A Dangerous Connection – Chapter 10

I wake up to the smell of rain and the sound of water pounding on a nearby window. It’s dark in the room, but a soft light glows from the hallway. I blink at the ceiling, momentarily confused about where I am. Then it comes back to me in a rush — we’re in Luca’s secret bunker, preparing to help Stella escape the city. I’m lying on my side, so I sit up and look around. The room is small, and there are three beds in it. I’m on a top bunk, but I’m not the only one in the room. Adrian is in a bed across from me, and he’s sleeping, snoring gently.

I sit up and stretch, working out the kinks in my back, and realize I must’ve slept for a long time. My body is sore from the previous day’s activities, but I feel rested.

Across the room, Tiago is sitting up on his own cot, brow furrowed in thought as he gazes at the wall.

“Hey,” I whisper, holding back a yawn. “You okay?”

Tiago starts slightly and looks over. “Oh, hey. Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about…” He waves his hand around. “Whatever comes next.”

He falls silent. I study his pensive profile, wishing I could smooth the worry lines from his face. Ever since we first met, I’ve been drawn to him, like my soul recognizes him. I know he feels the same way.

“Tiago,” I whisper. “Thank you for being here. For helping me… help Stella. It means a lot that I didn’t have to do this alone.”

His expression softens. “Of course.”

My heart flutters at his words. Before I can think better of it, I slip out of my bed, down to the floow, and cross the short distance between us. His eyes widen, but he doesn’t pull away as I sit beside him.

“I’m glad we met,” I confess in a whisper. “I know the circumstances were crazy, but… I feel like it was fate.”

Tiago is quiet for a long moment. Then he takes my hand in his, interlacing our fingers.

“I feel the same way.” His thumb strokes over my knuckles. My skin tingles everywhere we touch. “Like I was meant to find you.”

“Me, too.”

The door to the bunk room opens, and Luca Rey walks in holding a steaming cup of coffee. Adrian snorts himself awake on the other bed and groans.

I stop myself from laughing at him.

“Morning, everyone.” Luca’s warm grin pulls me out of my head. “You all slept like logs in here.”

I lean forward from Tiago’s bed and reach for the mug he’s holding. Tiago grabs the other. “I must’ve needed it. What time is it?”

“Seven in the morning. It’s raining now, but it’ll pass in another twenty to thirty minutes. Then we’re going to release Stella back to her family. I hope you’re up for it.”

I take a sip of the coffee, and it’s strong and bitter. “I’m up for it. I want to finish what we started.”

The door opens again and this time Skylar comes in with more mugs of coffee.

“Rise and shine,” she calls. “We’ve got a big day ahead.” She hands a cup of coffee to Adrian. “I think we’ve found our window of opportunity. The military moved on to Quarto overnight.”

I stand up and stretch, working out all the aches in my body. “Excellent. I’m ready to be done with this and move on.”

“Great!” Skylar’s smile lights up her face. “Why don’t you all get ready and then we’ll head out. Sora, I left some clothes for you in the bathroom.”

Skylar and Luca leave the room, and I take my time getting ready. I change into the fresh clothes Skylar left behind for me and wash my face. I brush my teeth and pull my hair into a ponytail, though it’s greasy and limp. I don’t think I’ve ever been this dirty and sweaty in my life, but this discomfort is almost over.

Stella is almost home.

When I leave the room, everyone is waiting for me. Adrian is standing with Skylar, and they’re talking in hushed tones. He smiles when he sees me and walks over.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he says, leaning in to kiss my forehead.

“Morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. I think I got a few good hours. How’s your ankle after yesterday?”

I flex my ankle, and it twinges, but it’s not bad. “It’s a little stiff, but it’s not hurting as much as it was yesterday when I took that fall. I think I’ll be able to handle this hike.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”

He takes my hand and squeezes it.

“Can I… interject?” Skylar asks, sliding into our conversation.

Adrian laughs and rolls his eyes. “I’ll be having more coffee with Tiago.”

Skylar smiles at me. “You look much better than you did last night.”

“Thanks. I feel better. I actually slept instead of just sitting up worried about Stella all night.”

She lowers her voice. “I wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your empathy for Stella. You have a natural way with animals, and I think it could be a great asset to Athens Industries. We need more people who care.”

I’m taken aback by her praise. I can’t remember the last time someone who I wasn’t romantically involved with praised me. “Thanks. That’s… really kind of you to say. I don’t know if I want to work for Athens Industries, but I’m glad I could help.”

She smiles at me, and I can see the sincerity in her eyes. “I understand. But the offer is there if you ever change your mind. You could do great things with us.”

Hmmm. It’s not like a have a job… and I am good with animals. This is flattering, but I know I want to go back to my family first. The thought of returning to my relationship network makes me warm and happy inside, a feeling I haven’t had in a long time.

“I appreciate it, but I’m ready to go home. I have a family waiting for me, and I want to build a life with them.”

Skylar nods once. “I get it. My network is with me here on Rio as we work for Athens.” She sighs as she rubs her face. “And deal with other issues, too.” Shaking off a frown, she smiles again. “Anyway, the offer will remain open, and I plan on bugging you about it, too.” She pokes me in the shoulder.

I laugh. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“Think on what?” Adrian asks, returning to us. Tiago is by his side, and they seem to be… They seem to like each other, actually. Relief lightens the ache in my shoulders just a bit.

