Page 75 of Agent Zero

Holly set her chin and followed the tugging on her wrist, into the uncertain future.

FORTY-SEVEN

Of courseshe’d start asking those sorts of questions now.He’d had all the grace a monster was allowed, and keeping her around wasn’t going to be so easy from here on out.She had every right to run, and what did it say about Reese that he wasn’t going to let her?

It was a long walk in the dark, judging their distance by counting his steps, and when Holly tried to pull away he clamped down on her wrist before he realized she was trying to hold his hand instead.

Why?

Still, he felt better with her gloved fingers laced into his.Especially when she squeezed.It could’ve simply been easier for her to keep her balance.Or that she didn’t want to be left in the darkness.

What it probablywasn’twas any other reason.Did you kill people?It was a question he’d been dreading.Was she regretting the other night with him now?

Of course she was.She was clean, and he was anything but.Still, if he kept her safe, that was a way to balance it out.

Wasn’t it?

Silence, except for her hurrying to keep up.She was much quieter now, not moving smoothly as an agent, but a normal would think her eerily soundless.The feedback from heightened senses gave you a new baseline for “careful”.He’d have to teach her how to pass among normals, some of the basic lessons about controlling the autonomics, and other things.

Assuming she’d listen to him.

He slowed as he sensed the end of the steadily rising tunnel.“Almost there,” he murmured.

“We’ve been going up.”Did she sound tentative?Of course, he’d snapped at her.

Way to go, soldier.“Yeah.The climb up isn’t nearly as bad.You’re doing great.”

A half-choked laugh, soft and pretty as the rest of her.“Really?”

Didn’t sound like she believed him.

“I’m sorry, Holly.I’m on edge.And I didn’t think anyone would find us.”

“Maybe they didn’t, maybe they followed Cal.”

Could be.“Don’t know yet.”

“But you trust him?”

“Only provisionally.”And not with you.

Maybe the talking was helping her stay calm, or maybe she was processing.“Why would they just shoot to warn him?”

“Don’t know that they did.”

“Whatdoyou know?”A trace of irritation, wonderfully cheering to hear.At least she wasn’t numb, or screaming with terror.

“Where we’re going,” Reese said, and continued with the list.“What we’re going to do.And that I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She was silent.Probably didn’t believe him.He had time to change her mind, though.Didn’t he?

I hope so.

The end came a little sooner than he’d expected.Fortunately he didn’t walk into the goddamn ladder to top everything off.“Okay.We’ll climb a bit.There’s rest platforms.How are you feeling?”

“Like I just got shot at.”A little unsteady.“Like I lost all my clothes.Again.”

He squeezed her fingers, gently, before loosening his hand.“I’m sorry, Holly.”And I am.But not enough to let you go.