CHAPTER 12.
It took two weeks to track down Daniel down after she returned from the blip to upstate Virginia. Some of the chaos had subsided and she was able to rent a little car. She stood before the house, a little white cottage. Everything they'd dreamed of together. She gathered her courage and opened the gate to the fence. The front door opened before she could walk up the path.
"Jenny! My god, Jenny."
Her heart sang. There he was. For her only two weeks had gone by, but it was him. A little more gray, the lines deeper, but still Daniel.
He ran to her and she tried to pull herself into his arms, but he held her out at her shoulders. "I can't believe it! This is so insane. You look the same."
"So do you." She tried in vain again to snuggle into him, but he kept the distance between their bodies. She didn't understand. Two weeks ago, she'd kissed him before work. He'd held her hand when she tried to leave and pulled her back to his lips. "Why won't you hold me?" she asked.
"Jenny, I…"
"Daddy!" A little voice from the house called out from the porch. A little girl, blonde, about five ran down the steps toward them.
"Go back inside angel," he said, maneuvering the girl back to the house. He gave her a little push and the child walked back slowly, her eyes on Jenny, scrutinizing her.
The blood drained from Jenny's face. She swallowed dryly. "How long did you wait?"
Daniel ran his hand through his hair, a heavy sigh leaving his chest. "You don't understand what it was like," he said.
"How long. Did you wait?"
"It's not what you think. I love you Jenny, but I thought I'd never see you again."
She took his hand suddenly, trying to twine her fingers with his. "Please. If you love me, come with me." She pulled at him toward the car.
He yanked his hand away. "Jenny I can't. Don't you see?"
"Please, please don't do this to me. You're all I have left." She slipped her arms around his waist, desperate for him. Desperate for the way it just was. He pushed her away. Her Daniel would never do that. "Daniel please!" She grabbed at his sweater, fisted it in her hands. "You can't, this can't be real. You and I, we were meant to be together. You said it. You said that you would never love another."
He removed her hands, held her wrists away as she struggled to hang on. "She's watching. I need you to go."
Then she saw. A woman in the window. Pale, thin, curious.
"No, please don't ask me to." The sobs were wracking her.
"Please Jenny, you're making a scene. I've told you I still love you. I can't offer you more than that." He dropped her hands and stepped away.
"Were you going to stay with me? Before I disappeared?"
He sighed. "You'll be fine without me. She needs me." He turned and walked back to the house.
She gasped in breath. This couldn't be happening. She didn't know how she made it to the car, but she'd sat there for three hours. The truth was she did need him. Maybe she'd never shown it in the way he wanted, but she did. She looked back at the house, holding the family inside hostage with her presence. The woman opened the curtain and stared out at her with sadness. Pity. Jenny stared desperately at the woman, begging in her mind to release Daniel, but it was all futile. She knew that now. She put the key in the ignition and turned it, the card rumbling to life like finality, and drove off into the unknown.
…
Jenny woke from her dream of Daniel to a splitting headache. She blinked as she took in her hotel room. She had no idea how she'd gotten there. She must have had too much wine. Her same clothes were on from yesterday, even her shoes.
"What happened?" she said aloud. She put her hand on her head and slid to her feet. She checked her phone. Eight AM. Her meeting with the Prime Minister was in an hour and a half and she hadn't even showered. Then sat back down, last night's date debacle came back into full view.
Bucky, just standing there letting her walk away. He'd tested the door, found it opening but didn't like what he saw inside. It was just like Daniel. She was too much.
When will I learn? The thought came like an unwelcome but familiar guest. She shut the valve of her heart to the idea tight.
Stripping down she turned on the faucet in the shower. She climbed in, twisted it to hot and let the steam rise. Then she cried, her tears disappearing into the streaming water.
….
She was starting to dread walking into hotel lobbies. There were always two men there, waiting. And they hated each other. To navigate the space between them was exhausting. This time however, only Juan and Russel were present. She breathed a sigh.
"Boys," she said. They nodded, and together they walked to the car. Her relief was short lived however. Waiting at the car with his gloved hands clasped in front of him was Bucky. Stoic, silent, steady. Handsome. She put her hand up to her neck. He lifted his blue eyes to hers, and they locked together. It was like he hit her in the chest, her heart thumped so loud. It wasn't any different than his normal intensity, but now it seemed… sexy.
Her mouth completely dry, she ripped her eyes away from his. No, no, no, she thought to herself. This man had killed people.
He opened the car door, and she climbed inside, not daring to look at him again, but feeling his eyes on her.
All the way to the Capital building, she could sense him. A heat radiating off of him as he sat next to her. It was almost like he was touching her cheek. Juan and Russel rubbed their eyes sitting across from them. Bucky shifted in his seat, his shoulder brushing against Jenny's.
An explosion of tingles erupted from the contact and it stole her breath. She bounced away from him, and his jaw tightened.
"Sorry," he said.
Jenny just looked out the window, lacing her fingers together.
"Where's Max?" asked Russel, running his hand down his auburn beard.
