Agent I1: Tristan [01] The D.I.R.E. Agency Read Online Free PDF Page B

night.
      Tristan had teleported them from Trunk Bay right into the hypogeum of the Colosseum in Rome. Once she had gotten over the shock of actually standing in Italy, Rachel had run barefoot through the tunnels of grass and screamed at the top of her lungs.
    That’s when the security guard heard them.
    It took Tristan seconds to grab her hand and run to a tunnel, where he teleported them to the top of the Colosseum’s outer wall that overlooked the city. The narrow ledge and height made her scream all the more, which amused Tristan to no end. She wouldn’t have traded the experience for the world.
    The Sistine Chapel had been a bit more challenging but Tristan made it happen. Though she’d felt a bit disrespectful standing under Michelangelo’s masterpiece in her bare feet, Rachel couldn’t regret a single moment. The art touched her heart in ways she could never explain, the gripping message potent in its vibrant depictions of the Nine Books of Genesis. When Tristan caught her crying under the Downfall of Humanity, he whisked her away to the Eiffel Tower.
    They took in a panoramic view of Paris and watched skaters on the ice rink. Though she still felt the effects of the whiskey, they indulged in a few glasses of champagne on the top floor of the tower. To say they had received some strange stares in the champagne bar was an understatement.
    She didn’t much care. She’d never had so much fun in all of her small town life. Her idea of vacation had been a weekend on the Texas Gulf Coast.
    Flipping on a pale blue light on his armband, Tristan grinned as he held out his feet in front him.
    “I think you’re probably right. But even if someone did dispute it, they couldn’t claim to have champagne spilt on top of the dirt. We’re definitely unique.”
    Add a man who can turn invisible and teleport anywhere in the world… yeah, unique would be an understatement, too.
    Rachel held her hand to her forehead. “I don’t think I’ve ever drank this much in my life. Now Aidan, on the other hand…”
    Tristan’s voice echoed in the inky darkness. “Yeah, he got pretty wasted after your father’s funeral. I met him at a bar near the base and drove him home.”
    “Poor Aidan. After my father died, I went into work mode. I didn’t want to stop moving because once I did, his loss would hit me and I’d just cry, non-stop.” She turned to look at him. “How do you handle loss?”
    He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve experienced it once, when my mother died. I was three. Since then, I’ve never gotten close enough to anyone to care.”
    Rachel mentally gasped, knowing Tristan wouldn’t appreciate an outburst. Her heart broke for him. Aidan had said he was a loner. Now she knew why. He was too afraid to care.
    “I wish I could do that,” she said. “Once, I even told myself I wouldn’t care about anyone, anymore. That lasted a few days - until Glenna and Mark’s little boy, Ty, gave me a hug one night when I babysat him.” She smiled. “I’m a softie.”
    Tristan braced his hands on either side of his legs. “So, you work as a nurse, pick up prescriptions for your neighbors and babysit for your friends. Are you always helping people?”
    She let her legs dangle again. “Well, I jog with Mr. Templeton three times a week. He hates to run by himself and refuses to use earbuds for music. I pick up dry cleaning, toiletries and an occasional gift for the town attorney, Mr. Hensen. I also pick up clothes, toiletries, and fast food for Ben Adams. He lives in the assisted living center attached to the hospital.” She laughed. “Ben and my father used to be good friends. He lets me know when I’ve neglected him.”
    “So, you do all of this just to be neighborly?”
    “It started out that way but after Dad died, they began paying me. All of them. I didn’t ask for it, they just handed me money. Every penny goes to medical bills.”
    He just stared at her, his expression unreadable.
    “What?”
    “Are you