The sun had risen over the trees but remained behind clouds when Tansy jogged into the clearing around her fort. And she was now calling it a fort instead of a cabin. It made her smile and think of Sam.
He was back at the lodge, talking to his friends, figuring out possibilities and potentials for creating a security business. Over the past week, they’d talked about how to create it. She’d made him a spreadsheet for ideas with columns for pros, cons, required assets, and more.
The jump from chasing after the creeps to helping prevent kidnappings in the first place was a good one for him. His face and eyes showed his excitement over the project.
Tansy sent a quick text to let Sam know she’d arrived, and all was as expected.
Even with the additional security he’d installed around the buildings, he was panicky about her safety when they were apart. But she needed quiet for her work. When she headed out each morning, he kissed the breath out of her, then put her phone in her hand.
Tansy locked the door behind her and powered up the computer, glad the smell from her bark experiment had finally dissipated.
Her tweaks for the hologram program were showing improvements in the depth of the visual. At least from the heights she could reach in the trees.
She wanted to check the results in full sun and the weather was supposed to clear later in the day. Tansy set an alarm and turned to work on the trackers the DOD also wanted.
Undetectable trackers.
It was a fun challenge.
Some people lived under constant threat of kidnapping, and the DOD wanted ways to track them. Once Sam’s company was underway, maybe she could create something he could use as well. Something different enough from her DOD work that it wouldn’t be comparable tech.
Tansy wanted to create at least three variations, anyway. One that would be like a tattoo or could be hidden in a tattoo. Some kind of attachment to the skin that sent out location signals but was passive so couldn’t be detected.
She was playing with a cream as well. One that blended into the skin like moisturizer but held particles of tracking software.
Another option was placing the tracker under the skin or injected into the bloodstream. Keeping an underskin tracker passive to scans was a challenge. The biggest challenge to the bloodstream one was tracking at a distance.
But nothing worthwhile was without a challenge.
When the timer to test her hologram buzzed, Tansy yanked her brain away from the tracking program and gave herself a minute to do some stretches, helping her clear her brain for the new task.
With the tablet in her small backpack, Tansy climbed the first tree and then switched on the program. The visual density was stronger.
Tansy switched trees and checked it from all angles. Definitely better and this bright sunlight was the biggest challenge.
Using the tablet, Tansy made notes and took videos and pictures to share with the DOD. She’d see what they thought of the progress and then try working on different projections. The cabin roof was relatively easy because it was manmade.
It would be more challenging to create a realistic forest. Nature didn’t work with straight lines. And leaves were affected by wind. She needed to make that realistic.
It didn’t have to be perfect, just enough to pass a quick visual survey from a plane.
On cue, the sound of a plane registered, and Tansy looked up. A quick look around showed that she was in a good spot to remain hidden.
Was it the same plane? Was Sam correct in thinking it was related to her work? Or to James?
She hoped it was a pilot learning to fly or a someone with a destination, but coincidence wasn’t to be trusted.
In the previous four months, she didn’t think she’d heard a single plane. Was this because the weather was better? Or maybe there was a nearby flight school that had started giving lessons.
Too many variables and not enough data to come to a conclusion. She hadn’t even noted the time of the previous passes. Tansy opened a new note on her tablet and recorded the date, time, and weather conditions. When the plane moved into view, she noted it entered from the north.
The plane was white and about the same size as before. She didn’t know enough about planes to know if it was the same one, or simply the same style.
She couldn’t see any identifying features through the trees and she tilted her tablet down to avoid giving off any reflections. The few pictures she took didn’t show much.
If it was an innocuous flight, it would be great to ask them about the hologram. What would they see when they flew over?
The plane didn’t fly straight across her lake, instead it circled over the area around her fort. Had it noted something off about her hologram or was it looking for something?
The plane circled twice and then flew back to the north. Tansy added notes and the time of exit, then descended from the tree.
Feeling a little unnerved, she locked the door of the fort behind her and looked for her phone.
When it rang, she found it under some of the parts she’d been using for the trackers.
Sam.
“Hi Sam. Did you see the plane from the lodge?”
“You’re okay?”
