Untrained Eye

by Jody Klaire

It had taken until Frei slammed her up against a post to understand she wasn’t feeling genuine feelings of her own. The haze of teenage angst had rendered her close to certifiable. When she’d felt the pain Frei had felt, the pain Aeron felt, she realized what was going on.

  “Your sister will meet us there. Jessie is getting her.” Renee offered a smile as she glanced back up the corridor.

  Jed wasn’t appeased. His nerves rippled through her arms, making her hairs prickle and her stomach clench. “She might get scared and run. What if they catch—?”

  “They won’t.” Renee took his hand, which shook with the amount of adrenaline pouring off him. How Aeron operated at all she’d never know.

  “I’ve been a protection officer for many years. My father was one. It’s in my blood.” She held his eyes. “I promise you that my team is as good, if not better, and we will get you all out.”

  Jed’s nerves calmed. She felt some semblance of control return. “What about Miranda?”

  “You think I’d leave a pregnant woman behind?” Renee ignored the gasp from him. Judging by how daft the pair were together, it didn’t surprise her.

  “You know?”

  Renee smiled and put her mask on, hoping he would follow. They didn’t have time for this. “Women’s intuition.”

  Jed put his mask on, and they crept out into the storm. Renee stopped him. Two flashlights on opposite sides of the building. Both were headed their way.

  Renee shoved him into motion and they hurdled the hedge and dove onto the grass. They lay there, panting hard, as the two lights crossed. She had no idea who they were but the guards were getting edgy.

  The lights stopped. Were the guards chatting? She dragged Jed up. It would do.

  They sprinted eastward, hurdled another hedge, and then out onto the pathway between her building and the boys’ dorm.

  Sawyer.

  His focus was on the pot. Rifle out, automatic, and judging by the increased bulk around his chest, he had a vest on. His intense focus hummed around him. His weight shifted. He would turn their way.

  She glanced around.

  Nowhere to hide.

  The lights from the guards shone on the path . . . heading for them.

  She dragged Jed to the front of the dorm. They sprinted around the corner. The wind smashed into them with its full force. Renee held her breath, pulling Jed against the wall.

  Shouting reached them over the noise of the wind.

  The guards.

  Jed tensed under her grip. She could feel his urge to bolt. She held him there. Held her nerve.

  Sawyer yelled back. His tone relayed impatience not calling the alert.

  Relief poured through her.

  They were still off course. She scanned the dusty shapes, keeping the photographic images she remembered in her mind’s eye.

  The smudged form near them was the guard hut. A few feet away. She focused and could see the light spilling out from under the door.

  She nudged Jed and they crept, low to the ground, along the front of the boys’ dorm. They made quick work of the small hedges and she was thankful for Jed’s fitness. Had it been Ian with her, she wasn’t sure they would have managed the route.

  They crept along the main road. The howling dust storm stung every bit of exposed skin. It rammed into them as they tried to keep their balance. She saw the shape of the garage and guided Jed to the door, thankful when they had a wall between them and the wind. She knocked once and headed inside.

  Frei’s four students were pulling their black ops gear off and stowing it in the back of the bus. They looked like they’d been on a picnic. She felt like she’d been in boot camp.

  Just Jed’s sister, Jessie, Miranda, and Miroslav to go. She wasn’t sure what Frei was going to do about Kevin but judging by her silence, Renee guessed that he would be staying. He’d be rescued with the younger kids if they pulled off bankrupting the academy and CIG could sneak in and get them out.

  Fitzgerald and the CIG team were waiting, poised, to do just that. The minute the staff abandoned ship, they’d roar in. No one would know.

  At least she hoped.

  “Thanks, Miss Worthington,” Jed mumbled, pulling off his mask and handing it to her. His distracted tone filled with worry for his sister. His gaze drifted to the door.

  “Jed, you need to stay inside. You need to keep everyone together. Trust us.” She pulled his face until he was looking into her eyes. “You have to hold your nerve. Locks and Jessie will bring your sister to you.”

  “Jessie can do it,” Ty told him, handing him some water.

  “And Miss Locks,” Ryan said with a grin.

