“Good to know,” Reed winks at me.
“I suppose only time will tell,” my father muses, and then he and David start up a conversation about the procedures and we lapse into a comfortable silence in the front, Reed’s warm hand still resting lightly on my thigh. I tilt my head, my temple against the glass window and I close my eyes. The sun is low on the horizon, dusk is settling, and the hazy light makes me sleepy. Knowing that my dad and Reed are both safe contents me, and I let myself sleep.
I wake just as we are pulling into the Dodge City camp. There are no stars out tonight, the sky is a solid black.
“Looks like rain tomorrow,” my dad says, as we all pile out of the cars.
“At least we won’t be travelling in it,” I mumble as I grab two empty fuel containers and head for the garage. We will spend two nights in Dodge and leave for Durango on Saturday morning. I can’t believe we have already been gone over a week. I experience a sudden pang of longing for Alex who will be sound asleep now. At least I will see him on Monday, at the latest.
It doesn’t take long to unpack and refuel the vehicles. As tired as we are, and as much as we would love to leave this for morning, it is never a good idea for the vehicles to be unprepared, not even for a few hours, in case of a sudden attack. We lock Chase in one of the windowless, interior rooms.
Everyone goes to their rooms and once we are alone Reed takes my hand.
“I’m not waiting another minute, Sexy Bex. We need to get to bed, right now.” His meaning is crystal clear and his plan doesn’t include sleeping.
“Aren’t you too tired?” He has been driving for fifteen hours straight, while I slept.
“Not even close,” he replies, in the husky, Southern drawl that I love. “I’ve been going out of my mind for the last few hours.”
“Maybe we should get our own car?” I raise my eyebrows playfully and he pulls me against him, growling in my ear.
“We’d never get anywhere. Now stop procrastinating; you are seriously testing my self-control. The only thing keeping you safe today was your father’s chaperonage.”
“What about David?”
“I don’t give a damn about David,” he growls, his arms tightening around me possessively. “He would have been out on his ass in a heartbeat.”
“Would have been a long walk.” I lower my head solemnly, hiding my smile.
“Shut up, Tiny,” he bends and hoists me over his shoulder and, ignoring my shriek of protest, he heads for my room.
We arrive at breakfast hand in hand the following morning and I cannot keep the smile off my face. Our happiness seems to be infectious, and even Gabe and Tim are smiling. The day stretches before us and for want of something else to do, and to keep Reed’s mind occupied, I suggest we go for a run.
“I can think of much more interesting ways to occupy our time today,” Reed grumbles and I laugh out loud as I tie the laces on my running shoes.
“In the middle of the day? You really are scandalous, Cowboy. What would everyone think?”
“I couldn’t care less,” he grins.
“How could I look my dad in the eye?” I question, and a frown crosses his features, too quickly for him to hide.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, let’s get going.”
“Oh no you don’t, spit it out!”
He stares at me for a long moment as though trying to decide on something.
“Let’s run,” he says, “we can talk along the way.”
“Okay, so what is it?” I ask five minutes later as we speed along the old highway.
“I don’t know, Tiny, it’s not something I can put my finger on . . .”
“But?” I can sense it coming.
“But something doesn’t seem right with your father’s story.”
“What?” I scowl at him.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I’m not saying anything,” he insists. “It’s just that their stories aren’t adding up and no one seems to be able to give us a definite answer. Let’s get into the trees now, these roads are murder on my knees.”
We veer left and off the road, and are soon running through the woods, leaves crunching underfoot. I steer us back to the subject.
“You’re talking about the guards? Why my dad and the VP didn’t have guards with them?”
“Well, yeah. And neither Jeffrey nor the General can give us a firm answer, admit it.”
“You heard my father,” I say, louder than I mean to. “It all happened so fast. They made a mistake. Someone made a mistake.” He doesn’t look convinced and I curse under my breath.
“You don’t believe that?”
“No, Tiny. I’m sorry, but I just don’t.”
I stop dead and a second later he turns and walks back to me. I put my hands on my hips and glare at him.
“What exactly are you implying, Reed?”
“I’m saying that I don’t know who to trust. Someone is lying, Rebecca. You don’t have to like it, hell, I don’t like it, but we can’t be blinded because it might involve Jeffrey.”
“You’re talking about my father!” I yell. “He’s my dad, Reed. He’s my family!”
“He’s my family too!” he shouts back, his temper flaring. “He saved my life, remember, I owe him everything. I don’t want to think like this, but I have to be objective. And so should you,” he reminds me. “Look, maybe it’s the General; in fact, it probably is the General, but I think we need to figure out exactly what happened. That’s all I’m saying.”
I hate it that he suspects my father could have anything to do with this, but he’s right. And I hate that he’s right. But something is going on and it’s my job to figure out what, to make sure it doesn’t happen again. If someone within the Legion is double-crossing us it could be disastrous for our people.