His breathing was labored. “Are you running?”
His laugh was harsh. “I was heading for you. You didn’t answer your phone, and I saw the plane.”
And he’d worried.
“Sorry. I was up in the tree recording data when I heard it. I didn’t want to attract attention, so I stayed where I was until it disappeared.”
His breathing slowed. “Good. Okay, that’s good. I’m halfway there now, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Tansy’s heart shimmered. He’d been worried and had come running to check on her. Her phone showed a text and three missed calls from him. She’d have to remember to bring her phone with her even on her forays into the trees.
Now that she had a good reason to remember it, she just might. Knowing Sam would worry if she didn’t made it important.
Tansy had updated her holo findings when the phone beeped again. I’m here.
Tansy opened the door and Sam moved into the space and locked the door behind him. He boosted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him. Then he turned and leaned her back against the door.
His mouth covered hers in a searing kiss that had her grinding against him in a desperate bid for more contact.
Sam cupped her face. “The plane scared the shit out of me, Tansy. I didn’t know you were safe.” His kiss was rough, full of emotions, and she kissed him back with everything she had.
“I need you safe, Tansy.”
She answered his whisper with one of her own. “I’m safe, Sam. I need you safe, too.” And so much more. She needed him safe, sure. But she needed him happy. Needed him with her.
Needed him.
“Any science things need your immediate attention?”
What? “No, I updated my chart.”
His hands slipped under her t-shirt. “Any work that needs done right now?”
Wouldn’t matter if there was. “No.”
He brushed her nipples and kissed along her jaw toward her ear. “Any CleanySaurs going to attack while we’re naked?”
Tansy laughed. “Not this time.”
She was still smiling when his mouth covered hers with need pouring from them both.
And in that moment, her heart toppled.
Plop. Right at his feet.
She was in love.
As they jogged back to the lodge that night, Sam’s mind was focused on the plane. He needed to find out who was flying it and why they were checking out the lake.
An online search had shown him a couple of small airports within an hour’s drive. Two of them offered lessons, so the lodge might be in a training flight path.
But he doubted it.
Neither he nor Joe had found current whereabouts for James Stephens. His social media didn’t show a current place of employment, and his former apartment was empty. His phone number was no longer valid.
They didn’t have any evidence of him committing a crime, so using FBI resources to track his emails wasn’t a current option. If they found any indication of danger, they’d do it.
He and Joe had filled in Nico and Graham about the plane and their theories. The more people working to keep Tansy safe, the better.
Whether she liked it or not.
They were almost at the lodge, so Sam pulled her to a stop before she broke out from the cover of the trees. Her mind immediately caught his concern and she looked from him to the lodge and the surrounding area.
The snow was completely gone now, making it harder to see if anyone had been lurking or checking things out. When nothing appeared suspicious or moved in the shadows, they jogged to the lodge and unlocked it to enter.
As she locked up behind them, Tansy sighed. “I hate this.”
Her sad tone had him pulling her to him. “I know, honey. I know, but we need to make sure you stay safe.”
“I love this place, love the freedom I’ve felt here. Now, I’m looking for danger in all the corners.”
“I spoke to my friend Graham earlier. He’s the mechanic I was telling you about. He’s going to be here in the next day or two. He’ll be an extra set of eyes.”
Tansy leaned back and frowned. “Is he coming here because you think I’m in danger?”
Hell, yes. Sam shrugged. “Part of it is that, but he’s also interested in developing the protection company idea with me. He’d like to be a partner if we do it.”
Tansy nodded and turned to the kitchen to get the kettle. She never went up to bed without a mug of tea first. And she had him doing the same thing.
And looking forward to it.
“Do you mind if Graham stays here with us, or would you rather he get a room in town?”
Tansy smiled. “He can stay here. I’ll change up the schedules for Albert and Marie.”
“Albert and Marie? More CleanySaurs?”
She smiled. “Climbing stairs requires too many additional parts. Makes them too big and clunky, so there’s a pair on each floor.”
Sam laughed. “Why haven’t I seen any down here?”
Another shrug. They’re docked in the back room. They’re scheduled for the middle of the night, so I don’t run into them much.”
