“Hey, I never said it was perfect, but at least I’ve got sparks in bed.”
“I like a woman that keeps the peace.” The third man took a sip of coffee. “Then gives me a piece later.”
The men were still laughing when Fiona came out of the washroom. She gave them a quick glance and then rushed over to Ardal. He sensed her panic and took her hand as she sat down. She smiled. He made no attempt to read her thoughts. He would wait until she was comfortable with the pair bonding.
“Those men make me nervous.” Fiona leaned close to him. “Did you ask the owner about a vehicle yet?”
Ardal handed her a menu. “Are you hungry?”
Fiona sighed and took the menu. “Who knows when we’ll be able to sit down for a meal?”
Ardal pushed away from the table. “I will speak to the man now about a vehicle.”
Fiona put her hand on his. “Wait.”
Before he could say anything the man from the counter returned. Fiona ordered for both of them before asking for a vehicle.
“Not much around here.” The man scratched his head. “Closest place to rent would be North Bay.”
“How far?” Ardal’s voice was sharper than he had intended.
“You’re a couple of hours away at least.”
Fiona sighed. “Does the bus come through here?”
“Regular as clockwork.” The man motioned to the counter. “I’ll have to phone ahead for you if you want to pick it up. They don’t usually stop.”
Fiona gave the man a bright smile. “Could you do that, please?”
The man seemed to be at a loss of words at first and then nodded. “Right away. It’ll be at least an hour before it comes by.”
Ardal watched the man walk away and felt a flicker of sympathy. He knew how devastating Fiona’s smile could be. “Do we have enough money?”
Fiona nodded. “The first rule of life on the run is to have a substantial emergency kit with enough cash.”
“Emergency kit?”
“Anyone hiding has to have something ready in case they have to leave in a hurry.” Fiona took a sip of water. “You never know when you’ll have to take off.”
“Or when aliens will crash in your field?” Ardal couldn’t resist the tease and was rewarded with a smile. The knot of anxiety he felt over her eased. She would be fine.
They ate their meal in silence. No words were needed. The bus had been notified and would make the stop to pick them up. All was settled for now. They had just finished their coffee when Ardal sensed Fiona stiffen beside him. He looked up and saw her look of horror. She was staring out the window. He followed her eyes and understood.
A police car had just pulled up outside the restaurant. Ardal leaned back in his chair and assessed the easiest route for escape. He would have no problem overpowering the men at the other table. The man behind the counter would probably duck down. That left the policeman. From what Fiona had told him, he would be armed.
His eyes narrowed as he watched the officer enter the restaurant. The man pushed his hat back on his head. “Morning Bill,” he said to the man behind the counter. He then looked at the other men and nodded. “You boys ever work?”
“Not if we can help it.” A laugh went up from the men. “You’re a fine one to be talking Jim. I swear you’re here more than on patrol.”
The officer grinned. “You never know where you’ll find trouble.” Then he looked over at them.
He hesitated a second and then walked to their table. Fiona tensed beside him and Ardal went into combat mode. When the attack came he would be ready.
“Are you folks traveling south?”
Ardal nodded. “We are waiting for the bus.”
“You wouldn’t know about some trouble up the road with the FD Warriors?”
“We’re not from here, officer.” Fiona spoke in a quiet voice. “Is there something we should know?”
“Seems like a bunch of bikers disappeared outside of Timmins.” The policeman tapped his fingers against his belt. “They were seen arguing with some awfully big men.”
“How horrible.” Fiona shifted in her chair.
Ardal felt her eyes on him, but he kept his focus on the officer. The man’s gaze flitted over him with speculation before turning back to Fiona. Ardal leaned back in his chair and eased his hand closer to his weapon.
“They were fighting over a red headed girl.”
“That sounds like a place to avoid.” Ardal forced his voice to remain calm.
“I couldn’t help noticing your girlfriend’s red hair.” The officer swayed back on his heels. “It’s a bit distinctive. Where were you two coming from?”
Chapter 14
“Are you accusing me of something?” Fiona’s voice rose. “There are a lot of women with red hair.
The officer raised his hands. “I’m just warning you to be careful. That gang doesn’t forget a face or a deed done against them. It would be a shame if you were mistaken for the one they’re looking for.”
Fiona forced herself to steady her breathing. She’d thought they were caught and she’d reacted with screeching. Her normal calm and logical self had been replaced with an hysterical, unreasonable witch. How had she come to this?
She forced a smile. “I’m having a rough day. First the car broke down, then the walk here, and now this.”
“I understand ma’am.” The officer lowered his voice. “I’d be careful just the same. Even though you’re not the one these bikers are looking for, there’s no saying that they won’t make trouble because they’ve lost face.”
“She is safe with me.” Ardal spoke with a quiet authority.
Her heart flipped as his voice sent a wave of peace through her. Of course she was safe. Hadn’t he already proven he was capable of protecting her? She reached across the table and touched his hand. The familiar surge of heat raced through her body and calmed her.
“You look like you could handle yourself.” The cop had turned his attention to Ardal. “You do any wrestling?”
