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By the time they reached the meeting point it had warmed up a bit. Pete pulled out a smoke, and leaned against the chain-link fence separating the ghetto from the country roads. This particular gate was hardly used or monitored by the army, so it was always used by the rebels. He wasn’t sure if the army even knew about it. No one spoke as they waited around, keeping an eye open for anything suspicious. It wasn’t long before the sound of wheels behind him could be heard approaching. Finally, he thought. Now he could go back to his own apartment and actually sleep for a few hours in a bed.

“Open the gates,” he called out, tossing his butt.

The beat up, green truck made its way slowly toward them. Uncle Carl was pulling the gates open just as they reached them. The driver jumped out, walking over to Pete. He was a man in his late forties, black hair highlighted with streaks of grey and a huge beard that reached his chest.

“McKay,” he greeted, holding out his hand. “Ollie.”

“Ollie,” Pete said, shaking the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, mate. How was the journey?”

Ollie smiled. “Not bad for me, but I’m not sure I can say the same for the lads in the back. A bit bumpy that road.”

Pete laughed. “A few pints and they won’t be feeling too sore anymore.”

“Sounds about right,” he nodded. “I don’t want to open it up here, just to be safe. The General mentioned you guys have a garage where you’ve hidden another truck. Think we can park it there?”

“Absolutely,” Pete answered. “I’ll jump in with you and give you directions while these guys lock everything back up.”

“Sounds good.”

Pete turned to call out his orders when the sound of more wheels had him spinning back around. Three black SUVs pulled up, surrounding them. The back door of one popped open and out stepped Roman Adamson.

“Shit,” he cursed. Ollie straightened, keeping his eyes on the vehicles as more New World army soldiers began exiting the trucks.

“We got a problem?” Ollie whispered.

The door on the opposite side of the SUV Roman stepped out of opened just then, revealing an achingly familiar body dressed in black.

“Yeah, mate. Yeah we do.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dinah tried her best to keep her eyes from going to him, but it was becoming impossible. She glanced his way again for what felt like the hundredth time since she stepped out of the SUV, and just like every other time he was staring back.

“Well what do we have here?” Roman said casually. “Out for a morning stroll, boys? Or do you all work for a bakery?”

“We gotta make a living somehow,” Pete answered. Roman’s head snapped in his direction, recognition washing over his face.

“Ah, my
mate
,” Roman chuckled. “You do tend to be in a lot of places we happen across.”

Pete smirked. “What can I say? I’m a popular guy.”

“So it would seem,” he replied dryly. Pete glanced at Dinah, his green eyes burning. She had a crazy urge to just go up to him and wrap her arms around his neck. Stupid. Thank God her face was hidden, otherwise she’d have a hard time explaining the flush now covering her cheeks to Roman. “Shipping in lots of flour are we?”

Pete looked away, focusing on Roman again. “One can never have enough flour.”

“I bet.” Roman motioned to two soldiers. “Bring this through the gates and park it by those buildings. You lot, line up against the fence and don’t move.” He turned to face Pete and the older man beside him. “You two can come with us over by the buildings.”

“Can’t get enough of me, mate?” Pete asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Roman snorted. “That mouth of yours will get you killed one day. I’d watch it if I were you. Now move.”

Dinah followed them over to the buildings. Roman had the van parked between two of them so it was trapped. They weren’t sure how many guys were in there. Dinah hoped whoever Ludwig’s informant was, he knew what he was talking about. There wouldn’t be any room for them to run out in the alley, especially with the soldiers blocking the area, weapons ready. Dinah stood back, beside the SUV. She would wait until they had the men out and subdued before she went over to search them.

Pete and the other man stood between her and where Roman was, their backs to her. A soldier stood beside them, gun pointed. She really wished he’d look back at her, but knew it wasn’t a good idea with everyone else around. What was he thinking right now? He was probably pissed, she realized. Here she was, spending her morning ruining his and the rebels’ plans, while at night she became just another friend of his. Or, at least, she hoped they were friends. It really didn’t work. This was the first time they saw each other in their enemy forms again. Maybe he’d realize after this how impossible it was to be anything
but
enemies.

