Page 40 of Black Bay Protector
“One of the doctors retired.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “That’s right. We had a party for him. The guy was like seventy-two years old so it was well past time.”
“And one of the nurses is out with an injury.”
Pulling her over so that she was lying on top of him, Jace nuzzled into her neck. “Are you happy here?”
“The job was a relief. I don’t know what I would have done if they were fully staffed. I mean, I’m a nurse, and it’s not like I can go back to my old job. They tried to have me killed.”
Her face looked adorably perturbed rather than scared or traumatized and Jace was glad she felt safe enough with him that she could talk about it without horror. Jace kissed her chin.
“I did call to let my supervisor know I wouldn’t be back, that there’d been an emergency, and she was nice enough, acted all understanding and everything, but I kept wondering the entire time if she was aware of what really happened.”
She shook her head as if she was trying to clear away her thoughts. “Anyway, the General also arranged for my stuff to be packed up and moved here so that’s one less thing to worry about.” She shot him a pointed look. “I’ll still be stealing your shirts though, even after my clothes arrive. They’re too comfy to resist.”
Jace chuckled. “Feel free.” He gave her a loud, smacking kiss on the lips. “What’s mine is yours.”
She grinned for a moment before her expression sobered. “Tell me about the mission – or, at least, what you can – the General told me a little bit, but I’d like to hear it from you. Was there a fight? Were you hurt at all?”
Something soft and warm unfurled in Jace’s chest at the look of concern on her face. Even knowing he could heal, she still worried about him. It was a nice feeling, to come home to someone who cared. The General cared in his gruff, no-nonsense way, but this was different. This felt deeper and more meaningful.
“No fights,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her tighter. “We didn’t meet any resistance at all. The place had been cleaned out.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “So what’s next?”
“Lark is going to question Doctor Dietrich. From what we know of the stasis pods the soldiers are kept in, they couldn’t just pick up and move, they had to have a place ready to accommodate them. If Doctor Dietrich knows where they’ve gone Lark will get it out of her, and we’ll go from there.”
Raising a hand, he stroked her hair back behind her ear. “We’ll get them all out and we’ll do whatever we can to help them.”
Paige nodded. “I know you will. If anyone can do it, it’s you.”
Her faith humbled him. And he hoped to God he didn’t let her down.
Lark glanced over at Kong. “Are you ready for this?”
She didn’t need backup. She was perfectly capable of questioning Doctor Dietrich on her own, but the General insisted. When she’d protested, he’d given her an all too familiar look. “It has nothing to do with your skill level but two sets of eyes and ears are better than one. Besides, you could be Superman and I’d still want someone with you to watch your back.”
Part of her rankled at his overprotectiveness, while another part reveled in his care. General Davies was the closest thing she – or any of the others – had ever had to a father and she might be a teensy bit of a daddy’s girl. So, every once and a while, she gave him a break and indulged him instead of busting his balls.
This, however, was a cakewalk. The last time she’d questioned Doctor Dietrich, she’d barely needed to use her gifts. The woman had given up the information easily, looking for all the world like she wanted to help. Seeking redemption for her past atrocities? Possibly. Not that she’d get much sympathy here.
Kong let out a gruff rumble. “You might have to hold me back. That woman…”
Lark patted his arm. “I know, big guy. Just keep it together for me. Okay? We need answers and she can’t give them if you crush her windpipe.”
The reminder was as much for her as it was for Kong. Just being around Doctor Dietrich soured her stomach and made her want to lash out. The memories the woman dredged up… The claustrophobia of being blindfolded and restrained, her jaw clamped shut so she couldn’t spray her venom to defend herself, unable to move, unable to even scream as the scientists cut into her over and over again. The pain…
Kong shot her a disgruntled glare and grunted. “Fine.” His surliness shook her out of the memories that were dangerously close to swallowing her and she steeled herself. With a sharp nod, she unlocked the door to the brig.
Doctor Dietrich sat up on her cot with a look of joy on her face as if she was happy to see them. With what sounded like wonder she breathed, “727--”
Lark held up a hand to cut her off. She despised being known by a seemingly random series of numbers and refused to hear it ever again. “I have a name. It’s Lark.” She nodded her head toward Kong who was standing by the door with his arms crossed over his chest and staring at the doctor with murder in his eyes. “This is Kong. We’re not numbers. Not anymore.”
The doctor nodded in understanding. “Lark,” she quietly uttered as if she was trying it out. “I like it.” She looked at Kong. “Yours as well.” When she offered a tentative smile, Kong rumbled in his chest, the sound deep and highly aggressive.
Doctor Dietrich cleared her throat nervously. “I assume this isn’t a social call. What can I do for you?”
Lark stepped forward and allowed her pupils to constrict to the barest slits as she held eye contact. “I’m aware the General informed you that the warehouse in Ithaca had been cleared out. Where would they have gone?”
