Black Smoke (14 page)

“My God Sam,” he said pushing his hand through his damp hair. “You’ve been through hell haven’t you?”

“Don’t you dare pity me!” she said forcefully. “I don’t want your pity.” Sam stood and started pacing. “Ya know,” she said turning toward him. “I’ve never told anyone that story before. Except Uncle Walt. It almost feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.” To her surprise, her voice was calm. The pressure that was building behind her eyes eased and for the first time in her life she felt as if she could take a deep breath without something sitting on her chest.

He didn’t feel pity for her, not exactly. But at the moment it felt like someone was squeezing his heart. How could a child come through an experience like that and not hate the world? “The nightmares you have, is that what they’re about?” he asked softly.

“Yeah, I haven’t had them in years. They started again the day before Uncle Walt told me about this job. Why they started again, I don’t know.”

The way the moonlight was shining on her face made her look almost angelic. Her skin was pale, but with the moonlight, it glowed. He pictured her as a small child, happy and playing with dolls. Then he pictured her witnessing her mother being raped. Anger stirred in his gut.

“Did they ever catch the guys who did it?” he asked.

“No. When I was old enough, I requested the police reports. To me it seemed like they did a half-assed job. They worked the case for about six months, then the reports just stop,” Sam explained. “Some day, I think I’ll go looking for them myself,” she said in a dry, flat voice.

Kong felt a shiver run down his spine. Maybe it was the way she said it, or maybe it was the thought of her looking for her parents’ killers on her own. It didn’t matter what the reason, it felt wrong. Mentally shaking himself, he decided to press her further about her story.

“So, you heard voices in your head?” he said looking away from her. “Voices that told you how to escape? Voices that you still hear today?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.” Kong scrubbed his face again with his hands. “Did you ever talk to anyone about these voices?”

A small laugh slipped out of Sam’s mouth. “You think I’m crazy? You think I need to be locked up in a rubber room?” She looked to the sky. “I told you he’d think I was crazy.”

Give him time Samantha. This is not as new to him as he thinks it is.

Sam shook her head then looked back at Kong. If it hadn’t been such a serious situation, she would have laughed at his expression. He looked like a child who was being taught algebra and didn’t understand a word being said to him.

“Look. Whether you choose to believe me or not, it’s true. The voice I hear is my spirit guide. It’s how I’m so successful with my missions. It keeps me from harm, gives me information that I need and, well, besides my uncle Walt, it’s the only friend I have.”

Now that last statement made him sad. A voice in her head was the only friend this beautiful woman had? His heart squeezed a little bit tighter. It couldn’t all be hogwash. What he’d seen earlier was proof of that. He’d always believed in the afterlife. In God. Maybe this was the proof he’d always needed.

“Okay. Tell me more about this spirit guide. Tell me how it works.”

“Why?” she asked suspiciously. She’d watched his face as his emotions played across it while he thought.

“I want to understand,” he replied.

Sam sat on the ground with her legs crossed. “There really isn’t much to tell. I hear a whisper in my head that tells me when danger is near. Or it gives me information I may need to successfully complete my mission.”

“How do you know it’s not,” Kong started to stammer. “Ah, ya know.”

“How do I know it’s not just my own head playing tricks on me?” she asked with a smile.

The way he was stammering was cute. And he really did seem like he was trying to understand.

“It’s different. The voice has a different tone, a different style about it. For instance. There isn’t any slang.”

The crackle of the radio interrupted them. Kong looked from his radio to Sam. He had a lot more questions for her, but they’d have to wait now.

Chapter Eleven

“Kong, you readin’ me?”

Sam felt a sense of relief when she heard Ricochet’s voice. She knew they could handle themselves, but when you were part of a team, you always felt worry for your teammate. And for some reason, she felt a great deal of worry for these men. Even Kong.

“I’ve got ya Ricochet. Report,” Kong replied.

“We’ve reached the town, there aren’t many people moving around. I figure when the sun goes down, it’s safer indoors.”

“No doubt. Did you find the target?”

“Not yet. I just thought I’d let you know we made it to town. Boomer’s checking the map to find out how far away we are from it. When we find it, we’ll let you know.”

“Roger. Keep your asses low,” Kong told him.

“Roger that,” Ricochet replied.

Silence spread between the two, neither knowing what to do or say next. Sam wanted to head for town, but for some reason Kong wanted to hold back. She could tell he wanted to say something to her, but he was struggling with it.

“Ah, Sam, I don’t know, I mean…” he stammered.

“Just say it Lieutenant.”

“First of all, quit calling me Lieutenant. My name is Mark. And in all honesty, I’m blown away by your story. How you survived is a miracle in itself. I have the utmost respect for you. As for your voice you hear, well, I’ll just have to take your word for it. I’ve always believed in God and the afterlife. And after what I saw tonight, well, hell. I don’t know.”

Sam wasn’t prepared for the flutter she felt in her stomach when he told her he respected her. It was the nicest thing he’d said to her since they met. But she didn’t understand why it made her feel giddy. Maybe it was the way his face looked in the moonlight, or the way his damp hair was all mussed.

“What exactly did you see?” she asked curiously.

“Just what I said. You were covered in white light and then a gold ball of light appeared and floated over your body. It disappeared and two figures formed.” He wasn’t about to tell her what he’d heard inside his head. That was something he’d deal with later.

Sam sat listening intently. The gold light must have been her guide and it would explain how she healed so fast. But the white light and two figures, that she didn’t understand.
Remind me to ask you about this later,
she said to her guide, then pushed it aside.

