Page 10 of Fighting Salvation

Tipping back his head, Mortimer laughed, a deep resonating sound that somehow felt louder in the quiet of the early morning silence. “Oh, my boy, if you believe that, you have a lot to learn. But it will be fun to watch.”

Rafe growled beside him only making Mortimer laugh harder. “Remind me to tell you the story of how I met my wife. Let me tell you, she did not like me one bit.”

Despite the situation, Bás found himself intrigued but he didn’t have time for this now. “I will, sir, and thank you for this.”

Mortimer sobered. “I hope we don’t end up regretting it.”

Bás watched as the Prince Consort got back in his vehicle and drove away. Turning on his heel, he got back in the car seeing Rafe watching him over the top of the vehicle. He knew questions were coming and some of them he could avoid forever.

Bás was halfway to the airfield where Shadow had a private jet ready to take him to South Africa before Rafe spoke.

“So, are we going to talk about that?”

“No.”

“Just no?”

A sigh escaped and he wondered when he last slept as exhaustion pulled at him like sludge. “Fine, ask your fucking question.”

“How long have you worked for Prince Mortimer?”

“Since I got out of jail.”

Glancing across the car, he saw Rafe clench his fist. He didn’t blame him. Bás had so many secrets he didn’t know what was real anymore.

“Why were you in jail?”

“For murdering my family.”

Rafe drew in a sharp breath and despite not wanting to care, he did. He didn’t know the man well, but they were on the same side. Part of him wanted this man to trust him, even knowing it would be a mistake.

“But Hansen murdered your family.”

“Yes, but it took Mortimer five years to find enough evidence to get my sentence overturned.” His hands squeezed the steering wheel, wishing it was Hansen’s neck. “They set me up.”

“They?”

“Whoever the hell recruited Hansen.”

“Why does he hate you so much if you were friends?”

Bás shook his head, betrayal slithering down his chest like a snake waiting to strike. “That’s the million-dollar question. I don’t know. The last time I saw him before my family died, we had a beer and he wished me luck on my first tour with the army.”

“That’s messed up.”

Bás laughed without humour. “That’s an understatement.”

“So why did you want whatever is in that envelope?”

Bás parked in the hangar and exited the vehicle without responding, giving himself time to decide if he was going to share this part of his life with a man he hardly knew when his own team had no idea who he really was.

The aircraft they would take was luxurious with leather seats and a smooth walnut veneer. It was one of two aircraft Shadow had access to because of Eidolon, as well as a helicopter when needed. He was expecting Gunner to be flying him as he hadn’t spoken to Hurricane since the previous night when he’d turned up after his mysterious jaunt into Hereford.

When his head popped out of the cockpit, Bás hid his surprise, but not his irritation. “Why are you here?”

Hurricane looked hurt for a split second before his armour dropped into place and he hid it. “I’m part of this team, aren’t I? Why wouldn’t I be the one to fly this mission?”

“Nice of you to remember.”