Untrained Eye

by Jody Klaire

  “Aeron!”

  I could hear Renee’s voice in the distance. I rolled onto my back expecting Seth to be there, iron bar or weapon posed to swing at me.

  No truck.

  No Seth Jewel.

  Just dirt.

  Just open expanse.

  My knee shot white daggers through me. It got worse until sweat dribbled down my forehead. I tried to breathe through the pain. Breathe through the sudden dizziness rocketing through me.

  I felt something hit my side, my head, my back. I covered myself up not able to see the attack and helpless to stop it.

  “Aeron, don’t move.” Renee. She was closer.

  She was fast.

  The blows stopped. I risked turning my head enough to look. Frei skidded to a stop beside me.

  Guess she was faster.

  “What happened?” I could hear someone chattering through her earpiece.

  “Jewel,” I said, groaning through the pain. “Seth Jewel . . . his truck . . . hit me.”

  Frei looked at me like I’d told her something stupid.

  “Didn’t you see him? He came screeching up. You must have seen him drive off?”

  Frei looked back to Renee who caught up. “You see a vehicle?”

  Renee wrinkled up her face. “Out here? You kidding me?”

  “Seth Jewel . . .” I closed my eyes and slumped back down. “He hit . . .” I snapped them back open. “He smashed up my knee.”

  Renee touched my shoulder. “Aeron, Seth Jewel is—”

  “I know.” I stared down at my knee. “My head . . . My heart . . . my knee . . .” I met Frei’s cool blue eyes. “I healed Renee, my Dad.” He’d been close to a heart attack when I’d done it. “I healed Ronny.” A boy back in St. Jude’s who Seth Jewel had hit with his truck. “Maybe it’s somethin’ to do with that?”

  Frei pulled out a radio from the waistband of her shorts and started to fire off instructions into it as Renee knelt beside me. “Can you move it? Are you okay?”

  She ran her hand over the knee, flexing it, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

  “The pain is fading.” The more she moved it about, the more it shook off the agony. Thank God.

  “It’s fine,” she said, looking up at Frei who offered a curt nod in response. “No swelling, no breaks.”

  “Guess my mother was right about speaking to Nan, huh?”

  Renee met my eyes, held out her hand, and helped me to my feet. The pain had vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “You didn’t last night?”

  Not wanting her to chew me out, I gave her my best attempt at puppy-dog eyes. “I didn’t want to disturb her. She did a lot in St. Jude’s.”

  “What are you worried about?” Renee asked, her voice gentle as she brushed a strand of hair from my face.

  “I don’t know the rules. I don’t know if anybody has ever been like me before but Nan is supposed to be resting. If I keep dragging her back here every five minutes to help me then she could get stuck or somethin’.”

  At least that’s what I figured. Closest thing I could place her as was an angel. I didn’t know a lot about those things but whenever she breezed in, it felt like a wave of love had snuck up on me and given me a hug.

  “Would she tell you if she was in danger of that?”

  I shook my head. Nan would do what she thought would help and forget what consequences she would suffer.

  “So we rule out guardian angels for the moment.” Renee said it so nonchalant that I smiled. It weren’t too long ago everything about me freaked her right out. “We had your dad and his heart, Ronny and his leg . . .” Renee frowned up at me. “What about the sheriff, didn’t you fix his leg and his stomach?”

  I nodded. “I had a rough night.”

  She blew out a breath. “Why didn’t you come and get me?”

  “I’m fine.” Because I didn’t want her to think I was being a baby. Because I had it pretty much figured that I was losing the plot. Because I was sick of her thinking she had to fix everything for me.

  Renee was a lot older and sometimes it felt like she saw me as a dumb kid. Which was what I felt a lot of the time. I didn’t want to feel that way no more. It gave me a stomach ache. Besides, I’d been hanging on to the bed as blades of agony ploughed through my stomach. I’d barely felt my leg. I’d just been begging to pass out.

  Renee weren’t buying my answer by the unimpressed slant her mouth was pulled up into. “Right,” she said, elongating the word with enough sarcasm to make me shrug. “Who was after Ronny?”

