I open the drawer under the computer. I see a card with “MASTER” handwritten on it. We leave the lobby to meet the others waiting outside of the truck. Everyone follows me to the nearest room on the first floor. I scan the card over the reader. A green light flashes. The couple goes inside the room.
The briefcase guy goes into the next room.
“Would you like to stay in separate rooms or the same room?” I ask Kathleen.
“The same room. We better not get far from each other,” she says. It’s a good idea. The couple proved that they are not threats but it’s better to be cautious about the briefcase guy even though he seems to be friendly. He works for the Republic after all.
We enter the room. The queen-size bed is untouched. It looks like there haven’t been any guests staying in this room since the hotel closed its door.
Luckily, there is water running in the bathroom. Either the town’s water pumps still have the battery to power them, or the hotel’s water tank is not emptied yet.
After taking showers, we go outside with some of the pre-packaged food from our backpacks. Carlson, his wife, and the guy come out of their rooms after hearing us walking by.
We go to the lobby to have our dinner. We push the dust away on the couch and chairs.
“We are thinking about staying here… The town looks empty and I saw some condos with gardens. Water pipes seem to be working too... I don’t see a point of going to the West,” Carlson says. That’s a big decision.
“Nothing is waiting for us there,” his wife adds.
I think it’s not a bad idea. If I didn’t have a family in San Francisco, then I wouldn’t have wanted to go on a risky adventure toward a dangerous land either.
“What about you? By the way, I think I didn’t catch your name,” Kathleen says to the briefcase guy. I have noticed that I don’t know his name either.
“They call me Crypto... If you don’t mind, I would be glad to continue the trip with you.” He shares looks with Kathleen and me. There is no surprise in his answer. He has to deliver the briefcase to Weck Highland a.k.a. Monster.
“And afterward?” I ask. From his sudden pause while eating his dried fruits, I can tell that he wasn’t expecting this question.
“Hm… Then… I guess I will get away from the West as far as possible with my sister... Assuming if he keeps his promise,” he says.
“Come join us, buddy!” Carlson gently hits his back with a big smile. Who knows, maybe I might come back to this little town after uniting with my family too. It wouldn’t be a permanent move, though. I still want to go back to Purple Haze. I think about Sunshine and her family every day. I gaze at the wristband she made for me.
The sun starts to settle down as we tell our stories to each other and share our dreams about the future.
Our conversation gets interrupted by the startling sound of Harley-Davidson motorcycles parking in front of the hotel. We all run behind the counter to take cover.
From the lobby, I can see at least six bikers getting off their loud toys. Some bikers have their spouses with them. They all look like they are in their 40s and are wearing casual clothes without any branding or hints of group affiliation. I hope they are not one of those aggressive biker groups.
They neither have weapons on them, but I am pretty sure some of them have handguns, if not all. We are outnumbered and outgunned, but we still have the advantage of a surprise attack.
We look at each other while hiding behind the counter. None of us is sure about how to react. I decide to choose a polite way instead of a hostile approach. We should show them that our group is not a threat.
I go around the counter and head out of the lobby. Others follow me except Crypto. He stays behind the counter. A voice inside tells me that he knows them.
As soon as I open the lobby door, they all turn their heads to us at the same time with their eyes wide open. Some of them reach for their belts or bags.
“Welcome to the luxury suites of Battle Mountain,” I say with a smirk. I open my arms on both sides like a hugging gesture.
“Thank you, sir! I am Gus. How is your day going?” the man closest to us says after momentarily glancing at me and the others while helping remove his spouse’s helmet. I am glad to hear a friendly response to my warm welcome. The polite way gave us a good start.
“It’s Matt. We just got here. On our way to the West,” I say and stop a few feet away from him.
“Ah, nice… I hope there is a vacancy for us.” He laughs. I can see some of his teeth covered with silver, creating a sharp contrast with the yellowish ones next to them. “We were going to Salt Lake City to check on some friends and thought about taking a break here.”
Other bikers check on the hotel and the parking lot. They have smiley faces like Gus.
“Are there keys in the lobby or do we have to break in?” he asks while taking a few steps to the lobby. It makes me nervous thinking about him going inside and seeing Crypto. I hope Crypto is not the person Gus mentioned when he said he is going to check on some friends. I get in his way.
“No need. We found the master key. I can open the doors for you.” I show the card I have.
He stops in front of me and glances at the lobby over my shoulder. Then he rolls his eyes back to me. “I already
