by Nic Saint
“I agree,” said Chloe, her bright eyes displaying something of the girl she must have been before the tragedy. “And I think our family should do a lot more in that regard.”
“What are you saying, Chloe? That we should sponsor Alicia’s work?” Scott was sipping from his coffee, and Alicia thought he’d never looked more handsome. Not as handsome as the man sitting directly opposite from her, of course. She’d thrown Roland a curious glance, but the tall man had yet to look up from his breakfast.
“I’m saying we should make the environment one of the keystone projects of Thornton Enterprises.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Jack opined. “While Harlan is taking over space, Thornton will take care of the planet we have.”
“God, let’s not talk about HdM, shall we?” groaned Anna, rolling her eyes. “Talk about spoiling a girl’s breakfast.”
“Right. Of course,” said Jack solicitously. “I forgot, honey. I’m sorry.”
Fay directed her soft gray eyes at Alicia. “We have a rule at the breakfast table never to mention business or he-who-must-not-be-named.”
“What, Voldemort?” inquired Kevin, smearing an ample amount of Nutella on his sandwich. He laughed at his own joke, but when no one else joined in the mirth, he quickly broke off and occupied himself with adding cream to his coffee, keeping his head down as he did so.
“It’s not a laughing matter, young man,” said Jack. “Which is something you’ll find out soon enough. When are you leaving?”
“Right after breakfast,” curtly replied Roland, and he threw a brief glance at Alicia, who was surprised to find her former lover’s eyes subdued and his face drawn.
“Then I won’t keep you longer than necessary,” said Jack rather brusquely, wiping his lips with a monogrammed napkin. “I’m sure you have a lot to discuss.” And with these words, he excused himself, and left the table.
Fay watched him leave, then turned to Roland. “Please promise me you’ll be careful, son. This mission is troubling your father a great deal.”
“We will be careful, Mother,” assured Roland. “And we will return safely. I promise.”
She nodded, a sadness in her eyes attesting to her own concern, and then left the table to join Jack, leaving the younger generation to talk shop. The first one to speak, though, wasn’t Roland or Scott but Chloe.
“I want you to take care of HdM once and for all if you can, Ro,” she said in even tones, her eyes hard and her lips tight. “And when it’s all over and done with, I want Kevin to print the truth about what happened in Central Park eight year ago.”
Roland’s eyes widened. “But, honey, I thought we said—”
“—to refuse any comment on the matter and to let things blow over by themselves. I know what we said. It’s just that…” She shook her head, her red curls dancing around her pale face. “I can’t live like this anymore, Ro. I can’t stand the gossip and the pointed looks and the silence.” She tapped the table furiously. “I want—no, I need this to end. We know what happened, and now it’s time for the rest of the world to know as well.”
Anna briefly darted a look at Alicia, and Scott, correctly interpreting her worry, softly said, “Alicia knows. She knows the truth.”
Suddenly, Chloe turned to her and fixed her with a hard stare that took her breath away. “You’re a smart person, Alicia, probably the smartest person in the room. What do you think we should do?”
Alicia was taken aback for only a moment, then she decided to speak from the heart. “I’d squash those motherfuckers with the truth and pound it home for as long and as hard as you need to until they crawl back to the gutter they crawled out of.”
Chloe’s jaw dropped, and then she let out a loud whoop and raised her hand for a high five. Alicia gladly put her hand up to accommodate the gesture. Chloe then turned to her oldest brother. “I like this one, Ro. You better treat her right, you hear?”
“Or else?” grinned Scott.
“Or else he can expect a knuckle sandwich,” warned Chloe.
“Hear, hear,” echoed Kevin softly, his face stuffed with Nutella sandwich.
Anna leaned back to regard the journalist sternly. “So you’ll do it, Kevin? You’ll print that article about Chloe and Roland?”
Kevin slowly raised his eyes. “I, erm…”
Roland, who’d steepled his fingers, gave him a curt nod.
Kevin’s face split into a wide smile. “Looks like that’s a yes, folks, from the ever garrulous Roland Thornton. So I guess this reporter is going to be busy the next few weeks.”
Alicia smiled and accepted a cursory hug from Chloe. Looking around the table, she encountered nothing but smiling faces, and warmth spread across her chest as she realized that she actually, genuinely liked these people. Then her eyes met Roland’s, and her smile disappeared. There was hurt in his eyes, she saw, and something she couldn’t quite place, but whatever it was, Roland wasn’t happy with her—wasn’t happy at all.
Chapter 31
Roland experienced fear for the first time in his life. It was an emotion he wasn’t accustomed to, and he hadn’t even recognized the alien sensation at first.
Something had laid claim to his muscles, causing them to stiffen, and his stomach to shrink. Shaking his head to ward off the uncomfortable feeling, he stared across the breakfast table at Alicia, marveling at the way she’d made a home for herself amongst his family in the short space of time she’d been among them.
He felt pride surge in his bosom, and the knowledge this was the woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with. Then the realization that she wasn’t his for the taking snuck up on him, same way it had the day before, and then the thought that she might come to harm today, in the mission they were about to embark on.
