Page 62 of Silent Comrade
Unfortunately, his entire existence here,with her, was a lie. Her tremors condemned him.
Although he had literal insanity coursingthrough his veins, he still wanted her to understand. He needed toexplain why her questions about him were on the right track. Whyshe should fear him. Why things didn’t add up.
But Britt knowing anything about the teamand the Morpheus Virus meant that her value as a target for Lequirewould skyrocket, along with that guy’s determination to extractinformation and then silence her.
If she knew about the Morpheus Squad, thenshe had the power to destroy Red and his entire team.
Her knowing the full truth would also puther entire family at risk of destruction.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“We’ll head to the apartment in twelveminutes.” After scrolling through an app, Al stowed the phone butremained leaning against the building.
Where her hand rested on his arm, everymuscle of his turned to iron, but Britt didn’t mind. At least hecould stand. Maybe it wasn’t as bad of an injury as she’dthought.
“We’re safe?” she asked, once againdouble-guessing her decision to go out this evening, anddouble-guessing her decision to stay and finish her degree.Foolish? Maybe. But these were her choices to make, and after yearsof self-doubt Britt needed to stick to her guns for her ownconfidence. She would feel safer in her apartment, surrounded byfamiliar things, and with Al and his friend nearby. She had tofinish college. Had to gain that closure and fulfill her dream andMom’s wishes. Needed to succeed in something in her life.
Problem was, Britt wasn’t explaining thisbackground logic to Al very well, and she recognized that it madeher look like a flighty, terrible decision-maker.
Logic wasn’t driving this decision-makingbus. Anxiety, grief, regret, fear—thoseemotions steered her. At least she’d been through enough therapy torealize that fact. Her thoughts churned as she searched his faceand stared toward the street.
After another period of time, he brushedtendrils of hair back from her face, sending a different kind ofshiver down her spine. “Time to head out. Coast is as clear as itcan be. My teammate will patrol tonight.”
“What about you?”
“I need to stay in the apartment with you.Close enough to respond to a direct threat.” He glanced down ather, eyes dark in the shadows. “If that’s okay.”
At least he asked her permission this time,even though giving her a choice was an afterthought. It was hard toargue with him. Her thoughts whirled. Waves of panic crashedagainst her. Nothing like being shot at to ramp up anxiety.Great.
Focus on something solid that she couldcontribute to this situation. “We can clean up your leg.” Shepeered down the dark alley and over to the lightly traveled midtownstreet. “Any idea how we’re getting back?”
“Not MARTA.”
In the midst of almost dying—again—Britt laughed despiteherself and leaned her forehead against his biceps. A deep drag ofhis pine and aftershave scent fortified her. She’d been assaultedtwice this week and Al had stopped both attacks.
After another minute, Al pushed away fromthe wall with a grunt. A glimmer of pain creased his brow. “Let’sgo.”
She winced in sympathy as he came up shorton his first few steps.
Staying close to the shadowed wall, theyexited the opposite end of the alley onto a secondary street. Hehurried her into a nearby parking garage where he texted somethingon his phone to a guy named Stumpy who was a “cleaner,” thenproceeded to break into a sedan and exit the lot.
“Are you sure this is okay?” she asked, apolice booking photograph with her holding up a number flashingthrough her mind
“You have an alternative?” he snapped.
“Uh. No.”
He rested a fist on the steering wheel andblew out a long breath through a tight mouth. “Sorry to bite yourhead off. I’m usually even-keeled.”
“It’s been a heck of an evening.”
The ride to her apartment complex proceededin silence, through a winding, roundabout route. No nastysurprises, thank God.
After confirming that the area was safe, heparked off the street in another apartment lot and quickly got outof the sedan. Britt did the same, following him the long way aroundto finally reach her apartment complex and up the side stairs. Sheprayed they didn’t encounter any tenants at this hour. The darkpatch of blood on his khakis would be a lot to explain.
Once in the door, he quickly surveilled theentire space, methodically checking each room. Took all of sixtyseconds, but she felt more secure for his effort.
Fear hit her followed by a bolt of anxiety,and she pressed her palm against the front door, sucking in a deepbreath. They had survived her bad decision to go out. Barely. Panicgripped her neck and squeezed. She couldn’t breathe.
