“No!” His shouts echoed in the dark quiet room, sweat pouring from his forehead and chest. Fingers clenched the sheets surrounding his hard, naked, muscular body. Bryant Kohfield jerked up into sitting position, digging his palms into his eyes. His body was shaking uncontrollably as he drew his knees to his chest. He wrapped his arms around his knees as he began rocking back and forth on the bed. He couldn’t remember how he’d come to this motel room; he shook his head, clamping his hands over his ears. His chest heaved with each deep breath he took.

The nightmare still had its grip over him. Raking his fingers through his shoulder length blonde hair, visions of faces that were coated with blood filled his mind. Bryant glanced over at the plasma TV sitting on the wooden dresser across the room. He knew what he’d find on the intergalactic news when he turned it on.

“I have to know.” Cringing before sliding off the bed, his legs shook and he groaned out loud as he slowly made his way across the room. His hand shook uncontrollably when he reached out and turned on the TV. Returning to the bed, he reached across to the nightstand for the brown bottle of pills and shook out two capsules into his hand. Popping them into his mouth, he tossed the bottle to the side on the bed. He ran his hands down his face as the news switched to more interesting stories.

“Late breaking new, this just came in on the wire. A couple is found murdered in their own home. The police don’t have any leads as to the identity of the person responsible for the murders.” The anchorwoman paused as she pressed her fingers into her ear. “It’s been reported the couple who was murdered only two hours ago, it is Ambassador Yearn and his wife, Lora.”

“No, it can’t be true,” Bryant muttered. Deciding he’d had enough; he turned off the TV, placing his hands over the edge of the dresser. His head hung low with his eyes closed tight. One of his hands fisted then began to pound on the dresser. “I have to leave. Get as far away from the city as soon as I can get out.” Bryant turned and found his clothes on the floor near the bed. They were bloody. He let out a deep sigh as he leaned over to pull out a bag from underneath the bed. Tossing the bag on the bed he shook his head. “What the hell is happening to me?

“How did I know that I’d find a bag under the bed? What is going on here?” he murmured. He sat down on the bed, staring at the bag with wide eyes. Slowly, he reached out to pull the bag closer to him. He unzipped the bag, peering inside as he held his breath. He let it out as he pulled out some clean clothes. A large yellow envelope was tucked underneath them. His fingers began to tremble as he pulled it out, undoing the flap.

Air rushed out of his lungs, when a receipt fell out for ten thousand credits that had been placed into his account. The papers fell from his numb fingers and onto the bed. His eyes wide, he stared at them. Bryant jumped off the bed and began to dress in jerky movements.