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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Dinah was brushing out her hair when the knock came. Roman stood out in the hall, his features changing to amused when he took in her wet hair and pajamas.

“Getting ready for bed?” he asked, fighting back a smile.

“You do realize it’s like two in the morning, right?” she said. “Just because I can read minds, Roman, doesn’t mean I don’t have to sleep at some point.”

He chuckled like he always did when she snapped at him. “May I come in for a minute?”

She stepped back motioning him in with her hand. Roman always looked ridiculous to her when he was in her room. Like the tiny space couldn’t hold such an overwhelming figure. Dinah leaned against the back of her door, waiting for him to get to why he was here.

“How’s the undercover work going?” he asked conversationally.

She shrugged. “Not that good,” she admitted. “I haven’t been able to break down their walls yet.” Probably because you haven’t really tried, she reproached.

“Is there any point to it then?”

“I think it will work, with time. Is that what you’ve come to talk about?”

He shook his head. “No. I came to let you know that your nightlife is going to have to be put on hold for a couple of days.”

She straightened. “Why?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“What?” she balked.

“You seem disappointed by that.”

“No I’m not,” she defended. “I could care less about hanging out with a bunch of lowers. I just want to know what I’ll be doing instead.”

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, before nodding once. “Okay. I just spoke with Ludwig, there’s a shipment of food leaving Rome tomorrow night. They rushed it so anyone who has knowledge of our normal scheduling won’t be prepared. The last thing we need is our food deliveries hijacked too. Ludwig wants us escorting it for the last half of the trip, just to be safe. We’ll be out of town for a couple of days.”

“When do we leave?”

“Now,” he answered with a grin. “So you’ll have to get your beauty rest in the backseat of the truck.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “We can cuddle.”

“You are such a creep,” she murmured. “Let me get changed then and I’ll meet you out front.”

Dinah sat in the black SUV, staring out the passenger side window as Roman drove them back to New Berlin. The transport truck was behind them, safe and sound. Dinah had been responsible for scouring the countryside as they drove. Keeping her mind open to any nefarious thoughts being directed their way. Nothing happened, except for the pounding headache she’d had for the past two days from keeping herself open. It wasn’t easy, and now that they were almost back to the city all she wanted to do was sleep in her own bed and close herself off to everyone’s thoughts.

Of course, sleeping was only one of the things she really wanted to do. The other she kept denying to herself, but it was hard to when his face kept popping into her head during the past two days she hadn’t seen him. Every time it happened she got a funny feeling in her stomach. What was it about him? She couldn’t put her finger on it. Now that she’d had some time away from him, she found herself analyzing their sudden and bizarre relationship – if you could even call it that.

There was no such thing as love at first sight. Maybe lust at first sight, she debated. When she looked at Pete there was definite lust going on inside her. She wouldn’t deny that, at least not to herself. Was that all it was though, lust? Did one think about a person constantly when they just lusted them? She wasn’t sure. Despite being in her twenties, Dinah had to admit that she really didn’t have much experience when it came to boys. And not just in the physical sense.

It would help to know what he was thinking, but there was no way she could just come out and ask him. He hadn’t really shown any serious feelings for her, other than asking her out that one night. And if she was being honest, he could have just done that to keep a closer eye on her. Similar to what she was doing to them, except her motives were even worse than just watching them. Not that she had actually done what she was set out to do, but still, the intention was there. What would he think of her if he knew? Could she really betray him in the end? God, she was starting to wonder who the hell she was anymore. One night amongst the lowers and she was getting all soft.
Or are you just starting to see beyond your walls?
She didn’t know what was going on with her, but after getting to know McKay and his friends, she was finding it harder and harder to even contemplate betraying them.

Maybe she would never break down their walls, she reasoned. If that happened then she wouldn’t have to betray them. She’d just tell Ludwig she tried and couldn’t do it, and he’d have to find some other way to destroy the rebels. She sighed out loud, resting her head on the window. It was cold from the early morning temperature and felt amazing against her skin. She closed her eyes. Why did life have to be so difficult? From the moment she watched her mother die, by the hand of the man sitting beside her, everything had just gotten more and more screwed up. Her anger had swelled to something that made her think she wasn’t even close to the same person she was five years ago. Anger could do that to a person. Tear them up and morph them into a completely new, bitter person.

Was that it? Was she just bitter? Was she still just some sixteen year old teenager pissed off at her parents for letting her down? Wouldn’t that be sad, she mused. She definitely didn’t feel like the same person any more. Part of her was happy about that, because now she was much stronger than she had been when she was younger. The other part missed the innocence and simplicity of that former life. The things she’d done…they couldn’t easily be undone. Pete probably knew this, knowing who and what she was, and yet he still treated her well. Her stomach did that flipping thing again it had been doing a lot lately. It was really starting to piss her off.

The idea that maybe her feelings ran deeper than just lust scared her. Pete
saw
her
–
just her. Not some masked weapon or scared little girl in a torn apart house with a dead mother by her side. He saw Dinah for who she was now, and from the looks of it, actually liked her.

“You’re thinking awfully hard over there,” Roman said. “Care to share?”

“Do I ever?” she replied, keeping her eyes closed.

“No,” he admitted. “But it’s never too late to try.”

“I’m just tired,” she lied. “My head is killing me and I want my bed.” And I miss Pete. Crap. She really did miss him and it had only been two days. How pathetic. Or maybe it was normal. The fact that she didn’t know was really annoying. If only Bridgette was still around. Her eyes popped open, looking at the grey skies of early dawn. Thinking about her always hurt her chest, like the wind had been knocked out of her. If she still had her sister she’d have someone else to talk to. Another girl who could help her with these kinds of things. Bridgette was always good at giving her advice. Not that they had ever really talked about boys, but Dinah was sure her older sister would have been good at it.

