Page 86 of Peace Under Fire

After a deep, quiet breath, she finally broke the glacial silence encasing the deck. “Have you heard anything from Crusher?”

“Nothing new.” Jacob didn’t even look up from the gun he was cleaning.

Wow. He’d given her a two word answer this time. That was like a fifty percent improvement. She scoffed beneath her breath and turned back to staring down the path that led up to their cabin.

It still stung that JoAnn had abandoned her in favor of Crusher. Her sister’s desertion didn’t even make sense. Jo had seemed to despise the man. So why had she hidden and then hooked up with him?

They’d looked for her, both on the jet, and down below through the airport lot and the cluster of corrugated buildings. Even as they’d searched, Mandy knew it was a waste of time. With JoAnn’s new talent, if she didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be found. Since she’d cloaked herself and walked right past everyone, or possibly through them, she obviously had no intention of flying anywhere—at least, not with Mandy.

Once they landed in Los Alamos, Crusher had contacted Brick to let them know that JoAnn was safe and with him. Apparently, Jo had cloaked herself and snuck into the remaining Land Rover, but she hadn’t revealed herself until Crusher had returned the Rover to the rental agency and Tex’s team had dispersed. Once Crusher was alone, she’d suddenly appeared in the passenger seat of his personal rig, and he’d taken her back to his home on the Olympic Peninsula. According to Crusher, Jo had been exhausted and slept most of the trip to his place on Lake Quinault.

If what Crusher had told them was true—and why would he lie?—then Jo had cloaked herself for hours after leaving the jet. At least two hours, maybe even longer. Far longer than her previous shielding.

Had she pretended to collapse after the snowmobiles? Pretended to be unconscious so she could escape? Mandy didn’t think so. While she might have faked her collapse and ragged breathing, she couldn’t have feigned her grey face and rapid pulse. Those symptoms must have been genuine.

Yet she’d managed to ‘poof’ herself for hours after sneaking off the jet and with barely any recovery time.

How much did this cloaking ability actually drain her? Heck, how much did healing someone drain her? She’d sure seemed exhausted after working on Grumpy. But she still managed to cloak everyone less than a half an hour later. And then she’d turned around almost immediately and made herself invisible for at least two hours–and this, after supposedly collapsing.

There hadn’t been much opportunity for Jo to use her healing ability at the compound—other than the occasional gash, or burn, or broken toe. The worst injury had been Kaylee’s broken arm. And while that had exhausted Jo, it had also happened a good ten years ago while Jo was in her early teens. Since then, Jayla had brought in various injured animals in need of help, but those healings had never affected Jo much. Grumpy’s injuries were the worst her sister had worked on, and while restoring him had seemed to drain her in the moment, she’d recovered quickly.

It still hurt that Jo hadn’t talked to her before leaving. She could have taken Mandy with her. Yet she hadn’t even tried to convince her to go. She’d just left without a goodbye, or an explanation, or even a simple “see you around.” Which could only mean one thing…

Jo really did hate her.

Her eyes stinging, Mandy huddled deeper into her coat.

Not that Mandy would have gone with her. The situation hadn’t changed. They didn’t know where the cockroaches had taken their sisters. They needed Tex to locate their family. And once they had a location—they needed Jacob and his military friends, to get their sisters out.

They still needed this alliance. So, she had to stay put and see things through.

Jacob suddenly lifted his head and stared down the path. Curious, Mandy turned to look as well. It took him all of three seconds to identify their visitor, assess the threat, clear them for approach, and return to methodically cleaning his guns. Mandy wasn’t nearly as quick. Mostly because the figure was still quite a way down the path, and the sun’s placement had painted them in shadows. She couldn’t even tell if the person approaching was male or female.

Not that it mattered. Either sex would give her the distraction she so desperately needed.

Mandy straightened in the rocking chair, tugged down her coat, and smoothed a couple of loose tendrils of hair back into her ponytail. At least her hair, body, and clothes were clean. She’d spent most of that first day in the shower.

The goose egg on her temple had decreased in size and barely hurt anymore, although it had turned an inspiring shade of purplish blue. The fact she wasn’t worried about being seen, or having to explain the colorful bruise, was a clear indication of how much she needed a distraction.

“Who is it?” she asked, peering down the trail.

“Alaska Stein.” Jacob paused before adding with extra emphasis. “Brick’s fiancée.”

“Nobody said they’re engaged.” Mandy’s protest was halfhearted. Engaged or not, it was clear just by observation that the pair were committed to each other. Which certainly put her flirting plans in a pickle.

She needed to find another guy for her fake affections, which was difficult when Jacob wouldn’t let her visit the lobby or dining area. Tonka might have been a possibility, if the guy wasn’t so reclusive and difficult to talk to.

It was a couple more minutes before Alaska was within hailing distance.

“Hi.” Mandy smiled at her, trying not to look too deer-in-the-headlights. It wasn’t that she was nervous—okay, yeah, she was nervous. But then she’d spent no time with this woman, or any woman her own age, except for her sisters—who didn’t count. Her family would love her no matter how stupid she sounded. “What brings you all the way out here?”

As soon as the question left her mouth, she wanted to smack herself upside the head.

All the way out here? For God’s sake, Mandy, you’re like a tenth of a mile from the main lodge. That’s not exactly deep in the wilds of New Mexico. You are such a conversational klutz.

Alaska didn’t notice the sheer idiocy of Mandy’s question, or, more likely she was polite enough to ignore it. Either way, she smiled back with easy charm. Mandy wished she had the woman’s poise. But then, Alaska probably had a whole bunch of close girlfriends—or even friends—people she talked to on a regular basis, people she’d sharpened her conversational skills with.

“I thought you might like some company. Non-dude company.” Alaska shot a quick smile at Jacob, as though apologizing.

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