Chapter 9
B efore Ania had even realized it, amid all the tosses and turns, they’d pulled into a small underground parking lot, where she had been ushered out of the rig and out of the building, then around the back to yet another building. She didn’t say a word and just followed the instructions she had been given, keeping up with the men, as they raced from one building to the other. When they slipped inside a small apartment, she took a slow, deep breath, then let it out all at once. When she could breathe normally again, she asked, “Did we lose them?”
“For the moment, yes,” Riff noted calmly. “Now I suggest you guys catch up on some sleep, and I’ll be back.” And, with that, he turned, walked out the door, and was gone.
She stared at Sanders. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m doing pretty well,” he said, panting mildly.
Still, she watched in concern, as his color fluctuated, almost like a wand waving in front of her. “Actually you don’t look very well at all.”
He winced. “Let’s just say I’m relying on other people’s energy a little more than I would like to right now.”
“And that is not good,” she cried out in alarm. “If you go down, I won’t have any way to move you.”
He laughed. “Is that your way of telling me that I’m fat?”
“No, but you’re huge, and fat has nothing to do with it,” she stated. “I’m not very big, and I sure don’t have the muscle to move you, so you need to stay mobile for my sake, if nothing else.”
“Got it,” he said, sending her a careless grin.
But she glared at him. “I mean it.”
“I know you do,” he replied, his tone softening. He walked over, wrapped her up in his arms, and just held her close.
It took her a minute, and then she finally sagged against him. “Dear God, I so want this over with.”
“It may not feel like it, but we’re making progress.”
Her snort was loud and completely spontaneous. She lifted her head to see Sanders’s big grin. “Are you trying to lie to me, or are you being serious?”
“I’m being very serious,” he stated. “I try not to lie if I don’t have to.”
She wrapped her arms around him, hugged him gently, and sighed. “I think we should probably rest.”
“Oh, I agree. You got any way to shut all this down in your head?”
She winced. “No, I don’t, but, if you’ve got any way that might work, I’m more than happy to listen to what you have to suggest.”
He smiled. “Let’s check and see if we can make coffee or tea or anything else in this place. Did you bring the groceries with you?” She nodded and pointed to the bag with the remaining sandwiches. “Good, then we won’t need more food tonight.”
“No, I can live on sandwiches for quite a while,” she shared, looking over at him. “How about you?”
“Hey, it’s food. I don’t really care what it is. As long as I get to eat, I’m fine. I only really need the food because of the energy.”
“Which is a hell of a good reason,” she noted, looking at him. “All of us need food for energy, by the way.”
At that, he chuckled. “I have my laptop here and my phone, so let’s check in with the rest of the team and see if anybody’s got a plan to get us out of here.”
While he walked over to the couch and sat down, setting up the electronics on the coffee table, she walked into the small kitchen and took a look around. She didn’t know where they were, whether this was a vacant house or someone lived here. A little bit of food was in one of the cupboards, but not much, and nothing was in the fridge, so obviously nobody was living here at the moment. In a way that made her feel better. She didn’t want to think that she was taking over somebody’s house. Yet, if she was, she sent up a prayer, with a whisper of thanks for at least having the space available.
As she came back out, she announced, “Nothing really here, not even a coffeepot, but I found coffee, if you think it’s okay to heat it in a pot on the stove.”
“Absolutely, put it on,” he replied.
“Will we have to erase any tracks of being here?”
He stopped and frowned at her. “That’ll be much harder if we stay here for long,” he admitted, “and I suggest that we might as well at least get comfortable and hope that we’ll be here for only a day or two.”
She winced. “I would rather hope that we can get out of here and spend the next day or two in England.”
“I agree with you, or I would, except we’ve been tagged again. So, for right now, it’s pretty hard to say.”
“Sure, but won’t they just go door to door around here? It is possible, right?”
“I’m not sure if you noticed, but we got quite a bit farther away than I would have expected. Riff’s very good, and he seems to have some ability to ghost people.”
She walked into the living room and sat down beside him, then asked in a curious tone, “What does that mean? I heard you and Riff discussing that in the car earlier.”
“I don’t know exactly,” Sanders admitted, with a wave of his hand. “I think Terk’s people have abilities and skills that have never even occurred to us, and I know that Riff’s a shadow and that he works in the shadows. He mentioned that twice, so it makes me wonder if he doesn’t have a way of somehow… throwing other people off.” He gave her a smirk. “That probably sounds like invisibility or cloaking or some complete garbage, so don’t worry about it. I’m just rambling now, hoping and all.”
