Alex let out a breath and attempted to conceal her shaking hands as she took the small tan package, biting back too wide a grin when she read the code name, a variation of a character from a favorite childhood television show.
She thanked the clerk and turned to go. “Have a great day!”
“You too!”
A brisk walk to Pier 7 and fresh coffee in hand, Alex chose a corner table near a window. She leaned back in her chair, glanced around, took a drink, and slid her thumbnail the length of the taped cardboard to slice the small box open. There was a key, and a note written on the back of a free trial membership card from the local gym. LOCKER 71.
Alex smiled, hope causing her breath to catch in her throat. Yes, this had been discussed ahead of time, but just the fact that these items remained in play meant something to her. If there was no reason, there would be no key, right? She tucked the key and the card in her pocket and finished her coffee. Time for a workout.
Later that day Alex entered the gym, changed and stowed her clothes in locker seventy-one. She spent an anxious hour trying out various stations just to make it look good. At least working up a sweat helped to calm those nerves. A little. After showering, she collected her street clothes plus a phone and charger from the locker. She dressed, left the gym, and made a hasty trip of her walk back to Lou’s.
Lou had an evening out planned and wouldn’t be home for hours. Alex plugged in the phone and waited. Once it was on and charging, she keyed in her birth date to open it. No messages. She checked the contacts list and giggled. Brain. Gamer. She’d waited long enough. She sent Brain a simple ?. Her foot tapped again, and she nibbled at a finger. Come on, guys, please answer!
Fifteen minutes. Setting the phone on the counter to continue its charge, she wiped at her eyes and stepped over to her chair that Lou kept for her. Aaron’s jacket lay there. She slipped it on, brought the collar to her nose and lips. His scent, ingrained in the supple, worn leather, enfolded her in its own assuring hug. If only it were his real arms. Nonetheless, it helped her feel close to him. She slumped into cushioned upholstery and curled up. This is absolute hell. Had Aaron and Les made it? Were they okay? Mikey would surely answer her, wouldn’t he?
Overwhelmed with racing thoughts, she attempted to focus and center herself. Worrying and wondering would not help. Quieting her mind at this point though proved near impossible. She pulled a fleece blanket over herself and sighed. Minutes stretched.
Wouldn’t she know? If Aaron hadn’t made it, wouldn’t she feel that? Silence enveloped her, and she brought his presence to mind. Within seconds a warmth grew in her heart space, a soft and comforting sparkle, almost as if he were sitting right there with her. Several times during the past week this perception had occurred. Sometimes with her specific intention, as now when she thought of him, others out of the blue, snapping her mind to him.
The same had happened after the ship, though at the time it just seemed an oddity, another rarity to go along with that electric rush when they touched. Every time, the connection to him formed, as though he thought of her from some distant place and their hearts merged. A distinct longing, it made her smile and tear up at the same time. It always did. Along with these recent occurrences came the essence of the pier and his forested property. Was that because of the strong memories of those places? Hopes for a future?
Again, in experiencing this now, the strength and closeness of their bond, these unusual sensations, wouldn’t she be able to tell if he wasn’t alive?
Star Wars.
The theme tone split the silence and jolted her back to present. What the…? Phone! She leaped from her chair, flinging the blanket halfway across the room, and ran to the counter.
Mikey: “u got it.”
She hopped in place and held in a squeal. What to reply? “what do i do?” she sent back.
More minutes passed. “comic palace in 20.”
“omw.” She grabbed the phone and charger and her backpack and rushed out the door.
Several patrons meandered the store, reading or thumbing through boxes on counters. Alex had visited the place once before. The worn yet cozy seating area still occupied a room off to the side. She scanned around, hoping she hid any desperation, and headed that direction.
One man lounged in a chair, a stack of comics and magazines next to him on a milk-crate stand. He glanced up as Alex passed. To her relief, he buried his nose in haste back inside his comic as she caught him checking her out. In no mood for idle chitchat, her only interest at present lay in seeing the guys again and finding out what information they had for her.
