The Color of Courage (13 page)

My stomach rolled. I was going to be no help in determining if we should accept his proposal.

A waitress knocked on the door, then entered with a tray holding bread and goblets of water with lemon slices. We made small talk with Charles between giving our orders in turn, and a moment later the waitress retrieved her tray and backed out with a smile.

“I am sure you have many questions, Mr. Tarantino.”

I noticed Adam didn’t give him permission to call him by his first name.

“I’m curious why a man like you would make such a generous offer,” he said.

Charles inclined his head in acknowledgement. “But of course. HQ has many goals, high aspirations, but perhaps not the funding to make such things entirely possible. My patronage would allow you the benefit of technology for your uniforms, your vehicles, protective and predictive equipment—even promotion and marketing that would position you to increase your services and enlist cooperation from the populace and law enforcement.”

My head swiveled from Charles to Adam to catch his reaction.
He
didn’t bother to hide his suspicion. Not that he could hide it from me, but his jaw was so tight it was almost clenched, and he didn’t blink as he spoke to Charles.

“That does a good job of explaining why we would want a patron,
Monsieur
, but not why you would want to be one.”

“I’m sure you understand that one would have intensely personal reasons.”

“Be that as it may, it’s an important factor in our decision to accept your patronage.”

Anger swirled in Charles’s aura. I gave Kirby a frantic glance. She hastily swallowed the water she’d been sipping and jumped in.

“Mr. Auberginois, perhaps you would like to hear some of our cases and how a benefactor could have enhanced our success.” Before he could answer, she launched into a presentation for which she’d obviously prepared. Was this why she didn’t have the scoop on Charles before this morning? She’d been focused instead on how we could convince him he wanted to help us?

The waitress entered with our salads, cutting off Kirby’s monologue.

When she left, Trace picked up the conversation. “Have you been in DC long?”

“Just a few days. I had a meeting with the Department of Homeland Security. Your article in
Today’s News
came to my attention, and it seemed providential. I decided to offer my services.”

Summer spoke for the first time. “That article hardly painted superheroes in a good light.”

“It offered some negative portrayals, of course. But not for HQ. Your group has done some great things.”

“Why us?” Adam asked. “Why here? Why not help Chicago or San Diego rebuild their organizations?”

“How do you know I’m not?” Charles smiled, and Adam’s aura lightened just a tad. “But a more direct answer for why you, your team, is apparent in your composition. You have strength and stamina.” He inclined his head at Trace. “Speed, agility, control.” He indicated Kirby and Summer. “Protection and detection.” A hand held toward Adam. “And perhaps the most powerful and unique ability of all.” Charles leaned forward slightly and addressed me. “Ms. Charm, I’m not sure if you are aware, but there has not been an empath such as you in this entire country, ever.”

I didn’t know what to say about that, and Charles smoothly moved on. We refrained from further business discussion when our food was served and instead focused on local weather, tourism in France, and—believe it or not—a pirate movie, while we ate. Adam declined dessert and I think we would have followed suit, had Charles not ordered a chocolate torte with such relish the rest of us could hardly resist. Well, the rest of us besides Adam. Charles was paying, and it had been a long time since I’d eaten something this good.

Finally, he laid his fork to the side, took a last sip of his coffee, and shifted forward in his seat.

“Mr. Tarantino, I assure you I have no intentions of taking over your leadership of HQ. That is your main reservation, no?”

Adam dropped his napkin on the table. “Actually, that’s not my concern. I have more respect and confidence in my team than that. However, I am wary of a benefactor who is used to buying what he wants, when he wants it. If we accepted your money, it would make us beholden to you in ways I’m not at all convinced would be beneficial to HQ or the DC area.”

Charles nodded slightly. “An understandable reservation. I would then encourage you to have a contract drawn. It can specify the amount and frequency of my donation to HQ as well as making clear that no one serving HQ will have any obligation to me or anyone representing me, for any purpose. I will have no direct role in your day-to-day operations, except insofar as consultation may be requested and desired by you.”

