Melody slid her bedroom door closed, sighing with relief at not seeing Chuck. Too many bodies were mingling in the main room while bedroom doors opened and shut down the halls. Loud music and laughter bounced off the walls and were not helping her growing headache. Looking around at her bedroom, she located the Ipad on her dresser and contemplated calling Oak. He had said to never reach out but she didn't know what to do nor how much time she had before Chuck followed through on his threat.

           Instead, she showered and put on sweatpants and a tank before she looked over at the Ipad again. Sighing, she grabbed a water bottle from her mini fridge and sucked down the cooling liquid.  She had forgotten to eat dinner again and was losing weight from the stress and missed meals while she worked. Catching her reflection in the wall mirror, she saw her dark freckles standing out more starkly against her gaunt, pale face. Vowing to find some food before she went to bed, she moved back towards the mini fridge,  stopping as a knock on her door sounded. She immediately tensed as it came again before her doorknob rattled. Locked, something she never forgot to do. Putting her body behind the door, she jumped as it rattled again.

           "Ginger! I know you're in there. I need to talk to you!" A shrill, familiar voice screeched out as Melody recognized who it was. Opening the door, she pulled Nora in and quickly shut it again.

          "Nora, what is it? Everything okay?" Melody searched her for signs of abuse but only found her to be slightly buzzed and completely intact. Dark black outlined her eyes as she had obviously freshened up her makeup for the party. A cream blouse hung loosely over snug, dark blue jeans into brown, knee high boots.

       "No, it's not! You didn't tell me your real name is Melody!" Nora sat on her bed and looked up at her with a heartbroken expression. Melody froze as her name rolled off Nora's tongue and she scrambled to come up with something. Was Chuck outing her to everyone, let the greed do all the dirty work for him?

        "Who told you that?" Melody sat down on the bed and looked over at her.

          "I overheard Chuck and Kaden arguing about you before you got back. They kept saying Melody...." Melody sucked in a breath and looked carefully at Nora. "Chuck said the men already know where you are...Ginger or whoever you are, what is happening?" Nora looked so young and confused, Melody felt guilty at keeping her new friend in the dark.

        "Nora, I'm sorry but I only wanted to keep you safe. The less people who knew the better but it doesn't matter anymore. Yes, my real name is Melody and it isn't my ex who is after me. It's a mexican drug cartel. Chuck already came to me earlier and said he was going to tell them where I was because they put a bounty out." Melody let out a breath as she felt weight lift from her shoulders at sharing her secret. Closing her eyes, she dropped back against the bed before Nora did the same.

               "Melody...it fits you. Ginger seemed so stripperish," Nora giggled as she looked over at her. "What are you going to do?" Melody was grateful Nora wasn't freaking out but it still didn't solve her dilemma of what to do next.

       "I honestly do not know. I don't want anyone else getting hurt over this and if that means I need to leave...maybe Canada would be a good idea." Melody knew it was only a couple hours to the border. Would either of her names come up flagged? What about a vehicle; her Tahoe would be recognized by the cartel if there were still watching the border. Melody explained the whole story to Nora, her eyes widening with surprise, anger, fear and disgust at everything she revealed.

        "This is crazy. Maybe, it would be good to check in with the Warriors?" Nora suggested.

         "You're right. Let me try Oak." She knew he would answer despite the time, 3:17am. He had specified only contacting him if it was an emergency. The familiar jingle of facetime had them both on the edge of the bed and waiting impatiently.

    "Melody, are you okay?" Oak's handsome face filled the screen, concern and fatigue written all over his face.

         "I'm fine. Chuck came to me at the bar tonight and told me about the bounty. He..." Melody trailed off, not wanting to tell him the rest.

     "What did he say, Mel?" Oak's voice sounded deadly calm. Melody looked over at Nora, forgetting she hadn't told her about what he had said.

       "He said he would forget about the bounty if I had sex with him." She cringed at the words. Nora gasped and Oak cursed before punching a wall, the video on his end going black. "Oak?"

       "I'm here, sweetheart. That motherfucker! Where is everyone?" The anger was full force in his voice but all she saw was the black screen. He was moving around and she winced as something crashed.

         "Kaden and Chuck are in the back office and Mick is hanging out with a bunch of the prospects and members." Nora spoke up, surprising them both.

