Class Notes.

Part 8 We're back in action

August 26th 2016.

The highway stretched endlessly ahead, a ribbon of dull gray cutting through the torrid California desert. The sun was beginning its slow descent, turning the sky a warm, hazy orange. Dust clung to the windshield, catching the light in faint gold flecks as Megan gripped the steering wheel, her gaze fixed forward. The radio was off—by choice. The hum of the engine and the occasional gust of wind through the cracked window were enough background noise for now.

In the passenger seat, Hunter reclined slightly, one arm hanging lazily out the open window. His sunglasses reflected the fading sunlight, and his brown hair whipped around in the breeze. He was quiet, the way he always got when Megan was deep in thought. In the back seat, Karen sat upright, laptop resting on her knees, phone on speaker as the steady buzz of conversation filled the car.

"Alright, we're all checked in," came Kelly's voice, slightly tinny through the speaker. "Motel Six, right off Sunset. Not exactly five-star, but at least the AC works."

"That's good to hear," Karen said, adjusting her glasses. "Just make sure no one recognizes either of you. We can't risk Nicole finding out you're here before we're ready."

"Already handled," Kelly replied. "Different names on the registry. Ari booked it herself."

From the other end, Ari's voice joined in—soft, but steady. "And before you ask, yes, I dyed my hair blonde like you wanted, and we scrubbed every picture of us from mine and Kelly's socials." All of them." She paused, her voice lowering slightly. "But I saved them somewhere private. I couldn't just erase everything."

Karen nodded to herself, though no one could see it. "That's fine. Just make sure your social media says you're single now. No location tags, no pictures of the motel, nothing that ties you two together publicly."

Ari gave a small sigh. "Yeah. It's done. Feels weird, though. Also If we're going to be in disguise, why did I need to delete the pictures?"

Karen sighed, "it's a precaution, we need to have as little chance that Nicole will figure it out what we're doing as possible. Also I think having your accounts public, would make it look cleaner, and less like we've got something to hide."

Ari gave a fragile "ok" before Kelly's voice brightened slightly, trying to lighten the mood. "It's all ok, we'll be making new memories later. Private ones."

"Please," Karen muttered, half-smirking. "Spare me the details."

Hunter laughed quietly. "She's got a point."

Feeling witty with a dash of sympathy, Megan decided to chime in as well. "And don't worry Ari because you're not alone. Hunter had to go through the same process. Now his hair looks kind of like yours did."

Kelly chuckled. "Alright, fine. Anyway, we'll keep our heads down. Probably just order in, maybe go through the files Ari brought on her laptop."

Karen's tone sharpened slightly. "Good. No sightseeing, you two. I mean it."

"Promise," Kelly said.

"Yeah," Ari added softly. "We won't go anywhere."

"Alright then," Karen said, closing her laptop. "We'll meet you in the morning."

There was a round of goodbyes before Megan reached over and tapped the screen, ending the call. The car fell into silence again, leaving only the hum of the tires against the road and the faint rustle of papers in Karen's lap.

The mood shifted almost instantly. The desert stretched out endlessly on either side—brown, dry, and hauntingly beautiful. The setting sun threw long shadows across the sand, painting everything in slow-moving amber. The silence was heavy, but not uncomfortable; it was the silence of people who knew what they were heading toward but weren't ready to speak it aloud.