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Sighing, I shook my head. “It seems everyone has a horrible story.”
“I don’t dwell on the past. Maybe that’s something you should consider. You have your whole life ahead of you.”
Now he was coach as well as my protector. “I’m sure your mother loved you very much.”
“She did, but it’s not something I enjoy talking about.”
“Then tell me something else. I don’t care what it is.”
Nodding, he finally pulled his hand away. As he told me a few stories, none of which involved bloody massacres or periods of extreme danger, I gathered a sense of the man behind the thick mask of steel. He was proud yet haunted, the demons threatening to claw their way past the darkness where he’d condemned them. He needed a success, to become a true savior. And he would do anything to make certain that happened.
Even if it meant forfeiting his life.
* * *
The airport was crowded, thousands of people racing to get to their destination. I was instantly claustrophobic, clinging to him, my fingers digging into his hand. He was constantly scanning the area, trying to keep us moving. We had a long way to go in order to connect with the international flight and with every step we took, his tension continued to mount. As I glanced around at people, studying their faces, the fear continued to squeeze my system until I was taking rapid, shallow breaths. Everyone was a danger in my mind, even people with children.
Crack!
The loud noise caused an immediate reaction in Cobra. He yanked me past fifty people, some expressing their anger. When he pinned me against a wall, he turned to face me, hovering so close I could see the rapid pulse in his neck. While he tried to act as if he was preparing for an intimate moment, he was fully alert, searching the space around us.
I was sick inside, trying to swallow the thick bile in my throat. Whatever had made the sound didn’t appear to bother anyone else. As a cart rolled past us, it was obvious there were too many bags on the seat, one of them likely falling off and causing the sound.
“It’s okay,” he whispered as he brushed strands of my wig from my eyes. I knew I looked garish, but it gave minimal comfort, which I needed more than anything. “Come on.” He took my hand again, guiding me through the terminal. The moment we entered another, he cursed under his breath. “Go to the bathroom. I need to check something out.”
“Don’t go. Please.”
Cobra cupped my face, rubbing his thumb aimlessly back and forth. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Trust me.”
“I do trust you.”
“Then go to that bathroom. Just wait. I’ll be right back. If I’m not back in ten minutes, head for the next terminal and hide. We have forty minutes before the flight.” He squeezed my arm before walking away. I watched him disappear into the crowd before doing as he asked, keeping my head down and heading toward the bathroom, which was only fifty yards away.
Three steps away, I noticed two men dressed in black and I doubted they’d arrived in Washington to take in the sights. My heartrate skyrocketing, I looked at the floor then moved into the bathroom. As with most airports, there was a wall separating the corridor from the bathroom itself, the wide-open space just inside visible. I backed against the wall, trying to remain calm, able to see one of the many monitors indicating the time. Thirty-eight minutes until takeoff.
I was so nauseous I was gasping for air, the scents of dozens of perfumes almost making me gag. I’d never been religious, even though my mother had been a devout Catholic, but at that moment I prayed. I couldn’t do this without him. I wasn’t as strong as he believed me to be. As I stood still, trying to pretend like I wasn’t terrified of every sound, every person who passed me, I thought about the fact I didn’t have a weapon of any kind. Nothing. Then I remembered my second hairpin, the old-fashioned kind with tough plastic prongs. It might be a small deterrent.
Or using it might get me killed.
I moved into the bathroom, easing my bag onto one of the diaper changing stations, fishing through the duffle until I found what I was looking for. If I aimed for the eyes, it could do damage. However, if I was forced to get that close, I was likely already dead. I shoved it into my back pocket, moving to check the time.
Four more minutes to wait.Please, let him come back. Please.
The seconds seemed to tick down in my throat, my pulse matching the exact beat. When ten minutes had passed, I was frozen, unable to do anything. He was going to return. He wouldn’t leave me to fend for myself.
Unless he was already dead.
Oh, God. I chewed on my lower lip with enough pressure I tasted blood. When twelve minutes had passed, the sickening feeling in my stomach shifted into utter terror. I willed myself to move, taking several deep breaths before shifting into the corridor. Cobra was nowhere to be seen. I’d memorized the gate number, the plane, my seat number, and everything else necessary. I kept repeating them over and over in my mind as I headed in the direction of the flight.
My nerves were frazzled, my mind a blur, but I kept walking, darting small glances around me, the prayers continuing. When another five minutes had passed, I knew he wasn’t coming. Tears slipped past my lashes, but I wiped them away furiously. I had to hold it together, not just for the sake of millions of sick people as well as the safety of the world, but also because that’s what Cobra wanted.
Everything became surreal, a vision of his face remaining in the front of my mind. He was encouraging me, guiding me, and trying to give me comfort. As I neared the terminal, the pump of additional adrenaline was able to keep me going.
Then I noticed four men, all dressed like the other two. They were covering all sides of the terminal. I hung back, drifting into one of the small shops, trying to act nonchalant as I studied what they were doing. I noticed the sign for the restrooms but there was no way I could get to them without passing one of them. Oh, God. What was I going to do? I couldn’t wait here too long. It would be obvious I was stalling. I glanced away for a few seconds, trying to control my breathing. When I looked up again, the man in question near the bathrooms had disappeared.
Suddenly, one of the other ones seemed frazzled. What the hell was going on? As the three men in black grouped together on the opposite side of the massive corridor, I took the opportunity to head out, doing everything I could to resist the urge to look in their direction. When I made it to the bathroom, I was out of breath, no longer able to focus clearly. The fear was blinding.
I waited for at least two minutes before taking a look, quickly darting my head past the wall. They’d disappeared. Did I stay here or wait? I still had twenty-two minutes to go. I slipped into the bathroom, moving toward one of the sinks. As I stared at my reflection, I realized I no longer recognized the girl standing in front of me and it had nothing to do with the ridiculous wig and an outfit I’d never wear.
