Smoked (The Invincibles 5)
“We’ll know more tomorrow after she’s undergone some tests. Any word from Hughes?”
“I was able to burn the details of von Habsburg’s escape from the mental facility. As far as Director Hughes is concerned, Siren is still on loan to MI6 until further notice.”
“What about Z?”
“He’s on board.”
Z Alexander was the current chief of MI6 and Rile’s former boss. Given the majority of assignments the Invincibles took on were on behalf of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he would keep the details of Siren’s medical condition a secret until told otherwise.
I told Rile I’d be in touch, and was headed back inside when I saw Siren coming out. She looked exhausted and as though she’d been crying.
Instinctively, I opened my arms and embraced her as she walked up to me. “We have an hour before your first scan. Would you like to lie down for a while?”
“I would. I’m so tired.”
* * *
“What is this?” she asked when I pulled up in front of the furnished rental.
“I thought this would be more comfortable than a hotel.”
“You’re a very kind man, Smoke.”
Siren had called me a lot of things in the time I’d known her. Kind had never been one of them. I wondered if she’d still think so if and when she got her memory back.
* * *
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you shopping,” I said when she unpacked the few things she’d brought with her. When she shrugged, I pulled her into my arms. “You’re supposed to be resting.”
I tugged her over to the bed and lay beside her. When she turned on her side, I pulled her close so her back was against my front. “Try to sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go.”
“Smoke?”
“Yeah?”
“What if it never comes back?”
I leaned down and kissed her shoulder. “Then, we’ll make lots of new memories.”
“Do you really mean that?”
“Yes.” Probably more than I’d meant anything before in my life.
12
Siren
When we left the house to return to the hospital, Smoke suggested Maureen take the afternoon off. He was able to stay with me as I waited to be taken in for each of the scans, and just knowing he was there was a comfort.
His words from last night replayed in my mind as I considered what my life would be like if I never remembered anything that had happened prior to being shot. Would making new memories be enough? Would I have a sense of myself without knowing what made me the person I was now?
“Do you feel up to having dinner with me?” Smoke asked when I came out to the waiting area after the second scan was finished. “Scratch that. Let’s do takeout instead.”
“Do I look that bad?”
“I just realized what a long day you had.”
“It’s been long for you too.