Page 110 of Marks of Rebellion

"You're a man in your forties. It's not normal to have a beat-up face."

"So, our faces have to be completely bruise-free or just better than right now?" Ryker asks.

"The more normal, the less attention you'll draw."

"Then we wait. Hunter and Vanessa will split from us when the time comes. In the meantime, we figure out how to get you through the airport unrecognized."

"You need a disguise," I tell her.

"My passport won't match."

"We'll get you a new passport."

"It's too risky to go back to Omoa," Hunter insists.

Nervous silence fills the Jeep.

"It's time we split," Ryker states.

"Agreed," Hunter replies.

My heart races, and I turn to Hunter. "Aren't we safer if we stay together?"

"No. We've been lucky we've gotten this far together. And our faces aren't helping this situation. It's not just the airport," Ryker adds.

More silence.

"I'll drop you off near the airport. You can lay low a few days until your face heals. We'll take the Jeep back to Tinker's and get Julieta a different passport."

"Sounds good." Hunter glances down. "Don't worry, Flower."

The airport is less than two hours away. There's a small motel close by and Ryker parks outside. The lot is only a quarter full. "Go see if they have any vacancy. We'll stay with Vanessa."

Hunter takes his passport and cash out of his bag, pecks me on the cheek, then goes inside.

"Guess you get a mini-vacay," Julieta jokes.

"Are you sure we should split up?" I ask.

"Yes," Ryker states.

Silence.

"Maybe you can get a blonde wig. You'd look good in it," I tell Julieta.

She smiles and turns to Ryker. "What do you think? Want to have a blonde on your arm?"

His face falls and something passes across his features, almost too quickly to be noticed.

Julieta shifts in her seat. "Sorry. Do you have something against blondes?"

He smiles, but it looks forced, and he quietly replies, "No. You'd look hot as a blonde or with any hair color." He taps his fingers on the wheel and stares out the front window.

Julieta closes her eyes, as if she just realized something, then puts her hand on his thigh.

He clenches his jaw but doesn't say anything.

The uncomfortable silence continues until Hunter comes back out.