Lydia chuckled. “I come from a long line of coffee worshipers. It’ll do the trick.”
Jamie perched beside Lydia on the other side of the bed and propped her back against the headboard. She crossed her boot-covered feet and laced her fingers together in her lap. “You want to tell me what’s going on so I can help?”
Lydia took a sip of her steaming coffee and rejoiced as the warm liquid slid down her throat. “Didn’t the general fill you in?”
Jamie shook her head. “Nope, can’t say that he did. I was ambushed at lunch by people telling me that we had a situation and to get my ass to the intel room. I had no idea what had happened, and after that, I spent the rest of the afternoon healing Brody’s obnoxious ass and now yours. And let’s not even talk about Briggs. I thought I was going to have to knock him out cold so I could concentrate on you.” Jaime grinned. “Let’s just say… he wasn’t a happy camper when I pulled my Glock and threatened to shoot off his manhood to get his ass out of the room.”
Lydia’s gasp turned into a cough. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“Yep, as I see it, you owe me an explanation for having to put up with that overbearing, grumpy man. So start talking.”
Lydia let her head fall against the headboard and inhaled a deep breath. “I had a vision. The men that ran Brody and Rick off the road made a comment that I’d come and find Rick. That was why they took him. They didn’t even want him; they wanted me.”
“Hmm. Do you know what for?”
Lydia shrugged. “To have control over my gifts, I suppose. I have no clue other than that.”
“Sounds like we’ve got a rescue to attempt.” Jamie slid from the bed and held out her hand. “Hand me your cup, and I’ll refill it. It seems we need to get you back to one hundred percent so we can go save your boyfriend.”
Lydia chuckled. Even in the dire situation, she couldn’t help but appreciate the fact that Jaime was an unexpected friend in this crazy place. A friend that she could count on when the chips were down and that wasn’t required by birth to like her. “You know he’s not my boyfriend, right? He’ll be leaving soon.”
The thought was sobering. It created a void in her chest, the same type of void she’d had since he’d been taken. Lydia downed her coffee and handed Jaime the cup. She slid her legs off the bed and pushed to her feet, keeping a hold of the headboard to steady herself.
“Do you want me to take another crack at healing you with my hands?”
Lydia shook her head. “Nope, just keep filling me up with more coffee. I’m no good to anybody in this condition.”
Jaime rounded the end of the bed and put her arm around Lydia’s shoulder. An act of friendship or to help her walk? She didn’t care which. Both served her purpose. She was going to need someone in her corner when she went after Rick, and she was going after him with or without the help of those in the compound. A call to her family would be all it took to get the troops in motion. They’d come to help her; she was sure of it.
Chapter 15
Lydia leaned against the counter in little kitchen thinking about Rick and what he must be going through. If she could take it all back and make him stay in Southall, she would. He wouldn’t have been captured and could have moved on with his life, a life without the added danger and pressures someone with her gift added. Jaime had left her only an hour ago to finish her pot of coffee. Her energy had started to revive. She could feel the tendrils coursing through her body. It was just going to be a matter of time before she went in search of Rick. She felt as though she was wasting time but knew she’d need her full strength to succeed.
A knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts.
She pulled the door open and came face to face with Brody. A grin stretched across his face as he winked.
“I see you’re back to your old self,” Lydia said, acknowledging his playfulness.
Brody took her hand in his and brought it up to his mouth, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “Thanks to you. How are you feeling?”
Lydia slid her fingers from his hand and stepped out of his way to let him enter her room. “Another pot of coffee…or two and I’ll be good to go.”
Brody hopped up on her kitchen counter. “I taught you well, grasshopper. You proved yourself today and accomplished a feat that, to be perfectly honest, I’m not even sure I could have done.”
Brody’s teasing didn’t faze her. There was only one person on Lydia’s mind. “Did you see Rick before they took him? Was he hurt? Was he bleeding?”
Brody hopped off the counter and took both of her hands in his. “I was unconscious, Lydia. Unfortunately I didn’t see a thing.”