Page 110 of Dangerous Mission
Course Truck is being Truck.
He grins, but it’s always more like a wolf’s snarl. “Good to see you, man.”
I shake his hand. “Welcome back. We could use the help. You heal up okay?”
A quick shrug, and Truck picks up a black backpack from next to the front door. “Well enough. Now that you're back from…uh… taking care of business, I’m going to go hike that mountain to look for MZ.”
Aria looks alarmed and I’m not sure if it’s because… well, hell. Hard to tell why at this point. We have a lot to talk about. But first, I need him gone but I’m also worried about my teammate. “You sure your leg is well enough to go?”
A somber expression darkens his already nearly black eyes. “You know we’ve both dealt with worse. Did you take care of business?”
“Not yet.”
He tips his chin. “Is that where her brother is?”
I nod.
His head swivels toward Aria. “Nice to meet you. Remember what I said.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
As soon as the door closes, I lose my composure. Hand shaking, I drop into the closest chair. “Is he alive?”
Scout stands perfectly still. I’m not even sure he’s breathing.
“Is he?” My voice cracks.
“For now.”
I turn my face away, and chew hard on my lower lip. I hate the part of myself that wantshimdead. I also hate the part of myself that wants vengeance.
But one emotion rises above both. I don’t want Scout to murder Adam.
“What business was Truck asking about?”
Hollow. My words sound like I’m inside a tin can. Somewhere lost deep inside of myself.
Scout just stands there. Almost as if he’s at war with himself too.
Aren’t we quite the pair?
“I was surprised you were gone when I woke up.”
He flinches. I catch it out of my periphery.
The timbre of his words is a low rasp when he replies. “I didn’t know Justice would leave you. He had to take the Professor to the next cave. I came as soon as I found out.”
I let myself look at Scout again. He’s wired. But circles darken his cheeks, and his face looks gaunt. “Did you sleep last night?”
“No.”
Worrying at my fingernail, I look past him out the window. God, how I wish anything between us could be easy.
“Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“Let me guess. You’ve been main-lining coffee?”
