Generations Beyond
Chapter Twenty-One

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Montana

Christina walked into the cabin in the early afternoon. The main room was large, open, and inviting. The rounded logs from the nearby forest carried through to the interior and completed the rustic feel of the building. A river stone fireplace on the right side of the room with a large, earth tone multi-colored rug on the wooden planked floor in front of it added to the comfort of the room. The kitchen and dining room lay on the other side of the house in the same room.

Christina looked over her left shoulder as she took a few steps in, stopped and dropped her bags. “Who wants which room?” she asked the two men that joined her.

“I don’t care,” Chase said as he came to her right side, bumping into her as he walked past. He hauled his one bag on his back and slipped off down the hallway to the right.

Jonathan dropped his bag in the first chair on his left as he watched Chase head down the hall. “You want the one with the porch, or the one in back?” He looked at Christina.

Christina looked to the hallway where Chase had disappeared, but she moved her eyes to Jonathan when he spoke to her and gave him a sad smile. “You can take the one with the porch. I got the good room last time, fair.” She picked up her bags and walked toward the hallway on the left, navigating through the four chairs in the living room and the overstuffed sofa against the wall opposite the fireplace.

Jonathan made his way to the left hall and into the front bedroom. It was small, compared to the house in Colorado, but big enough. He tossed the bag onto the full bed and looked at the spartan room. His face edged into a hint of a smile, and he nodded once. “Home sweet home.” He turned and leaned against his doorframe, looking across the hall into Christina’s room. “You gonna manage in there?”

Christina dropped her bags off at the foot of the bed but kept her satchel on her shoulder. She chuckled at Jonathan’s question. Christina walked to her doorway and leaned against it, mimicking him. “It’s not like either one of us spends much time in our own rooms.”

“Hey.” He held a hand waving off her comments. “I don’t know what you do in the privacy of your own room.” Jonathan smirked and walked into the main room to take a look at the potential security risks. Entry points, blind spots, cover; it was not ideal, but he wouldn’t need to test the tactical aspects of the cabin.

Christina walked after him and looked at the rooms. “Two sets of double doors,” she commented to herself. “Two sets of sliding, two normal. How many ways does someone need to enter the house?”

“Forty-two,” he said before walking into the kitchen to replace a glass and water. “Well water,” he commented, after a drink, smacking his lips, “you don’t get water like this in the city.”

Christina laughed. “You better get used to it, pretty boy. That’s the water we’ll have while we’re here,” she said. “We should get going, they’re waiting for us. Chase,” she called to her brother as she turned toward the front door, “we’ll be back later, I don’t know when.”

Jonathan nodded, putting the glass on the counter next to the sink while she tried to engage her brother. He headed to the front to wait for her, in case the two managed more than a hand’s worth of words.

She paused by the front door in case Chase answered, but he didn’t. When Christina closed the door, she stopped herself from trying to lock it and arm an alarm. It was second nature to her. But, with a slight pause at the door, she adjusted the strap that ran across her body with her gloved hand and went to meet with Jonathan. Hand in gloved hand they headed towards the edge of the mountain face.

The hike from their cabin to the entrance of the command bunker was a third of a mile. At a leisurely pace, it took seven minutes. A small cave marked the entrance, eight feet across and ten feet high, that led back to a set of stairs carved into a crevasse. Small LED lights embedded in the side of each step lit the way.

At the bottom of the steps a narrow path gave way to a large man-made cavern with bright lighting, tables, two computers, and a handful of people going through the motions of their normal day. As Christina and Jonathan emerged into the large space a man looked up at them. He sat at a table covered with papers spread over a topographical map of their immediate surroundings. “Ah!” the man said with a blatant Welsh accent. “Captains Cross and Aarons, is it?” His warm voice was precise and proper in its diction, and his face wore a perfected genuine smile.

He stood at middling height, based on torso length, and was on the slim side of fit with a pale complexion. His balding head held a hint of salt and pepper hair.

