Shocked (21 page)

“You said that there wasn’t anything going on between you two!” He’s screaming now.

Lucas makes another move to get in front of me until I say softly, “Take B inside, I can handle this.” He doesn’t look happy about it, but he does what I ask. When we’re alone I move my attention back to Mason and try to keep my blood from boiling. “Nothing happened between us until yesterday.” He opens his mouth and I cut him off. “Not that it’s any of your business, Mason. I told you the truth before. I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll always care about you in my own way, but we’ve been over for a while now.”

Mason’s eyes fill with tears and it’s only a confirmation of my words. “Kat, please.”

“Mason, I’m sorry. It’s how I feel. Can’t you be happy for me instead?”

Mason’s jaw work, “If he ever does anything Kat, just know, I’ll be there.”

I walk away and pretend to forget that his idea of being there is very different from my own.

Lucas is incredibly non pushy. It’s one of his best attributes—second only to his abs…and smile…and the feeling inside when he wraps his arms around me. What I’m trying to say is that he’s very easy going. I find him and B by the door waiting for me.

“I was going to start the pizza, but it was locked.” He says, “Everything okay?”

That two-word question holds so many possibilities. In his eyes there’s something I don’t expect to see.
Complete trust
. Any remnants of the wall I carefully craft around my heart turns to dust. Like it or not Lucas has found his way in. So soon after our first kiss or was it before then? Does Mason see a change in me I never knew is there when we return? Do I care if he did?

No, I don’t
. His choice is made well before I return. It’s possible that maybe mine is too. Whatever it is, I’m here now and take an exorbitant amount of time to answer his question. It’s hard to find words to fit these emotions. It hits me and I fumble with the key chain.

“Here,” I hand him a key. “So you don’t have to wait in the hall anymore.” I open the door before answering his question. “And yeah, everything’s good.”

Brie manages to pull out every detail that she’s looking for at lunch. This includes the ones I just admit to myself. It doesn’t matter because it’s Brie and she supports my decision. Just like always. Plus she knows I have my smile back.

She’s not happy when she hears that we have to go out again. Brie understands why but she just doesn’t like it. I console her with news of the possible bracelets. She makes me promise to request a small one for Xavier—as if Dr. Ford will forget. That baby has a long list of admirers here.

“Just make it back here in one piece, alright?” Brie pleads.

“I promise.” I answer and Xavier decides our quiet lunch is over.

Brie laughs and scoops him out of his cradle. “He can already sense when I’ve refueled.”

“Smart boy,” The second Xavier is in Brie’s arms he stops crying. It still amazes me that she can make this perfect little person.

Jared walks in and confirms our hour is up. Like father like son. I give each of them a quick kiss goodbye and promise to check in with Brie when we get back from the next mission.

The next morning we suit up again. At least this mission is short: only a few days in comparison to the few weeks of the last one. We’ll be in the northwest (which is slightly less dangerous than the northeast) and try to get a handle on Carch and her plans. We’re to stay out of sight and this will prove an interesting test of my willpower.

There’s a bigger picture to consider despite my knee-jerk desire to destroy her. I’m fairly certain that consideration will win.

My aversion to flying isn’t so bad because it’s becoming a necessary evil. It’s faster—no doubt about it. The grumble of the engine has become familiar. It’s not so bad this time although my Vulcan death grip on Lucas’ hand may be helping.

He’s never let me down. Since we reevaluate our relationship it’s so much more. Some connection we forge during our fight for survival mixes with an honest friendship and attraction. In many ways his patience saves me: not only from others but from myself.

My stomach drops along with the ground below us. Lucas keeps me aground with his warm chocolate eyes. We stay in the air for a time and the decent begins. It wreaks havoc on the cabin pressure and my ears. My breath of relief is audible when the wheels hit the dirt and we begin to skid to a halt.

Captain Jennings wants a small team so it’s only Lucas, Lou, Mike, Jay and me. We’re comfortable with each other. It’s nothing new to work together under stressful circumstances and to rely on each other. It’s more important than you may think at times like this.