"Don't know," said Bucky. She could almost hear the echo from him, don't care.
"He had a follow up report with the GRC," said Juan. "I saw him early this morning, grabbing some breakfast while I was in the gym."
Bucky gritted his teeth.
As they drove down the street, the displacement camps started to go by. Kids were out playing in the mud, their parents on the street corners, asking for help or a few nickels. The amount of people was overwhelming.
They passed a large mansion that looked completely out of place in the neighborhood behind a rot iron fence. It was clean, lavish and covered with garish statues on the sprawling front lawn. Twenty cars were parked on the side by the garage, each more expensive than the last.
"That's the Prime ministers house," said Juan pointing. "I saw it on Europe's great houses."
"How much do you know about him?" asked Jenny. She'd done some research, but there was limited information that the GRC had given her, and she hadn't had time to look further. She took in the perfect gables and manicured lawn. The dwelling made her stomach turn. To have a house like the middle of a displacement camp in such abject poverty made her stomach turn.
"Not a lot. Just that he seems to like cars and women."
"Independently wealthy?" she asked. Surely this must be an old family home.
"No, I don't think so," said Juan. "But that Maybach Exelero car is sweet."
Russel shot him a look, and Juan shrugged. "I'm a fan alright?"
The car pulled up to the capital building to a dozen reporters. They flashed their cameras into the windows before Bucky pushed them out of the way to help Jenny out of the car. Despite her annoyance with him, she hold onto his arm as he maneuvered them through the reporters. It felt more like the paparazzi than the press.
On the steps above them out in the front of the building was Prime Minister Limka. He was almost a cartoon character. A man of small stature, bright red hair that sat in a tuft on top of his head and bushy mustache. His pin stripe suit was loose and wrinkled. Surrounding him were about twenty aids, all with mustache's of their own and to his left, a family-Father, mother and little boy. They were dressed in rags with large smiles plastered on their faces.
"Prime Minister," said Jenny, after ascending the marbled steps. She held out her hand, which Limka took loosely in his own. She shivered. It was like holding a cold clammy fish. He let go without shaking it and bowed slightly.
"My dear," he said. "What a pleasure to have you in my country. What a pleasure it is to welcome the Global Repatriation Council to my home."
Jenny smiled back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
Limka gestured to the family beside him. "This is the Kremen family. Just one example of people we have helped. As you can see they are happy with the way we are handling the camps within our country."
Before Jenny could say hello, Limka had already turned and started up the stairs to the doors, his aides and the family following closely behind. She looked back at Juan, Russel and Bucky. The two guards shrugged, but Bucky was looking through her, straight into the back of Limka's head.
He led them to a stair case that wound both ways. On the wall between was a large picture of King Stefan, the monarch of the country. He was rarely seen from what Jenny could remember and left the bulk of running the country to Limka.
"Here is where we memorialize our partnership," he said, his arms outstretched. He motioned Jenny and the family over to him under the painting. His aides brought a box and placed in on the floor. He stepped up, now standing a head taller over Jenny. She thought it misleading but said nothing. The press pushed in and Limka put his arm around Jenny's waist, and the other behind the family. They had the same wide smiles on as before, and Jenny noticed the grins didn't quite meet their eyes.
The press flashed their cameras and called out questions in Symkarian. Limka waved them off and his aides ushered the press out the door. Immediately, he turned to the family and started speaking rapidly. The father shook his head and held out his hand.
The prime minister's face grew red, but his calm demeanor remained. He looked over at Bucky who was watching him with a higher level of intensity than normal. Limka let out a nervous boisterous laugh, and shook the father's hand, and pointed to one of his aides.
Jenny watched the scene trying to piece together what was happening. She could read Bucky like a book though. Eyebrows frozen in a permanent frown, lips in a tight line, his head down ready to charge. Now she knew that was his I don't trust you gaze.
Limka dusted his hands. "Well, now that matter is settled. Why don't you join me in the conference room."
Jenny looked back at Juan and Russel and Bucky.
"I'm afraid they won't be permitted. State business only," said Limka.
Jenny bit her lip, not realizing how much of a comfort they had all become.
Bucky stepped forward then. "Where she goes, I go," he said.
Limka pursed his lips. "That's not possible," he said.
Jenny put her hand on Bucky's arm firmly, and she felt his muscles relax under her touch. "I got this, I can tie my own shoes and everything," she whispered.
He met her eyes and nodded. "I'll wait outside the door," he said.
Limka narrowed his eyes, but finally gave in with a nod. He turned the corner from the beautiful entryway and they followed him and his aides down a corridor that looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. The pictures of former kings and prime ministers lining the walls were covered in a layer of dust. The yellow striped wallpaper was peeling in places, and there were stains on the carpet. The once grand hallway now had vases of dead flowers. The difference between the front and back of the State building was shocking.
Finally, they reached a room with a large table, covered in used coffee cups.
"Sit," said Limka, gesturing to the seat beside him. He pulled out a box of crackers from seemingly nowhere and began to chew loudly.
