Chapter 36 - Former Home

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Gravel crunched under the tires as Will pulled off the road at a secluded spot, parking the truck facing east. He wrapped an arm around Terra and they watched the sunrise paint the low clouds in bright oranges and reds. In short order, though, they both fell asleep leaning against each other.

Terra awoke later to find herself laying across the seat, her head on a rolled-up blanket. A clock showed the nap lasted just over two hours. She looked back to see Will rummaging around in the truck bed. She stepped out of the cab and stretched, arms reaching toward the sky.

Will greeted her. "Hi."

"Hi yourself."

"Want some breakfast, or I should say brunch?"

"Yeah," she answered. "But first I really need to pee."

Will pointed toward the trees. "There is a fallen log over there that might work. Go make your bladder feel gladder."

She grumbled. "You men have it so much easier in the wilderness."

Upon return, Terra found apples, flatbread with honey, and jerky laid out on a towel. They sat down together on the truck bed to eat and shared a jug of water. When finished, Terra climbed on Will's lap, straddling him. With arms around his neck, she pressed her lips to his and savored the lingering kiss, letting electric tingles flow through her core.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Terra whispered.

"I think you may have mentioned it a few times, but I like the reminders."

She kissed him again.

After cleaning up, they took off, with Terra behind the wheel. She said, "I think we need to review the fight last night."

"It turned out well, didn't it?" Will offered.

"Yes. You disabled the Talent, but one gunman got off a shot at me before I could put him down. I blocked it easily enough, but he could have shot at you instead, or there could have been more men with guns. We need to rethink our strategy of facing a mix of Talent and armed non-Talent."

"Temporarily disabling the Talent with a Darkness cast seems reasonable enough as a first step, but those with little Talent would be unfazed. How do we handle multiple shooters?"

Terra thought for a moment. "If they are fairly close together, I can push them as a group, but the force is only effective within a relatively narrow angle. But if spread out, like last night, I have to choose which to attack first."

"Couldn't you put up a shield to block the darts, like before?"

"True. But I may not be able to protect you, and I could only stop a few shots. I can disable a gun, like we practiced, but only one at a time." Terra's expression turned grim. "Will, I need you to understand that sometimes, we will have to use deadly force. It may be kill or be killed."

He nodded. "I know which option I favor."

"It will be best if you have a gun. After you cast your Darkness, take cover and if you can, lay down some cover fire toward the gunman to your side most separated from the rest. I can launch fighting spikes at multiple targets at once and then block darts from those I may miss."

"Terra, you are vulnerable after I cast the Darkness for a few seconds until you recover."

She nodded. "I know. The Darkness should affect those with low Talent, although not nearly as much. Also, they would be confused about what to do when the Talent near them collapse. I am counting on these to delay their response enough for me to be ready."

Will shook his head. "I don't like that. Your safety is left too much to chance."

"Stealth is our ally. If I stay close such that you mask my aura, then we have the advantage of surprise, or better still, avoid the fight altogether." Terra took a deep breath. "This is important, Will. When the time comes to kill, you must not hesitate."

"I understand."

*****

Later that evening, they arrived at Eureka, a moderate-sized port city spread haphazardly between the ocean coast and eastern hills, serving as the unofficial capital of the Blue Uprising. Weaving through narrow pot-holed streets, Terra eventually pulled the truck up behind her small house, parking next to the shed that used to shelter her prized motorcycle. She sighed, remembering its destruction.

Terra motioned to the house. "Well, here it is, ever so humble." A twinge of embarrassment rose from her gut.

The small, flat-roofed white house stood at the street end within a small neighborhood of similar homes. The empty lots to either side and a bushy ravine behind provided an illusion of remoteness. Peeling white paint revealed the tan stucco underneath. There was no landscaping other than rock, some scattered desert plants, and a half-dead tree, which provided a bit of shade in the late afternoon. The beach laid not far away down a hill, and easily within walking distance.

"Is it wise to stay here?" Will asked as he opened the truck door. "Won't the Uprising be watching it?"

"I am counting on it," Terra answered. "I want it to appear like we have nothing to hide. I don't know how the council is going to take it when we hit them with my resignation or with you. We should plan to leave immediately after, regardless."

"Are you going to miss this place?"

"Not really. It was never much more than just a place to sleep. Freehold feels like home to me now."

Terra dug out a key from underneath a decorative pink granite rock, brushing off the sandy dirt, then unlocked the back door. As the wooden door squealed on its rusty hinges, she sighed. "I should tell you that interior decorating was not one of my priorities."

Terra led Will through the house. The floor plan and furnishings were simple and utilitarian. A small utility room led to a kitchen, containing a small rickety wooden table and two chairs. Around a half-wall partition, the living room featured a comfortable looking overstuffed couch and a rocking chair with a scratched glass coffee table placed between them. Only a single framed seascape print adorned the walls, which hung tilted as if the sea would spill to the floor. A short hallway led to a small bathroom and a single bedroom, with a bed, nightstand, and a worn wooden dresser. A small closet on one side and a built-in bench under the window provided storage and seating.

Will scratched his head. "It is, um, quaint."

"That is a charitable description." She paused, turning her down. "It is embarrassing to bring you here."

Will lifted her chin and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Right now, there is no place I would rather be."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, this time with more force. "You smooth talker."

*****

The next morning, Terra woke up to find herself alone in bed. Hearing her stir, Will peeked in the bedroom, holding a mug of tea.

"You missed another sunrise," he teased.

The corners of her mouth turned up as she took the mug from him. "Life is full of disappointments."

Will sat down on the edge of the bed. "Terra, I think we should talk about..."

Terra put a finger to his lips to silence him. "I know a good cafe down by the beach. Want to get breakfast?"

A sea breeze tossed Terra's long hair as they walked the winding sandy path to the beach. She explained, "There may be listening devices planted in the house. It is safer to talk away from there."

Will's eyes widened. "So, they may have listened in while we made love last night?"

"Maybe, but that would only distract them from our true purpose."

"Now I feel so used." His grin betrayed any such sentiment.

Terra took hold of his arm and grinned in return. "If you are good, I will use you again later."

The small cafe stood on piers near to the crashing surf. While well maintained, the wooden structure showed evidence of weathering. Tall fixed stools, shaded under an overhang, lined a wooden counter at the open front. The wiry, gray-haired man at the grill turned and took notice of his customers.

"Terra!" the man said with a warm smile. "Good to see you again. It's been a while."

"That is has, Carlos," she replied. "Been busy. Oh, this is Will. One thing I've been busy with."

Carlos extended a hand to Will, offering an enthusiastic handshake. "A friend of Terra's is a friend of mine. What could I get you?"

After breakfast, Will and Terra walked hand-in-hand along the beach, gazing at frothy waves that danced back and forth across the wet sand. Fragrant salty air tickled their noses. Despite the upcoming meeting, a comfortable tranquility overtook Terra.

But the reality of their situation was never far away.

As they sat on a piled rock seawall, she checked her viewer. "Hex sent me the time and place for the council meeting. It is tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."

She initiated a call and put the viewer to one ear while covering the other with a hand to lessen the distractions of the surf noise. "Hey, Hex. Say, I need a favor from you. We may need to make a fast exit tomorrow. Could you disable a few security systems for me?"


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