ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴇᴋ

CHAPTER FOUR

The sun bounces off the windshield, Quinn grips the steering wheel with both hands as she tries to concentrate on the road ahead. It twists and turns, almost as if it wants you to guess it's the next move.

"Why am I here?" Asks Cole.

"Are you going to be like this the entire trip?" Asks Jay.

"This isn't a trip," Cole continues, "The Bahamas is a trip, not this."

Brie grabs a hold of Cole's hand as he squeezes tightly. He kisses her hand softly as he tries to relax. The rain hits the window with thunderous force. The road is hardly visible to the passengers.

Quinn can barely make out the hospital sign as the drive. She taps Skyler on the shoulder, ushering him to pull into the car park. A red and blue neon sign sits atop of the structure, almost like a beacon to all who are injured.

The group found a parking spot in the underground car park, not too far away from the elevator door. They stand in a triangle shape, almost like a military formation. The elevator takes them to the reception, the walls a pale white, with a thin blue arrow marking the way.

They were directed to Millie's room. Upon entering the room, Luke is seen sitting on the chair beside the bed. Millie dressed in hospital attire, one of those gowns with the blue dots on it.

Millie looks stunned to see that Quinn has come. Her breath quickens as she shows a little smile. Quinn rushes to Millie, hugging her closely. There is an unwanted aura in the room, an aura of uncertainty.

The group breaks off into pairings, searching around the room for whatever might be able to hear their conversation. Jay checks behind the curtains and desk while Skyler checks all the bins and hidden spots. Cole stares at Luke, uncertain if he is trustworthy yet.

"Where's mom?" Asks Quinn.

"You just missed her," continues Millie, "She'll be back later tonight."

Quinn runs her sisters hair as Millie's eyes fill with tears. Skyler and Jay nod to Quinn, letting her know the room appears safe.

"Are you going to the house?" Asks Millie.

Quinn nods, reassuring her that she will stay as long as needed. Millie wraps her arms around Quinn as tightly as she possibly can. Quinn kisses her sister on the forehead as Quinn lays on the bed beside her.

"I'm going to get you a drink from the vending machine," says Luke.

Cole raises an eyebrow. He wants to figure out Luke as quickly as possible. Normally, when Cole has a hunch, it tends to be correct.

"I'm going to use the bathroom," says Cole.

Cole turns the corner to find Luke pressing the button to the vending machine. He approaches him slowly, not wanting to give off any bad vibes.

"How long have you known, Quinn's sister?" Asks Cole.

Luke scoffs, unsure of what is happening. He takes the can of Coke-Cola and looks Cole up and down.

"Six years," Luke continues, "Why?"

"Just wondering," says Cole.

"Ok, well, I'm going to get back," replies Cole.

Luke pushes past Cole, hitting his shoulder with a subtle bump. Upon reentering the room, Cole and Luke find two more of Millie's friends, Heather and Mike. Heather, the devoted best friend, and an already confirmed threat. Mike, her loyal boyfriend, is soft on the outside but could possibly have a hidden agenda.

"Are you ok, baby?" Asks Heather.

"I'm ok, thanks," replies Millie.

Cole turns to Jay. He mouths the words, "Baby?"

Jay shrugs his shoulder, an odd exchange for the group to hear. Quinn shakes the hands of Millie's friend group and her boyfriend, Luke.

"Ok, so, the cast is here. Now it's time to get down to business," says Jay.

"Cast?" Asks Millie.

Quinn explains that Millie is not alone and that this has happened before, to them. Quinn tells Millie that the two attacks may be connected to one another and that it might not be just a ramdom thing.

The other group looked stunned, almost as if it's a passing of the torch. The glares shared around the room are not for the feint hearted. Everyone is a suspect or a target in this cat and mouse game.