Iris Johansen - Dark Summer

WALT'S PHONE RANG. "MARROK."He pressed the connect. "You took longer than I thought. Devon was beginning to-" He listened. "I'll be right there." He hung up.

"It's done." He started the car and backed out of the parking space. "But evidently not as smoothly as I hoped. He was a bit curt."

"Is Marrok still where we dropped him?"

Walt shook his head. "He said he'd probably be a half mile down the access road. He didn't want to be seen if someone spotted the wrecked car." Walt entered the down ramp. "You may have to do a little first aid. Marrok said the bastard was a knife man and managed to prick him."

"He's been stabbed?"

"Marrok had to get in close, so he couldn't use a gun after be blew out the tires. He said Sherwood was a street fighter and pulled a knife out of a shin holster."

"How bad is Marrok's wound?"

"We'll see. Couldn't be too bad if he can hike a half mile."

"We'll still have to get him to a doctor."

"That would be awkward. You'll have to talk to him." They had reached the exit ramp, and he started down it. "There's the Volvo. Keep an eye on the side of the road." He suddenly pulled over to the side. "Never mind. I see Marrok. He's coming out of that stand of brush."

She saw him, too. Even in the darkness she could see the stiffness in the way he was carry ing himself. His dark hair was tousled, and he was moving toward them slowly. She hadn't realized until this moment what a springy, lithe gait he usually had.

Walt muttered a curse, put on the brake, and jumped out of the van. "You look like death warmed over." He put his shoulder beneath Marrok's arm. "Some prick."

"It's not serious. I just didn't have time to stop the bleeding until I finished." He was leaning hard against Walt. "It could have been worse. He was aiming for my jugular." He looked at Devon, who had gotten out of the car. "I don't suppose you have any sutures on you?"

"It's not something I generally carry around with me except on a disaster mission." Her lips tightened. "Perhaps I should start. My life's been one straight disaster since you dropped into it." Damn, he looked pale. "For heaven's sake, get in the back of the van and let me take a look at it."

"There's a first-aid kit on the plane." Walt helped Marrok into the back. "We should be there in ten minutes." He turned and trotted back to the driver's seat.

"Good." Marrok closed his eyes. "Then I think I'll take a little nap…"

"No, you won't." Devon crawled in after him. "Not until I'm sure you're not going into shock. You're not going to die on me, dammit."

"I wouldn't dare." He opened his eyes and gazed up at her. "I didn't cut an artery. It's going to be okay."

"Nothing is okay." She pushed Ned away from him to loosen the makeshift ban dage. It was an ugly wound, but it was no longer bleeding, she realized with relief. She started to redo it. "But it would be worse if you died and left me in this mess by myself. I'm staggering around in the dark, and I need you to tell me how I can get myself out of it."

"I might have had an answer before tonight," he said wearily. "But everything is blowing up in my face." He suddenly shook his head. "God, I sound like a wimp. What the hell. I'll still get us out of this." Between clenched teeth he said, "Just get me sewn up, and I'll take care of the rest."

"I'll do what I can. You do know you should be seeing a doctor?"

"I like the way you stitch. Ned's wound was clean as a whistle when you finished. And look at him now, he's almost normal."

"You said he healed fast."

"So do I. We just need a little help from our friends."

"I'm not your friend."

"You could be." His eyes were burning, glittering with intensity. "And more…"

She couldn't look away. She felt breathless. "I think you have a fever."

"Probably. Maybe we both do."

Fever and a strange yet familiar languidness. Why the hell would she feel like this now? It was totally bizarre. "You're the one who's wounded." She steadied her hands to button his shirt. "And that means that Ned isn't as clever as Walt thinks he is. He swore that if you were in any danger Ned would put up a ruckus."

"But I wasn't in any danger. Not after I took away Sherwood's knife."

"You might have bled to death."

He shook his head. "It would have clotted eventually."

"So Ned's instincts still rule supreme," she said dryly.

He was silent a moment. "You haven't asked what I did to Sherwood."

"Walt didn't hesitate to tell me what you planned." She moistened her lips. "I don't have to ask if you followed through, do I?"

"No. I'm behind the eight ball, and I have to find a way to survive."

"By torture and killing?"

"Whatever."

"Doesn't it bother you at all?"

"Maybe. On some level. But I can't let it stop me." He paused. "Would it matter if I told you he admitted he had orders to kill?"

"I don't know." Her lips twisted. "You haven't seen fit to tell me enough about this so that I'd have enough information to judge. I don't think I could ever sanction torture or murder, no matter what the circumstances."

"You could. It would be difficult for you, but you could. We're all primitives. The anger would just have to be deep and blistering enough to tear away the last scruple." He closed his eyes again. "I'd hate to see it. There are few women like you. I like gentleness. Maybe because I have so little of it myself. You glow like a light…"

"Don't fall asleep, Marrok."

"I'm not. I'm just trying to make a decision, and I can't think straight when I'm looking at you. You disturb me." He was silent a moment, then called, "Walt."

"We're almost at the airport," Walt said over his shoulder. "I'll whisk you back to San Francisco in that kicky little jet to pick up the copter and we'll be at the ranch in no time."

"We're not going to the ranch yet. I want to go home."

Walt's brows rose. "That's a surprise."

"We won't stay long. I need to get something for this wound." He paused. "And Devon wants answers, and I'm going to give them to her."

Devon's eyes widened.

"Shocked?" Marrok was gazing at her again, his lips curved in a reckless smile. "There's no real reason not to bare my soul. Everything is heading toward an explosion anyway, and it will probably blow every safeguard I've put into place to kingdom come. You're right. You have a right to know everything I know. It may help to protect you if Danner manages to kill me." He reached out and stroked Ned's head. "And Ned will need a guardian. A very special guardian."

"You're sounding very pessimistic."

"I can be a moody bastard on occasion. It's an emotion I can't afford. That's when I go home and recharge."

"Where is home?"

"Arizona. Only a short flight, and we won't be there for more than a few hours." He held her eyes. "But this time I'm asking, not whisking you off. Will you come with me?"

She hesitated.

"Come," he said softly.

Why not? She suddenly knew she wanted to see the land of Marrok's roots, the surroundings that had created him. "Why not?" She nodded slowly. "If it's only for a few hours."

"I CAN'T GET IN TOUCHwith Sherwood," Caswell said.

Danner swore beneath his breath. "Marrok took him down. Dammit, you should have hired someone better."

"Sherwood was very good. He could still be alive. I may still be able to reach him."

"Good? You don't send merely good against an expert like Marrok."

"Sherwood came highly-"

"Forget it," Danner said. "Sherwood bought it. Now we have to find another way to get Marrok."

"The decoding should-"

"I'm not counting on the decoding. It may take too long. Now that Marrok knows we have the computer, he'll set to work making it useless for me. No, Marrok is the key. He's always been the key. Try another way. You always have to have more than one arrow to your bow." He shook his head with frustration. "Why am I telling you that? You've never learned to think outside the box." He gazed broodingly down at the computer for a few moments. "The woman was with him tonight?"