Visiting whatever future friends he made was one thing, he could do that effortlessly with his power, but he wanted to have visitors himself. Some of Dan's fondest memories involved squeezing ten people together into a tiny college dorm room, to play video games or board games or just shoot the shit. He missed that kind of social interaction, though, the cramped living space, not so much.

In short, though Dan could have a home anywhere in the world, realistically speaking, he was staying where he was. It was a shame that Abby would not be able to visit him as easily as he visited her, but she was his best friend, and thus he'd be spending time at her house anyway. There was no danger of their friendship failing because of the distance, while there was a very real chance that Dan might become disconnected with Margaret or (Dan shuddered) Gregoir, or...

Or Graham, Dan supposed.

He really needed to make some more friends.

Pushing that depressing thought out of his mind, Dan navigated to local real estate listings. He browsed through them for a time, before realizing once more that he had no idea what he was doing. This was just as much of a problem as it was ten minutes ago, when he was looking at Georgia properties.

Dan stared at his laptop screen, considering his options, then pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

”This is so exciting!” Abby squealed, energetically bouncing in place. Her long hair was pulled into a high ponytail and secured by a sunshine yellow scrunchy. She wore a striped black and white top that sat low around her shoulders and high around her waist, tight jean shorts, and comfy athletic shoes. The long expanse of creamy skin from her ankles to mid-thigh was incredibly distracting.

”You know, Abby, when I asked for your help I expected you'd recommend me a realtor or something,” Dan stated with a gulp, tearing his eyes away from the hypnotic sight.

Abby beamed at him. ”No way! The last time I traveled out of state for fun was over a year ago! I'm not gonna miss this excuse to visit you!”

”We see each other daily,” Dan replied fondly, returning her smile with a goofy grin of his own.

The pair were outside a private air field on the borders of Austin. Abby, in true rich heiress style, had decided that Dan's simply request for help warranted a personal trip, and had arrived by private jet just minutes earlier. A large black SUV was parked outside the hangar; a rental from a 'trusted' associate of Abby's family. Its windows were tinted black and, presumably, completely bulletproof.

”It's standard fare for my family,” Abby explained cheerfully, as she climbed into the driver's seat.

Dan took the passenger side, nodding along with her words. As they pulled out of the hangar, he subtly hinted at something that had been bothering him all week. ”I imagine that your grandmother would allow nothing less.” He paused for a moment, then decided subtlety was overrated. ”Has she... mentioned anything to you? About me? Or other things?”

Abby rolled her eyes good-naturedly. ”I didn't tell her who found the collar, Danny.”

”Yeah, but she could totally find out,” Dan pointed out nervously. ”It wouldn't even be hard. You told her it was from the Burn near Red Creek Ranch, and even if you hadn't, parts of the fucking thing are still hot which is the defining feature of the Burn! And who were the last people to visit Red Creek? My police academy class!”

His babble was cut off by a gentle hand resting on his arm.

”Calm down,” Abby soothed, keeping her eyes on the road. ”Grandma isn't gonna send a hit squad after you or something crazy like that. She likes you! And even if she doesn't,” Abby turned to face him, her eyes meeting his, ”I like you.”—She paused, and Dan's stomach did several backflips—”And that's good enough for her.”

”Kay,” Dan subsided, scratching at his cheek to hide his growing smile. He kept his eyes forward, staring at the passing buildings. The day seemed brighter suddenly, despite the cloudy weather.

Abby's hand left his arm, flipping on the air conditioner. She fanned herself with her shirt briefly, and Dan strenuously avoided looking in her direction. The pair played awkward eye tag for several more minutes, avoiding conversation in favor of furtive looks and shy smiles.

It was only after Abby pulled onto the highway that Dan thought to ask, ”Do you know where you're going?”

”Yup!” Abby nodded, grasping the conversation thread with both hands. ”Aunt Maggie has worked at that hotel for as long as I can remember. I visited a couple times, back in my teens, and I remember the way well enough.” She shrugged. ”The hotel was okay, I guess. I bet a lot has changed, though.”

Dan personally suspected that nothing had changed at all. The Pearson was solidly stuck in the late 1800's, and from what Margaret had told him, that had always been the case. It was the predictable result of an owner with a Wild West obsession and far too much money on his hands.