Having arrived early, she walked to a far chair where she could view the front door and windows to wait for Mikey and Andy. Would their ensuing conversation be just to confirm the horror her eyes had witnessed? As Les said, explosions are showy, messy, and can hide a lot. Had there been another escape route? She checked the phone.
“Hey, Hot Shot.”
Andy’s greeting gave her a start. He and Mikey walked toward her. They must have already been inside when she arrived. Sneaky cusses. She stood, and as they stopped in front of her, she grabbed both in a tight hug. They returned it, the shared bond between them a comfort now that they were back in each other’s presence. After a long embrace, they moved to a sofa. Alex and Mikey sat together, Andy on the coffee table in front of them. So many questions, above all one.
“Have you heard from them?” Alex asked.
Andy and Mikey glanced at each other, the latter in the end breaking the silence. “We heard from Care Bear, but he won’t tell us where he is.”
“But they made it? They’re okay?” Alex struggled to keep her voice low.
The two men exchanged another glance, and Alex’s heart sank.
Andy spoke to her. “We aren’t sure. He only contacted Brain once and just said he would be in touch. That was four days ago.”
Alex put both hands over her mouth. Please, please, please! Tell me! There has to be more! She craved information. Her urge to scream at them wouldn’t help. Her body trembled. So glad to know about Les. What about Aaron?
“We don’t know—we just don’t. He didn’t say.”
She set her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. This was not the place to make a waterworks scene.
Mikey laid an arm across her shoulders. “Come with us.”
Mikey and Alex walked together. Andy trailed a few steps behind to answer a text he’d received.
“Where are we going?” Alex asked. Being back in the company of these two, plus the curiosity and action of heading to a new destination, alleviated her racing mind. Some.
Andy laughed out of nowhere. He grabbed her shoulders from behind, gave a quick squeeze, and trotted up beside them. “As they say, never put all your eggs in one basket.” He met her gaze, his now-cheery face a stark contrast to just minutes earlier.
Wow. Must have been a great text.
“Where you think ol’ Care Bear hung out to watch out for you guys anyway? Got a little old warehouse over on eleventh.”
Alex nodded. She’d never considered much about where Les would have stayed in the days before showing up at her place. “Okay. Cool.”
Several blocks later found them near their objective. Mikey checked the surveillance cams and sensors on his phone a couple of streets out. He nodded an all clear.
Still so covert in their actions. Alex rubbed her nose to cover an amused smile. But, after what they’d all been through, it made sense. Plus they still had jobs to do. What could they be up to now?
Andy led them to a side entrance obscured in part by a wild, tangled tree splitting a crack near the foundation. The metal door creaked on rusted hinges.
Darkness engulfed them but for the flickering exit sign above. Smells of dust and old grease lingered from days gone by. A bright sliver seeped from below another door across the expanse. Their footsteps shushed on cement, echoing into inky rafters, and her eyes adjusted to the dark as they made their way
over.
Opening the door revealed the light. Alex blinked against it, her pupils adjusting again. They entered a living area and workspace similar to but on a much smaller scale than the mountain compound. She stopped and waited just inside the room.
Mikey and Andy walked on in, and the latter whispered something she couldn’t hear to his companion. Mikey grinned and stole a tiny glance at her before taking a chair in front of a computer.
Andy called back to her as he crossed the room. “Make yourself at home.”
He walked to a door at the rear and opened it a crack as she sank into a stuffed chair.
“Hey, Bear, we’re here.”
Alex sat straight up and gawked over at Andy. Her mouth fell open. Les is here? And…?
“Andy…?”
He turned back to her as she started to stand and motioned for her to stay put as he walked over and plunked onto the sofa across from her. He couldn’t hide his grin, and Alex’s offhand notion was that he would totally suck at poker. But then, more than likely, so would she. She spread her hands, eyed him, and shrugged. What? He just shook his head and beamed at her.