  I bit my lip.

  Renee muttered up to the sky. “What did you heal exactly?”

  “Aeron, we’re going to take you back to the hospital wing,” Frei said. “Doctor Montgomery is going to keep an eye on you.”

  The shrink. That made sense. Frei knew what Renee’s injuries had been and she knew what I was about to relive. The thought made my hands dribble with sweat. I’d healed up Renee’s slashed face, I’d healed her vision and . . . I’d taken the pain out of the memories that she’d had from her time locked in with a lunatic.

  “Aeron?” Renee sounded like Nan when she used to scold me. “Why are they taking you to the clinic?”

  “I was locked in one for a decade?” I mumbled as I spotted a helicopter roaring our way.

  “Aeron, what did you do?”

  Frei signaled to the chopper and shot me a “I wouldn’t if I were you” look.

  “I . . . er . . . just got some issues from when I saw . . . when I got to you is all.” It was a blatant and pathetic lie. I started to hobble over to Frei, not sure of the strength in my leg yet.

  “Aeron Lorelei, you get back here right now.”

  “It’s nothin’,” I murmured back at her. “I’ll be fine by the morning, you’ll see.”

  Renee’s hand closed around my elbow and I sighed. “Doctor Montgomery wouldn’t lock you up if she wasn’t worried.”

  Great, that made me feel better.

  “Aeron, if you care about me at all, you’ll turn around and tell me the truth.”

  Ah man, how could I refuse that? Women seemed to get taught emotional blackmail in high school or something I swore. How didn’t I ever get that lesson?

  Frei shot me a “good luck” glance and strode out to meet the landing chopper.

  “I got rid of some stuff for you is all.”

  Renee put her hands on her hips. It didn’t help put me in the mood for sharing. “Stuff?”

  “You got scared a lot. It affected the way you lived your life. You were so terrified back in St. Jude’s that you weren’t exactly thinkin’ straight, you know?”

  Renee kept her eyes locked on mine. I still couldn’t see her aura and I couldn’t tell if she was gonna throttle me or hug me.

  “So?”

  I took a breath. Frei was holding the door for me, giving me space. Maybe I could jump in and shout the truth back at Renee so I could be in hiding before she ran back to base?

  “I took the fear and the pain out of what you went through.”

  “What?”

  I nodded, pretty sure that she may flatten me. “You still have the memories of what happened to you with Yannick, both times, but I went through every one and took . . . well . . . the sting out of it.” I shrugged. “It was better than watch you cave in on yourself. Besides, I need you.”

  Renee’s eyes glistened with tears, the beating sun glinted off them. “You saw?”

  Saw it, I’d lived through it with her, suffered every blow and now I was going to have it in surround sound.

  “I saw.”

  I planted my feet, ready for her to lay it on me, and knew I was holding my breath. Renee just stood there, staring at me. “Why do I get the feeling you broke rules doing that.”

  “I didn’t get a rule book.”

  Renee folded her arms. “Quit lying or I’ll knock you on your ass.”

  Emotional blackmail to threats, this was going great. I should share more often. “Nan warned me not to
. My mother good as screamed at me for it, okay?”

  “And?”

  “That’s it. No doubt I’ll get to experience it again and then I’ll move on. Lesson learned. You’re just fine. It was worth it.” I held up my hands. “I chose to help you. You had no say in it and I don’t care if you hate me. I would do it again, every time.”

  I spun on my heel not ready to face Renee’s temper.

  Frei squeezed my arm as I got in the chopper. “How bad will it be?” she whispered.

  “Horrific. I can feel it coming on, so the quicker you get me there, the quicker I can get it over with.”

  Frei nodded. “That’s not all, is it?”

  “No.”

  I didn’t need to say anything more. She seemed to read my eyes. She helped me in and signaled to the pilot.

  “Keep her away from it,” I whispered as she started to close the door.

  Frei’s eyes softened in a way I hadn’t ever seen before. “You got it.”

