Page 59 of Synnr's Ride

That gave Hanna the strength to pull away and turn from his kiss.

She stared at the files ahead of her, looking for anything that would keep her from turning back to him. She could still feel Jori breathing behind her, his presence too big to ever ignore.

Then she saw the picture.

Hanna reached for the projection of the file and expanded it. It was a photo of Kark's desk, one she'd taken just in case she needed to put it back in order. And on the corner of the desk was a picture of a fusion cycle. That wasn't what she was looking at, though. It was the background.

"What is it?" Jori asked, back to business.

"I think I know where Kark is."

* * *

Jori called it in. Solan let him know the tip would get checked out, but there were half a dozen other more likely locations to look at first. It could be a week before anyone looked at Kark's little hideaway.

The old Jori would have left it at that. Maybe he would have pressed Solan to take things further, to bump it up the list, but eventually he would let it lie.

But this mission had changed him in ways he was only beginning to understand.

"We can't just let him get away!" Hanna scowled when he gave her Solan's response. "He could hurt Zilly. And get away!"

"We're not letting him, let's go." It was rash. Reckless. Just like the day before when they charged the warehouse without backup. But that turned out alright. With Hanna by his side, he felt like he could do anything.

Even if she didn't love him.

Jori had never uttered those words to a lover before, had never even come close to considering it. It had been almost easy to say them to Hanna. And crushing not to hear them in return.

He understood her reluctance. It was his own thrown right back in his face. Was this some kind of cosmic retribution? He'd played fast and loose with the hearts of too many people to count. This was the payback.

But Hanna looked at him the same way he knew he looked at her, like it would still be bright as day in the darkest nights of winter as long as he was with her. There was a depth of longing in her expression that she never quite hid when they were alone.

He hadn't let himself believe it at first. Was it possible she returned his feelings?

There was no time to ask. They suited up for the ride, clad in leather and ready to face an army.

They pulled their bikes out of the shed and powered them on. Hanna gave him a final nod before pulling on her helmet and climbing on her ride. He put his own helmet on and did the same.

Hanna took the lead. She'd found the address of the hideaway in Kark's files, but knew about it from Zilly's endless talk about her relationship with the man. The cabin was secluded outside the city and near enough to a large salt flat that was perfect for pushing a fusion bike to the edge of its capabilities.

He was already riding faster than he would, but Hanna controlled her bike with the steady hand of a professional, and she was trusting Jori to keep up the pace. The road rolled by under them, the wind battering his jacket, and he wished he could let go and enjoy this.

There was a certain pleasure to riding their bikes like this, speeding along in a way they'd never be able to in a closed vehicle.

It was almost like flying.

When he'd been a boy, Jori had been determined to be the first Zulir to use his wings to truly fly. It didn't matter that it was physically impossible, he was going to do it.

He'd been so determined that he'd jumped off the roof of his school. His wings had slowed his descent, but they hadn't prevented the broken leg.

He'd been chasing that excitement, that need to fly ever since.

When this was over, he was going to have Hanna teach him even more tricks for the bike. She knew the secrets and he'd seen her pleasure in teaching him.

All he had to do was convince her to love him first.

And survive long enough to make it worth it.

He put his head back into the drive. It would all be for nothing if this ended up in a crash of gnarled steel and smoke before they even reached their target.

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