Freefall (New Reality Series, Book Three) by Bella St. James

by St. James, Bella

  She'd like to be patriotic enough to believe her government was above murder to get what it wanted. Yet the occurrences in her life and Clancy's were eerily similar. Getting rid of those who’d cared most about her might well have been a strategic action.

  "Did you take terrorism classes?" she asked.

  "Yeah. Both in how to create it and how to prevent it."

  "Do you remember the basic tenets of the prevention one?"

  Clancy nodded. "Remember, I was in the military when I took it. We learned that our first duty is to our country and that one, single life isn't worth that of all those who can't protect themselves. In other words, if it's do or die; we're supposed to do so no one else died."

  "I figured as much."

  "How about you?"

  Nadine sighed and slid her hand under his and entwined her fingers. "We had a small class, only five or six girls, but we were taught the same thing in a different way. Two semesters of anti-terrorism tactics and pro-active actions left us convinced the real war was fought by people like us, not soldiers like you. The knowledge we brought to the government could save a city. Or so we were brainwashed into believing."

  Clancy's hand tightened on hers. "Let's talk about something else. Like I said, all that's behind you now."

  But not behind him. Nadine knew once she was turned over to someone else, he'd be reassigned to a new location by the Underground. He might be free of government control, but he was far from true freedom.

  "There's a good place." Nadine pointed toward a roadside billboard.

  Clancy took the next exit and cruised slowly past the franchise country-cooking restaurant. He turned around at a gas station down the road and, this time, pulled into the restaurant's lot to park amidst a pack of other cars.

  "They look busy," Nadine said.

  "Which is what we want," Clancy said. He locked the car, and they started for the entrance. "Those buses in the back lot mean a lot of people are inside. We'll just blend into the crowd and hope for the best."

  He wanted to wrap an arm around her and draw her close. If there was a target on her back, he wanted to block it with his body. Keeping her safe was priority number one.

  Or keeping her with him.

  The realization of what he was doing hit him like a two-by-four. Much as he’d like to blame it on the drugs they’d given Nadine or the life that forced him to live nearly celibate, he couldn’t deny the truth. His choices had been driven by something fundamental, the recognition their attraction was more than proximity and a mutual reaction to the danger they faced. He didn’t believe in soul mates or destiny.

  Hadn’t, anyway.

  “There are your tourists,” Nadine said as they walked into the colorful lobby filled with décor and gift items. “It looks like they’re just being seated now.”

  A few swift steps brought them to the back of the group. As the occupants of the bus were led to their table, another hostess greeted them and began to take them to a table away from the crowd.

  “Could we sit over there?” Clancy pointed toward the tourists. Their escort looked a little surprised; he doubted if many people wanted to be as close as possible to what was likely to be the noisiest group in the place. But she turned and followed the large party toward the back of the long, table-filled room. Soon Clancy and Nadine were seated at a small table in the corner, closed blinds protecting them from both the sunshine outside and the chance of being seen. The surrounding bustle served as a screen that he hoped diminished the chance of anyone remembering them later.

  “Cup of coffee,” Clancy said immediately when the server asked for their drink order. “If you can leave a carafe, that’s even better.”

  “Water, please. With lemon,” Nadine said.

  He wondered for a moment if she was trying to save him money. Seconds later, he realized she probably didn’t even think about money. Accustomed to five-star restaurants and being fawned over, this place must be like slumming for her.

  The coffee came, fresh and exactly as strong as he liked it. Clancy ordered a hearty meal of country fried steak for two reasons. First of all, it was a great change from the kind of microwave meals he usual ate, and second, it could be a while before they had a real meal again. When Nadine ordered the fried chicken dinner instead of the salad she’d first talked about, he figured she’d reached the same conclusion.

  He studied her beautiful face set in somber lines. He longed to dip into her thoughts just for a moment. He’d feel better if he knew whether she was tired, nervous or ready to jump ship. Whatever she’d expected in seeking sanctuary, the moment-by-moment adventure they were trapped in probably didn’t fit the bill.

  “Are we still in West Virginia?” Nadine asked.

  Clancy nodded. “For another ten miles or so. Then we’ll enter Kentucky.”

  “I’ve never been there. Of course, I’ve never been to West Virginia before either. A lot of my time has been spent in private planes and nice hotels. My, uh, career didn’t leave much time for sightseeing.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a smooth flight and first-class hotel myself.” Clancy shook his head, remembering the beater cars he’d found himself in and the dumps where he’d slept. Their lives had been polar opposites.

  “After a while, every place is the same,” Nadine replied. “You wake up wondering where you are but not bothering to remember. A day or two here and there, then it’s on to the next place. The routine never varied. Work out every day, massages, spa treatments and, once or twice a week, spy by seduction.”

  She spoke in a low voice although she couldn’t have been overheard thanks to the noisy conversation around them. Clancy let her talk; she needed to get it out, and he’d rather be her sounding board than the shrink the Underground would find her. He doubted if she’d confide anything to a head doctor after she’d been betrayed as a kid.

