Chapter Twenty-One
As always, the location Jenna used to cross back and forth over the lines was secluded and deserted. Considering the slight track worn into the ground, it was evident she wasn’t the only one who used the spot. But some surveillance had led her to believe it was only the locals going about their business and not wanting to be bothered by patrols of soldiers and checkpoints. That wasn’t to say the enemy hadn’t used it at some stage, but considering the length and terrain of the territory lines, there were dozens of similar places all up and down the border; it was impossible for the UEF forces to monitor them all.
After unceremoniously crossing the lines, they’d hiked for several hours, first through lightly treed woods and then into farmland. Seb had been quiet since they’d left the destroyed cabin, though she hadn’t exactly tried to make conversation herself, as she’d kept alert for CSS patrols.
But she got the sense Seb’s lack of communication was due more to his mood turning darker the farther they got into enemy territory. Maybe it was because of the threat they faced—death or a fate worse at one of the CSS reeducation camps if captured.
The camps were the stuff of nightmares. Torture and deprivation of the basics while the CSS attempted to brainwash people into agreeing with their beliefs. Most people captured were eventually released after lengthy negotiations, but when Commander Yang had been caught and held for over a year, leaving the people of the Knox to believe he was dead, they’d realized that the CSS weren’t always forthcoming about the identity of their prisoners.
If she had to bet, however, Seb’s quiet act was probably more to do with the impending arrival at the crash site.
Hopefully Seb could get the closure he needed. At least one of them needed to see something good come of this chaos.
Now, it was getting toward sunset and they were coming to the outskirts of a small farming community.
“We might have to slow the pace,” she said as a couple of buildings, off in the distance, came into view.
“Why?” Seb glanced down at her, a hint of impatience in his gaze. “We’ve been making good time. Without a shuttle or ship, it’s going to take us days to get to the crash site, so no offense, but I’d rather keep going.”
She laid a hand on his arm and tugged, forcing him to match her now-slower pace. “If you want our cover story to work, we’re going to have to ease it up a little. A pregnant woman can’t exactly run a marathon, and we’re more likely to be seen now.”
His attention shifted down to her fake belly, some kind of expression crossing his face she couldn’t decipher, but it made her heart skip a beat all the same.
“You’re right. Sorry. I should be taking better care of you and Bass Junior.”
“Bass Junior?”
He gave a confident nod. “We’re having a boy and naming him after me. But to save confusion, we’ll call him Bass for short instead of Seb.”
“Lucky we’re not really having a baby together, because I would have a few choice words over that,” she muttered.
“What’s wrong with naming my son after myself?” From the look he sent her, she could tell he wasn’t serious, simply trying to get a rise out of her.
“For a start, I would prefer to have a girl. And second, I feel sorry enough that you got saddled with the name Sebastian. I’m not about to inflict it on a poor baby.”
Both his eyebrows shot up. “Well, tell me how you really feel about my name.”
She glanced away from him to resist giving into the urge to laugh. She didn’t really dislike his name, in fact, the opposite was true. It was more a fact of giving as good as he gave.
He linked his arm into hers and pulled her closer. “You are a difficult woman, Mrs. Rayne.”
At that, she nearly stumbled over an uneven bump in the road, her heart doing exactly the same thing in her chest. Only his grip kept her from going over, since the weight on her front was working against her. Geez, no wonder pregnant women had so much trouble. And she wasn’t even carrying half the weight of a real baby-belly.
“Whoa.” Seb stopped and got a second hand on her, helping her get upright again. “That was very un-Jenna like.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t watching my feet. Not that I can see them. How do pregnant women do anything?”
He turned her to face him, golden rays of the late afternoon sun making his eyes look a rich chocolate color. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, noticing for the first time that in fact, she was uncomfortable, tired, and sore.
“I’m fine.”
He rolled his eyes. “That was so convincing. We haven’t stopped since we hit the ground. Maybe we should take a break.”
“Weren’t you the one complaining a minute ago that we needed to keep up the pace?”
He sent her a half grin. “I’m not the one carrying fake Bass Junior around. I’d offer to take my turn, but people might find a pregnant man a little strange. And considering the UEF-issued items in that pack, we obviously can’t risk a CSS patrol searching inside.”
“Exactly. And I’m fine, so we should use what daylight we’ve got left to find somewhere to settle for the night.”
He frowned, a note of concern in his gaze as he reached up to tuck a strand of her hair back. “Why do I get the feeling you wouldn’t tell me, even if you weren’t okay?”
“Whether or not I’m okay really should come second to staying alive while we’re behind enemy lines.”
Seb huffed a sigh. “Here I am trying to have a moment, and you go all badass operator on me.”
“Is that what was happening?” She grinned as his expression turned unimpressed. “Anyway, no moments now. We’re supposed to be on guard.”
