No Return by Brett Battles Page A

anywhere, whether she knows how to or not. I want you to make a list of what we’re going to need tomorrow. We’ll be on the road most of the day, with no stores nearby that I know of, so you’ll have to get supplies tonight when we get back. When you’re done with the list, write up the production report for yesterday and today. I’ll take a look at them later.”
    Dione glanced at Danny and Wes. “All right, guys. Shall we hit it?”
    Danny retrieved his camera from the Escape and put it in the other SUV.
    “So you’re going to be all alone?” Anna asked Wes.
    “Looks that way,” Wes said.
    She glanced at Dione. “Mind if I join him?”
    An odd smile formed on Dione’s face. “Fine by me.” She opened the driver’s door of the Highlander, then asked Wes, “Which way are you going to head?”
    He shrugged. “Thought I could go north.” He pointed at the far end of the valley, where the hills met the Sierras. “Get some of the volcanic stuff.”
    “Great idea,” she said as she climbed in. “We’ll go east toward Death Valley.”
    “Death Valley?” Whatever else Danny added to his protest was rendered unintelligible as Dione pulled her door shut.
    “You want me to drive so you can shoot?” Anna said to Wes.
    “Maybe in a bit,” Wes replied.
    A few moments later they were on the road, air conditioner blasting.
    “I think Dione might know,” Wes threw out.
    “Know what?”
    “About us.”
    “Of course she does,” Anna said. “I told her.”
    “You told her?”
    “Dione’s one of my best friends.”
    “I thought we’d decided to keep things quiet for a while.”
    “Do you see me shouting about it to everyone?” Anna asked. “Besides, you told Casey.”
    “Casey’s my roommate. I didn’t have a choice if you were going to stay over.”
    “Well, you had a choice. You could have just not had me come over.”
    “That was not an option, either.”
    Anna turned so that her back was to the door and she could take a good, long look at him. “Anyone else you tell?”
    “You’re changing the subject.”
    “Maybe I am, but I want to know. I know you haven’t told Alison yet.”
    Wes shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He and Alison had hooked up for a short time a year earlier. Anna knew all this, of course. It was the worst-kept secret on the crew. And while he was okay remaining friends, it was obvious Alison was still open to the possibility of more.
    “She’ll find out soon enough.”
    Anna watched him for a moment, the hint of a smile on her face. “So who else?”
    He shook his head. “No one you’ve met.”
    “So there is someone else. Now I’m really intrigued.”
    Wes brought the Escape to a stop at the intersection of China Lake Boulevard and Inyokern Road. A turn to the right would take them to the front gate of the base, and a turn left would eventually take them to the highway. Wes turned left.
    “Who?” Anna asked again.
    Wes frowned. “Okay. My mom.”
    Silence.
    “You told your mom about me?” Anna’s tone was stunned.
    “Yeah, I told my mom about you. It’s not a big deal, okay?”
    “You told your mom.”
    “Look, she always asks me if I’m seeing anyone, and I’m always telling her no. Last time when she asked, it just kind of … slipped.”
    “How does something like that kind of slip?”
    “You don’t know my mom.”
    Wes was afraid to glance over at her, scared of what her reaction would be. Would she think he was some sort of thirty-three-year-old mamma’s boy, or maybe think it was too soon for him to say something to his mom, or, worst of all, realize that he was more serious about her than she was ever going to be about him?
    Finally, he couldn’t help himself and took a quick peek at her.
    She was still staring at him, but not in the get-me-out-of-this-car kind of way he’d almost been expecting. She was smiling.
    “What?” he asked.
    She swiveled around so she was facing front again, then she put her arm on the back of his seat