Whistleblower by Alysia S Knight Read Free Book Online

make dark crescents on her cheeks. With her burden lightened by telling her story, she was asleep.
    He didn’t doubt a word of what she’d told him. He just didn’t think she got the full significance of what she was facing. She might have gotten away from Derrian’s security, but odds were they’d send others after her. Men trained like him.
    The question was, would they use good men or hired mercenaries? He’d worry about that later, when the time came. Right now, he needed to get Marley down to sleep, so he could prepare for their departure at first light.
    She didn’t even stir when he stood and carried her down the hall to the guest room. Zan managed to snag the edge of the spread and pull it back without jostling her around too much. He felt a moment of reluctance to put her down, but he lowered her carefully, stilling when she whimpered as if distressed at leaving his arms. Unable to stop himself, he reached out and caught a lock of the wild mass of hair, rubbing the silky strands between his fingers
    She wasn’t boring, not at all. But, how did she get into so much trouble? He shook his head, trying to pull back but unable. What was it about her that got to him so? And not just physically, it was deeper, much deeper. Pushing away the thoughts, he pulled up the blanket and turned away. He had things to do.
    Zan headed downstairs. Entering another spare room, he opened the closet. His dress uniforms were hanging in their protective plastic. On a shelf, his combat clothes waited.
    He’d worked hard to put that life behind him, even went through counseling. As he picked up the camouflage pants, his mind slipped right back into it, going over the items he needed to gather. He shucked out of his clothes right where he stood, pulling on the others.
    Dressed, he reached in and pulled out his pack. It was already loaded, but there were only enough MRE’s for three days for himself, so he selected several others from the shelf for Marley. He didn’t expect to need them, but you never knew. He added a spare emergency blanket then, on second thought, grabbed up his lightweight sleeping bag and hooked it into its place.
    Punching in the combination on his gun safe, he swung the door open. He didn’t hesitate at pulling out his holstered gun and fastening it around his hips then added several smoke and flash bombs. Next his knives, the first went into the sleeve on the backpack strap, and another strapped onto his thigh.
    On the other ankle, just above his boot, he attached his second gun. He prayed he wouldn’t need so much firepower. He didn’t plan on killing anyone, but nothing was going to happen to Marley.
    His hand stopped in the motion of doing up the strap. What would Marley think when she saw him? Well, best get it out in the open. Underneath, this was who he was. Still, it would have been nice to have had a date first.
    Before closing the door, he grabbed up the emergency cash he kept on hand and stuffed it in his snapped hip pocket. Swinging his pack up on one shoulder, he snatched up his rain poncho for Marley. It would be huge on her, but at least it would keep her mostly dry and give her some camouflage.
    Again, he hoped they wouldn’t need it. Marley would probably think him nuts, some kind of obsessive, backwoods survivalist, but he opted for being prepared.
    Going back upstairs, he paused in the doorway to the spare room. Light from the hall filtered in, illuminating the woman in the bed. He felt his heart lurch. Why was his need to protect this woman so strong?
    He watched her. Marley slept the deep sleep of exhaustion. Her flight and terror had sapped her strength. She needed to regenerate. He’d give her what time he could but at first light they’d be moving.
    Zan felt the urge to step into the room but pushed it back. There was still much to prepare. In the laundry room, he removed her clothes from the dryer, folded and placed them in the pack.
    Her shoes and jacket were in the big room next