Calculated Contagion

by K. T. Lee

  The following morning at 9 a.m., Parker was in Ree’s foyer. Before she’d gotten over her surprise at his early arrival, he’d wrapped his arms around her and knocked her off her feet with a long kiss. After wiping all the thoughts from her head, he lifted her off the ground into a hug. As Parker lowered her to the floor, he said, “We need to talk. I’m sorry, Ree, but I’ve put this off for too long.”

  Ree’s stomach flipped at the unexpected sucker-punch. “We need to talk” never meant good news in a relationship. “Whoa, Parker, you just got here. What’s got you so upset?”

  “I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you, but there just isn’t a good way.”

  “Okay…”

  Parker looked at the ceiling as he said, “I haven’t been completely honest with you. It was out of necessity, but I shouldn’t have let it get this far.”

  “Back up, Parker. What are you talking about?” Ree had been coaching Parker to give her more than the caboose to his train of thought, but the message had evidently not sunk in. He began pacing, which only deepened the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. So far, not one word out of his mouth sounded like it would be good for their relationship or whatever they were calling it. At least he could have led with the bad news, before kissing her silly.

  “I had clearance to tell you, but there never seemed to be a good time. I know this is going to be weird, but Landon isn’t my last name. I should have told you sooner.”

  * * *

  Parker’s gut was raw from churning during the entire drive to Ree’s house. Keeping something so important from his girlfriend had woken him up early, and he’d arrived at Ree’s house before the day had really started. Ree was a morning person, so his appearance had at least been welcome, and he’d been hoping to ride that wave of goodwill.

  When he received the phone call the previous evening telling him his mom, dad and brother had decided to come into town on short notice and wanted to take him to church and lunch on Sunday, he knew he had to break the news to Ree so he could bring her along. That meant there was no more putting off telling her that he’d continued using his alias for their very real relationship. It certainly wasn’t the darkest secret, but he should have told his girlfriend his real name before his family forced his hand. When he finally made eye contact with Ree, he saw that she was shaking. He reached out a hand to steady her. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I know we promised to be honest and…”

  Parker was cut off by Ree laughing and waving away his gesture of comfort. “Parker, how dumb do you think I am? I already told you I thought Landon was an alias when I first met you and have been Googling you to see if I can figure out your real name. Alexis and I have made a game out of it, and I’m surprised the NSA hasn’t hunted me down yet. I haven’t won, by the way, so out with it. What is it?”

  “You’re not upset?” Parker said.

  “Of course not. Do you think that if I was willing to follow you halfway across the globe on a secret FBI operation, keep my mouth shut about it, and shoot someone who tried to hurt you, I’d actually care that you were still going by your alias? I am, however, still very upset you made my code name “Rita.” I was really hoping for, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Professor,’ ‘Dr. Data,’ or something marginally more inventive. So if you want to, we can talk about a better code name for me, Agent…”

  “Mitchell. It’s Mitchell.”

  Ree put her hands on her hips. “Mitchell. That’s nice. So Parker Mitchell, what brought on the attack of guilt? Which was cute, by the way. For heaven’s sake, come in, take your coat off. I’m not going to kick you out of the house.” She shepherded Parker into her living room, pulled off his jacket, and tossed it over the couch. Still behind him, she grabbed him around his waist, using the opportunity to smell his cologne and pull him tight against her. He turned and brought her close, resting his forehead on hers.

  Sighing, he said, “It’s a matter of life and death. My mother is coming into town tomorrow, and if she doesn’t meet you, she’ll kill me.” He felt Ree’s face turn up in a huge smile and he took a step back from her so he could see it light up her face.

  “Aww, do you think she’ll like me?”

  “Of course she’ll like my girlfriend. I’ve never brought anyone home to meet the family. Well, technically, they’re coming to me. We’re going to the cathedral downtown and then out for pizza. Bad news, deep dish pizza takes a long time to cook, which gives them a lot of time to grill you. I tried to convince them to do take-out, but my mother wouldn’t have it.”

