“Yeah. But she won’t. She’s been hurt a lot. Every man she’s loved, has died.”
“How many?”
“Two.”
“Then she’s one up on me. Why are you telling me this?”
“You should know.”
“You think I’m gonna die if we fall in love? That’s nuts.”
“No, but maybe she does.”
“Does she really? Or is this your interpretation?”
“Brick, don’t get stubborn.”
“Until she gives me some indication she’s uninterested, or she tells me to f**k off, I’m not. She’s the first woman, since Danae, that I’ve even looked at twice. She excites me more with her smile than anyone has ever done.”
“Even Danae?”
Brick nodded abruptly. “Even her. We had a great life. I loved her so much, it nearly killed me when she died. But there wasn’t the passion I feel with Colleen. So until she tells me herself—” He grabbed his brother’s shirt.
“Okay!” Stony held up his hands, gasping with pain. “Okay. Chill.”
“Is this some kind of dumb ass test to see if I’m worthy?” Brick almost punched his brother. “Asshole! I thought you were dead. A little part of me died. She brought it back to life. So, f**k off, Stone.”
Brick rose abruptly, leaving the room angrily. He had no idea where he was going. His feet took him to the door where they’d come in, but it led to an enclosed garage. No escape there. He wandered around trying to find a bathroom, but the house was larger than it seemed. It presented a maze of twists and turns for a man in his agitated frame of mind. He found a room full of computers, giant screens and a handful of startled people.
Maverick was among them. He rushed to Brick’s side, taking his arm. He didn’t try to move him, it was more a gesture of support. Brick swayed on his feet. His adrenaline high had abruptly been replaced by fatigue. Maverick led him into the clutch of people. The only other familiar face was Stacy. She smiled and patted a chair next to her.
“Everyone, this is Brick McMillan, Stony’s brother,” Maverick introduced. “I’m not gonna bother with names. You’re a walking dead man, at the moment.”
Brick chuckled. “How apt.” He smiled and said hello.
“These people are all friends of ours from the academy,” Maverick explained. “We know we have a leak somewhere in the upper echelon. Stony was hot on the trail, when he was attacked.”
“Why you guys?”
The room of people exchanged enigmatic looks.
Stacy took his hand. “We watch the Watchmen,” she replied, smiling.
“Like Internal Affairs?”
“No, much more secret than that. We move about freely. Work independently or as a unit. It’s hard to explain.”
“So, who are we watching?” Brick asked.
No one would look at him. He had the sinking feeling it was him, for a second.
“He deserves to know,” Colleen said from behind him. “They tried to kill him, too.”
“That was a bold move. You must be close to exposing them.”
Again, no one replied.
Uncharacteristically annoyed by the protracted silence, Brick folded his arms, frowning. “I assume you’ve done a thorough background check on me.”
No one spoke.
“You think I’m just some dumb, pampered airline executive.” He laughed sourly. “Okay, in some respects, that’s true. What else did you find? Other than every secret I’ve ever had, and thought I’d buried.”
They all chuckled. Colleen walked over, taking a chair opposite him. She was too far away to take his hand, but she smiled.
“You have a hell of a security clearance for a dumb, pampered airline executive,” she said. “Higher than some of us. I still can’t tell you everything, for your own safety.”
“You mean for yours. Do you really think if they captured me, they would believe me if I said I don’t know anything?”
Silence.
“Exactly.” He wavered between anger, fatigue and disappointment.
Colleen stood suddenly, holding out her hand to him.
“Where we going?”
“Some place quiet.” She nodded to Maverick.
The three of them went out to the garage, hopped in a white Range Rover and set out along a jungle covered dirt road.
“This is all part of NASA’s holdings,” Colleen explained. “There are a couple towns here that no longer really exist, Shiloah and Alanhurst. We have some facilities here, too.”
©2021 Dellani Oakes
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