Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I told her that to comfort her, Delgado thought grimly. They’re tracking us. I don’t know how, and I’ve got to figure out how to lock her down.
She was like a beacon, apparently, especially without the dampers. If he hadn’t set up countermeasures they would have been caught in the hotel room, and he didn’t like the idea of fighting free of two full teams and a net. He wouldn’t get out of that without shedding blood—his and theirs.
Don’t think about that. Dawn had broken, and Rowan had finally fallen asleep. What was he supposed to do? He’d never run an extraction with a psionic who couldn’t be dampered before.
I’ve either got to teach her something, or drug her until we get to Headquarters.
He saw a blue Rest Area sign and decided to chance it. They had made good time.
Rowan woke with a violent start as soon as he slowed down and took the exit. “What is it?” she gasped.
“Easy there.” He applied the brakes, and they were soon neatly pulled into a parking spot. “Need a break. You should probably stretch your legs too.”
“I guess so.” She looked out the window at the trees and green grass, pulling at the collar of the white dress shirt. He’d given her a pair of jeans and the dress boots too. “I always wanted to come out this way. North.”
“We’re actually northwest, but it’s the same thing. We’ll double back east for a while after we get far enough north, and then hook down.”
She shook her head. “It might be best if you don’t tell me,” she said dully. “If they catch us—”
“Don’t even worry about that.” She shouldn’t be thinking about that; it was his job. “If they catch you, you tell them whatever they want to know. They might hold off on the Zed if you’re compliant. You just wait for me to come get you.”
“What if you can’t?” Her green eyes were dull. She tucked a strand of pale hair behind her ear and regarded him steadily.
She definitely shouldn’t be thinking about that, either. “Unless you see them decapitate me,” he told her evenly, “you can be sure I’ll come and get you, Rowan. They trained me well. Maybe too well.”
“What did they do to you?” The colorless tone hurt even more than the dull lifelessness in her eyes.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” he lied, and unlocked his door. “Let me worry about Sigma, Rowan. That’s my job. I promised Henderson I’d bring you in safely, and I promised you I’d take care of you. I don’t promise things I don’t do.” He raked stiff fingers back through his short hair.
“I’m tired. I don’t want to do this.”
“Neither do I. I want to be back at Headquarters, with you safe and sound and learning whatever you want to learn to keep that talent of yours in check. That’s what I want. Don’t worry, Rowan. I’ll take care of it.”
“I don’t even know you,” she whispered, and that cut him all the way down to the bone.
“You don’t, but you have to trust me. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
That earned him a bitter little laugh. “Oh, yes, safe from who?”
Oh, shit. I’ve said the wrong thing. He decided to play a get-out-of-jail card. “I didn’t tell anyone about your talent, Rowan, even though you used it on me. And who gives you the willies more, me or Sigma?”
She shrugged slightly, her breasts moving underneath the white cotton. He tried not to think about that, or about the dress boots and how they would make her legs look even longer. Or about the fact that he’d handled the bra she was probably wearing.
That was the wrong thought to have, too, but her face eased a little as he studied her.
“I suppose them. Every time they get near, my head starts to hurt.”
Understanding hit him, right between the eyes. They might be using a scanlock on a migmeter. Of course. She’s high enough on the scale that they can do it. Christ, why didn’t I think of that?
“Oh. I might be able to fix the problem, then. Come on, let’s take a break and then figure out where to find some decent coffee, all right?”
She nodded, a little color coming back into her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she said abruptly. “I know you’re not like them. I’m just tired.”
That made him smile, unfamiliar amusement tilting up the corners of his mouth. “It’s okay. We’re both tired. I’d be surprised if you didn’t distrust me.”
She reached for her door handle, and he grabbed her wrist without thinking. Electricity poured down his spine. “Wait for me,” he said softly. “Okay?”
She shrugged, pulling her wrist free of his fingers. He let her go reluctantly, then opened his own door. Crisp, cold morning air poured into the car.
She did wait for him to come around and open her door. But when she got out, she didn’t look up at him. Instead, she set off for the low stone building that served as the rest area.
Delgado let her go.
He followed her up the slight hill and used the men’s room, then came out and waited for her, leaning against the hood of the car. Metal popped and pinged, cooling. He would have to get gas soon, and coffee, and figure out how to extract himself from the mess of things he’d made with her.
When she finally came out of the women’s restroom, she picked her way down the walkway on the hill with deerlike grace.
He’d been right—the dress boots suited her very well.
Her pale hair caught fire in the morning light, and she swept it back over her shoulder as she scanned the deserted parking lot, looking worried and exhausted—and incredibly lovely.
Delgado’s heart bolted inside his ribs. She saw him, and the sigh of relief she gave was audible even to him
Oh, man. I am in so much trouble.
He was involved. It was the one thing that should have never happened to him—he was too damaged once Sigma finished with him. He shouldn’t have been able to feel a goddamn thing.
But there it was.
“Ready to go?” he asked. “I need to look at the map and figure a few things out.”
She nodded. “I want something to tie my hair back with.” But she smiled at him, too, and that weary grin made something funny happen inside his chest. Not to mention his head.
“I put everything in the trunk,” was his lame reply. “Standard procedure, you know—just carry one bag with you. Makes it easier.”
She nodded, then looked at him expectantly.
After a moment, he realized she was patiently waiting for him to open up the trunk so she could find a rubber band or something.
“Oh,” he managed. “Sorry. Here.” He peeled himself up from leaning on the hood, and she followed him around to the back.
“We’ll be okay, Rowan. I figured out how they’re tracking us, and a few minutes with my kit and some copper wire will fix it. ” Shut up, you fool.
“Copper wire?”
“You get a headache when they get close, right? Means they’re probably using a migmeter—a Matheson electronic signature reader linked to a computer chip. It doesn’t work outside of a certain radius, but inside it’s pretty effective—and untraceable unless the subject has telepathic ability.”
She looked down at the suitcases. “Which one has an elastic?”
“Try the blue duffel, it’s got bathroom stuff in it. Anyway, a little copper wire and a little concentration will throw off the—”
“I don’t want to know,” she said, digging in the blue duffel. “Please.”
He took a deep breath. “I’ve got to teach you something, Rowan. Either we have to get you buttoned down or—”
“Or what?” She reached up, gathering her hair behind her head. He had to look down at the pavement.
“Or if you wanted, we could sedate you until we get to Headquarters. I don’t want to do that.”
“Sedate me with what?”
“A form of Demerol usually works.”
“Do you have any?”
“Some.”
“Fine.” She made a ponytail with a few quick, efficient movements. “I think I need it; I think I’m in shock.”
“I think you are too.” He closed the trunk with a sharp sound. “Are you sure?”
“Can we get in the car and get this over with?” The dull listless tone was back in her voice. His chest ached. She was hurting too badly to feel any fresh pain. It was a defense mechanism—one he understood and had suffered himself—but it made his guts twist to think of her going through this.
“Rowan—”
“Please.” Now she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, and he found himself swallowing roughly.
“Okay,” he said, and privately cursed himself. He should have listened to the voice of efficiency instead of his fucking conscience. If he’d done what he wanted to do she would have been emotionally attached to him by now, instead of deep in listlessness. “Whatever you need, angel. Let’s go.”