He hadn’t wanted her to join, but she was stubborn and had insisted, and now it was up to him to ensure her safety. He’d gladly give his own life to save hers, but was that enough? Looking at the hurt on Chloe’s face, he knew what HdM was capable of, and experiencing the hurt in Anna’s voice, he knew what Ty would do to a woman of Alicia’s beauty once he got his filthy hands on her.
He’d nearly destroyed Anna, and the HdM rumor mill had damn well destroyed Chloe. He wouldn’t let them do the same to Alicia, not while he had his strength.
He had to convince her this mission didn’t require her expertise or her presence. That she would do best to stay here, in the safety of the Thornton estate, where she was protected and no harm could come to her.
He knew it would be a hard sell, for she was adamant to join in the rescue attempt, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to function at his customary high level if he knew she was in danger. She was his Achilles heel, and HdM or his bastard son would make good use of that weakness in his armor.
“I think you have to stay here,” he suddenly blurted out. “You’re no use to me on this mission and you know it.”
Heads turned and he instantly realized he hadn’t expressed himself as well as he should have. If the fire in Alicia’s eyes was anything to go on, he was in for a fight.
“I’m going,” she said, her fists clenching and unclenching. “You promised. It’s my father and I won’t let you risk your life without me.”
“You’re not coming and that’s final. You’ll stay here where you’re safe.”
“Fuck safe!” she yelled. “You don’t think I can do it, is that it? That I’m useless to you? Well, fuck you!”
A coffee cup whizzed past his ear and he heard it smash against the wall behind him. Mom wouldn’t like it, he knew. She’d laid out her best China for her new guest and now she was smashing it to pieces.
His eyes never left hers. “You’re staying right here, where I know that you’ll be well protected. I can’t function knowing that you—” His voice broke off, that fear suddenly returning, paralyzing him. Dammit!
“I think the big guy’s got a point, Alicia,” Kevin joined in. “Roland obviously knows what he’s doing and—”
/> “And I don’t?” she cried. “I’m just a poor, weak woman, too stupid or inept to play with the big boys? Huh?”
Kevin grinned. “That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying? I don’t get it!”
She really didn’t get it. First he’d been all over her, then suddenly he didn’t want anything more to do with her. Fine. She got that. He was home again, and the slumming was over. He probably was ashamed of her in front of his own family—didn’t want to be seen with the geeky scientist when there were billionaire’s daughters to be bedded and wedded. But saving her father was important to her!
Chloe stirred beside her, and said in a low voice, “I don’t think you’re gonna win on this one, Ro. Alicia has a vested interest. She wants to be there when you find her father, and I don’t think you can take that away from her.”
Roland emitted a throaty growl, and suddenly she thought she saw panic in his eyes. What the hell? Why? How? Did he think the mission would be a bust? Was this a suicide thing? And then she got it. Her father was dead. All they were going to find were his remains. The realization was like a punch to the gut.
“He’s dead, right?” she stammered. “Is that what this is all about? You found out my father’s dead and you don’t want me to know?” She rose to her feet and pointed an accusing finger at the man responsible for getting her hopes up. “You promised me we would find him. You promised!”
“I did and we will!” he hurled back. “But I’d feel a lot better knowing you were safe, Alicia!”
There. He’d said it. He didn’t know how she’d respond but now it was out in the open. He couldn’t function knowing she wasn’t safe. He’d saved her life twice now, he didn’t want to see her suffer a third time, knowing this time, perhaps, he’d be too late.
She folded her arms across her chest, a mutinous expression on her face and his heart sank.
“Well, tough luck, Roland. I’m going and that’s the end of it.”
He hung his head, and when Scott briefly gave him a comforting pat, he knew his little brother was probably the only one in the room who knew how he truly felt. “All right,” he grumbled. He pushed himself away from the table with such force the tableware rattled. Then he gave Alicia a hard stare. “We’re leaving in one hour. Better be ready.”
And with that parting shot, he moved from the room, feeling her eyes burn holes in his back. He didn’t care. He’d given it his best shot. If she wanted to die today, it was her call.
But of course he did care. And that fear was back, tugging at his heart, gnawing in his bosom. He’d just have to find a way to deal with it, he reckoned. Use the fear to his advantage. It would sharpen his senses. Make sure he didn’t fuck up. Most of all, it would make sure he didn’t lose her, for that would be the end of him.
Chapter 32
They were driving along the road, traversing the last piece of desert before arriving in the small town that was their final resting place before the endless expanse of sand swallowed up the last vestiges of civilization.
What a difference a day makes, Alicia thought as she gazed out the window of the van. A couple of days ago her life had existed solely of lush green jungle, and now here she was staring out at a barren moonscape.
At the last minute, Roland had decided to ditch Kevin, feeling the reporter lacked the necessary skills to vouchsafe a successful mission and not wanting to endanger the young man’s life while he had other, more important, tasks to perform. Kevin had been working on his piece, and it was imperative he finish it as soon as possible.
