aA few hours,a he told her. aI would greatly appreciate something to drink.a aDonat get close to him,a John warned her sharply. aDonat hold a soda for him, donat reach over the back of that seata"donat even think about it, Meg.a She looked at him in exasperation. aHeas thirsty. What am I supposed to do? Ignore him? I hope that wherever Amy and my grandma are, someoneas kind enough to give them water if theyare thirsty.a John glanced up from the road, and although he didnat say anything, she knew he didnat think her daughter needed water anymore.

He thought Amy and Eve were dead.

God damn him.

Fighting tears, Meg gathered up all the straws, both used and unused, that theyad gotten from their fast-food drive through excursions. There had been nowhere to ditch their garbage, so she had six of them all together. She set to work attaching them, one inside the very edge of the othera"no easy task while she still held the gun.

aYou need not worry. I am no longer trying to escape,a Razeen volunteered.

aIam sure youall understand if I donat just take your word for that,a John countered.

aMy reaction in the motel was . . . what is the expression? Knee jerk.a Razeen looked earnestly into the rearview mirror at John. aI have been thinking, and I believe there are worse things than becoming a martyr for my cause by dying at the hands of the Extremists.a He met Megas eyes. aBetter yet even would be death by an American. Such an event might even make the news on CNN, bringing the worldas attention to the story of my peopleas struggle with a government that works methodically to wipe us out. Although CNN will probably carry it just for one day.a He smileda"that same funny, crooked smile that shead noticed in the photo the Extremist had shown her. aSo, you see, your threats that you will shoot me through the back of the seat do little to alarm me.a Osman Razeen wanted to die. For his people, for his cause.

Somehow, when the time came to shoot hima"or to turn him over to the Extremists, which, as John had pointed out, was almost the same thing as shooting hima"that wasnat going to make it any easier to do.

Aware that John was watching her, Meg jammed one end of the strawa"now close to three feet longa"into the lid of a paper cup of watery, probably lukewarm soda. She put the other end of the straw over the back of the seat, moving it like a probe, until she got it close enough to Razeen for him to catch it with his mouth.

He sucked, and the liquid rushed through the straw.

John shook his head as he glanced at her again. aYou care enough to give him a drink. So why donat you do what you wish Amyas captors would do for hera"and turn Razeen over to the FBI?a he said softly in Welsh.

His eyes were too compassionate, too sad, too knowing, and she couldnat look at him.

aThatas different,a Meg said. aI know the Extremists arenat going to do that.a She knew that the Extremists werenat going out of their way to make Amy and Eve more comfortable, too. If Amy and her grandmother were still alive.

The straw gurgled as Razeen sucked the last of the soda from the cup. aI thank you,a he said to Meg.

John took the cupful of soda head nearly finished drinking from the cup holder and swished it around. aDo you want more?a he asked, looking at Razeen in the rearview mirror.

aI am still thirsty, yes, thank you.a John looked at Meg. aDo you have more of those sleeping pills?a He spoke in Welsh, and he had to get creative with the translation. But it didnat take more than a second for her to understand what he meant.

She did have more pills. In the glove compartment. She got them out without Razeen seeing what she was doing, opened several capsules, and dumped their contents in the last inch of liquid in Johnas cup.

She repeated the trick with the straw, and Razeen was soon sucking air from Johnas cup.

aThank you,a Razeen said again. aAnd . . . good night, am I right?a Meg turned to look at him, and he was smiling. She hated the fact that he had such a gentle smile.

aThat is to say, if I were you, I would have given me another dose of that sleeping medication. I know that I am exceptionally clever, but you have been quite clever as well, so . . .a He settled back, making himself comfortable. aGood night. Although, if a condemned man is entitled to one last wish, mine would be that I not be executed while I sleep. I should like to be awake, so I am able to pray.a Oh, God.

Meg felt John glance at her, and she knew what he was thinking, knew what he was going to say before he said it.

aItas not too late, Meg.a Meaning to turn herself and Osman Razeen in. Meaning to put Amyas life completely into the hands of people for whom saving Amyas life might not be the highest priority.

One of those people being John Nilsson.

aAchub fi,a John whispered, in Welsh. Save me. aSave me by letting me help.a She closed her eyes. aJust . . . drive.a This was surreal. Sam was standing outside his hotel room with Alyssa Locke, using his key card to unlock the door. Knowing that she was about to go in there with him.