The door he’d spoken into creaked. Les emerged. Fatigue clouded now gaunt features, revealing a man who looked as if he hadn’t slept well in weeks. His left forearm bore a cast, he walked with an obvious limp, and a row of stitches stretched an inch and a half across his forehead. He shuffled over. Reaching the sofa, he dropped down beside Andy. He stared across at her, his eyes narrowed but alive with intensity. Not a word was offered.
A tightness vised her chest and throat. Oh God no…
But there was Andy, still trying to hide his stupid, silly grin. It occurred to her in that moment that it was Les who had sent Andy the text.
Had it not been for Andy’s expression, Alex would have succumbed to despair right then and there. “Is anybody gonna tell me anything?” she blurted out.
“You need to take a walk.” The sullen cast to Les’s leaden voice grated at her ears. His eyes all but looked through her.
“What?”
“Take a walk.”
The sting of being put off and unwelcome knifed her. Except for Andy’s grin. She frowned and stood, crossing her arms. What the hell was happening? Where was Aaron?
Les got to his feet and stepped over to her. “Take a walk,” he repeated. He pulled a folded envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. “You don’t need to be here for this.”
Alex blinked back tears. She swallowed against the burgeoning lump in her throat. Why would no one tell her anything? She stared at Les and he stared back. Just tell me! Trembling lips pinched together as she crushed her jaw tight, eyes ablaze in challenge.
He nodded at the envelope in her hand. It was folded in half, and she spread it out. Her first name only on the front. Her heart skipped several beats as it seemed to fight itself on whether to jump out of her chest or crash to the floor. She put a hand over her mouth. This could be the best news ever or the worst nightmare.
She looked back into Les’s intimidating stare. “He’s not here, is he?”
“No, he’s not here. Just… take a walk.”
Alex looked to Andy and Mikey, and neither would meet her eyes now. Her bottom lip quivered. She turned abruptly and bolted out the door before they could see her cry.
Alex sprinted three blocks before stopping. There was an old bench near one of the stores, and she slumped onto its worn seat, mental exhaustion overtaking her. Labored breath hitched as she fought off outright sobs. What could be so bad that the guys didn’t want her in their presence to read it? Had Les written her that Aaron was gone and just didn’t want to say it to her face and watch her fall apart? Oh God.
But, no, her handwritten name, though oddly scribbled, still bore Aaron’s distinct characterizations. Aaron had written whatever lay within. Had he decided he really was too much a danger to her to remain in her life? He couldn’t possibly just… Might as well get this over with. She wiped her eyes and slid her thumb inside the envelope to pull it open. A small, folded note. She opened the paper. The writing was a little sloppy, but it was very evident whose it was…
PIER 7 COFFEE & SUDS
Are you freaking kidding me?
She brought the hem of her shirt up to dry soaked cheeks before letting out an exasperated chuckle. “Les, you’re an ass. But thank you.”
Alex stood and turned in the direction of the pier. Eight blocks away. Oh Lord, I’m a mess! A search of her backpack produced a lone saved napkin. She swiped it over her face, blew her nose, and tossed it in the trash can beside the bench. As good as it’s gonna get right now.
She shouldered her pack, started walking, and shoved the note and envelope into a jacket pocket. Oh, the heck with this. She took off at a run, only stopping for the traffic lights.
Pier 7 was packed, just opened for the dinner crowd. Alex burst through the front door, ignoring the several surprised looks she received, and zigzagged her way through to the pier. Between tables and patrons out back…
Wood decking. People. Laughter. Gentle waves lapping at supports, a carefree backdrop to lively conversations. The scents of salty sea air and fried food mingled. Seagulls squawked as they rode the breeze. Orange sunset. More people…
Alex continued to weave her way through the crowd. Wow. Party tonight? She squeezed beside a group near the rail and continued. Halfway to the end. With a resigned sigh, she moved on. It would just never be fast enough right now. Pausing and waiting on a couple to slide past her, she felt a weird vibration against her side. The inside pocket of the jacket. Her hand closed on the phone from the locker. She swiped it open and checked the message: “all the way.”
