Page 15

Mirage

Mirage awoke at 5:00 a.m., and the first thing he thought was… did Grace feel that?

He dressed in his brown camo pants and jacket with the hood before he went in search of food.

As usual, the cafeteria was empty except for a couple of workers behind the line.

He figured they must have already prepared food shipped in because there was no way they could offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a staff of four people.

His nutritionist told him the organization was very selective about personnel, preferring to hire retired military or government contractors who’d undergone extensive background checks. And anyone who accepted employment had to live there and was not granted much outside contact.

Mirage took his tray of boiled eggs, turkey sausage, and grits with extra butter—he had to indulge a little—outside and sat at one of the patio tables.

He trained for twelve hours a day, outside of the time he was being analyzed in the labs.

Before Mirage could get comfortable, a voice that sounded like a ghost who tormented dreams made his breath hitch.

Mirage turned to find Grace sitting in the shade at the farthest table from the door.

He had on a different trench from the one from yesterday.

This one looked like soft, breathable cotton, with another low-riding hood.

Mirage couldn’t see his eyes while he hid from the sun.

“I eat here most mornings before training. This is my first time seeing you.”

Grace’s expression didn’t change. “I eat alone.”

Mirage returned to his food and sprinkled some salt and pepper on his eggs. “So what are you doing here then?”

“Watching you.”

Grace was clearly a man of few words, but the little he did speak packed a serious punch.

Mirage watched his partner with intense focus and asked, “You like what you see?”

Grace stared him down until Mirage had to break the contact.

He ate his eggs and a few spoonfuls of grits before he spoke again. “You ready for training?”

When he was met with silence, he turned to demand Grace answer him, but he was gone.

Damn him.

Mirage scarfed down the rest of his breakfast and orange juice, then hurried to the training facility.