Agent E2: Aidan (Superhero Romance) (The D.I.R.E. Agency) (15 page)

Tristan spoke up. “There’s a
definite
risk of you not coming back.”

Aidan shrugged. “Every day I go out, I run the risk of not coming back. It’s part of my job. But that’s not what you’re talking about, is it?”

Robinson shook his head. “Precise speed is everything in this endeavor, Aidan. If you reach the speed of light, you could end up in timelessness forever.”

Aidan absorbed that for a moment. Wasn’t heaven timeless? And forever? Would that be so bad?

At this point, anything would be better than life without Cass.

Robinson said, “The suit, in conjunction with your system, gives you the ability to adjust your velocity relative to the speed of light. If you reach the speed of light, it would be of your own doing.”

“Wouldn’t I need an antenna or some type of amplifier in order to create a storm the magnitude they’ve created with their machine?”

“You’d need more energy than an average, everyday antenna or lightning rod could create. You’d need a radio tower or cell phone tower,” Robinson said.

“So, if I go back to nineteen forty-four, I’d have to find a radio tower to help me get back.”

“Yes, and based on my research, Princeton, New Jersey, had a radio tower.”

Aidan knew Einstein had worked for the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton during the war. It was the logical place to go.

He could do this. 

Mitchell stepped forward. “Aidan, we wouldn’t attempt this unless we were sure of its potential. We could do a test run today to see if the concept worked.”

“Today?” Tristan said. “Why the hurry?”

“I think it’s imperative we act on this now, while Chalmers is under pressure to deliver gun technology or retrieve the gold.”

Aidan gave a firm nod. “I’ll do it.”

Tristan glared at him. “Shouldn’t you discuss this with your sister, first?”

He knew what Tristan implied. Rachel had lost a lot recently. He didn’t want to worry her more, but when it came down to ensuring a safe future for her and Jacobs, his future nieces and nephews, and Cass, he’d take the dangerous road any day.

“Jacobs, she has you now. If I can go back in time and stop these assholes, I’m going to do it.”

“Hold up a minute, Monroe.” Mitchell held up his hand. “This trip would just be for intel. No engagement. We want to alter the past as little as possible.”

What the hell? “No, sending me back with possibly no way to get home wouldn’t alter the past at all.”

Mitchell’s nostrils flared. “Are you telling me you’re going to screw this up?”

Aidan shot out of his chair. “No, I’m telling you that if I get there and can do something to stop them, I want to do it.”

Closing the distance between them, Mitchell spoke in a calm, ominous voice. “And, I’m telling you
no
. If you can’t accept a direct order, we need to start dismantling procedures now.”

Quit ruining your life.
Rachel’s words sounded like an air raid siren in Aidan’s head.

He’d nearly lost his job yesterday. Mitchell had given him another chance. Not only a chance, but the opportunity to make history.

Would he actually argue with Mitchell over whether or not he would put himself in danger during a time when he had no modern-day technology at his disposal?

Use your head, Monroe.

Stepping back, Aidan held up his hands. “No engagement. Got it.”

Hands on hips, Mitchell studied him. “Isn’t it enough that you’d be the first man ever to time travel without a machine? Is that bar too low for you, Monroe?”

Aidan cleared his throat. “No sir.”

Mitchell and Tristan pulled back their heads in obvious surprise.

“What?” Aidan glanced back and forth between them. “I’m

showing some respect.”

Robinson laughed.

Shaking his head, Mitchell turned away. “Save it, Monroe.

I like you better as a dissident.”

“So, are we doing this today, after the debriefing?” Robinson said.

“That all depends…” Tristan said, “…On whether his sister kills him first.”

Aidan stood a few feet from the cell tower on the D.I.R.E. roof. He stared at the endless desert below, as the sun set over the mountains in the distance.

Robinson’s suit fit him like a glove, his system adapting to it without flaw. All of the preliminary tests went off without a hitch. Even the time travel test that sent him back to the D.I.R.E. garage two hours earlier, worked beautifully.

The experience had felt like he flew in an F-35 Lightning - only a billion times faster. The short excursion made him nauseous, but otherwise, he came through it okay.

“
Aidan
.”

Turning around, Aidan watched Rachel run to him from the elevator. Mitchell had kept their testing under strict security today. His sister was bound to be livid by now.

She hit him full force, punching him on the chest with both fists. He stumbled back.

“How can you do this?”

Her anguished voice caused his weak stomach to cramp even more. “Sis, I’ll be fine. Today’s tests all went well.”

“Aidan, if I lose you too, they’ll have to commit me, I swear...”

Aidan gave her a comforting grin. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. I promise.”

She stood hands on hips. “How can you promise that? If Mitchell felt the need to warn you, the threat is serious.”

Nodding, he dropped his arms. “I realize that, but I have to do this.” He clutched her upper arms. “Just think, if we can perfect time travel, our ability to keep the world safe will be nearly fool-proof.”

“I understand that. Why does it have to be now? Why can’t someone else test it?”

“We have to act now while Chalmers is under pressure to deliver. And, if you know another human electrical conductor, have him give us a call. We can use him.”

Looking away, she shook her head.

“Look, Sis. It was either this, or leave D.I.R.E. You’re the one that told me to quit ruining my life. I’m trying to do that.”

