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Oh shit.
I can’t answer that.
It’s too soon.
Is it?
I’d rather talk about my millionaire society aunt, the plans I have to restore my family’s ranch back home, or my biggest secret of all...
Dammit.
I wasn’t ready to go there yet, but her eyes were locked on me. There was no getting around this. I guess I could tell her a little bit about what I really did and why I was really in the Green Zone. She knew about the Fear Division, everyone did, but how much could I reveal? The girl didn’t even know my first name.
I exhaled and said firmly, “first of all you can call me Walker, Axel Walker. And secondly, what I do here is... um... well, among many things, is that I am particularly good at asset retrieval.”
“Like,” she nodded as though she had heard that term before wasn’t sure where. “Stolen property?”
“In a way,” I said. “But not really.”
I could tell she was mock-annoyed with me. I swear, I wasn’t trying to be elusive. I tried again, “it’s not stolen property, it’s stolen people… children, to be exact.”
Precious cargo…
Micro level…
Compromised…
I thought of my conversation with my contact, then I thought about back home and the twins, about how I couldn’t save them from the fire. I thought about how I had failed them, even though I was only fifteen, I should have been braver, stronger, better. I thought about how I would give anything to have my family back. I thought about how I had dedicated my life to saving kidnapped children and reuniting them with their families. I had to. It was my penance, my punishment, for failing my little brother and sister.
Over the years I had extracted more “assets” from The Fear Division than I could count and somehow, miraculously, they still didn’t know my identity. I’d chased these savage animals all over the Middle East and parts of Asia and I was about to do it again, in three days’ time.
My contact still had yet to provide me with the details but I knew I was walking into hell. Suddenly, rage boiled up inside me. I realized I had two choices. I could either storm off in a fury or get a grip and just keep talking to this beautiful girl.
“The Fear Division are the worst of the worst,” I said, “American military and diplomat kids are abducted all the time and held for ransom… it’s my job to get them back. Look, I am sorry I was such a jerk to you earlier. But you really can’t take my picture. If the rebels or any members of The Fear Division knew what I looked like… anyway I shouldn’t even be telling you this. I just want you to understand…. It’s just not safe... for anyone. I have to go, actually, I mean, I really should be on my way.”
“You’re incredible,” her words stopped me in my tracks.
No one here even knows what I do, most people don’t even know who I am. To hear someone praise me was overwhelming. I was humbled and I couldn’t help but feel my cheeks burn slightly.
“I just bring kids back home, that’s all.”
I looked up at her. She seemed to get it, why she couldn’t take my picture, why I had been so distant, why I couldn’t talk about anything.
She seemed to get me.
Axe, don’t be an idiot, you can’t let your guard down.
Stay in control.
But I couldn’t help it.
It was as though she saw right through me.
Going against everything I’ve ever trained for… I surrendered to her.
I took a step towards her and she seemed to naturally arch her back, poised like a wild fawn, brilliantly aware of every sensation around her. Her eyes focused on mine and she bit her lower lip in slow motion. Then I felt a rush of passion as I took her face in my hands, she inhaled ever so slightly, I kissed her softly.
Fourteen
