Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

"Absolutely."* * *"Are you sure you don't mind waiting, ma'am?" the MP asked Melissa politely."Yes," she said quietly. "I'm in no hurry. Just get my bag there in one piece.""Move it out!" the Marine ordered the driver, and the tram rolled out onto thetarmac toward the transport jet a few hundred yards away.She wasn't looking forward to the flight, but at least she'd gotten away from thecatacombs of the Facility. It had been almost a month since any of them had seen thesurface, and the simple plea-sure of seeing the sunrise was well worth the 5:00 a.m. risingtime. The warmth of the sun felt exhilarating.Melissa watched the drab green vehicle get smaller and smaller as it headed eastin the direction of the early morning sun. It zipped past the stalled jeep that, along withthe tram, had been intended to carry all of them to the plane for boarding. The tramcouldn't hold all of them, and the MP had asked her to wait for his return. She'd actuallychosen to stay behind for another reason. Brian hadn't shown up with the others for somereason, and the Colonel had radioed for someone to check his room. She was determinedto show him that she hadn't been taken in by his feigned concern. He’s just All ofhimself.' She would show him who was weak.She scanned the buildings situated at various locations about the airfield. It wasamazing how innocuous the base appeared. The hangars were large but unimpressive.Who could imagine the secrets that lay far below the surface? It seemed odd that theonly sign of life was a solitary plane slowly creeping toward the beginning of a runway,and another MP with two German shepherds. Though he was about a hundred yardsaway, she could tell he was watching her closely as he guarded the door through whichshe and the team had come only a few minutes ago. Whatever. Unexpectedly she saw theMarine open the door and Brian emerge, carrying his familiar backpack, in a typicallyunfashionable pair of plain shorts and a T-shirt. She smirked as she saw him start out inher direction, the guard having ordered him to the waiting area, only to halt his gait oncehe recognized her. She enjoyed knowing she made him uncomfortable.Brian walked up to where she was standing but passed her without uttering aword. He set his bag down against the side of the building and looked out over thetarmac, which seemed to stretch for miles. The sight was beautiful; it was so good to beoutside. If only the company was better, he thought to himself, but instantly felt a pangof conviction at his unspoken sarcasm. He allowed himself an-other brief glance at herlovely form. Had the events of last evening not transpired he knew he'd have wanted togaze more. She looked as unflawed as ever in her white shorts and powder blue tanktop,but what he knew lurked inside her quickly took the luster off her out-ward loveliness.Whatever lay behind Melissa's crass behavior, she was its prisoner, and he had theanswer. He looked over at her briefly. He knew he couldn't let her hostility toward himdictate how he treated her."Guess I shut my alarm off by accident," he said, turning in her direction."I think you've mistaken me for someone who cares," she replied, holding herhand above her eyes, searching for the tram. It was nowhere to be seen."I meant what I said last night," he reminded her.219