Canvas Skies (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) (6 page)

We couldn't let the wrong people find this
note. I popped it into my mouth and used the rest of my juice to
wash it down. Harlow smiled and leaned back in his seat.

I leaned back too. “Tell me about the
military. Is your sergeant strict?”

“She keeps us in line, but she's a fine
soldier, honorable and courageous.”

“Have you been in the service long?”

“Since I turned 16.”

I knew all about the Age of Eligibility. It
was the best time to join the military if your family was poor. It
was what Scott had done. I turned my head and studied David Harlow.
He didn't look to be more than 20. I decided to ask him about the
Resistance in the only way I could.

“When did you become fully committed to your
work?”

He took a deep breath and then let it out.
“It took me a couple of years to appreciate my work in the
service.”

I couldn't think of a way to question Harlow
further without raising suspicions should anyone be listening in,
but I had learned a little more. Harlow has been with the
Resistance for a couple of years at least, and Sgt. McGraw is a
woman. That name, it seems familiar. Did Scott ever mention her? I
thought back. Yes, once when Keira and Guy came to visit they'd
talked with Scott about his capture. McGraw had helped to free him.
So she's with the Resistance. Why has she been sent to meet me
instead of my sister? Should I be honored or worried?

***

Like I'd expected, Keira wasn't waiting for
us at the airport. Harlow directed me away from the baggage claim.
He simply picked up my small carry-on and hurried me down a side
corridor to a locked door labeled “authorized personnel only.” He
reached into his pocket and removed a small key. A moment later, we
entered a small conference room. It was empty.

I turned to face Harlow. “Can we talk
here?”

“It's best not to say too much, not
anywhere,” he advised.

“Is there anything you can tell me? When
will I see her?”

“The sergeant? She'll be here soon, I'm
sure.”

“No, my sis... wait a minute. What were your
initial orders? How much has changed?”

“My orders were to deliver you to a civilian
named Richard Burke,” he said, using Guy's official name. “But,
well, something must have come up. Sgt. McGraw will cover the final
leg of your journey. I don't know what else has changed.” Harlow
started to pace.

“What's wrong?”

“She should be here. Someone should be
here.” He looked around nervously. There was no one to give him
orders.

I reached out a hand to stop him. He turned
and looked at me, concern evident in his eyes. Did he know what
they'd done to Scott, what they were capable of? We needed to get
away from here.

“Harlow, you're the highest ranking officer
here.”

“I'm not an officer.”

“You know what I mean.”

He nodded. “You're right. Something is
wrong. It's not safe for you here.”

Suddenly, he picked up my bag and pointed
toward another door, one in the back of the room. His key fit that
lock too. It led to an underground garage. Only a few military
vehicles were parked here and there.

“Is one of these yours?”

“No. Follow me. We'll go on foot until we're
away from the airport. Then we'll call someone.”

We exited the garage, and headed for a
field. After we left the pavement, my heels began to sink into the
dirt. I stopped just long enough to remove my shoes. By the time
I'd caught up to Harlow, he'd already pulled out his
transceiver.

“Who are you calling?”

“Sgt. McGraw. We need to find out why she's
not here.”

“No!”

He looked at me in surprise.

“If something's happened to her, they might
be tracing her calls.”

“But she's the one who gives orders when it
comes to the Resistance, and Sgt. Maddock is a little too far away
to be of any assistance.”

“Give it to me.” There was a steely edge to
my voice as I held out my hand. In a moment, I held the
transceiver. Without hesitation, I punched in Keira's number.

“Who are you calling?” Harlow asked.

“My sister.”

“Oh no, I don't think calling your sister
overseas is a good idea just now.”

He tried to take the transceiver, but I
batted his hand away. “My sister lives here, in Tkaron, and she's
one of your superiors, so just watch it!”

He stepped back in surprise.

“Keira, it's me. I'm fine.” I looked at
Harlow. “Sgt. McGraw was supposed to meet us, but she wasn't there.
We're in a field behind the airport but not by the runways. Yeah, I
see it. Will they let us out?”