  I didn’t dare look at Renee in case somehow she could read my thoughts. There was no way I wanted her feeling guilt for what I was facing. It was my problem but like I’d told her, she was worth it.

  Chapter 6

  THE SPRING SUNSHINE shimmered up off the ground in rippling waves. It reminded Frei of something but she could never put her finger on what. It was pleasant out but inside it was baking from the constant heating. So much so, she’d shoved open her windows. The maintenance guys were trying to fix it. She wasn’t holding out they would. Her PA had told her it had been like it for over a fortnight.

  The wonders of running a base.

  Hearing a thump at her door, she turned from her thoughts to Renee. The woman had been more antsy than usual since Aeron got taken into the clinic. She doubted that her mood would be any better this afternoon.

  “You heard anything?”

  Frei shook her head.

  “It’s been nearly a week, Urs. Someone must have said something?” Renee put her hands on her hips. “Lilia must be worried too.”

  Lilia didn’t, and wouldn’t, know the true extent of it. Frei had been checking in on Aeron. The poor kid was suffering a blow by blow account of what had happened to Renee the first time with Yannick and in St. Jude’s. Not just Renee but every one of Yannick’s victims. It was heartbreaking to watch. Even as hardened as Frei was, she came out of there feeling sick to her stomach.

  Doctor Montgomery was doing her best to keep Aeron sedated through most of it but it was just taking the edge off.

  “Is this because of me?” Renee asked, slumping into a chair. “I can’t believe she did it, why would she do something so idiotic?”

  “Says you who always makes rational decisions.”

  Renee scowled at her. Why she was bothering, Frei didn’t know, she was about as scary as a mouse. “Even you must be thinking the same thing. I get that I made her feel bad—”

  “Renee, you endangered an entire town by withholding information from your own teammate. She had a right to know about the danger Yannick posed.”

  Frei held up her hand to stop Renee from protesting. “Even the general law enforcement were notified. You chose not to tell her.”

  Renee glared up at her. Again, why she was bothering, Frei didn’t know. She should have learned by now that her temper didn’t get her anywhere. She could pout and stomp her feet all she liked.

  “You acted out of fear. Aeron reacted to that fear. If you can’t see that she’d give anything for you, you’re blind.” Frei didn’t get her.

  “I can’t help it, Urs. I was ashamed. You know that.” Renee’s eyes misted up. She’d always been a fiery, emotional, intense woman with her heart dictating her actions.

  In the past it had always been a mixed blessing. Sometimes that made her accomplish things no one else could. Aeron getting out of Oppidum alive and without getting locked up for life was testament to that. The downside was that Renee could do some really idiotic things too.

  Frei blamed herself in part for it. She hadn’t been around when Renee was sent to protect Yannick. Back then she’d been straddling two roles. In her absence, CIG had sent Renee off into danger. If she’d known, she would have stopped it.

  The problem was her past was sticky. Renee hated that part of her and it wasn’t like they’d been on speaking terms back then. She’d had to navigate working alongside Renee before but it had forced a choice. She’d chosen friendship but if anyone from back then had known she was working with any kind of law enforcement, the consequences would have been painful. She’d had to cut all ties but by the time she’d known Renee had been abducted, she’d been missing for a year.

  Frei had found the trail Renee had left but it was obvious how deep the damage was. Aeron had fixed that. She was paying for their catalogue of mistakes and Frei blamed herself.

  “Look, you know the kid loves you. I know that it isn’t the way you want it to be.” Frei looked out the window at the clinic across the way. Doctor Montgomery had wandered out. “Maybe one day it might be, we don’t know but, Renee, I saw her stick up for you. She knew you needed her when you saw Sally.”

  “You should have seen Sally’s face,” Renee said with a smirk. “It took her . . . what . . . all of ten seconds to announce it to everyone who’d listen?”

  Sally was a great receptionist, an amazing nurse and the ultimate gossip. Renee, being the legendary Colonel Black’s daughter, was akin to a movie star. Her life had never been private. Which is why she got so defensive when anything about her personal life came up.

