Page 1 of The Team

ONE

SHANGHAI

Jun-mei peered up,her doe eyes and plump, full lips enough to make his knees weak.

“I will miss you so much,” she said softly.

He pressed his lips to hers, trying to capture this moment for as long as he could. “I love you.” He traced his thumb along her eyebrow, down to her pale cheek. “I will text you when I can. You have the burner phone?”

She nodded. “Of course.” She smiled. “Do you have yours?”

“Of course. Keep yours here in a drawer. Keep it charged. Keep it on silent. Don’t take it out of the house. And keep your go-bag packed and ready. And remember the code word. Any instruction I give to you will have our code word first. If it does not, ignore it. Do not reply.”

Her smile faded. “Okay.”

“What’s our code word?”

“Húdié,” she said. “Butterfly.”

He kissed her forehead. “My butterfly.”

She beamed up at him.

He couldn’t keep delaying the inevitable. “Keep your head down,” he said seriously. “And be safe.”

She nodded solemnly. “I know.”

“Don’t answer the door to anyone. Go to work, come home. I’m sorry it has to be this way, but I can’t protect you when I’m not here.”

Her beautiful eyes became glassy, but she nodded again.

“If you think someone is watching you or following you?—”

“I know, I know,” she murmured.

“It won’t always be this way,” he reassured her. “I will find a way, I promise. It’s why I’m doing this.”

“I know. As much as I wish it otherwise.”

“We will have forever after this,” he promised her again. “Freedom, and no more hiding.”

She tried to smile, teary-eyed. “I love you.”

He took a deep breath in, absorbing her words, absorbing this moment, and he kissed her again. When he broke the kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers, his strong arms holding her close.

“You be safe,” she said. “And come back to me.”

He studied her eyes, wishing he could have this moment forever. “Wo de xin.”

He left her then, heartsore and scared, wondering if this would be the last time he set foot on his home soil. He threw his bag onto the backseat of the waiting military vehicle, climbed in, and didn’t look back.

TWO

LONDON

Rhett Ouston didn’t drinkalcohol often, but he still enjoyed a night out. Being surrounded by happy people, who were oblivious to the horrors of the world, was good for the soul.

To be in a club filled with people, merry and dancing, laughing, making out, with the music thumping, made Rhett feel normal. Even if just for a few hours.

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