Kindred Spirit - Noah Harris Page 0,47

to forgive Jacob for everything. There was no question that Jacob had lied to him about who he was and what he was in Gilcreek for. Yet Levi found himself wholeheartedly believing Jacob’s motivations for why he’d taken the assignment.

“I think he really does want to help,” Levi admitted quietly.

Once more, he was met with silence, and Levi was left to wonder, not for the first time, what was going on in Lou’s head. The spirit could be so absurdly brutally honest, putting even Levi’s bluntness to shame. Yet he could be incredibly private and secretive with other thoughts, and Levi wasn’t always sure what was going on in his friend’s head.

I’m...not worried about him. Not anymore. It’s where he comes from that I’m worried about.

“Yeah,” Levi agreed. “The DDI is what I’m not so sure about.”

But to accept him is to accept them.

“There is that.”

That doesn’t tell me what you think.

“I don’t know what to think, Lou. Hell, I barely know what to do about the fact that I’m already on the road to forgiving Jacob. For lying, for being part of the group of people who love to hunt us down.”

What if he’s right?

“About?”

That this...DDI doesn’t want to hurt us, that they really want to help.

Levi stopped, turning to face where he thought Lou was hovering. “You really think that any government agency is going to have our best interest at heart?”

They’re just people, Levi.

“People who have hounded us for as long as I can remember, who don’t give us a moment’s peace.”

What if he’s right, and this one has just been watching us, keeping an eye out but not trying to interfere?

“What does any of it matter? They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.”

Neither is Jacob. But you like him. You…

Levi tensed. “I what?”

Once more, he was met with silence and a huff. Levi whirled away from his friend and kept marching in the direction Jacob had walked. What exactly was it Lou was seeing that Levi was somehow missing? And since when had Lou become the voice of reason when it came to trusting other people?

“You’re really going to trust something like the DDI?” Levi demanded.

Like I said, they’re just people. People can be trusted, and sometimes they can’t be. Get them into groups, and that’s even more true. Especially government groups.

“Right. Which is exactly why we had that whole ‘don’t trust any of them’ thing going on.”

Jacob is part of that group.

“Again, right.”

So either he’s telling the truth, and they really are trying to help people, even if sometimes it doesn’t work out like that. Or, he’s being used and doesn’t know the truth.

“What do you think it is?”

I don’t know.

Which wasn’t all that helpful since Levi himself didn’t know the answer either. It took only a moment of searching his own thoughts for him to realize that he genuinely believed Jacob was a good man who wanted to help people. Even more so, he was a good man who had specifically dedicated himself to wanting to help Levi. He had already risked his life and got himself an injury in the process.

And now that same man was marching several yards ahead of him to make sure Levi stayed safe. Night would fall soon, and both of them would be facing unknown danger once they reached Gilcreek.

“Damn it,” Levi muttered, picking up his pace. “Is he far ahead?”

Lou chuckled.

No. You could catch up to him if you did more than jog.

Which is precisely what Levi did. It took a momentary course correction on his part as Lou led him around a dense bush. Within seconds, Jacob’s broad shoulders came into view as he ducked beneath a low hanging branch. Where the one leg of his jeans had been cut off, it looked like the bandage had stayed in place. The sight of the injury tugged at something in Levi’s chest as he jogged up to Jacob’s side.

The man looked at him, frowning deeply. “What are you doing?”

“I decided I’m sick and tired of you playing the hero, and I’m walking with you,” Levi told him.

“That’s not how this works.”

“It is now.”

“Levi…”

Boy, I wish I could tell him how pointless it is to argue with you when you get that stupid look on your face.

“I do not have a stupid look on my face,” Levi snapped at Lou.

Jacob blinked, his lips trembling. “I’m not going to make any comment.”

Levi turned to him, glowering. “Don’t you tell me I have a stupid look on my face.”

“And