Trace, Summer, and Kirby, all with hopeful, excited auras, looked at Adam. He frowned, his colors murky. His fingers fiddled with the spoon he hadn’t used for coffee or dessert. We all held our breath. Except Charles, who sat still, a faint smile on his face, waiting patiently.

Finally, Adam rose. The rest of us followed. He started to walk around the table to Charles, lifting his hand like he wanted to shake, but stopped before he set his damaged foot down. Charles hurried to Adam, his innate grace and elegance making him appear as if he wasn’t hurrying at all.

“Thank you for your very generous offer,” Adam said just before clasping Charles’ hand. His tone was much more deferential now. “We’ll consider it and have the suggested contract drawn up. Do we have your card?” He looked at Kirby, who nodded. “Then we’ll be in touch.”

“Excellent!” Charles clapped Adam’s shoulder and beamed all around at us. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

We waited until he left. Trace sat again, but Adam didn’t. “I want to talk about this back at HQ, where we can’t be overheard.”

Trace bounced back up. “I have a stop to make.” He grinned at me. “Deposit on my new place.”

“Great! When do you move?”

“It’s not available for two weeks. Sorry.”

I made a face of mock disappointment, and he noogied me in the shoulder.

“I have a class to teach,” Summer said. “It’ll be an hour and a half before I can get to HQ.”

Adam raised his eyebrows at Kirby, who shrugged. “I can use the time to dig a little deeper on Auberginois.”

“All right. We’ll plan to meet in two hours.” He turned to me and went blank, and it was like the other three went out of existence.

“Will you walk back with me?” He lifted his crutches and positioned them under his arms. “My mother kept my car.”

“You can’t walk all that way!” I protested.

“My car’s at HQ,” Kirby said. “I can go get it if you want. It won’t take me long.”

“Thanks, Kirby. Daley and I will meet you at the entrance to the park across the street.”

“Sure.” She hovered for a second, then shrugged again and went out the door behind Summer and Trace, who were whispering and laughing. Probably about Adam and me, but I could hardly care about what they were saying. I had enough to deal with, with the “Adam and me” part.

Adam didn’t say anything until we’d left the restaurant and crossed to the small park. I started for a bench, but he head-motioned down a brick path, instead.

“I need to move a bit,” he explained at my stern expression.

I gave in. He knew his own limitations, and he had been stationary for a few days. We moved slowly along the path, and for a moment I absorbed the sunshine and fresh air while I watched carefully for anything that would trip him up or catch a crutch.

“What did you think of Auberginois?” Adam asked.

“Personally, or empathically?”

He glanced out the corner of his eye. “Is there a difference?”

“Sure.”

“Then both.”

He negotiated the slightly uneven bricks without difficulty, so I stopped scrutinizing the ground and started absentmindedly scanning the other patrons of the park.

“Empathically, he was interesting.” I told him of the emotions I’d detected. “The relief couldn’t have been about me,” I concluded, “because if it was, I wouldn’t have seen it.”

“It could have been that he was trying to hide something from you and his relief was related to a third party who wanted that hidden.”

I shook my head. “That’s just too convoluted.”

“Humans are.”

“Personally, I’m okay with him. He was charming and professional and handled your concerns well.”

Adam snorted. “You mean my arrogance. You’re right, though, he did meet me head on. Didn’t take offense at my attacks.”

“What did Kirby find on him? That last page you didn’t get to tell us about?”

He stopped and squinted at the traffic on the far side of the park. “His brother was a superhero.”

“Was?”

“He worked in Chicago. He was one of the ones who died.”

My mouth fell open. “Then why doesn’t he want to rebuild Chicago?” I frowned as I thought about the conversation in the restaurant. He’d implied that he was, but hadn’t flat out stated it. “And why didn’t you ask him about his brother?”

He shrugged and turned back to the entrance where Kirby was picking us up. “Instinct. The guy had a different name. I’m thinking he doesn’t expect us to make the connection. As for why he picked us, it could be just like he said. Maybe he is helping the others.”

