AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He lay for a long time, staring at the ceiling, wondering what it would be like to know PJ outside the confines of the TCW camp. A place where they had the freedom to get to know more about each other than what they were physically capable of or how well they could fire a gun or throw a hatchet.
He hoped that when he left the camp, she’d come with him. The thought of leaving her behind didn’t bear consideration. If he left, she’d be held responsible for his disappearance and punished.
His fingers tightened into fists at the thought of Goliath flogging her until she bled. Or of Tiberius killing her as an example to the others who might fail in their duties.
If that wasn’t enough to keep him awake through the night, the sound of her rustling beneath him kept him from settling into sleep. All he could think about was crawling beneath that itchy wool blanket and wrapping his arms around her.
Okay, that wasn’t all he was thinking about, but he couldn’t get too carried away without getting blue balls and lying there miserably, unable to relieve himself with a hand job. Few secrets survived in an open-bay barracks.
* * *
Morning seemed a long time coming. No more rested than he’d been the night before, Judge trudged through morning calisthenics with the other recruits before breakfast.
Between running, pushups and more burpees, they worked on his hatchet and knife-throwing skills. For an hour, they assembled and disassembled an AR-15 multiple times with the idea that it would become second nature, and he could eventually do it blindfolded.
He didn’t bother to tell her he already had a thorough knowledge of and experience with the AR-15 beyond firing it at a gun range. He’d used one in Afghanistan when he’d worked with his team providing security for contractors re-building infrastructure for the Afghan people. The AR-15 was a lot like the M4A1 rifle he’d used on active duty.
After weapons training, PJ introduced him to an area set up with a variety of door locks and taught him the basics of unlocking doors using a file, credit card or by removing hinges. After he felt confident in his skills, she took him back to the obstacle course and let him attempt to unlock the door there.
And he did it in less than thirty seconds, feeling ridiculously proud of himself when the door opened.
After a lunch of sandwiches and an apple, PJ took him around camp and identified the buildings he’d yet to enter.
“Tomorrow is indoctrination day. All recruits meet in the bleachers, rain or shine. Tiberius and other leaders will talk about The Chosen Way, our mission and your role in bringing about the greater good.” Though she spoke the words with a serious face, the tightness around her lips and the twitch in her jaw convinced Judge she wasn’t entirely on board with TCW.
Or it was wishful thinking. He wouldn’t call her out on her dedication to the TCW cause and put her on the spot. He hoped to get to know her to better understand why she was there and what she believed.
She sure as hell wasn’t making it easy to get to know her. Her approach was strictly one of trainer to recruit.
That afternoon, after they’d jogged one lap around the interior perimeter, PJ headed straight for the gate.
As they neared the guards, Judge slowed. “Shouldn’t we turn? Those guys look like they mean business.”
“Relax,” she said as she neared the gate that crossed the road leading out of the compound.
Judge trotted alongside her, all his senses on alert, muscles tense, ready to lunge right or left or drop to the ground if shooting commenced.
A guard wielding an AR-15 stepped in front of them.
“Going for a trail run,” PJ said. “Training the new recruit. Check with Wiley.”
The guard touched a button on his two-way radio, got the go-ahead and opened the gate.
Once outside the compound, PJ left the road and headed into the surrounding forest. She leaped over fallen logs, dodged trees, slid down steep slopes and clambered up rocky hillsides.
Judge stayed a yard behind her all the way, amazed at the woman’s stamina and agility.
Half an hour later, PJ crested a ridge and stopped, her chest heaving with every breath she took, her face flushed and her eyes bright.
Judge came to a stop beside her and filled his lungs with clean mountain air. He’d worked up a sweat, his muscles tight from exertion.
PJ stood with her back to him, staring at the view of the valley below and the barely visible compound nestled at its center.
Judge studied his surroundings but couldn’t see any sign of civilization other than the brief glimpses of metal rooftops between the trees shadowing the compound.
“What a view,” he said, his voice soft as if standing in a church, afraid to disturb others.
She nodded without turning to look at him. “It never ceases to amaze me how seasons change, rain falls, wind blows and nature marches on despite humans and all their drama.” Her gaze swept over the vastness. The skin over the bridge of her nose puckered, a sadness etched into the lines across her forehead and the shadows beneath her eyes.