“Well, at least you heard me out. Like I said, I’ve never told anyone my story before. People I work with only know me as Smoke and that I’m good at what I do. Beyond that, I’m nothing.”

“You’re not nothing!” Kong practically yelled. When Sam startled, he cursed himself. “I mean, if someone took the time to find out who you are, you’d have lots of friends.”

Sam could see color creeping into his cheeks. “Are you saying you’re my friend Mark?”

Kong looked over at her, he intended to tell her no, but when he saw the moonlight in her eyes, he figured he was just kidding himself. “Yeah Sam, I’m your friend.” He smiled.

“So, is this a truce? No more browbeating me, thinking I’m the enemy?”

Her smile melted all the indifference he’d felt toward her. All that was left was a need. After all she’d told him, his body still wanted her. “You’re not my enemy Sam.” The words came out thick and husky.

Sam shivered from the look he was giving her. Heat pooled in the center of her stomach, then began to travel lower. Try as she did, she couldn’t push the feeling away.

After clearing her throat, she said, “So we’re cool? I’m a team member just like the other two?”

“You’re a team member. But not like the other two,” he told her. “Not at all like the other two.”

The air between them seemed to grow thick and hot. Sam’s skin began to prickle and her heart started to race. From the look on Kong’s face, he was feeling it as well. This was new to her, something she’d never felt before in her life. And man, did it feel nice.

“What I said earlier, about your back. I wasn’t talking about your scars. I saw them, but I saw past them,” he told her reaching out and brushing his knuckles across her cheek. As soon as he touched her, a lightning jolt ran through his arm and went straight to his chest. His heart squeezed, then released, giving him a light, warm feeling. This feeling was far beyond lust and it scared the hell out of him.

Sam nearly melted from his touch. It was so soft, so caring. Something she’d never experienced before in her life. Yes, she’d taken lovers in the past, but they never made her feel so wanted with just a simple touch.

“Kong, you readin’ me?”

Both jumped at the sound of Ricochet’s voice. Both let out breath that they had been holding.

Sam looked away from his gaze, afraid that she’d revealed too much in her eyes. When she did, Kong lightly grabbed her chin and turned her back to face him. The moment had been lost, but the look in his eyes was still telling. He wanted her to know that, wanted her to see that it wasn’t a mistake.

“Kong.”

This time, Kong reached out with his free hand and lifted the radio to his mouth, while still holding Sam’s face. “I read you,” he said into the radio, then dropped his hand.

When he did, Sam jumped to her feet and put some distance between them. This was way too intense for her. Feelings were running through her body at record speed and all of them were new to her. They were exhilarating feelings and scary. Now wasn’t the time for this, they had a job to do. People’s lives depended on them. Mentally shaking herself, she forced the feelings aside.

“We’re at the target. It’s not big,” Ricochet reported.

Still watching Sam, Kong replied, “Is there any activity inside the building?”

“Negative. There’s one light on, but no sign of anyone movin’ around.”

“If they have him in there, someone should be watching over him,” Kong said with concern.

“I agree. But so far, nothin’. Maybe everyone went to bed.” Ricochet yawned into the radio.

“Yeah, maybe. Sit tight and keep an eye out. I’ll get back to you.”

“Roger that,” Ricochet replied.

Kong sat a moment and kicked a few scenarios around in his head. The biggest one was that they missed their opportunity. Or possibly, they had been given bogus information. Either way, they needed to check it out.

Sam could see he was puzzling it out and didn’t want to disturb his train of thought, so she stayed quiet and let him alone. It wouldn’t be wise to step in now. Besides, the way her body was still humming, she needed the space.

They are inside Samantha
.

So we do have the right building? s
he asked silently.

Yes.

Sam trusted that Kong would make the right decision. He wouldn’t come this far and walk away, she felt sure of it. Letting him think it through for himself was the best thing at the moment.

“Sam, what do you think?” he asked.

The surprised look on her face made him chuckle. “Don’t look so surprised. Can you tell me anything or not?”

Sam strolled over and sat across from him. “It’s the right house. They’re inside.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Don’t get testy. I’m trying,” he said as he stood.

She knew he was right. He was trying. “Sorry, I’m just not used to anyone other than Uncle Walt knowing about this.”

“Fair enough,” he said then stretched out his hand to help her up.

Sam hesitated, then put her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. The feel of his hand wrapped tightly around hers was making her body start to hum all over again. When she stood, he didn’t release her. Instead, he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand in a soft stroke. Shivers ran up and down her spine, then she gave a short gasp.

When Kong heard it, he couldn’t help but smile. He wasn’t sure what was happening between them, but he knew he wasn’t the only one feeling it. For some reason, that made him feel better.

“Let’s roll,” he said, then dropped her hand.

* * * * *

Sam led the way through the dark. Kong was a few feet behind her, but it felt like he was right next to her. Her body was still feeling the effects of him and that wasn’t good. She needed to be fully alert if they were going to pull this off. And she was definitely not fully alert.

Kong watched her as she walked silently through the desert. She moved like a large cat would stalking its prey. Silent and deadly he thought, in more ways than one. The spectacle he’d witnessed earlier wasn’t as shocking to him now as it had been. Sure, at first it shook him to his very core, but now it was something beautiful.

Thinking back to his childhood, he remembered a few times when he’d been in need of help himself. Times when his father was so drunk he didn’t know who he was punching, or how hard.

He could remember cowering in the corner of his small room in the trailer, screaming out for help inside his head.