“Tulie would know if he was.”

“Maybe. His fiancée’s death hit him hard, though. If Auberginois offered, I’m not sure he would have accepted.”

We were almost to the gate now, and I took a deep breath. We were almost out of time. Maybe Adam wasn’t going to bring up the building collapse, to tell me what he couldn’t say in the hospital. But then he stopped again and turned to face me. My throat tightened, and I tried to gasp for breath that wouldn’t come.

“I know you’re thinking about leaving HQ.”

My throat relaxed, but the rest of me tensed. “I’m not.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, I was. I thought I’d be more liability than help. But I’m not. Leaving, that is. I’m still a liability.”

I had no sense of Adam’s emotions, but his eyes darkened and I swore they swirled with something—anger, maybe, or something even more powerful.

But his voice was mild when he said, “How do you figure that?”

I had to look away. My hands busied themselves tucking in a loose bit of sheepskin on his crutch support.

“My power isn’t physical. I’m more vulnerable than the rest of you, and an enemy may know that. They could target me or use me to compromise the group.”

Adam didn’t insult me by denying it. He nodded thoughtfully instead and waited for me to continue.

“I didn’t think I contribute enough to HQ to be worth the risk.”

His jaw flexed, like he was trying not to say anything.

“But I thought about it some more, and while I may be a liability, I’m not nothing. So I’m staying. Unless you want me to leave,” I added, unnerved by his silence and the possibility that that might be where he was going with this.

But he shook his head. “We all have vulnerabilities, Daley. None of us is indestructible. If the enemy is good enough, they’ll figure out how to target each of us.” He inhaled deeply, looming over my head. “Which means I really shouldn’t say what I wanted to say to you.”

My heart sped up. “About what?”

His jaw flexed again. I touched it, and he looked down at me. I thought he was going to speak several times, but he swallowed the words. Finally, he said, “Rachel’s gone.”

“I know, you said she’s overseas for three weeks.”

“No, I mean gone, gone. I told her—well, we’re not together anymore.”

“Oh.” I wanted to yell. “Why?”

He stared at me, then shook his head slowly left to right, like I couldn’t possibly be that dense.

“Then say it,” I shot at him, my tension snapping. “Stop dancing around things. Did you break up with her because of CASE? To keep her out of harm’s way? Because you love her so much you want her safe?”

His mouth curled up a fraction. “No to all of the above.”

“Because she’s never around? You’re like strangers, and you need more than she can give?”

“No.”

“She hates HQ and the time you spend on us. Being responsible for our complete well-being.”

“No.”

“She wants kids, and you’re sterile.”

The smile that had grown infinitesimally larger with each example I bit out disappeared. “No!”

“Then what? Why the hell would you say that to me, Adam?” I shoved at his chest with both hands, knocking him back a step. The crutches clattered to the ground and he grabbed my arms, hauling me against him both to get his balance back and to bring my face close to his.

Very close to his.

“I ended things with Rachel because she’s not you.”

How could I be frozen in place and burning up at the same time. “Why?” I whispered. My mouth almost brushed his lips. He closed the space, then shifted back again.

“She’s hard and self-centered and superficial.”

“That only explains half of it.”

He nodded a tiny bit. “You’re warm and giving and always trying to find new ways to help people. To help me.” The last three words were almost inaudible, as if he didn’t feel right saying them, but that was part of the reason I’d always been so drawn to him. He deserved so much and didn’t see it.

My hands curled into his shirt. “This is what you were going to tell me at the hospital? What you were thinking when the building fell on you?”

He nodded, and it took all my willpower not to press my lips against his. But he’d started all this with a caveat.

“Why shouldn’t you say it?” I demanded.

“I can’t say it, goddamn it, because you’re right.” He hissed words that were almost inaudible but I heard clearly anyway. “My feelings for you would compromise HQ even more than it already is, if the enemy knew about them.”