Ouch.
I turn away from him and look back out the window as tears begin to fall down my face.
Why does Sebastian have to be such a jerk?
Part of me expects him to apologize. He has to know that I’m crying. But he doesn’t say a word to me, and I realize just how alone I really am. With all the guys out looking for Nolan, Gage in the hospital and my dad... well, wherever he is.... it’s just me and a guy who doesn’t want to be here.
The plane lands and we sit there for another twenty minutes waiting. The whole time, I look out the window. Bass doesn’t talk and neither do I. I wouldn’t want to annoy him anymore than I already have today.
“Let’s get going,” Bass says, standing up.
We flew commercial. First class, but still. We couldn’t risk taking my dad’s jet.
I stand up. Bass lets me walk out first, and he follows closely behind. The whole time I’m praying that Nolan won’t be waiting for us in the airport. I think my heart would break a little if I saw him again. I keep seeing him as my friend and not as the guy who shot Gage. But I know if he sees me again, he will try to kidnap me... or kill me.
“Keep your head down and don’t look up,” Sebastian says, as we walk out of the hallway and into the terminal. “We don’t want the cameras to pick up your face. I’m sure Nolan is watching every airport in America right now.”
“How?” I ask. “I thought the security in airports was, like, super tight.”
He laughs. “Ser... ugh... Sarah, you realize who you’re talking to, right?”
“Right,” I say, nodding my head. “I forgot for a minute that you guys are anything but normal.”
“The same can be said for you,” he says, as we wait for the train that will take us to the exit.
“I am normal,” I say, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. The hat is making my forehead itch because I’m not used to wearing one. “I forget just how normal I am until I get around you guys.”
The hair falls out and I try to push it back again.
“I hate this stupid hat,” I say, feeling frustrated. I just want to get out of this city. “I hate my stupid name. And I hate that I have to be here with somebody who doesn’t even want to be around me. I just want to go home.”
“Serenity,” Bass says, pulling me to a stop.
“It’s Sarah,” I correct.
“Serenity,” he says again, putting a hand on each shoulder. “Take a deep breath.”
I do.
And another.
It doesn’t help.
“What’s wrong?” Sebastian asks.
“It’s just... first Nolan. And Gage. And this whole new life. And the way we left my dad. I don’t even know if he’s okay,” I say. “And now I’m here with you, but I know you don’t want to be. I’m just a job.”
“Trust me, your dad is fine,” he says.
“How do you know?” I ask, looking up at him through my tears. “Nolan is the best, remember?”
“No, Serenity. Your dad is the best,” Bass says.
“But I thought Nolan...”
He cuts me off. “I wouldn’t have left if I thought your dad wasn’t getting out of there.”
“Okay,” I say, letting out a breath. That does make me feel better. I just met my dad and I need time to get to know him.
“And just because you’re my job doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”
“But you said...”
He cuts me off again. “I say a lot of things, Princess. If you really think you want to be my friend, get used to it.”
Friend.
“So, we’re friends?” I ask.
“Actually, according to our passports, you’re my little sister.”
I laugh. “That’s not weird at all.”
The train pulls up and we get on, along with a huge crowd of people that had been waiting with us. I start to grab a rail so I don’t fall over, but Sebastian grabs my arm.
“Germs,” he says.
“But I’ll fall,” I say.
“I got you,” he says, holding onto my arm.
I will never understand Sebastian. One minute, he can’t stand me and wants nothing to do with me. The next, he’s being super sweet and says that maybe we can be friends. But then again, maybe that’s just Bass.
One day at a time.
There is a vehicle in the parking garage at the airport that Sebastian has the code for. He pushes in the numbers on the door. There are keys in the center console of the car. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but I kind of am.
“Just how long have you guys been planning my escape?” I ask, wondering just how long this car has been here.
“Your dad came to me the night I saved you from Nolan,” Bass answers. “He said that I was the only one he trusted right now. He’s not fully convinced that Nolan was working alone. He thinks somebody else on the team is an accomplice.”
My chest hurts at the thought. “Let’s not talk about that right now.”
Sebastian starts the car. I notice that the car’s GPS just said “no information found.” I figure it’s because we’re in the parking garage, but when we pull out, there still isn’t a map.
“What’s wrong with the GPS?” I ask.
“We took the GPS out of the car,” he says. “Don’t worry. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Arizona, we’re changing cars.”
“Arizona?” I ask, smiling. “Oh, my gosh. I’ve never been to Arizona.”
He laughs.
“So... you’re from America, right?” I ask. “I mean... you have an American accent.”
“Yeah, I’m from the US.”
“Where?”
“I’m from Texas,” he answers. “Small town of only about five hundred.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Nah,” he answers, keeping his eyes on the road. “My life at Spy School is exciting. Fun. I get to do something with my life. My mom... she had a chance to choose this life, but she chose to be ordinary. When I got the opportunity, I jumped at it.”
“How do people get chosen for Spy School?” I ask.
