Natalie parked her car outside the abandoned factory, she didn't expect to see the lot as full as it was. Three people smiled at her and wished her a good evening as she walked past the other. She returned the gestures with more of a happy grimace than a smile and walked onward. A makeshift sign above the front door pointed out her destination and she willed her legs to move forward. She knew that what could be found beyond that sign was exactly what she needed.
Natalie walked through the door and waited in a line of three. To her left, she saw several classmates laughing together as they built up a true story into fiction. A group of moms to her right were showing either baby or cat pictures to each other on their phones. There was even a group of elderly folks playing checkers in the corner. Natalie was too busy checking out the variety to notice she was the next in line.
"Welcome to Go Home Alien's Treasure Chapter." The perky woman at the table looked proud of every word she'd uttered. "How can I help you, young lady?"
Natalie stood up straight. "I'm Natalie Dormer. I believe you guys are expecting me."
PART TWO
Chapter 12
Natalie realized she must have been a little early to the GHA meeting, as at least a hundred more members showed up to the abandoned factory after she had. She probably couldn't even call it an abandoned factory anymore – after all, the inside looked more like a posh country club than a dilapidated example of the state's crumbling industrial work. The massive space had been broken down into expansive rooms with white walls and chandeliers. She expected the facility would see more wedding guests than factory workers, going forward.
A crowd of parents with their young children gathered around a video monitor. Natalie adjusted her trial member's badge and walked over. The screen showed two teenagers laughing with an upbeat, excessively happy song playing in the background. Natalie recognized them immediately. A graphic on the screen memorialized the Torellos' deaths and intercut a touched-up photograph with the security footage of Ted throwing one of Nigel's goons through the jukebox.
They're teaching everybody to hate Ted , she thought.
Natalie felt a hand on her back. After suppressing her instinct to punch whoever it was, she turned to find herself face-to-face with Travis Conner.
"I'm in that video, you know." Travis tugged at the bandage on his free hand. "It's being used in every GHA meeting in the U.S. I'm kind of famous."
Natalie wanted to ignore him. She knew exactly how he'd injured that hand, and even though she wasn't speaking to Dhiraj, there was nothing manly about three-on-one odds.
"Fame can be good." Natalie looked away from him and back toward the video, which was starting over from the beginning. "If you're famous for the right reasons."
Travis stood in front of her to block the view. "I've been told I'm supposed to show you around."
"They trust you with that much responsibility?" Natalie let out a chuckle. "You can't even throw a decent right cross."
Travis rubbed his bandage. "You know, I'm surprised you're even here." He placed his hands on Natalie's shoulders. "Using your real name, too. That's bold, seeing as you used to date the 'hero' himself."
Natalie placed Travis' hands back by his sides.
"Trying to be with the new Ted has gotten me stabbed in the back, literally, and double-crossed, figuratively," she said. "I think I'm in the right place."
Travis stuck his lips out a bit as he nodded. "Can I see it?" Travis gestured toward her back.
Natalie raised her eyebrows. "Seriously?"
Travis grinned. "Scars are cool."
Even though she tended to stay away from jocks, the smile helped Natalie understand why Travis rarely found himself without company. The way his face lit up compelled her to comply.
Natalie obliged, turning around and lifting up her shirt just enough to show the scar.
"Ted did that?" Travis asked.
Natalie pulled her shirt down
Natalie walked through the door and waited in a line of three. To her left, she saw several classmates laughing together as they built up a true story into fiction. A group of moms to her right were showing either baby or cat pictures to each other on their phones. There was even a group of elderly folks playing checkers in the corner. Natalie was too busy checking out the variety to notice she was the next in line.
"Welcome to Go Home Alien's Treasure Chapter." The perky woman at the table looked proud of every word she'd uttered. "How can I help you, young lady?"
Natalie stood up straight. "I'm Natalie Dormer. I believe you guys are expecting me."
PART TWO
Chapter 12
Natalie realized she must have been a little early to the GHA meeting, as at least a hundred more members showed up to the abandoned factory after she had. She probably couldn't even call it an abandoned factory anymore – after all, the inside looked more like a posh country club than a dilapidated example of the state's crumbling industrial work. The massive space had been broken down into expansive rooms with white walls and chandeliers. She expected the facility would see more wedding guests than factory workers, going forward.
A crowd of parents with their young children gathered around a video monitor. Natalie adjusted her trial member's badge and walked over. The screen showed two teenagers laughing with an upbeat, excessively happy song playing in the background. Natalie recognized them immediately. A graphic on the screen memorialized the Torellos' deaths and intercut a touched-up photograph with the security footage of Ted throwing one of Nigel's goons through the jukebox.
They're teaching everybody to hate Ted , she thought.
Natalie felt a hand on her back. After suppressing her instinct to punch whoever it was, she turned to find herself face-to-face with Travis Conner.
"I'm in that video, you know." Travis tugged at the bandage on his free hand. "It's being used in every GHA meeting in the U.S. I'm kind of famous."
Natalie wanted to ignore him. She knew exactly how he'd injured that hand, and even though she wasn't speaking to Dhiraj, there was nothing manly about three-on-one odds.
"Fame can be good." Natalie looked away from him and back toward the video, which was starting over from the beginning. "If you're famous for the right reasons."
Travis stood in front of her to block the view. "I've been told I'm supposed to show you around."
"They trust you with that much responsibility?" Natalie let out a chuckle. "You can't even throw a decent right cross."
Travis rubbed his bandage. "You know, I'm surprised you're even here." He placed his hands on Natalie's shoulders. "Using your real name, too. That's bold, seeing as you used to date the 'hero' himself."
Natalie placed Travis' hands back by his sides.
"Trying to be with the new Ted has gotten me stabbed in the back, literally, and double-crossed, figuratively," she said. "I think I'm in the right place."
Travis stuck his lips out a bit as he nodded. "Can I see it?" Travis gestured toward her back.
Natalie raised her eyebrows. "Seriously?"
Travis grinned. "Scars are cool."
Even though she tended to stay away from jocks, the smile helped Natalie understand why Travis rarely found himself without company. The way his face lit up compelled her to comply.
Natalie obliged, turning around and lifting up her shirt just enough to show the scar.
"Ted did that?" Travis asked.
Natalie pulled her shirt down
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