I closed the connection and turned toward a
metal security gate in the distance. I began walking, expecting
Harlow to follow.

“Wait!” He placed his hand on my arm and
commanded my attention. “I'm supposed to be protecting you. Aren't
you an art dealer from Mediterra?”

I spun to face him. “Yes, I am, but are you
just a soldier?”

Harlow shook his head in confusion.

“You are part of the Resistance, aren't
you?” I knew he was, or he wouldn't have been sent as my
escort.

He nodded slowly.

My voice softened. “I told you on the plane.
We're more alike than you realize. I wasn't always Elite. Now let's
get out of here before we're found by the wrong people.”

Eberhardt and I had been waiting along a
back road near the military entrance to the airport for over an
hour. Finally, I called Raquelle, our techno expert, to see if she
could tell us anything. Using the latest codes from Brody, she
quickly checked into it and reported that although the flight had
been delayed in Parisio, the plane had landed a little over 30
minutes ago. She also discovered that no military personnel had
entered or left the airport in the last three hours. I thanked her
for her help and disconnected.

I turned to Eberhardt and was just about to
recommend that we go in through the back, when my transceiver
started to buzz. I didn't recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Keira, it's me.”

I turned on the vidscreen. “Aimee?”
Eberhardt leaned over to see. It was mostly dark, but a soft glow
filtered in from the right, lights from the airport I assumed.
Silhouettes of trees stood far behind her against the twilight.
“Are you alright?”

“I'm fine. Sgt. McGraw was supposed to meet
us, but she wasn't there.”

“Where are you now?”

“We're in a field behind the airport but not
by the runways.”

“Okay, we're not far. Do you see a gate?
It's a military entrance.”

“Yeah, I see it. Will they let us out?”

“Yes, they're expecting you. We'll meet you
there.”

I closed the connection and pocketed my
transceiver. In an instant, we were both out of the car. Eberhardt
pulled his gun, but it wasn't necessary. They weren't being
followed. I signaled the guards, and they opened the gate for Aimee
and a young soldier.

“I missed you so much!” I said as Aimee
practically fell into my arms. “Are you all right?”

“A little shaken, but I'm okay. This is
Harlow.”

“David.” Eberhardt smiled warmly. “It's been
a while.”

“It's been a very long time, Bruno. I
wondered what had happened to you. We all did.”

I looked at Eberhardt, and one corner of my
mouth curled up in amusement. Bruno? But he was already hurrying
all of us toward the car.

“We need to get these ladies to safety.
We'll catch up later.”

In the car, Aimee reached out to touch my
hair. It had been straightened and trimmed in a short stylish
cut.

“You've changed it again.” She frowned.
“What's happened now?”

“Oh, no. No, it's nothing like that. I'm not
in hiding exactly, the opposite really. It should hit the newsvids
by the end of the month.” I took a deep breath and stopped
rambling. “I'm getting married.”

“Really?” She squealed. “When did Guy
propose?”

“About a week ago. We haven't made a public
announcement yet. We haven't told anyone. Well, except for you
guys.” I looked at her and Eberhardt and smiled. Then I turned my
attention to David Harlow. “Can you keep a secret?”

He turned from the front seat and winked at
me. “I promise not to say a thing until the official news breaks.
Why didn't anyone tell me I was guarding someone so...well so
infamous?”

I could only stare. “You must have known she
was important.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted me. I wasn't sure
how I felt about that. “But she was introduced to me as art dealer,
Aimee LaFleur. I've been trained to follow orders, not ask
questions. I didn't realize she was his sister and yours. You are
Keira Maddock, aren't you? And she's April?”

I looked at Eberhardt who nodded slightly.
“Yes. Thank you for keeping her safe. Officially, her name is Aimee
LaFleur, and she is an art dealer,” I said in a tight voice.

He nodded once. “Of course. I didn't mean
any disrespect.”

“I am right here, you know,” Aimee said.

I returned my attention to my sister and
grinned. “I'm glad to see you took my advice. It looks natural,” I
said, referring to her hair. Shoulder-length, layered, honey brown
hair with light blond highlights framed her face. “I don't think
anyone will recognize you.”