“And keeping with our cover story. I’m pretty sure a man needs to kiss his pregnant wife every now and then.” Despite knowing they shouldn’t, she let him lightly brush his lips over hers.
“And I’m pretty sure this pregnant woman’s hormones and impending horror of birth haven’t left her feeling like kissing her husband anytime soon.” She stepped out of his embrace, crossing her arms.
“You mean miracle of birth, right?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m pretty sure horror is the right word. Think about it—the size of the baby’s head compared to the size of—”
“Oh hell no!” Seb held up both hands to stop her, his expression no longer looking so jovial. “That is not something I want to contemplate. Possibly ever. So congratulations, your scare tactics worked.”
She shook her head at his squeamishness and got back to walking at a sedate pace, Seb falling into step beside her. They hadn’t gone much farther when a CSS patrol of four appeared from beyond the scattered buildings of the small town, heading toward them.
Jenna slowed her pace even more, Seb once again linking his arm through hers. Neither of them said anything as they continued walking, while the patrol closed in. If they veered off the road now, they’d be more likely to attract attention. Hopefully the patrol would continue on past them without a second look.
However, as the group got closer, she could see the leader—a man in his mid-to-late forties—had his attention focused on them.
“Whatever happens, don’t fight back,” she murmured to Seb before they got within earshot. “You’re a farmer, you don’t know the first thing about throwing a punch. Got it?”
Seb cut her a worried look, but nodded tightly.
As they drew even, her breath caught, and she almost thought they were going to get by, when the leader stopped and half stepped into their path, forcing them to pause.
“Good evening,” the leader greeted with a kind of polite half nod. “Are you in need of assistance?”
Jenna lowered her head in deference, not making direct eye contact. “Thank you, sir, but no. It’s not my time yet, if that’s your worry. We’re simply traveling to better medical care for when it is.”
“Letting your heavily pregnant wife walk the countryside this close to sundown with the border only a few miles west of here? Doesn’t seem like the thing to do,” the leader said, addressing Seb directly. “Of course, it’s probably to be expected from someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” Seb repeated in a tight voice.
The leader clasped his hands behind his back. “Yes, someone like you. An able-bodied young man who hasn’t chosen to join the CSS and fight for his people.”
Seb stiffened, but she reached up to squeeze his hand tightly before he could say anything.
“My husband had brothers who went off to war. They’re all dead now, and someone needed to take over the farm to feed the family.”
The leader flicked a brief look at her, clearly unimpressed with her reasoning.
“There’s a price for failing to join the fight. Have you paid it?”
Seb let her go and half stepped in front of her, holding up both hands. “Look, we don’t want any trouble, and as you pointed out, it’s nearly dark. I’d just like to get my wife settled somewhere for the night.”
The leader stepped in closer, clearly trying to intimidate Seb, who was half a head taller than him.
“I asked you a question, boy. Since you failed to answer, the price just got higher.”
The leader grabbed Seb’s shoulder and arm in a hold meant to hurt and disable him. An infuriated expression crossed Seb’s face, and she almost hyperventilated at the thought he was going to resist and get them both killed. But then he gave in, letting the leader steer him over to the three other men and shove him down on his knees in the middle of the road.
“This man is an apostate. He never gave himself to the cause as you fine men did. For that, he must be penalized.”
The leader roughly released Seb, but only long enough to grab a handful of his short hair and knee him in the face.
Jenna couldn’t hold back a gasp as Seb collapsed sideways to the ground, the other three CS Soldiers falling on him as the leader stepped back, a satisfied smirk on his face. How could they do this to someone they considered one of their own people? Oh God, she’d told Seb not to fight no matter what, and he was silently, furiously, taking every blow. The strength and control to do that, to go against instinct and not retaliate, was far greater than anything he could have done in fighting back.
She wanted to beg them to stop, and thought about playing up her false pregnancy for sympathy, but it likely wouldn’t work on men like this. That angle was followed up by the extremely hard and hot impulse to get out the gun she had stashed in her fake belly and shoot every single one of them, starting and ending with the leader. But she’d told Seb not to fight, so she couldn’t either… Not unless it looked like they were actually going to kill him. Then all bets were off. She would do anything to save him, including risk her own life.
However, after a few long minutes, the leader gave a short, bored sounding order for the men to cease.
Seb—who was on all fours after several unsuccessful attempts at getting to his feet—spat blood on the ground, then shifted to sit, pressing the back of his hand to the blood trickling from his nose.
The leader ordered his men into a march, then paused to glance down at Seb.
“You’re lucky you had your expectant wife here watching on, or the price might have been much higher.”
Not waiting for either of them to respond, the leader clasped his hands behind his back again and fell into step behind the three other CS Soldiers, heading down the road as the sun sank toward the horizon.
