Chapter 6: Baby doll.

Kane and Juliet grabbed a quick bite at a roadside stall, the aroma of fried bread lingering as they climbed back into the Demon. Their journey toward Ashwick resumed, the engine's rumble a steady pulse. After the diner outburst, Juliet moved with an awkward stiffness, her gaze avoiding his. Though their trip had been mostly silent, a new tension hung in the air, thick and unspoken. To her surprise, only she seemed to feel it. Kane drove on, his demeanor unchanged.

The awkwardness stretched, the miles ticking by. Finally, Juliet broke the silence.

"...Aren't you gonna ask?"

Kane glanced at her, his expression even. He turned back to the road and said:

"Do you want me to ask?"

She was taken aback, though her face remained a mask. Her eyes locked on him, a complicated mix of thoughts flickering—nothing to ponder, yet she lingered. After a moment, she said:

"....No."

Kane looked at her again. Juliet stared ahead, her face blank.

In their minds, unvoiced thoughts aligned.

'Strange guy.'

'Strange woman.'

**

Time slipped by, the night giving way to dawn. They took turns driving, the landscape shifting from dark highways to golden fields. By morning, they stopped at a diner. Inside, the clatter of plates and murmur of voices filled the air. They ate heartily—pancakes for her, eggs for him— the warmth of the meal easing the chill between them.

Kane lingered over coffee, grabbing a newspaper from the counter. He skimmed the general news, then turned to local reports. A headline caught his eye, a photo drawing his attention. He read:

'Wanted: Nora Jenkins, Age 24. The woman in the photograph is sought in connection with a brutal murder. The victim, Thomas Jenkins, 52, was found with his face savagely beaten with a blunt weapon. Authorities consider her armed and dangerous, and police continue their search.'

Juliet emerged from the restroom, her steps slowing as she approached the table. She froze a few paces away, spotting the newspaper in Kane's hands, her photo glaring from the page. Standing behind him, she couldn't read his expression— was he shocked? Scared? Confused? Her mind raced. What was he thinking? Would he listen if she explained? Would he cause a scene, draw attention? What if others recognized her? Panic tightened her chest. Would he call the police?

She glanced around, the diner's patrons oblivious, then turned and slipped out the back door.

Outside, she hurried to the Demon parked in front. She flung the door open, left the keys inside, and bolted down the road. Her legs pumped, driven by the need to be far from the diner before Kane noticed her absence or cops arrived. The morning air bit at her skin as she ran, her breath ragged.

After some distance, she slowed near a car repair shop, its garage doors open, tools clinking inside. A man stepped out of a truck, heading toward the shop. He was short and lean, in his twenties, with a skinny face and hair cropped unevenly short. A white T-shirt hung on his frame, jeans faded, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his fingers. Smoke curled upward as he moved.

Juliet froze, her eyes narrowing with a surge of anger and hatred. Memories she'd buried clawed at her—faces, voices. Her expression shifted from wariness to a dark malice, her fists clenching so tightly that blood seeped from her palms. She wanted to kill him, the urge a living fire in her chest.

She took a deep breath, forcing calm, and moved some distance away, staying out of sight. Her eyes burned with the same malice, but her posture steadied, calculating. The man reemerged, carrying a set of spark plugs, unaware of her gaze. As he neared his truck, a loud bang rang out. He stumbled, dizziness hitting as he dropped the plugs, clutching the back of his head where a throbbing pain flared. He turned, his vision blurring, and looked up.

A young woman loomed over him, raven-black hair framing a pale, drawn face. She was taller, a worn backpack slung over one shoulder, a black iron rod glinting in her hand. Her features tugged at his memory, but his head throbbed, thoughts scattering.

Her lips curled into a cold sneer, her voice dropping to a low, venomous whisper:

"Remember me, baby doll?"