Into his room.

Into his hotel room.

Sam didnat think of himself as particularly religious, but he never did anything as ridiculous as waste a good prayer on something as insignificant as sex. He was either going to get some or he wasnat. And he was usually capable of being charming enough to get some completely on his own, so head always left God out of it.

Until now.

He concluded his prayer for divine guidance in not messing this up with a fervent promise of a lifetime of devotion as Alyssa walked past him into the room.

She smelled impossibly good.

She wasnat, however, walking really straight.

And instead of sitting on the couch, she half lay down, pressing her cheek against the cushions. aI donat think I want any dinner,a she said distantly. aIam so tired.a Sam went into the little kitchen area and got a couple of glasses and some ice. He poured them both another drink from the bottle head stuck under his shirt and taken out of the bar. After all, head paid for it.

aYou need to keep drinking,a he advised her, setting the glass down on the coffee table. aDonat stop until youare ready to crash.a aI think Iam ready to crash.a She looked exhausted. There were shadows under her eyes, giving her a slightly bruised appearance. As if life had kicked the crap out of her, and the only way for her to fight back now was to get some sleep.

As Sam looked at her, he could hear a distant flushing sound. It was the sound of his hopes for a passion-filled night going down the drain.

If she was too drunk to sit up, it would be ungentlemanly to take advantage of her, wouldnat it?

Even if she threw herself at him.

He looked at her, half lying there with her feet still on the floor, his eyes following the curve of her denim-clad rear end. Her T-shirt was riding slightly up, and he could see an inch or so of her bare skin just above the waistband of her jeans.

Touching her would be like touching silk. She had the most gorgeous skin head ever seena"smooth and flawless and the delicious color of caf au lait.

She rolled slightly onto her back to look up at him, and the picture she made lying therea"that pretty face with those ocean green eyes, breasts filling out that T-shirt, belly button peeking outa"brought the truth slamming home like a kick to the balls.

Drunk or not, if this woman threw herself at him, all that shit about being an officer and a gentleman was going right out the window. Right out the window.

If she threw herself at him, he was catching her with both hands and he wasnat letting go.

But she was in no position to move, let alone do any throwing.

aKick off your shoes and get comfortable,a he told her, starting for the other room. aIall get you a blanket. The couch pulls out to a bed if youa"a aWait.a She struggled to sit up and took a healthy slug of whiskey, as if that would help.

Actually, that was his fault. Head implied that another drink would help keep her awake.

aNo way am I falling asleep,a she told him. aAs soon as I do, youall disappear.a aIam not going anywhere,a he said again. Was she nuts? Did she actually think that he would fulfill his lifelong dream of sharing a hotel room with Alyssa Locke only to sneak out on her?

It was true, at this point he was talking about her spending the night on the couch. But maybe come dawn shead wake up, not too badly hungover, and shead realize . . . something. He wasnat sure what, but whatever revelation she had would magically make her see how foolish she was to resist him, and how perfect theyad be together. As they made love in the early morning light, shead breathe his name and . . .

Yeah. What was it she always said to him? Dream on.

aLook,a Sam said, aif you want, we can push the couch right in front of the door. That way, if I try to leavea"a aRight, and while Iam over there guarding the door, youad be going out through the sliders to the balcony.a The idea of him exiting via the balcony was completely absurd. But laughing at her when she was glaring at him like this wasnat going to help. He may have a buzz on, but he wasnat so fried he could no longer recognize that truth.

aThereas a king-sized bed in the other room,a Sam said, and the moment the words left his mouth, he realized how ridiculous a suggestion this was. There was no way in hell Alyssa Locke would even think about sharing a bed with him, no matter how big it was. But head come this far. He might as well finish the thought. aItas big enough to push up against both the door and the slider to that balcony.a She stood up.

Alyssa actually pushed herself up off the couch and, taking her drink with her, went into the bedroom to take a look.

She came out almost immediately, holding . . .

The light caught and gleamed and . . .

It was a pair of handcuffs.

aWill you let me cuff you to the bed?a she asked.

Dear, sweet Jesus.