Christina held out her right hand, encased in its normal black leather glove. “Yes, sir.” She tried to offer her own smile. Jonathan offered a nod of greeting.

“A pleasure,” he rose to take the offered hand and place upon its back a soft kiss, “under the circumstances I can understand how it would be anything but.” He looked between them, but settled upon Christina. “While it may not be my place, Captain, I do so wish to offer my deepest sympathies for you recent loss. Alexandra told me of it before she left us, you see. While the loss of those we love isn’t easy, I hope the gallantry of his passing brings comfort in time.” He offered a sad smile and let her hand slip from his gentle grip.

“Thank you for your kind words.” Christina brought her hand to her side once he released it.

“I had not expected you today, if I am perfectly honest,” he said, turning once again to resume his seat. He gestured to the other four chairs at the table. “Please sit, though. I would imagine that there is much you would like to discuss.” He settled himself in the chair with near perfect posture.

Christina turned and looked for the chair nearest to her and took a seat. Jonathan followed her example. Once seated, she pulled the strap from around her body and laid the bag on her lap.

“We apologize, sir, but you are… ” she looked to Jonathan before looking back at the man as she let the question hang in the air.

“Oh my.” He shook his head. “I do apologize, Captain Aarons. How rude of me. My name is Grigor Brodrick, former lieutenant of Her Majesty’s Royal Air Force. I am currently chosen to make decisions regarding the safety and security of our commune as well as in strategic command of our clandestine operations.”

Christina looked at the still silent Jonathan while Grigor made his introductions. Jonathan pulled himself from of his own thoughts and nodded at the introduction, “Nice to meet you, Grigor,” he offered. “Thank you for allowing us in your valley.”

He blustered, “Nonsense, my boy. Alexandra speaks highly of the both of you. I would be a fool to ignore her judgment.”

Christina turned her attention to the other man. “And how would you prefer we address you?” she asked with a slight smile. “Please call me either Christina or Aarons. I doubt Captain applies anymore. We’ll be considered traitors after our conversation.”

“Ah,” he said looking at her once, “what is treason, but the minority seeking justice against the powerful?” He offered a smile. “Was it not your Founding Fathers committing treason against The Crown that gave birth to this Republic?” He waved away the notion. “Let us not speak of treason. Let us treat on reason, for reason shall guide us into the light of tomorrow’s new dawn.” He thought for a moment and nodded as though deciding. “Christina, then. And a lovely name it is. As for myself, Grigor is as good as any other label, but like the most plain.”

“Grigor,” she said as she scooted forward in her seat, “what has Alex told you?”

“Alexandra has informed me of a good deal, I am afraid,” he frowned a touch, “it seems as though we have more to fear from your General Penn than we originally believed. We knew he was looking for those like us, but didn’t grasp his intent. Intent, if Alexandra’s reports have been accurate, is clear now, and patently unacceptable.” He slid papers around his desk, coming up with one, “She has also informed me you believe you have sabotaged this new facility within the Rocky Mountains, is that correct?”

Jonathan nodded. “Yes,” he spoke. “I built in a dozen failure points in the key subsystems that will look like poor workmanship.” He leaned forward in his seat and rested an arm on the table. “Should make the place mostly useless for six months if they’re good, eighteen for the typical contractor.”

“Excellent work, Captain Cross, excellent work indeed.” He reviewed the sheet of paper for another few moments. “Christina,” he said, eyes moving to her, “Alexandra indicates that your General performed medical experiments and tests upon your person, against your will. She does not specify what those tests were. Am I correct in assuming her discretion is intentional rather than from ignorance of the details?”

Christina cleared her throat and looked at her hands that folded in her lap. She looked back after a moment and nodded her head. “That would be a correct assumption. The experi-”

He held a hand. “My dear,” he interrupted, “do not speak on those things that bring you consternation yet,” he smiled. “If you so choose, we can discuss them in time. If you choose to keep the details for yourself, I will not press you for them. While I will ask questions, please, I pray you, do not feel as though you must answer them.”