“It might not be complete garbage,” she noted slowly. “But it’s an interesting theory, isn’t it?”
“I’ve certainly seen situations where we could have used something like that or cloaking or whatever. So, I don’t know if he did or he didn’t,” Sanders said cautiously. “Therefore, I can’t say that Riff or anyone else did that for sure, but, if they could do it, I’m all for it and would love to have that skill too.”
“Yeah, you and me both,” she muttered, staring at him. “That skill alone would be a really good reason to go work for Terk. If they can do anything at all like that, I would very much like to know how.”
“But it’s not just about how ,” Sanders pointed out. “I think it’s all about doing it, putting in the practice, putting in the time to build whatever skills are needed, in order to do these kinds of things. That’s potentially what Terk’s place and being a part of their team would mean. For both of us.”
“Meaning that we would have to commit. It’s not a simple case of go there, be a part of it, and get to leave . We would have to commit to it.”
“Yes. I think it’s very much a case of commitment, and, after what they’ve done for me already, I have no problem doing that,” he declared. “As long as they’re on the right side of the law and helping people, I’m totally okay to help in return. Not to mention that it would be really great to feel like I fit in somewhere.”
Immediately she nodded. “Yes,… that. And considering that we still need their help and that we’re not out of danger and that we will likely need their help on the other side of this, it’s probably even a better idea.”
“It’s one of those cases where we’re stronger together,” Sanders noted calmly, “than we are apart.”
“Yet, who knew that we would be weak in any case.” She laughed. “But, if you say so, I will take your word for it. I’ll go put on coffee, and maybe we will have better luck at thinking straight.”
“Yes, coffee,” he muttered. “Although I did get some sleep, I didn’t get a lot.”
She nodded. “You should crash.” He hesitated, but she shook her head. “No. It’s obvious that you need to get some more sleep. I will too, so we’ll do it in relays.”
He smiled at her. “We call them watches . I’ll take four hours, and then you take four hours,” he suggested simply. “But, in any normal circumstance, I wouldn’t let you take any.”
“Yeah, well, that’s great,” she muttered in exasperation, “but absolutely nothing is normal about this. Neither is anything normal about the fact that your energy is at the end of its thread. You look as if you may collapse at any time. So you need to do something to look after yourself. You can’t always depend on these other people to keep you alive.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” he noted, still smiling. “So go put on the coffee, and I’ll do what I can to get a little rest, just as soon as I connect with everybody and fill them in.”
With that, she headed into the kitchen and rummaged around, starting the coffee, not sure exactly how old it was. When she had a pot of water on to heat up, the grounds already added, she stepped into the living room to check on him, finding him stretched out on the couch.
Just as she went to tiptoe past him, he reached out a hand and said, “Wake me up in two hours.”
“No, I’ll wake you up in four.” He opened his eyes and glared at her. She shrugged. “If you couldn’t even stay awake long enough to have some of the coffee I just made, no way I’ll let you sleep for only two hours. Then, in four hours, you can make more coffee.”
His lips twitched, but his gaze collapsed inward, as he dropped into a deep, exhausted sleep.
She sat here on the couch, watching him, more worried than she could put into words. Seeing him go out that fast was scary. Sanders didn’t have the resources to hold himself for long. Knowing that he was relying on other people for that energy, that strength was incredibly disconcerting to Ania. It also made her feel alone here in many ways, a situation that she’d never experienced before. It was lonely, and it was stressful.
As she returned to the kitchen, she strained the coffee and now sat on the chair, sipping a hot cup of joe. She didn’t dare go to sleep, so she opened her loaner phone and checked for messages, even while knowing that she didn’t dare contact anybody. But when a text message came through from Vanessa, she opened it and read it to see a question.
How are you?
Ania hesitated for a moment because it was possible her friend Vanessa hadn’t sent this herself, or she may be under duress. Did Ania dare reply, or would it be traceable? The possibility glared at her.
Immediately Terk slammed into her head. Don’t answer .
She almost bolted upright, it was such a shock. She responded and asked, Can you turn down the volume a little?
As long as you listen, yes , Terk declared in a harsh tone. Don’t you dare give anyone any indication of where you are. Absolutely no electronic tracking allowed .
