Assassin's Apprentice: Chapter 40

40.

Thomas stood beside the creek and began removing his clothing. He kicked off his sneakers while also pulling off his shirt. He unzipped his pants and looked at Harper. She had not yet moved. He frowned. “You coming or not?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to. It’s not a test of character.”

“I know. I’m just....” She knelt on the grass next to the creek and dipped her hand into the water. Cool. The dark water made a sound like plastic wrap being crunched. She thought of peanut butter and banana sandwiches her mother used to wrap in plastic and place in her Saved by the Bell lunch pail. In the distance they could see the bright lights of Kirkland Agricultural. Two refrigerated semis were parked by some loading docks. Soldiers in civilian clothing bustled around them. Security guards with German shepherds patrolled the perimeter fences.

“It’s like those Nazi POW camps,” Harper said.

Thomas pulled off his pants and underpants at the same time. He knelt, rolled all his clothes into a black log. He stuffed his gun into one of the shoes and shoved the roll into the black plastic garbage bag.

Harper watched Thomas, soothed by his methodical movements and lack of emotion. He looked like he was packing a picnic. She had seen Thomas naked at the clinic, when the Pixies were preparing to torture him. This time, she noticed a few nasty scars. A long, gnarled one down his ribs, maybe eight inches and wide as a finger. Smaller ones here and there, crescents and splotches and x’s, like a child’s crayoned constellation. His penis was a little bigger than at the clinic, not exactly erect, but not thinking about the cold creek water, either. Was he turned on by the pending onslaught? By standing naked in front of her?