They drop us at the closest point they feel safe and give us a Humvee before they leave. The plane is in and out as quickly as possible. The pilots try to draw the least amount of attention a plane that size can. We follow suit beneath them and pile in to the Humvee. We race to the edge of the woods to plot our course away from prying eyes.

Doc suggests that it’ll be best not to use my energy unless absolutely necessary. Since it’s like a freaking homing beacon nobody argues. It completely goes against the whole incognito thing.

We only pause for a few minutes and rely on physical maps for direction in lieu of any digital models. We’re going for zero traceability and we’re going hard.

Lou estimates around four hours before we get close enough to really worry about being seen. I decide to use the time to figure out ways to
not
kill Carch.

Time moves swiftly. Dusk helps keep us undercover the final miles to our target location. There’s plenty of time to convince myself to see the bigger picture. I decide I won’t zap Carch—just this once.

Mike pulls the Humvee to an obscure spot along the side of the road and kills the lights. We have to travel the rest of the way on foot. It’s far too conspicuous to continue to drive, even in the dark. Captain Jennings ensures that we all know exactly where we’re going. We quickly head northwest and don’t utter a word. Lucas stays behind me. Mike and Lou follow. I definitely don’t miss my lack of incoordination at the moment.

There’s a feeling when we get close. Energy reverberates from our destination. She’s here all right. I know Carch is nearby and it causes my blood to boil. It’s an instinctual reaction. I approach the edge of the trees and stop.

Lucas takes out some high tech goggles and scans the area. He fiddles with the buttons on the sides. This is it: why we’re here. Bigger picture or not it can be easy to end it now.

No, bad Kat!
If only I can convince my stomach that it’s the wrong thing to do. Death follows that woman like a bad perfume.

I don’t blast the crap out of Carch’s compound. Instead I settle my butt into the ground to wait out the remainder of our (completely un-awesome) recon.

We sit for
hours.
We do nothing but sit—we don’t talk and barely move at all. I adapt to it from all the nights I pretend to sleep on our last mission. The guys must do this before because they’re all pretty good at it.

I play a mental game of ‘guess that foliage’ when the ground shakes. Smoke plumes from one of the buildings and people rush out. A few head towards us and we duck further down in our burrow.
Something bad is going on
.

The first two people run past us without notice. The last does not. He falls directly into our hole between all of us. His white lab coat stains brown in the dirt as Lou clamps a hand over his mouth. The man flails about for a moment but stops when his eyes land on me.
Sheesh, it’s not like I’m that recognizable!

I stare back at him in hope that it will keep him quiet. Eventually the commotion calms and the people here go back about their business. The lab coat guy makes no move to run away.

Lucas stands and motions for the rest of us to follow. Mike and Lou simultaneously grab an arm of the intruder and guide him with us. I check behind us quickly and notice the nametag askew on the lab coat pocket.
Dr. Harris!

I keep my mouth shut for now because it’s not yet safe to speak. Dr. Harris’ compliance speaks volumes. He doesn’t want to be here either and he no longer struggles against Mike and Lou.

We cross the imaginary line into the “safe” zone. Lucas stops and looks at Dr. Harris. Before he can say anything I pull him aside.

“Do you know who that is?” I whisper.

“No, do you?”

“His nametag says Dr. Harris,” Lucas understands immediately. “I think he’s more of a refugee than a prisoner.”

“I agree. Good catch.” We go back to the others. Lucas motions for Mike and Lou to let Dr. Harris go.

I take a step towards him. “Hi, Dr. Harris. We’ve been sent by Captain Jennings. You’re safe now.”

He looks around in confusion. “How do you know who I am?” I point to his nametag. “Oh. Did they send you here for me?”

“No sir.” Lucas tells him. “Things just seem to work out that way.”

“What’s happening in there?” I ask.

Dr. Harris looks behind him and back to us. “I’ll tell you, but only when we’re far away from here.”

“Deal.” Lucas says. We start back towards the Humvee.

We return to camp with much more than we expect. Dr. Harris is weak from his time with Carch but eager to meet with Dr. Ford and Captain Jennings. Mike and Lou leave us in search of food. Lucas and I escort Dr. Harris down to Captain Jennings’ office.