Ana never finished the sentence.
A brilliant flash of white light hit first, almost immediately followed by a deafening boom that rocked the building to its foundation. The windows shuddered, the door smacked open; clouds of dust and plaster fell from the ceiling.
Ana flinched and dropped to the floor beneath the reception desk, instinctively burying her head in her hands.
For several moments she didn’t dare move—her mind was reeling. What had just happened? She listened, holding her breath as dust sank heavily around her, settling on the floor, her clothes. Her heart was beating wildly.
What had just happened?
A cough snapped her out of it.
Alex. She scrambled to her feet, looking around, finding him. He was on the floor by the window, dusting himself off. Their eyes met—there was shock in his expression, and something else. Something familiar. Just like a year ago.It was happening again.
That look was all it took—as though someone had shaken her hard, waking her up. Instantly all senses were firing.
Alex was okay. She could see Jade and Jax moving around, coughing. The reception area was still standing, still intact. The explosion had come from outside, from the parking lot.
She ran around the desk and out through the open door, Alex following close behind. The desert air pulsed with heat as they turned to face an immense cloud of black smoke towering over their heads. Underneath, they could just make out a burning shell of twisted metal, flames licking through the frame.
The breath locked in Ana’s throat as she stood, watching the fire crackle, consuming everything. Alex moved next to her. Slowly she turned to look at him, her shock mirrored in his eyes.
They both knew what this meant. Their bus was gone. Their ride home was gone.
Over their heads, the road sign winked at them through the thick smoke—red and yellow lights catching the edges of the dark cloud. On and off. Over and over. Never-ending.
WELCOME TO THE MOTEL LOBA. NO VACANCY. ENJOY YOUR STAY…
2
Ellis
What the fuck?
One moment, Ellis was walking toward the reception area. The next, a wall of hot air smacked him in the back so hard it lifted him off his feet and threw him face down in the dirt. His ears were ringing; he could still feel the searing heat on his skin.
He knew this feeling from a year ago, standing on the basketball court, watching as the gym lit up around him, flames coursing across the roof. He felt a tightening deep inside his chest—a hard, fist-sized knot. Fear, maybe? Shock? Who knew? Those were all just words. It was the sensation he remembered—the pure, physical sensation of danger.
He was all right, he told himself sharply. He was alive. Instinctively, he rubbed his shoulder; the rough, patterned burn scars on his skin were sensitive to his touch, the nerves still raw after a year.
Shake it off. He pulled himself up.You’re fine. Get the fuck up.
He could hear a voice. Someone was coming.
“Jesus! Ellis, are you okay?” Hands reached for him. Black fingernails. Raya Mori. He brushed her away roughly.
“I’m…fine,” he managed to say. “The driver…he was back there…” Ellis waved his hand in the direction of the bus. He just needed a moment; everything was still spinning.
Heavy, gray smoke billowed out from the bus frame. Deep in its shadow, a dark outline moved towards them—Benny.
Ellis watched as Raya ran to him. He could make out someone else too, someone big, maybe Caden? The two of them grabbed the driver and dragged him a safe distance from the flames.
Benny was coughing but seemed otherwise unharmed. He slumped on the ground, his hands planted on either side for support, a comical expression of shock on his red face.
“My…my bus!”
“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Raya kneeled next to him, her hand resting on his shoulder. Caden lurked over them both awkwardly, shuffling nervously from foot to foot. Benny was obviously fine and loving the attention.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m all good…but my bus! What am I gonna do? I’ll lose my job, for sure.” What little hair he had left was standing on end, ash covering his face and hands.
