Her Alien Savior by Elle Thorne Read Free Book Online

until she heard the door latch and click.
     

Chapter 10
     
    Finn
     
    Target 42 was a dog groomer in southeast Houston. Reluctant to check out of the hotel that was near Marissa, he thought over his choices.
    Don’t, he told himself. Don’t leave her behind.
    I won’t. He wouldn’t leave her.
    The procedure to bring the targets in was simple enough, once initial contact had been made. An additive to a beverage would make the targets complacent and agreeable. Then twenty minutes later they’d be unconscious. And they better be in a secluded place or there would be questions asked, suspicions raised if anyone was around. Kal recommended a vehicle, for easy transport.
    “Sounds simple enough.” Finn mused. Much simpler than many of the training missions he’d been on. And succeeded at those, succeeded very well, if he were to not be falsely humble, he reminded himself.
    The phone buzzed. Finn checked Kal’s response.
    Are you on schedule?
    Finn paused. Should he tell Kal he might be behind? No, absolutely not. Better to try to catch up. He’d lost half a day. Or more.
    His response to Kal was short.
    Yes.
    Grabbing a kit with the necessities to secure the target, Finn set out for his rental and the forty-nine minute drive to southeast Houston. Forty-nine, according to the GPS.
     
    ~*~
     
    Finn nosed the rental into 42’s apartment complex, riding the brakes to keep from going too fast, and easily identified her car.
    Based on research, 42 shouldn’t be out until 7 a.m. at which point she’d go to her favorite coffee shop and order her usual.
    42. He didn’t want to remember her name. That would mean getting personal. What if the same thing happened with her as did with Marissa. He knew the same thing wouldn’t happen. Not the same, exact thing , but what if he started to care? What if his mission was impeded? No. That couldn’t be allowed to happen. He would lose everything. He’d be a disgrace. Maybe he’d be court-martialed for treason. And he wouldn’t blame them.
    No. no friendships, no bonds, nothing. Just efficiency. Just transporting the target to the team. To Kal’s team. That was all.
    An apartment door opened. 42’s door. He verified that this was the woman in the photo and followed her to the coffee shop. He parked and vaulted out of the car, dashed in and ordered before she even opened her own car door.
    Inside, he ordered her favorite drink and proceeded to the sugar-and-cream counter to doctor it. And to wait for 42. Teresa, he reminded himself. Teresa. You can’t go around calling her 42.
    “Teresa,” the barista called her name, handing 42 her latte.
    42 approached him, her face distracted, deep in thought, maybe. Finn ran into her, jarring her elbow, sending her drink flying. Her expression turned to one of horror as coffee splattered him, the tables, and the floor.
    “Jesus, I’m sorry.” he apologized, reaching for napkins, doing his best to appear contrite. “I wasn’t paying attention. Let me buy you another. What did you have?”
    “A latte.”
    “Oh, hell, take mine. That’s what I drink.”
    “I couldn’t possibly.” Her pale cheeks blushed a rosy color, clearly not immune to male attention.
    “I haven’t had a single sip yet. Not one.” Finn pressed the drink in her hand. “It’s yours, take it. Can I get you a pastry? I feel bad, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Do you have time for a quick bite?”
    He knew she had the time. Her usual routine included taking the coffee and drinking it at a park while she read a paperback romance.
    “Oh, I—” She blushed a deeper red. “Okay. Why not.”
    “Want to sit outside?”
    Twenty minutes later she was getting into Finn’s rental, not only willing but also smiling, thanks to the Asazi supplement in her coffee.
    In the car, she turned doe eyes his way.
    Finn avoided looking in her eyes. He couldn’t. No. He started the car, reached for the stick to shift it, 42 sighed, laid her head down. Out.