About ten minutes later, Eli steered his luxury sedan into the crowded, sun-baked parking lot of a popular roadside restaurant, with Jackson pulling his vehicle into the neighboring slot a second later. The engine hums died down simultaneously. They all emerged from their respective cars, the thick, humid weekend air wrapping around them as they made their way toward the restaurant's entrance.
This time, sensing the emotional weight of the day, Belle quietly receded, giving way to Ceres so she could spend time with her sworn brother.
"Fake," Ceres murmured under her breath, keeping her pace synchronized with Jackson's long strides.
Jackson immediately took the signal, his sharp ears catching the exact verbal password they had established to signify that the legendary assassin was now running the body.
"Were you bored out of your mind on the drive over here?" Jackson asked casually, his tone dropping into the easy, familiar cadence of their past life.