  Jed looked to his friends and his worry calmed. He nodded and took the bottle off Ty. “Ian do okay?”

  Renee smiled at his concern for Ian and shook her head at the offered bottle.

  “He tried knocking Miss Worthington out on the way, but yeah,” Ryan shot back, steering Jed toward the bus.

  Renee met Ryan’s eyes and nodded. Good kid.

  She turned to Frei’s group. “Anyone but the groups and us come through that door—”

  “We got it,” Frei’s team chimed in perfect unison.

  No doubt.

  With a brief nod, she headed back out for the final run. There was a lot resting on Miranda and Aeron. She just hoped both could pull it off.

  URSULA CARRIED THE sleeping girl on her back. She had been calm and placid when Jessie explained that she was leaving to go somewhere with Jed. Ursula had expected the girl to be scared, but no, she clung on without much complaint.

  The storm was growing in intensity which meant it would blow itself out within the hour.

  She needed to move.

  With Jessie close by, Ursula hurried out of the girls’ dorm. She ducked right as a flashlight beam hit the front of the building.

  She pulled Jessie close as the guard walked by and headed up the steps to the still swinging door.

  She shoved Jessie into a run and they sprinted along the path beside the main building. Renee was in front at the corner.

  Ursula saw a guard heading the way of the garage and froze. She opened her link. “Renee, take the girl, take the route via the southeast corner of the building.”

  “I have to go back for—”

  “Don’t argue. The guard is heading to the garage.” She felt her chest pound. “Sawyer smells a rat.”

  Renee hurried to her and took the girl. Ursula nodded to Jessie and motioned for her to follow. They crept toward Sawyer who loitered next to the righted pot like someone would leap from it. Ursula pulled out a reel of fishing wire and held out the twine for Jessie. She took it and hurried to the wall of Renee’s building. That should slow anyone pursuing down.

  Ursula turned, sprinted, and vaulted the hedge in front of the boys’ dorm.

  Where was the guard from? There were two at the main building so one must be in the guard hut. He was either from there or the southeast corner.

  Either way, Sawyer would have sent him and would be expecting a report.

  Renee needed a clear run. Ursula pulled out her dart gun and crept, silent, up to the guard.

  He reached the door. She fired. The guard turned. Hand on the trigger. Then stumbled. His hand fell open and she caught him as he dropped.

  He had an assault rifle. She removed the bullets and threw them into the bushes. She dragged him into the undergrowth but a movement caught her eye.

  She frowned. Jed’s sister wandered toward the door of the garage . . . alone.

  Where was Renee?

  I WATCHED THE performers take their bows, aware that my throat was drier than could be accounted for. Owens had shot me a few glowers with increasing venom and now had a glint in her eyes that I didn’t much like.

  I’d expected Renee to be back in time before I went on. I didn’t know where she was but I hoped she was okay. Somehow I had to look confident and not like I was shaking so hard my hands felt like Jell-O.

  I was an agent. A big conf
ident agent. A big confident agent terrified of lots of people. I sighed and took a long breath. I could do this. Miranda and Miroslav needed me to do this.

  I smiled at Miroslav and squeezed his shoulder. “If anything goes wrong. Leave. You know the route and Renee will come and help you.” I tried to sound as confident as I could. “You got a lot to do, so make sure you stay safe.”

  Miroslav pulled me into a hug. “I will not leave. It is not in my heart to do so.”

  “You sound a lot like me, kid.” I squeezed once. Blubbering wasn’t going to help.

  “You ready, Miranda?”

  No, she looked all kinds of green and sweaty. I guess it wasn’t much fun having morning sickness all day long. “Let’s get you an’ Jed Jr. through this to safety.”

  Miranda tensed and touched her stomach. “You must think I’m a loser.”

  “Why?”

  “Look at me. I can’t even do the one thing I was good at anymore.” She motioned to her stomach. “What kind of mother will I be?”

  “A good one.” I took her hand. “One who saved her classmates by playing through the pain.”

  “Miming.”

  I smiled. “Either way it still hurts and you haven’t so much as thought about going back on your word.”

