Page 4 of Protective Assignment
“Yeah, I think so,” River replied, glancing down at her wet dress.She wasn’t even sure how long she’d been wearing it, but it seemed nothing short of a miracle it had lasted as long as it had.The few other things she had with hershe’d grabbed from a donation bin in Tennessee.She didn’t even know if they’d fit her, but they really needed to be laundered before she wore them.She just hadn’t found a place to do that yet.
“No problem, let me see what I can do,” Hannah said with a small wave as she walked out the door, closing it behind her and leaving River in silence once more.
River walked around the room she was going to be staying in, taking in every detail she could.She had no idea who these people really were, no idea what kind of place this was, and she wasn’t going to let her guard down just because they seemed friendly enough.She checked all the lights for hidden cameras, pulling open the closet and peering around to make sure there was no way they could be watching her.There was a mirror on the closet door, so no way they could have two-way glass, but she would check in the bathroom when she went down there.
Once she was certain she wasn’t being watched, she started to unpack her bag.Not that there was much to unpack.A water filtration kit, a couple of tattered maps, a compass she wasn’t even certain actually pointed north anymore, and the handful of donated clothes along with the extra set of shoes she had managed to swipe too, even though they barely fit her.
Buried at the bottom was her sleeping bag, which was basically torn to shreds.She would never have been able to sleep in it outside tonight, not with the rain that poured down beyond the window.She had been using it for weeks now, and she was surprised the cheap thing had held up that long, but it wasn’t as though she’d had much of a choice about where she could rest.She’d been out on the road thiswhole time, sleeping in the elements, and anything that could give her a little cover was a welcome change.
Pulling open the drawers, she continued her search for anything that might indicate she was in trouble and needed to leave.She stuck her hand into them, feeling around for a false bottom, but nothing was there.
She slumped back on to the bed, catching her breath, and a sudden wave of exhaustion hit her so hard she could feel her eyes drooping on the spot.She brushed it off quickly.She couldn’t let her guard down, no matter what kind of place this seemed to be.She knew better than that: she had to stay alert and aware if she was going to make it to Haven.She had to keep her head on straight, and not let the comfortable coziness of this room get to her.
A knock sounded at the door, and she jumped to her feet once more.
“Hey!”Hannah called brightly through the door.“Here’s your stuff.Help yourself to a shower whenever you want, okay?”
“Okay!”River called back, hoping she would leave her alone sooner rather than later.She was nervous enough being in this new place, and adding new faces and conversations in the mix was just draining.She was used to only having herself for company, not having to talk to others.They seemed friendly enough, though, especially Hannah.But she was ready to have a few minutes alone to adjust and settle in.
She was still hesitant to stay.She was so used to being on the run, River wasn’t sure if she’d be able to let that feeling go.But she could take advantage of their kindness for a night, couldn’t she?Just one night.She could be out on theroad again first thing the next morning, but she needed to wash, to warm up, and to get a decent night’s sleep.Maybe even some food if she could find some.
Reaching back into her bag, she felt around for the knife—her father’s knife.Feeling the cool blade under her fingers, she pulled it out and stared at the sharp, serrated edge.This would have to keep her safe, at least for now.She hoped she wouldn’t have to use it, but there was no way to tell, not yet.
She ran her finger along the blade lightly, comforting herself with the reminder of what she could do with it if she needed to.Pushing the knife into the pocket of her dress, she listened until she was sure that Hannah’s footsteps had retreated down the hallway once more before opening the door.She glanced down the corridor both ways, ensuring nobody was watching her, and then grabbed for the towels, toiletries and the clothes Hannah had left outside her door.Shaking them out, she checked to see if there were any devices hidden in the folds, but she couldn’t see anything.Then she turned to dig around in the toiletry bag as well, also finding nothing.
With the weight of the knife in her pocket, she hurried down the hallway toward the showers.
One night.This is just for one night.
These people probably didn’t mean her any harm.And if they did, they had no idea who they were dealing with—no idea what she was capable of.
Or how far she would go to survive.
Chapter Three
Carter placed his plate on the table opposite to his brother—roast beef, mashed potatoes and a healthy serving of greens on the side—and sank down into his seat.
“Well, now that you’re finally here, are you going to tell me how you’re really doing?”he said gruffly.
Cade grinned.He knew it was the closest he was ever going to get to a friendly greeting from his brother.That had just always been Carter’s way with him, ever since he joined the military, and doubly so since he’d been injured.He knew it was Carter’s way of showing he cared, though, and he appreciated it.
“Not too bad,” he replied.“Glad to get up here for a while.Felt like the walls were closing in and I was feeling a bit useless, stewing down there at home.”
“You’re not useless,” Carter replied at once.“You’re injured.You need plenty of time to get back on your feet after what happened, you know that.”
“I know.”Cade sighed, picking at the food in front of him—the same dinner as Carter had on his plate, but he didn’t feel too hungry right now.
He used to have a heck of an appetite, eating everything that was put in front of him, but that was when he had beenin training and in combat.His body had needed all the support and sustenance it could get to keep him going.
But that had been before.
Before the injury, before he’d had to give up the one thing that had driven him forward and given him purpose.He’d taken a heavy beating in combat between his shoulder, scattered shrapnel in his body and his skull nearly being split in half that he’d had to relearn basically everything since then.
How to walk, how to talk, how to move, how to say his own name.
There were still memories from before the injury and of his time in the hospital that were hazy, but he knew he’d come a hell of a long way since the moment he’d woken up with his whole life tipped upside down.
At least when he was in recovery, he’d had something to focus on.He needed something moving him forward, and learning how to get his life back had given him that meaning for a while.
