Bolt

10

BOLT

Bolt shuffled to the front of the cave to avoid having to interact with Kara. He heard her say something under her breath, but there was no point in getting into an argument. The team had to get some sleep so they could focus on finding the gem the next day.

He laid out his sleeping bag and sat. Bolt usually did not sleep well during his missions and was able to function on less sleep than most people. He would sit for a bit, then try to sleep a little.

He raised his knees to his face and breathed out a long sigh. Despite how exasperating Kara was, he had a hard time getting her out of his mind. She was intelligent and brave. There was something about her that he couldn’t stop mulling around in his head.

He knew he had not been around a woman in a long time, so maybe it was the loneliness speaking. Despite her stubbornness, Bolt believed she knew how much she needed him so she could achieve her goal.

Her knowledge of the Afghan people was helpful and impressive. Bolt admitted to himself that he didn’t know too much about the country before this special op, so that meant he also needed her to achieve this mission.

That sounded annoying, but it was something he had to do. He was fiercely loyal, and it took a lot for him to betray anyone, especially the ones he had vowed to take care of.

Bolt lay down and closed his eyes. He needed rest to defend Kara and her team.

He dozed in and out of sleep, sometimes feeling like he was back in the prison. He woke in a cold sweat, then noticed a silhouette standing over him.

Bolt whipped a knife out of his pack and pointed it at the shadow. It took him a second to realize Kara was standing there.

She shook when she saw the knife in his hand.

“Jesus Christ!” she said, jumping away from him.

Bolt was still lying on the ground, sweat coating his T-shirt as if he had fallen into a river. He blinked hard when he saw the fear in Kara’s eyes. He dropped the knife, and it bounced on the cool stone.

“Kara,” he said, trying to stand.

Kara took a step back, holding her hands out in defense. He stayed sitting, trying to reassure her.

“I’m sorry. I think I was dreaming …” Bolt said.

Kara let her hands fall to her side.

“What were you dreaming about?” she asked.

Bolt looked up at her. The sun was rising in the sky, burning orange and red beyond the cave, and it made her blue eyes glitter. It was easy to confess your woes to a pretty face, but he had to keep it together for the sake of the mission.

“It's nothing,” Bolt stood. “Don’t worry about it.”

Bolt put the knife into his pack and began rolling up his sleeping bag. Kara was still standing there when he finished.

“Are you serious?” she asked sternly. “You were about to stab me with that knife.”

Bolt turned back to her, feeling sweaty and gross. She was beautiful, and that made it hard to be firm with her.

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Bolt repeated.

Kara shook her head then started to the back of the cave.

“I’m getting everyone up for something to eat,” Kara said.

Bolt let her walk away, then sighed. He had to find some time to talk to her directly. He wasn’t a big fan of this back and forth.

He went outside to find somewhere to clean himself. He felt like freshening up before he headed back out on the pathway. The sun was blinding and warm on his skin. He closed his eyes and tried to listen for running water.

His tiger senses smelled something, and he followed it. Not too far away, he found a thin stream of water. Bolt used this time to remove his shirt and rinse out his armpits before anyone came out.

He did this quickly, removing his damp shirt and laying it on a branch. He placed both hands into the stream and cupped them, lifting the water and rubbing his face. When he turned around, Kara was standing there with a water bottle.

“Christ,” he said, feeling startled.

Kara grinned, looking transfixed. She blinked hard then bent over the stream to get some water.

“I guess it was my turn to scare you this time,” she said as she tilted the bottle.

Bolt placed his hands back into the stream and lifted them to his chest. He rubbed himself while trying to divert his eyes from her bum.

When she finished filling her water bottle, she turned to him and took a long sip. She looked at him for a while before speaking.

“Do you know anything about this gem we’re seeking?” Kara asked.

Bolt grunted, expecting yet another argument.

“I’m not interested in what you want from it,” he said. “My mission is to get the gem, and you, home safely.”

Though, Bolt assumed that this wasn’t entirely true. He knew nothing about the gem, but General Nydia seemed to imply it was more important than keeping Kara and her team alive. But it mattered to Bolt that he maintained his reputation of never losing a soul on his missions.

Kara rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m calling that bullshit,” she remarked.

Bolt grabbed his shirt from the branch and shook it out. He threw it over his shoulder and glared at Kara.

“You can think whatever you want to think,” he said.

“You’re telling me that you came almost halfway across the world for a reason you don’t understand?” Kara proposed.