Noah Wolf Box Set 2

by David Archer

  Their next stop was at Kirtland Liquors, where Marco arranged for a tapper and two kegs of beer. It took him only a few minutes to get them, and then Neil helped him load them into the back of the Hummer. Marco got back in, and Neil drove them to Walmart.

  “Guys, we can’t eat that much,” Noah said, as Marco tossed T-bones and strip steaks into the shopping cart. Neil had another one that was already half-full of fresh corn, baking potatoes, pull-apart rolls, and red Solo cups.

  “We can with enough help,” Marco said. “I might have sent out a few invitations to the party.”

  Noah looked at the stack of steaks. “Forty-seven of them?”

  “Probably not that many,” Marco said. “But Willie and Ross can probably eat two or three apiece, and Mr. Jackson loves to eat. We don’t want to run out, right?” He tossed in a couple more and pushed the cart toward the front of the store.

  Once everything was paid for and loaded into the Hummer, they headed for Noah’s house. The drive from Walmart took almost half an hour, and Noah was surprised to see a couple dozen vehicles parked in his yard. Someone had decided not to wait for the kegs, and there was a cooler full of beer on Noah’s picnic table.

  “And there he is, gentlemen,” shouted Wally. “Camelot, we all want to offer our congratulations.” Someone shoved a can of beer into Noah’s hand, and he raised it along with everyone else.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate all of you coming. Let me get the grill fired up and we’ll start the corn and potatoes.”

  “Oh, no,” Marco said, “you’re the guest of honor. Neil, help me get the grill set up.”

  Someone had the foresight to bring folding chairs—Noah figured it had to have been Wally, and he was right—so he sat down in one as Neil started the grill, and Marco recruited a couple of men to help them set up the beer tapper. They had to open the garage and run an extension cord out to plug it in, and then a young man named Gary, who had once given Noah some competition in the PT course, opened the back of his Chevy Trailblazer to expose the giant speakers and cranked up the stereo.

  The party was on.

  * * * * *

  Out at the Supply Depot, Sarah felt like she had won the lottery or maybe like she was actually Cinderella. Martha did indeed have a number of wedding dresses, along with just about any other kind of clothing you could imagine. More than one mission had been carried out by someone pretending to be part of a wedding party, and Jenny herself had once used such a disguise.

  “I’ve got to say this is a first,” Martha said. “We never used one of these for an actual wedding before.” She had been showing Sarah different dresses, but suddenly she got a gleam in her eye. “Wait just a minute,” she said. “I think I know just the one for you.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Sarah stood in front of a bank of mirrors and stared at herself. The beautiful white dress she was wearing fit like it had been specially tailored for her, and the lace and embroidery on it was some of the most exquisite she had ever seen. She almost had tears in her eyes as Martha and Jenny showed her the veil and tiara that went with it, and instantly agreed that it was the perfect dress.

  Martha carefully packed it into a box and handed it to Jenny, who insisted on carrying it out to the car. “Now we’ve got the dress, it’s time for all the other goodies. I already called my hairdresser and told her the situation, so let’s go there first.”

  Sarah got into the car and looked at Jenny as she slid behind the wheel. “I can’t believe you’re doing all this for me,” she said. “I mean, you barely even know me.”

  Jenny looked her in the eye and reached over to squeeze her shoulder. “Let me tell you something,” she said. “The thing that got me into this life was when my little sister was murdered. When that happened, all my dreams and plans of how I was going to help her with her wedding went up in smoke. Now, I just spent the better part of a week with your guy, taking on some of the most dangerous people in the world because he wasn’t going to let you get away. He may get away with telling everyone else he’s an emotionless robot, but that sucker don’t fool me at all. Any girl who can get through that iron curtain he’s got wrapped around his emotions is a girl who is worth knowing. Maybe I don’t have my own little sister, but you’ll do.”

  They each pretended not to see the tears that were barely holding back, as Jenny started the car and headed toward the hair salon.

