Ekko clasped her hands in her lap and stared straight ahead.
She was painfully aware of Silas staring at the side of her head.
“Thank you, for earlier,” she got out with a bit more control. She still couldn’t look at him.
“You’re welcome. It could have been avoided if you’d told me you wanted to go out. What were you out there doing, anyway?”
She had to give him something. Anything was better than continued silence. Was a lie really better?
“I just wanted to go out, okay? The cameras, you, it’s a lot of attention. A lot of on hours. It takes a lot out of a person.” She glanced sideways at him.
“I thought that was what you liked? Isn’t that your thing?”
“No.” She frowned at him. “Normally I stream for a set amount of time. Eight hours. It’s my workday. After that I’m done.”
Silas snorted. “Eight hours how many days a week?”
“To keep viewership up, usually five or six. It’s a rotating basis sort of thing depending on my schedule.”
He stared at her a moment.
She frowned. “What?”
“Just taking it all in.” He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “So you went out to the park to get some air, by yourself, and bad things happened.”
Her stomach dropped to the floor. Outwardly she gave him a small smile and a shrug. “Bad things happen.”
“Ekko...” Silas leaned a little closer. His gaze was focused on her face. Intense was too tame a word for the stare locked on her.
He knew she was lying. Well, not lying exactly but she wasn’t being truthful with him. She hated that she couldn’t tell him.
She’d done her own research about him and the company he worked for. There wasn’t much else to do during those long travel days except scour the internet for random facts. What she’d learned had made her wish she could go back in time. If she’d hired Silas herself all of this could be different.
He seemed like a good guy. No matter how much she needled him, he’d been courteous to her. From what she’d learned about him, he’d been a Marine and had continued to do good work after leaving the military. The stark facts about him were all positive. Chances were if she stopped trying to push him away she very well might like him.
It didn’t hurt that he was handsome in that rugged way men had. Dark hair, tanned skin, eyes the color of warm chocolate. And tonight she’d seen firsthand how strong he was. He’d practically tucked her under his arm and run with her.
She was alive because of him.
Ekko owed him so much, and he didn’t even know it.
“Hey?” Silas reached over and placed his hand on her knee.
He was so close now.
How had she not noticed his lips before? Probably because she’d mostly seen him scowling or grimacing at her. When he wasn’t doing either they were quite nice. Full, kissable...
Ekko felt herself pulled toward him by an invisible string. It just felt right.
Her mouth met his, the moment sending a jolt through her. It was like she’d just stuck her finger in an outlet. The electrical charge made her feel alive down to her toes. It washed away the fear, her panic and the anxiety twisting her insides. All she felt was him and this need.
Silas made everything better.
A hand cupped her face and then his lips moved. It was a sensual slide of his mouth on hers. She sighed and cupped the back of his neck at the same moment she felt his fingers tangling in her hair.
He suckled her lower lip between his. She groaned as desire pulsed deep in her belly. Suddenly he nipped her lip. She gasped as he pulled her closer, pressing his body to hers.
Ekko could lose herself in him. She wanted to.
His tongue soothed the bite. It hadn’t really hurt, just surprised her. Besides, she wasn’t a soft romance kind of girl. Never had been.
Maybe Silas was more her type than she’d realized? Maybe this could be something?
He pressed against her shoulder and her stomach did a good flip-flop that sent butterflies fluttering to her extremities. She leaned back, only he didn’t come with her.
The kiss broke and for a moment they stared at each other. Only, there was no answering warmth looking back at her.
“Ekko, this... This can’t happen.” He smoothed his now wrinkled shirt and straightened.
“W-what?” she stammered.
He scooted farther from her, the stony mask she’d grown familiar with back in place. “You’re my asset. You’re the person I’m supposed to be protecting. I can’t get involved with you. I don’t even like you.”
It was her turn to straighten.
His eyes widened. “Wait. I didn’t mean—”
“You don’t like me?” She deserved that after the way she’d treated him. She stood, gathering her courage around her like a shield.
“Ekko.” Silas stood.
“Forget it.” She waved her hand and headed for the bedroom door. “Like I’d be interested in an asshole like you, anyway. I was just trying to shut you up.”
Shut up. Stop talking.
Her mind screamed at her mouth to stop working, but the words were out there, anyway.
He said something else, but it was lost to her. The blood rushing past her ears drowned everything else out. As calmly as she could manage she shut the bedroom door.
This time she didn’t make it to the arm chair.
God, why couldn’t she just stop spinning out of control?
THURSDAY. DAURIA-MONGOLIA Border.
Silas had often wished for silence and peace during this job. Too bad he had to get his wish this morning. Nearly seven hours of nothing since getting out of bed in the early morning hours and driving toward the border.
There were no flights in or out of Dauria that weren’t military. The exception was the presidential plane that hadn’t taken flight for five years that anyone knew of. Which meant the only way in or out of Dauria was to drive. So drive they did.
Of all the stupid shit that had come out of his mouth over the years, why did he have to tell Ekko he didn’t like her? How juvenile was that?
