You Can't Catch Me(53)
“Like the intersection of religion and science fiction?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t believe in either.”
“You would if you’d been to the places I have.”
I walk away from the tent and sit on the top of the picnic table. The wood is perma-damp and a bit soft. “War made you believe in God?”
“It did.”
“Why?”
“Because if there wasn’t a purpose bigger than me, or the government, to being there, then what the fuck was I doing?”
“I guess that makes a certain sort of sense.”
“What made you lose faith?”
“Assuming I had it in the first place.” I rub at the scar on my arm. “It was forced out of me. You might even say burned.”
“That’s pretty bleak.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’m not here to sing songs around a campfire.”
“Damn, and I’ve been practicing and everything.”
JJ smiles. “That, I might like to see.” She looks at her watch. It’s around noon. “I’m hungry.”
“I can make some pasta.”
“Nah, let’s go into town. I’d like some of that punny Thai food you told me about.”
I hop off the table. “That does sound good right about now.” I look around the campsite to make sure that everything is squared away, then walk over to the Jeep I rented when I got here. JJ and I climb in. I turn on the engine and put it in reverse. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I don’t think the time-space continuum is going to rip apart.”
“Why not?”
“Because Jessica’s not one of us.”
“How do you figure?”
“I don’t care what her name is. She’s not a Jessica Williams.”
The Thai place I like was full with its lunch rush, but the sushi place down the road wasn’t. Who eats sushi in landlocked Jackson? These girls, apparently. The decor is black lacquer and bamboo, and there’s a large fish tank near the bar that’s devoid of fish.
JJ ordered a plate of spicy tuna, then mixed a boatload of wasabi into some soy sauce and proceeded to dunk each piece until it was almost drowning. Now I think she might be regretting it. She’s downed two large glasses of water, and she’s sweating like she’s in the desert when Five walks in with one of her girlfriends.
She’s cute, Five. A head of curly hair that she must’ve hated when she was a kid but looks great on her now. Tall and athletic, she fits right in. She’s got her camera slung around her neck and is carrying her camera bag. She looks happy, lit up, and I feel a bit bad for the disappointment she’s going to feel when she gets to New York and learns that there isn’t any conference or prize. She’ll have a free weekend in the city, though. And she’ll still have all her money, et cetera, so it won’t be a total loss. I thought about asking Covington to look out for her once she gets there, but that would’ve required more explanation than is prudent.
“What are you looking at?” JJ asks between coughs.
“Five is on your six.”
“You proud of yourself for the military terms?”
“A little bit, yes.”
“You are having too much fun with this.” JJ looks over her shoulder. “She’s taller in person. Who’s the girl?”
“A friend.”
“How closely have you been tailing her?”
“Pretty closely.”
“Was that a good idea?”
She dips the last piece of sushi into her wasabi float and pops it into her mouth.
“About as much as that was.”
“Right.” She pushes her plate away from her.
“We should leave.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s seen me one too many times already.”
JJ taps her fake arm on the table twice. I suggested she bring it with her instead of the hook to make her less conspicuous. “Great, good work.”
“You try tailing someone in a small town.”
“But why was the tailing even necessary, though?”
“The more we know, the better.”
“Funny,” JJ says. “I already feel like I know too much.”
I push my plate away. I ordered the spider, deep-fried soft-shelled crab. It was delicious, but it’s roiling in my stomach right now.
“Has she been in touch with you?” I ask.
“Who, Jessica?”
“Yeah.”
“Nothing recently. You?”
“No.”
“That worry you?”
“It’s hard to know what to think.”
“I guess we don’t have any choice about going through with it.”
“You having second thoughts?” I ask.
“Always, but I think we should stick with the plan.”
“We don’t have a choice, I guess.”
The only choice is us. That’s what Todd used to say.
I’m about to find out if that’s true, after all.
Chapter 24
Never Get Involved in a Land War in Asia