LOST AND ALONE

Chapter 2

Bryce didn't look up when the two policemen walked into the motel room.

"Young man," the shorter of the two officers said, firmly while the other searched the room. "You have three minutes to get dressed and hand over your credit and ident tubes."

"I can't," Bryce said simply.

The taller officer looked at the window then went outside to resume his search.

"Listen, kid," the shorter one continued, "my partner is going out back to search. So if you've hidden your things outside in an attempt to get out of paying these nice people you'd better tell me now."

"I haven't," Bryce insisted. "Look I don't even know how I got here! The last thing I remember was trying to sort out a project I was working on."

The taller officer walked in.

"Nothing," he said. "Kid's clean."

"Hey," the shorter one said in a wholly different tone. "Sorry, kid. You wouldn't believe the jerks we get around here who try to stiff people."

"I can believe it," Bryce told them. "I work in Network television."

"Really? What show are you on?"

"None, actually," Bryce explained. "I'm head of Research and Development."

The taller man looked skeptical. "If you're so smart, how'd you wind up in this mess?"

Bryce shrugged. "Fair question. I guess there is a difference between wisdom and intelligence."

"There is," the shorter officer said, "intelligence is natural, wisdom is earned. You'll get more as you go along. Okay, I need to ask you a couple of questions so we can figure out exactly what the situation is that you're in."

"Such as?" Bryce asked.

"Do you know what day this is?"

"Sure," Bryce told him. "It's Friday evening."

"And how exactly did you feel when you woke up?"

"Like a train had run over me," Bryce explained. "No… skip the train. Like I got run over by a hundred tanks."

"I think we'd better have a doctor examine you." the shorter officer said. He looked up at the motel manager and handed him a credit tube."Take off whatever is owed for the room plus the cost of the sheet."

"Never mind," the manager shook his head. "I'm really sorry, kid. I just thought you were a stiffer. Under the circumstances, you don't owe us anything."

"Thanks," Bryce said gratefully. "Officer? Why do you want to take me to the hospital?"

Very delicately, the shorter metrocop replied. "It's Wednesday."

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