Page 15 of Silent Comrade
“No, please go on.”
She huffed. “It’s just taken me a while toget to this point in my life. That’s all.”
Only, that wasn’t the whole story and Redknew it. “I think there’s more.”
A pause. ”Once I figured out what I wantedto do with my life, this”—waving her armsaround in the general Atlanta buildings and street next tothem—“fine arts degree was the path to mydream career. For that to happen, I have to show my seniorcollection.”
“You’re still planning to participate?”Terrible idea. The one place less secure than her apartment was alarge gathering around an open stage with random people all overthe place and no control over ingress and egress points. “Wow,you’re really into it,” he mumbled.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” She continued talking,but his attention shifted elsewhere.
A scuffling noise as they passed an alleymade every muscle in his body go tense. He almost stood up straightand half-pivoted into a fighting stance before catching himself.Come on, man. Slouch. Stay in character.
“Are you okay?” she asked, silver winking asher brows shot up. The streetlights and shop signs in twilight’sglow gave her face a yellowish-gray cast.
“Yeah, fine.” On instinct, his hand driftedto rest on her lower back, urging her to walk faster.
They passed another block and another alley.No abnormal sounds this time.
Britt stopped. “What’s going on with you?For real? You’re super jumpy.” She turned and faced him squarely,feet planted. “What’s the deal?”
Why were they stopping? No stopping. He hadto get her to safety.
She crossed her arms and planted herfeet.
Shit.
He hated dishonesty, but mission first.Failure in his duty could lead to her death. Simple as that.Praying he could keep up with the lies blended with half-truths, hesaid, “Part of my college tuition is paid by the GI Bill.”
“I don’t under—oh.” She studied him.“Oh.” When she faced him, the light behind and above hercast her features into haunting shadow. “You’re jumpy,because…”
When in doubt, stick to as much truth aspossible and pile on emotional baggage for believability. “Yeah, Iserved in the Army. Ground troops.”Fact.“Faced seriousaction.”Fact, although his most recent action was when hislab-rat ass evaded capture by Uncle Sam.“Saw some, uh, badthings.”Fact, if you considered the injuries Britt’s brotherBrady sustained on a team mission. Stumpy’s accident. Everytortuous task the military had asked the Morpheus Squad to do.“Since returning stateside, some … effects of my deployment havelingered.”Also fact, though it was splitting hairs. The virusdidn’t so much linger as threaten his entire existence. Closeenough.
“Wow. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
“No need to be sorry.” Time to pull theheartstrings. He laid the bull on thick. “I’m here, which is morethan I can say for some of my buddies.” He let his words fade intothe night air and gave a small shake of his head for goodmeasure.
“Thank you for your service.”
He followed the line of her throat as sheswallowed.
“I know bad things can happen overseas.” Shestared at the concrete for a second.
He tried for a lighter tone. “But we’re herenow, right?”
“So, fashion major?” A hint of a smile and atwinkle in her eyes eased the rapid switch in conversation.
He nudged her shoulder to get her walkingagain. Anything to move her closer to relative safety. His neckitched with imagined laser sights targeting him. “Hey, I got tiredof OCP.”
“OCP?”
“Operational Camouflage Pattern. Didn’tbring out my tones and highlights. Sure as hell didn’t do anythingfor my figure.”
The laugh that bubbled out of her knockedhim down like an Abrams Tank and then lightly rolled right overhim. He wanted to feel that sound more. He wanted to be the reasonshe laughed.
“Rebelling against a frustrating camopattern might be the weirdest reason for pursuing a degree, but Ican’t argue your logic.” She paused and peered at him. “So, you’remore of a nontraditional student, then?”
“In every sense of the word.” Also facts.“Unlike most of the students, I’m a wizenedtwenty-five-year-old.”
