Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 64938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
He no longer felt regret for working a double shift the night his mother was killed. He didn’t have nightmares of his past combat missions. And there was no longer any guilt caving in his chest for all the wrong in the world he’d yet to make right.
Nope, he felt nothing at all.
Somehow…Mirage did, and it was bleeding into him.
“Well?” he pushed.
Grace wasn’t letting it go. He wanted answers.
“More important, how did you get in?” he rasped.
Grace could feel Mirage’s anxious energy vibrating inside his own chest.
It was unwelcome.
“How do you even know that was me in the hall?”
Mirage’s gaze held a spark of mischief beneath his intelligence.
Grace would’ve rolled his eyes if he could still react to ridiculousness. Instead, he answered, “One, because I never said you were in the hall, and two, I know for the same reason you knew it was me behind that door.”
Mirage swallowed hard enough that Grace could see it.
“I could feel you.”
The startled exhalation from Mirage’s parted lips caressed Grace’s chin.
He got lost for a moment in Mirage’s eyes, which turned another interesting shade of blue.
Mirage spluttered for a second before he put together an answer.
“I have a master’s in neurology, but I’ve also done extensive research on affective neuroscience.” Mirage shrugged. “I was curious about the ingredients in the serums. The scientist in me wouldn’t let it go. That’s all.”
He’s lying.
Mirage backed away and turned toward the window.
“It’s groundbreaking medical advancements. I couldn’t resist.”
Still lying.
Mirage’s reasons were his own. He, on the other hand, was indifferent and couldn’t care less about the details behind the Ravens’ technology.
Mirage continued to stare down at the evening traffic.
“You never wonder what they’re pumping into your bloodstream every day?”
Grace shook his head. It was the truth.
As long as they allowed him to kill as many bad guys as they promised, without the hassle of legal or government restrictions, they could be injecting him with a mixture of heroin and asbestos for all he cared. He didn’t give two shits.
“No, I don’t care. I’m here to eliminate the people I wasn’t allowed to in the Marines.”
Mirage licked his lips as if he liked that answer.
“I need a partner that’s here for the same thing or, at least, similar reasons as me.” Grace hardened his tone. “Not one doing espionage.”
Grace
“I’m not a damn spy, Grace. I said it was curiosity, nothing more.”
They fell silent for a long time.
Grace closed his eyes and listened to Mirage’s heartbeats, which had begun to slow and even out.
His new partner’s calmness made the fire coursing through Grace lower to a comfortable simmer.
Grace opened his eyes to find Mirage was back in his personal space, eyeing him as if he could feel what’d just happened.
“Have you seen the first generation?” Mirage asked out of the blue.
“The Blacks?”
“Yes.” Mirage didn’t break their eye contact. “Have you seen them in action?”
“Yes.”
“I heard they’ve only been together a year.”
Mirage bit his bottom lip until it turned a light shade of pink.
“Do you think we’ll be as in sync with each other as they are?”
Grace didn’t hesitate. “I think we already are.”
“Really?” Mirage blinked.
“Before I met you, I heard your heart beating when you passed the door to the silent suite. You may be a mirage to others…but you’re not to me.”
Mirage attempted to conceal a shudder, but Grace saw it.
“Today, I felt you moving in my direction, and it got stronger before you came into the room. It was so strong that it took a moment before I could turn and face you.”
Grace stunned even himself at the declaration.
“Tomorrow, I’ll feel when you wake up in the morning…so imagine what I’ll feel from you in one year, Mirage.”
Grace turned to leave.
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
Mirage
Mirage awoke at 5:00 a.m., and the first thing he thought was…did Grace feel that?
He dressed in his brown camo pants and jacket with the hood before he went in search of food.
As usual, the cafeteria was empty except for a couple of workers behind the line.
He figured they must have already prepared food shipped in because there was no way they could offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a staff of four people.
His nutritionist told him the organization was very selective about personnel, preferring to hire retired military or government contractors who’d undergone extensive background checks. And anyone who accepted employment had to live there and was not granted much outside contact.
Mirage took his tray of boiled eggs, turkey sausage, and grits with extra butter—he had to indulge a little—outside and sat at one of the patio tables.
He trained for twelve hours a day, outside of the time he was being analyzed in the labs.
Before Mirage could get comfortable, a voice that sounded like a ghost who tormented dreams made his breath hitch.
Mirage turned to find Grace sitting in the shade at the farthest table from the door.