Ardal shook his head. “I was a soldier.”
“That explains it.” The officer readjusted his hat and nodded as he turned away. “Is that coffee ready Bill?”
Relief flooded Fiona. Unless they had pictures of them, they were safe. Besides it didn’t sound as if there were any arrests to be made in the case. It was more a matter of the bikers wanting revenge.
“What is losing face?” Ardal pushed back his chair and gave her the backpack.
“It’s when you’re embarrassed because someone wiped the floor with you.”
Ardal raised an eyebrow. “That makes even less sense.”
He leaned close and she felt his breath against her ear. She inhaled sharply, letting him invade her senses. She was dizzy with the scent of him. She looked into his eyes and saw her own helplessness reflected there. He was as affected as she was. The slam of the restaurant door broke the spell.
“We should go.” Her voice caught in her throat. “The bus will be here soon.”
Ardal waited at the door while she paid for their meal and the bus tickets. Once they were outside, she took a gulp of fresh air.
“That place needed air conditioning.”
“You found it hot?” Ardal pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up.
“Not really.” Fiona kicked a few stones with her foot. “I didn’t like the way those men looked at me.”
“Neither did I.” Ardal glanced back at the restaurant. “Are all men on this planet disrespectful?”
“Who knows?” Fiona sighed. “So far my experience has been pretty limited. Except for David, I only had a couple of boyfriends in university.”
“You did not find a mate?”
“I was too busy studying.” Fiona pulled her hair back with both hands. “Do you think that policeman suspected anything?”
Ardal pulled her close. “There is no need to panic. I am a Hunter. I protect.”
Fiona grimaced. “You’re always covering up for me. I’m sorry
that you guys are in this mess. If I’d handled the biker better, we’d have been in Toronto by now.”
“We will get there.” Ardal ran a finger down her cheek and patted her lips. “You must not speak ill of yourself.”
“I’m a mess.” Fiona glanced up at him. “I overreacted with the policeman. I did the same with Captain Wilson. I must have a problem with uniforms.”
“I will remember not to wear one.” Ardal put his forehead on hers. “What is wrong with their attire?”
“It brings back bad memories.” Fiona sighed. “I’ve talked to so many policemen about David and they could do nothing.”
“Is not beating a woman illegal?”
“Yes, but he was clever. He never did it in front of anyone.” Frustration and anger surged through her. “It was his word against mine. His friends always gave him an alibi. I thought I was crazy and the police wrote me off as a hysterical female who’d lie to get attention.”
“You are not crazy.”
“How can you be sure?” Fiona pushed away from him. “All I’ve done since meeting you is scream at people. I’ve caused nothing but trouble for you and your men.”
Ardal lifted her chin with his forefinger. Her eyes collided with his. “Your action with the military meant that I was able to send Jehon and Firbin to the barn where they hid the Captain.”
Fiona frowned. “I thought that I’d made matters worse.”
Ardal shook his head. “You were perfect. Jehon was even able to sneak a look at the helicopter.”
“What about the policeman?” Fiona shook her head. “I should never have yelled at him.”
“You are still filled with fear.” Ardal straightened his shoulders. “In time, you will realize that I will always defend you.”
“What happens when you’re not there?”
“I cannot leave you.”
“Because you believe you’re bonded to me?” Fiona rolled her eyes. “Once you see other women, you’ll think differently.”
“I do not control it.” Ardal lowered his voice. “It is fated.”
Fiona wanted to scoff at his insistence, but the sincerity in his eyes stopped her. He really believed it. Fate wouldn’t have joined two people who, under normal circumstances should never have met. But why argue? Let him have his illusions. Once he saw other women, she was certain his attraction to her would be gone.
With a sigh she turned away and looked down the road. In the distance she saw the bus. She waved her arms. The sooner they got to Toronto, the better she’d breathe.
The bus was crowded. The smell of unwashed bodies was overwhelming, but Ardal didn’t seem to notice. He looked about for two seats together, but there were none. For a second, she thought that he was going to throw someone out of their seat. Instead, he motioned her to sit near the front. He moved further down to the back.
It didn’t really matter where she sat. She was exhausted. All she wanted was sleep. She sensed Ardal was unhappy about leaving her alone, but she was too tired to explain it. Instead she pulled her legs up close and closed her eyes.
She wasn’t certain what woke her.
She sensed Ardal was upset, though.
She stretched and straightened in her seat. It took her eyes a few seconds to focus, because the sun was low in the sky. She must have slept for quite a few hours. The woman who had sat beside her was gone. She glanced at the passenger across the aisle and she was unfamiliar too.
Her unease was overwhelming.
She turned in her seat and looked to the rear of the bus. Ardal was standing and already walking up the aisle. He reached for her shoulder just as the bus jolted to a stop.
Her chest tightened and it hurt to breath. She reached for Ardal’s hand on her shoulder. The bus driver opened the door and two soldiers with machine guns boarded. Her stomach dropped.
Before yesterday, she had never seen a machine gun.
Now she had seen five.
“Stay.” Ardal’s voice was a low hiss. ”You do not know me.”