Alex grinned. Her heart raced, and she could barely breathe. She clamped her jaw tight on a squeal. Just. Get. There. She moved. A break in the crowd. Ten feet. More people. They were at least beginning to thin out now, and she felt less like a squirming sardine.
The last fifty feet, and in an odd twist, only a few random individuals occupied the remaining space. A fisherman… A couple at one corner…
The sun dipped to the horizon. Perfect setting. Les and the guys would send her on the right path. Would she follow it again? Should be getting close enough now. I really hope to God she doesn’t hate me for doing this again. Aaron took out his phone to text, stuffed it back in his pocket, and smiled. If she showed up this time, there would be no question. Not that there was, but events over the past few weeks could have been the hardest test of all.
They had all taken a real beating on this one, and not just physical. She had born witness to more of the extreme violence and talents of his profession than she should ever have had to. He rubbed his neck, checked his watch, and looked at his damaged hand. It would take some time but would heal. At least he was a good shot with both.
He settled in to wait.
Alex joined Aaron at the rail. She focused on the sunset. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t look at him. If her knees didn’t give out at any second, she would consider herself lucky. His arm brushed against hers as he removed his sunglasses. No way could she hold back tears now. She dropped her pack at her feet. Just breathe. Gathering as much of her wits about her as she was able, she turned to face him.
A black eye, a couple of healing cuts on his nose and right cheek, and his left hand was wrapped, pinky and ring fingers immobilized in a splint. A different black jacket as she still wore his other. Jeans and boots. Gleaming with tears, his kaleidoscopic blue-green gaze connected with hers…
Those brief seconds of eye contact said everything needed. Alex grabbed Aaron around his neck and shoulders as tight as she dared. He’d put himself through so much. How severe were his injuries? Possibly worse than he’d admit, based on Les’s appearance at the warehouse. The snug hold he gave her however, lifting her from the deck, told her she could provide a more secure grasp, and she did.
At last in his arms again. Where she belonged. The comforting heat of his body against hers was like sunl
ight to her soul. He set her back down, tucked his chin into the side of her neck, and they just stood and held each other.
Minutes later, Aaron rubbed Alex’s back. His solacing arms contracted about her even more, enfolding her in an all-encompassing euphoria before he released his hold. Alex lingered in the embrace a few seconds longer. Not just yet. She pressed herself into him before stepping back.
Aaron cradled her face in his hands. “Just let me look at you.” Her familiar musky vanilla scent intoxicated him. His gaze traveled over the contours of her chin between his thumbs, the rose-colored cheeks, the way her sun-kissed hair fell around her forehead and ears. A lingering respite on soft lips, coming back to take comfort in those deep hazel eyes. Everything he needed lay there. Home.
“Always hold on,” she whispered to him.
Aaron grabbed her again and crushed her to him. She slid her hands inside his jacket over the soft flannel of his shirt and around to lock at his back.
“Oh God, honey, I will. I will forever,” he whispered into her hair.
She snuggled in tighter.
“I guess I have my answer then.”
Alex tilted her head at him. Answer?
“The first night? You said after we got through all the crazy to come back out here and ask you if you still want me around.”
Alex giggled as she recalled that conversation. It seemed a lifetime ago. “Yeah,” she replied to the question implied. “You do. I do.”
He eyed her. A corner of his mouth quirked up under his narrowing gaze. “I do, huh?” A humorous frown. “Damn.” He glanced around the pier. The crowd had thinned significantly, and he was able to spot a waitress cleaning up one of the tables near the restaurant. He turned back to Alex. “Wait right here.”
Aaron jogged up the pier, his minute limp a tell he hid some pain from her. He stopped and spoke with the waitress. She checked inside her apron pouch. Another waitress exited the building, and the first one called over to her. That girl rummaged through her own apron, went back inside. Returning to the pier, she walked over to Aaron and handed him something. He thanked her and headed back toward Alex.
Off the Deep End Page 30