Jude Stephens Read Online Free PDF Page B

years.”
    “ How did you end up working for
Roberto?” I was genuinely curious.
    “ Andy and I were in the same SEAL
unit. We had a couple of close calls on some recon missions. We
trusted each other and when Andy left the Navy he told me about a
“special” job he had lined up. Good pay, travel and plenty of
interesting people.”
    That made me laugh out loud. “Interesting people,
huh? Did you expect vampires, Sensays and other worldly
creatures?”
    “ No. But it makes no difference to
me. The Evolved, just like people, are treacherous and can never be
trusted.”
    “ Wow, that’s a pretty cynical
outlook on life.”
    Mark looked at me. “Maybe, but it keeps me from
trusting the wrong people and being used.”
    Owww...that one struck home. Mark was right. I had
to stop trusting the wrong people. Look what it had gotten me so
far.
    Mark asked “Any idea yet of where we’re going?”
    “ No, not yet. I know we’re heading
in the right direction though. I feel a sense of going home. Weird,
huh?”
    Mark shrugged. “Not really. We all have instincts.
Most don’t use them.”
    It got quiet again. I don’t think Mark will ever be
one for chit chat. Sometimes that could be a good thing. As we
traveled north on the interstate I thought about my dream from
today. I had a feeling that the old woman who spoke to me was
somehow related to me. Deep inside I felt an urgency to get to her
in person. I hoped she’d be able to give me some answers about my
Sensay abilities and about my parents.
    My thoughts drifted to the man I bumped into. There
was something about him that made me nervous. He looked hard, and
not just his chiseled body. He had the look of someone who had to
fight his entire life.
    I leaned back into the seat and made myself relax.
We had been on the road for close to two hours when I saw a sign
for Star Lake. With a growing excitement I said, “Take the next
exit. This is it.”
    Somehow I was able to direct him to a small dirt
road that led directly to the lakeside. Mark stopped the jeep and
we got out. I looked around and had a feeling of familiarity. I
couldn’t exactly remember being here before, yet everything seemed
recognizable.
    “ I need to stay the night here.” I
said with certainty.
    “ Right here?”
    “ Yeah.”
    “ I’d rather see you stay in a
hotel, but if this is where you want to stay then you got it
boss.”
    “ Boss?”
    “ Yeah…well as I figure, I’m
working for you now.”
    “ But I can’t pay you at this time.
I have nothing. Not even the clothes on my back are my
own.”
    “ That’s okay. I have enough money.
I don’t need much, so I won’t take payment until your
set.”
    I shook my head at him in wonderment. “I don’t
understand you Mark.”
    He actually laughed and it was a nice sound. “No one
does.”
    Mark began to take supplies out of the jeep. I gave
him a quizzical look.
    “ I learned a long time ago to
always be prepared. The tent is small, but it should do for you and
Bullet”
    “ What about you?’
    “ I can sleep anywhere. I’ll be
fine.”
    Bullet took off in the woods and I went to find a
place where I could relieve myself in privacy. When I finished and
was on my way back, I stopped for a few minutes and looked out over
the lake. It was beautiful. The moon shone on it turning the water
into molten silver hues.
    A vision appeared before me, a couple in the water,
laughing and splashing each other. All of a sudden they stopped
laughing, embraced and started kissing. It was a passionate kiss
that even from here I could see was filled with love.
    Someone was shaking me. I came back into myself with
no small amount of disorientation and finally was able to focus on
Mark who was saying my name.
    “ What’s wrong?” I asked
him.
    “ You tell me. You were gone almost
an hour, and then I find you catatonic standing here staring at the
lake.”
    I came more into myself and said, “There’s no way
I’ve been gone an hour.”
    “ Yeah, it