****
Lydia tapped her foot with her hands planted on her waist as she waited for the decisions to be made. General Lister didn’t need to see her narrowed eyes to realize she didn’t approve. The air vibrated with energy making the tiny hair on his arms stand up. She was a powerful woman with abilities unlike any he’d seen before. She’d made her decision and was expecting everyone to abide by it. The first thing the little red head needed to learn was that she didn’t get to make the decisions, he did. This had turned into a damn circus and if he didn’t get control now, he never would.
She’d eventually come to harness her gift. He’d help train her to survive, if it was the last thing he did; he owed her for saving both of his daughters’ lives. For someone with the gift of foresight, she should have seen this coming. He’d found it interesting, that she hadn’t. Something he would explore as soon as he got her the hell out of this god-forsaken town. The sooner he could accomplish that the better for everyone including his daughter.
The general studied the strong men who’d come to take a stand for Lydia. Briggs had been under his command during his military service and was a good guy; although quiet. Briggs wanting to tag along wasn’t what surprised the general; the wild card in this bunch was FBI Agent Thompson. The General let his gaze run down and back up the agent assessing him. “Grab your gear. We have to leave now.”
The general turned on his heel; he could feel the energy in the air sizzle even as he walked toward Lydia and his men who were waiting for him. She was gifted all right; and he was going to push her to her limits. His mission was almost complete. He was bringing her in, where they could observe and help her.
Chapter 2
Lydia glanced around at the caravan of vehicles following the General’s SUV. The escort to wherever they were going should have eased her fears, but instead it amplified them. The proximity of the two men flanking her in the back seat did little to calm her nerves, hell if anything Rick’s thigh pressed unconsciously against hers set off a whole different reaction, one she tried her best to ignore.
Lydia cleared her throat and leaned forward in her seat, placing her elbows on the seat backs in front of her. “Where are you taking me?”
The General glanced into the rearview mirror at her before training his eyes on the road in front of him. “You’ll be debriefed when we get there. It’s safer that way.”
Lydia tilted her head. “Safer for whom?”
The General’s lips tilted up at the corners. “My men at the compound.”
Lydia leaned back in to the plush leather seats and sighed. The General’s answers were vague, but she couldn’t blame him. He had people to protect just like she did. Lydia shifted and glanced out the window, the darkness of the night sky concealing any mile markers they passed. She wished that she’d had time to take a tour of the town, but with everything that had happened, she hadn’t. Her unease increased, she had no clue where she was going.
Briggs leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Don’t worry doll, it seems we’re heading to a secure airport, just outside of town. If I had to guess, we’ll be traveling by air.”
Rick crossed his arms over his chest and grunted. Lydia could no more decipher the man’s thoughts than she could her own. One minute he’d demanded that he come with her, and yet it seemed like he wanted to be anywhere but by her side, as if it was her fault she’d made some decision and dragged him along.
****
Rick watched as Briggs leaned over whispering in Lydia’s ear. His words were meant for her, but he’d heard what Briggs said just the same. Why it bothered him that Briggs felt comfortable enough to be whispering into the ear of a woman, that none of them really knew, was beyond him. Just like the fact that he hadn’t liked it one bit bothered him worse.
Rick crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t going to let the little redhead get to him. He was here for his own mission. He’d find out everything he could, no matter what his clearance at the bureau allowed him. Lydia had seamlessly waltzed into his friend’s life, and rooted herself in the family he’d come to care about. Not many questions had been asked, they’d all accepted her, some more quickly than others had and that bothered him. Rick still had his doubts about her timing. She’d shown up right when the FBI was about to take down a man they’d been after for twenty years. It was a bit too convenient for his tastes and he wanted answers.