Sleeper Cells

by Sandra Y. Desjardins

  “Copy that,” Kat adjusted her earpiece.

  “Teleporting,” Jason said following protocol.

  “This is Sierra reporting in,” Kat said when she arrived at her location seconds later. She swept her eyes along the room then walked toward the window.

  “Got you loud and clear, Sierra.” Jason replied.

  She peered out the window and studied her location. She set up her weapon as her mind went a hundred miles a minute, but she pushed it aside and concentrated.

  “Teleporting Team Alpha in three, two, one,” Jason said.

  “Team Alpha reporting in,” Andrew appeared before her a fraction of a second later. “I’m heading down in a minute. You got me covered, Sniper Girl?”

  “Yeah,” Kat pressed her cheek against the weapon and peered through her scope. She watched as Andrew emerged from the building and walked across the street. He knocked on the door and Kat listened to the exchange over her earpiece. The second the door opened, she saw one of the gunmen holding John directly in front of him. Kat could understand why John hadn’t escaped. The zip ties that held his feet and hands together were probably tight enough to cut his circulation. And the gunshot wound to his thigh definitely hadn’t help his chances.

  Andrew took several steps back and lured the men further out of the building. With the two gunmen outside, Kat centered her crosshairs on the second man and fired. She got a head shot. She repositioned and having anticipated the panic of the other gunman, and knowing John was trained to drop to his knees, she fired a second shot. The gunman collapsed onto the floor and Kat watched as Andrew cut John free and helped him into the building. She sat up and disassembled her weapon.

  “Nice shooting, Sniper Girl. I can definitely understand everyone’s confidence in you.” Andrew dropped John onto a crate then pulled her weapon’s case toward her. He kneeled beside her as she packed it, then he closed it, snapped the locks in place, and offered her his hand. She took it hesitantly, she didn’t need assistance standing up but she didn’t want to appear rude, especially with it being such a friendly gesture.

  “Thanks,” she stared at Andrew for a second. “Are you okay?” She asked John.

  “Better now.” John said, “Nothing a regenerator can’t fix,” he said as he massaged his wrist.

  “Sierra,” Jason’s voice came over her earpiece. “Is your weapon ready for teleport?”

  “Yes—”

  “Roger, Sierra, copy that. Stand clear,” Jason said.

  “Stand clear,” she and Andrew yelled so John would know to stay back.

  “Mission has been accomplished, teleporting Sierra, stand clear.”

  She heard Andrew shout the all clear and she materialized in her stateroom. She looked around and was amazed that Jason had gotten her in the bathroom right by the light switch. She flicked it on and changed into her pajamas. She walked through the room and saw that Vanessa and Pete were still downstairs, so she returned to her room, locked the door, and climbed into bed.

  Intergalactic alien rule number four: the ultimate mission of her species was far more important than any one alien sent there to accomplish it. As she paced the room waiting for Jason to materialize she wondered if the mission had truly been accomplished. Where the hell was he? She forced herself to stay put because if something had happened, she was supposed to be okay with that.

  After an hour of waiting she grabbed a magazine and flipped through it. After another, she tried calling his cell phone then tossed hers in frustration when his started ringing on the nightstand. She fluffed the pillows and turned on the television hoping there was something worth watching to help pass the time. She wasn’t supposed to be worried and she wasn’t supposed to be waiting, but damned if she wasn’t doing both, and hating every second of it.

  Chapter Five American Royalty

  When Kat woke, she lifted her head and saw Jason sleeping soundly beside her. She snuggled against him and promptly fell back to sleep. When she woke the second time, the sun was filtering in through the porthole, but he was still sleeping, his arm thrown over her stomach with his face nuzzling her neck.

  She lay there enjoying the moment and swore when her cell phone rang from somewhere across the room. He bolted upright when she fell out of the bed. She assured him she was okay as she scrambled to her feet and answered it on the fourth ring.

  “Yeah?” She asked breathlessly.

  “Are you okay?” Her mother asked.

  “Yes,” she replied a bit too loud.

