“The dating stage,” she said. “Who knew that my handsome hero actually was my best friend?”
“Well, your best friend didn’t,” he muttered, holding her close.
“Fools, the both of us,” she said, laughing.
“That’s all right,” he said. “We got it now.”
And he kissed her again, and she had to agree. What they had now was worth everything they’d been through together to get here. She smiled, wrapped her arms around him, and whispered, “Did I ever tell you that I love you?”
“Yes,” he said, “many times.”
“Well, it’s true,” she said, “even more so today than any other. For I’m in love with you.”
He nodded and whispered against her ear gently, “And I love you, and I’m in love with you too.”
She smiled, closed her eyes, and said, “Now I’ll nap for a bit. Wake me up in a little while.”
“No, I’ll let you sleep.”
“Either you wake me up or I’ll wake you.”
“Well, whoever wakes up first gets to wake the other,” he said, stifling a yawn.
She chuckled, tucked in against him, and soon fell asleep, with a smile on her face and with the promise of a peaceful night ahead of her, as she stepped into her new life with Shane.
Epilogue
Diesel Edwards walked back into his small apartment, even as his cell phone rang inside. He quickly picked it up and answered. It was Shane. “Hey, I was just outside, washing the car.”
“And you didn’t have your phone on you?”
“No,” he said. “Sometimes I just don’t want to be connected.”
“Got it,” he said.
“How are you two getting along?”
“Well, Shelly’s back here in California, and we’re looking for apartments right now,” he said. “She’s looking for a job but not pushing it.”
“I wouldn’t push it either. Her last job was a bit of a killer.”
At that, Shane snorted. “You think? They did give her a nice severance package though, hoping that they wouldn’t get sued for the lack of security. But, all in all, we’re doing great.”
“Perfect,” he said.
“What about you?” Shane said.
“Yeah, I’m back, normal, recovered,” he said. “I had a few days of rest.”
“That’s good.”
“Just a check-up call?”
“Well, I would invite you over for a barbecue,” he said, “but …”
“But?” Diesel walked to the small balcony and stepped out. He was just on the outskirts of San Diego, and the smog was not too bad today, but it was pretty muggy. “So, you got a job for me or what?”
“Well, it’s not me who’s got a job for you. The Mavericks do.”
“My own job?” Diesel asked in surprise.
“Yeah, if you’re up for it.”
“Any reason I wouldn’t be?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “How do you feel about scientists?”
“No different than any other person. Why?”
“Because a specialist, an epidemiologist, has been kidnapped.”
“And that’s a Mavericks issue, why?”
“She was working on a new cure for a virus. Apparently China is looking to have the cure for themselves, and she is their best bet.”
“Is it part of that H1N1 that’s terrorizing Asia?”
“It’s one of the offshoots of it,” he said. “Anyway, she went missing twelve days ago.”
“Why are we getting called in so late?”
“Because her family didn’t report her missing.”
“What family would that be?”
“Her brother, who lives with her. When he finally did call it in, nobody really believed him because he was drunk.”
“Great, so how believable is her disappearance?”
“We checked the street cams, and two Asian males clearly escorted her, as soon as she left her home, into a black car.”
“And?”
“It went to the Chinese Consulate. However, the consulate is saying that nobody arrived.”
“Did you show them the video?”
“Yes, but they say the car isn’t theirs, and honestly the camera doesn’t go clear onto their property.”
“So, what are the chances that she was even taken by the Chinese?” he said. “It’s pretty easy to blame them by taking her to that location but then sneak her off somewhere else.”
“Yes, it’s quite possible,” he said, “which is why you’re being called in for it.”
“And what’s the problem?”
“Well, I think at the moment she’s on a Chinese warship.”
“How did we go from the Chinese Consulate not having anything to do with it to a Chinese warship?”
“Well, it gets better than that,” he said. “Her last sighting was on a Chinese junk boat.”
“Where?”
“Off China’s coast.”
“That’s not making any sense.”
“Nope, we’ll fill you in as you go,” he said cheerfully.
“Go where?”
“To the last sighting of her. How are your language skills? Like Chinese, possibly Vietnamese?”
“Terrible,” he said, “I suck at it, but things always work out.” As they spoke, he was already pulling out a duffel bag and packing up his clothes. He heard a vehicle outside and shook his head. “Are you telling me that that I’m leaving right now?”
“Aren’t you packed yet? You should have started when I first called.”
“I might have, if we hadn’t been talking about you guys and a barbecue that you owe me,” he said. Nonetheless he was packed within minutes.
“Make sure you’ve got your passport.”
“I’ve got it,” he said. “I still don’t understand why this scientist was kidnapped.”
“Well, she’s got a scientific background for one. She’s a renowned epidemiologist for another, and she’s got some head start on a cure for this … this virus.”
“That’s great, but then somebody wants her for a lab, right?”
“Well, that’s what we’re hoping for, but, of course, it could just as easily be extortion.”
“And we don’t know.”
“Well, that’s for you to find out,” he said. “In the meantime, we’re still tracking her movements. Please bring her home.” And, with that, Shane went to log off.
“Wait,” Diesel said, “when am I leaving?”
“I thought I made it clear that you’re supposed to be packing.”
“Not only am I packed, I’ve locked up my apartment, and I’m standing outside.”
“Oh, well, do you see the little red car parked in front of you?”
He looked at the parking lot and found it. There appeared to be no driver. “Yeah?”
“The keys are under the floor mat.”
“Where am I going?”