The Hidden Two

by Kimberlee R. Mendoza

  “Are you okay?” Teddy whispered.

  My constant caretaker. She didn’t know how she would have made it this far without him by her side. Often, she had imagined them as becoming more than friends, but then she always pushed that thought away. She determined that having a relationship was a sure-fire way to mess up a friendship. Then she saw it happen. Helena’s younger sister, Alicia seemed to have feelings for Teddy. And from what Willow determined, it was reciprocated. But just when something started to happen between them, it abruptly ended, and she took off. Teddy was devastated. He apologized like a million times, assuming everyone blamed him for her leaving. Of course, no one did. Alicia missed her home. Who could fault her for that? But to leave him behind? That could not happen to Willow and Teddy. He kept her grounded. Losing him would be a fatal blow to her psyche.

  “Willow?” He touched her elbow.

  “I’m fine.” She shot him a tight grin over her shoulder in a vain effort to reassure him and then went back to watching the changing landscape. She could feel his stare on the back of her head. Attempting to block it out, she focused on what lay before her. On her right, lush trees stood with streams of light breaking through, and to her left, miles of canyon overlooked vast forests—so beautiful, but far from how she felt.

  The mountains slowly turned into desert. Day started to become night. A gorgeous orange hue slipped above the vast, parched landscape. Willow yawned, having watched the transition like a show on TV. It had to have been more than eight hours before Charlie finally pulled off on an exit ramp and into a gas station. Everyone, obviously anxious to debark, scrambled from the van.

  Willow joined them. Every muscle in her body screamed. Without warning, thunder cracked in the distance, and in an instant, rain and flashes of lightning joined it.

  The group ran under an awning at the entrance of a mini-mart, laughing.

  “Nice.” Myers waved his hand over the water on his face. “I love a good summer shower.”

  “You’re just mad because your hair got wet,” Helena teased.

  With apparent disregard for her sass, Myers asked the group, “Hey, are we grabbing food here?”

  “If you want to, we can. Or we can find a fast food place close by.” Laura laced her fingers with Bryce’s. “Either way, I think we should find a place to stay for the night. I think we are getting a little loopy and need some serious rest.”

  “I saw a burger place up the road,” Teddy said. “It’s nothing fancy, but when I’m starved…a burger is a burger is a burger, am I right?” He elbowed Willow and winked. “Am I right?”

  “Sure, Teddy, if you say so.” Willow winked. He knew she didn’t eat meat. Not because of any notion about animals being equal to humans, but just because with all the abuse to her body over the years, she chose to do better by it. Also, it drove Teddy crazy, which would be reason enough.

  A few of them chuckled. One of Teddy’s charms was bringing laughter to the group. It may not always be welcome, but it was usually needed.

  “Okay, get any snacks you want, but we’ll plan to grab burgers and find a motel.” A bell rang at the top as Laura entered the store. “Ten minutes.”

  Willow followed, not sure what she would find. The air conditioning sent a chill on her wet skin. The light had an eerie green tint, and the shelves were filled with every man-made, chemically-altered food on the planet. This team loved their Styrofoam cheddar snacks and chemically enhanced beverages. Not Willow. She was the resident hippie who, besides only eating plants, also chose to only eat things that were created by God and nature. Of course, people like Teddy and Charlie loved to tease her whenever possible, calling her a rabbit or flower child. If it meant she lived longer and didn’t get sick, so be it. Call her whatever they want. She stayed thin and healthy.

  “So, Willow, what oats and hay substitute will you find in this assortment of divine goodness to satisfy your abnormal appetite?” Charlie held up a bag of artificially orange-colored something with a huge grin.

  “Nothing on earth should be that color.”

  Teddy laughed. “Yes, which is probably why it is so sick.”

  “Sick is right.” She weaved through the aisles, glancing at candy, cookies, chips, gum, mints, muffins—all of it processed and unappetizing. Finally, she spotted some organic popcorn, assorted nuts, and a package of dried apricots. That would have to do. They paid for their bounty and made their way back to the SUV.

