Free Lust by Francine Pascal Page B

surface?
    Ugh. If that were the case, Gaia was in big trouble. Now was not the time to start getting comfortable with Jake. She was glad when the feeling started to dissipate and she could think about something else.
    â€œI hope you don’t regret coming along,” Gaia said to Jake.
    â€œI don’t,” he said. “This is way more exciting than going to school. Besides, how could I miss all of this?” He waved his hand, taking in the dingy compartment, the musty smell, and the grimy window.
    â€œI didn’t mean for you to get sucked into my screwed-up world.”
    â€œI’m not sucked in. I’m fine.”
    â€œWell, I’m not.” Gaia returned to studying the scene outside her windows, trees whipping by too quickly to discern one from the next, while mountains sat serenely in the distance. “After this, I want to chill out. For a long time.”
    â€œWhat’s a long time?” Jake asked, arching an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t last a weekend without a crisis to distract you.”
    â€œTry me. Try me and see how happy I’d be.”
    They rode in silence again. Friendship settled over them like a blanket, making the silence relaxing and not awkward. When Oliver slipped back into the compartment, they both just looked up at him, unsurprised.
    â€œI got some sandwiches,” he said apologetically. “I’m not sure what’s in them, exactly.”
    Gaia bit into one and chewed thoughtfully. “I’m not going to think about it too hard,” she said.
    â€œGood move.”
    â€œCan’t I just wait for the rations?” Jake said.
    â€œNo. Here, eat. Jake, we’re going to be arriving at Obestoblak in about two hours,” Oliver said. “Gaia and I will travel from there to the prison on snowmobiles.”
    â€œOh, awesome,” Gaia cheered.
    â€œI want you to stay in town and wait for us,” Oliver went on. “There’s no reason for you to come along. Youhaven’t been trained for this kind of mission, and if you want to stay behind and just keep things coordinated there, it would be a great help.”
    â€œThat’s a load of bull,” Jake said, realizing a little too late that he needed to show Oliver the proper respect. “And I mean that with all due respect, sir. You don’t need to make up phony excuses about needing things coordinated. Just level with me.”
    â€œJake!” Gaia shot him an infuriated glare.
    â€œI’m serious. Oliver, if you think I’m going to be a liability, that’s one thing. I don’t want to drag you down. But I think I can do this, and there’s no way I’m going to sit around cooling my jets in a hotel while you guys go up to the prison. I want to come along.”
    â€œI don’t know if you understand what this entails.”
    â€œI understand enough. I want to come along.” He held Oliver’s gaze steadily.
    Finally the older man shrugged and sat down. “Fine. Then we’ll spend the next few hours going over the plan. But you’d better not crack under pressure.”
    â€œYou worry about yourself,” Jake said, with that swaggering self-assurance that was beginning to grow on Gaia. Jake was cocky, but at least there was something there to back it up. Which made all the difference in the world.
    â€œI’ve spoken to some people I used to know in the black market,” Oliver told them. “They’ve put some snowmobiles aside for me, in a shack near theinn where I’m going to take some rooms. . . .”
    Gaia listened to the plan as it unfolded. The relaxing motion of the train stopped having its soothing effect. The sound of the wheels slowly turned from a rhythmic lullaby to an energizing drumbeat. They were getting closer to where she needed to be. The battle was about to begin, and like an animal with its hackles up, a domesticated dog whose instincts kick in with a primal