FAITH

The thunder boomed over head and the rain fell harder as the man made his way to the cabin. He could see it now, see the flames dance and sputter on the hand made candles that bore them. She was waiting. She was waiting for him, just as he knew she would. Just as she always would.

He tried to keep his mind blank as he strode nearer the steps to the cabin. It wouldn’t do any good to think about it until the deed was done. It shouldn’t have to be this way.

He opened the door and stood just outside, drenched in his clothes…waiting.

“Wallace!” She spun on her heals and ran to him, hugging his rain soaked body. What a tiny being…so fragile and yet so strong. Her long auburn hair cascaded all around them both, wet and clinging to them due to the rain. It was as if her very essence was clinging to him through that silky mop. God, how he wanted to run his hands through it once more. Just once more.

“I didn’t think you were coming.” Her eyes were full of worry and tenderness. Beautiful eyes, like thick moss. He averted his gaze.

“Something is wrong, my love?”

It didn’t surprise him to know she could sense it. That’s why he was ordered to…get rid of her. Wallace crossed the room to the thick chair by the fire and sat down to warm himself. He would hate himself for this. That is, if he could go through with it. And some small part of him knew he couldn’t. It was the other part of him that had him so upset.

He’d been in charge of “the wild goose chase” the CIA had put together to keep her away from the truth. She had certain psychic abilities that scared the heads of his department to death. True she couldn’t read minds, but she knew things. No one was able to understand it and what the CIA doesn’t understand…the CIA destroys.

She had went to the top and told them that there were traitors among the high ranks, but she didn’t know who. It might have been alright after that, except she made it her business to try and figure out who. The eager little patriot, she wanted so badly to keep our national secrets from foreign hands. Why couldn’t she have left it alone?

Because if she had, he never would have been assigned as her baby sitter. Because if she had, he never would’ve known…shit! What was he thinking? Love? He didn’t love anybody. So why was it so hard to follow his orders? And why wasn’t she suspicious?

It had been his custom to be gone every other night. “To secure the perimeters and to get the necessities from town.” She trusted him without question. She even loved him, gave herself to him over and over again. Him, the only man she’d ever been with…the last man she’d ever get the chance to be with.

“Nothing’s wrong, Faith. I’m sorry I wasn’t back last night as usual…I was being followed.” It was a flat out lie. He could taste its sickness in his mouth. He disgusted himself. Still, he went on. “There was a man in town that seemed to be everywhere I was. I had to lead him off course. To—protect you.” Yeah, he was going to go to Hell.

“Hmm…I wonder what they’re up to.” That was his Faith, always wondering. She was like a cat when it came to her curiosities…and this time it just might kill the cat.

God, he couldn’t do it…not right now, anyway. Not while she could see that it was him. No—he’d wait. He had orders and though he didn’t like them, not one damn bit…he’d follow them as he always had done. Faith Wilder would be taken out of the picture…one way or another.