They passed through the gates of the city, the soldiers waving them through. Dinah was suddenly surrounded by buildings rebuilt and undamaged by the bombings. Nothing like the broken, rundown ones in the ghettos. This area was back to its former glory, however not quite the same. The life, the very essence of what had made this city come alive and be vibrant, was no longer there. Just a shell of what it had been. All cosmetics and no substance.

They pulled up to headquarters where two soldiers waited.

“Great,” she sighed.

“You think they’re waiting for us?” Roman asked, eyeing the men through the windshield.

“Who else would they be waiting for?” she said. “Looks like I’m not getting sleep after all.”

“He might just want a quick update.” He opened the door and got out, leaning down so he could look at her where she was still sitting. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he doesn’t keep us long.”

“I need you two to go take care of an issue for me,” Ludwig said as soon as they sat down in front of his desk. He sat across from them looking as prim and proper as always, despite it being five in the morning. Sometimes Dinah wondered if he was actually human. Vampire maybe? Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised.

“What do you need us to do?” Roman asked.

“We got word that the rebels are bringing in reinforcements from up north. Things are happening in their camps. I’m not sure what exactly, but I’m in the process of finding out,” he answered.

“And how are you doing that?” Dinah said.

Ludwig winked at her. “Don’t worry, my dear. I’ve got it covered.”

“You have someone on the inside?” Roman asked, sitting forward in his chair.

“Sort of,” he replied ambiguously. “They’re bringing the men in on some truck, through the countryside. I’d like you two to intercept it. No deaths. I just want them to know that we’re aware of what they’re doing. We don’t want them getting too comfortable.”

“I can handle it alone,” Roman said. “Let Lottey get some rest. She’s been worked hard the last two days.”

Dinah hated when people treated her like she was fragile, but for once she was actually thankful to Roman. However, her hopes and dreams of soft mattresses and hours of sleep were dashed by Ludwig’s reply. “I need her there. If these men are coming in from out of town, it’s possible they don’t have the same training as the ones based here in the city. I’m hoping Di can get some information off them. Arrest anyone we can use. Let the rest go.”

Roman glanced at her, apologetically. “When do we leave?”

“Now. My informant gave me the time and location of where the truck will be entering the city. I’d like there to be a welcome committee waiting by the time they arrive.”

Dinah sighed inwardly. Guess there really is no such thing as rest for the wicked, she thought miserably.

Something nudged at him. Pete brushed it away, but whatever it was, it was persistent. He murmured unintelligibly, curling in on himself further.

“McKay, get up,” a voice urged. Pete opened his eyes, blinking at the navy fabric in front of his face. Where the hell was he? He turned his head slightly to see Bridgette glaring at him, hands on her hips. “You sleep like the dead,” she said.

He sat up slowly, looking around her small apartment. Slowly the night before came back to him and he remembered coming here around two to make sure she was home. He must have crashed on her couch, because that was all he remembered.

“What time is it?” he asked in a hoarse voice, rubbing his eyes.

“Five,” she answered.

“Jesus, Bridge,” he groaned. “I’ve only been asleep for three hours. Are you trying to torture me?”

She huffed, walking away to the kitchen. Cupboard doors started banging as she began to prepare coffee. “You specifically instructed me to wake you up at five,” she said.

“I did?” He did? Why did he need to be up so damn early? Then he remembered his meeting with the General last night. They were bringing in more men from up north today. Douglas wanted more of their men in the city for the attack in a few weeks. Shit. He needed to get going. “I need to take a piss.”

“And I didn’t need to know that,” she shot back.

Pete shut the door to her tiny bathroom and did his morning ritual. He splashed some water on his face, looking at the bags under his eyes in the mirror above the sink. Not looking too good, McKay. He’d had too much to drink the night before and it was showing. He was pretty sure he still smelled like stale alcohol. Probably leaking out of his pores. The fact that he had let himself get that drunk just to forget the reason why he was strung so tight was even more pathetic than how he was feeling now.

Dinah had been missing for two days. It was ridiculous really, but Pete was actually concerned. He had no way of getting in touch with her to make sure she was safe, and the last time they had seen each other was when those other soldiers saw her with them. What if Ludwig found out and killed her? The possibility had been driving him insane the last couple of days. He’d been way more surly and miserable than usual and all because of a girl.

What was she doing to him?

Bridgette banged on the door. “Move it or lose it.”

“Look who decided to show up.” Pete walked over and gave the man a hug.

“How are you, Uncle Carl?” he asked, stepping back to look at the man who was closer to his father than anyone else he knew.

“Been alright,” he smiled. “Me ulcer is acting up again, but that’s about it.”

“Probably not a good thing to be drinking as much whiskey as you do, mate,” Pete pointed out.

He laughed, waving him off. “Boy, with the way the world is nowadays, I probably won’t be around much longer anyway. No sense in giving up the things I love.”

Pete nodded, slapping him on the back. There were five other guys waiting outside of St. Anne’s. “Is this it then?” They nodded. “Let’s go.”

The early morning air was chilly as they made their way through the empty streets to the outskirts of the city. Cars were not allowed in the eastern ghetto, or any of the ghettos for that matter, so they were forced to walk the trek. If there were any vehicles, it was always one of the New World army. Although the rebels did have a few illegal vehicles stored away for emergencies. They weren’t taken out often. Pete missed the days of mobility. The men from the north were coming in a small truck disguised as bakery supplies. Some of the merchants got to use them for shipping in or out of the city.