“A lot of different reasons. Some are chosen simply because of their parents. Some are chosen because they’re smart. One twelve-year-old girl spoke seven languages fluently, which is why she was chosen. Others, like me, are chosen based on skill.”
“What’s your skill?”
He grins. “Well, my uncle, Sander’s dad, has been teaching me to drive, literally since I was old enough to reach the pedals. He’s had me on the race track and on crazy courses. My mom didn’t know I was racing until I was recruited. She was so mad at him. She doesn’t like that I’m at Spy School. But my mom trained me, too. Hacking. Languages. Fighting. Shooting guns. She says she didn’t want this for me, but I’m not sure.”
“You’re lucky your mom cares,” I say. “I mean, maybe my mom did, but I didn’t know her. The woman who raised me...” I clear my throat. “Sebastian, I would kill to have a mother. A real one. To know that kind of unconditional love...”
I don’t finish my sentence. I don’t have to.
“Maybe I will call her more often,” he says, loosening his grip on the steering wheel.
“Are we going through Texas?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he answers.
“So, let’s stop and see them.”
“We can’t. My parents aren’t in Texas anymore,” he says. “When I went to Spy School, my parents had to get new identities for their own safety. Truthfully, I’m not sure where they are. I asked them not to tell me.”
“Oh.”
That’s incredibly sad.
I kind of understand Bass a little bit more now. Though, really, who can understand this complicated boy?
“I’m surprised my dad sent me with you,” I tell him. “He’s convinced I’m going to run off and get married like he and my mom did.”
Sebastian starts coughing, like he had choked on something.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Yeah,”
he says, between coughs. “I don’t think your dad is worrying about you getting married. I think he’s worried that you’re going to get a boyfriend.”
“Um, then why did he send six boys to come rescue me in Florida?” I ask. “But, really, he doesn’t have anything to worry about. All those guys are just my friends. My first-ever friends. I’m kind of sad that I left without saying goodbye to them. I wish my dad understood that the guys are really just friends. I’m not attracted to them as more, you know?”
“I guess,” Bass says. “Maybe he’s worried about them being attracted to you.”
I laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m not pretty. I’ve seen the girls at Spy School, and they are all super gorgeous.”
“You’re so wrong.”
“About what?” I ask.
“All of it,” he answers. “You. The girls at school. Take your pick.”
Me?
“You think I’m pretty?” I ask, feeling a bit thrown off. Certainly he didn’t mean that. No, I must’ve heard him wrong.
“Yeah,” he says, his voice sounding nonchalant. Like he didn’t just tell me that I’m pretty. And maybe it’s not a big deal to him. But to me, it’s massive. Boys don’t call me pretty. Ever. So, this is huge.
“Thank you,” I tell him, looking down at my hands in my lap. “I, um... haven’t exactly been called pretty very much in my life. So it’s kind of...”
“A big deal?” he finished for me.
“Yeah,” I answer.
He sighs. “Now I feel like a complete jerk.”
“Why?”
“Because sometimes I am. And you don’t deserve it. You’re such a nice girl,” he says. “I’m sorry.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Don’t worry about it, Bass. I like you. I’m glad you’re my friend. There’s not a lot you could do that would make me not want to be your friend. Even if you don’t consider me a friend, I definitely consider you one.”
“We can be friends,” Sebastian says. “But nothing more.”
“I never said anything about more,” I say quickly, not wanting him to think I’m into him like that.
Because I’m not.
Absolutely not.
Not even a little.
Like, never happening.
I think.
I mean, Bass is attractive. Like, possibly the most attractive male I’ve ever met.
Maybe it’s his dirty blond hair that’s always messy. Or his blue eyes that remind me of a cloudless, summer sky. Or maybe it’s his whole I don’t care attitude. Or… maybe it’s just him.
I could like Bass as more than a friend.
But I won’t.
I can’t.
After all, he did just say so.
“Good,” Sebastian says, after a moment of silence.
And it took me a few seconds to realize what he was saying good to.
“We can be friends, but nothing more.”
“I never said anything about more.”
“Good.”
My heart breaks just a little bit. But I quickly get over it because I have to.
Bass is right, we are good as friends. We can’t be more, because right now we have got to focus on surviving.
One day at a time.
Friday, August 25
On the road again.
I wake up to Sebastian shaking my shoulder.
It takes me a moment of looking around to realize where I am. Late last night, we stopped in New Mexico to stay the night.
“You okay?” Bass asks.
It’s then that I realize my face is wet.
Was I crying?
I wipe at my cheeks. “Sorry. I guess I was having a bad dream.”
He nods, looking a bit uncomfortable. “We need to get up and get on the road.”
“Okay,” I say, pushing myself up off the bed. Last night, we made a random pitstop somewhere in Arizona to pick up some clothes and a different car. Then we drove to a random motel in a small town in New Mexico. I got a quick shower when we stopped last night, because I felt so gross from the plane. This morning, when I step into the bathroom to put on my clothes, I frown when I see my reflection in the mirror. My hair is sticking up all over the place.
So not attractive.
