like an age. Eventually she spoke, her voice filled with fury and scorn. She’d inhabited the darkness that had killed this woman’s husband. Re-enacted the scene countless times to piece together the evidence. She hated the three of them for that. She would see them pay and eventually let go of that hate, let the light shine and allow Smith to speak through her. She’d let his light banish the darkness from her, little whispers and tendrils of his death clinging to Anders for the rest of her life. She bore that burden gladly so the dead may rest.
“You were married for thirty years. That’s a long time to hate someone.”
“I loved him once.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. You stood by and goaded Mitch. Laughed and cheered as your son caved in the skull of his father and your husband. Mitch is guilty of the act. Beth of committing him to it. But you saw to it the deed was done.” Janice straightened her back and glared at Anders defiantly.
“He spent more time in that damn store of his than with his own wife. He never cared one jot about me. Just his stupid trinkets. I cheered because he neglected his own family. For that, he deserved it.” Shaking her head at Janice, Anders left the room. There was nothing else to say.
Chapter 12
Anders woke to find herself curled up on the sofa in Abi’s office. Every muscle ached, scrunched as she was in the confined space. She’d managed a few hours’ sleep and groggily made to sit up, checking the time with a quick turn of the wrist. A voice made her startle and she shot up, hand reaching for a gun that was no longer there. Old habits died hard and she scowled at Mal as he stuck his head through the door, having seen her wake.
“I’ve just seen the footage. Impressive,” he said, his smile cutting through her temper. He looked much refreshed and had even shaved, looking ten years younger and grinning like a cheeky school boy as Anders sat up and arched her back with a huge yawn, arms stretching to coax some blood into them.
“Would have woken you, but you needed your beauty sleep,” she replied. Mal shrugged to show that he wasn’t bothered and beckoned her into the hub.
“Come see the news. McDowell is extolling our virtues, telling the world that we will catch any entry to the competition before the day is through. Kinda likes the sound of his own voice.” Anders followed him through to the central hub where the team was assembled. Duncan voiced his approval at her work and Barry gave her a big grin.
“Good work Anders,” he said. “Loved all that philosophy crap!” Jesse had the good grace to look sheepish as Anders glared at him and he held his hands up in apology.
“I was just showing them the highlights!” he protested.
“Shower. Need shower,” she said and Barry laughed.
“There’s one in the back, by the training mats.” Anders thanked him and headed to where the shooting range was nestled alongside the gym area. Barry called after her, a mocking tone to his voice.
“Those Eighty Second Airborne? Always thought of them as pussies.” Anders turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise. She gave him a slow look, taking in his massive torso and bulging arms.
“Compensating for something there Barry? Heard something similar about the Twenty Two boys, strutting around playing soldiers.” He grinned back.
“You really teach CQB at Quantico?” CQB stood for Close Quarters Combat and she’d spent several months teaching it to recruits as a favour to an old friend.
“You wanna find out?” Helen, stepping from the lift just in time to hear the banter gave a loud cheer.
“America versus Britain?” she called. “Screw that! Man versus woman!” Anders gave a light backwards jog, making “bring it on” motions with her hands and grinning broadly. Barry cricked his muscular neck and slapped his hands together.
“Don’t want to hurt you little lady, but I will if you test me.” His
“You were married for thirty years. That’s a long time to hate someone.”
“I loved him once.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. You stood by and goaded Mitch. Laughed and cheered as your son caved in the skull of his father and your husband. Mitch is guilty of the act. Beth of committing him to it. But you saw to it the deed was done.” Janice straightened her back and glared at Anders defiantly.
“He spent more time in that damn store of his than with his own wife. He never cared one jot about me. Just his stupid trinkets. I cheered because he neglected his own family. For that, he deserved it.” Shaking her head at Janice, Anders left the room. There was nothing else to say.
Chapter 12
Anders woke to find herself curled up on the sofa in Abi’s office. Every muscle ached, scrunched as she was in the confined space. She’d managed a few hours’ sleep and groggily made to sit up, checking the time with a quick turn of the wrist. A voice made her startle and she shot up, hand reaching for a gun that was no longer there. Old habits died hard and she scowled at Mal as he stuck his head through the door, having seen her wake.
“I’ve just seen the footage. Impressive,” he said, his smile cutting through her temper. He looked much refreshed and had even shaved, looking ten years younger and grinning like a cheeky school boy as Anders sat up and arched her back with a huge yawn, arms stretching to coax some blood into them.
“Would have woken you, but you needed your beauty sleep,” she replied. Mal shrugged to show that he wasn’t bothered and beckoned her into the hub.
“Come see the news. McDowell is extolling our virtues, telling the world that we will catch any entry to the competition before the day is through. Kinda likes the sound of his own voice.” Anders followed him through to the central hub where the team was assembled. Duncan voiced his approval at her work and Barry gave her a big grin.
“Good work Anders,” he said. “Loved all that philosophy crap!” Jesse had the good grace to look sheepish as Anders glared at him and he held his hands up in apology.
“I was just showing them the highlights!” he protested.
“Shower. Need shower,” she said and Barry laughed.
“There’s one in the back, by the training mats.” Anders thanked him and headed to where the shooting range was nestled alongside the gym area. Barry called after her, a mocking tone to his voice.
“Those Eighty Second Airborne? Always thought of them as pussies.” Anders turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise. She gave him a slow look, taking in his massive torso and bulging arms.
“Compensating for something there Barry? Heard something similar about the Twenty Two boys, strutting around playing soldiers.” He grinned back.
“You really teach CQB at Quantico?” CQB stood for Close Quarters Combat and she’d spent several months teaching it to recruits as a favour to an old friend.
“You wanna find out?” Helen, stepping from the lift just in time to hear the banter gave a loud cheer.
“America versus Britain?” she called. “Screw that! Man versus woman!” Anders gave a light backwards jog, making “bring it on” motions with her hands and grinning broadly. Barry cricked his muscular neck and slapped his hands together.
“Don’t want to hurt you little lady, but I will if you test me.” His
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