“It’s not my dad,” I state firmly, and although I can see he wants to, he doesn’t argue. Instead, his face softens and he moves closer to me, his hand coming up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t fight with me, Rebecca,” he orders, and the low timbre of his voice makes my stomach disappear. He traces the contours of my face with his hands and runs his thumb along my lower lip. All thoughts of arguing fly out of my head and I close my eyes, my head filled with the sound of my own heartbeat.
“Why?” It is barely more than a whisper.
“Because,” he says, his breath on my face, and I open my eyes, willing him to say it.
“I love you,” he says simply, and I smile, reaching for him.
Reed chuckles as he pulls the dried leaves from my hair.
“It’s not funny,” I say. “Everyone will know exactly what we’ve been up to out here.”
“So? Let them know. At least we were considerate enough to keep it out of camp.”
“You really don’t care what other people think, do you?”
“Not even a little bit.”
We set off at a leisurely run, keeping pace with each other.
“So, when did you know?” I ask, glancing across at him. “That you loved me,” I clarify.
“How do you know that wasn’t just a line to get you naked in the woods?” he teases and I laugh.
“It’s just not something I would expect from you,” I say as we make our way back onto the tarred road.
“It’s not something I would expect from myself,” he admits, “but I think we both know that this,” he gestures at himself and then at me, “this is not ordinary. I didn’t ever think I would meet anyone like you.” My heart swells with pride, that I am the one who has tamed his wild heart.
“You know when we met, and you were with Eric?” he asks and I nod. “I wanted to kill him. Right from the start. Every time I saw him put a hand on you I wanted
to rip his throat out, and the fact that I knew how much you detested him just made it that much worse.”
“I can’t believe you were watching me all that time and I never knew it. So, when did you realise?” I echo my earlier unanswered question.
“It doesn’t matter.” We slow to a walk as we approach the camp.
“Oh come on, don’t be shy. Tell me.”
“I really don’t think it’s important.”
“I want to know. What’s the big deal? Just tell me.”
“At the Unit Three camp, when your father summoned us,” he finally answers, and I understand too late why he didn’t want to talk about it. “The first time I saw you look at him,” he sounds apologetic, even though he doesn’t speak Aidan’s name.
I remember it clearly; it was the day that Aidan and I had reconnected. He was waiting at the camp when we arrived and he told me about Alex’s speed manifesting. I recall that Reed had been acting strangely that day. He was uncharacteristically quiet and he avoided Aidan and me as far as possible. “It was when I realised I could never have you.” Reed’s voice snaps me back to the present and he sounds so sad that I feel tears pricking at my eyes.
“Stop,” I say, grabbing his arm and turning him to face me. “You are the bravest, kindest man I know. You have nothing to feel bad about. This is not about Aidan. It’s about you and me. You are not my second choice, my consolation prize. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here right now.” I take both his hands in my own. “I love you, Reed. That’s not going to change.”
When we break apart, he drapes his arm over my shoulder and I put my own around his waist. Thankfully, back at camp, nobody suspects anything. They are far too concerned about Veronica and Jethro’s scandalous behaviour that they barely give us a second glance.
“They’ve been barricaded in Jethro’s room all morning,” Tim informs us.
“Jealous, Tim?” Reed jokes, and Tim grins.
“No, just hungry. They’ve been in there all day – Veronica never made us any lunch.”
We burst out laughing and Reed claps his hand on Tim’s shoulder.
“Hang in there, buddy,” he sympathises, and at that moment Veronica and Jethro walk in through the door, from outside.
“Wha . . . Where . . .” Tim stutters, looking down the corridor to the closed door and then back at the two of them. Jethro’s arm is around Veronica’s waist and her cheeks are flushed from the fresh air.
“Where have you two been?” Tim whines, looking boot-faced.
“Out for a walk,” Jethro answers casually as Veronica moves to the table and gets out a loaf of pot-bread and some tinned beans.
“But, I thought . . .” Tim trails off and slumps down at the kitchen table.
“You thought what?” Jethro sits opposite him, watching Veronica fondly.
“He thought you two were getting hot and heavy down the hall,” Reed smirks, “as if anyone would do that in the middle of the day,” he adds, grinning wickedly at me.
“What?” Veronica squeaks, blushing crimson, and Jethro gives Tim a withering glare.
“You have a sick mind, Tim.”
“I’m hungry,” he groans and Veronica throws him a hunk of the bread.
“That’s all you deserve,” she teases.
Chapter 16
The rest of the day goes by in the same casual way, as we banter and laugh among ourselves. Tim relays the story when Morgan arrives and even she can’t keep a straight face. Gabe comes to sit beside me during dinner.
“I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting,” he says. “It wasn’t your fault, what happened to Marcus. I was just lashing out.”
“Please don’t apologise,” I insist, placing a hand on his shoulder. “He was your best friend. I know what it’s like to lose someone that close to you. What happened to Marcus was a tragedy, and you were right, I made a bad judgement call. I was a fool to think we could spare Stefan’s life.”
