Sanctuary

[Jensen James]

He listened to the conversation with cool awareness all the while clinging to the warmth of the cup nestled in his palms. Jensen sipped the coffee habitually, and when next he looked down, it was nearly drained to the bottom. Fatigue began to settle his shoulders from the night of poor sleep and all the adrenaline since waking. He refilled the cup again, adding this time a touch of turbindo sugar, and listened.

When Axel cast that careless smirk around the room, Jensen frowned in return. Jensen tried to reach him, but it felt like every step they took earned two backward. Natalie’s thinly veiled fury did not help tease out the secrets, but strangely, Axel eventually shared. Jensen doubted it was the broad strokes of full truths.

He felt utterly useless in the ongoing conversation until Natalie mentioned a familiar name.
“Actually, I’ve heard of Orion,” he said, surprised at the sudden burst of knowledge.

“When I was a preacher,” he began, coughed, and started again, “and lived here, I heard about them. They donated to a lot of charitable causes, but also helped cover costs of hospice patients when experimental treatments were unsuccessful. I helped connect folks from the church to the organization from time to time. They have offices in Fort Worth. I've been there.” he said.

Finally, he whispered, somewhat fearfully, "They donated to to the church... and to Jessika's campaign."