“Once we get back to the Knox, remind me to bring my jet down here, find that guy and blow him to hell with my huge-ass mounted guns.” He spat more blood and then used the bottom of his voluminous coat to wipe his face.
“I’m so sorry, Seb.” She dropped down next to him, getting a closer look at the cuts and swelling on his face that were sure to come out in some colorful bruises.
“There’s no point in you apologizing. You weren’t the one who wanted to come down here. We were going to run afoul of a patrol eventually. And you were right—fighting back would’ve caused more trouble.”
“Still, that was one heck of a beating.” She reached up and gently touched his chin.
“Yeah, and I took it like a man.” He grinned, but then winced. “Ow. No smiling for at least a week.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to save all my jokes about the rainbow on your face for another time.” She leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to the less swollen side of his mouth.
He sighed, sinking toward her, letting their foreheads rest together. “Maybe a few more of those and I’ll forget how much it hurts.”
She repeated the gesture, but then leaned back. “We should find somewhere to bunk down for the night.”
He reached up, setting his hand on her collarbone. “Am I crazy for doing this? I am, aren’t I? Actually, don’t answer that, I already know it. I shouldn’t have made you come down here. You should go back while you can. This is my thing, and if I get killed for my own stupidity—”
She cupped his cheeks. “This is our stupid thing, Seb. I’m here because I have my own reasons to see this through. Besides, you’d have to be brain-dead if you think I’m leaving you behind the lines on your own. Especially considering you’re heading deeper into enemy territory, not out.”
He pressed a hand to his temple with a grimace. “After that beating, I might actually be brain-dead.”
She pressed her lips together, forcing away the worry of what a decent blow to the head could do to a person. The beating had been superficial—vicious, but not brutal. Still, the tiny wish they could return to the Knox right away and have Sacha check him over sprouted like a seed in the back of her mind.
“Come on.” Seb climbed stiffly to his feet, obviously working to keep his expression from showing his pain. “Let’s find somewhere to lie low before those guys decide to come back for round two.”
She took his arm again and they started down the road, Seb limping very slightly. As they reached the first of the outer buildings, a man who was maybe a few years older than Seb, stepped out from the shadowed doorway.
This time, Jenna was the one who protectively stepped in front of Seb, despite the fact that she was playing the vulnerable, pregnant wife.
The man had one arm crooked against his side in a way that suggested the limb was injured and possibly not very useful and held up his other hand in a calming gesture. Behind him stood a woman with a toddler on her hip, the little girl staring at them with wary eyes.
“I don’t want to cause you any trouble. We saw what happened with the patrol down the road there.” The man stepped onto the stoop of his modest home.
Jenna relaxed a fraction, sensing Seb do the same.
“If you want to come in and get cleaned up a little, we can offer you a small evening meal,” the woman said over the man’s shoulder.
Jenna glanced back at Seb, who gave a small shrug, obviously leaving the decision up to her.
“I wouldn’t want to put your family in danger,” Jenna replied. Though food and a warm house would be nice, they’d do just as well in a barn or abandoned building.
“The patrol only comes through here once every two weeks,” the man said, stepping aside to push the door open wider. “They won’t be back again tonight.”
Taking her hand, Seb stepped forward. “You have my thanks. We could use some friendly faces after that kind of welcome. I’m Sebastian, and this is Jenna.”
The man sent Seb a respectful nod, and Jenna let him lead her into the cozy house. They found a large open sitting area separated from the kitchen by a long bench. A double doorway half closed over in the opposite wall no doubt led to bedrooms and the bathroom. She’d found in her travels that many houses on Ilari shared the same simple design, no doubt built en masse when the planet was first settled.
The woman walked over to the bench set with several stools on each side, which clearly doubled as a meal preparation area and table.
“My name is Halden,” the man said. “This is my wife, Merrie, and daughter Talia.”
“We’re very appreciative of your hospitality,” Seb replied as Merrie put the little girl down and murmured for her to go play on the mat where a number of simple toys had been spread out.
“Where are you headed, if you don’t mind us asking?” Halden took a seat at the bench, offering them to do the same. Merrie handed Seb a cloth, then returned to setting out the evening meal.
“To Vaticia, for the medical care,” she said, naming the holy city where the Pontifex lived, which was closest to where Lawler’s pod had crashed.
“Not to Lavina?” Halden asked. “It’s closer, and I hear the medical care is just as good.”
She shook her head. “I have relatives in Vaticia.”
“And you have somewhere in town to stay tonight?” Merrie put in, grabbing out two extra plates and dividing up the food.
Jenna glanced at Seb on the seat next to her, who met her gaze with a questioning look while dabbing at the cut on his lip.
“I’m guessing that’s a no,” Merrie concluded. “We can’t offer you any more than a mattress on the floor, but you’re welcome to stay here.”
