Charlie had grown accustomed to Bass' heartbeat, so when he wasn't in bed, she felt empty. She chastised herself for becoming attached to the man who was responsible for the deaths of her brother and the man who raised her. She had long ago surmised Ben Matheson was not her biological father.

On this night, when Bass crawled into their rented bed, Charlie couldn't hold back a sign of relief as he pressed his chest against her back and slid his strong arms around her. He had been covertly watching two men they suspected were patriots, two men who had been trailing them since three towns back.

Charlie's thoughts faded as she drifted to sleep, only to awaken sometime later in the dark to Bass' voice.

"I don't much appreciate being woken up by the likes of you," he calmly said, a hint of warning in his voice. It was then Charlie sensed there were intruders in their hotel room. She was facing the wall, but she kept her eyes closed.

Bass tightened his arm around her waist while she felt his other arm under her head shift as he gripped the gun they kept under the pillow. Charlie tapped her fingers on his hand that rested on her stomach to signal she was ready and Bass nuzzled her ear in return. She pressed herself into him as he rolled them over, his gun blazing. Both of the patriots fell as two shots rang out.

Without speaking, Charlie and Bass hastily dressed and grabbed their belongings before climbing out the window into the night. They were down the road long before the bodies were discovered.

Charlie was always two steps in front of Bass when they traveled on foot.

It had started when she was reunited with him and she had tried to escape. Even though their relationship had changed she still did it. She wasn't sure why he let her now … was it because she was leading him to her mother and Miles?

He was a ruthless cold-hearted killer who was now her partner and lover. What would Miles think when she brought home his former best friend and comrade?