Christina nodded, “I appreciate your delicate handling, Grigor.”

“Of course, my dear. One could not call oneself a gentleman if one did not bow to a lady’s discretion on such private matters,” he put the paper down and leaned back. “I do, however, require an answer to this next question. What are your intentions here? You may remain with us and live out the rest of your days here in peace, you may stay awhile and move on to exotic locales.” He gestured to the cave-room. “You may elect to join our fight against the tyranny of those who would seek to harm us. The decision, Christina, Captain Cross,” he looked at each of them, “is wholly your own. No matter what you decide, you are as welcome here afterward as you were before.”

Christina looked at Jonathan before looking at Grigor. “We will need to discuss the matter. But,” she said with a slight smile, “For now, we need time to recover from the trauma we’ve been through. We’ll happily answer your questions and help in any way, but we need that time.”

“But of course, Christina,” he smiled to her, “our home is your home for as little or as long as you wish to remain with us.” He folded his hands in front of him upon the table’s edge. “Do you have any questions I might answer? Or any concerns I can address?”

She looked to her companion and placed a hand on his arm, “Jonathan?”

Jonathan looked from Grigor to Christina and back again, “The logistics of food. There isn’t a grocery store.” He offered a smile that looked entirely too forced.

“Ah, yes. Yes. Your cabin is stocked with some essentials.” He gestured with a waving hand as though swiping things from a list. “Bread, cheese, and eggs. You are welcome to fish or hunt. In either case we can replace you a bow or a rod, or we have a centralized store of sorts where we keep communal supplies of the perishable goods such as meats. Our selections may not be as varied as what you have been accustomed to, but we do not lack for proper nutrition. And, upon occasion, we bring in a supply load via helicopter for harder to replace goods and medical supplies.”

“We will be back for those bows and rods,” Christina said as she stood, slinging her bag across her body, “and, we will let you know once we decide what we are doing. Thank you for your gracious hospitality.”

Jonathan stood a second after Christina. “Yes, Grigor, thank you. For everything.”

“It is my pleasure, Captain Cross, Christina,” he looked to each, “when you return to your cabin, if you wish, simply dial the number forty-seven. Four and Seven,” he repeated, “is the extension for our Quartermaster, Angelique. She will see you get what you need for your hunting and fishing. All I ask is if anything you have caught or killed you do not need or want that you, you bring to our communal stores.” He stood with them and offered a slight bow, “Take care, both of you, and rest easy. Your journey to us has been long, and there is little need to push yourselves.”

“Thank you, Grigor. Good day.” She bowed and turned to go, waiting to make sure Jonathan walked with her.

After five minutes of walking in silence, Christina couldn’t take it. She grabbed Jonathan’s arm to bring him to a halt. “I get the strong, silent type, Jonathan.” She turned to face him in the fading light of the surrounding forest. “I do, I really do. But, I need you here with me. I can see you’re here, but you’re not. Please, talk.”

He blinked and looked at her. “I’m going over everything in my head.” he shrugged and offered a lopsided smile. “Trying to figure out what we missed. How we could have fucked this up.” He lifted a hand and laid it on her upper arm.

“We didn’t fuck this up.” She moved closer to him. “Penn murdered my brother. There wasn’t any way for us to tell how many people he had watching and waiting. If it’s anyone’s fault it’s mine.”

He shook his head. “No, it was me and my people. Simple as that.” He pulled her in for a hug. “We should have done a better job for you.”

Christina held on for a good minute before letting go. She leaned back to look at him in the dying light dabbling with shadows from the tree leaves above them. “We should head back before it gets too dark, we still don’t know our way yet,” she said, reaching to take his hand. “We have a lot to talk about over the next few days.”

He nodded and let her take his hand before he walked toward their cabin. “Yeah. Some pretty major decisions,” he looked into the nearby trees.

As they walked she moved in closer to him, her shoulder tucked in close to his side. “You know,” she said, “this view‘s better than Colorado.” She used her free hand to point up to the disappearing ridge with the light of the sunset behind it. “You wouldn’t see something like that there,” she whispered.

