Chapter 20 #2
“Then I leave directly from here,” Luke said. “I don’t have time to return to the Unseelie before I go to Hale.”
Connal went completely still.
Luke watched the realization settle over his face. Until now, Connal had been fighting the idea of Luke entering Hale’s office alone. He had not understood that their separation would begin here.
“You will not return with us,” Connal said.
“Not before I go to Hale.”
“We part here.”
The quiet statement landed harder than Luke expected.
“Only until I finish this.”
Connal’s jaw tightened, but he did not move aside.
Luke closed the remaining distance himself. “If you come with me, the system could detect you before I reach Hale. Whoever controls it would know we understand what it does. They could move it, destroy the evidence, or prepare another trap before we realized you’d been detected.”
“And if you go without me, you may not survive long enough to reach it.”
“That’s why Tyson’s people will be watching.”
“They cannot protect you as I would.”
“No.” Luke lowered his voice. “But they can go where you can’t.”
The truth hurt Connal. Luke saw it in the hard set of his mouth and hated being the one who had put it there.
Connal reached for him at last, closing one hand around the back of Luke’s neck. “I do not agree with this.”
“I know.”
Luke slipped the backpack from his shoulder and opened the inner compartment. He removed the drive, secured it in the watch pocket of his jeans, then closed the bag and held it out to Connal.
“Take care of this for me. I’m going to want it back.”
It wasn’t the best reassurance, but Connal seemed to understand the promise behind it.
Connal looked from the backpack to Luke then closed his hand around the strap, briefly covering Luke’s fingers with his own. “I will guard it with my life.”
Luke didn’t release it yet. “And Gomez. Tell him where I went and why. I promised I wouldn’t disappear without leaving him answers again. Look after him for me.”
“He is your family,” Connal said. “He will remain under my protection until you return.”
“Thank you.”
Only then did Luke release the backpack into Connal’s care.
Knowing Gomez would be protected eased some of Luke’s worry. It did nothing to make leaving Connal easier. Luke covered Connal’s wrist with his hand.
“I’ll be careful.”
“You will return.”
“That’s the plan.”
“It is a command.”
Despite everything, Luke almost smiled. “There he is.”
Connal drew him closer until their foreheads touched. For one moment, the tracking system, Hale, and the waiting buyer disappeared behind the solid warmth of the man in front of him.
Then Tyson spoke.
“I’ll begin making the arrangements.”
Tyson moved to the far side of the room and made several calls, speaking quietly as he gave instructions without using Hale’s name or explaining why the building required surveillance. When he finished, he returned.
“A car will arrive in twelve minutes. I moved your return flight to the earliest available departure without notifying Hale’s travel office. Another driver will meet you at the airport and take you to Hale’s building. You will arrive before eleven.”
“And the observers?”
“They will be in position before you arrive.”
“They don’t approach me unless I signal for help. If Hale spots them, we lose the advantage.”
“They understand.”
“If I don’t leave the building?”
“They will report any change immediately.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
Tyson met his gaze. “If you fail to emerge or the situation becomes visibly hostile, they will notify me. No one will enter unless doing so offers a reasonable chance of getting you out.”
Luke nodded. It wasn’t a guarantee. Anyone offering one would have been lying.
Asterius folded his arms. “And you intend to bring the drive into that building.”
“Hale ordered me to bring the package. Arriving without it would tell him I know too much before I get through the door.”
“We already possess the information,” Koios said. “The copy will remain here.”
Luke rested one hand over the watch pocket holding the drive. The original was no longer their only evidence. Now it was his access to Hale.
“Hale expects me to protect it,” Luke said. “That’s what I’m going to let him believe.”
Koios looked toward Connal. “You should not risk opening another portal from this location. Move beyond the building and put distance between yourselves and this facility first.”
“How much distance?” Connal asked.
“Without knowing the tracking system’s range, I cannot promise any distance is enough. Farther is still safer.”
“We will travel by road before returning to the Unseelie,” Tyson said.
Connal’s displeasure deepened. Every additional mile placed him farther from Luke.
Luke touched his arm. “You need to tell Silenus what we found.”
“I know my duty.”
“I know.” Luke let his hand remain there. “I also know you hate it.”
Connal looked down at him. “There are not words sufficient to describe how much.”
“Try explaining it to Gomez. He’ll find some.”
Asterius made a thoughtful sound. “The human possesses an impressive vocabulary when angry.”
“Then you can help.”
“I withdraw my support.”
Tyson glanced toward the door. “The car has arrived.”
The little humor Luke had managed disappeared.
Connal pulled him close. The kiss was hard and brief, carrying everything neither of them had time to say. When he released Luke, his hand remained against the back of Luke’s neck.
“You will return.”
Luke held his gaze. “Yes.”
This time, it wasn’t a joke or an attempt to reassure either of them. It was a promise Luke intended to keep.
Tyson led them upstairs and through an exit opening onto a narrow service lane. A dark sedan waited beside the curb, its driver watching the mirrors rather than the building.
Luke opened the rear door, then looked back.
Connal stood a few feet away with Asterius beside him. Neither warrior appeared willing to let the car leave without a fight. Tyson remained near the entrance, already watching for anyone who might have followed them.
Luke climbed inside before staying became more tempting than leaving.
The car pulled away. Through the rear window, Connal remained in the service lane until the building hid him from view. When Luke couldn’t see him anymore, he turned and faced forward.
His new mission? Find the weapon that could lead their enemies straight to Connal.