-Pregnant? - she said, her voice an octave higher than usual.

Andre and Isaac had been awfully quite during the entire exchange. Her friend brought her hands to her belly in response, Isaac looking everywhere but in their eyes.

-You guys are even dumber than the computer nerd - said Jane picking her nails.

-Still bitter about last night love? - Mat winked at the immortal, clearly with a premature death wish. -Sorry ... I was trying to, quite literally, pick up your fake sister. -

-We accept your conditions - Emily stopped him before another discussion started. -You can have our blood samples and all, but we will need you to teach us using this ... device. And we are moving to Chicago to track the murders, so you are coming with us. -

Mat put a hand in front of his mouth. -Oh wow Luz, our first trip together so soon? Sure. But I will need some time to tell all my friends and family that they won't see me for a while - he waited a few seconds in silence. -Oh yeah wait, all dead. Ready to go. -

The girl didn't know if she wanted to be mad, hug or kiss the guy. His brain worked at such a speed that the emotions didn't even have the time to settle properly in his heart before they shifted. The luminous threads around him kept changing direction, the only constant one seemed to be the one towards her heart.

True to his words, it took Mat only a few minutes to pack all of his stuff, including the Magic Finder 2000. He already had a backpack ready in his small wardrobe, which made her think that this had been his plan all along.

The divided in two cars: one with Isaac, Andre and Jane and the other with her and Mat. She would have happily welcomed Jane's company, but her friend refused categorically to be locked with the guy for a 15 hours drive. Not that she was so eager, but maybe she could have found more about this new ally.

Mat's car was as old and dusty as his apartment, which made her wonder if they would ever reach Chicago. Alive.

Every bump of the road, every puddle, ever traffic light, Emily prayed to the Nature the car would not stop. She was holding on the passenger seatbelt so tight her knuckles were white.

-Relax Luz, I am an excellent driver. -he said, his hands leaving the wheel for a few seconds.

The girl did not feel any safer. -Are you even old enough to be driving? - she asked.

Mat went suddenly still as if she had found a soft spot. -I am 25, of course I am old enough to be driving. -

Girl could have sworn he looked a little younger than that, but who was her to judge anyone's age based on appearance? She found the sudden silence even more uncomfortable than his constant chatting.

-So you are part Spanish - she guessed. -The stupid nickname you gave me gave you away -

Mat's grin came back as bright as before. - My dad was Spanish - he agreed. -Didn't see him much, but he taught me the language pretty well. You can think of me as a Latino IronMan, if you wish. -

-But without money or raw sexual magnetism -

-Without money - he agreed humbly. 

She didn't deny.

They were back on Route 66, the desert looking immense outside her window. Emily imagined walking through the red sand forever, never finding an end. Most people would have felt terrified of the possibility, but that was her idea of paradise. Loneliness was the only thing that scared her.

-How is it ... being immortal I mean? - he asked with a cough. -Must be pretty cool right? Never dying and all. -

-It has its moments - she agreed, as the red sand continued in front of her eyes. - Most time it passed as a bit of blurr to be honest, cannot even remember the exact dates of most stuff. Plus, back when there was no Internet it was pretty hard to keep track of anything happening. -

Mat stared at her wide eyed. - You were born before CERN in 1989? - he gasped, regaining control of himself in a few instants. -I mean of course you were, you're immortal. Did you also witness the wheel being invented? -

The girl didn't know if he was serious or not. - Of course not, but I was there for Queen Victoria's coronation -

-20 June 1837 - he said automatically. His cheeks tinted with red. -Sorry... -

-That is pretty impressive - she acknowledged, trying to sound annoyed. -Do you just have to know everything? -

Mat forced out a laugh. - Just about everything I have ever seen or read- he pointed to his head. - Eidetic memory, a little present that my father left me together with ... my awesome Spanish features. -

That was pretty impressive. As they crossed into Nebraska, the red sand of the dunes gave space to yellow grass. The contrast with the blue of the sky made the landscape look like a Monet painting.

-You should get some sleep - he said. - I will ask you to drive in a bit -

Emily didn't want to oblige, but the drugged sleep of the night before had left her drowsy and exhausted. Before she could agree with him, her eyes closed and she was fast asleep.