“Think of the nights and how clear the sky will be,” he looked up for a second.

“And smell the air, Jonathan.” She took a deep breath in and let it out. “You can’t get clean air like this being in DC or Seattle.” A smile broke over her face as they named off the merits of being in a location like this. As she thought about their future here and the impending conversation, Christina’s smile faltered.

Christina stopped right before the first step leading up to the double doors of the cabin. Chase sat on the porch outside his room. He got up when Christina and Jonathan approached and slammed the glass door as he retreated inside.

Christina stopped and stood, staring at the door behind which he disappeared. After a few heartbeats, she turned back to the double doors and opened them, walking inside and held the door for Jonathan as he walked in after her.

“You two need to work through that,” he said on his way to the kitchen to take a brief inventory.

Christina made a sound of acknowledgment on her way to drop off her bag before returning to the kitchen. “I’m sorry,” she said with sarcasm dripping into her words, “but I can’t go back in time and take leave to go on a vacation with my family.” She opened the refrigerator and scanned its contents.

He snorted and took a drink of his water. “Yeah. Because that’s the way to fix it, time travel.”

She closed the door and turned to look at him. “What am I supposed to tell him, huh? I stayed away to keep him and Cole out of a lab? He wouldn’t believe me. The last time I saw them both I told them to keep their heads down and not to tell anyone. Going on nine years ago.”

“Try the truth.” He hopped to sit on the counter and looked at her. “Show him the scars. Tell him all the horrible things that you went through.”

She looked at him and frowned. “I don’t want to show him, they’re … personal.” She took a drink and made a sour face.

“Show him, don’t show him,” he shrugged, “I’m giving options.”

“What do you think we should make for dinner?”

“Need to see what they have for meats and veggies,” he gestured at the fridge and bread box next to the fridge. “We have eggs, a loaf of bread, and a half wheel of white cheese. But if they’re hunting and fishing here, we could have a lot of options.”

Christina took the cheese and eggs from the refrigerator. She balanced them in one hand and grabbed the loaf of bread with the other and brought them to Jonathan. “He didn’t mention it, but do you think they would let me have a garden? I had one in the summers when I went to my grandparents in North Carolina. We could get vegetables growing, have variety.”

“Don’t see why not. I’m sure someone already does. Flying in all the produce would be poor planning, and Grigor doesn’t seem the type of person that would permit that. Not sure what the growing season is like here. Options might be limited.”

Christina chuckled to herself. “It’s kind of funny,” she said. “I’m thinking of all these things we could do to sustain ourselves here, but we’re not staying.”

“That’s something we need to figure out.”

She dug in the cabinets for a frying pan, pulled one made of iron and placed it on the stovetop. She opened a few drawers until she found a towel and put it over Jonathan’s shoulder before taking two eggs and setting them aside. He looked at her and blinked a few times, “So, what you cooking?”

“I don’t cook,” she moved around the kitchen, setting up things for him. “I was thinking until we get a better idea of what we have and what we need, eggs done whatever way you want to do them with cheese, and toast would been good for dinner, unless you have another idea,” she finished putting the items out and leaned against the counter.

He hopped down. “Yes ma’am, right away ma’am,” he said with a lopsided smirk. “Can I do anything else for you, ma’am?” He picked up the cheese and smelled it before putting it aside and looking at what he could work with. While he pondered, he found a cheese knife and a bread knife, a fork and a small bowl, “Get your brother and see how hungry he is.” He turned on the stove and put the skillet away in favor of a sauce pan he filled with water.

“Ass,” she mumbled at his back as she pushed off the counter and turned to walk toward the small hallway and her brother’s door.

Once at his door, she knocked. “Chase?” she called his name. “Chase, we’re making dinner.” She paused and waited to hear something from inside. When she heard nothing she knocked again. “Chase?” she said his name louder and with insistence. “I’m coming in.” When she paused and still heard nothing, she turned the knob and pushed the door opened to walk in.