“I’m going to kill Mitchell…”

“Sis, he’s just trying to do the right thing and protect the future.”

Her wide-eyed gaze shot to him. “The right thing?
Mitchell
?”

What was she implying? That Mitchell had an ulterior motive?

“Why do you say that?”

“He’s hidden so much from us, Aidan. I just don’t trust him.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out. I need to go.”

Stepping away from him, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “Tristan told me you were dead set on this.”

“He’s right.”

She looked up at him with watery, aqua eyes that had seen too much crying lately. “So, you’re not going to change your mind?”

He shook his head slowly. “I’m doing this so your children will have a safer world to live in.”

“Without their uncle.”

“I’ll be back.” He said it in his best Terminator voice.

“This isn’t funny, Aidan.”

No, if it wasn’t so serious, he wouldn’t be going at all.

Rachel sighed. “If you’re going, you need to get matters in order.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You may never see any of us again. Don’t leave without settling things. You need to tell Cass how you feel.”

#####

“He’s what?”

Hidden in a far corner, away from the agents, Cass sat back in the plastic cafeteria chair, her half-eaten pasta forgotten. Her heart sat paralyzed, her mind numb with disbelief.

Rachel stood at her elbow, her disposition guarded. “I just thought you’d want to know.”

“Even I have to admit that’s cool.” Glancing up at Rachel, Dar stared at Cass across the white acrylic table before taking a bite of baked potato.

“Cool?” Rachel glared at him. “It’s dangerous.”

Dar swallowed. “Rachel, where would mankind be if we were too scared to fly to the moon, or perform surgery or… build a car?”

“I get it, Dar. I just don’t understand why it has to be
my
brother,
right now
.”

A part of Cass marveled at Dar and Rachel’s civil conversation. They were actually talking to each other. However, Aidan’s disloyalty screamed for attention in Cass’s mind. She really
didn’t
mean anything to him if he could do something like this without even telling her.

Time travel. Could he endeavor anything more dangerous? It sounded right up Aidan’s alley.

She’d thought he lost his job. Had Mitchell given him another chance or, was this an ultimatum?

The thought infuriated her.

You hate him. Let it go.

If she hated him, why did tears burn at the back of her throat?

Dar waved away Rachel’s concern. “He’ll be fine, Rachel.”

Cass fisted her hand on the table. “How do you know that? There are so many factors out of his control, Dar. What if he gets hurt while he’s there? Or killed? What if he gets stuck in timelessness forever?”

The last was her undoing.

Jumping up from the table, she ran from the room. She had to get away, had to find some way not to think about it.

Not to care.

Two strong arms stopped her just outside the cafeteria door. She saw the copper and gold armbands in her peripheral vision. His stupid, distracting, intoxicating scent filled her nostrils.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

She wrenched herself free even though the need to hold him overwhelmed her. “You.”

Cass rushed on, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

She didn’t care.
She did not.

Catching her by the arm, Aidan turned her around. His touch felt warm, comforting, rather than electric.

“Now what did I do? I haven’t even talked to you.”

“Exactly.” She tore away her arm and rushed on.

He turned her around again. “Why would I talk to you, Cass? You said you hated me last night.”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “You weren’t time traveling to nineteen forty-four last night.”

“And?”

“
And
? You didn’t think I’d want to know that?”

He mimicked her pose. “Frankly, no.”

Her mouth fell open. Who was she kidding?

She didn’t hate this beautiful, arrogant, stubborn man. She loved him, with everything inside of her.

He didn’t know. He really didn’t know how much he meant to her. How could he? Then again, did he honestly think she’d allow him to do those things to her if she didn’t care about him? Had he grown so used to women doing...
that
with him that he’d forgotten how powerful and beautiful it could be? Should be?

What was the point in saying anything now? He left tomorrow. She may never see him again.

On the other hand, did she want her last words with him to be
this
? This anger and bitterness that masked her true feelings? This anger and bitterness that protected her fear of losing him?

Lifting her chin, she tried to smile and failed. “Good luck tomorrow.”

He frowned at her. “Thanks.”

“I hope everything goes well.”

He gave a brief nod. “Me, too.”

Cass walked away, her heart in her throat. All of her life, Dar and her father had faced dangerous situations. She’d grown used to it.

With Aidan, the idea absolutely terrified her. She hated the fear. She didn’t want to feel it. How could she make it go away when the source of it had become the most important thing in her life?

Turning around, Cass saw Aidan remained in the same spot, same position, just watching her.

She walked backwards. “Be careful.”

He took a few seconds to answer. “I will.”

Rounding the corner, Cass sprinted down the hall.

Where are you going, Cassandra?

To see her father?
No
. Thank God he’d been asleep when she stopped in earlier.

Back to her room? To do what? Think about Aidan, worry about Aidan, long for him to be right there beside her in bed?

Cass stopped in her tracks. She loved Aidan Monroe. Would she really spend this night without him, knowing it could be their last?

No.

Turning around, she ran back down the hall, tossing

her father, Aidan’s temper, her family loyalty, all of it, out the window. She was tired of holding back, tired of living in fear, tired of living for everyone else.

About twenty feet from the turn, Cass stopped short when Aidan rounded the corner jogging toward her.