  “Is everything okay? Are you guys up?”

  “We are now...”

  “We’re doing breakfast in an hour, remember?”

  “Yes, Mother, we’ll be there.” She ended the call and tossed the phone onto the couch. Jason had fallen back to sleep, so Kat tiptoed across the room and got back onto the bed. She pulled the covers over her and gasped when he reached over and pulled her against him. He nuzzled his face against her neck.

  “Who was that?” He whispered, which sent chills down her spine.

  “Mom,” she whispered, him cuddling up against her making her kind of dizzy.

  “How long do we have?” He whispered against her neck.

  “An hour,” she turned her head slightly because his breath tickled her.

  “Good, wake me up in thirty minutes.”

  “What time did you get back?” She asked after lying there for several moments.

  “I’m not sure, two, maybe two-thirty.”

  “Was everything okay? Was there trouble after I left?”

  “No, I just went with them to their debriefing then back to their place in Cali for a tour,” he leaned back and studied her. “Why, did you miss me?”

  “No. Not in the least, I just didn’t want to miss out on any good action—”

  “What’s that saying they always use?” He rolled onto his back. “Ah, yes, I think it’s you’re full of crap—”

  “I am not!” She rolled onto her side and propped her head onto her hand.

  “I think you’re lying,” he teased. “I think you missed me, and you were worried, and you lost your temper, so you tossed your phone across the room while you were throwing one of your hissy fits—”

  “I do not have hissy fits!”

  “So you admit that you threw it because you were worried?”

  “I…” She dropped back onto the bed and sighed, “Yes, I am admitting that I sat here worrying, but,” she jabbed her finger at his chest when he leaned up on his elbow. “It’s only because everyone thinks we make a cute couple and it would be such a bother to have to memorize another lifemate’s information—”

  “You are so full of crap your eyes are turning brown.” He chuckled as he brushed her hair away from her face.

  “I happen to look lovely with brown eyes, I used contacts a few months ago as a disguise, and I looked distinguished.” She whispered. She had meant it to come out forcefully, but his closeness always took her breath away.

  “I love them the way they are. They remind me of the subdued greens of Five-Flower Lake; I never thought I’d see something even more beautiful.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut when he shifted on the bed, the movement causing him to lean toward her. Kat desperately wanted to kiss him, but she had to maintain her façade, so she tried to focus on anything other than him being so close.

  She was beyond shocked when he nudged her face with his nose, and then kissed her neck gently, him doing so sending a jolt of electricity coursing over her entire body. They stared at each other for a moment then he kissed her neck again. He placed a kiss on her cheek then hesitated when he got to her lips.

  Kat ran her fingers through his thick hair, then slowly lifted her head toward his and kissed him softly, then leaned back to search his eyes. He seemed to search hers for an eternity, and then totally blew her away when he kissed her. Caught up in the moment, she was sure she could kill Vanessa when she slammed open their door and skipped into the room with the newspaper held open in her hands.


  “You are not going to believe this!” Vanessa squealed as she dropped onto the bed.

  “Vanessa, what the hell? We’re kind of in the middle of—”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever. You two have been locked in here all week and I’ll leave in a sec. Listen to this,” Vanessa showed her the paper. “Look at how cute you two look!” She pointed to the picture of them as they waited for the elevator the night before. The title of the article read Chivalry is Not Dead. They sat up so that Kat was resting against Jason. Vanessa started reading in her overly dramatic way.

  “Newly engaged couple Jay-Kat,” she clapped her hands. “You guys have a combined name, yeah!”

  “Vanessa,” Jason cleared his throat. “Focus for me.”

  “All right,” she sighed. “You two are no fun. Anyway, blah, blah, blah, they’re so in love, on a cruise with family before Kat’s first semester starts. Gag on how they think it’s so cute you both plan on being lawyers, yadda, yadda, yadda—”

  “The point, kiddo,” Kat motioned with her hand for her to hurry up.