Christina didn’t know what she would replace, but he sat on the bed, staring through the open sliding glass door with his back to her.

“Why did you do it, Chris?” he asked without turning. “Why did you rip us from our lives? Why did Cole have to die?”

Christina stopped moving forward for a second as his words cut through her. After swallowing hard, she moved to the bed, sitting opposite him. “I didn’t kill him, Chase,” she said. “Bad people have been watching you, all of you, for years. I have been trying to keep them away, so I stayed away.”

“Bullshit,” he spit the word at her. “Mom and dad think you’re the hero, always gone, always doing something so important … you’re a fucking coward.”

“You’re right,” Christina said, fighting the lump in her throat. She took a deep breath and stood to walk around where he could see her. She lifted her shirt enough for him to see her scar-covered abdomen. “I’m the coward that spent more time than I can remember in a lab so you and Cole didn’t have to. I made sure they never found you two. And, I stayed away when they threatened you. I let them cut me open so you and Cole could be normal.” She let her shirt drop. “My heart hurts, too. A piece of my soul left when they killed Cole and I’ll make them pay for it. But sitting here, blaming me won’t make it any better, or make it happen any faster.” She took a step closer to him. “So, get out of this room and go tell Jonathan what you want for dinner.”

Chase looked into her eyes, saw the unshed tears that threatened to fall. “Fine,” he glared at his sister as he scooted off the bed and walked out the door, leaving it open for her to follow.

Christina let the breath out she didn’t realize she was holding, released the hands she had balled into fists, and sat on the bed for a moment. All the energy leached from her. She took another deep breath in, and letting it out, she stood and joined the two men in the kitchen.

Eggs boiled on the stove and Jonathan cut respectable chunks of the white cheese while thick slices of bread sat in the oven, getting toasted under the broiler. “I found spices.” He waved at the array on the counter in front of him without looking. “Salt, pepper, garlic cloves.” He put a wedge of cheese on each of three plates before glancing at the time.

Christina took a seat at the little breakfast bar facing the stove. From her vantage point, she watched Jonathan work his magic. “Soft boiled eggs on toast?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yep. Nice and simple for a not so simple day.”

Chase sat at the far end of the counter, leaving a seat between his sister and himself. He didn’t look at either of his sister or Jonathan, opting instead to stare at a spot on the stove.

“Do you know what they did to her?” Chase asked.

Jonathan looked at Chase and studied him for a few heartbeats. “Yeah,” he said, “she told me.” He checked the bread and pulled it out and put the two slices on each plate. “At least the highlights.” He fished out the eggs and put two on each plate. “Kinda fucked up.” Jonathan distributed the plates to the two of them and handed out forks. “She told you about the latest?”

“Jonathan,” Christina blurted out, startled.

“What latest one?” Chase asked as he looked at Jonathan.

Jonathan looked at Christina, then back at Chase. “She’s gonna hate me for a while for telling you, but five weeks ago they kidnapped her, black bag and all, and took her entire reproductive system.” Jonathan stared at the kid across from him and peeled the shell off of one of his eggs.

“Fuck,” Christina put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.

Chase looked at Jonathan before his sister. “Why the fuck would they do that, Chris?” He asked her, his voice getting louder. He gave her a sharp poke with his finger when she didn’t answer him right away.

“Chase!” She snapped at him when her hands dropped away from her face. “Because they want to study us, because to that fucking maniac we’re things.” Her face grew red as she grew angrier. “They ran out of parts of me and wanted more to play with. What fucking answer do you want from me,” she yelled at him.

“Shit,” Chase said, leaning back in his chair.

Cross put the peeled egg on one piece of toast and sprinkled salt and pepper on top, “Folks, watch your language. I get the whole brother-sister yelling.” He used the side of his fork to cut the egg and spread it over the toast. “But if you’re going to talk about this, do it without yelling at each other.” He picked up the toast and took a bite. “You’re both angry, but the people you’re angry at aren’t here, so chillax.” He took another bite.

