Page 93 of After 5

“Holy Mother Theresa, you’re not supposed to be here. You’re on the battlefield.” Ace’s voice raised a few octaves when he realized my location. “And you’re dressed like a Confederate soldier.”

“Ace! Focus! Help me move him!”

Ace sprang into action and together we pulled an unconscious Caiyan toward the photo booth.

“I can’t believe you came.” Another tear leaked and dropped into my mustache.

“Of course, doll. You summoned me, and I don’t get to this hell hole until tomorrow morning. Remember, I don’t travel with my defender.”

The benefit of the transporters waiting at base slapped me in the face.

“Ace, if we don’t get him back to base, he’s going to bleed to death.”

“Where’s your outhouse, hon?”

“It’s a long story, but General Lee accidentally went inside my vessel, and then it vanished. I can’t get it to return.”

“THE General Lee?”

“Yes. I can’t leave until he comes back with my vessel and I find Marco and Gertie.”

Ace glanced around, and I answered his unasked question. “They’re not here. Marco was shot in the leg. He was taken to a field hospital and Gertie went with him.”

“Oh, my heavens, the boss is going to flip his lid. How do you get yourself into these situations?”

I frowned at Ace as we heaved Caiyan closer to the photo booth.

“Al is tracking Mortas on the travel screen. He’s somewhere near the Confederate headquarters and that can’t be good news.”

Caiyan groaned. “Come on, lover, Ace has you.”

Ace’s words caused Caiyan to groan louder, but he didn’t regain consciousness.

“Agent Hot Buns isn’t going to like me leaving you.”

“Give me some time. Caiyan told me about a seer. That’s who the Mafusos are searching for.”

“A seer?” he paused. “There was a girl, way back. Got herself in trouble with the boss. Didn’t see ’er after that.”

Jeez. That wasn’t reassuring at all.

“I’m going to find her. Where did you arrest Caiyan?”

Ace thought for a moment. “I believe it was close to the Thompson farm near General Lee’s headquarters, end of the third day, after the big battle.”

I had time.

We hauled Caiyan into the photo booth. His six-three frame of solid muscle had both of us breathing heavy after we placed him in the vessel. A trail of blood dripped onto Ace’s fuzzy velvet cushion.

“Bloody ’ell, that’s going to leave a stain.”

I huffed at Ace. “See if you can locate my outhouse.”

“Will do. Good luck, doll. But remember, at sunrise even I can’t come back.”

“If I don’t find a way home, I’ll summon you next moon cycle.”

Ace gave a visible shiver. “That’s a long time to be stuck ’ere.”

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