  It also meant that should those rumors ever reach higher up, they would send in someone to weed out the truth. It had happened in the past. CIG may be a joint taskforce but it wasn’t beyond being ripped in two by nosey bureaucrats.

  “In spite of the fact that you’re not getting roses or some sad excuse for a love song, you’re still the most important thing to her.” Frei had no doubt of that. When it came to Renee, Aeron’s loyalty exceeded even her own.

  “So suck it up?” Renee sighed. “Take her as she is and stop whining about it.”

  “Yes.”

  Renee laughed. “I’ve had my ass kicked by you for some weird and wonderful reasons, but this has got to top them all.”

  Glad that Renee was accepting the chastisement with grace, Frei let through a brief, curt, smile. “I’m sure that it was the time you decided getting drunk and climbing the assault course in your panties was a great idea.”

  Renee’s cheeks colored. “I was in a strange place.”

  Frei nodded. “Seems love tends to drive you nuts.”

  Clearing her throat, Renee got to her feet. “The less said about it, the better.” She offered a half-hearted salute. “If you hear anything—”

  “Aeron is your responsibility. You are the head of the protection team. I’ll inform you in due course.”

  Frei would do anything for Renee herself. She knew that, but duty came first. There needed to be clearer lines if they were going to work together and better communication. She’d addressed Renee’s side of it but Aeron was going to have to hear it too. In all fairness to the kid, she wasn’t military, she didn’t know what protocol was.

  All Aeron knew was that she was loyal to Renee and there for her. Renee couldn’t deal with drawing the line, she’d proven that, so Frei would have to do it for her. She wasn’t looking forward to the attitude.

  “Doctor Montgomery is outside,” Frei’s assistant said as she poked her head through the doorway.

  Frei sighed as Renee stopped and turned to her. Hopefully it was good news. “Let her in.”

  Doctor Montgomery strolled in, her black bushy hair held back by a large band. Her skirt boring beige and her shirt the same but it was nothing but a mask. Montgomery had taught Renee everything she knew in order for her to go undercover and the woman was brighter than the sun outside.

  “Aeron woke up a few minutes ago,” she said. “I think she’s through it now but I want to run a full assessment before
I release her.”

  Frei nodded. Whether Aeron liked it or not, she would have to deal with it.

  “How is she?” Renee asked, respect and worry warring in her eyes.

  “As can be expected.” Montgomery never gave much away.

  “Can I see her?”

  Montgomery shook her head. “Not until she’s ready to be released. With her gifts, it’s better she have complete isolation.”

  Frei agreed. It would be better for the kid if she had space from everyone else’s feelings.

  “She doesn’t like being alone.” Renee’s whisper was hard to hear. She held up her finger. “Wait, how about I go and get her violin. That’ll help her. She loves it.”

  Montgomery smiled, studying Renee like she could read every thought. “Drop it off at the front desk and I’ll make sure she has it.”

  Renee nodded, saluted, and hurried out. Frei shook her head. Considering the woman was in her mid-thirties, she looked like a teenager sometimes.

  “Interesting development,” Montgomery said, turning to Frei.

  “I’d call it inconvenient.” Frei ignored the searching look. Montgomery had tried figuring her out over the years and hadn’t come close once. “How is she really?”

  “Now that the slashes on her face have disappeared, much better. Although, she’s showing some things I’m concerned about.”

  Not good. “Like?”

  “The pain she took on board from Renee seems to have triggered her own reaction to Sam.” Montgomery wandered over to the window. “Of course, she would always need to deal with it eventually but the way she is doing so is unhelpful.”

  “Which is?”

  “Violence.”

  Frei never gave her feelings away but she couldn’t help her eyebrows raising. Aeron and violence? At her height and muscular build that was a recipe for trouble. “Toward people, herself?”

  “I’m not risking anyone anywhere near her.” Montgomery seemed disgusted at the idea. “But she’s redecorated her room.”

  Frei met Montgomery’s eyes. “Why?”

  “She has issues with being locked in.” Montgomery waved her hand. “I understand why but her reaction is not rational.”