Wisely, he chose to keep his trap shut. Nod and smile, Daniel, that is the path to happiness.

Abby quickly proved herself a bold driver, weaving through Austin's horrific traffic with all the confidence and speed of a rally car racer. Dan spent most of the drive anxiously glued to his seat, pondering how to save both of their lives in the event of a crash. Fortunately, his various half-baked plans were completely unnecessary, as they arrived at the Pearson frazzled but intact. Abby pulled onto the curbside parking, gracefully coming to a stop.

”Whaw!” Abby exhaled with a trill. ”I forgot how fun it is to drive a big car! Everyone gets out of the way so fast!”

Somewhere in Brunswick, Abby's tiny two-seat hybrid cried itself to sleep.

Dan smiled weakly, deciding to ignore the distressing experience that his closest friend had just subjected him to. Learning how to teleport others had just jumped to the very top of his to-do list. He extended a shaky hand towards the Pearson's front doors.

”Welcome to the Pearson, my lady,” he announced, quietly proud that he'd gotten the words out without a stutter. ”May I give you a tour of the lobby? We've got some wonderful antiques for your viewing pleasure.”

Abby giggled into her hand, turning off the engine and stepping outside. She rested her elbow on the open door, while placing her other hand on the roof. Abby leaned forward, over the driver's seat, giving Dan a flushed smile.

”I'm sure it's a lovely lobby,” she replied coyly, clearly not oblivious to the effect her appearance had on him, ”but I'm more interested in seeing your room right now, Danny.”

Dan took approximately four seconds to process her sentence, having expected nothing like that to leave her mouth. There were just too many different factors to consider. Did she mean to say that? Did she know what she was implying? Was she flirting? Should he flirt back? What should he do!?

Dan pushed back the gnawing terror and decided to just roll with whatever happened. That seemed to be his specialty, after all. Decision made, he grinned wildly, before teleporting out of his seat and reappearing beside her. Doing his level best to keep his voice steady, he said, ”I think I can help with that.” He stuck out his elbow dramatically, wiggling it for effect.

Abby slipped her arm through his, blushing bright red as he lead her through the front door. Her bubbly demeanor deepened into something more intense, more primal, upon the physical contact. She invested the totality of her emotions into everything that she did, and this was no different. The pleasant tingling throughout her body overrode all sense of reason.

They both moved in sync, pressed close against each other as they ambled towards the elevator. There was something unspoken hovering between them, an energy that clouded Dan's mind. He was stumbling through fog, drunk on a hormone cocktail; his brain was filled with nothing but the pounding drumbeat of his heart.

”Newman!”

The hated voice pierced through his clouded senses, searing away his happy feelings like a nuclear strike. Dan almost tripped mid-step, but continued onward, determined to ignore the man. Abby paused for a microsecond, before following Dan's lead, both of them increasing their pace before—

”Newman! Is that you?”

—that infernal voice called again! Dan ground his molars down to the root, his jaw cracked, almost shattered, as Connor fucking Graham approached at a slow jog from behind him. Abby stiffened at his side, slowly turning her head to meet this new threat, wearing the smile of a serial killer.

Graham came within view, almost flinching back at Abby's expression. He blinked in confusion, glancing between Daniel and his unknown acquaintance. The young man's keen investigative senses told him that his presence was unwanted.

”Ah, it is you.” he said slowly, monitoring Abby's clenched fists with what seemed to be genuine concern. ”Apologies, Newman. I was in the area, and thought I'd stop by for a chat...”

Abby's smile graduated from ”I am going to fucking murder you!” to ”I am going to fucking murder you and wear your entrails like a hat!”

Something in her expression reached Graham. ”But I see that I'm interrupting something,” he acknowledged quickly. The backpedal was accompanied by a confused frown towards Abby. Manners clashed with survival instincts, and emerged victorious. ”Apologies, young miss. My name is Connor Graham, an associate of Newman here.” He nodded to Dan. ”Have we met before? Your appearance seems familiar to me. Forgive me, if I have forgotten a previous interaction.”

Abby appeared to be seriously considering disemboweling the boy, but eventually her own upbringing won out. She composed herself long enough to give Graham a graceful nod, and her voice took a formal tilt. ”My name is Abigail Summers, Mr. Graham, and we have never met before. It's... delightful to make your acquaintance.”