Tomorrow Always Lies by Doug Solter

Author:Doug Solter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ya action, ya spies, ya action adventure, ya books, ya thriller, teen thriller, spy fiction, spy novels, young adult spy books, spy books for teens
Publisher: Brain Matter Publishing
Published: 2018-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

After two hours of driving, Emma and the Gems reached the eastern side of Sacramento, California. Olivia exited the loaner Mercedes off the interstate and turned into a giant travel plaza that served both truckers and the general public. Emma waited in the passenger seat while Olivia fueled up the car. She handed Emma’s gas card back to her through the open window and leaned against the fender as they both waited for everyone else to come back from the large travel store.

Emma rested her chin on the door frame as she glanced over at Olivia.

Olivia didn’t acknowledge her, choosing to watch all the activity around the travel plaza instead.

“Are you ever scared?” Emma asked.

“What do you mean?” Olivia asked.

“The high-speed chase. You and Nadia jumping those Russian guys…are you ever scared?”

“Of course. I’m a basket case of worry, isn’t that right?”

“I’m sorry for saying that,” Emma said. “Everyone else is so much braver than I am. When you two attacked the Russians, I froze. I couldn’t help myself. Those guys were scary.”

“You took down that last guy.”

“I kicked him in the nuts. Lioness trained me to use hand-to-hand combat, and all I did was something I learned in a self-defense class when I was fifteen.”

Olivia turned to face Emma. “But you pushed through it, love.”

“Pushed through what?”

“Your fear. You pushed through it and attacked that guy anyway.”

“Only because I was scared of what he might do to all of you,” Emma said.

“So your personal safety wasn’t more important than protecting your friends from harm.”

Emma thought about that. “I guess so.”

“We all push through it. Protecting my friends and completing our mission is more important to me than my life.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s not like I want to die. But if I do die, I want it to be for something that I believe in.”

“And you believe in what the Authority is doing?” Emma asked.

“Yes. One hundred percent.”

“When you say, ‘protecting all my friends,’ does that include me?”

Olivia turned away. “As team leader I care about all my girls.” Her eyes resumed observing the travel plaza. “Even the ones who annoy me.”

“Oh, come on, I’m not that bad.” Emma flashed her a smile.

Olivia kept her mouth closed.

“Seriously?”

Olivia didn’t respond.

“Fine. Yes. I do need to learn a little humility sometimes.”

“A little?” Olivia asked.

“Humility is a hard one for me.” Emma paused. “I grew up among billionaire kids who rated everyone on a social pecking order. You didn’t dare show any weakness or do anything that could embarrass the family. After a while, that false pride became a shield we used every day to protect ourselves.”

“Don’t use that false pride around us. We’re not looking to tear you down.”

Now Emma paused. “Maybe not them. But what about you?”

Olivia stared down at the pavement and sighed. “If you can show some humility, I guess I can show some restraint from tearing you down.”

“How about I try not to give you a reason to use restraint?” Emma asked.

Olivia nodded.

Emma got out of the car. “Hug?”

Olivia thought about it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.