Free Darker Shade of Pale - HER FREEDOM by Mandi Rei Serra Page A

sharpest sword.
    "Just a little. Then again, it might be something he'll keep from her. She's not stable when she's upset. She's never been stable."
    I piped up. "So what do we do? Just lay low or what?"
    Mara nodded. "Pretty much the only choice." She addressed Tyb. "Look, if you want to fuck with Haytham, I can send you the gear to do so without getting busted." She dug into a small courier bag which seemed to serve as her purse and pulled out a key ring. In barely a moment, she freed a tiny brass key and handed it over to Tyb. "I'll send everything to the PO box. Just pick it up and use what you will." She then pulled a large duffel bag from off the ground onto her lap and opened it up. "Here. You wanted these, take them. And please, if you need more, just order them online and ship them to the box. I will never do  that  again for you, so don't ask. I hated getting smiled at by the cashier when he scanned them." Zamara threw a large box of condoms at Tyb. "One hundred fifty should last you two a while, right?" She held up a hand. "Wait. I don't want to hear the answer. Trust me." Then she stood up. "I'm going to crash in the treehouse. Still have cable TV patched through there?"
    "Yeah. Remote is in the plastic tote."
    "You and your totes." Mara readied her bags, slinging them over her shoulder.
    "They serve a noble purpose. Don't bag on me for being prepared."
    "Whatever, Tyb. I'm heading out before daybreak. Shit to do and whatnot."
    "Thank you Zamara. For everything."
    "Shut up, Tyb. Thank me when this is all over with, okay? Got a whetstone in a tote? I need to hone my KA-BAR."
    "Yep. Look in the prep area, it'll be in a drawer."
    Zamara grabbed her bags and walked out the front door, shutting it with a small slam.
    "Is she always like a hurricane?" I asked. Clock said it was 2:30 in the morning. Who whirls into the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night? Only someone with a serious mission.
    "She's mellowed out since she was younger. Not much though." Tyb stretched his arms above his head. I noticed stubble darkening his chin. "I'm tired but awake."
    "Me too. Think I'm going to shove off to bed."
    For a moment, a flicker of shyness darkened Tyb's face. "I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to uh, see something in my room."
    I looked to the box of condoms on his lap, then back up to his face, quirking my brow with a silent question.
    He laughed. "Actually, no." Tyb stood up and walked to his bedroom, grabbing the propped shotgun on his way. The envelope Zamara gave him was tucked under his arm, and the box of condoms in his other hand.
    I followed, curious as to what he'd want to show me. When I entered his room, I saw him slide the shotgun under his bed. He stood up, put the box of condoms in his nightstand and then sat on his tousled bed. He held the envelope. I sat down next to him and asked, "What's that?"
    Slowly, he opened the envelope and pulled out two bundles of paper-clipped documents. He handed me one. On top, a drivers license with a photo that looked a lot like me with shorter hair. Beneath that, a Social Security card and birth certificate. I flipped through the pile of papers and Tyb spoke.
    "When it's safe for you to go, there's your ticket to your new life." There was a tinge of sadness to his voice. Wasn't sure if it was due to what he discovered about Aisha.
    "I…I don't understand, Tyb."
    "Fake ID and the whole lot—CIA issued. Everything you need to start over." He looked over and read the name saying, " Izabeau D'Beafort."
    "Thank you, Tyb." Why though? Wasn't it a long time until I'll be in the free and clear? Then a thought hit me. Had to ask. "I overheard Mara ask you something about dreams. What kind of dreams?"
    Tyb gathered my passport to freedom with a pensive look on his face. "I'm going to put this in the panic room for safety. If you need them, they'll be in the tote." As he slid them into the envelope, he said, "I have weird dreams. Like, screaming in the middle of the night.