  Miranda shrugged a nonchalant teenage shrug.

  “So no, I don’t think you’re a loser.” I handed her the violin and bow. “It’ll be an honor to share a stage with you.”

  She took the bow, tucked her hair behind her ears, and nodded to me. “Let’s do this.”

  I nodded to Miroslav, who gave the thumbs up to us both, and we headed out onto the stage. Owens smiled and disappeared beyond the footlights. I couldn’t see much beyond the lights so I hoped she was taking a seat.

  I hoped.

  It took fifteen minutes to play the Chaconne. I hoped Renee and Frei were ready, because I didn’t think being fashionably late would be a lot of fun.

  Chapter 52

  RENEE SPRINTED TO catch up. Good thing she’d spent a lot of time running. Jessie darted toward Aeron’s building pursued by Sawyer. Renee had caught sight of her running and sent Jed’s sister toward Frei.

  One of the guards had spotted her only to crash face first into the floor as he tripped over something. She couldn’t stop to make sure he was out.

  She’d tried to radio Frei, but with her vest riding up, her earpiece had come out. She shoved the dangling wire, mid-run, into her pocket.

  Jessie hurtled up the few steps and yanked at the door.

  Locked.

  She pulled a card from her pocket. Swiped it. Renee willed the door to open.

  Nothing.

  Jessie glanced behind her. Sawyer rammed into her. They clattered to the ground. They tussled. Jessie kicked him and scrabbled to get away. Sawyer reached out and ripped off her mask.

  Jessie clutched her chest. She doubled over.

  Sawyer raised his arm. Renee drew her gun. Fired.

  Bam.

  The glass door beside Sawyer shattered. Whatever shiny object that had been in his hand clattered to the floor. He gripped hold of his wrist. Blood pulsed from the wound.

  He turned. Renee charged him off Jessie. The impact smashed him backward over the hedge. Her shoulder stung with the impact. She pulled Jessie away. Jessie gasped for air. Renee glanced up. She had to get out of the wind. Jessie needed her pump.

  Sawyer scrambled along the ground. He turned, knife raised. Renee shoved Jessie behind her, bracing for the blow.

  Sawyer gripped his neck. Pulled a dart out. Looked at it and slumped to the floor.

  Frei burst out of the shadows and over to the door. Tools out. It swung open in seconds. Renee and Frei lifted Jessie up and carried her inside. Frei hurried back out and dragged Sawyer into a side room as Renee placed Jessie onto the weight bench.

  “Pump,” Renee muttered, fumbling through Jessie’s pockets. She found it, handed it to Jessie who took it, and clamped her eyes shut.

  Frei stormed over.

  “Water,” Renee shot at her.

  Frei pulled a bottle from her trouser pocket. “He’s out for now. The sister got to the garage.”

  Renee checked over Jessie. “He had a knife.”

  Frei nodded.

  “She’s unharmed.”

  “Get to the garage.” Frei lifted up her mask as Jessie protested. “You’ve done an amazing job. Go get rested. Make sure the salt and water is ready for Miroslav.”

  Jessie nodded. The wheezing cough she gave made Frei’s eyes glint with concern.

  Renee gave Jessie her mask. “Let’s get you to the bus.” She put the radio back in as Frei glanced at the door.

  “Jäger is on the move. I need to go.” She flashed a smile at them both and strode off. Renee wanted to tell her to be careful but Frei would tell her to get on with it.

  “You ready?” she asked Jessie as she pulled herself upward.

  Jessie nodded, fiddling with her mask. Renee helped her off the bench and tiptoed around the smashed glass. It would have to stay there.

  Renee glanced up in the direction of the main building. Aeron would be playing by now. She knew the crowd would be mesmerized by her. She needed to be kept safe.

  There was no way Aeron would leave any students behind. There was no way Renee would leave her behind.

  “So get a move on,” she muttered to herself, guiding Jessie along the path to the garage.

  FREI RELOADED HER dart gun. She’d hit the guard who was unconscious on the ground just to be sure. She’d dragged him into a closet in the hallway of the boys’ dorm and sprinted to catch up to Jäger. She spotted him and held back as he entered the building on the southwest corner of the quadrant. The block set back between Aeron’s gym and Sawyer’s engineering block.