  The arrival of their food halted Nadine’s talking. She dug into the food with enthusiasm, reminding him their last real meal had been at Mother’s. He tackled his own overfull plate and ate every bite. After they finished, he asked for the carafe to be refilled, and Nadine asked for a cup and some cream.

  “Oh, and a piece of butterscotch pie,” she added.

  “Make it two,” Clancy said.

  The creamy dessert was the perfect ending for their meal. Reluctance filled Clancy as he dropped a tip on the table, picked up their ticket and said, “Time to hit the road.”

  “I’m ready.” Nadine took a last swig of her coffee and followed him through the tables of still chatting bus riders. Clancy reached for her hand as they walked out of the eating area and led the way to the restrooms. He took a chance and availed himself of the men’s room while she went into the women’s. The busy facilities had no windows and little opportunity for something to happen without witnesses noticing.

  Done before Nadine, he waited just outside the door, pretending to admire the art work for sale on the wall. Even though they’d only been separated for a matter of minutes, he was relieved to see her smiling as she came toward him.

  “Missed you.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers.

  She didn’t pull back. That pleased him more than it probably should have.

  “Acting like newlyweds, huh,” she whispered as he took her hand again.

  Good enough. Let her think it was an act and not because he really wanted to kiss her. The result was the same.

  This time he did pull her close as they left the building and headed back to the car. To hell with protocol. The minutes were ticking down. Before long, if things went well, she’d be on her way to the rest of her life, and he’d be… hell, he didn’t know where he would be. Not with her, that’s for sure.

  Clancy spotted the pay phone at the gas station beside the restaurant. Like everything else from his youth, those things were getting hard to find now that everyone carried a cell phone. But it was also a lot safer than burning through another throw-away. Now that even cheap units had GPS and tracking for 911
, he didn’t want take a chance unless there was no other choice.

  He pulled the car as close to the booth as possible and hopped out. He dropped the required coins in the slot and dialed Mother’s familiar number. As he expected, she answered on the first ring.

  “It’s me,” he said.

  “Hoped you’d let me know how you were doing. You’ve got a friend who’s been looking for you.”

  “He around?” Clancy asked. “I’d sure like to talk to him.”

  “Hang on, honey, and I’ll get him.”

  The informal exchange was as close to a code as the Underground used. Mother knew he was looking for Nate, and she’d transfer the call in whatever mysterious way she used to connect callers without the possibility of a trace. He’d almost decided the line had gone dead when Nate’s reassuring voice said, “Hey, bro.”

  “Hey yourself.”

  “Enjoying your trip?”

  “Yeah, we found a little out of the way place last night. Bed was comfy, but we hit the road early. I thought we might check out those caves you talk about all the time.”

  “Love to join you if I could.”

  “Love to have you.”

  “By the way, our buddy was asking about that girl you’ve been seeing. I think he wants to know if he’s got a chance.”

  “No way,” Clancy said.

  “Gotta go now.” He ended the call before Clancy could say goodbye.

  Nadine’s curious stare settled on Clancy as he got back into the driver’s seat and dropped the transmission into drive. She had a right to information, but he figured the less she knew the better off she was. Just in case.

  He counted back the hours and realized they’d been driving this hunk of metal for a little too long. Switching cars was a given. Mother’s was a place to rest and get supplies, but there were others like her in a lot of other places. One of them was only a couple of hours away.

  A thought struck him, reminding him how damn stupid he could be sometimes. He hadn’t checked Nadine’s incision since right after her shower. Time for more medicated ointment and a new bandage, he suspected.

  Watching for a good place to pull off, he chose a small country church surrounded by nothing but trees.

  “Why are we here?” Nadine asked as he parked behind the building.

  “I need to look at your back.”

  “Oh.”

  They stepped out of the car and onto the graveled lot. Clancy retrieved the medical kit from the trunk and motioned for Nadine to face the car.

  “Lean on there while I check this.” He waited until she placed her hands on the car top, shoulder width apart, to pull her shirt up and take the bandage off. The incision was okay. He wasn’t happy with the red along the lower edge or the separation along the cut, but it could have been a lot worse.

  “Hold on. This may sting.” He caught the sound of Nadine’s hiss as he dabbed it with a bacterial cleaner then eased on the ointment. He knew it hurt because her arms tightened and her neck quivered as if she was forcing herself to hold steady against the pain. He smoothed on another bandage, pulled her shirt back into place and brought her around to face him.

  “I’m sorry.” His finger caught the tear at the edge of her eye. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I know.” Her eyes were wide and luminous, showing the stress of everything that had happened to her. Clancy put his arms around her in a gesture of comfort. She leaned into him and lifted her face toward him. He bent his head to take the kiss she offered. It was a damn foolish thing to do, but he didn’t much care.

  Nadine’s lips tasted like butterscotch. Her body, soft and willing, pressed against his, her arms wrapping as tightly around his neck as his were around her waist. His cock began to swell as she pushed against him, tempting him.

  “Ever make out in the backseat?” he whispered after the lingering kiss.

  “I went to a girls’ school, remember?” Nadine’s voice was husky, needy.

