Page 178 of Haze of Obedience

We turn.

She runs toward us. "I finished my chores. You promised we could write our song together after I finished."

"But, I think the horses want to play with you." I pick up Gloria and swing her in my arms, threatening to throw her over the fence.

She screeches for me to put her down while laughing.

I sling her over my shoulder and hold her legs tight to my chest. "Tickle time. Get her Zoe."

Zoe tickles her, and Gloria yells, "I'm going to pee my pants."

I slide her off me, and she takes Zoe's hand. "Can we write now?"

"Sure."

The three of us go inside the house. I'm about to turn my phone off when it rings. I answer, "Miss me already?"

Tinker replies, "Three days. Noon. Gate B. Daniel will have his nametag on. Say you're going to the gala. Don't be late."

"We won't. Thanks."

"Stay safe. Let me know when you get where you're going."

"Will do." I hang up and go into Gloria's bedroom, where she and Zoe are sitting on the floor with notebooks and markers surrounding them.

"Dirk. It's girls only!" Gloria whines.

"Sorry, but I need to steal Zoe for a few minutes, then you can have her back."

"Aww."

"I'll just be a minute. You keep working on what we just talked about."

When we get into the hall, I say, "Tinker called back. We need to be at the border in three days."

Her eyes widen, and she swallows hard.

"You okay? I thought you'd be happy."

"I am. I don't know why, but my stomach just flipped. I think I'm nervous."

"That's understandable. But this is good news."

"I agree."

I kiss her forehead. "Go back to writing your song, or Gloria is going to have a fit."

A sad smile appears on Zoe's face.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm going to miss her...all of them actually."

"Yes. We'll come back someday, or maybe they can visit us in Spain."

She nods and goes into the room.

I spend the next few days going over the details of what we're to do in my head, but it drives me crazy. There isn't much to review, and it's a matter of waiting.

The closer we get to traveling, the more nervous Zoe becomes. My insides flutter as well.

It isn't just Zoe and me anymore. It's our child's life at stake. I wish we didn't have to go so far, and to the lengths we do to be safe, but we need to get out of Mexico and all of Latin America. The longer we stay, the more risk we take of not being able to travel due to Zoe's pregnancy.

And I still need to get back to the guys. One way or another, we need to figure out how to take down the Global Leaders. If we don't, Zoe and our child will never be safe. They will always be trying to find her. Knowing how they took Penelope's child, only makes it that much more important to stop whatever they have planned.

If I have to shoot each one of them, one by one, I will. No one is going to harm Zoe ever again, and I'll be damned if they ever lay a hand on my child.