Underground 4 by Janelle Stalder Page A

remember the last time she'd done anything like this with him. It had always been her and Roman out on missions, but she knew Ludwig was just as good a soldier as any of them. He was smart. He'd have to be to achieve what he had.
    She snorted at his response. “A man, sure. The leader of the New World? Not so much,” she said. “Roman and I never would have allowed - ”
    He stopped in his tracks, interrupting her. “Yes, well, you and Roman aren't around anymore, are you? What I do is my concern.”
    He turned back around stiffly and continued walking.
    Charlotte looked over at a stunned Lake, imaging her own face probably reflected the same. They didn't say anything as they started to follow him again.
    “So you make a habit of doing things like this?” she pushed as she caught up with him, falling in step.
    He huffed. Charlotte could see how angry he was and it fascinated her. Ludwig never got pissy with her. Or, he hadn't, before she’d left him. If she didn't know any better, she'd guess he was actually bitter.
    “Why do you care? Better yet,” he said, stopping, forcing her to stop as well as he faced her, “are you asking out of curiosity from a friend, or a rebel? Would that kind of intel let you take me down easier?” He laughed humourlessly. “I can just imagine how quickly you two would run back to your friends to tell them how the big, bad, Ludwig Tennebris walks around alone and vulnerable.” He turned to shoot a glare at Lake before looking back at her. “We're enemies now, isn't that right?”
    A strange lump lodged in her throat. She nodded once, unable to speak. Why did it feel so wrong all of a sudden when she stood in front of him? They were enemies. That was a fact. So why couldn't she look him in the eye?
    Her stomach rolled and she realized the measly lunch she'd had earlier was no longer making her feel good. Ludwig stared at her for another tense moment before turning away again. She watched him walk and then her stomach lurched. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
    “Charlotte?” Lake said, coming up to touch her shoulder gently. “You okay?”
    Charlotte shook her head and then ran to the opening of an alley, losing her stomach contents.
    “Lottey?” Ludwig shouted. She heard his footsteps as he ran toward her. “What's wrong with her?”
    “She's sick,” Lake replied.
    “Sick?” He sounded baffled and she would have laughed if she wasn't hunched over dry heaving.
    “It's why we were here tonight,” Lake told him. “She's been sick for...a while,” she said quieter.
    Charlotte sensed him come closer. “Stop,” she said, holding out a hand. “I'm fine. Just give me a second.” Glancing up at him, she watched as he shoved a hand through his hair, looking, for once, at a loss as to what to do.
    “Well what did he say?” he asked Lake.
    Charlotte gave her a quick look, subtly shaking her head. Ludwig could not know what was wrong with her.
    “He said I'm fine,” Charlotte answered, standing up straight. “And I am.”
    He gave her a narrowed look, but didn't say anything.
    “Come on,” she said, walking again. “We need to see what's happening.”
    He started too, his posture stiff. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that he was flexing his hands at his side, telling her he was barely controlling his anger. Ludwig didn't like to be lied to, but she didn't work for him anymore. He'd just have to suck it up.
    The three of them walked toward the building, their steps loud. From what she could see, they'd left no one outside. Figures, she thought. Her father was a cocky ass-hole. He was probably in there gloating, knowing that no one was coming to help anytime soon. It's not like there would have been anyone out here to report back to the soldiers. Yes, her father could sometimes be smart about most things.
    “Where are your men?” she asked.
    He took a deep breath, and she knew he was concerned. “There should have been a handful in there,” he answered.