Chase looked at his sister. “I’m sorry, Chris.” He went to work on his own meal.

“Jonathan,” she said after a few bites, “we need to talk about how long we’re going to be staying.”

Jonathan finished his meal and cleaned up. “Long enough to make sure we can get your family out and set up somewhere beyond the reach of Penn, unless they want to stay here.”

“I don’t want to stay,” Chase shook his head. “No beach, no waves, fuck that.”

“Of course.” Christina said, rolling her eyes. She looked back at Jonathan. “We know Penn’s next target. We need to do something. I can’t let it happen,” she said before taking another bite. “He lost his toy, so he’ll want to get ahold of another one. I know he doesn’t want to move until he has his own space and testing facilities, but if he doesn’t know Cheyenne Mountain isn’t operational, he’ll move on her sooner rather than later,” she said, walking through the steps in her head.

“I can move within the next three or five days.” He turned as he shut off the water, looking at the siblings. “Some time to study the file and take on a new identity.” He shrugged, “But it’s pushing it. Think he’ll move faster?” He stepped forward and leaned against the counter.

She looked to Jonathan and continued. “I studied her file while we were ho… in Colorado,” she corrected herself. “Gabriela has a standard pattern of operation. She spends an hour in the courtyard at the school using their internet before classes begin, on her lunch, and after class. She also visits a cyber cafe on the weekends,” she provided her analysis. “But that was during school. Since the school year hasn’t started yet, she’ll be at the cafe nightly. It’s the place with WiFi she can use to get her work done and they can’t trace her.”

He nodded. “The cafe is the best POC. It’s Wednesday now. I can be on site and in place by Saturday. Hopefully, it won’t be too late.”

“We,” she said, taking a drink, “we can be on site. The fall quarter hasn’t started yet, so the cafe will be the best opportunity we have.”

“You’re not in operational condition.” he fixed her with a stern glare. “If this comes to a fight, you’re not ready.”

She looked back into his eyes. “I’m fine, and you’re not going without me. That’s it.”

“Do I have to tie you up? I will.” He pointed toward his room. “I will replace rope and tie your ass up.”

She stood, eyes never leaving his. “Do I need to knock your ass out and leave you here while I go by myself? Don’t you threaten me, Cross.”

“Oh come off it, sunshine. I can put you on your ass before you knock me out.” Jonathan smirked. “Or have you forgotten the tolerance I’ve been building up?”

“Tolerance isn’t immunity,” she stated. “Don’t push me. I won’t be left out of this. I will go, by your side or not, to make sure this girl is evac’d.”

Jonathan turned and walked toward his room. “Damn it, Christina,” he muttered, closing his door.

“Heh, guess we all do that,” Chase mumbled as he tossed his dirty dishes into the sink and went to his own room, leaving Christina in the kitchen to clean alone.

Left with her thoughts she sighed and took off her gloves, tossing them on the counter near the fridge. Most of her fingernails were still painted dark purple with cobalt glitter flakes from when she and Alex bonded. On her left ring finger she wore the diamond and wedding band

Christina took her time gathering the dirty dishes and getting them in the sink. Glasses done first, followed by silverware and plates. The stainless steel drying rack to the right side of the sink held the drying dishes. Now and then, she looked up and gazed out the window and breathed in the beauty and peace outside. The trees were round and thick, the wisps of wind that found its way to the valley floor made the shadows of the abundant summer growth dance in the moonlight along the ground.

The dishes took ten minutes to wash. She dried her hands on the dish towel and hung it on the oven door and walked to the sliding glass door at the back of the dining room. Her forehead rested on the cool glass as the ring on her finger tapped a slow rhythm on the surface.

Jonathan’s voice carried across the kitchen from where he leaned against the counter. “You still wear that thing?” he asked, watching her.