  Beautiful flashes of purple and white ignited against the darkening horizon. Unfortunately, the rain continued to downpour. The storm did little to cool everything off as the air felt muggy and thick, making it difficult to breathe.

  Willow got in back and watched as Laura climbed in the passenger seat next to Bryce, who was now driving. “So, I asked the clerk if there were any motels close to here.” She set a plastic bag at her feet and swung the door closed. “He said about five or so miles down the interstate we should spot a few. He also said there was a row of fast food chain restaurants next to it, so we can forgo the mystery burger joint and eat something we all recognize. Sorry, Teddy.”

  Teddy pretended to be offended, then grinned.

  Within minutes, the vehicle pulled into a lane at a drive-thru. Everyone leaned over Bryce one by one to share his or her order to the talking box. Hungry-boy Teddy ordered two double cheeseburgers, an extra-large fry, an order of chicken strips with barbeque sauce, and a chocolate chip shake. Willow modestly ordered a garden salad with low-fat Italian dressing and an unsweetened iced tea.

  Once they paid, Bryce drove them to a motel just alongside the freeway. Everyone’s expressions looked tired and worn. It had been an exhausting twenty-four hours. No one talked as they ate, and once they were done, each returned to their room. Willow barely ate. She tossed the still full container and showered. The hot water relaxed her. Her eyes were heavy, but so was her mind.

  She stretched out next to Helena. Within seconds, her roommate breathed in a steady rhythm. Though Willow’s body needed it, her brain would not allow sleep. All of her day came back in dramatic flashes. Bad memories. Horrible thoughts. She folded the pillow behind her and readjusted herself.

  Their current situation started to plague her thoughts. Where was her team going? Were they just running to run? Myers once said Laura often did that. She operated without a plan—no destination. How could they really disappear? Was the enemy following them? And who was the enemy? Was it S.I.U., or was this some other enemy? After all, her team had been freeing women in the sex trade, too. It was only a matter of time before one of those bad guys figured out their enemy.

  So many thoughts. Come on, Willow, sleep! Willow flipped over from her left, then to her right and stared at the clock on the nightstand. It read 9:28. If felt more like one in the morning. She reached for the TV remote and resigned herself to fall asleep the way she used to so long ago—watching old reruns. In reality, this may be the last time she could just relax and enjoy the time. She pushed up against the headboard and hit the remote on button.

  Yes. She luckily found an old I Love Lucy episode. Lucy had a job packaging candy. As the candy came out of conveyer belt with great speed, Lucy started eating it. Willow giggled. This just may be the perfect distraction.

  Helena sat up.

  “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Willow said. “I was just trying to get to sleep. I can turn it off.”

  “Nah, I wasn’t really sleeping. Who could? It is way too early, and there is so much happening.” She pushed her pillow behind her back. “Besides, it’s Lucille Ball. Who doesn’t like her?”

  “Agreed.”

  “It feels good to laugh.” Helena winked.

  “I was just thinking that, too.”

  And the reality was, they needed it. No one doubted the wild adventure they were on, just like Laura’s note had implied, was just beginning.

  Chapter Ten

  Laura’s mind whirled with possibilities and haunts. Who was this enemy? Could it be
S.I.U. again? Part of her doubted it. It felt different. But if not, then who? She laid a towel on the shag carpet and began to knock out one hundred push-ups. She had just turned over to do sit-ups when her husband peeked over the side of the bed.

  “What are you doing, hon? It’s three in the morning.”

  She dropped onto her left elbow to face him. “I think better when I work out.”

  “What does it take for you to sleep better?”

  Good question. Laura smiled, leaning up so he could kiss her. “Peace and tranquility where all the world is right and full of rainbows and unicorns and lots of dark chocolate candy.”

  He laughed. “Good luck with that.”

  “Yeah.” Her heart ached from all that had transpired the last twenty-four hours. Why did all this keep happening to them? Leaving S.I.U., bringing down Greenstone and then Harding, all of it was supposed to give them a normal existence. Instead, once again, they were lost, broken, unsure of the future, and this time, even unsure of their enemy. “Maybe I’ll go for a run.”