The knot in her stomach twisted as Ardal walked to the front. There had to be some way to save him, but even as she started to leave her seat, his hand motioned her to stay. She couldn’t let him walk away to what would be certain death. Her whole being rejected the possibility that she would never see him again.
Ardal didn’t resist when the soldiers pushed him off the bus. Fiona released the breath she’d been holding. She’d expected him to overpower the men, despite the guns they wielded. For a few seconds, there was total silence and then everyone started talking at once except the bus driver. He turned and stared at her.
Seconds later, a soldier came onboard again.
He looked at her directly. It was pointless to fight. She’d probably broken some unknown immigration law about harboring aliens. Whatever the reason, the soldier wanted her to leave the bus.
With a sigh she stood and heaved her backpack over her shoulder. When she got to the front, the soldier motioned her down the steps where another gun waited to direct her toward a helicopter.
“I’m not getting in that thing.” She dug her feet into the ground. “Besides, you haven’t told me what I’ve done.”
Another soldier stepped in front of her and she recognized Captain Wilson from the farm. “We’ll start with lying to the government. That is treason.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. You’re grasping at straws.”
“I know you’re guilty.” Wilson pushed her until they reached the helicopter’s door. “We just need to hammer out the details.”
“Is that a threat?” Ardal’s voice was a low growl.
Fiona turned toward him. He was sitting in the helicopter with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Two soldiers were pointing machine guns at him. It made no sense, but even in the face of danger, the sight of him gave her peace.
“It’s a promise.” Wilson smirked. “You might have thought that you were pretty smart, but no one makes a fool of me.”
“Believe this.” Ardal leaned toward the Captain. “If you touch her, I will kill you.”
There was a second of silence before Wilson swung the butt of his gun across Ardal’s face. The sound of it reverberated in the cabin of the chopper. The other soldiers looked away quickly to cover their expressions of surprise and shock, but Fiona couldn’t hold back. She kicked Wilson in the knee.
“Leave him alone.” Then she slapped him across the face. “He can’t even defend himself, you brute. When did this country become a military state?”
Wilson turned and snarled at her, his face inches away from hers. His eyes bulged with anger and his nostrils flared. Fiona took a step back. Wilson grabbed her arm and shook her.
One of the other soldiers put out his hand. “It’s time we left, sir.”
For the space of a heartbeat, she thought that the Captain was going to ignore the interruption. She held her breath and waited for the hit, but it didn’t come. Instead Wilson backed away and nodded to his men.
“Put the handcuffs on her.”
“What’s the charge?”
“Treason.”
Fiona’s arms were grabbed and pulled behind her back. The cold metal sent a shiver up her arms and she clenched her fingers together. There was something wrong with a country that could use the military in such a manner. She looked over at Ardal and the icy stillness of his eyes sent a chill of dread through her body.
She was picked up and put in the seat beside him. He didn’t look at her. Instead his eyes were focused on the Captain. She sensed a determination and readiness in him. He was a leopard waiting for his chance to strike.
She didn’t want Ardal killed. She was certain the military wouldn’t hesitate, though. All they wanted was to determine what he was. There were no restraints on how they went about that. Her heart constricted at the possible methods they would use.
Fiona already knew what he was.
He was a man she couldn’t live without.
She let out a shaky breath and edged
closer to Ardal. He didn’t move or acknowledge her, but he didn’t object either. There was only one place that was going to make her feel better. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
“Well isn’t that sweet.” Wilson’s words were meant to hurt, but they barely registered.
Fiona moved her head on Ardal’s chest until she was comfortable. She didn’t expect him to notice as he was so focused on their captors, but she almost cried when he rested his chin on her head. Peace and calm flowed through her.
Once the chopper took off there was no chance of conversation. Fiona refused to look at the soldiers. Their guns and attitude a reminder of the horror that she’d fled from. Men and their aggressions were why she was in this situation.
They flew over miles of wilderness. The helicopter hovered over the tree tops as it made its way north. She had no idea where they were headed, but when a clearing came into view with a number of buildings, she knew they’d arrived. It looked military in nature and old.
They landed and were met by four more armed soldiers. Fiona was lifted from the helicopter, but Ardal was pushed out. With his hands behind his back he was unbalanced, but kept on his feet. He was pushed from behind with their guns.
“Walk.”
There were a couple of trucks and a jeep off to the side of the helipad, but that was all. Wilderness surrounded them. They were cut off from civilization and at the mercy of the military. The reality of their isolation sent a wave of terror through Fiona.
They were moved to a barrack-looking building. It was a steel curved hut with a layer of rust on it that had to be decades old. Once inside, the soldiers left them alone, except for Wilson. The Captain stayed at their side and waited. He was rewarded a couple of minutes later by the opening of the side door. Two officers entered.
“This is my commander Colonel White and this is Major Thomas. They are with military intelligence and have a few questions for you.”
Wilson moved them forward and pushed them into chairs. “I’d suggest you be honest with them. You can start by telling us your real name.”
“Why should I?” A year in hiding had taught her not to divulge anything.
aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire) Page 12
