Page 19 of Leading the Blind
It was kinda magical.
It sorta pissed Bax right the hell off, too. Seriously, how did it come so fucking easy to the clown? He and Mini, they could try for an hour and all they’d end up doing was snarling.
“Good. Now turn right. Right. Now!”
Jason turned, his eyes searching for something to land on.
“Now, run.” Dillon wasn’t letting up on Mini at all. Not one bit.
Jason took off and Gramps caught him right before he hit the wall. “Gotcha.”
A bark of laughter burst from Jason. “Sure, but this ain’t real.”
Emmy snorted. “Then let’s take it to the hall, gents.”
“What? No.” No, his Mini wasn’t going to be running around like a fool in public.
“No drills,” Dillon said. “Just direction. I’ll go ahead and tell him who all is coming.”
“Okay.” But he was staying right there.
“I’ll take the back and keep folks from sneaking up,” Coke said.
“I think Gramps needs to rest,” Bax whispered to Jason. The old man was looking peaked and rough around the edges.
“We can break it up if we need to.”
“Dillon seems to think you need more training.”
Bax sighed and nodded. Coke Pharris would do what he would, and damn the torpedoes. The man was a force of nature, and his man Dillon was a freaking machine.
He was pretty sure he wasn’t. He just felt worried and tired.
Jason touched his hand. “Let’s go.”
“I got you.” Always.
“I know.” And that was that.
They all moved out into the hall, and Bax felt like they were in some movie about really stupid spies. Seriously, anyone would take one look at them and know they was up to something.
Of course, Dillon looked confident, sure, like they weren’t trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. That Emmy lady, she was something else too. She didn’t look a bit guilty. Mini looked worried and Coke looked tired. Bax didn’t know what the hell to do…
“Ace! Ace is coming. Go go go.” Dillon’s voice came through the earpiece loud enough that Bax heard him.
“Come on, Mini.” Back to the conference room, close the door. Bax took Jason’s arm and Jason turned with him easily.
“Was that real, Bax?”
“I think so, but Dillon was out of sight at that point.”
“Well, one way or the other.” Jason leaned against the door. “Is this gonna work, Bax?”
“It is. You got this. Hell, Dillweed can remind you to keep your eyes open.”
“Shut up.” Oh, that made Mini grin.
“Make me.” He yanked Jason up against him, needing a kiss. Right now. Jason gave it up, easy as pie, smashing their lips together with a hum. Bax held on, all his worry dissipating with that contact. When Mini touched him like that, all was right with the world. This was his one true thing.