  Officially it was a medical block but held a few confinement suites. She knew from bitter experience what they were like.

  She scowled as she got to the side door and pulled out her toolkit. Not surprisingly, Huber appeared at her side. She let him in and pulled up her mask.

  “Jäger is inside. He’ll visit Kevin so your best bet would be when he goes to find the doctors to sedate him.”

  Huber straightened his tie. “And the girl?”

  “Pregnant.”

  Huber rolled his eyes. “Worthless.”

  She bit back her views on the subject. “The boy’s unhinged. Violent.”

  Kevin concerned her. He seemed to have buckled. She tried to feel him out, to see if he would be interested in freedom but the kid was obsessed with Jessie’s notes.

  “I’ll break him in.”

  Ursula had left out that Kevin wasn’t a genius but Huber hadn’t asked. “Either way, I get you into the secure confinement area and I get you out. Then you’re on your own.”

  Huber smiled. “Lead the way.”

  HEAT. LIGHTS. THE shimmery glow of the stage. Sweaty hands. Thumping heart. People. There were a load of people somewhere beyond the glow.

  Baby steps.

  One thing at a time. Focus.

  Breathing heavy in my ears. Pulsing blood. All mine. It felt isolated up here. Miranda and I. It was just us.

  Breathe.

  Chaconne. The first section was the easiest. My hands trembled. Sweat coated my palms. Adrenaline poured through me.

  Breathe. Calm.

  My left knee shook like it could buckle any second. My heart loud, heavy, so much so I could just hear the music. Miranda mimed her way through the first section. Her pain pulsed in my wrist.

  Renee’s idea had worked. Smyth had found it hilarious that I’d made the microphones crackle with static. He chuckled as Miranda played along with my crackly track.

  Renee. Man, I wished she were here right now. I wished Nan were here. Miranda was counting on me to pull this off. She was holding her own.

  The final few notes of the first section played and I placed my bow to the strings. She needed me to find my strength. I closed my eyes, focusing on centering myself.


  I took a deep breath. Prayed that I could do this in front of a load of people and started to play.

  Chapter 53

  RENEE HAULED OPEN the door and carried Jessie into the garage. The kid staggered and Jed rushed over to them.

  “What happened?” he muttered as Jessie pulled her mask off and took her pump again.

  “Sawyer.” Renee lifted up Jessie’s top and felt along her ribs and stomach again to be sure. Nothing broken. Nothing too worrying. Maybe she’d cracked a rib.

  “I’m okay, Professor Worthington,” Jessie mumbled, her eyes still bright, even though they were watering. “You need to go get Miroslav, please?”

  Renee smiled down at her. “Just stay close to Jed, okay? Tell him if you are feeling unwell.”

  Jed gripped Jessie in a hug and led her to the bus. “Franny said you were awesome.”

  Jessie grinned up at him. “Not half as cool as Professor Worthington. She hit Sawyer’s hand with one shot . . . on the run!”

  “Cool.” Ty was ready with a hug at the steps to the bus. Renee was pleased to see Franny wave from inside.

  Back on track.

  Renee opened the door. Ducked. Rolled forward.

  Clang.

  An iron bar hit the stone where her head had been. Not so back on track.

  Renee sprang to her feet and faced a very groggy looking guard. Dodged another swing.

  Clang.

  No weapons.

  Clang.

  Parried a lumbering attack.

  Clang.

  Thankfully he had no radio. “Urs, we have a problem. The guard is awake.”

  Clang.

  “Do what you need to do Renee. There are kids on that bus.” Frei wasn’t in the mood for compromise.

  Clang.

  Renee’s stomach rolled at the thought. She’d had to fire in the line of duty before but she’d go through every other option first.

  She ducked again.

  Clang.

  Options, right. She pulled her pistol.

  The guard dropped his bar.

  It would do. “Inside.”

  Renee shoved him into the garage.

  “Whoa, it’s Miss Worthington,” she heard Jed shout.