Agent T3: d'Artagnan (Superhero Romance) (The D.I.R.E. Agency) (14 page)

Rachel added, “It also puts her back in the future where she belongs. It sets things right.”

Panic clutched Dar’s chest. The unspoken words hung in the room like a flag at half-staff. All eyes shot to Jocelyn, then Dar. Leave it to the one that dove into everything with both feet, to air them.

“Which leaves me as the broken link.” She lifted her chin. “Once d’Artagnan takes me back, time will be as it should.”

Spitting a harsh, succinct curse, Dar shot up from the table and stormed out of the apartment.

Love sucked. So did being a good guy.

Stomping into the elevator, he went to the ground floor. Screw Mitchell and his orders. He wouldn’t take her back. Let someone else fly that damned machine. Hell, Angela knew how to fly it.

Dar hit the front door and kept walking. The desert heat washed over his already heated form, fueling his anger.

The agent on duty called out to him. “Naylor, you can’t-“

He shot the bird and kept walking. “Try and stop me.”

Trudging through the sand, Dar didn’t know where he was going and didn’t really care. He just knew he had to get away from Jocelyn.

He didn’t know how long he’d walked before he wound up in front of the quiet time machine. Maybe he’d time travel to the grassy knoll and find out who really shot Kennedy. Or, maybe he’d follow around Jimmy Hoffa on the last day anyone had seen him.

Or, maybe he’d go back to Guadalcanal and save Jocelyn’s boyfriend.

Hell
.

Leaning his forehead against the cold metal, Dar cursed himself royally. He may give her hope, he may be a good man, but that wasn’t enough. He’d fallen hard for her but she didn’t feel the same way. So, whether she stayed in the future or in the past didn’t really matter. Either way, he’d be without her.

Hitting the button on the panel, Dar waited as the door slowly opened. Climbing the steps, he yawned as he sat in one of the chairs and stared at the dashboard. A good man, an honorable man, would take her back, regardless of his own feelings.

Dar slid down in the chair. He hadn’t joined D.I.R.E., hadn’t accepted Tristan and Rachel just to revert back to his father’s ways
.

If you’re anything like your father, I believe you.

Angela’s words made his stomach roll.

No, dammit. He wasn’t like his father. His father didn’t give a shit about anyone but himself – and Kate. Dar loved his new job and his newfound family. Most of all, he loved Joce
.

Gritting his teeth, he crossed his legs at his ankles. He would give Tristan a run for his money and be the best damned agent D.I.R.E. had ever acquired
.

Right after he got some sleep.

Shutting off his armband, Dar closed his eyes and laid his hands on his stomach. Tomorrow, he’d be a good man and set things right.

He’d take Jocelyn home.

#####

She couldn’t do this
.

Jocelyn watched Mitchell and Robinson suit up Dar. Although they were taking the machine, Mitchell didn’t want to take any chances of leaving Dar in the past if it malfunctioned.

She wished it would so he could stay with her.

This morning, Mitchell had made no explanations for Angela. Based on the brilliant smiles they gave each other and the kisses they’d shared, she would stay in the future. She wouldn’t answer for her crimes.

With her loss, Nathan had to be floundering. Angela’s advanced knowledge of computers and technology had been of great value to him and Professor Einstein.

However, knowing the Nazis had invested millions in her skills and her father’s talents, Jocelyn couldn’t see them taking this sitting down. She, herself would return to the past and its dangers, knowing it was her fate.

Why should she be spared when so many had already died in this horrible war?

“Jocelyn…”

Angela sat beside her and took her hand. She pulled it away.

“So, you’re going to make my father take the fall for everything…”

Pulling in her lips over her teeth, Angela looked away. “For what it’s worth, I do regret what I’ve done.”

Regret? Her simple apology of regret was supposed to pacify her?

“Why did you do it in the first place?”

Lowering her eyes, Angela shook her head. “Your father needed me. For once in my life, I was somebody. I mattered. I had respect because of my knowledge and skills.”

“You also had blonde hair and blue eyes. You were perfect for the master race.”

Her truthful gaze met Jocelyn’s. “Yes.”

“Yet, you had great value in the future, here as mother of your children and a wife to Mitchell.”

She shook her head. “Robert would’ve made life a living hell for all of us. This way, they were raised without the turmoil.”

“And without their mother.”

“Which, considering my mistakes, wasn’t a bad thing.” Angela took a deep breath. “I’m not proud of what I’ve done. I can’t believe Mitchell still loves me, despite it all. I don’t deserve his love.”

Deserve his love? In Jocelyn’s eyes, love didn’t make judgments or set conditions or discriminate. Love just happened.

Her eyes went to Dar as he put on his chest plate. So, why did she fight her love for him? She couldn’t choose whether she loved him or not. It had already happened. To fight it, to refuse it, was foolish
.

Her love for Dar just…
was
.

“Love knows no conditions or blame, Angela.”

With a small smile, she glanced over at Mitchell who was deep in discussion with Robinson and Dar. “I’m thankful our attempts to buy the weapons failed but, I’m also sorry you got caught up in all of it.”

“Yet, now I’m going back to face it all.”

“No, d’Artagnan is taking you back to nineteen forty-five – after the war is over.”

“And what if we’ve changed the past by bringing you back here? What if the war isn’t over?”

“With the weapons technology Dar gave to Admiral Smith, I would find that hard to believe. It’s probably the reason the war ended so quickly after his visit. Nevertheless, if it isn’t safe, I’m sure he won’t leave you.”

She grasped Angela’s arm. “Dar gave them the weapon designs?”

“He did. Mitchell said he refused to go unless he took the design specifications.”

