Mike came to the table, interrupting their conversation. He looked excited—almost eager about what he had to say. He didn’t sit. Rather, he stood behind the men as they turned their heads up to regard him.
“We got a message from Mick O’Hara. Caleb says it’s time. We’ve got to move.”
Gina was glad she’d finished eating because chaos erupted shortly after Mick’s statement. The men jumped to their feet and scattered. All except for Jim.
“What’s going on?” she asked him.
“I’m going home.” The expression on his face broke her heart. He looked so uncertain, so lost. “The question is, are you coming with me?”
Now she understood. Their idle was over. It was time to get back to work.
She put her arm around his waist. “I’m going with you.”
She felt his relief, but it was short lived. “For how long?”
“I don’t know.” She looked up into his eyes, feeling the same uncertainty reflected back at her. “As long as I can.”
Grady followed Mike and the others to the command center where plans were progressing. He had a decision to make, but really, his decision was already made. He could not leave his Resonance Mate. He would go where she did, and he could guess her choice would be to go with Jim.
So Grady set to work helping others with logistics and planning for the trip ahead.
“You’re coming with us right?” Jim arrived while the others were discussing what to bring, with Gina at his side. Grady found he liked the easy way Jim asked the question, as though he already knew and accepted the answer. Frankly, Grady hadn’t expected such easy welcome even though they’d done their best to get along for Gina’s sake.
“I will come, if you will have me.”
“You’re welcome in Colorado, Grady.” Jim offered his hand, and Grady knew enough about the human gesture to know what it meant. They shook hands while Gina watched, hugging them both before they joined the rest of the group planning.
It was decided they would take two pods. Jim, Grady and Gina would ride in the pod from Jim’s facility and Dave and Bill would take one of the pods from here. They would leave that very day, just after lunch.
“Grady, I guess you’ve got a craft of some kind hidden away out in the woods, right?” Mike asked, drawing attention.
Grady nodded. “It is untraceable and well hidden. It should be safe where it is unless you prefer I move it.”
“Do you think it would fit through our cargo entrance? We could keep it safe for you down here.”
Grady thought about it and decided if he didn’t trust these people by now, he never would. They’d held his life in their hands, and they’d proven to be friends.
“I would appreciate it. And if I don’t return, perhaps the craft can be helpful to you.” He had to be practical. He didn’t know where his road might lead. For all he knew, he might never return to this place, never need the craft because he would never return to his former people.
Mike nodded and they made plans to move the craft as soon as the meeting broke up.
Jim and Bill conferred on the kinds of seeds Jim’s people might be able to use and what they could trade. Soon Bill had a group set to help him load the pod with items from his hydroponics operation—seeds and certain crops they had in abundance.
When the meeting broke up, Gina went with Dave to see about what kind of medical supplies they could use or trade while Grady left with Mike to move the craft. Jim tagged along with Mike and Grady, and Mike told them how to get to the cargo entrance before splitting off a side tunnel to be ready to open the door for them.
Grady was surprised when Jim decided to follow him out into the sunshine past the tunnel entrance. They moved as stealthily as possible, and Grady was pleased to see that Jim had great skill in the woods. He was a worthy warrior with many abilities.
When they arrived at the craft, Jim almost stumbled over it at first, making Grady chuckle.
“Damn, that’s well hidden,” Jim commented as Grady began to uncover the small speeder.
“This is not my first attempt at stealth, you know.”
Grady enjoyed the way they laughed and worked together. This feeling of camaraderie was something he’d missed—even though he’d never felt it as acutely as he did at that very moment.
They finished uncovering the vehicle and climbed aboard. Grady took a few minutes to monitor communications and check locations of other Alvian craft in the area. Luckily, there were none near enough to pose a danger.
“I’ve never been in one of these before.” Jim looked curious about the instrumentation panel and monitoring stations in the small craft.
“This particular model was refurbished by the Zxerah. The Patriarch gave me use of it before I left their encampment. Like them, it is completely untraceable. I double-checked every system myself before ever approaching this area. I didn’t want to bring attention to Jaci and her mates. As it turned out, my precautions were even more necessary than I had thought.”
“Thank heaven for your paranoia.” Jim laughed, and Grady joined in.
“And the Zxerah’s. With this craft, I can monitor all other Alvian craft and communications in a wide area without them ever knowing I am here. Unless they spot me visually, this craft is completely off their screens.”
“A handy trick.”
“It came in very useful on the trip here. Even as I left the top secret Zxerah refuge, I was followed by elements of the regular military. The Council sent their watchdogs to spy on me—probably to make sure Bill would die, even if I changed my mind and did not complete the assigned mission. I couldn’t let that happen. It was foolish of them to think my own men could trail me and I would not see them. I trained them, after all. Not one of them is a better tracker than me. Some are close, and it was difficult at first to shake them, but I’m confident none were able to follow me much beyond the mountains to the south. I left a false trail going east, over the plains, which is probably where they are—still looking for me.”
Grady fired up the vehicle, which made very little actual noise, and maneuvered out of the trees. He took a circuitous route to the cargo door, just in case.
“For the record, I’m glad you’re coming with us to Colorado.”
Grady was touched by the sincerity in the other man’s tone. He was getting better and better at reading the nuances in human discourse.
“Thank you for agreeing to share Gina with me. I know it could not have been an easy decision for you.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t. But I’d rather see her well protected, and well loved, than miserable. I realized she wasn’t going to be happy unless she had both of us in her life. Likewise, as our recent encounter with that damned cat proved, two of us to protect her is much better than one. I don’t think either one of us could have taken out that giant cat without help, but to be honest you were damn close. You’re as strong as you are big and skilled too. That counts for a lot with me—especially since, like me, you’ll do everything you can to keep our woman safe. Whether she likes it or not.”
“She does have an independent streak,” Grady agreed, trying not to let too much of his emotion show. Jim’s words meant the world to him. The respect of this man was something he valued.
“The trick will be not to let her catch on that we’re protecting her. Our girl Gina thinks she can take care of herself—and she can—but I, for one, plan to help her. I suspect you will too.” Jim winked as he grinned, and Grady thought he understood perfectly.
“Oh, I will. Have no doubt.”