The underground structure they were in showed signs of previous, earlier, habitation. A few storerooms held furniture and books from decades before. She’dassumed the Templar hadn’t thrown it away because they hadn’t yet needed thespace. The physical debris would also be hard to get rid of. And, if left lying around, it could draw the demons to them.
Leah felt certain Simon had chosen a base outside of the city to protect the civilians he’d gotten out of London. That was how he’d operated for the lastfour years. He’d risked his life on a daily basis to save the innocents that hadbeen trapped in the city.
Even from the short times she’d been with him over those last few years, Leahknew Simon Cross wasn’t a man who would easily change his nature. His whole goalwas to protect the defenseless.
The way he’d thought he’s been protecting you.
Leah sometimes felt guilty about the way she’d deceived him in order to getinside the Templar organization. But it was what she did and she was good at it. Normally, though, the organizations she penetrated offered some threat to Great Britain. The Templar had become a target solely because no one knew anything about them.
And if it hadn’t been for Thomas Cross dying on All Hallows’ Eve and beingrecognized by a police inspector who’d had previous dealings with him, no onewould have known about Simon Cross and his ties to the Templar. Leah wouldn’thave picked up Simon’s trail in South Africa. And if she hadn’t already beenassigned there, she’d never have crossed paths with him.
It was all a matter of luck. Some good and some bad. As it was, the Templar posed no threat to England and, in fact, might well be her greatest weapon against the demons.
Except that the Templar who were left were reluctant to engage the demons.
All but Simon Cross and his fellow warriors.
And if he accepts the mission you’ve put before him, he’ll be in harm’s wayagain.
Leah told herself she wasn’t going to feel any guilt. She knew that was alie, but if she couldn’t feel it till after she was gone, till after Simon wasgone, that would be best.
Finally, feeling guilty about the water, she turned the faucets off and stepped from the shower cubicle. Simon had assigned her room within the underground complex. He had also assigned guards to watch over her.
She toweled off, then walked to the mirror and wiped a patch of it free so she could see her reflection. She wasn’t happy.
You look gaunt and tired, and not attractive at all. Then she chided herself for being foolish. She wasn’t there to be attractive. Shewas there because she had a message to deliver. Now that it was delivered, she needed to go.
If she was allowed. And if she wasn’t allowed, she’d leave shortly afterthat. No matter how good the Templar were, they couldn’t hold her if she didn’twant to be held.
In the sleeping quarters, Leah dressed. She pulled on the spandex “onesie”that insulated her from the rough interior of her stealth suit. She knew that the Templar armor had fluid that rejuvenated the wearer’s skin and providedantibacterial topical medications. The fluid also helped cushion impacts and drastic changes in the outside temperatures.
The door opened just as she reached for the armored pants. Simon stopped immediately.
“Sorry,” he said. “I should have knocked.”
Unselfconsciously, Leah stepped into the armored pants and pulled them on. She wasn’t embarrassed about her near-nudity. From her short time in the TemplarUnderground, she knew that nudity was accepted as necessary with so many people living so close together in a constant state of readiness to go to war. She had seen Simon naked and it hadn’t fazed him.
Of course, with the way he was built he had nothing to be ashamed of.
Thinking like that is going to get you into trouble, Leah told herself. She reached for the armored blouse.
“It’s all right,” Leah said. “I’m almost dressed.”
“You look better,” Simon told her.
“Inferring that I looked terrible earlier?” Leah was conscious of her effortto secure a compliment as soon as she spoke. She felt embarrassed and a little put out with herself. It wasn’t like her to be like that. She had known men before. But none of them were ever like Simon Cross. The Templar was asdeadly and dangerous as any of the men Leah knew, but something vulnerable and innocent clung to him.
Those were qualities that Leah wasn’t used to. He was exactly what he actedlike. Not one of the social chameleons that Leah worked with.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Simon said. He even had the decency to lookembarrassed. “I just meant you looked rested and healthier.”
“I owe that to you. So thank you for caring for me. And for the compliment.”Leah prodded the inside of her left forearm with the fingertips of her right hand to activate the suit’s circuitry.
Immediately, the onboard electromagnetic generators locked the armor pieces together. The suit almost became another layer of skin and fused at the seams so the pieces couldn’t be easily separated. Once she pulled on her helmet, thatwould lock in as well.
“That armor’s very interesting,” Simon observed.
“I’ve always thought so,” Leah agreed. “Beyond that, however, I can’t tellyou anything.”
“Can’t?”
“Won’t.”
“Same difference?”
Leah shrugged. She knew she presented a puzzle and a worry to him. Part of her enjoyed that. In addition to being brave and loyal, Simon was curious.
“What are you going to do about Macomber?” she asked.
“If we don’t go get him, what would your people do with him?”
Leah recognized the question as a feint. Simon couldn’t pass up the chancefor more information about the demons. As informed as the Templar were, they didn’t know the demons’ completehistory.
“I’m not privy to that information,” she answered. Calmly, she sat on the bedand waited. The Cluster Rifle she’d used was nowhere to be found, but she hadseveral defensive and offensive measures built into the suit.
“Will your superior be with Macomber?”
“I don’t know who’ll