The immediate problem had been that he’d enjoyed kissing her far too much. And in that moment he’d liked her quite a lot. But those words had popped out as a way to stop himself from giving into the chemistry bubbling between them.
He’d had a job to do. She was possibly still in danger from a threat she wouldn’t tell him about. And that didn’t include getting involved with Ekko. But he didn’t want to hurt her, either. Judging by the fact that he’d barely glimpsed her since that moment, and even then it was only to take her dinner or use the bathroom, he was certain he’d struck a chord. It actually gave him some insight into the woman, not that it made a whole lot of sense, but he had a feeling he was beginning to see more of the whole that made up Ekko.
The morning news hadn’t been very enlightening. The death in the park was reported on, but no one named the victim and there were no suspects in custody. Still, Silas had sent off a message to Zain. Perhaps he could learn something Silas could not. Zain was crazy resourceful like that.
Seven hours in a van of sleeping production crew had given Silas time to think. He’d replayed everything since meeting Ekko in his mind a dozen times. Likely more.
Andrea had only good things to say about Ekko. Silas hadn’t seen any of that upon meeting the woman.
Was that his first mistake? Had he allowed himself to be taken in by an act? What was Ekko up to?
He peered sideways at her. Her phone lit her face and glinted off her blue-black hair.
People loved her. But not just any people. Gamers in particular. According to Andrea and Zain, Ekko had a sizeable following. Nothing crazy, but they’d spoken about her fans as loyal and tight-knit. They even had a name they called themselves. Silas couldn’t see the person he’d interacted with inspiring that loyalty in people.
He knew she hadn’t wanted a bodyguard despite the known threat to her life.
Silas had no more of an answer now, but he had his eyes open now. Whatever that was last night, he felt like it wasn’t over. Another shoe was going to drop and this time he’d be ready.
The caravan of vehicles slowed along a stretch of road. First one then another pulled over to the side.
Ahead of them a trench was cut in the otherwise smooth plain between the rolling hills. Across that trench stretched a bridge and on either side were guard houses.
They’d come to the border.
Silas had seen the border with North Korea. It had made him warry and he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling of being watched.
This was different, probably because of the stretches of nothing since they’d passed through a village a few miles back.
On one side of the trench the earth was green. The sky was a little gray. Dew clung to the ground on both sides.
Word was the Daurian president was rallying support to build a literal wall around the country. By all accounts the trench border was good enough. Few people fled the country as it was.
Listening to Ekko discuss Dauria had filled in some holes. According to her and other expatriates, six or so miles from the border the military formed a wall of people around the country. And inside that ring everyone lived under the total control of the Daurain President. It was hard to look at that expanse of green and believe that a few miles away people were living in a humanitarian nightmare.
The vans began to unload. The previously sleepy production crew woke up and began moving with haste.
Other cars joined them, some with uniformed personnel inside. Even a bus rolled up in their wake, spilling out people wearing yellow face masks that covered their noses and mouths. He recognized the masks as the symbol of solidarity. Ekko had shown them to cameras, explaining how they were a sign of protest, now banned inside Dauria.
Silas stood next to the van, waiting for Ekko to get out, but she was taking her time.
The quiet stretch of road was suddenly alive with activity. But Ekko wasn’t participating.
He glanced back at her and found her staring through the windshield toward the gatehouse.
If they held to the schedule, in fifteen minutes the United Nations team would make the short drive across the border. Their purpose was to assess the country and help make a judgement on whether or not to move forward with allowing the small country a voice on the international stage.
No doubt the Daurian government would present the best face. They wouldn’t see the true day-to-day lives of people, only what the government wanted them to see.
Silas grimaced and glanced around, taking in the people.
He needed to be more mindful of his job.
The bad feeling hadn’t left.
A man jogged toward them.
“Hey, Ekko, you available for a quick word?” the man called out.
“Sure.”
She climbed out of the van. Instead of her borrowed coat, she wore a sleek, long wool coat over leggings and knee-high boots. A yellow enamel pin of a face mask was on her lapel, in case anyone questioned her stance.
As they walked toward where the camera crew was, Silas caught sight of vehicles on the other side of the border.
“That the welcome team?” he asked. It was the first thing he’d said to her since a failed apology last night.
“The cars are. The trucks are for goods. The border opens to commerce at ten,” she said.
“How does that work?”
“One of two ways. Either someone gets a license and permit from the government to transport goods out to one of the depos. Or, goods are brought in to warehouses at the military check-points, unloaded and turned around. They’re never allowed to go farther.”
“All very controlled,” Silas muttered.
“It is,” she agreed.
They reached the cameras and he hung back, eyeing the crowds, looking for a threat.
Ekko flipped some internal switch and she changed. Her smile amped up the brightness. Her eyes were still hard though as she joined the journalist to give her sound bite.
As the interview went on Silas took in the crowd. It was all very calm and organized. There was no screaming, nothing to make him nervous, and yet he still didn’t have a good feeling about this. But was that from last night? If she’d never left the hotel would he feel the same way? Was this uncertainty twisting his stomach based on the brush with death last night, or something else?