       "She knows everything, Oak. She's the one that came to me about overhearing the two of them talking about me." Melody felt relief when the screen came back showing Oak. "Where are you?" He seemed to be in a hotel room but she didn't hear or see anyone else.

         "Somewhere outside Idaho. We were being followed so we went north and lost them in the Rockies. Don't worry, I talked to Wyatt earlier and Coal is doing fine. They are still in New Mexico. I'm leaving now but I want you to find Mick and tell him what you told me. Don't go anywhere alone. Mel, I mean it. GPS says ten hours but I know I can do it in eight." He was shoving stuff into a duffle before stepping outside the hotel room.

        "Be careful, Oak. I promise you don't have to worry about me, I'll be here." He focused completely on her, the screen filled up by his face once again.

      "I'll see you soon, sweetheart. Be safe." Melody fingered the blank screen before placing the Ipad on the bed. Rubbing her hands over her face, she felt exhaustion take over and just wanted to lie down and sleep.

       "You love him?" Nora's voice broke the silence. Melody looked over in surprise at the question. Love? Did she love him?   Their relationship had certainly started off weird but the threat of danger had kept her from really evaluating her feelings.

       "He was unexpected in all this and I can't go there yet. There is too much going on for me to see a future right now." Melody saw the sad smile on Nora's face but knew she had to stay focused. If she didn't, then there wouldn't be much of her life left to see how she felt about Oak.

           "Well he sure seems to be doing a lot for someone that doesn't know if she loves him. I would do anything for those that I love." She forgot how young Nora was, that to her this whole thing would seem dangerously exciting as if this was a dark fairytale playing out. She wished she could think that way but life had dealt her too many lessons for her to turn starry eyed now.    

         "I know I care for him. Rushing into this would be stupid of me with my track record with men. There's still so much we don't even know about each other. We just met a few months ago." Melody sat up and thought back to those first few days, realizing then there had been something pulling them together. It felt longer than that but she know she realized how quickly this feeling was morphing into something she was scared of feeling again. Love got you hurt, life had repeatedly knocked at her door with this message. Cringing the memories away, Melody smiled briefly and focused on her next mission.

           "Come on, let's go see Mick. Hopefully, I can get the heck out of here before they find me again." Melody rose from the bed and and stuffed her feet into sneakers before dragging a sweatshirt over her head. Nora followed her from the room but quickly took the lead to show her where Mick was hanging out. Members of the Red Devil's laughed around Mick as his jolly, big belly jiggled with his own laughter.

        "Nora, pumpkin, where did you run off to?" Mick's voice boomed out as he spotted Nora and Melody coming towards them.

      "Uncle Mick, can we talk to you privately?" Nora's innocent, sweet voice had Mick's features softening further as he motioned around him for the other men to give them space.

       "Now, what is it? Did someone do something?" Melody smiled at his steely voice, comforted at how serious he was when it came to watching over Nora. Crossing her arms, she stepped forward and shook her head.

        "No, it's me that's in trouble. Nora just overheard some of it." Melody explained about the situation and was curious when Mick didn't seem surprised at the mention of the cartel. Mick's eyebrows rose high as he looked around before responding.

        "Where is Chuck? He tried spouting off the other day. Oak know?" Mick might not be heavily involved with the workings of his club but he was still the President for a reason. He kept focused and aware of everything going on around him and had probably already known the true story this whole time.

          "Yes, he is on his way here now but I don't know who is with him. He kept saying we so I am hoping he has some of the guys with him. Oak said to come to you." Melody felt at a loss, not sure Mick knew the full extent of what was going on.

       "Don't you worry, I am fully informed. I may be old by I ain't dead yet." He winked before his face became serious again. "Now, you girls should hang out back in your room while I deal with this. Don't answer for anyone until then, you hear?"

      Nora spoke up, stopping him as he made his way back towards the offices.  "Can we go back to my place? Won't it be safer?" Nora asked hopefully as they both waited with baited breath.

         He turned around and raised a finger at them both. "I'll send over Kaden. Don't open to anyone else?" Mick growled out before stomping back towards the offices.