The young man hadn’t caviled at the decision. One month in the Colombian jungle had seen him through enough danger to last him a lifetime.
The Thornton jet had brought them to Fallon, where they’d boarded the van to take them the last couple of miles. Harlan’s operation was vast and extremely secretive, but still word traveled fast in the surrounding towns and villages.
Roland had been right. The space operation had employed ISS, a local company, to supply cleaning and housekeeping services, and the owner had quickly yielded to the power of the almighty dollar when Roland’s people had leaned on him for information.
Armed with ISS badges, Roland and Alicia would enter the compound, taking the place of two other valued employees, and their work would bring them to the sector where Scott’s inquiries had revealed the scientists were being held. With some luck, they would find a way to ascertain if Professor Sumner was among them, or else enlist the help of one of the other scientists to find out what had happened to the man.
Alicia was feeling fairly optimistic about the plan, though that optimism was clearly not shared by the leader of the outfit. Roland had wrapped himself up in a moody silence ever since they’d boarded the plane and had avoided all contact throughout the trip.
It was clear he not only didn’t want her on this mission—he didn’t want her period. It hurt like hell to realize how little she meant to the man, but she decided to bottle up her pain for the time being. She had a father to rescue and that was all that mattered at the moment. Her personal issues could be dealt with later.
Scott expertly steered the van up the drive to a small motel, their last stop. They’d bunk here for the evening, their shift not starting until midnight. They’d received a short briefing from the ISS shift leader and knew exactly what was expected of them and how to proceed.
They exited the car and followed Roland to the room he’d booked while Scott stayed with the van, going over his equipment.
“I don’t think I can go along with this,” Roland said as he lowered his bulk onto one of two beds.
Alicia rolled her eyes. Not again. “We’re in this together, Ro. Remember?”
“That’s not what I meant.” He pointed at the bed. “I meant I can’t sleep on this ratty thing, and neither can you.”
“I wasn’t planning on sleeping.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
In spite of herself, she grinned. “I mean, I’m so nervous I couldn’t sleep if I wanted to. Besides.” She pressed her hands down on the other bed. “This mattress is still way better than the one I was used to back in Colombia.”
“I bet it is,” he said as he rolled his tall form onto the bed and she heard the bedsprings loudly creak in protest. He stared up at the ceiling. There was only one thing he regretted, he thought, and that was that he’d never made love to her in that old cabin of hers. He wouldn’t have minded spending a couple of months in that confined space, making love morning, noon and night. Then he suddenly thought of something. “Don’t you miss it?”
She’d also laid herself on the bed. “The cabin, you mean?” She pondered this for a moment. “I haven’t really had time to think about that, you know. Everything’s moved so quickly these past couple of days…”
“I know what you mean. First we were traipsing through the jungle, dodging bullets and crazed drug traffickers, and now we’re here, about to head into some weird underground space station.”
“Sometimes I feel as if I’m in a James Bond movie,” she added.
“Same here.”
They were silent for a few moments, then Alicia spoke again. “Ro?”
“Uh-huh?”
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Saving my life.”
“Twice.”
She laughed, and he loved the sound of it. “Twice. And for helping me find my father.”
“We’re not there yet. But I have a pretty solid hunch we’ll find him down there in that bunker.”
“When this is all over and done with…”
“You’ll be happy to know that this adventure had a happy end,” he assured her.
When she didn’t respond, he looked over, and thought he saw a tear blink in her eye. He rolled over and supported his head on his elbow. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
She dabbed at the tear. “Nothing. Just nervous, I guess. And scared.”
Me, too, he thought. Scared shitless
about what could happen to her. “I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe, honey. You and you father.”
She smiled gratefully. “Thanks. For everything.”
He felt the finality of those words, and knew this was perhaps the last time they’d be like this. A couple of days ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated. He’d have gone over to her and taken her into his arms and let the chips fall where they might. Now? He decided she was better off without him, and he lay back and closed his eyes. “Better take a power nap. We’ll need our strength later on.”
He couldn’t be sure, but he thought she kept her eyes on him, even after he’d closed his eyes. And even though his whole being cried out for him to hold her and make love to her one last time before they parted ways forever, he clamped down on the urge, and thought of the mission at hand.
Chapter 33
“I don’t think—” She couldn’t complete the sentence, for Roland had pressed his finger to her mouth. She felt a brief inclination to part her lips and suck it in, but didn’t. They were inside the compound now, connected to Scott by earphone and subvocal mic and pushing their trolleys with cleaning supplies along a long corridor.
“There’s cameras everywhere here,” he whispered, his eyes directed straight ahead. “And probably microphones as well, so be careful what you say.”
They’d made it past security without a hitch, their badges providing them easy entrance. Even though the compound was located underground, the guard post was located at ground level, and two heavily armed men stood guard in front of a squat concrete structure. This was the personnel entrance, she knew, and led straight into a part of the sprawling complex reserved for maintenance staff.
Visitors had their own separate entrance, and so did the scientific staff—if they ever were allowed to leave, something she doubted. Once inside, this place was their prison.