Watching the diminutive woman walk away, he considered the impact of her words.Perhaps he’d been looking for a home in all the wrong places?
With those thoughts churning, he joined the band at the front of the stage, welcomed into their tight group with a warmth that continued to surprise him. Until a few days ago, the mystique of Angel Fire had made them seem nearly godlike, at least as rock gods, but they were simply regular guys.
“Hey,” Ash called out, “get over here.”
Spike pulled him into their midst, and he posed for picture after picture with his fellow brothers and sisters in arms. He even signed autographs. Nothing like the flurry of Ash’s pen, but more people wanted his signature than he’d expected.
Still, no sign of Tia. After the signing concluded, he couldn’t help but scan the thinning crowd, hoping to see her hanging in the background. When he found a moment to slip away, he ducked out and headed to Tia’s temporary lodging.
The deepness of night had fallen, blanketing the base in a shifting curtain of shadows and light. Spotlights lit up important areas, for security as much as anything else. It had been some time since the base was attacked, but it could happen at any moment. People lived on eggshells here, a false sense of security overlying the very real threat of imminent rocket or mortar attack. He passed others during his trek across base, those taking a break from duty or security teams patrolling the base. They waved in silence, a quiet camaraderie implied in the greeting, and he plodded on.
There was no guarantee Tia would be in her quarters, but it was pushing close to midnight. The only other place she could be was at the medical center, restocking their bags, but like him, she’d been pulled off the team for her in-depth, exclusive interview. Rounding on the rows of converted cargo containers, he knocked on her door.
She opened it a crack and peeked out. “Hey there.”
He stepped forward, expecting her to let him in, but she didn’t widen the gap more than the slim crack.
“What’s wrong?” He reached for her fingers gripping the edge of the metal door, but she pulled them back, out of his reach. “Tia?” he asked, growing concerned.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice tight and pinched with stress.
“What do you mean?” He palmed the door and pushed, but she pushed back.
“I’m serious,” she said. “You can’t be here.”
“What do you mean, I can’t be here? Open the door and let me in.”
“We need to talk.”
She opened the door, but instead of letting him in, she stepped outside and pulled the door shut. He leaned in to kiss her but met the pads of her fingertips.
“No,” she said. “We can’t do this anymore.”
He pulled back, surprised and a little angry.What the fuck had happened in the past couple of hours to make her give him the we-can’t-do-this talk?
“Tell me what the hell is going on, Tia, or I swear—”
“I just got back from Vane’s office,” she began. “He all but shoved UCMJ and AFI violations down my throat. He knows, Ryker. Colonel Vane knows we’re involved, and he’s not happy about it. I don’t know if he has any proof, but he’s not beyond initiating the first stages of investigation. Give him anything, and he’ll bring me up on fraternization charges.”
“You? Why would he?”
“Because I’m an officer,” she said. “The man’s on a witch hunt. Regardless, we can’t be seen together in anything other than an official capacity.”
He glanced left and right, looking to see if anyone was watching their exchange. Then, he reached around her, opened the door, and forced her into her room.
“Ryker!”
“Stop.” He covered her mouth with his hand, wishing he’d used his lips instead. “Keep your voice down.”
She stumbled back. Her calves bumped against the narrow bed, and she plopped down on the thin mattress.
“I can’t do this,” she said. “I can’t risk everything I’ve worked so hard to build.”
He paced the small room, stabbing his fingers through his hair, while he tried to think. “He can’t have any proof,” he said. “We’ve been very careful.”
“Have we?” she asked. “Forest knows. Skye does, too. And, if she knows, Ash knows. You can bet the whole band knows. Who else?” Her voice rose in pitch, tremors filling her tone.
“No one,” he said, making another circuit.