Oh, I get it . I just don’t know how they found us here at all .
It wouldn’t take too much , he muttered. People who have skills and abilities, hackers even, but especially if they have an energy-working tracker on their side , he explained, with a note of wariness in his tone. So you’re still not out of danger .
At that, she winced. Right, the tracker finding me at the hotel , she whispered. He needs to not come for at least four hours because Sanders is out cold. I hate to say it, but he’s not looking very well .
He’s been burning up too much energy. He’s not fully healed. He’s had a lot of muscle-wasting over the last six months in captivity, and his energy is just not there yet. So, while his body is trying to heal, he’s burning through his own energy, therefore, other people are required to keep him functioning. That sleep is very important. He should be good for a few hours and after that on his own, but then we’ll have to help again.
It just boggled the mind to even think that such a thing was possible, but Ania’s first thought instinctively was, Can I help him too?
You can, but not right now. He’s in a rejuvenating sleep. Let him rest for now. Let him sleep. The healers are filling his system with more energy, trying to heal some of the muscle damage that he had. He really needed a few months to recover and to get back in the gym to build up some of that muscle he lost, before he came after you. However, once he realized he was up and semi-functioning, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. It was much more efficient to send Riff to help rescue you and to let Sanders go on this op, than it was to argue with him and try to keep him down at our castle, where he would feel imprisoned all over again.
She understood that, but one of Terk’s words caught her attention. You guys live in a castle? she asked cautiously.
He snorted. Yeah, no kidding , he said, with a laugh. Not exactly the best decision I’ve ever made, but I think everybody else in the team might disagree .
If it’s got a moat and a swimming pool and massive gardens , she replied, I’m not against it .
It’s got all of that and more, or at least in the future planning stages , he replied. We just have to get you here. Our original escape plans have gone awry, but we’re on to plan B right now. Riff should be back to your place within about four hours.
Is it okay that I made coffee? she asked.
It is , he replied. If you get a warning with some time to clean up after you, that’s good too. But, if you don’t get a warning, we’ll send in a cleaning crew afterward anyway .
Do you really think somebody will come here and check?
Nope, it’s a safe house. I got access to it from a friend of mine. We just prefer to keep things clean. Imagine coming back because you need a safe house and finding moldy coffee and all that stuff lying around .
Oh, gross , she said instantly.
He laughed. Exactly. So, we’ll just get somebody in to clean it up, if you can’t .
I was hoping Sanders could get some coffee. I’ll have a couple cups, but, once he’s awake again, I think he’ll need that and the rest of the sandwiches.
If you can sleep, sleep , Terk noted. You’re not exactly all that solid yourself .
She frowned. I’m fine. Besides, one of us needs to keep watch .
Actually , Terk offered, his tone calm, I can keep watch on both of you. So, if you’ve had your coffee, just curl up beside him and let yourself sleep .
She instinctively shook her head. That would be foolish , she murmured. Somebody needs to stand watch over him.
Two healers are standing watch over him right now , he muttered. And I’m not far behind. So you take care of yourself, so that you’re ready to run if we need you to .
She sighed. I will, but I really wanted the coffee, even if I had to heat it on the stovetop in a pan and then filter out the grounds .
You might want to consider a microwave cup of instant coffee next time , he suggested, with a note of humor in his tone.
Great , she muttered. But, hey, it’s coffee, and it’s warm. I’ll finish this cup, then see how I feel about taking a nap .
You can do that, but, if I find your energy is dropping, I won’t be happy .
Ania frowned.
And, yes, I can tell. And, yes, it’s important that you run when you need to , he murmured. So, I know I’m being a bit of a hard-ass about it, but you would do well to listen . She didn’t like hearing that, and he waited for her to argue.
It’s not as if I can say anything about it , she muttered. You’ve got the upper hand .
No. I have the experience. I don’t care about the upper hand , he corrected instantly. I’m trying to keep my people safe. And, if you’ll be one of my people, you need to follow orders too .
Fine. As long as you won’t imprison us.
That would be the last thing I would ever do , he said, his tone gentle. This is all about keeping Sanders safe too. We went to a lot of effort to rescue him and a lot of work to heal him, as much as he would let us. So, when he wakes up, he still won’t be fully functioning, and I need you there to help him .