  Hair extensions are nothing new; they’ve been around since the time of the Egyptians. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been a lot of advancement in the technology since then, either. Sarah had to sit for almost three hours while two hairstylists worked to give her back her long blonde hair. The result, on the other hand, was outstanding, because once the hair was in place, it was so beautifully styled that Sarah had trouble believing she was looking at her own reflection in the mirror.

  Jenny dragged her out of the salon, and they headed for the mall, where major name stores awaited. Sarah’s new shoes came from JCPenney, a new purse came from Dillard’s, and an assortment of negligees were chosen at Victoria’s Secret. By the time they left the mall, most of the day had passed.

  “Okay, I’m starving,” Jenny said. “You have a choice: we can go to Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday. Which will it be?”

  “It doesn’t really matter,” Sarah said, “but this time you’re going to let me pay.”

  “Woo-hoo,” Jenny said. “If you’re buying, there’s a steak and a margarita in my future. Let’s go.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Sarah said. “Where are we going?”

  Jenny laughed. “Someplace I don’t think you ever even heard of,” she replied. “There is a club set up especially for those of us who work on the teams. It’s called the Assassin’s Club, and just being on Team Camelot makes you a member automatically. It’s where I go when I want to get drunk, because you don’t have to worry about being careful not to say too much.”

  The Assassin’s Club was located in the Restricted Area, which most of the local residents thought was part of a military base. Both girls had to show their IDs to the guards at the gate, but instead of following the road toward R&D like usual, Jenny turned off onto a winding side road that went up into a heavily forested area. The Club came into view a couple of minutes later, a big, square nondescript building with dozens of cars in its parking lot.

  “Everybody inside has a security clearance high enough that you don’t have to pretend you’re just some normal girl. Even the bands that play here are made up of people from within E & E, and most of them are pretty good. Ready to go have some fun, let your hair down?”

  Sarah grinned nervously, but she nodded. “Just don’t let me get so drunk I do something stupid,” she said.

  “Now, where’s the fun in that? Don’t worry, all we’re going to do is drink and dance and have a good time. And don’t worry about any of the guys in here giving you a problem; they all know exactly who I am.”

  Sarah followed Jenny through the door and was almost instantly surrounded by people she knew. Elaine Jefferson, Moose’s former girlfriend, was there, along with Lacey Jackson, who was dating Neil, Noah’s old friend Molly, and several other women she recognized from R&D, Supply, and other parts of the organization. They had just accepted seats at a big table with some of these ladies when a pair of hands landed on her shoulders.

  “Well, it’s about time you girls got here,” Allison said from right behind her. “Let’s get this party started!”

  Sarah was never certain how they got back to Jenny’s place and barely even remembered the argument about why she couldn’t go home to Noah’s house that night, but the hangover she had the next morning explained both. Apparently, Jenny had kept the margaritas coming until the bartender cut them off, and then somebody—neither of them remembered who—had given them a ride, while someone else drove Jenny’s car home.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Noah’s bachelor party ran on until well past midnight, despite the fact that it had started in the early afternoo
n. He woke at just after ten the next morning with a mild hangover of his own, and when he staggered out toward the kitchen for coffee, he found someone sleeping on every conceivable piece of furniture and many spaces on the floor.

  He stepped carefully over those and found a relatively clear path to the kitchen. Neil, who Noah vaguely recalled had passed out fairly early, was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of him.

  “It’s pretty fresh,” he said. “Grab a cup and sit down.”

  Noah did exactly that and then looked at the tall, skinny kid. “Just how stupid did we act last night?”

  “I’m not too sure,” Neil said. “The last thing I remember was you telling the story of how your parents died for about the fifth time.” He looked at Noah through bleary eyes and pointed a finger in his face. “Did you know that when you’re drunk, you’re just as emotional as anybody else? You were crying the whole time you were talking about it.”

  Noah blinked. “I remember that,” he said. “I just don’t remember what I was feeling at the time.”

