Mating Dance
Chapter 16
That night, I told Jak that we were breaking out.
“Why tonight?” he asked.
“He won’t expect it,” I said.
“Because . . . “
“Because I told Caspar that I’d do what he wants,” I said. “He thinks he’s broken us. I even made up an elaborate plan to set up the . . . his target. He’s convinced.”
“How do you know?”
I stared at him and tried to look both offended and amused.
“Is that a serious question?” I said. Then I went on quickly, “We’ll have to scrounge supplies. “Look around the room, see if you find anything we could use for a weapon, or a water carrier. My mouth is so dry I can barely speak. You must be even thirstier.”
“I’ll be all right,” he said.
“Until your muscles cramp up on the run.” I snapped at him. “Please don’t argue with me about this; just look for food and weapons while I find us a water bottle.”
“Right,” some sort of rum in a cabinet near the bed, dumped out the stuff, I thought, and half filled it from the pitcher. I looked over my shoulder and poured in a powder I kept in hollow pendant around my neck. It poured well enough, so apparently the sea water hadn’t gotten to it. It fizzed slightly in the water and I gave it a quick shake with my thumb over the mouth of the bottle. I walked out and found him trying to work a leg free from a small dining table, to use as a club presumably.
“I drank half this, and I feel better; that awful dry-mouth feeling we had is gone. Here. Drink it fast and I’ll refill the bottle for the trip.”
He barely heard me, focusing on the table leg, but then it came away free. “Good,” I said, and put the bottle into his hand. He took three big, quick swallows. Big enough, I thought.
“I’ll call for help,” I said. When the first one comes in, I’ll take him. You get his back-up man and then go.”
“What makes you think you’ll be able to distract the guard for even a second with an old dodge like that?”
“I’m betting on two seconds,” I said. “I’m going to be naked when he sees me.”
Even with everything going on, I enjoyed the reaction to that image that I saw in his mind, before he clamped down and waved the topic away.
“Fine,” he said, not looking as if it were fine.
“Finish your water and let’s get some sleep,” I suggested. “You still remember how to wake yourself up at any time, yes?”
Now he looked at me, but he didn’t argue. Experienced soldiers know to grab sleep when and as they can. He just didn’t know how long his was going to last.
“Jak? Will you just . . . hold me while I fall asleep?” I asked, looking disarmingly awkward—without much difficulty.
“Uh . . . sure,” he said. And for the first time since his resurrection, he agreed to touch me without fear-sweat starting on his forehead at the thought of it. Of course, he was already a little drugged.
“Thank you,” I said as I rested my head on his chest, up near the shoulder. “Would you stroke my head? I find it really relaxes me . . . I love the feeling of your hands gliding through my hair, it’s easy because my hair is soft and smooth, don’t you think? That smooth, rhythmic stroke, yes, like that, I just find so soothing, don’t you? I can feel our muscles relax. Can you feel it? Mmmmm . . . so sleepy . . . That’s all right; your arm must be heavy, you can just let it rest on my shoulder . . . just rest . . . that’s right . . . we’ll be asleep soon. You’ll know when to wake up . . . when you feel the sunlight on your face . . . That’s the right time for waking, isn’t it . . . And then they’re going to let you go, because they think you can’t get off the island. They may have people following you. You have to lose them, or kill them if you must. You need to steal a boat and wait for me in that little cove where we swam ashore. Hide and watch for me. I’ll meet you there. Until you feel the sun on your face, nothing will disturb your sleep.”