        Relief coursed through Melody as they made their way back to her room. She quickly grabbed a bag and shoved some clothes, her iPad and essentials inside before closing the bedroom door and following Nora outside. She was looking forward to getting away from the loud and obnoxious partying going on at the clubhouse. Mick knew they would be safer as most were drunk and would be useless if someone attacked. They jumped into Nora's Civic and took off down back roads before pulling up in front of a one story ranch similar to her old one. The ride was silent and tense, Melody laying a hand on Nora's forearm in reassurance once the car was off. Nora looked over and smiled bravely, despite the fear that Melody could see in her eyes.

        "Home sweet home. Come on, I have an extra bedroom you can put your stuff in." Nora raced out of the car and opened the house up with lights blazing. Melody met her inside, taking in the flowery decorations and mismatched furniture. It didn't fit Nora's quirky personality and made her feel as if they were stepping into someone else's home. It had been her mother's house before so she may have just kept it the same. She dropped her bag on the bed in the room Nora showed her to before she headed back to the kitchen.

       "Are you hungry? I just loaded up on food." Nora was already sticking her head inside the fridge as Melody nodded.  She felt tired but still needed to keep her strength up.  They threw together sandwiches and sat down to enjoy their small meal before Melody let out a huge yawn.

      She could feel the adrenaline running out again and knew she needed to sleep before taking on what tomorrow would bring. "I'm going to have to call it quits, Nora. Thank you so much for this and being so understanding." Melody truly felt grateful. She didn't have many friends in her life and being able to count on the few who were meant everything.

           "Go ahead, I'll get this. I'll wake you if Uncle Mick calls." Saying goodnights, Nora stayed up to clean while she fell onto the guest bed with a sigh of relief. Feeling slightly guilty, she wondered how Mick was fairing with Chuck and if Kaden was still trustworthy. She wished she could call Oak right now but knew it was better for him to focus on the road and make it safely to where she was. Pulling her gun from her back, she laid it underneath her pillow before stripping down to her tank and underwear.

        Settled in the bed, she heard Nora finishing up and head past her door to her own room.  On her stomach, she plumped the pillow and felt for her gun. Loosely, her fingers curled around the butt end and over the trigger gap keeping her finger safely off the trigger.  She heard a whispered voice and wondered who Nora was talking to. Forcing her mind to shut off, she focused on her breathing and projected a happy reunion in her head for tomorrow when she had Oak by her side. Strength coursed through her and she drifted off peacefully.

                                                     _______________________________________

              Screaming woke her up, her hand instantly closing around her gun and finger ready on the trigger. She padded over to her door and put her ear to it, waiting for more sound.
Her eyes widened as she heard a man's voice before whimpering from Nora. Looking around she threw on sweatpants before cracking open her bedroom door. Light could be seen under the door of Nora's room and she held back a scream of her own as something suddenly crashed behind it.
              Cursing from a harsh voice mixed with Nora's crying had Melody rushing down the short hallway and springing open her bedroom door. Instantly, she raised her gun and trained it on a stranger all in black with their face covered by a ski mask.
            "Stop right there! Don't move!" Melody called out as she found Nora cowering in the corner. The room was a mess and evident of a struggle but Melody now focused on the man in front of her. His head was cocked and staring at her but she clicked the hammer for good effect. He didn't waver and only seemed to be waiting for her to make the next move. Or was he waiting for something else?
             She slowly moved away from the door and kept her back towards the corner facing the man in black. Away from the doorway she could see what was coming down the hall and wondered who these people were. Another figure clothed in all black with a ski mask came quietly down the hall and stopped at the open doorway.
              "Fuck this, shoot now and ask questions later." Melody ground out as she swung the gun on the new intruder and pulled the trigger. The loud bang echoed deafeningly in the room but Melody trained the gun quickly on the man standing over Nora.
            "You don't move. Nora, crawl over to me now." Melody kept the gun on the man who still was staring at her strangely while Nora scuttled across the floor and stood behind Melody.
            "Who the fuck are you?!" Melody practically screamed out as her ears were still ringing from the shot. The other man lay groaning on the floor as she saw blood seeping from a wound in his abdomen.
             The man standing pulled his mask down and smiled with such evil intent that Melody found herself shivering in fear. Chuck stood before her, making her wonder who the man on the floor was.
          "Hello, Melody. Why don't you put that gun down before we hurt you." We registered too late as she felt her body shoved from behind, her gun flying from her hand as her head bounced off the floor.