Well, at least I don’t have to worry about Bass falling in love with me. He’s seen what I look like in the morning. That guarantees we will just be friends. Which is okay, I guess. A girl can never have too many friends.
A couple of minutes later, I walk out of the bathroom dressed and ready for the day. I still have no idea where we are going or how much longer we will be in the car. It could be all day. Or maybe we are almost to where we’re going.
I kind of hope we still have a ways to go. I'm enjoying our road trip. I like driving through places I’ve never been before.
“How much longer do we have?” I ask Bass, as we get started on our journey. We grabbed food to eat on the go.
“Sixteen hours,” he answers. “I am going to try to just drive straight through. I would usually be driving faster, but I don't need any attention from the cops in case Nolan is watching.”
“How can he watch every cop in every town? The US is huge,” I say.
“That's pretty much computer hacking 101,” Bass says. “You've got a lot of classes to catch up on before you graduate. Which is part of the reason your dad sent me. I’m good at pretty much everything.”
“I'm certainly not learning anything out here,” I say, trying not to sound bitter about it. I want to be at Spy School—learning.
“I'll teach you things when we get settled in our temporary home,” he says. “After all, I did promise to teach you how to drive. And I'm still going to train you to fight. Your bruises from the whole Nolan thing look a lot better. And I’d like to prevent you from getting hit again.”
“I feel a lot better,” I say.
“Good,” he says. “Because we are going to work every day, and you'll probably end up hating me until your body gets used to it.”
I remember how I felt after our first training session, so I believe him.
“Hey, Bass,” I say.
“What?”
“Is there any way to call my dad?” I ask.
“I'm not sure it's a good idea,” he says.
“I know,” I say, looking down at my hands. “I just... you know, I just found him. I've never had a family before, and the way we left him... I need to know he's okay.”
“I will find a way to let you talk to him,” Bass says. “I just need a few days.”
“Okay,” I say. “Thanks.”
“You're a hard person to say no to,” he says.
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he says. “You're just different than I expected you to be.”
“Does that mean you like me?”
He smiles, but keeps his eyes on the road. “No. I didn't say that. But maybe I could have a worse assignment.”
That is pretty much as close to a compliment as it will ever get with Bass.
“Are you going to tell me where we are going now?” I ask.
“Nowhere exciting,” he answers. “Trust me, you will most likely be disappointed when you find out.”
“What? Are you taking me to that stupid safe house in Flordia?” I ask. “Please don't give me a sedative. I promise I won't look.”
“Not Florida,” Bass says. “And why did they give you a sedative?”
“Nolan did,” I answer. “He said if I knew where the safe house was, it could put other people in harm.”
“He's an idiot.”
A week ago, I would have argued in Nolan’s favor, but not now.
“There are a lot of things I don't understand,” I say. “Since coming into this world, I've kind of learned to just go with it.”
“So, what exactly happened?” Bass asks. “I mean, I know you were kidnapped, but there's got to be more to the story than that. Your birth mom was trained at the best school on the planet. I highly doubt a
lunatic got the upper hand on her.”
“I don't know,” I answer. “All I know is what my dad told me. Apparently my birth mom has been dead since I was four.”
“Huh,” he says.
“I'm sure Dad will tell me more when he figures it out,” I say.
“And how did Nolan find you in Florida?”
“I have no idea,” I answer. “All I know is that the guys just started slowly entering my life one by one. They became my friends. They brought me food and they talked to me. They didn't even think it was weird that I sat on the floor by myself in the school cafeteria.”
“You sat by yourself? That's incredibly sad,” he says.
“I have friends now,” I say. “Kind of. I mean, I consider them... and you... my friends.”
“How did the guys convince you to leave Florida? Or did they just kidnap you?” he asks.
“Ugh, a little of both,” I say. “Andrew...”
“The stepbrother?”
“Yeah,” I answer. “When I came home from school, he was in the living room. He hardly ever left the basement. But he grabbed my wrists. I was used to him bugging me. But then Nolan saw it and pretty much freaked out. And the guys asked me to come with them. I was so tired of everything. I was tired of being hungry. I was tired of being their slave. But most of all, I was tired of being hated. So, I agreed to go with them. And Nolan drugged me after I decided to come.”
“And you still trusted him after that?” Bass asks.
“Nolan gave me food. And he rescued me from a miserable life,” I say. “And then he introduced me to my dad. He brought so much good into my life until...”
“Until he shot Gage,” Bass says, letting out a breath. “I see why you liked him. Your life was unfair and crappy. He saved you.”
“Yeah,” I say, glad that he finally understands.
“I wish I had been the one to save you.”
I imagine Bass infiltrating my life the way the boys did, but somehow it's not quite the same.
“I'm not sure the un-rescued me could've handled your cynical outlook on life,” I tell him.
“Ha ha,” he says, but smiles.
In a weird way, I think Bass and I understand each other.
No matter where this road trip ends, I have a feeling things are going to get very interesting once we get there.
Keeping Me (Spy Chronicles Book 2) Page 3