  Bryce sat up shaking his head. “Um, no, you aren’t. It’s the middle of the night.”

  “Are you afraid someone will jump me?”

  “Yes.”

  Laura raised an eyebrow.

  “Hey, look at our track record. It is possible the great Laura Black-Chappelle could be taken, or worse, taken out.”

  As if. Putting her hands on the floor, she flipped up onto her feet and crossed to grab a baseball hat from the dresser. “I think I can take them.”

  “I’m sure.” He slid out from the sheets to join her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His strong muscular body made her reconsider going anywhere.

  She kissed him slowly and then met his gaze with a fake pout. “You don’t seem to have faith in me.”

  “If you haven’t noticed, my dear, our new enemy is good at kidnapping without any warning. None of us should be alone. Not even the great Laura Black-Chappelle.”

  “I’ll take my ankle gun and a knife.” She winked, pushing away to grab both.

  “You know it isn’t a good idea.” Reaching for a white T-shirt on the back of a chair, he added, “Which is why I’m going with you.”

  “Really?”

  He laughed. “Really.”

  ****

  The air outside was hot and muggy. The rain had finally stopped falling, but the summer heat held the moisture in place. The Arizona landscape was barren, and twinkling lights from the city ended, leaving pitch dark splotches on the horizon. The two of them jogged in silence for a while, with only the air leaving their lungs sounding in the hushed dark. The cement sidewalk eventually turned to dirt as they ran into the empty desert.

  “Where do you suppose we are headed?” Bryce respired.

  “I figured we’d just run for about a half hour and turn back.” Laura picked up the pace a bit. “Come on, let’s burn off those burger and fry calories.”

  “No, I meant the team,” Bryce labored to say. “I meant, where are we going? We just drove all day from San Francisco, and now, here we are in Podunk, Arizona. How far is far enough?”

  That was the reason she couldn’t sleep—no answer to that question. It made her sick. Suddenly, a cramp clamped onto Laura’s side, and she stopped short.

  Bryce ran past her and then stopped. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, just a cramp. Let’s walk back.” Clutching her side, she took a deep breath and turned toward the lights ahead. “The truth is I don’t know how far we should go. We have an invisible enemy. I have no idea how to fight them. What’s even worse is not knowing who we are fighting. I cannot keep us safe if I’m this confused…”

  Tears choked her throat. She reached for her husband and stopped to cry on his shoulder. Honestly, she was beaten. Long ago, she felt enough was enough. This was beyond enough. “I can’t do this anymore, Bryce.”

  His hand sifted through her hair. He kissed her forehead and then looked her in the eyes. “If anyone can do this, it is you. I know it’s a lot. When this is over, I am going to take you to some island somewhere to disappear. Just you and me, forever.”

  “I love you, you know.”

  His teeth glowed in the night as he flashed his sexy smile. “Good thing I feel the same, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Their lips met, soft and inviting. They kissed for a few moments before they started back, shuffling forward on the dirt path. A rustling sounded to their left as something dove into the bushes. Both turned. A hawk screeched somewhere above. Both laughed, and for a moment, the pain was gone. But that was a fleeting second before all the sorrow returned.

  When they hit cement, Bryce stopped and turned to her. “When I was overseas, there were many times I didn’t know who my enemy was. The terrorists would hide behind the innocent. Women and children were sent forward with bombs. We learned to trust no one. It was a disheartening feeling.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “But we learned from the mystery. There are always tells. Something that always helps you figure it out. Call it a sixth sense or observation. We will get to understand this and then know how to fight it. We always do. But running will never help us. We can’t learn from an enemy in our rearview mirror. We learn from them when we stop to observe.”

  No doubt, he was right. Laura nodded, grabbed his hand, and led him back to the hotel room. “Where should we hole up?”

  “Like always, somewhere desolate.”

