Page 95 of Afraid to Hope

Natasha pushed her hair back from her face and glanced at her watch on the nightstand. It was noon. They had to get moving. She padded into the bathroom for something to secure her hair, then pulled Bane’sHOOSIERSsweatshirt from the top of the chair and slipped it on over her nakedness.

“I like that much better on you than me, beauty.” His deep voice rumbled as he watched her out of one eye. “Come here.” Bane flipped over and pushed up to lounge against the many pillows, the sheet beneath his washboard abs loose. He studied her intently. “What’s bothering you?”

Natasha approached, stopping at the edge of the bed.

Bane’s fingers slid along the hem of the sweatshirt. “Sweetheart?”

Natasha shook her head, unable to speak, and her chin trembled.

“Sweetheart,” he whispered sadly, gathering her into his arms and rubbing her back. His phone vibrated, and he grimaced when he saw the number. “Yes? Okay. We’ll be ready.” He disconnected, then slid a finger under her chin, lifting her face so that her eyes met his concern ones. “Simon is picking us up since we don’t have a vehicle. He’ll be here in about seven minutes.”

Natasha and Bane sat in the back seat, holding hands, silent all the way to Rabat. Simon periodically glanced at them in the rearview mirror. Both of them looked out their respective windows, seemingly distracted by the passing landscape, lost in their individual thoughts.

“We’ve arrived,” Simon announced.

Natasha smiled a sad smile. “Thank you, Simon.”

“Thanks, man.” Bane clapped him on the shoulder.

They were processed by security and entered the elevator, silent to the floor housing Emmet’s office.

Matilda’s joyful smile was replaced with a frown when she saw Natasha and Bane. “Welcome back, you two.” She ushered them into Emmet’s office.

Emmet spread his hands out. “Please sit. Welcome back, and congratulations on a successful mission.”

Natasha nodded and smiled.

“You sent in reinforcements. That was unexpected but welcome.”

Emmet made himself comfortable, sitting on the edge of his desk between them, squinting, his eyes bouncing between them. He could obviously sense that something was off.

A light knock on Emmet’s door announced Matilda with tea and pastries. She poured each of them a cup and left.

“Yes. I’ll address that, but first the debriefing.” And Emmet dove in, directing the session until he was satisfied that every point and detail of the mission was discussed and understood. “The items, including theHomo sapiens,are with Ms. Guilford at the museum. Well done! She and her people are working diligently to get the artifacts sorted. Unfortunately, the Ouarzazate Codex is in Italy. We still don’t have more information. The ops team that came in to assist us has been reassigned to Italy by INTERPOL because the Ouarzazate Codex is as priceless as theHomo sapiensyou brought back and”—he took off his glasses and looked through them, wiped at them with a tissue from his desk, then put them back on—“because I received a notification after you left Casablanca. Eric Schaus escaped.”

Natasha gasped. Bane turned and reached down, weaving his fingers through hers.

Emmet studiously avoided looking at their linked hands.

“How can that be?” Natasha asked. “Eric Schaus was a broken man when I last saw him. The man I saw couldn’t have possibly recovered from the extent of his injuries and escaped on his own. He had to have had help.”

“He did have help. A number of people were found dead in the wake of his escape, likely to keep them from talking. We have no idea where Schaus is.”

“His disappearance makes me feel as though the Guatemalan mission is again incomplete.”

“I can understand why you might feel that way, but you’re wrong. You found and apprehended him. Your work was exceptional. The American has people everywhere. He has had interest in other countries beside Guatemala. INTERPOL has issued a Red Notice. It has an updated photo of Schaus with that hellish black whatever-it-is on his face. He can’t be moving about too easily between that and the injuries he sustained.”

“So now what?” Natasha asked.

“We wait and we listen,” Emmet said. “A new team has been assigned to him. Your notes and insights will be extremely useful.” He stood. “Our meeting is concluded on my end. Any questions?”

Bane frowned. “Many, but not now.”

Natasha shook her head. “Not at this time.”

“Brilliant. Matilda has your paperwork. Please complete it and get it back to her pronto.” He addressed the elephant in the room. “Do either of you know what you have planned next?”

“Nope, just a vacation.”

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