Page 63 of Once a Hero

Fortunately for him, every bullet missed his spine.

And her employer and friend, Helen Hu, told her she’d fly him home in first class.

As for Jake, he had tried not to show pain, but Beatrice saw that he had a hard time walking fast. She wondered if he could keep up with her on the next leg of their adventure.

Together.

She closed her eyes and recalled the moment he reached out to her. He nearly touched her just before Dad’s house exploded in a fireball.

Beatrice tossed aside the thin blanket in her bunk bed. She found her flip-flops and made her way to the bathroom at the end of the tour bus, passing by more bunk beds with curtains drawn.

She splashed warm—almost hot—water on her face and brushed her teeth.

Even before she reached the small galley kitchen that separated the sleeping quarters from the dining and sitting area, she smelled fresh coffee. Someone else was awake.

“Good morning.” Jake looked up from his iPad.

“Morning? More like the middle of the night. You up early?”

“I had two hours of sleep.”

“I had none.”

“Have some coffee. I ground the beans myself.”

“No, thanks. I want to go back to bed as soon as I feel sleepy. Caffeine will keep me awake past my ability to stay awake.”

“Isn’t that the whole purpose?” Jake offered her a seat across the table.

Beatrice opted for a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator.

“What are you working on?” Beatrice noticed the five o’clock shadow on his chin. He looked cute that way, but she preferred clean-shaven men.

“Making a list of everything we know and everything we don’t know.”

“Everything we don’t know? From the beginning of time to the end of time?”

“Aren’t you the genius.” Jake laughed. “Sorry. I’m not in a very good mood because I didn’t get enough sleep and I can’t figure out why we’re constantly behind Molyneux.”

“You’re thinking that the three years you were with her organization would have afforded you some sort of hidden cards.”

Jake nodded. “Unfortunately, I have nothing and we’re back to square one.”

“Wehave nothing. We’re in this together, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, you keep saying that but are we really being transparent with each other?” Jake asked.

“What do you mean?” Beatrice really wanted to know.

“For instance, are you or are you not the adopted daughter of Imogen Wright, also known as Molyneux?”

Might as well come clean. “Yes, but you knew that already.”

“I had my suspicions. Yet back at the cabin I did not recall you saying you were—not a single time.”

“I wasn’t sure myself.”

“What makes you think you are now?”

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