  “That’s because you keep it all suppressed. Someday, boss, all those emotions you keep buried are going to erupt like a volcano. I just hope it doesn’t happen at the wrong minute, because it’ll either get you killed or make you kill everyone else around you.”

  Noah shrugged. “I’ll cross that bridge if I ever find it,” he said. He took a big swig of his coffee and smacked his lips. “This is good, thanks.”

  “No problem, I needed it myself. How did I end up in the bathtub upstairs, anyway? Somehow, I bet that was Marco.”

  “It was. He took you in there so you wouldn’t be in the way. People were stepping on you.”

  The two of them sat and drank a couple of cups apiece, as various people slowly began to regain consciousness. The coffee maker was refreshed several times to accommodate them all, but most of the men offered congratulations to Noah once again and then headed for their own homes to sleep it off for a while. By noon, it was only Noah, Neil, and Marco, and the three of them decided it was time to eat something, so they headed for the Sagebrush Saloon. For once, Neil didn’t object to accepting a ride from Marco, even though it meant climbing into the narrow back seat of his late-model Mustang.

  The hostess led them to a table, and it was only a minute before Elaine, her eyes bloodshot, smiled down at them. “What’ll it be, guys? And before you make any smart-ass comments, you don’t look a whole lot better than I do. I take it you all partied pretty hard last night?”

  “We’re not talking about it,” Neil said. “What happened to you?”

  “I toasted the bride one time too many. Jenny and Allison cooked up a scheme to get a bunch of us out to the Club, and we danced way too long and hard.” She grinned at Noah. “I think Sarah had the time of her life, but we kept her out of trouble.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “I’m sure it meant a lot to her for you to be there.”

  “Yeah, well, she would’ve been there for me, if it was my party. Coffee?”

  “Coffee, yes,” Noah said, “and I’ll have a western omelet.”

  “Almost sounds good,” Neil said. “I think it might even stay down. And yeah, coffee.”

  “Make it three times,” Marco said. Elaine nodded and walked away.

  The food arrived in a fairly short time, and the three of them ate rather quickly. By the time they were finished, the hangovers were faded to the point they could think, and they headed back to the house to start getting ready for the wedding. It was almost one o’clock by that point, so they had only three hours.

  Noah went to his room to shower and shave, then opened his closet and pulled his tuxedo out of the plastic bag that protected it from the elements. It had been in the house since the day he moved in, but he had never worn it before. It fit perfectly, confirming his suspicion that it had been specifically tailored for him once he had accepted the job and been approved by Doc Parker.

  Meanwhile, Neil and Marco had started cleaning up around the house. By the time Noah came out, it didn’t look nearly as much like a natural disaster had struck it. Noah thanked them and then asked them to sit down at the table with him.

  “I’ve never even been to a wedding,” he said without preamble, “but I’ve read enough books to know that there are certain traditions. One of those is the best man, and I’ve been thinking about that.” He looked at Neil. “You’ve been with me since the first week,” he said. “I would be honored if you would be at my side today.”

  Marco laughed and slapped Neil on the shoulder. “See? I told you he’d pick you.” He looked at Noah and rolled his eyes. “He’s been hoping you would ask, but somehow he thought you were going to choose me. I told him that wouldn’t make sense, since I’m new on the team. You picked the right man for the job, boss.”

  Neil gave Noah a sheepish grin. “It really should be Moose, if he was here,” he said. “But I’ll do my best to make you proud.”

  “I know you will,” Noah said. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small box, then opened it to show that it contained a pair of wedding rings, one for Sarah and one for him. “I bought these when I got Sarah’s engagement ring. I want you to hold them for me, until it’s time.”

  Neil swallowed hard, then took the box from Noah. He looked at the rings for a moment and then closed it, slipping it into his pocket. “I’m going to go over to the trailer and get changed,” he said.

