Page 105 of The Explorer
I laughed. “Don’t you just wish you were here with us?”
“So I could see dangling dicks around me? Sure!”
It was soothing to laugh with Sparrow and I felt my chest squeeze. “I’ve missed this. Being able to connect and share the smallest things. I wish Old Europe didn’t have that stupid block on communication.”
“I know. And the rule that we can’t visit you. I would love to come and see where you live and go to that fight club you told me about.”
I grew a little serious. “Indiana and I were talking about how weird it will be that, once we leave Old Europe in December, we might never see Banni or any of our friends again.”
“Yeah, but if the summits continue, you will visit France every third year. Maybe you can see him then.”
“It would be brief because these summits always have a tight schedule. You know what I wish?”
“What?”
“That you and I could do Exploration work, but in the Northlands, you know.” I squatted and let my hand draw circles in the sand.
“Yeah, that would be awesome.” She laughed. “But then you and I should be the bosses and have all the large men working for us.”
“Ha… that would be the day.” I kept drawing in the sand and then all of a sudden, an idea hit me. “Wait a minute…”
“Hmm?”
“We freed Belle…”
“Yes, you did…”
“What if we could free Banni too?”
“I’m all for it. But how would you do that?”
My mind was spinning. “Lucifer’s ass. I just had a fucking epiphany. What if by freeing Banni, I could free myself and maybe even you as well?”
“I love where this is going but you have to tell me more.”
With impatience and eagerness, I blew her a kiss. “I don’t have time to explain, but once I have it all figured out I’ll tell you everything, okay?”
“All right. Armor up, warrior, and go free both yourself and Banni.”
“I will and hey, thank you for sharing the latest gossip from the island with me. You’d better get to the bottom of why Banni rejected the widow or you’ll be mystified forever.”
“You really think I should ask him?”
I was walking back toward the cabins. “Asking is often the fastest way to getting an answer.”
“Hmm…maybe I can find a clever way to bring it up without asking him directly.”
“Let me know how it goes. I’ll talk to you later.”
As soon as I ended the call, I scanned the beach for my delegation and saw Thor standing fifty feet away looking out on the ocean with a coffee cup in his hands.
“Thor.” Excited to share my idea with him, I ran. But once I got there, I could tell something was off about him. “You okay?”
“I honestly don’t know what to think anymore.”
“Because of all the nudity?”
Thor was the youngest of us and with his hair newly cut short on the sides, his ears looked bigger than normal.