“That’s very generous, considering we’re strangers.” Seb’s attention moved to where Talia was singing something about the doll she held with a wooden cat figurine.
“I don’t expect an extremely pregnant woman and a man who just had the spit beat out of him to present much of a threat,” Halden returned dryly, making Seb give a short laugh that ended in a wince.
“Then we’ll be in your debt.” Jenna held out her hand, and Halden shook it firmly with a warm smile.
Merrie handed the plates around and called Talia over, the five of them settling into a meal and an easy conversation about the state of Ilari.
Things were only getting worse for the people, and Halden quietly told them of rumors that the Pontifex, who ruled the planet, hadn’t been seen for months, his health apparently failing. This had been fuel to the fire of unrest already smoldering, and now outright calls to oust the Pontifex and rejoin the UEF were gaining momentum. The man who’d held tight religious military control over the Ilari and much of the Brannon System for several decades now faced fighting his own people as well as the UEF military.
Though she’d always known Ilari to have pockets of rebels, and had worked with some in the past, that they were now openly fighting the regime was amazing. Seb seemed surprised at hearing the extent of the dissension on the ground, though he worked well to hide the sentiment. If she hadn’t come to know him so well, she would have missed the fact that he seemed to be carefully cataloging the information, no doubt to report anything he could to Commander Yang if or when he returned to the Knox.
After the meal, Merrie took Talia to wash and then put the young girl to bed, while they moved to sit on the modest couch
“So, do the two of you have transport to Vaticia, or were you planning to walk the rest of the way?” Halden asked once he’d put the basket of toys aside and moved to sit in one of the two armchairs.
“Honestly, we don’t want to take the days to walk,” Seb said from where he was slouched against the couch cushions next to her. “But, no, we don’t have any transport organized.”
Halden nodded. “There’s a supply shuttle flying to Vaticia early in the morning. It takes produce to the markets on the outer reaches of the city. The pilot is CSS, but a friend of mine. I can have a word with him.”
Jenna hesitated. Considering the way the other soldiers had treated Seb, the CSS pilot might be a problem.
As if reading her thoughts, Halden shook his head. “Neiman isn’t like those soldiers you met earlier. I’ve known him since we were kids. We grew up together. Went to war together. Got injured together.” He gestured to the arm he’d kept cradled to his side the entire evening, never using it once. “But while I got discharged, Neiman was deemed fit enough to remain, but given light duties. Now he spends his days flying supply shuttles. You can trust him.”
Seb closed a hand over her knee, giving a gentle squeeze. “Sounds like we’d be foolish to refuse.”
Merrie returned with an armful of blankets and a report that Talia was sleeping, then offered them all a warm drink. With care, Jenna steered the conversation as much as she could through Ilari’s state, and what exactly the rebels were doing and where. After two hours, she’d gotten more information out of Halden than she’d collected in months on the ground using CI contacts. And from the way the couple spoke of several things, she got the feeling their knowledge of the rebels came directly from the source, because one or both of them were involved. She only hoped for the sake of their daughter that neither of them were taking big risks.
Once the couple had bid them good night and disappeared, she and Seb silently arranged the blankets and then settled down on the floor. Rolling onto her side, she worked to get comfortable with her pretend belly. Seb wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, guiding her head to lie on his shoulder.
She sighed and relaxed against him. No point in pretending she wasn’t enjoying the heck out of this.
“I had no idea what things were really like down here,” he murmured into her ear. “I mean, I’d read reports, seen pictures and videos, but somehow, it wasn’t real. Does that sound stupid?”
“I had a clue, but in a lot of ways, even I was removed from it. It sounds like things are on the verge of complete chaos.”
“But that could be a good thing, right?” He shifted, holding her a little tighter. “If that a-hole Pontifex is dying and hasn’t shored up CSS control for after his death, if there really is a rebel force already starting to rise up—”
“Things will get bloodier,” she said as he stiffened. “Civil wars always hurt the innocent the most. People like Halden, Merrie, and Talia will be the ones to suffer.”
Seb muttered a curse. “This damned war has gone on long enough. It’s time the UEF made a concentrated effort to finish things once and for all.”
“If we make it back with this new information, maybe we can make a difference.”
They now had valuable intel that could see the UEF change tactics, could mean the difference between the battle ending in a few years or another few decades.
By all rights, they should turn back while they still could, return to the Ilari base and report the findings to the first officer they found. But Seb would be detained. And if they didn’t happen to realize who she really was, she’d have to disappear.
Except she’d vowed she would see this through for Seb, that she’d give him the closure she’d never get. Having this information only increased the risk. Made it more important than ever she use every skill she’d honed as a CI agent to keep them safe until they’d seen the crash site and make it back to the Knox in one piece.