Another chill walked down his back.“Andrews told me.”That’s why I got the hell out of there.
“Andrews.How is the old bastard?”
He would have sent his greetings if he’d known I was on my way to meet you.The man’s almost as fascinated with you as he is with Rowan.
“Just like Anton, as fine and sociopathic as ever.”Del shifted his weight and glanced up, checking on Rowan again.Her head was down, she was packing the last kitbag as Yoshi handed each implement to her.“It’s become personal.He’d love to get his hands on her.”
“Him and everyone else, huh.”Henderson started rolling up maps.“Glad to have you back, Del.Listen, we’ve picked a new Headquarters.The nest egg Rowan brought back isn’t as good as we hoped but it’s adequate.I’ll need you to start working through security procedures and help Yoshi salvage whatever we can from the old resource net.”
Del blinked.Did they just expect him to step in where he’d left off?Didn’t they understand he was a danger, that he could be a Sigma mole?
No, Henderson had trusted him long ago in the dim days of Del’s first escape, and never doubted him since.
“You should wait until you know I’m clear,” he said, harshly, watching Rowan roll her eyes as Yoshi made a low comment.She laughed, grabbing for the coil of copper wire.He tried to move, but her hands were too quick.Her hair had begun to dry.Fine, slightly curling strands fell into her face.
They looked very easy with each other.Very goddamn friendly.
The old man shrugged.“Would you drag Ro in to Sigma, see her shaved and full of Zed?”
“Christ, no.”He tried not to sound horrified.“I told you, Ipushedmyself to forget so they couldn’t use me against her.”
“There you go.Help me clean this up.What else can you tell me about Andrews?”
He wants her, badly.It’s personal now.He won’t stop hunting her down, might even go rogue.
“He’s an idiot.”He reached down and started shoving the papers into manageable piles.
Henderson made a short, disgusted sound, acknowledging the humor.“Well, goddammit, Del, I knew that.”
“Not a moment too soon,” Yoshi murmured, fingers flicking over the laptop’s keyboard.“Four SWAT teams in the first wave.They must have a pretty high opinion of us.”
“I didn’t even know they had SWAT teams in Fargo,” Brew remarked.He scanned traffic and changed lanes, the SUV moving smoothly.
Rowan shifted restlessly in the passenger’s seat, a movement Del could feel in his own body.“Henderson?”
“Clear.He and Boomer and the kids got out with two hours to spare,” Yoshi said.“They’ll meet us in Des Moines.It’s all over the television—an anonymous call tipped off the inquisitives at the news stations.”Yoshi grinned and glanced over at Del.“Wonder who would do such a thing.”
“Can’t imagine,” he agreed.If there was one thing Sigma hated, it was publicity.They had used the local police force to do their dirty work this time, maybe thinking deadheads wouldn’t trigger Rowan’s exquisitely sensitive antennae for danger.
They might have been right.It had been Yoshi’s nervousness and Brew’s insistence that they move on; Henderson knew better than to trust only one set of instincts.
Del’s entire body itched, bones twisting with deep grinding pain as the chemical dependency yanked mercilessly on his nervous system.He was nauseated and shaking, but it wasn’t bad as itcouldhave been, not like he remembered from his first detox and certainly not as hellish as when they had recently tried to use withdrawal to break him—as if he could have answered their questions about a woman he had forced himself not to remember.The feeling of being in the same room with Rowan, standing in the path of the lightning bolt of her talent, made it just about bearable.
Only just, though.
Miles unrolled under the wheels.Rowan gazed out the window, her profile thoughtful and closed.It was odd to see her without a book in her hands.Odd to be in a vehicle without two bullyboys holding him at gunpoint, odd to hear Brew’s humming along with the classical station on the radio, static breaking through at the edge of its transmitter range.Odd to move again without the restraints, to know he could suggest a bathroom break or a stop for lunch at any time, odd not to see a handler lurking in the corner.
Unfamiliar freedom.When he’d first arrived at Headquarters it had taken him six months just to get used to going to the goddamn bathroom alone again.
Lunch was a mini-mall with a Subway, a teriyaki shack, and a little pizza place.Rowan looked longingly at the Subway before agreeing to go along for crust and melted cheese.She did insist on a vegetarian pizza, and settled in their back booth with a sigh.
He decided to push it a little and slid in next to her.She’d picked the side that would put her back to the wall, good defense strategy.
Del finally had a chance to talk to her when Brew went to order the pizza and Yoshi to visit the restroom.“How’s the leg?”
And that was more food for thought.The bullet hole had closed up in an astonishingly short time.She hadn’t been able to do that before.Then again, if it made her look so thin and wan, he doubted it was a blessing.
“Fine.A little tender, but all right.”She rubbed her slim, expressive hands together, and a tendril of ash-blonde hair fell over her eyes.“Boomer insisted on giving me some pain meds, but they don’t help.I seem to burn right through them.”Her gaze scanned the restaurant, moving in quick arcs, settling on the door.Outside, sunlight simmered, but clouds were piling up.There would be rain before long, maybe an afternoon storm.“Del?”