Her gaze went to Dar. He’d made her dream a reality. All of her time, prayers and hopes had come true through him. Who knew how many lives he’d saved by delivering that technology?

He’d done it for her.

Tears blurred Jocelyn’s eyes, her chest heavy with unreleased sobs. How could she leave him? He was her answer to everything. He was her laughter, her dreams, her comfort, her reason for being. Living her days without him made her not want to live at all.

“Are you ready, Jocelyn?”

Mitchell stood in front of her, eyes solemn. Nodding, she got up from the chair, her eyes searching for Dar.

“Dar went on ahead to get the machine ready.” He grabbed Angela’s hand. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, Jocelyn, but, sending you back will make things right.”

She pressed together her lips to keep from sobbing. Dar had warned her about this when they first made love. He’d known then that they shouldn’t get involved
.

Yet, par for the course, she’d dove into the attraction. She’d gotten caught up in his protective strength, his humor, his generosity
.

“The others are waiting for you in the hall,” he said. “They’d like to say goodbye.”

“No.” She shook her head, tears spilling on her hands. “I can’t… do that. Please give them my best.”

“As you wish. We’ll go out the back way.”

Jocelyn stopped at the top of the machine steps. Dar stood at the instrument panel, looking handsome and strong in his titanium suit. She sniffed, trying to stop the flow of tears. He rubbed his eyes but wouldn’t look her way
.

“Get strapped in, Jocelyn.”

Sitting down in the seat next to his, she positioned her harness and strapped in. How could this be the last time she saw him? Touched him?

With a heavy sigh, Dar sat down next to her but didn’t move. Silence hung in the air, thick and dark, her heart pounding with abandon.

“I’m trying to do the right thing here, Joce. I’m trying like hell to be the good guy.” Looking down at his lap, he shook his head. “But, its freaking killing me.”

On a sob, Jocelyn unbuckled her strap and climbed into his lap. Throwing her arms around his neck, she held on tight
.

“I don’t want to leave you.” She kissed his ear, his jaw, his cheek
.

Crushing his mouth to hers, he plunged deep, his kiss filled with desperation, with sadness, with… love
.

How could they do this? How could they just let it die?

He tore away. “Let’s just time travel somewhere together, Joce. Screw fate, time, history or whatever the hell this is that’s trying to control us.”

“Dar, I-“

A beep sounded from the instrument panel. They both turned toward it. Other beeps followed, slowly increasing in tempo. A green light labeled
M2
shown from the display.

“What is that?” he said, setting her on the floor.

“I’ve never seen that light up before. I always assumed it was used to enter a second travel map.”

Dar talked into his armband. “Mitchell...”

“What is it?”

He held his armband in front of the beeping light to show Mitchell and the others his live feed. “This just started going off.”

“What the hell is that?” Aidan said.

Tristan said, “M2? Does that mean machine two?”

“Hold on…” Mitchell said. The line went silent.

“Joce, does your father have a second time machine?”

She shook her head. “Not that I know of...”

Mitchell’s voice held a belligerent air. “Angela said they were working on a second time machine in Germany. They have the ability to track either one at any point in time.”

Dar cursed under his breath.

“So, now we have another freaking machine to worry about?” Aidan cried.

“Sounds like it,” Mitchell mumbled on a sigh.

The faint rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Jocelyn shared a glance with Dar
.

Oh no…

Dar spoke into the armband. “Sounds like they’re bringing the war to us.”

“I’ll be right there.” Tristan and Aidan said in unison.

Mitchell said, “Tristan. Aidan. Stop by the lab first and grab one of Robinson’s Kevlar suits.”

Dar ushered Jocelyn out of the machine. Wind whipped at her hair as rain fell from the darkening sky in sporadic drops
.

They ran for the jeep Mitchell kept running
.

Opening the back door, he got her inside. “Mitchell, get her in the compound and arm her.”

“I’ve called a lockdown for the compound. I’ll put them all in the safe room, just off my office.”

“Okay.” Dar leaned in and kissed her. “Get inside that safe room with the girls and do not come out until one of us comes for you. Understand?”

“Yes.” She kissed him again. “Be careful, Dar.
Please
.”

“Don’t worry, baby. They’re on our turf now.”

Winds tossed the time machine on the sand like a buoy at sea. Rain and sand pelted Dar’s face like pin pricks as he, Tristan and Aidan waited just inside the open door. Deafening thunder roared and boomed in the dark sky, lightning flashing with powerful violence.

With Tristan and Aidan beside him, and his Walther PPK loaded and ready, Dar waited for their visitors with anticipation
.

About fifty yards away, a bolt of lightning zapped the ground over and over in the same spot, spinning a wormhole in the sand. A flash of dazzling light blinded them before the storm went deathly silent.

A large, bell-shaped craft sat in the distance. It appeared nearly twice the size of the one they occupied, but identical in shape and design.

“Let’s go greet our guests, shall we?” Dar wanted to get this show on the road
.

With a nod, Tristan scanned the pad of his forefinger over his armband to cloak. “I’m ready.”

Dar lead the way out of the machine.

“Let’s make this quick.” Aidan’s gloves glowed brighter the closer they got to the craft. “I had plans for Cass this morning and they did not include this shit.”

“Roger that,” Tristan said, “I’m done with Chalmers, VonFussenhoffer and whoever the hell else is involved. They’ve interfered in my life for the last time.”

No shit. Dar would live easier once he knew they were out of Jocelyn’s life permanently.

The door of the craft opened and the steps lowered. Two men wearing Nazi uniforms appeared, carrying Heckler & Koch MP5K submachine guns. Spotting Dar and Aidan, they raised them to their shoulders.