Silas didn’t know, and he didn’t like it.
Ekko’s interview ended and she stepped out of the frame.
He sidled up next to her, but didn’t speak.
No, all attention was on the collection of men and women in suits around the only van on the road.
The UN team was about to depart. It was the moment they’d all come for.
All this talk and press for a sixty-second drive.
Or so he told himself.
Something was off though.
Silas once more examined the onlookers.
Was it one of them? Or was the danger on the other side of the border?
The UN team loaded into the van and approached the Mongolian side of the border. After a brief ceremonial check-in with the guards on this side of the bridge, the van rolled on.
Silas held his breath.
What if someone wanted to sabotage the visit? Would they attack the UN team? Would that matter?
The van slowed as it reached the Daurian side of the bridge.
Silas took a deep breath as the inspection began. From here it should all be routine.
Journalists began talking at their cameras and the hush that had fallen over the crowds evaporated.
He glanced at Ekko and found her still staring intently at the other side of the border.
What was she watching for? A sign? Some sort of signal?
THURSDAY. DAURIA-MONGOLIA Border.
Pasley stared at the bridge and the drama unfolding there. In truth, there was nothing abnormal about what was going on. Any vehicle that crossed into Dauria had to be gone over and all the occupant’s passports and documents checked. Typically visitors also had their luggage examined, but the United Nations team wouldn’t have to go through that until they’d reached the military check-point, and even then Pasley figured the check would be done without the UN team’s knowledge.
Pasley had been listening to everything their superiors had said about this process for the last year. He wasn’t sure how it had begun or why, but it was a hotly contested matter among their hierarchy.
Truth be told, Pasley wasn’t entirely sure what the United Nations even was. According to the news, the UN was a governing body slowly corrupting the rest of the world by enforcing immoral laws on other, less morally sound nations. If Pasley wasn’t DSS, if he didn’t spend time outside Dauria, he might believe that theory.
Since most devices didn’t work outside the country and DSS operatives needed to move about and conduct their business quickly, they were always issued a device upon arriving at their next headquarters. These devices, while limited, also granted Pasley a look into the outside world. And it wasn’t what he’d been brought up to believe. At least not all the time.
“But I have a clear shot,” Igney said into the radio. “Fuck the cameras.”
Pasley bit the inside of his mouth.
He knew the orders. If an opportunity to eliminate the woman presented itself they were to take it. But a public execution like this on the Mongolian side of the border?
It seemed like a bad move. Especially after last night when Igney had killed the Mongolian national known to sympathize with Daurian dissenters.
He didn’t understand people like this Ekko.
They’d gotten out.
They were free. They could choose to follow the codes outlined for them since birth, or follow their own path.
Why did they want to draw attention to themselves? Why play with their lives?
Pasley would never b
e free, and he knew it. This was his life. Like many orphaned young boys, he’d been given into the state’s care. There weren’t many options for kids like him who weren’t adopted. They had to repay the state’s kindness, as it was called.
He’d intended to go into the military, serve his mandatory five years and move on. Maybe get married and adopt boys like himself on some farm where he could live a quiet life. If he hadn’t been born big-boned and strong maybe he’d have had the choice. As it was, any decision in the matter had been taken from him.
The DSS had hand-picked him at sixteen and transitioned him into training as soon as the medical staff deemed him ready. Being appointed to the DSS was a lifetime career. One that would dictate what he did until the day he died.
Maybe he should stop learning about the outside world. The more he found out, the more dissatisfied with his own lot he became. Pasley had never gotten a choice in life, which was why he didn’t understand people like Ekko.
She got a choice. And this was what she wanted to do with it?
Someday a DSS operative would kill her. Not today. Not with cameras rolling and so much on the line. But they would kill her. She’d said too much as it was. With luck, Pasley wouldn’t be the one to do it, but there were those like Igney who delighted in carrying out execution orders.
Pasley glanced at the other man growling into the radio.
They’d opted to take up position a little ways off the road. Their motorcycles were hidden in a copse of trees and an old trunk lying on its side gave them cover from the road, while giving them a great view of the bridge. Once again they were present and yet apart.
Possibly the worst part of this job was working with Igney. Pasley was growing cold to death. It was something that had to be done. If he didn’t carry out orders, Pasley would be the one who died. But Igney? He wanted to make people hurt. He took joy in the ugly parts of what they did. And the DSS encouraged it.
Pasley stared down at the road and wished not for the first time that he could have that quiet life.
4.
Thursday. Dauria-Mongolia Border.
Ekko said a brief prayer to whatever god was listening that the United Nations team saw through the bullshit. No doubt whoever was escorting the team around the country would have chosen areas and people for this purpose, to make the citizens look as happy as possible. She wouldn’t be surprised to learn if there’d been casting calls. Nothing shocked her when it came to Dauria anymore.
Dangerous Connections (Aegis Group Book 9) Page 4
