A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 100: Flyin' High

John's sound asleep the next morning, curled beside me hugging me like I'm a critter that'll crawl off into the night; I hate to think that I technically am. But if I'm going to help Nine find his students and put an end to this Foundation, I want to do so in a way so bae doesn't need to worry.

Carefully, I slip out of his touch, so as not to wake him, but he still stirs. "I'm just going to shower," I whisper, kissing his forehead before eyeing my shirt on the ground.

He responds with a tired, "Mhm." I snag my shirt and a pair of sweatpants then make my way to the bathroom.

The water's warm on my breasts, but there's a certain chill to it knowing that John isn't with me, and the simple idea of John waking to find me leaving is enough to call it to an end.

Even when I shut off the water, my thighs are sore. What's more, what's inside of me is even sorer, as if bae's still deep in me even though he isn't. I wring out my hair, towel-dry it a little, and leave it to air-dry down my back to rid the rest of the moisture.

I head out only to sneak a peek at a still-sleeping John in the other room, snoring even. I smile, and under my breath, murmur, "I'm doing this for you, so you know that I changed."

I step out into the morning air—it's brisk and bracing and immediately passes a shiver over my scalp—and make my way to the admin building, to Nine's office.

It's quiet this early in the day; the clock in the foyer reads 6:18. There aren't many people up and about yet, and those that are seem to be officials—professors, janitors, security, whatnot. I knock on Nine's door to hear him call an easy, "Come in," so I do. "Emily, good to see you! I take it we're still doing this then?"

"Yeah. If you think it's necessary."

"Of course I think it's necessary," he states, giving me look like I have no idea what I'm talking about. "You think I'm just going to let my students fend for themselves out there? What kind of monster do you take me for?" What? Monster?

"No," I choke. "Um, nothing. You're not a monster or anything... it's just, I don't like lying to my—John—about this... and stuff, I guess."

"Relax, Emily," he chimes, clapping me once on the back. "I'm just messing with you. Johnny can be a bit uptight about stuff like this. I don't want him involved. You didn't tell him anything about this mission, did you?"

I shake my head. "All I told him was that I needed some time alone today."

He smiles. "Well, alright! Emily: natural-born liar! Ready to go?"

"I don't think that's something to celebrate," I murmur, stiffening a little. "But sure."

Nine just shrugs, grabs a few papers, and stuffs them away in a drawer. "We do what we have to do," he says. "C'mon. Let's go to the roof. We'll take the chopper to Florida."

There's an HGA helicopter and a pilot waiting for us on the roof of the admin building; I didn't even know they had a helipad up here. "Professor Nine, good to see you," says the pilot in navy blue, turning to me. "Oh. I understood that I'd just be flying you, Sir."

"Change of plans," Nine replies, nonchalantly. "Emily's helping me put a stop to this mess. I hope that's ok. It doesn't mess with our flight plan, does it?"

"No. Of course not." Though he appears to do a double take at me. "Fine with me."

Nine pulls open the sliding door with his real arm, gesturing for me to get in first. I do, and he climbs in after me. Dom—our pilot—hands me a headset. "So we can hear each other up in the air," he explains, "and it helps protect your hearing." I put them on as Dom turns back to face front. His voice crispens in my ears. "Buckle up," he says through the intercom.