  “I’d show you exactly how it’s done if it wasn’t midday in a churchyard,” he said, reluctantly stepping back. He stroked her cheek, his eyes fixed on hers. “I’d kiss you until your mouth was swollen, and you begged me to do more. I’d slide my hand under your shirt and tease you until you came.”

  His fingers moved to tangle in her hair. “That would be just the beginning. I’d slide your clothes off and touch and taste you everywhere. When you couldn’t stand it any longer, when the windows were steamed from the heat we made, when I had to fuck you or explode, I’d finally slide into you and show you what you’ve missed.

  “Oh.” The word came from her on a slow hiss as she stared at him with glazed eyes. Her body trembled against his; it took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to do exactly what he’d described.

  “Time to go.” The words came out nearly normal. He turned from Nadine and took several deep breaths. Telling her gruffly to get into the car, he started pacing from one edge of the lot to the other. Focus, he challenged himself as his hard soles slapped the pavement. One night is all there’s ever going to be. All I can let there be.

  Especially since Vince wanted to know where he was taking Nadine. Or, as he’d still consider her, the Jezebel. If Vince was thinking about running to the feds like Nate suspected, taking one of the sex spies along would be powerful leverage.

  Clancy could almost understand where Vince was coming from. He’d lost everything by joining the resistance; getting back into the government’s good graces would let him rebuild that life. Vince could see his kids again, he could walk the streets without worry, and—who knows?—maybe Vince’s wife might even take him back.

  “Screw that,” Clancy muttered as he opened the driver’s door and dropped into the seat. His mission now was to find a safe place to hide until Nate could get a conductor to them. He’d dropped as broad a hint as he could on the phone, and he was pretty sure his friend knew where to look. Dropping the car into drive, he headed down the road and toward the Ohio River.

  “Check another one off your list.” Twenty minutes later, Clancy pointed toward the big sign welcoming them to Kentucky. “You’ll get sick of the scenery here. We’re going all the way across the state.”

  “How soon do we get to the bluegrass and horses?” Nadine asked.

  “Couple of hours. Settle back and enjoy the ride.”

  He decided to chance the Interstate. The supply site he had in mind was a straight shot down the superhighway and would take about an hour. Taking the back roads would add at least another forty-five minutes he didn’t want to waste. Under normal circumstances, he liked the night and the protection it provided. Today, he wanted to stay in the light until they reached the caves. He wanted to see everyone and everything that came near them. He didn’t dare make a mistake.

  Not unless he was willing to bet on Nadine’s life.

  Chapter Six

  Nadine hated the red dress but loved the shoes. The brilliant crimson and shimmering fabric reminded her of something a hooker would wear, cut to show off her boobs and butt to their best advantage. The stilettos, though, were perfect. They fit as if they’d been created for her feet only, and she felt sexy in them.

  She took a deep breath and stepped out of the suite. Her personal security guard followed as she walked down the hallway of the high-priced hotel. He pushed the button to call the elevator and, once inside, pushed another button that took them to the top floor. To the penthouse where tonight’s victim waited.

  “You look beautiful,” Andrew said as the elevator stopped.

  “You say that every time,” she said with a smile for the man she’d come to consider a friend as much as a protector.

  “Because it’s true.” He brushed a stray hair off her cheek. “Thirty minutes. If you’re not out by then, I’m coming in.”

  Nadine nodded. She knew the routine. She’d done this hundreds of times. Five minutes for a get-acquainted drink, ten minutes to get naked and get busy with her target then the foray into his mind to e
xtract what the anti-terrorism forces needed to know. He’d wake up thinking he’d had the most extraordinary sex of his life, and she’d help her government save lives.

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The injection she’d been given was beginning to work. Heat moved through her body, tingling along her nerves, unleashing a primal need. Tonight’s target was one of their own, a scientist suspected of giving information to foreign agents.

  She tried the door; it was unlocked. Turning the knob, she stepped into the dimly lit room, her heels sinking into the plush carpet. The man stood against the window, looking out across the cityscape.

  “Hello.” Nadine closed the door and walked toward him.

  “Red, the color of a harlot. How appropriate.”

  His voice was rough, that of a longtime smoker. He motioned for her to stop. She obeyed.

  “I imagine your services are expensive.”

  Nadine gave a cool smile. She’d heard that before. “A mutual friend asked that I keep you company.”

  “How kind.” The man walked around her, inspecting her. “The right kind of company, I hope.”

  He ran a hand down her spine. She shivered; the drug enhanced her reactions and lowered her inhibitions. The sensation was intense.

  “Take off your shoes.”

  Nadine did then reached for the zipper at the back of her dress.

  “Did I tell you to do that?” The man’s voice was sharp and angry. “I’d suggest you do as I say for your own good.”

  Fear rose in Nadine, and she automatically looked for her purse and the alert device she carried in it. Then she remembered she’d left it behind.

  “You know what a bitch is, don’t you?”

  Nadine nodded.

  “A female dog and women like you. I married a respectable woman, and I respect her as my wife and the mother of my children. You’re a whore, paid to make me happy in ways I could never ask of her.” He reached out and grabbed Nadine’s wrist, squeezing tightly. “So you’re going to be my good little bitch tonight, aren’t you?”

  She nodded mutely.