Of course she didnat mean it that way, still, Sam didnat hesitate. aAbsolutely.a aJust so you know, Iam UA,a John said. aIam guilty of unauthorized absense. If I donat go back with you in tow, Iam completely cooked.a Meg stared at him. aWhat?a He glanced at her and nodded. aYeah, Iam looking at a court-martial and a dishonorable discharge for dereliction of duty and lying to my CO. Iall probably even get jail time.a She let herself get angry. aYouare trying to guilt me out. Well, forget it. Itas not going to work.a aUnfortunately, I wonat be able to write to you from prison,a he continued, abecause youall be locked up, too, and prisoners arenat allowed to correspond with other prisoners.a aI never asked you to do this,a she said heatedly. aI didnat ask to you toa"a aThatas right,a he said. aYou didnat ask. I volunteered. I knew all about the trouble I could get into, and yet I came after you anyway. Donat you get it, Meg?a She glanced into the back. Razeen was asleep, and even if he wasnat, he wasnat going anywhere. Last pit stop theyad made John had tied him up, tethering his handcuffs to the metal frame of the front seat so that Razeen couldnat attack them. Or try to escape through the back window.

aYou need me,a she said tightly to John. aRight. I got that. Loud and clear, thanks. But Iam sorry. I donat need you.a Please, John, donat go. I need you. She heard an echo of her own voice from that night so long ago.

aNot anymore,a she whispered.

aSorry, I just donat buy it.a aOh,a she said, aof course. You know better. You know the real truth is that I havenat slept a single night without dreaming about you since we almost . . . since we . . .a She faltered, because the look he shot her was so penetrating, his eyes so knowing, as if he could see into her head, see all those nights shead ached for him.

aI should have stayed,a he said. aI regret leaving the way I did that night. Of all the things I regret in my lifea"and believe me, Meg, thereas a lista"I regret that the most.a aIt wouldnat have made a difference.a aIam not so sure anymore. Maybe if Iad stayed . . .a I canat do this. Head pulled away from her suddenly, breathing hard.

Meg still remembered, as clear as if it were yesterday.

aYouare going to wake up tomorrow and hate yourself,a head said. aEven worse, youare going to hate me.a Shead stood there, leaning back against the wall because her legs wouldnat have been able to hold her up by themselves, just watching as he refastened his belt, tucked in his shirt, buttoned his jacket.

aYouare serious,a shead said. aYouare just . . . leaving? Just like that?a aI have to go before we do something youall regret. Youave had too much to drink, anda"a aNo, I havenat.a aOkay, you havenat,a he agreed. aBut youare upset and your judgment is skewed. Youave got to trust me here, Meg. Look, Iall probably be Stateside again in a few weeks. Iall call you then.a She was upset. And he was probably right. Nothing good would come out of this. But she wanted him. God, she needed him. aPlease, John, donat go.a To her horror, her voice broke.

He swore sharply, but then he was back, warm and solid as he pulled her into his arms. aGod damn it, I donat want to go.a aThen stay. Please staya"Danielas all but written us a permission slip.a He laughed, but it sounded harsh, painful. aI donat want his permission! Christ! I want . . .a aI need you.a She kissed him, and he resisted for all of two seconds.

It was exhilarating. Terrifying. He kissed her ferociously, as if he were moments from sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to her bed. But then, again, he pulled back.

aDo you love me, Meg? I know weare friends, and I knowa"God, I knowa"thereas this attraction between us, but if this is just sex, then youave got to think again. Because tomorrow youall wake up, and everything weave done tonight will be irreversible. Itall be a part of youa"forever. And if youare not going to leave Daniel, itall be this poisonous lump of guilt that youall carry with you. I donat want you to remember me that way. With pain and . . . and . . . I donat know, hatred. Jesus, I donat want that.a Did she love him? No, she couldnat answer that. She wouldnat even consider it. Because if she wasnat going to leave Daniel . . .

John was watching her intently, the muscle in his jaw jumping as he waited for her to respond.

It wasnat fair. She couldnat imagine Daniel having suffered so when head slept with Leilee. Head probably slid into her bed and between her legs without a thought of love or friendship or whom he might be hurting.

He certainly hadnat thought about Meg.

Or Amy.

Amy, who, more than anything, wanted her father in her life. Amy, who so desperately wanted her family back.