Her heart hurt at the loss of what she barely even had. It was for the best though, she reassured herself. They both knew it wouldn’t work, and this situation would just reinforce that truth.

“Which one of you has the key to unlock the back?” Roman called out, appearing from inside the alley. Neither Pete nor the older man spoke. “Either one of you has the key, and is going to bring it here to me, or I’m going to shoot off the lock, and possibly anything else inside that truck. I’d hate to get holes in your flour bags.”

Dinah smirked behind her mask. Roman and his sarcasm, like peanut butter and jelly it just went well together.

“I’ve got it,” the older man spoke up. Dinah saw Pete stiffen, but for once he didn’t open his big mouth.

“Bring him here,” Roman ordered. “Dinah, watch the other one. Careful, he’s chatty.”

She wanted to laugh, but instead she moved forward, drawing one of her pistols just for show. It wasn’t like she’d use it on Pete. The realization that she meant that was slightly shocking to her. The soldier walked the older man forward, nudging him with the barrel of his gun. When they disappeared around the corner, Pete turned slowly to face her. Now that they were alone, she wasn’t sure what to do or say. His face was hard to read. The way he was staring at her had her mouth going dry.

She felt like a mouse being stalked by a lion. His green eyes were narrowed, his strong jaw firm as he clenched his teeth. Okay, so either he was super pissed, which was likely, or he wanted to eat her whole. It could go either way at this point, she decided. As they looked at each other, neither one of them said a word. What could they really say at this point? It wasn’t like she could apologize for being there, considering it was technically her job. That awful, gaudy proverbial pink elephant always hanging around them. Stupid elephant.

The silence was killing her. She opened her mouth to speak, but just as she did so he moved. It happened so fast, she barely had time to suck in her breath before she found herself crushed against his chest, her feet off the ground and being moved backward. He walked them to the back of the SUV, out of sight, where she was effectively pinned between it and his body. She actually squeaked like a mouse, rather embarrassingly. She went to speak again when he moved in his super-fast way, his left hand coming up to rip off her mask.

Her hair whipped around her face as the fresh air hit her exposed skin. Pete lifted both hands, smoothing it away as he cupped her cheeks. Without pausing, he brought his mouth down on hers, kissing her forcibly once, lingering for only a moment before pulling back to soak her in with his eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for two days now,” he said softly.

“Just two?” she breathed.

He smirked. “Possibly since the first time I met you.”

“You thought I was a guy when you first met me.”

“I know. I have issues when it comes to you in general.”

She smiled, feeling herself relax for the first time since she stepped out of the truck she was now pinned against. Which was funny, considering this position was much more compromising and dangerous than anything else she’d done this morning. If anyone were to see them, there would be a whole load of problems. And yet she couldn’t have cared less. Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly, keeping him close.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“Ludwig sent me out of town. I had to escort a food truck, because our last shipment that had weapons in it was hijacked. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” she raised an eyebrow.

His eyes widened innocently. “Me? I would never be involved in such illegal activities.”

She laughed loudly then cringed looking over her shoulder. “We should probably move,” she suggested, looking back at him.

“Probably,” he said. “I can’t seem to make myself though.” He looked down pointedly where her hands gripped him. “And you don’t seem too eager to either.”

Right. She should let go, she rationalized. But she didn’t. “So after two days of wanting to kiss me, is that all you got?” Oh. My. God. Did she seriously just say that? Had someone taken over her body and forced her to sound like a stupid girl? From the wide grin on Pete’s face, he was up for the challenge.

“I have so much to show you, Dinah, I’m not even sure where to start.”

“How about with one more kiss?”

His grin slipped, replaced by that hungry expression that had her blood boiling. This time she met him halfway, slamming their mouths together. His hand gripped her hair as his tongue slowly snaked its way across her lower lip. She opened her mouth tentatively letting his tongue slip into hers. A moan escaped her at the feeling and she gripped him tighter pulling them even closer. A strangled noise came from him as he deepened the kiss, sucking her tongue into his mouth. They explored each other frantically until he finally pulled back, nipping at her lower lip as he did.