Immediately she felt like a heel. I’m sorry . I guess I’m punchier than I thought .
It goes along with being exhausted , he said, the humor back in his tone. But, when you’re in on a deal like this, there can’t be any arguments. We all work together .
I’m not trying to argue , she whispered. I just want to go home . Then she realized what she’d said. Correction, I no longer have a home. So let me just say that I want this all to stop. I just want to be safe .
And you’re close , Terk noted. You’re very close to that, so let’s not do anything to blow it up now . And, with that, he was gone.
She got up, looked down at the coffee that she really didn’t want anymore, but, unable to waste it, she tossed back the rest of it and walked the cup back into the kitchen. She looked at the leftover coffee in the saucepan she’d made, a small one at that, but it even seemed wrong to leave it there. Yet she could microwave the leftovers in the morning, if need be.
She headed back to the small loveseat beside the couch, curled up in a corner, and crashed. She had no doubt that, whatever Terk’s abilities, when he stated that she needed to rest, he meant it. Whether she liked it or not, he was also right, and that was a little hard to get used to. She wasn’t used to having people able to read her and to say It’s time for you to go down for a nap.
Matter of fact, her life had seemed awfully sheltered up until her mother’s death. After that, everything had gone to hell. And, on that last thought, she closed her eyes and slept.
*
Sanders woke suddenly, not with any sense of alarm that something was wrong, just a full-on awareness. He slowly sat up, then looked over to see Ania curled up on the loveseat, her breath soft and peaceful as she slept deeply. He was surprised that she had gone down, as she had been so insistent on standing watch. Yet it was a good thing she had because, once they had to get moving, he needed her awake and alert, mentally and physically. In his current condition, it would be hard for him to carry her, but he would if he needed to. That was a given, but he didn’t know how long he could keep it up, so best that it not be needed.
Terk’s voice filled his head. She was run down too, so I had her crash. She didn’t want to. She was insistent on standing guard over you .
Yeah, I think she feels responsible in many ways because I came back to get her.
Of course , Terk agreed, a smile in his tone. It’s obvious that she cares about you .
We’ve been through a lot together , Sanders said, his tone gentle. And I know that it’s not over yet, but I sure don’t want anything to happen to her .
We’re doing our best to ensure it doesn’t, and remember that it’s not just you. Other people are involved here. We’ll do our best to get you both out.
I know. I know, and I’m sorry. You’re right. I just thought maybe I would be stronger.
What you took for your strength was other people’s healing ability at work in you , Terk explained. Frankly the energy required to keep you here was more than what we’re spending now, so it’s been worth it. In the end, sending you after her was the less expensive option, energy-wise. And, hey, if she’s an accountant, I can really use her here , he added, with a note of humor.
She also has some abilities that may be of benefit to you as well.
Maybe. Currently she’s untrained, so pretty scattered, and doesn’t understand what she can do .
She’s spent more of her lifetime hiding her gifts than opening up and trying to do anything with them , Sanders explained. I don’t blame her for that .
Neither do I , Terk agreed. It just makes me think even more about opening a training center here because, as we’re discovering, an awful lot of people out there have skills, but not everybody has them defined or even understands what they can do. Like so many things in life, opportunities pass us by because we didn’t take the time to develop them .
Sanders nodded. Yet it’s really amazing she’s done what she has. When you think about it, she hasn’t had any training or any opportunity to do something like this, and still her gifts are showing up. What she really needs is just a chance to settle down, to relax, maybe to play with this a little. I think, when she has the time and place to do that, then she’ll see that she’s got more potential than she realizes.
She is doing very well , Terk noted, and the fact that she can communicate telepathically as easily as she can means an awful lot is there for us to work with. Yet she needs to come on her own because it has to be what she wants, not because it’s what she feels she has to do.
Do you think that’s what she’s thinking? Sanders asked. I hope it’s not because of me .
I’m sure it is because of you , Terk stated, with a laugh. She cares for you, and she needs a new life. Just ensure that the relationship you develop comes from mutual understanding and not just gratitude .
Yeah, when you think about it, we’re two prisoners thrown adrift , Sanders admitted. In many ways we have an awful lot in common .
You absolutely do, and that’s a good thing in many ways , Terk noted, his tone calm. I just want you both to experience some freedom and ensure that whatever relationship you end up with comes together for the right reasons .
And, with that, he rang off.