  ****

  The alarm on her phone buzzed some ridiculous song Charlie had picked to wake her up. Funny, Laura didn’t even remember setting her alarm. Maybe Bryce did when they got back. She yawned as she turned it off. Sunlight streamed through a crack in the curtain. Life buzzed around the hotel with sounds of kids at the pool as a maid cart rolled by, followed by several suitcase wheels moving down the sidewalk outside. Laura patted the pillow next to her. Empty. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Bryce?”

  The bathroom door was open. She walked to it—also empty. On the end of the bed was a pair of jeans. She pulled them on, ran a hand through her disheveled hair, grabbed a hat, and walked to the door. Peeking outside, she saw the SUV still parked in front. Maybe they were holed up in another room. She walked back in and grabbed her phone, texting the team in a group chat.

  “Room 105,” Bryce texted back.

  Laura shoved the phone in her back pocket and headed to Charlie and Eri’s room. Everyone was there. “Planning time?”

  “Eating time,” Teddy said.

  Willow laughed. “It’s always eating time with you.”

  “We’re going to walk to the café for breakfast,” Charlie said to Laura. “We didn’t want to wake you. Bryce said you had a hard time sleeping last night.”

  “Did he?” Laura glanced at her husband with mock disdain. Not that it mattered. Her team was an open book. No secrets.

  Despite the rain the day before, the short walk to the café was warm and dry. The desert had soaked up the moisture like a parched sponge. A warm breeze swirled to their left, causing a mini dust devil.

  Charlie held open the café door, clanking its bell against the glass. The group filed in to a curved booth in the far back corner. The room was filled with a lot of truckers and a few families. A loud hum of voices and the clinking of dishware set the milieu for the room.

  After ordering an insane amount of coffee, eggs, breakfast meats, and pancakes, Laura called the meeting to order. “Okay, we need to agree on what is next. I know it’s been a while since we had to make this decision, but we’re here again, and it needs to be made.”

  Everyone shifted one way or another in the booth, no one speaking at first. It was not lost that this one hurt. They had all liked their time in Northern California. Many of them got real jobs. Two of the three couples were now married. Laura hadn’t told anyone, but she was also pregnant. That hurt the worst. How did she raise a child in this life? That was the real reason she couldn’t sleep. If Bryce knew, it would change things. He would look at her differently. Coddling,
hiding, no longer taking charge—Laura needed to be in control. She wasn’t ready to be the pregnant female who had to be protected. Was that selfish? Maybe. She would deal with those feelings later. Right now, she just needed to get this done. Get her family to safety. Fight this enemy. Start over.

  “Maybe we should leave the U.S.,” Helena said.

  They all knew she was ready to go back to Puerto Rico, to find her sister, and return to some semblance of her life before, but that would never be an option. The last time they chose to return down there, it about killed them all.

  “We can’t go back, Helena.”

  “I didn’t mean to Puerto Rico. We could go anywhere…Canada…Mexico. Somewhere, not here.”

  That had merit, but to what end. “I think we need to stop and figure out who we are running from,” Laura said.

  Bryce nodded. “Just hiding will not help us. We know from experience we cannot outrun our enemy. We don’t know their resources. They may know we’re here now. Are we even safe? We have no idea at this point.”

  Of course, he was right. But that didn’t help them figure anything out.

  Teddy pushed his empty plate away and burped.

  “Gross,” Helena said.

  Everyone laughed.

  “Hey, burping releases those endogenous toxins, that seep into your bloodstream, from your body. If you hold them in it can be dangerous to your cells and digestive track.”

  “I agree,” Myers said, before letting out an even louder burp.

  Helena gave him a dirty look.

  “What? Just protecting my digestive track and those erroneous toxins, per Dr. Teddy’s advice.”

  “Endogenous,” Teddy said.

  “Po-tay-toe, Po-tah-toe.”

  Smiling, Laura looked over the rim of her coffee cup and stopped. A young Latino kid in a gray hoodie stood at the cash register with a pistol aimed at the waitress. He spoke in hushed tones. Laura placed her cup on the table and nodded to Myers, who had the best site advantage. “You distract, I’ll unarm.”