“I missed you,” he whispered. They both paused, Pete looking as surprised that he said that as she was. He held his breath, the air between them tense until she spoke.

“I missed you too.”

He sighed like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, letting his forehead drop to rest against hers. “What are we doing, Dinah?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. They stood like that for a moment before he stood up and stepped back, letting her pull her mask back into place. She looked around for her pistol, spotting it forgotten on the ground back where they originally stood. This man seriously clouded her senses. By the time anyone came back out of the alley, they were back in their original positions, Dinah pointing the gun at him like he was her enemy once again. The tingling on her lips told her otherwise.

“We have them all out,” Roman said, walking up to her. “I need you to come in now. We’ve disarmed them.”

The men were lined up along the wall on their knees. “Your bags of flour look suspiciously like men,” Roman turned to Pete to say.

“A little family reunion is all,” he replied with a smirk. “I guess they thought they’d just catch a ride to save on time.”

Roman raised an eyebrow and looked over at the dark skinned man kneeling at the far end.

“We’re a multicultural family,” Pete said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

When Dinah stood before them, no one looked up. She was used to this. As if not looking at her would make it harder for her to read their minds. She reached out, aware that Pete stood just behind her.

They all had walls too, but one was weaker than the others. She narrowed her mind on his and found a part where she could get through. She’d need to sit down to do it. Reading a person’s mind with no defences was like opening a book. It took no effort on her part. But people like this, who had clearly been taught by someone to exercise their mental muscles and protect themselves… well, these took a bit out of her. She’d have to take him back to headquarters and work there.

She turned to Roman and nodded at the man second from the left. He understood right away. “Looks like your family reunion will need to be one short,” he commented. Motioning with two fingers, he called over two soldiers and point at the man she needed. “He’s coming with us. The rest can go.”

The soldiers pulled the man roughly to his feet. “You can’t do this,” he growled.

Roman tilted his head to the side. “No, I’m pretty sure we can. X here just needs to get a little one-on-one time with you.”

The man’s furious gaze flew to hers and she saw panic there. The thing about fear is that it tends to make some people do stupid things. Like this guy. He shouted as he tore away from the two soldiers beside him and lunged at her. One of his hands flew to her throat, gripping it tightly, while the other landed on her chest to steady himself. He was ripped off of her just as quickly. Not by Roman. Pete pushed the guy back, sending him crashing into the others still kneeling.

“Enough,” Pete yelled. Dinah had never seen Pete look so angry, and by God he was even hotter. He breathed in deeply through his nose. The man’s eyes looked between them, wide in shock.

When they landed on her and stayed, she saw an understanding there that left her cold. The hand he had placed on her chest had been right over her breast. There was no way he hadn’t felt them, and she knew he knew. He opened his mouth. “He’s a g –” The gun shot echoed off the brick walls surrounding them, amplifying it. Dinah cringed, her ears ringing. Roman stood with his gun still pointing at the spot the man had been. He now lay crumpled on the floor, a gaping hole between his eyes. So much for no deaths.

Roman looked over the other men slowly. “Anyone else have any bright ideas?”

Dinah sat in the back of the SUV looking down at her fist. Inside was a tiny piece of paper Pete had slipped her. She was going to wait until she got back to her room to look at it, but the suspense was killing her. Just knowing it was there was making her giddy with excitement. She never got giddy.

“What was that?” Roman asked, turning in his seat to face her. She looked up, confused.

“What was what? The guy felt my boob, Roman. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out,” she replied.

“Not that,” he waved off. “What was with chatty Cathy defending you like that?”

Her face bloomed with heat. Masks really did come in handy in certain situations. “I have no idea,” she said with a shrug. He looked at her closely for a moment before grunting and turning back to stare at the road. She didn’t care what Roman thought. All she wanted to do was finally get some time alone and read whatever Pete had given her.