Jenny cleared her throat and sat one seat down nearest the door, taking one last glance at Bucky, their eyes meeting before the door closed leaving her alone with the Prime Minister.
"So," said Limka, his mouth full of crackers. "What do you think of our work with the homeless camps?" he asked. "The Kremen family are so happy yes?"
"They did seem happy. So they live in the displacement camps?" she corrected gently.
He ignored her alteration and continued. "They are so appreciative of what I have done for them."
"If I may ask," said Jenny. "What was the purpose of having them join us for the picture?"
Limka offered her a cracker and she shook her head. He stuffed a few more in his mouth.
"To demonstrate my generosity. They begged to meet me in their gratitude. And what a nice thing of me to let them meet you. The lovely member of the GRC." He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.
"If you'd allow them to come back," she said. "I have some questions for them." She didn't believe this man for one second. She knew he had to have paid off that family for a photo op. And not even a good one. It made him look like he'd done nothing which was of course true.
Limka swallowed. "What kind of questions?"
"I'd like to take down how we can better help. What would they like to see going forward?"
"I can tell you all that. We do the best we can, but we need resources. They are so grateful to me and would never say a word against me because of what I've done for them. But we need more money to help more people. You understand?"
Jenny adjusted her glasses. "You realize, we would be coming here to execute the plans that are made in conjunction with what is already set up here. There's no money changing hands." She took out a copy of the proposal and handed it to him.
He flipped through it and tossed it back on the table. He brushed some crumbs from his suit and leaned toward her. "And you would be here to implement these plans?" he asked.
"I… no sir, my job is to be the voice of the GRC, give you this proposal, and ask if there is any specific feedback to take to my superiors before they bring our Aid workers over."
Limka nodded and moved a seat over so they were next to each other. "Do you like this job of yours? I can't imagine it pays very much."
Jenny pursed her lips. "If we could get back to the proposal," she said, tapping on the copy she'd given him but he was undaunted.
"I think that you would do well here. I could offer you more money for you to be my own private PR girl. You only have to tell me what you're willing to do for such a prestigious position."
Jenny's mouth went dry. There was no way in hell she would stay here. She had a hard enough time not leaving the room. But Stuart had hired her to do this job, and he believed in her. She opened the proposal and pointed to the first paragraph. "As you can see, the GRC has already been successful in…"
"I can see you're passionate about your role," he said scooting closer. "Surely you apply that passion to other parts of your life." He put his hand on her knee under the table.
She grabbed his wrist in a tight hold. "You will maintain your distance," she said dangerously. Before she could tell him off, the door blew open, and Limka was flying across the room in his rolling chair hitting the back wall hard. Bucky stood with his hands fisted and panting, fuming with rage, his cheeks red and hot.
Limka's aides ran in behind, helping him to his feet. The little man was woozy and dazed. Jenny's mouth gaped open. She took one look at the chaos and rushed out the door. Following the path they'd taken to get to the conference room she found her way out the front entrance.
She leaned on a pillar trying to catch her breath.
"Jenny. You ok?" Bucky was right behind her, his hand on her elbow, lightly like she was a skittish animal he was afraid he would scare off.
She jerked her arm away. "What were you thinking?" she asked.
He guided her to the garden in the front of the building. They were hidden for the most part behind a large hedge, overgrown and wild.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked. "I was handling him."
Bucky threw his arm out. "He was coming onto you, I'd think you'd be grateful."
"For storming in and throwing a dignitary across the room?" she asked, taking a step closer to him. "For inciting an international incident?"
"I did my job. My job is to protect you."
"Your job is to protect the GRC name."
"I couldn't care less about the GRC name." He took a step toward her, looking down into her face now.
She swallowed at the blue glass color of his eyes. "The point is," she said. "I had it handled. And without flying into a blind rage."
"You're so stubborn," he said. "You can't even thank me for stepping in."
"Because I'm helpless right? Just a blonde trust fund princess who has to be protected. Those were your words weren't they?"
"If the shoe fits," he muttered.
"What?" she asked.
"Like I said, it's my job."
"I'm the only one I can count on to protect me!" she cried. She was panting, the blood rushing so hard in her ears she could hardly hear anything but the pounding in her heart.
He looked flummoxed then, his eye brows raising.
"Boss," said Russel from the hedge opening. "They uh… Oh sorry to interrupt…" Russel blushed as red as his auburn beard. "They want to speak to you."
Bucky finally lifted his eyes from hers, and she realized her breasts were touching his chest. Her face burned and she jumped away from him.
"Coming," he said. Turning back to her, she saw the flush in his cheeks too. "I want you to head back to the hotel. I'll handle Limka."
Jenny sighed, her anger cooling a little. "You're debriefing me at the Gala tonight. But if they arrest you…"
"They won't," he said.
"But if they do. If they press charges, I have to back you up."
"I'll be fine."
"Isn't that what partners do? Isn't that what you wanted?" she asked.
He was suddenly staring down at her with such intensity it took her breath away. "I never seem to get what I want," he said. He bit his lip and her heart stopped. Then he turned and walked back up the capital building steps leaving her alone in the garden.