He knew Jack had his own version of the men in black.They were a couple of teams in jeans driving SUVs, and heavily—though discreetly—armed.If he’d been able to send his time capsule, one of those teams would have collected it.
He waited for one or both teams to show up.He had a feeling he’d have some explaining to do.
The door of the small building opened and Ty stepped out, dressed like someone who worked at a landing field.
“You folks lost?”he said, his tone easy and neutral.
So they were pretending not to know him.That was fair.Or were they pretending?What if he didn’t know Con?He needed a date to anchor himself in this place.
“We were running out of fuel when I spotted this place,” Con said.“I’m sorry, but I had to come down.”
“It happens,” Ty said.“We can get you fueled back up.”
To leave?Could he have arrived here before he…arrived.
He gave a mental wince.
Ty gestured toward the building and still open door.“Would you like to get out of the sun?You’ll find a cold drink in the fridge.”
Rita managed a smile, looked at Con.He nodded and she walked toward it as carefully as if she were still wearing those crazy high heels.
Once she was inside, Ty walked slowly around the plane.
Con was sure he didn’t miss the bullet holes or the water from the rain still clinging to the plane’s surface, though it was evaporating rapidly in the intense heat.
The hostiles had aerated both wings, he realized now.The fuselage had taken some damage, too.They’d been lucky.
Out of sight of the building, Ty stopped and removed his sunglasses, his gaze hard on Con’s face.
That was definitely recognition in Ty’s eyes, but he wasn’t pleased to see him.Ty glanced at the plane again, stuck a finger in one of the bullet holes and frowned.
“It wasn’t me,” Con said.
Ty surprised him by grinning.“You didn’t shoot up your own plane?”He frowned again.“But that’s not your plane, is it?”
Con rubbed his hand across his hair and gaze him a wry grin.“I picked it up in 19—something.Got a good deal on it, too.”
“Well as long as you got a good deal,” Ty began.
Con saw the anger starting to simmer again and showed him his recall device.
Ty stared at it for a long moment, then his gaze returned to meet Con’s.
“Well, dang.”
Chapter8
Stella looked up as John entered her office, removing the glasses that she didn’t need to see.She wasn’t sure why she kept them.They were a relic of her past.Alastor had seemed to like them.That should be a good reason to get rid of them but she didn’t want to admit he had that much power anymore.
Whatever she felt for him now, it wasn’t romantic.
John stopped just inside the door, his body unnaturally still, even for him.When he didn’t speak right away, she decided to throw him a line.
“How is our special project going?”She presumed that was why he was here.She tamped down the tiny hope he’d succeeded.He didn’t look like someone who had succeeded.
“I lost them,” he said.
It was typical of the man that he didn’t offer explanations or excuses.