Sam hadn’t even noticed them. Now that he thought about it, for a hundred-year-old building, the lodge was remarkably clean. And Tansy had always hated spending time on cleaning.
“I’m guessing Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. Who do we have on this floor?”
“These were my first ones. George and Jane.”
That gave him pause. He couldn’t come up with any scientists or ice cream. Tansy’s smile had him giving up then she hummed a tune and he laughed. “The Jetsons.”
She nodded. “Now, tell me more about what you and the others decided today for your business.”
They sat in what had become their habitual chairs beside the stove as they waited for the kettle.
“I think we’re going to start small and leave lots of room for expansion. We’ll all have different areas of focus. Some of us will be part-time and some full-time. Joe said he’d talked to you about us using the property here?”
Tansy nodded. “We talked for a while. I don’t want to disturb the environment with too many changes but I think you could easily create training areas outdoors. He mentioned maybe using some of the old cabins for various classrooms. I’d like to keep some of them for science labs too.”
Having both ventures in the same place was going to make it a fascinating place. When the kettle whistled, he stood and filled the mugs, handed her one and took his seat again.
“Joe reminded me there are more buildings on the sawmill property as well.” She smiled. “I promised Aisling she could have part of the sawmill as her workshop, but we can look and see what shape the others are in. Have you decided if you’ll be full or part time yourself?”
This was it, he thought. Time to make a decision. Time to make a commitment.
Sam angled to look at her. “I want to go full-time. Whenever I think about the new company, something inside me relaxes. When I think about going back to the job, the tension returns.”
Her smile was radiant, and she reached to grip his hand. “That’s when you know it’s right. You’re going to be a fabulous teacher, Sam. When we arrived at the Riveras, I was so lost, so angry, so sad. You told me you had a secret way to deal with bad shit.”
That made him smile, he’d forgotten about that.
She continued. “You started teaching me Tai Chi moves. The breathing, the control, the regulation of it all helped me in more ways than you know.”
He smiled at the memories. “You always wanted more. We added in martial arts. I was learning moves on the internet in order to teach them to you. I was barely a step ahead of you some days.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously? I had no idea. You were always so confident in the moves, in the teaching.”
“One of my foster homes had been with a lady who was a black belt in everything. I was able to spend an entire year with her before she got sick. She taught us everything we wanted to learn. You just learned it more quickly than most.”
Martial arts training had been a great way for a kid to learn control. Outwardly, it was about the moves and the power. Inwardly, it was about finding your center and learning to control your body and mind.
Tansy’s soft words broke into his thoughts. “I assume you’re going to be in charge of physical training?”
He nodded. “At some point in the future, I hope it will be a full-time venture where we can do weeklong group training sessions incorporating all kinds of skills. For now, we’re thinking of offering individual training sessions. Graham can do driving skills, teach basic mechanical fixes for vehicles, and how to look for tampering. I can do basic bodyguard and investigative skills, along with the fitness training.”
“That sounds like enough for you to start with fairly quickly.”
She was probably right, and that both thrilled him and scared the shit out of him.
“I have to talk with my boss at some point. Ask for a year’s leave while we find out if this is viable.”
“With all of you putting your heads together, it will definitely be viable. You, Joe, and Nico have a huge amount of experience and it sounds like Graham has a unique skill set that is valuable. You’ll have to create a business plan and figure out the specifics of classes, training, and costs.”
Sam sat back. “That part is daunting.”
Tansy nodded. “I don’t like that part either.”
“Too bad your friend Cinnia isn’t looking for a job.”
He’d been joking, but Tansy tilted her head and looked past him, brain working. “Well, she’s busy running Döva, and I think Cinnia’s too much of a city girl to want to move up here. But maybe she knows someone who might be interested. Although I suppose a lot of that could be done remotely. Let me chat with her and see what ideas she has.”
Sam stood and held out his hand for her. She stood, and they headed to the stairs together.
Contentment filled him as they walked up. This was so much more of a life than he’d had since joining the FBI. The new job would take up a lot of time, but it would be in one place.
And that place would have Tansy.
Life was looking pretty damned good.