Nora Stevenson

Chapter One

"Let's stop for the day," I pant. Bending over, I rest my hands on my knees and breathe heavily. "Please," I add.

We have been walking all night. Beside me, Liam halts. Recovering, I glance toward the rapidly rising sun. "Let's just go a little farther and see if we can find some shade." That's just like Liam, to be practical about everything.

"Fine."

"Good." There is unspoken tension between us. I know he remembers the last time we met. We'd fought. Pushing against the arid wind, I look at him out of the corner of my eye, trying to read his emotions and thoughts. I detect a whirlwind of feelings radiating off of him: fatigue, irritability, and...here's a new one. Numbness. I haven't sensed that in a while. My eyes glaze over and I lose all thought and feeling. As if robotic, I trudge forward. Beneath the numbness there is hardened pain. Liam's memories pour into my vision like a wave crashing above my head.

I shake out the thoughts and focus on our mission. "Any news?"

He shakes his head. "Sorry, Nora. Nothing. It's as if all criminals have disappeared off the face of the earth." My jaw tightens. As a CIA agent—well, a former CIA agent—I have known for years about the most dangerous criminals, their whereabouts, and their pressure points.

However, since the beginning of last week, the Agency has received no information on any of the criminals at the top of the priority list. That's when I got fired and imprisoned.

"You don't really believe I did what they think I did...do you?" I ask. Silence. "Liam?"

"Nora, look. I want to think that you didn't kill those people. I really do. But all the evidence points to you." I stop dead in my tracks. My eyes well up with tears. One streams down my face, making my skin tingle in its salty wake.

"Liam..."

"I came here to rescue you, Nora. Why do you think that is? It's because I'm loyal to you, whether you've been wrongfully convicted or not. You've taught me everything I know about criminals and how they think, and you don't think like a criminal."

I respond with grateful silence. Not everyone has given up on me. Liam bumps into my shoulder, and as I look at him, he winks, and I know all is not lost. We hike across the rocky terrain for another hour in complete silence. We have been through a lot these past few months.

For no reason at all, the thought of Abigail pops into my head. I long to ask Liam about this woman, but he does not yet know my deepest secret: that I can see his thoughts.

I stare blankly ahead, my eyes burning from the sting of hot sand. Suddenly my eyes widen and adrenaline rushes into my bloodstream. My sunburnt lips involuntarily split themselves and grin at what lies ahead: an oasis.

"Liam! Oh, my God, Liam!" My fellow traveler raises his head slowly, the thin slits that are his eyes are red and dull. "Liam!" I shout again.

"Oh! Oh, wow!" he exclaims, and he begins running with renewed energy toward our shady haven. I sprint after him, kicking up sand in my path.

When we finally arrive at the oasis, I jump straight into the pool of clear, cool water. It rushes across my sunburnt skin, rejuvenating every cell in my body. My hair floats like blonde seaweed, now clean and untangled for the first time in two weeks. I swim towards the top and pop up from the surface, pushing my wet hair out of my eyes; and then I do something unexpected.

I laugh.

It's a great laugh, one of pure joy, relief, and giddiness. I turn my focus toward Liam and scan his mind. My refreshed mouth eases into a smile as I experience the one emotion running through his veins. There are no thoughts of work, criminals, or Abigail. He runs his fingers through his soaked hair, practically giggling with glee.