“Um, shouldn't we go back for my
luggage?”

“What did you pack? Anything important?”

“Just my clothes, some shoes and a few
personal items. The important stuff is all in there.” She pointed
to the carry-on at her feet.

“We'll call the airline in the morning and
have them deliver your things to the apartment. It shouldn't be a
problem. Guy always made me leave my suitcase. It's what the Elite
do. You know, anything they can have someone else do for
them...”

Aimee smiled. “That sounds like something
they'd do. But, why didn't you come in to meet me? No one would
question Richard Burke and his fiancee helping a new art dealer
settle in, would they?”

“Like I said, nobody knows about the
proposal yet. We've just begun setting things in motion. We need to
make it look like we've never met before. You'll be our connection.
Richard Burke will be working with you to help you establish your
new business, and I'm your roommate.” I smiled and asked, “Don't
you remember? We met years ago when I spent the summer in Parisio
visiting family.”

“Oh, but of course! How could I forget that
summer?” She winked at me, and we both giggled.

“Anyway, Richard Burke and Kendra James will
meet because of you. Oh, and Kendra is an only child, so would you
be my maid of honor?”

Aimee squealed again and hugged me.

It was Harlow who returned our focus to the
here and now. “I don't mean to spoil the party, but what about Sgt.
McGraw? Do you know what happened to her?”

I shook my head, pulled out my transceiver
and contacted Guy. After I explained the situation, I closed the
connection and looked at Harlow. “He'll meet us at Eberhardt's.
He'd like you to stick around.”

When we arrived home, Eberhardt made us wait
in the car with Harlow while he checked both our apartment and his.
When he was satisfied that no one else had been there during our
absence, he returned and gestured for us to follow him.

“Do you have anything to drink?” I
asked.

“Just beer.”

“Not really a welcome home sort of drink.” I
reached for Aimee's carry-on. “I'll just drop this off and bring
down something more festive.”

Minutes later, I stood in front of
Eberhardt's apartment with a bottle of wine in one hand and the
other on the doorknob. The elevator doors swished open further down
the hall. I turned and saw Guy hurrying toward me and let my hand
fall away from the door. As his warm soft lips pressed against
mine, and his arms wrapped around me, a glow spread from my belly
to the tips of my fingers. It had only been a little more than a
week since I'd moved out, but it was clear to me that I didn't want
to continue on without him. Guy tickled my lips with his tongue,
and I was just about to open my mouth for more when I heard a click
and turned my head.

Harlow stood in the doorway. He chuckled.
“Is this how you plan to convince the world that you've never met
before?”

Guy pulled away from me and smiled. He
looked deeply into my eyes, even while he responded to Harlow. “No,
it's how we plan to convince the world that Richard Burke is
finally ready to commit to one woman.”

“Hmm...” Harlow cocked his head to one side.
“Yeah, you might be able to pull that off.”

They shook hands. “I'm Guy. It's nice to
finally meet you. Thank you for keeping Aimee safe.” Harlow put his
head down as Guy continued. “McGraw had only good things to say
about you!”

“Thank you, sir. But I'm not sure how much
help I was. Aimee is the one who took charge in the field.” He
shook his head. “I didn't even know who to call.”

He was honest and modest, both admirable
traits, and he had stuck by Aimee until his mission was complete. I
smiled at Guy and nodded.

Guy put his hand on the younger man's
shoulder and looked him in the eye. “You did just fine, and you
helped us discover a flaw without anything going terribly wrong.
From now on, we'll be sure to give all Shepherds two local numbers,
in case anything like this happens again.”

Harlow nodded. “Thank you, sir!”

Guy took the bottle of wine from me and
walked over to the dining table. He handed it to Eberhardt, who had
already set out five glasses. Then he pulled out my chair, and I
sat. I crossed my legs at the ankles, folded my hands in my lap and
kept my posture straight. Aimee watched with interest. She looked
like she wanted to laugh, so I winked at her. It felt unnatural to
be acting this way in the company of soldiers and bodyguards.