Meg didnat say a word, but John nodded, as if he knew the direction her thoughts had turned.

aIall call you when I get back,a he said. aIn case, you know . . . you change your mind.a Somehow he managed to smile. To touch her cheek. aWish Iad met you first.a She tried to smile, too. Failed because her lip was trembling. John had been sixteen when shead married Daniel. What was she doing here with him? This was crazy. Completely crazy.

aYou can always call me,a he told her. aIf you need me for anything. Any time. Just . . . call me and Iall come.a Meg nodded, knowing that this was really it. After tonight, she truly wouldnat see John Nilsson ever again. After tonight, if they meta"even by chancea"she wouldnat stop to talk. Shead smile, sure, even say hello, but shead walk swiftly away. Shead never call him. Never again.

He kissed her once more. Sweetly this time.

It was a kiss to remember.

A kiss good-bye.

He stopped and looked back at her, his hand on the doorknob, as if he wished she would stop him.

But then he turned and went out the door.

And she let him go.

This wasnat going to work.

Locke sat on the floor next to Samas bed.

The bedframe was put together with nuts and bolts. She could handcuff Sam to it, but it would take him about twenty minutesa"topsa"to get himself free.

He came out of the bathroom, wearinga"oh, Goda"only a pair of shorts and a smile. aOkay, warden, Iam ready. Lock me up.a aThis isnat going to work.a aHey, itas no big deal. Iave got food for if and when I want it . . .a He lifted the lid on the room service platter that had arrived minutes earlier and now sat on the bedside table. Head ordered three different kinds of sandwiches, all wrapped in plastic, a two-liter bottle of Coke, and a bucket of ice. Head ordered ice cream, too, but head put it in the freezer section of the little fridge that sat out in the suiteas kitchenette. aIave got food and the remote control. What more could a man want?a He reached down and took the handcuffs from her and cheerfully snapped one end onto his left wrist.

Locke shook her head. aLook at the bedframe, Starrett.a He crouched next to her and saw the problem instantly. aOh, crap.a Standing again, he looked around the room.

aDonat bother,a she told him, resting her head against the bed. aThereas nothing in here that would hold you.a aWell . . .a He cleared his throat. aActually, there is.a Locke felt the mattress give under his weight. Head sat down on the bed, next to her, and as she looked up at him from the floor, he reached down and lifted her right arm, pointed to her wrist. aThatall do it.a His hands felt cool against her skin. He had big, work-roughened hands, with almost ridiculously large fingers. One of his nails was bruised, as if head recently smashed a finger, but other than that, they were neatly trimmed and clean.

His skin was tan from working outsidea"he was almost as dark as she was.

She had to laugh. He was actually suggesting she handcuff herself to him. Was he completely out of his mind?

Starrett laughed, too. He had a blinding smile, and when he laughed, his eyes sparkled. They were mesmerizingly blue.

aYouare kidding, right?a She pushed herself up, to her feet, pulling her hand away from him. God, she was dizzy. Whoever invented alcohol was a total idiot. aPeople are idiots,a she told Starrett. aAlcohol, cigarettes, drugsa"the more poisonous it is, the more we want it. Itas insane. Iam never going to drink again.a aThatas too bad,a he drawled, leaning back on both elbows, moving into a pose that was almost unbearably sexy, abecause you loosen up when you drink. You know, I donat think Iave ever heard you laugh before tonight.a aI laugh all the time,a she said defensively, wishing he would sit up so that shead stop wanting to skim her hands across the planes and angles of his muscular chest and arms. And those abs and legs and . . . aJust . . . not when youare around.a God, she needed to sit downa"as far from Mr. Sexy as possible. This was going to be one hell of a long night.

Starrett was watching her closely. aItas your call about this handcuff thing. It seems crazy not to do ita"I mean, if Iam cuffed to you, Iam not going anywhere without you knowing about it, right?a She shook her head.

aCourse if youare afraid you wonat be able to keep your hands offa me . . .a Locke stared at him. Did he know? Could he tell what she was thinking? God, she wasnat doing something like drooling, was she? She forced herself to react, to sputter, as if in outrage. aIam not afraid. Donat think youare soa"a aI can understand the potential embarrassment,a he continued. aYouave had too much to drink, and who knows what you might do in your sleep. I mean, itas a big bed, but . . .a He shrugged expansively.

Locke reached over and snapped the cuffs onto her right wrist.

Seventeen.

THUNDER CRASHED. THE storm was directly overhead, and the thunder was the kind that shook the house to its very foundation.

It woke Eve from the restless doze shead drifted into, and for a moment, she was confused.

What was she doing outside of the bomb shelter during an air raid?