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“On it,” the guard said.
“Is everything okay?” Samuel asked slowly.
The man was decked out in tactical gear from head to toe. Samuel couldn’t see so much as a bit of skin or identifying features. He had no idea who he was talking to or why they were astonished, he was alive.
“We were told you were presumed dead,” the man said. “The both of you.”
Friday. Task Force Headquarters, Fairfax, VA.
Jessica surreptitiously pinched her inner arm while pretending to scratch her wrist.
Nope.
Not dreaming.
This place was out of a movie. She wasn’t sure what kind of movie yet, because that long, ominous tunnel had fueled horror movie vibes, but given the job they were here to do, she could see suspense. Either way, this stuff was on a whole other level of secure.
Her muscles and joints were protesting the brisk pace after more than sixteen hours spent in the Jeep. Just as she’d expected, her ankle wasn’t as tender after being off it for a whole day. But she really was looking forward to a bed and being able to breathe without feeling the iron vise of anxiety.
“Is Zora here?” Samuel asked after they’d walked for a moment in silence.
Clearly whoever designed the place liked long halls and tunnels. Though if Jessica thought about it, the long stretches didn’t allow for any cover. If someone intended to break-in, the defenders would be entrenched and set up to repel an attack while causing heavy losses.
Was Samuel rubbing off on her? Because this was not something she’d have thought about before.
She snuck a glance at his profile.
What would work-Samuel be like? How would entering the sphere of his career change him? And them?
They hadn’t actually discussed what they were after this morning. She’d been too raw after the misunderstanding. The more she sat with those memories, the more she realized her reaction hadn’t been as much about his words as everything else all lumped together. She’d appreciated the tender side of him today, holding her hand, small touches, his attempts to lighten the mood.
She hoped that didn’t stop simply because they’d arrived here, though she knew everything would more than likely change now.
What if this was a fling for him?
Jessica swallowed and mentally set aside that concern. She was obsessing about Samuel because it was something she could control. To an extent. Unlike literally everything else.
Eventually, they turned right at a T-intersection. She noted what looked like big, metal barn doors that slid into the walls. If the world went to hell, she knew where she was coming to hunker down.
They wound their way through the building and a few open work areas. There were a handful of people diligently working despite the hour. None of them glanced up at their small group. Not until they passed through a set of double doors to a bustling, bright room. People were on phones, squinting at their computers, or watching the spread of six TVs showing… Okay, she had no idea what they were looking at.
And in the middle of it all was the ever-elegant Zora Clark.
Jessica had met her twice, and each time left her in awe of the woman.
Zora turned toward them, eyes wide. “Are you ever a sight for sore eyes!”
The security detail did an about-face and left without another word, their job done.
Samuel stepped forward leaving Jessica no other option but to follow. She felt incredibly frumpy and gross standing next to Zora in her impeccably tailored navy suit and pearls.
Zora’s wide-eyed gaze swung toward Jessica. “I can’t believe you’re both here. Are either of you hurt?”
“Just bumps and bruises,” Jessica said.
Zora glanced between them, mouth open, eyes wide.
Jessica held up her hands. “We aren’t ghosts, I swear.”