Page 21 of Sinner
Nine
Mary checkedher watch for the fifth time that night as she waited in the observation room for a signal from Flint, and then it was all systems go. Until then, she waited.
It had been several hours since Gloria gave birth to Envy, a healthy little boy. Now both mother and child rested peacefully. Gloria on the medical gurney, and the baby in a bassinet buggy next to her.
As soon as Dr. Stilinski had turned up, Mary left to take over the day shift in the children’s room. Keeping up appearances was essential, especially now. Nobody could suspect their escape, or their plan would be in jeopardy.
After spending hours with the high energy children, Mary was now perfectly primed and ready for the mission. Most people would be drained, but she had trained for this. Instead of exhaustion, she was pumped.
The Sisterhood had filled Mary’s life with rigorous physical exercise and preparation, often under extreme conditions. She’d also been shipped off around the world with other Sinners to learn the Art of Warfare from different cultures, spending up to a year studying under each. She still remembered her harsh endurance training with the Shaolin monks, conditioning parts of her body to be kill-proof. To strengthen her neck to resist chokeholds, she’d hanged from a noose in a tree while completing her postures. She did this for hours a day, weeks at a time. In comparison, looking after screaming children was a cakewalk.
Mary fiddled with the sleeves of her Sinner battle uniform. It had been packed in an emergency backpack hidden under Gloria’s desk. Simple nun clothes had been replaced with black pants, jacket, hood and red scarf that stretched to cover her nose and mouth if she needed to hide her identity.
She checked her weapons. Throwing daggers up each sleeve. A fixed blade sheathed in her boot. No guns. They were unpredictable, messy, and not suitable for use around children. After the arsenal check, she took stock of the backpack. There were passports, cash, protein bars and a range of emergency items inside. Flint had been sent to collect the getaway van and other supplies like baby formula and diapers. Mary had always planned on getting the van herself until today. The vision had changed, and Julius has upped the ante.
But they could work this. She trusted her visions. They would survive if they stuck together.
She cracked her neck and checked on Gloria. Still sleeping. Good. She needed to rest for what came next and the hospital gown would suffice for the short trip down to the basement garage.
Mary checked through the observation window and noticed Sister Josephine sitting on a chair, knitting in the dimly lit room. Mary would’ve preferred one of the younger nuns on for tonight; she would need their strength getting the kids downstairs, but had to roll with what they had.
All children were asleep. Most of the building had gone home. In a few minutes, Flint would arrive downstairs in the garage, and they would put their plan into action.
Nothing to do but wait.
Mary glanced at her cell-phone and checked the time.
Soon.
Her belly flip-flopped at the thought of Flint and she felt like a ridiculous teenager. Since he’d left, half her thoughts had been of him. All that verbal pushing and pulling they’d done for the past two years had finally culminated into something real, and it was more than Mary had hoped for. He felt the same way about her. Enough to risk everything and rescue the children.
That kiss.
The butterflies in her stomach churned. Her fingers fluttered to her lips at the memory, itching to feel his touch again. That pressure, that heated passion. The tickle of his beard against her face. For a moment, Mary allowed herself to imagine what that beard would feel like elsewhere on her body. Rough, light, scratchy? On her bare breasts, her stomach, between her legs.Sweet Mother.
In her wildest dreams she’d never factored a relationship into her future. It had always been about the mission. The children. Gloria. Save them, save the world. Flint had faith in her, and she realized she had faith too. The order to eliminate the children had never fully embedded in her brain. With Flint part of her plan now, she’d never need that horrific failsafe. Thank God, her visions were rarely wrong because she couldn’t wait for all this to be over, and to get him alone.
“You’re thinking of him,” Gloria croaked from her bed.
“You’re awake.” Mary pushed off the bench she’d been resting against and went to Gloria’s side. “How are you feeling?”
Mary touched the back of her hand to Gloria’s forehead. It was sweaty and clammy and Gloria’s hair stuck to her face around the edges. Her eyes had dark circles under them. All of these things made Mary think the birth had been harder than usual. She wished she could have been there for her, but she’d been with the children.
Gloria took Mary’s hand from her forehead.
“Do you want water?” Mary asked.
Gloria shook her head. “Tell me about Flint.”
“Do you not trust him?”
“No. That’s not what I meant. You think about him. I saw your face. You like him. A lot.”
A blush heated Mary’s cheeks. “I do. I know it’s not something we planned for, but I’ve had feelings for him for a while. It feels good to imagine a future with him in my life.” In her bed… “He will help us. I know it. He’ll pull through.”
“Bring me the laptop.”
Mary glanced at the machine on Gloria’s desk. “Now?”
