Chapter Three     The sun had been up for a couple of hours when Liz pulled her Jeep into Charleston. She sighed in relief and prayed she could stay awake long enough to get them there in one piece.   She picked up her cell and hit the redial, praying that the number Kevin had dialed earlier went to a cell phone.   "Hello," a voice answered.   "Is this Rok?" she asked hesitantly.   "Who wants to know?" the voice on the other end asked. She could hear is obvious reluctance, and she couldn't blame him. He had no idea what was going on, only that his friend had called him the night before and demanded that he and his other friends get out of town. No further explanation than that.   "This is Liz. Kevin is with me and we should be at the hotel in fifteen minutes" she answered.   "Oh thank God! Is he okay?" Rok asked. Liz looked over at Kevin and noticed his cheeks were flushed. "He's sleeping right now, but he looks like he's starting to run a fever. Will you meet me in the lobby? I don't know if I'll be able to get him in by myself."   "I'll be there, and Liz, thank you."   "You're welcome" she said and then hit the end button, disconnecting the call.    Rok paced the lobby of the hotel restlessly, keeping his eye on the parking lot. His nerves were stretched tight and he was going crazy with all the possibilities running through his head. Whatever was going on, it had to be something huge. Kevin wouldn't just call him up and demand that he and the guys get out of town as soon as possible if it wasn't important. He glanced out at the parking lot to see if they had arrived yet. When he determined that they hadn't he resumed his nervous pacing.   Liz pulled into the parking lot and gently shook Kevin to wake him. "We're here, do you think you can make it inside?" Kevin rubbed the sleep from his eyes and nodded. Liz quickly grabbed her suitcase  and walked around to assist Kevin. "Just lean on me" she instructed as she slipped her arm around his waist. He rested his left arm on her shoulder and they crossed the parking lot.     "Oh my God!" Liz's head jerked up and saw a man with sandy brown hair rushing up to them. Assuming that the man was Rok, she whispered, "Easy, he's been shot."   "What?" he nearly screamed in shock.    "Keep your voice down. Help me get him to his room and I'll tell you what I know" she said, her irritation and lack of sleep begining to wear on her.   "Hey you two, I am right here" Kevin stated, annoyed at being talked about as if he wasn't there.   "Sorry cuz" Rok said, taking the suitcase from Liz and moving to Kevin's other side to help steady him. They rode to the fifth floor and Rok led them to Kevin's room.     Liz helped Kevin to the bed, while Rok set her suitcase down. She crossed the room and opened her suitcase and pulled out the first aid kit she had packed. "Let me have a look Kevin" she said as she came to stand beside him.   Kevin grimaced as Liz reached to remove his shirt. "What are you doing?" Rok hissed, shocked at her familiarity with his cousin.   "Take it easy Brian. She's just changing my bandage" Kevin said as Liz slid the shirt down his injured arm.   Brian looked at Kevin like he was crazy and then he gasped as he noticed the blood stained bandage on Kevin's arm.      "Can you get me a warm wet washcloth?" Liz asked as she concentrated on removing the soiled gauze. Brian nodded and went to get the desired item.   "God Kevin what happened?" he asked as he watched Liz expertly clean and rebandage the wound.   Kevin looked at Liz with eyes that pleaded for her to tell him.   "Well?" Brian asked. Liz quickly explained everything that she had been told by Kevin the night before, and the events up until that moment.   She was so exhausted that she didn't realize that anyone else was in the room until she heard four distinct gasps echoing in the silence.    She looked up to find not only Brian, but three other young men standing in front of her.   "So what do we do now?" a tall blonde haired, blue eyed guy asked.   "We need to get in touch with the police who are working the case and let them know what happened. Then, Kevin needs to sleep and frankly so do I," she smiled at them and continued, "I have a house, its in the country, plenty of room. Its far enough from the city to be safe, but close enough if we should need anything. Going there will depend on what the police have to say."   The four men in front of her were grateful they didn't have to take charge. They were scared stiff.   Brian dialed the police in Orlando, at Liz's request and asked to speak with Detective Duncan. He then handed the phone to Kevin, who recanted the events of the previous twenty-four hours. The five other occupants of the room listened silently to Kevin's side of the conversation.      "I didn't think to call last night, and to be honest I'm not all that thrilled with the protection I was given....No Absolutely not. By now those people know who I am, who my friends are and where we live. There is no way I'm coming back until this is resolved. ...Fine send him, okay her up here. Have her ask for Elizabeth Conners. ...Right at the Holiday Inn by the airport in Charleston. Okay I'll see her then." Kevin hung up with a frustrated sigh and without saying good-bye.   "What'd they say Kev?" the guy with tattoos asked.   "They wanted me to come back into the station, like that was going to happen" he said with an indignant huff. "They're sending a Detective Julie Doyle to stay with us. She'll be arriving at four this afternoon. She's to ask for Liz at the front desk," he finished relaying the information, totally drained of all energy. Liz noticed his drooping eyelids and suggested they leave him to sleep.     As they stepped into the hall Brian turned to Liz. "I don't know if we've thanked you yet, but let me say it now. Thank you for helping Kevin. Not very many people would've involved themselves."   "Brian, I'd have done it for anyone. I'm just glad I could help," Liz said giving Kevin's friends a tired smile.   "Looks like someone else needs to get some sleep," a dark haired man with a pony tail said.    Liz smiled and replied, "Yes I do! I haven't slept in over twenty-four hours." Brian handed her a key and led her to the room next to Kevin's.    Liz unlocked the door and entered the room, letting the door close behind her. She was worn out, bone tired, and ready for some serious sleep. She dropped her suitcase by the door and laid down on the bed, pulling the covers over her.   Her thoughts ran in circles going over everything she knew about what had happened. Things didn't quite make sense and she couldn't put her finger on it. Giving it up as useless, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.