“No, Rebecca, you weren’t. I don’t think anyone here relishes the murder of others, enemies or not. Except maybe Reed.” He smiles and glances over at him. “He’s a crazy bastard.” I smile too, and then he continues, “Your humanity is what makes you the right person to lead us, Rebecca. Never forget that.” I am momentarily taken aback by his honesty and touched by his words.
“Thank you,” is all I can think of to say.
It’s still dark when we prepare to leave for the Durango camp in Colorado. We are retracing our steps home and should be in town by noon and back in Vegas by nightfall, barring any unforeseen delays. Reed is uncharacteristically irritated as he loads our gear into the car.
“What’s your problem?” I ask.
“I’m tired,” he grumbles sulkily.
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have kept us up so late last night.”
“Like you didn’t enjoy it,” he quips, shutting the trunk and turning to face me. His features soften as he smiles down at me and I step into his arms.
“I sure did,” I drawl, in a fake Southern accent and he pulls me to him, chuckling into my hair.
“Terrible,” he mocks my feeble attempt, and then he slaps me on the backside.
“Let’s go home. There’s a little boy who has been waiting a long time to see his mama.”
I enter Chase’s room, leaving the door open behind me. He has been fed and let out four times today, each time with one of us accompanying him, to relieve himself and get some air. His mood has darkened drastically, and his suit is crumpled from having slept in it. I untie his arms and legs and he rubs at his wrists and ankles, where the rope has chafed his skin.
“You’re free to go,” I declare, stepping aside so that he can get to the door.
“I beg your pardon?” He looks puzzled yet hopeful.
“You’re free to go,” I repeat.
He takes a few quick strides towards the door and then he stops as a thought occurs to him.
“Where are we?” he asks dubiously.
“Kansas.”
“How do I get back?”
“Not my problem,” I shrug, “but we’re about 700 miles from the nearest boundary fence.”
“I need a car,” he says pompously.
“Sorry, no can do.”
“How on earth do you expect me to travel 700 miles on foot? With no navigation?”
“Like I said, not my problem.”
“This is ridiculous, Rebecca, I’ll die. You brought me out here, you’re responsible for my safety.”
“I can keep you safe,” I say, cheerfully, “but unfortunately that would require you to travel with us, because we’re leaving today.”
“Travel where?”
“Home,” I answer, vaguely.
“You can’t do this!” he yells, knowing he is backed into a corner. He tries one last time to coerce me. “Couldn’t you just drop me closer to the fences? Close enough that I could walk back?”
“I don’t think so,” I pretend to consider this. “But seeing as you’re so desperate to get back, you might want to think about what the guards at the fence do to anyone who approaches from the barren lands.”
“I’m not one of them, I’m a NUSA citizen.”
I can hear the uncertainty in his voice and I nod, answering his unspoken question. “Try telling them that, Chase.”
We leave the room and go outside. He eyes the ropes in my hands which I toss into the Jeep.
“I’m not going to restrain you,” I assure him. “There’s no need. You’re free to go whenever you like, but if you plan on surviving the Rebeldom, I suggest you stick around. This is your ride,” I add, indicating the Discovery. “You’re with me.” Looking morose, he climbs into the back seat between David and my father, and Reed grins at me from the driver’s seat.
The conversation during the journey soon turns to
the Legion’s plans for the future, and what our next steps will be. I am determined, more than ever, to find Adam Vincent, and also to locate Quinn and the Vice-President. I cannot just abandon our people; happy as I am to have my father back, he is only one of our number who went unaccounted for after the final battle four months ago. If we are determined to go back to search, we will have to find another way into the States now that NUSA knows about the Ottawa River entry. David has a few ideas but nothing concrete, and he will start looking in earnest once we are back in Vegas. I am not concerned about discussing things in front of Chase; he will never make it back to the States on his own. He wouldn’t know the way and he wouldn’t be able to refuel, even if he did steal one of our vehicles. Our fuel stores are securely locked away and he doesn’t know the location of our refuelling camps. Stranded, he would probably starve to death. His fanatical fear of the Deranged will also keep him close to us.
I am relieved too that Reed and my father are getting along. The animosity that threatened to drive a wedge between them is gone, for the moment at least, and they chat amiably about Reed’s adoptive parents in Georgia, my dad’s cousins, Norman and Cathy.
“Be on the lookout for any Deranged,” I warn, as we emerge from the cars in Durango. With any luck the family I had seen here before would have left, or will at least remain hidden for the short stop we are making but I would rather we get out of their territory as soon as possible. Everyone piles out of the vehicles and heads into town, no doubt in search of bathrooms and to use the opportunity to stretch their legs. I notice that Chase stays close to David, who I think he feels is the most civilised of our group. I watch as Morgan walks off down the Main Street on her own, and I am about to ask Tim to accompany her, when Reed shakes his head.
“Leave her be,” he murmurs, following my gaze. I turn back to help him refuel, squinting against the sun shining in my eyes.
“So what happens when we get home?” Reed steps slightly to the left so that the sun is behind him and not in my face.
“With what?”
“With us,” he answers. “Are we going public?”
The Legion Page 13