“Skylar thinks I should work for her and Athens, but I think it’s time we started our family.” I lift my chin and meet his eyes straight on. The last few days with Tiago have given me the confidence to ask for what I want instead of sitting around and waiting for people to make decisions.

Adrian’s face lights up, and happiness fills his eyes. He’s forgiven me for my doubts, and he’s happy I’m ready to return to them. “I like this idea a lot… but I also like the idea of you doing something you love, something that has meaning for you.”

“I agree,” Tiago says. “You said you fled because you felt you were a failure.” He lifts his chin in Skylar’s direction. “Maybe this is a sign you’ve found what you’re good at.”

My face heats with the shame of my departure, but I push the humiliation aside. The old Sora would be mad to be reminded. The new Sora acknowledges her past faults and moves on.

Skylar’s eyes crinkle and she laughs. “I have a feeling we’ll be talking again before long.”

We prepare to depart. Stella seems to be recovering well; she chirps and flaps her wings when Luca goes to pick her up. He settles her into a padded carrier.

“All right, let’s move out,” he says.

We pile into an inconspicuous transport pod parked at the rear end of the bunker. Skylar takes the controls, and I watch over her shoulder as her fingers fly over the controls, like this is her calling. I don’t know much about her, but I like that she’s so confident, sure of herself.

Maybe I could be like that someday?

As we cruise through the lower city parks, I peer out the windows, worried about someone stopping us, but no one gives us a second glance. Still, I won’t breathe easy until we make it to Rio’s surface.

We travel for over an hour before Skylar sets the pod down outside of a ramshackle spaceport building in the middle of the Rio jungle. “Wait here,” she instructs before disappearing inside.

A few minutes later, she returns with a burly, bearded man — one of her smuggler contacts. He leads us around to a cargo area where an older model freight carrier is prepping for leave. We hurry up the ramp under the cover of loading crates.

“Sorry about all the sneaking around,” Skylar shouts over the roar of the engines. “We do everything we can to stay out of the military’s eyesight. We’ll travel over ground now, through paths we’ve cleared this last week.”

I squeeze into a tiny seat beside Tiago, both of us pressed close in the confined space. My heart races with nerves and exhilaration. Stella is chittering softly but seems okay. We made it this far, at least. I cling to Tiago’s hand as the ship rumbles to life.

We amble through the trees for only thirty minutes before coming to a clearing. We could have walked here in an hour, but Rio’s jungles are notoriously dangerous. My hands sweat just wondering what might come out of the trees and try to eat us.

I hold back a shiver. Stay alert, Sora.

Skylar points to an area near to the clearing. “This is where we found her after she ran from a larger creature that was trying to hurt her.” She traipses through the grass like she’s used to being out here. I’m looking at every step, every blade of grass, and wonder if I’m about to be pounced on and eaten alive.

But the area looks familiar, a picture of the place forming in my head.

Stella’s been here before.

I glance at Tiago. He nods. “Yeah, we’re close,” he says, confirming my thoughts.

Stella seems to sense it too. She squeaks and claws at the carrier Luca has her in.

“She knows she’s going home,” Luca says with a grin.

We get into the trees, and as Luca opens her carrier, she leaps out and soars upwards, bouncing off one tree, then another, squeaking and trilling, her voice projected through the thick tree growth. I laugh at her crazy aerial acrobatics. What a silly little thing she is.

Stella shoots from the tree branches into the underbrush and disappears into the foliage. Wait. My heart clenches. Will we see her again?

Tiago reaches out and puts his warm hand on my shoulder, squeezing. “She’s gone home,” he whispers, his eyes on the place where she disappeared.

But my gut is telling me to wait. Wait. Stella is not done with us. “Hold on.”

I hold my breath as I watch the jungle, the trees swaying in the breeze, the light filtering in between the leaves. A few minutes later, the flap of wings approaches, and I let out the held breath. Stella bursts back into view, followed by two more creatures just like her — one adult and one juvenile. They must be her family!

She circles overhead, chittering, swooping, and playing. The other two join her in an aerial dance that lights me up from the inside. The joy! It hits me, deep in my bones.

Squeaks and trills communicate their happiness at being reunited, and a few happy tears slip down my cheeks.

After everything she went through, Stella is finally home safe.

We decide to give them space and retreat to the ship. Adrian and Tiago both wrap their arms around me and kiss my head.

“That was amazing,” Tiago says, his lips nuzzling my hair.

“I think that was a sign, don’t you?” Adrian asks.

“That I’m meant to go home? Yeah. Yeah, I do.” I smile up at them both.

As the doors close, I catch a last glimpse of Stella playing with the younger one, showing it how to swoop and tumble. Their high, warbling calls drift on the wind.

I sigh and lean into Tiago, happy for Stella. “I’m so glad we could do this for her.” I slip my hand into Adrian’s on the other side of me.

Tiago drapes his arm over my shoulder. “Me too. It was all worth it to see her reunited with her family.”

Skylar sets a course to take us back to Terceiro. Though part of me will miss Stella, I know she’s where she belongs now. And I found where I belong too — with Tiago and Adrian… and soon with the rest of my network.

As the ship lifts off, I lay my head on Tiago’s shoulder.

Our crazy adventure brought us together.

Now a new life is just beginning.