She lifted her head and turned, leaning against the door and looked at the ring while the fingers on her right hand played with it. She smiled at the ring and looked at him. “Yeah.” Christina pushed off the door and walked to the counter and leaned. “I thought about it for a while, and I took it off, but it felt weird. I realized something.” She looked at the ring and at him. “While I had the ring on, it was the first bit of normalcy in my life for long as I could remember. I had a friend who cared about me and I felt safe for a change. I didn’t want to take it off because I felt like it was gone.”

“You still have me,” he said, his head tilting to one side, “but I replace normal is overrated.”

“I still have you,” she nodded, “but, it feels nice to have the weight as a physical reminder from time to time.”

He looked at the sink, “Thanks for getting the dishes.”

She waved her hand. “It was nothing. You cooked the meal, it was the least I could do.”

“Nah, dinner was easy.” He pulled out one of the barstools and sat. “Eggs and toast is about as simple as it gets.”

She walked over and sat next to him. “Being honest, we aren’t the kind to settle here, are we?” she asked looking at him. “This might be the perfect slice of heaven for most people, but you and I would get stir crazy if we stayed here for too long.”

“One day,” he said, looking at her, “but not yet.”

“I can’t, knowing he’s out there and what he can do to people, planning on doing to them what he did to me. Couldn’t sleep at night if I let it happen,” she said as she shook her head.

“I know,” he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands on the countertop.

“One day, I’ll go to France,” she said, leaning back on the barstool, “when it’s all over.” She looked at him. “A Chateau on the countryside, and there’s a small village nearby.” She moved her hands in front of her. “I’ll go to Paris on day trips and visit the Louver.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all planned,” he laughed.

“Yeah,” she said with a smile.

He shook his head as he sat there. “Good thing you moved all that money.”

“You don’t know when a rainy day might come along.” She looked at him. “What about you, where would you disappear?”

“Haven’t thought about it.” He shrugged. “One place is as good as another. Whatever’s most convenient, I guess.”

“Well, think about it now.” She scooted as close to him. “One place you wanted to go, not you needed to go. No commitments, no schedules. It’s all you,” she said.

“There’s nowhere on that list for me.” He looked at her. “Berlin? Makes the most sense with its centralized location and easy access to multiple transport hubs.” He shrugged.

“Jonathan? You realize we’re out now, right? I get we have to look over our shoulders for the rest of our lives, but we don’t have to think about it every second of the day.”

“I’ll never be out, Christina.” He sat up. “It’s what I am, not something I do. When we’re done here, I’ll replace the next mission. Z, Alex, we’re the kind of people that are never out.”

She sat straight up and looked at him. “Is there a number to the times you can open and close your box?” she asked him. “Is there a limit to anyone’s box?”

“Sure,” he said, looking past her to the window into the black beyond. “But eventually you run out of things to put in the box and it doesn’t matter.”

“All right,” she said, nodding. “We’re partners, and Alex and Z said I’m family. We’re all family.” She looked at him. “We’ll bring this Gabriela girl back here, get my family square and then we’re off to replace out what’s next, deal?”

He shook his head, “No deal. But it doesn’t matter, does it?” He looked at her and smiled through his frown. “You’re gonna do what you’re gonna do, damn what anyone else thinks.”

“Contrary to what you think, I value your opinion.” She stood, took a step back, and put her hands in the air. “But, if you don’t want me, Alex said she’ll always have a spot for me.” She added with a smirk.

“Oh.” He grinned. “Alex is gonna squeal when you tell her.”

“Tell her what? That you threw me away?” she asked with a teasing tone. “That you broke my heart? She’ll kick your ass and welcome me with open arms.”

“No, that you want to be by her side,” he laughed and stood to move around the counter for a glass of water.

Christina walked over and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around him. “Don’t worry, I’m not planning on trading you in for a prettier model any time soon.”

“Still waiting for that threesome,” he muttered under his breath before taking a drink and patting her hand with his free one.

“Will you settle for skinny dipping in the lake?” she asked, doing jump a to nip at his ear with her teeth.

“A suitable consolation prize,” he answered with a teasing tone.