  Ree bit her lip and poked a finger into his chest, lightly. “Wait one minute. Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”

  “I assumed you already were. I even submitted the significant relationship paperwork to Sandy. Is there anything…anyone I need to be worried about?” Parker said, suddenly nervous. He didn’t let himself get close to most people and just assumed they were exclusive. Now that he was thinking about it, they’d never cleared the air on that, and she had every right to date other people.

  * * *

  Ree saved him from that particular train of thought before he got carried away. “Easy there, killer. You are the only man I kiss, but I didn’t want to be presumptuous.” Then she laughed, failing to fight back a snort before kissing him on the cheek. “You submitted the paperwork. You are so adorable. All of this drama, before I’ve even had my second cup of coffee. Let’s compromise. I accept your offer to be my boyfriend and you can make it retroactive to whatever date you feel is appropriate.”

  “That seems fair. So, tomorrow?”

  “Of course I’ll be there. I have to be there Monday for the meeting anyway.”

  “Yeah, Sandy wants you involved.”

  “Are you comfortable with that?” Ree raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah. Be patient with me, though, okay? It’s not easy for me to be a part of something where you could get hurt, even if you are exceptionally good at it.”

  “An admission and a compliment? Wow, no wonder you’re so worked up. Let’s get a cup of coffee and get caught up.” Ree turned to walk to her kitchen and felt the warmth and comfort of Parker envelop her.

  He said into her neck, “Coffee can wait, but getting caught up sounds perfect.”

  12

  “Tyler. It’s Dani. I need your help.” Dani fought to keep her voice even, but the panic tightened against her throat and a tear ran down her cheek. Frosted-over farm fields and the occasional semi-truck were her only company on the Indiana highway, but she kept checking her rearview mirror to be sure. Fortunately for what was left of her sanity, Sunday morning didn’t offer much in the way of traffic.

  “Dani, what’s going on? This isn’t the number you gave us.”

  “No, I bought one of those prepaid ones. I don’t know if that’s enough. Or too much. I feel ridiculous and paranoid. Ugh, I feel like an idiot.”

  “Dani, it’s going to be okay. What’s happening? Are you in danger?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know. My phone kept popping up GPS even though I wasn’t using it. And I tried to turn it off, but it wouldn’t stay off. And it occurred to me that someone might want to know where I am. I was so scared, and now I’m embarrassed because it’s probably nothing.” Dani tightened her hands on the steering wheel.

  “Dani, you did the right thing. We’ll figure this out. Where’s your phone?”

  “I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I tossed it into a lake thirty minutes away from where I was staying.”

  “So far, you’re being very cautious and I understand that. Look, if you’re in Minneapolis, I can get someone to you. I’m in Chicago right now with Cam.”

  “Actually, I’m an hour outside of Chicago. I was in Indianapolis. I got scared and just started driving home.”

  “Finally, some good luck. Can I give you an address and you can meet me somewhere public? We’ll figure out what to do next together. Will you be okay?”

  “I think so. Yes. I can do that.” For the
first time that day, Dani’s heart rate slowed a fraction. Once again, Tyler was proving to be a dependable friend, if only by not making her feel more foolish than she already felt. Dani thought she was seeing things until she timed how often the GPS indicator popped up on her phone. It turned itself on every four minutes, on the dot, for thirty seconds. Worse, when it appeared, her phone would start running more slowly than normal. A few hours after she noticed it, she got scared, drove thirty minutes to lead anyone that may or not be tracking her away from her sister, and tossed her phone. She bought a prepaid phone and dialed the handwritten number on the back of a business card to call the one person who might not think she was nuts. Now, she was less than an hour from the large warehouse store where she would meet him and find out what was next.

  Dani pulled her Audi into the parking lot and found Tyler standing by a small sedan, arms crossed, scanning the lot until he saw her. She parked near him, and as she got out, he said, “Leave your phone in the glove box. We need to move quickly.”

  Surprised that his concern matched her own just after she’d just convinced herself he’d simply take her inside and talk her down, Dani’s fingers began to shake again. She fumbled her phone into the Audi’s glove box and leaned down to press the button for the trunk. She heard the trunk thunk shut. Before she could close her door, Tyler had stowed her luggage in his trunk and opened the passenger door for her. She didn’t miss his eyes checking the parking lot as he shut the door behind her.

  Satisfied, he settled into the driver’s seat, turned to her, and said, “Thanks for giving me a call. We need to drive for about an hour. This car has been swept for bugs, so it’s safe to talk.” Tyler started the car and pulled out of the parking lot seconds later, checking his rearview mirror discreetly as they left. After pulling onto the highway, he gave her hand a quick squeeze. “You did the right thing.”

  “So you don’t think I’m crazy?”

  “At the risk of scaring you, I think there is more to your kidnapping than meets the eye. Fortunately, we have a good relationship with the FBI, and they have some safe houses in the area we can put you in until we sort this out. Our boss called in some favors, and we have a guy coming out to watch for anyone that might check your car. He’ll monitor and see if anyone followed you here. Anyone going to be worried if you don’t check in?”

  “My parents, if they call, but I just spoke with them this morning, so we have a little time before they panic. I told my sister I needed to go back to work. Tyler, why don’t you think I’m crazy?”

  “In general, or today?” Tyler grinned and checked the review mirror again.

  “Ha. Today.”

  “We’ve got some evidence that isn’t making sense and have been working through it since we brought you home. Cam’s been on it like a dog on a bone. Your call was the last straw for me. I’m worried someone thinks you saw something in that camp. Who knows? Maybe you did and just didn’t know what it was. But I think you’re right to play this one safe for a little while. We’re going to keep an eye on you and figure out what these guys are up to, hopefully at the same time. I’d like to try and figure out what they thought you saw. That sound okay?”

  “Yeah, it does. Thanks for saving me. Again.”

  “It’s my pleasure. But let’s find a way to get you out of danger so that we don’t have to make this a habit.”

  “I think that sounds like your best plan so far.”

  13

  Parker offered to drive Ree to Chicago so they could enjoy more of their weekend together. They talked on the phone frequently, but with their busy schedules and his strange hours, Parker wanted to take advantage of as much face-to-face time as he could.

  Reaching over to hold Ree’s hand, Parker said, “One quick thing about my parents. They got pretty upset with what happened to Cam.”

  “The brother who lost part of his leg in Iraq? I’d be pretty upset too.”

  “You know how I said that it motivated me to join the FBI? To help keep bad things from happening to other people?”

  “Yes…” Ree said, trailing off.

  “My family may be under the impression that I am an analyst and I don’t do fieldwork.”

  “The impression?”

  “Yes. I was an analyst for a little while and never mentioned I moved into an agent position that happened to involve a non-trivial amount of undercover work. It turns out that nearly everything I do I can’t talk about anyway. Not bringing it up avoided lines of questioning that could breach confidentiality.”

  “So, the world won’t end if they find out.”

  “The world won’t, but my life might. My mom scares the crap out of me,” Parker said, cheerfully.

  * * *

  Parker’s terrifying mother was actually a sweet, middle-aged woman with gray streaks in her dark blonde hair and smile lines around her eyes and mouth. Sandra Mitchell’s eyes sparkled and she greeted them both with hugs. When she thought Ree wasn’t looking, she gave a thumbs up to Parker. Parker shook his head and laughed at her giddy excitement. Parker’s dad, Charles, pulled him into a man hug that was really just a handshake and thump on the back. While they were exchanging their greetings, another man jogged up the stairs to the cathedral, flipping his car keys in his hand. When he saw the group, he stuffed the keys in his pocket, gave Parker a similar man hug, and introduced himself to Ree as Parker’s brother, Cam.

  Cam and Parker were about the same height, although Cam was a few inches taller, with a short, neat beard and brown hair. His skin was noticeably darker when standing next to Parker, although it suited him, and Ree might not have noticed it otherwise. His eyes were observant like Parker’s. A few months prior, she would have assumed he was just looking at the crowd out of curiosity, but months of dating a field agent made her suspect he was scanning for threats. As they entered the cathedral as a family, Ree didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk to him further, so she leaned in and whispered to Parker, “What did you say Cam does for a living?”

  “He’s working at a desk job in the Navy–administration or something,” Parker replied, out of the corner of his mouth.

  “Because of his leg injury?” Ree said, drawing out the words.

  “Yep.” Ree spared one more glance at Cam. He looked perfectly healthy. After less than five minutes with Parker’s brother, she wondered if she was the only one in the group who thought Cam Mitchell was telling a big fat lie.

  Church passed slowly as she felt the eyes of Parker’s family sneaking glances at her throughout the entire service. Even Charles Mitchell was guilty of obvious evaluation. Ree fiddled with the church bulletin until it was folded over a few times and Parker placed a steadying hand on hers to stop her fidgeting. Ree was normally too busy to worry about what other people were thinking. However, she found herself hoping they would like her without getting too carried away. Her runaway train of thought was interrupted when they stood to sing the final hymn of the service. They filed out to their cars and agreed to meet at a popular pizza place. As Parker slid into the driver’s seat, he turned to her with a smile. “You ready for the third degree?”

  “Parker Mitchell, your family was perfectly nice.”

  “Yeah, that’s how they lure you in.”

  * * *

  Parker held the door of the restaurant open for Ree with a wide smile, his love for his family genuine. He’d appreciated how welcoming his family had been so far, but nothing prepared him for how easily she fit into their small group when they sat down to lunch. Parker enjoyed listening to Ree banter with his parents and kept his hand stretched out over the back of her chair. She talked animatedly about her job, waving her hands as she explained her work, and she asked curious questions about his family in return. Cam dodged her questions about his own work with such skill, Parker wouldn’t have known what he was doing if he hadn’t done the same thing many times over. Cam was probably doing some contract work on the side or something. Someone with Cam’s skills had a lot of potential, and maybe if
he ever got tired of the Navy, he could move over to the FBI.

  When his parents needed to leave to catch their flight, everyone rose, and Ree was invited to the next, as-of-yet-unplanned family event. The only downside of their pleasant day was that Parker would need to do some damage control with his mother later to explain that he and Ree had just started dating, and she shouldn’t expect grandbabies anytime soon. Cam was in town for another day, and before they said their goodbyes, they made plans to meet up again the following evening.

  As they were wrapping up their plans, Cam’s cell phone rang and looked down at the screen. Cam said, “Better take this one guys. It’s my buddy Tyler and he doesn’t usually call me on my day off. I’ll see you tomorrow. Nice to meet you, Ree.” He held the phone to his ear and all Parker heard was his brother asking, “Are you with Dani?” before giving Parker a wave and walking to the parking garage.

  14

  Parker woke up to the sight of Ree showered and dressed up for their meeting. Parker squinted at her incredulously through bleary eyes when she brought him coffee in bed. Recognizing the bribe for what it was, he indulged her excitement to see the old team, and they arrived at the FBI building just after eight, even though their meeting didn’t start until ten. Parker’s boss, Sandy, had passed along a message through Alexis that Ree could stay as long as she wanted and Ree was taking him up on it.

  Because Ree had been to the FBI field office before, the wait for her badge was only a few minutes long. After passing through security, she waved goodbye to Parker and made a beeline for Alexis’s desk. Alexis jumped up and gave Ree a big hug. Ree sat at Alexis’s desk and they bantered like old friends. Mike arrived shortly thereafter with Scarlett, his wife and FBI profiler. Scarlett was petite, especially in comparison to Mike’s bulky frame, with curly red hair and stylish, vintage glasses.