Radclyffe - Price of Honor

“Nice doing business with you,” the blonde said, disappearing into the shadows.

Jane and Hooker backed toward the door. An instant later they were outside and back in the Jeep.

“Satisfied now?” Hooker said.

Jane let out a breath and the tension eased from her chest. She tossed the duffel into the backseat. “I will be, once we’re out of this parking lot.”

“You gonna tell me the plan then?”

Jane glanced at him. “No, but I’ll show you.”

Chapter Twenty-one

Two hundred miles southeast of Colorado Springs, Jane pulled off the highway into a small town whose main street was already closed and shuttered for the night. She cruised the snowy streets until she found the public library and pulled into the parking lot. After hours, the library lot was dark and deserted. Everyone still out was in a hurry to get home. No one would remember them, even if they happened to notice them.

Hooker looked at her. “Got the sudden urge for a book?”

“Sit rep.”

Hooker laughed and dug around on the floor for the fast-food bag.

Jane swiveled, pulled the duffel from behind the backseat, and slid out her laptop. She plugged the car charger into the dash and logged on to the free Wi-Fi. Nine times out of ten, she could find an Internet connection at a library. A minute later, she had a live update from the White House feed on the progress of the president’s train. The White House communications department did a great job of keeping everyone informed of the president’s activities and general schedule on a daily basis. As Robbie had predicted, the train was behind schedule due to weather-related problems, but so was she. All things considered, her intersect point was just about where she’d anticipated.

She enlarged the map and studied the fine lines representing county roads. Before railroads were usurped by planes and trucks for hauling freight around the country, wagon trails ran alongside the tracks so farmers and merchants could pick up and deliver goods. Eventually those old wagon lines had become paved roads, and as time progressed, they too were replaced by faster highways farther from the tracks. But the roads remained, little used now as drivers favored the multi-lanes for speed. In many places, the back roads were in sight of the tracks or an easy hike. She switched to Google Maps and laid out a new route running parallel to the train, set her nav con, and logged off.

“I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what the plan is?” Hooker pulled out one of the cold hamburgers, unwrapped it, and took a bite.

“Need-to-know.” Jane slid the laptop back into her duffel and stowed it away. The snow had let up a little, but the weather predicted more on the way. She’d have to drive all night to get ahead of the train and wait. Never rush a plan based on opportunity. Luckily, she’d learned patience along with endurance on those early training missions in the mountains. After checking that they were still alone, she pushed open the door and stepped out. Hustling through the snow, she climbed the steps to the library’s small porch, hunched under the overhang, and hoped for a signal. Luck was with her. Robbie answered a minute later.

“It’s me,” he said.

“I’m on schedule. Enjoying the ride?”

His laughter sounded grim. “Let’s just say I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

“Me too.” She was weary, physically and emotionally. Somehow hearing his voice always reminded her of the feelings she could usually shunt aside—long-ago memories of being surrounded by family. Happy times with the three of them and their father. When she was alone, nothing really mattered except the mission. Then she forgot about everything else. Loneliness, hunger, even fear, drifted away. Maybe one day, when all this was over… She caught herself angrily. Thoughts like that only made her weak.

“Give me the order of the cars,” Jane said.

“There’s a lot of them.”

“I have a good memory, remember? Go.”

He recited them, his memory as good as hers, and she fixed them in her mind. They’d all been trained to be able to do that—to survey a hillside, a city street, a plaza, and recount in detail the location of civilians, targets, entrances, and exits. It was a game when they were young, and a mission when they were older.

“Keep your distance from the front the next twenty-four hours,” she said when he was done.

“I’ll be expected to cover anything that happens,” he said. “If I disappear, I’ll be suspect.”

“Fine, just don’t be in the front line.” Jane watched Hooker in the front seat, checking to see he wasn’t rummaging in her gear. “Besides, maybe you won’t need that cover much longer.”

“What are we going to do about rebuilding the forces?”

Jane clenched her jaw. The compound was in ruins, and the feds would be scouring the area looking for anyone with information about them. They couldn’t go back there. They couldn’t contact their old militia. But she had to give him something to hope for. “Dad had contacts in Montana. We can go there. Once we have Jenn.”

“I’ve been checking with my contacts back in DC,” he said. “Word is they’re going to move her soon.”

“We expected that,” she said, forcing a calmness she didn’t feel into her voice. Of the three of them, Robbie was always the weakest soldier. He wanted to please, but he was never as disciplined as her or Jenn. He hated the wilderness missions, didn’t revel in the physical challenges, and preferred indoor duty over range work. “It won’t be much longer, and then we can all decide.”

“Okay.” He paused. “I love you.”

Jane tensed. Personal attachments couldn’t be allowed to intrude in the midst of a mission. Losses were always expected. Loyalty, commitment, those were acceptable emotions that made a soldier stronger. “Soon we’ll be talking face-to-face.”

“Right,” he echoed, “soon.”

Jane disconnected and bent her head into the wind. Soon.

*

The train started up again a little before seven p.m. and pulled out into the night. Viv shed her work clothes, showered, and chose a soft light blue V-neck cashmere sweater and jeans. She slipped into flats, considered makeup, and finally settled for a little lip gloss. She studied herself in the mirror, her skin buzzing with anticipation, like a teenager getting ready for a date. She laughed and the thrill spread deeper. When the knock came on her cabin door, her stomach did an honest-to-God flip. Wetting her lips, she turned the light down low and opened the door.

Dusty carried a small wicker basket and wore jeans, a white button-down shirt, and a big smile. She looked so sexy Viv’s knees went a little weak.

“Hi,” Dusty said. “Too early?”

“You’re perfect. The timing, I mean—perfect.” Viv stepped back to let her in. “Where in the world did you get a picnic hamper?”

“I asked the steward.” Dusty set the basket on the floor by the bunk. “You can almost always get anything on a trip like this. You’d be amazed what they carry.”

“I commend you on your hunting abilities.”

Dusty gave a little bow. “Thank you. I hope sandwiches will—”

Viv wrapped her arms around Dusty’s neck and kissed her. She was hungry, but the sandwiches be damned. She wanted kisses. And heat and sweetness and relief from the burn in the pit of her stomach that had simmered all day.

Dusty groaned and pulled Viv close, forgetting everything except the lush contours of Viv’s body and the urgency that poured through her at the first press of Viv’s mouth. The kiss started low and soft and quiet, like birdsong at dawn, just a single refrain at first, delicately building as the sky lightened and more voices joined. Soon her head was filled with sound and light and wonder. She slipped her hand underneath the incredibly soft sweater and found even softer skin, stroking lower to the hollow at the base of Viv’s spine, pressing a palm to the mesmerizing curve of muscle and flesh. She could spend a lifetime exploring every amazing dip and swell, if only she wasn’t so damn crazy for more. More kisses, more touches, more of everything that made those little cries escape Viv’s throat. She skimmed upward and feathered her fingers over Viv’s side, just grazing the edge of her breast.