Starhawk

Chapter 44

THE BLACKSBURG WILDCATS had regularly rolled over the Hawks for two years, and in fact seldom even had to run hard while doing so. At least that was Alicia’s description of the situation. But on that one night, the Hawks showed up with a withering attack, got fourteen points from Alicia, and withstood a determined fourth-quarter rally to come away with a 67–63 victory. Jake sat behind their bench cheering his head off. Afterward, most of the players—everyone who didn’t already have a prior commitment—trooped over to the Roundhouse and partied until midnight.

When the celebration was over, and almost everyone had left, Alicia put down her drink, looked at him, and asked what was wrong.

“You’re pretty good at reading me,” he said.

“You’re not exactly Voltaire, Jake. What’s going on?”

“They’re sending another mission to Orfano. The Academy wants some questions answered. And there’s a body to recover.”

Her eyes darkened. “You’re going with them, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry, Alicia. They need me.”

“Why?”

“Because I was there before. I know where the wreckage is.”

“Why don’t they send what’s-her-name? Hutchins?”

“They need somebody more experienced.”

“You going to be gone a week again?”

“I don’t know how long, love. It’ll probably be more than that. Probably a few weeks.”

All the light had gone out of the room. She just sat, watching him, making up her mind how to react. “You told me last time it was a one-time thing. That when the mission ended you wouldn’t be going out anymore.”

“I don’t think I ever said that.”

“It’s what I heard. But let’s get it settled. After this one, will you be doing it again?”

God help him, he didn’t know. He didn’t want to live the rest of his life on that mountaintop. On the ground. “Alicia, I love you.”

“That’s not what I want to hear at the moment, Jake.”

“I know.”

“So what is it going to be?”

“We could make it work. I mean, I wouldn’t be going out very often. Now and then, maybe. When they need me.”

“Great.”

“Alicia, it’s what I do.”

“Okay. And I’ll sit it out here while you go riding around. Have I got that right?” There was steel in her voice.

“You’re making it sound worse than it is.”

“Am I? When we first met, the story was that you used to be a pilot. But that was in the past. You’d come to settle in Radford. The outer-space thing was over. If I’d known you were going to keep going back out, I’d have been a little more careful about letting myself get involved with you.”

“I’m sorry, Alicia. That was the plan. I’m not sure what happened.”

She closed her eyes. Nodded. Bit her lip. “Good night, Jake.”

“You need a ride home.”

“It’s okay.” She looked toward the bar. “Janet’s over there.”

* * *

LIBRARY ENTRY

The only difference between a caprice and a life-long passion is that the caprice lasts a little longer.

—Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray