Honor Under Siege

by Radclyffe

  turns out were not staying in DC, its just as easy for you to head

  back to Manhattan from there as from here. Come with us.

  A crooked smile broke the smooth caramel plains of

  Renées cheeks. “Sometimes I wish you werent so sweet when

  Im being cranky. It makes me feel guilty, which just makes me

  crankier.

  “Id be cranky too, Paula whispered. “Im sorry its so hard for

  you right now.

  Renées eyes fil ed with tears and she looked away. “Jesus. I

  need to do something. If I sit around much longer, Im going to

  real y be crazy.

  “Official y youre still part of the commanders team, even

  though youre on sick leave, Paula said with conviction. “So, youre

  coming with us. You need help packing?

  Renée grabbed the crutches that leaned against the sofa next

  to her. “No. I can manage. You go take care of things, Chief.

  “Yeah, okay, Paula said, unable to keep her face from

  flushing. Chief. It sounded good.

  * * * * *

  Blair left her suitcases by the front door and walked outside

  to take a last look at the ocean. She wasnt sure when shed be able

  to come back to the island and she already missed it. The

  solitude was good for her art. Shed been able to paint here,

  despite everything that had happened to her and the rest of the

  world. She had asked Tanner to investigate the possibility of

  her purchasing the house; the current owners only used it as a

  rental property. The location was perfect isolated, easy to

  defend, and close to Tanner, whom she missed and never

  managed to visit enough. It was also near enough to Manhattan

  that Diane Bleeker, her art agent and best friend, could easily

  visit.

  She sat down on the top step of the rear deck and punched in

  a number on the disposable cell phone Cam insisted she use.

  She was half surprised when the call was answered.

  “Hi, where are you?

  “Still in Manhattan, Diane replied. “How about

  you?

  “About to head south. There was no reason to think that her

  calls were being monitored, but after the constant

  admonishments of her various security teams, Blair had

  reluctantly accepted the necessity of caution. She avoided

  mentioning the specifics of her travel plans in phone

  conversations. Diane was used to fil ing in the blanks.

  “Ah, Diane said, “back to the real world.

  “Yes. Do you have the gal ery open?

  “Ive postponed the next show at the artists request. He didnt

  think it was the best time, and I tend to agree with him. It

  will take a while until its business as usual back here.

  “So are you going to take a trip? Blair asked lightly, although

  she waited for the answer with a sense of misgiving. Diane

  had recently become romantical y involved with a CIA agent who

  had disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and Blair

  worried that Diane was somehow going to try to find her. In all

  the years theyd known one another, Blair had never seen Diane

  truly in love before. Now that Diane had fal en hard, only to

  be left just as abruptly, she was suffering. It pained Blair to

  know that her friend was hurting.

  “I havent

  decided

  yet.

  Im waiting

  forinspiration.

  Shes waiting for Valerie to contact her , Blair mental y translated. “Wel

  if that occurs, youl be sure to let me know.

  A beat of silence ensued. “Of

  course.

  “I mean

  it.

  “How about that other mat er we were discussing? Diane said, overtly

  changing the subject. “The celebration Im going to be planning.

  Blair smiled, thinking about the wedding. Her wedding. Hers and

  Cams. Something shed never anticipated wanting. A commitment to

  one woman for life. A formal commitment, a statement to the world.

  The idea had once seemed intimidating. But now, when the world had

  proved itself to be untrustworthy, capable of shifting dangerously at any

  moment, now more than ever she wanted that commitment. “Im going

  to discuss that later on today. Il get back to you with a timetable.

  Diane laughed. “I wish I was going to be there to

  hear it.

  The wind had died down and Blair was warm in the sun. She shrugged

  out of the black leather blazer shed pul ed on over a scooped neck navy

  T-shirt and jeans. “You could come down for a few days. I should stay

  for a while once I get there, and I could use the company.

  “Real

  y?

  “Yeah, Blair said softly. She wanted to say more, that right now

  it felt good to be surrounded by the people she loved and who

  loved her, but she couldnt. She didnt want to remind Diane that

  Valerie was gone, not when she knew how hard Diane was

  trying to hold on to the belief that Valerie still cared for her.

  That Valerie hadnt simply abandoned her after a short,

  convenient affair. Worse, that Valerie hadnt used her as part of

  her cover story. “Say youll come down.

  “Im not stayingyou know where.

  The White House . Blair laughed. “Oh, believe me, neither am

  I.

  Well stay with a friend. With Cam.

  “Oh goody, Diane said, sounding like her old self for the

  first time. “Sooner or later, Im going to get to watch.

  “You just keep on dreaming, honey. Everyone needs a

  dream. After a pause, Diane said, “I know. I just discovered that.

  * * * * *

  Five hours later, the Air Force jet that Blair and the others

  had boarded at Lexington Air Force Base northwest of Boston

  began its descent to Andrews Air Force Base in Prince Georges

  County, Maryland, a few miles southwest of DC. Ordinarily

  Blair and her team traveled by corporate jet, but with the

  heightened security, Lucinda had dispatched the same transport

  usual y reserved for the president, the vice president, high-

  ranking dignitaries, and other VIPs. It was another change in

  Blairs life that didnt make her particularly happy, but she

  understood the need for it.

  “How long do you think well be at priority one, Blair

  asked, leaning against Cams shoulder.

  Cam took Blairs hand and drew it into her lap. “Indefinitely

  would be my guess.

  “Thats what I was afraid of. Blair sighed. “I detest

  military escorts. Do you think theyre going to restrict my travel?

  “Are

  you

  planning

  on

  going

  somewhere?

  Blair laughed. “Wel , I was hoping for a

  honeymoon.

  “Ah. That.

  “Youre not backing out are you? Blair shifted on the seat

  and studied Cam intently, the barest hint of worry in her eyes.

  Cam held her gaze. “Absolutely not. I told you. Name the

  time and place, and Ill be there.

  “You dont think we should wait, because of everything

  thats happened?

  “I think the best way for any of us, all of us, to let the world

  know that we wont be terrorized is to continue to live. No,
I

  dont think we should wait.

  “Thank

  you,

  Blair

  said.

  Cam brushed a kiss over her fingers. “Did you think Id change

  my mind?

  “You have hit your head a couple of times recently. Blair

  leaned over and kissed the corner of Cams mouth. “It might

  have been enough to make you forget how much Id hurt you if

  you did.

  “Just let me know when you plan to drop this little bomb

  on

  Lucinda, Cam said. “Id like to be somewhere

  else.

  “Coward.

  Cam

  grinned.

  “Guilty

  as

  charged.

  “Excuse me, Paula Stark said as she made her way down

  the center aisle. “Well be on the ground in a few minutes.

  Ground transport will meet us on the tarmac. Youll exit once

  weve cleared

  the area, Ms. Powel .

  “Thank you, Paula. I know the

  drill. “Yes maam.

  “Sorry. Blair sighed, already feeling the claustrophobic atmosphere

  of priority one security. “Paula, Ill be staying at Cams after

  we finish at the White House.

  Paula nodded, her expression never changing. “Yes maam.

  When Stark had moved back toward the front of the plane, stopping

  partway to confer with her team, Cam whispered, “It would be easier if

  we stayed at the White House.

  “Easier

  for

  whom?

  Cam laughed. “Your security

  team.

  “I dont like to make love in those antique

  beds.

  “Have plans, do

  you?

  “Oh yes, Blair whispered. “I most definitely have

  plans.

  Cam set led back for the landing, Blairs hand stil in hers. “Wel ,

  then, the security team wil just have to make adjustments.

  Chapter Three

  P aula exited the plane first, fol owed by Hara and Wozinski. Felicia

  Davis waited just inside the open door to accompany Blair. Two late-

  model black Suburbans idled at the edge of the tarmac, each with a

  driver behind the wheel

  and an agent standing near the open rear door. The ground transport

  teams were Washington-based Secret Service field agents who were

  cal ed upon to provide backup support for the first family and

  visiting dignitaries upon the protectees arrival in DC.

  Hara and Wozinski stopped at the bot om of the flight stairs while Paula

  crossed to the vehicles. She checked the IDs of every agent, scanned the

  front and rear compartments of both vehicles, and then took a slow

  visual survey of everything with a sight line to the path Blair

  would take from the plane to the Suburbanother vehicles, rooftops,

  communication towers. Everything she did was SOP, but it would

  never be routine again. Blairs security had been breached. They

  had al learned a lesson at a nearly inconceivable price.

  “Ms. Powel wil ride with you, Paula said, leaning down to the open

  drivers window of the first vehicle. “Il advise as to route once were in

  motion.

  “Yes maam, the driver, a fresh-faced blond with a military style

  haircut, said sharply.

  Paula walked back to the plane. When shed contacted the Washington

  team, shed outlined three potential motorcade routes from the air force

  base to the White House. Blair was vulnerable on the road in any type of

  vehicle, even with bul etproof glass and armored plating. Something as

  simple as a suicide driver in a tanker truck loaded with gasoline could

  kil her.

  Once again, this was standard operating procedure, but Paula

  was uncomfortably aware of not total y trusting anyone outside of

  her immediate team. She did not welcome the feeling that no one, even

  those she should be able to trust implicitly, was above suspicion any

  longer, and she feared the situation was the new status quo.

  With a nod to Hara and Wozinski, she started up the stairs to the

  plane. The pilots had not powered down the engines, remaining

  prepared to take flight again on her word if anything appeared amiss.

  “Clear to disembark, she reported to the marine who had accompanied

  them in flight. He saluted and went forward to advise the pilot and

  copilot while she waited on the narrow platform at the top of the stairs,

  shielding the door and any view of Blair with her body.

  Inside the cabin, Felicia stepped to one side so that Blair and Cam could

  pass. She then moved up behind Blair.

  “You should let Renée go down first, Paula, Blair said, halting at the top

  of the stairs. “Shes going to have trouble on the stairs with those

  crutches.

  “Lets proceed to your vehicle, Ms. Powel , Paula said. “Hara can give

  Agent

  Savard a hand in a

  moment.

  Blair started to protest, then felt a gentle touch on the base of her spine

  just as

  Cam whispered, “Youre not secure here. Lets

  go.

  “God, now Ive got t wo of you ordering me around, Blair mut ered,

  but she started down behind Paula. As soon as she reached the

  ground, Hara and Wozinski closed in on either side, and with Felicia

  behind, the agents formed a protective ring around Blair and Cam as

  Paula led the way to the first vehicle. An agent Blair didnt recognize

  opened the rear door and she and Cam climbed in.

  “Were in the middle of a United States Air Force base, Blair griped.

  “The marine unit that protects my father and the White House is

  stationed here. What in Gods name could happen to me walking from

  the plane?

  “It doesnt mat er where we are, Cam said quietly. “Were at

  priority one.

  Blair sighed. “And Im sure Stark realizes youre watching her every

  move. Il be lucky if she lets me take a breath without permission.

  “Im not watching her every move, Cam said. “I already know that Stark

  knows

  what needs to be done. And she knows that

  too.

  “Sorry. Blair peered out through the smoked bul etproof

  glass. Felicia had apparently returned to the plane after Blair was

  secure in the vehicle, and she and Hara crossed the tarmac

  toward the second car with Renée between them. Paula and

  Wozinski headed toward their vehicle. “Im edgy.

  Cam took her hand. “I know. Its okay.

  Paula climbed into the rear, Wozinski into the

  front.

  “Would you still like to go directly to the White House,

  Ms. Powel ? Paula asked.

  “Yes, thank you.

  Paula keyed her transmitter to contact the drivers of both

  vehicles. “Destination Alpha, route Delta.

  The Suburban accelerated smoothly and quickly away from

  the runway, and Blair settled back for the familiar ride.

  * * * * *

  “Are you okay? Cam asked.

  Across from them, Stark looked out the window, her

  expression remote. Cam knew from experience that she

  could hear their conversation, but by means of some

  unconscious filter cultivated by most Secret Service agents for

  their own comfort as well
as that of their protectees, she would

  not register the meaning of the words.

  “I just want to find out what onerous chore Luce has planned

  for me now. Its been a while since Ive had a command

  performance, so I imagine she needs a visible White House

  presence somewhere.

  Cam wasnt happy with that thought. Ordinarily, Lucinda

  tapped Blair when the White House wanted to make a statement,

  the kind of declaration that the president couldnt make himself

  for political reasonssuch as offering support for a pro-

  choice charitable organization or attendance at a fundraiser for

  a beleaguered political al y. Sometimes, the White House just

  needed a presence at a media-worthy event, and Blair was

  always popular. She was beautiful, wel -educated, and

  personable. She was a great stand-in for her father. And her

  status made her a great target.

  “Now isnt exactly the time to be parading you out in public,

  Cam observed.

  “What? Blair focused on Cam, aware of the tight thread

  of disapproval in her tone. “Do you want me to sit in a dark

  room somewhere for the rest of my fathers presidency?

  “That might not be a bad

  idea.

  In the past they would have fought about it. As it was,

  Blair struggled with her temper and her overwhelming need

  not to be control ed. Shed spent all her life resisting the efforts

  of others to safeguard her at the cost of her independence. Shed

  resisted Cam, too, for months, even as she tried to seduce her.

  Shed wanted to prove that she didnt need to be protected, and

  shed wanted to undercut Cams authority over her.

  Unfortunately, her plan hadnt worked. Shed fal en in love, and

  although she hadnt realized what that meant at first, she did

  now. Loving, being loved, was a

  responsibility. The decisions she made now didnt just affect

  her, they affected Cams life, too. So she took a breath and

  listened to what Cam hadnt said. Cam was worried for her.

  “Remember you said yourself we couldnt stop living, Blair

  said. “We cant let whoever tried to destroy us think theyve

  frightened me into hiding.

  A pulse pounded in Cams neck. “I wasnt talking about putting

  you on display somewhere when I said that.

  “You dont know thats what Lucinda wants.

  “Shes gearing up for your fathers reelection campaign. Shes

  not going to put that on hold no matter whats happening

  on the international scene. Cam consciously relaxed her hands,

  which had tightened into fists. “And youre going to be a great