  “Yeah, I’ve got to run home and change, myself,” Marco said. “See you at the church, okay, boss?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Alone for the first time that day, Noah suddenly remembered that he hadn’t made honeymoon arrangements, so he went to the living room and picked up the laptop they always kept there. He googled various resorts and finally settled on one in Cancun, Mexico. He purchased a two-week package and scheduled their flight, which would leave Denver at just after midnight.

  He went back into the bedroom and packed his own clothes, then got out another suitcase and packed some things of Sarah’s that he knew she liked, including her favorite toiletries and perfumes. He left some room in the bag because he knew Jenny had planned on buying her some things, then wondered if he should have bothered at all. He shrugged and dug out their passports. It seemed a little strange to see their own official names on the passports they would use, for once.

  He set the bags in the living room and took out his phone. It was a weekday, so he called Allison’s office with the intent of leaving word for her about where they would be going. He asked for her voice mail but was surprised when she picked up the line.

  “Speak,” she said, “but not loudly. Noah, this is the first hangover I’ve had in twenty years. And just so you know, your new bride is a lightweight. She can’t hold her margaritas very well.”

  Noah’s eyebrows went up. “I shall bear that in mind,” he said. “I was calling to let you know where we’ll be going on our honeymoon. I decided on Cancun.”

  “That’s a beautiful place,” Allison said. “I want you guys to go down there and have fun, put everything else behind you for a while. And frankly, Noah, this may do her more good than all the therapy in the world.”

  “I think so, too,” Noah said. “She needs the security, and our getting married will offer her validation for her feelings. That’s something she’s been lacking, and the trauma she’s been through makes it critical that she has it.”

  Allison was quiet for a moment, and then he heard her chuckle. “I take it you studied psychology somewhere along the line?”

  “No,” Noah said. “Just human nature. It’s not that hard to figure out if you really pay attention.”

  “I’ll bear that in mind. Anyway, shouldn’t you be getting ready for your wedding?”

  “I’ve been ready for an hour. Just been taking care of a few details, packing clothes for the trip, that sort of thing. Don’t worry, I’ll be at the church in plenty of time.”

  With some effort, Noah managed to stuff the luggag
e into the back of the Corvette, making sure to leave Sarah’s bag accessible. He took another walk through the house and turned off lights, made sure all the windows and doors were locked, then walked across the yard to Neil’s trailer and knocked on the door.

  He wasn’t surprised when Lacey answered it, already dressed and with her makeup perfect. “He’s almost ready,” she said. “He told me you asked him to be your best man. I think that’s sweet of you, and sort of fitting since Sarah asked me, Elaine, and Jenny to stand up with her.”

  Noah shrugged. “He’s the closest friend I’ve got,” he said. “There was no one else I could even consider.”

  Lacey stepped aside to let him into the trailer, and Noah looked around. He’d only been in it a couple of times since Neil moved in, shortly after Noah was recruited. He looked around and realized that a lot of the decorative touches he saw were probably from Lacey.

  “Place looks nice,” he said.

  “It does now,” she replied. “If I had left it up to Neil, it would still look like a reject from a Southern trailer park. Of course, that’s what he grew up in, so it probably seemed like home to him.”

  “I remember,” Noah said. “That was why he wanted to rent it from me. It reminded him of the one he grew up in. It still looks better, though.”

  “That’s because she wouldn’t let up until I said it was okay to redecorate,” Neil said, coming out of the bedroom. He didn’t have a tuxedo, but the suit he was wearing was perfectly acceptable in Noah’s opinion.

  “It’s getting close to time,” Noah said. “I don’t know what else I need to do before the wedding, but I’m open to suggestions.”

  Lacey giggled at him. “Buddy, all you got to do is show up,” she said. “Everything else will fall right into place, trust me.” She cocked her head to one side and looked at him closely for a moment. “So, tell me,” she said. “What really brought this on? Sarah has been dreaming of marrying you for months, but she never believed you’d ever really go for it. What changed?”