the previous night, no matter how unsettling it was, had
disappeared. Fine with her, Astrid thought, and felt a small,
painful pinch in her stomach.
They breakfasted in silence. Astrid kept her
eyes on her food, and when they finished, she put the plates in the
sink and cleaned the table. At seven o’clock they were ready to
go.
“My car or yours?” Astrid said.
“I’ve rented a truck. We’ll pick it up at the
rental lot and leave my car there.”
“Why?”
“My car has all-season tires. There could
still be some snow on the road in the mountains. Besides, I prefer
driving trucks.”
“We can take my Honda.”
Jack gave her a look. “There’s an inch thick
dust on your Honda. When did you drive it last, Astrid?”
“Well, a few months ago... Okay, fine. I like
trucks, too. I’ll drive, if you don’t mind. You can drive on our
way back.”
Jack nodded. “Sure.”
“And I’ll ask questions, on our way back. I
have them too.”
“I know. I’ll try to answer them.”
They picked up the truck and a quarter of an
hour later they hit the main road heading east. It was still early
and the road was almost empty, clean and dry. It was a cold, windy
late winter day, however, and the heavy clouds threatened to bring
more rain soon.
It wasn’t a great day for hiking, but Astrid
was glad to go. It was better than being stuck inside with Jack,
she decided, in his moody mode.
JACK WATCHED her driving. She drove a bit on
the fast side, but she was a safe and confident driver and she
seemed to be enjoying it.
He knew she used to go hiking often, before
she’d been forced to hide out in this godforsaken place. She was
also a decent rock climber. That had stopped, too, about a year
ago. Along with diving, horse riding, traveling... God, they’d
taken away so many things she liked.
Astrid was quiet and her eyes were fixed on
the road.
“Did you sleep well last night?” he asked,
breaking the silence.
Her lips slightly curved upward. “Did
you?”
“You have an annoying habit of answering a
question with another question. I didn’t. Your turn.”
She gave him a quick look. “I did. By the
way, your jacket is in my room. Why didn’t you sleep well?”
“You’re sure you want to know?”
“Well, you got what you asked for,” she
muttered. Before Jack could say anything, she added, “I’m waiting
for your questions.”
“What can you smell now?”
“Strawberry shampoo, some fancy body wash,
toothpaste, alcohol-free mouthwash…”
“Astrid...”
“Citrus, amber, spice... Let’s see... lime,
bergamot, lavender and sandalwood. Aramis Tuscany . Quite a
conservative choice. One of my favorites. Reminds me of—”
“Your description is impressive,” Jack said,
“but I really don’t think I want to know why you like Aramis
Tuscany , Miss Spock. Can you so accurately describe my natural
scent as well?”
Astrid briefly closed her eyes and inhaled
deeply. “Warm, spicy, musky; fresh and clear, lots of hormones,
hence that musky tone. How am I doing so far?”
“Excellent. Is that how you found me two days
ago?”
“You left your scent all over my place. You
didn’t actually try hard to mask it, did you? I wasn’t able to
smell those two that had been watching over me for months.
Why?”
“They were careful to neutralize their scent
and never physically come too close to you. They were instructed
not to, unless necessary.”
“Jack.” Astrid turned to him. “I want to be
open as much as possible, I really do. But this is getting more and
more crazy. I have a feeling I’ve been told just a part of what I
need to know and have a right to know. Tristan and Liv know more
than they say. My uncle sent some strangers to watch over me, and
nobody bothered to tell me about it.”
Jack smiled, “Alec Randall is actually your
second cousin.”
“Really?” She smiled, pleased. A cousin. That
was nice; a bonus she hadn’t counted on. But that could wait.
“Jack, can you give
disappeared. Fine with her, Astrid thought, and felt a small,
painful pinch in her stomach.
They breakfasted in silence. Astrid kept her
eyes on her food, and when they finished, she put the plates in the
sink and cleaned the table. At seven o’clock they were ready to
go.
“My car or yours?” Astrid said.
“I’ve rented a truck. We’ll pick it up at the
rental lot and leave my car there.”
“Why?”
“My car has all-season tires. There could
still be some snow on the road in the mountains. Besides, I prefer
driving trucks.”
“We can take my Honda.”
Jack gave her a look. “There’s an inch thick
dust on your Honda. When did you drive it last, Astrid?”
“Well, a few months ago... Okay, fine. I like
trucks, too. I’ll drive, if you don’t mind. You can drive on our
way back.”
Jack nodded. “Sure.”
“And I’ll ask questions, on our way back. I
have them too.”
“I know. I’ll try to answer them.”
They picked up the truck and a quarter of an
hour later they hit the main road heading east. It was still early
and the road was almost empty, clean and dry. It was a cold, windy
late winter day, however, and the heavy clouds threatened to bring
more rain soon.
It wasn’t a great day for hiking, but Astrid
was glad to go. It was better than being stuck inside with Jack,
she decided, in his moody mode.
JACK WATCHED her driving. She drove a bit on
the fast side, but she was a safe and confident driver and she
seemed to be enjoying it.
He knew she used to go hiking often, before
she’d been forced to hide out in this godforsaken place. She was
also a decent rock climber. That had stopped, too, about a year
ago. Along with diving, horse riding, traveling... God, they’d
taken away so many things she liked.
Astrid was quiet and her eyes were fixed on
the road.
“Did you sleep well last night?” he asked,
breaking the silence.
Her lips slightly curved upward. “Did
you?”
“You have an annoying habit of answering a
question with another question. I didn’t. Your turn.”
She gave him a quick look. “I did. By the
way, your jacket is in my room. Why didn’t you sleep well?”
“You’re sure you want to know?”
“Well, you got what you asked for,” she
muttered. Before Jack could say anything, she added, “I’m waiting
for your questions.”
“What can you smell now?”
“Strawberry shampoo, some fancy body wash,
toothpaste, alcohol-free mouthwash…”
“Astrid...”
“Citrus, amber, spice... Let’s see... lime,
bergamot, lavender and sandalwood. Aramis Tuscany . Quite a
conservative choice. One of my favorites. Reminds me of—”
“Your description is impressive,” Jack said,
“but I really don’t think I want to know why you like Aramis
Tuscany , Miss Spock. Can you so accurately describe my natural
scent as well?”
Astrid briefly closed her eyes and inhaled
deeply. “Warm, spicy, musky; fresh and clear, lots of hormones,
hence that musky tone. How am I doing so far?”
“Excellent. Is that how you found me two days
ago?”
“You left your scent all over my place. You
didn’t actually try hard to mask it, did you? I wasn’t able to
smell those two that had been watching over me for months.
Why?”
“They were careful to neutralize their scent
and never physically come too close to you. They were instructed
not to, unless necessary.”
“Jack.” Astrid turned to him. “I want to be
open as much as possible, I really do. But this is getting more and
more crazy. I have a feeling I’ve been told just a part of what I
need to know and have a right to know. Tristan and Liv know more
than they say. My uncle sent some strangers to watch over me, and
nobody bothered to tell me about it.”
Jack smiled, “Alec Randall is actually your
second cousin.”
“Really?” She smiled, pleased. A cousin. That
was nice; a bonus she hadn’t counted on. But that could wait.
“Jack, can you give
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