  “Here’s the good part,” she cleared her throat. “The couple rushed out of the dining area after Kat’s mother stumbled and spilled her drink all over Kat. Jason, who had donned Miami Vice fashion for the evening, pulled his jacket off and whisked his lady love to their suite, where they remained for the rest of the evening—”

  “How do they know this stuff?” Kat ripped the paper from Vanessa’s hands and skimmed through the article.

  “Yeah, but that’s not the worst of it.” Vanessa leaned over and pointed. “Check out the claws coming out of Ms. Mindy Evans. She called you a plain-Jane nobody that wasn’t good for anything but stealing her man and acting—”

  “She didn’t!” Kat skimmed the article and gasped when she read what it said. “Why that little bitch!”

  “Let me see that,” Jason pulled the paper from her. “It’s just talk, not so bad—”

  “Not so bad!” Kat said. “Jason, she called me a whore!”

  “Yeah, but you know how they blow these things out of proportion—”

  “Are you seriously defending her?” Vanessa snatched the paper back. “Read here,” she pointed at the page. “No one has the right to talk shit like that and be defended!”

  “Especially by their ex-boyfriend,” Kat added, glaring at him.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, how did I become the bad guy here? Chivalry remember, I’m the one who whisked my lady love—”

  “Nice try, jackass,” Vanessa said.

  “Get out,” he said sternly as he pointed to the door.

  “Don’t talk to her like that,” Kat yelled.

  “Yeah,” Vanessa echoed crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Out!” He stood from the bed, “This is between me and Kat.”

  “And the whole world, moron, it’s the Washington Post. Only everybody on the planet reads it!”

  “She goes or I do,” he looked at Kat.

  “Don’t do that; don’t put her in the middle!” Vanessa shouted.

  “You have got to be kidding me! Would you tell her to get the hell out of here before I carry—”

  “Ha, I would so kick your ass if you lay one finger—”

  “Vanessa,” Kat interrupted before the situation escalated beyond her control. “I appreciate the sentiment behind this, but maybe you should go so Jason and I can discuss this.”

  “Fine.” She scratched her face with her middle finger as she glared at Jason, “Of course, Kit Kat.”

  “Nice, Vanessa, real mature!” He shouted as she made her way to the door.

  “Don’t forget about breakfast,” Vanessa shouted before slamming the door closed.

  “She is unbelievable,” he dropped onto the bed beside her. “How the hell did you deal with that all your life?”

  “You’re really getting better at acting human,” she rolled onto her side and snuggled up against him.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t acting just then,” he brushed the hair over her shoulder. He did seem genuinely annoyed.

  “You kissed me,” she whispered.

  “You kissed me,” he pointed out, the tension leaving his face when he smiled.

  “But there wasn’t any reason to,” she said, her eyes closing when he ran his thumb over her lips.

  “Yes there was. I wanted to. I’ve wanted to for a long time.”

  “Really?” She looked at him.

  “Yeah, I would love to kiss you again, if that’s okay with you?” He rolled onto his elbow so that he was leaning over her.

  “Honey,” she whispered. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that since the moment I laid eyes on you.”

  As he lowered his face toward hers, she was sure he could hear her heartbeat as it slammed against her ribcage. Just as his lips pressed against hers, his phone rang.

  “You have got to be kidding,” he groaned as he looked at his ringing phone.

  “Forget it,” she insisted. She placed her hands on his face and forced him to look at her. They ignored her cell phone as it rang then they sighed when both phones started ringing simultaneously. They picked them up and stared at each other, his was from Wyatt and hers was from Lauren. Kat hit the Talk button on her cell phone.

  “Hey, Hardy,” Lauren said before Kat could greet her. “Are you alone?”

  “Hey, Laurel,” Kat answered. There was something in Lauren’s voice that gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Ah, no, hang on…” She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m not…”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “They told me who my lifemate is today,” she sobbed.

  “Lauren,” she had never heard her so upset. “Honey, we are matched with our mates because they are the most—”

  “No, not always, Kat, and me and him…I don’t think I can do it,” she cried.

  “Lauren—”

  “It’s Wyatt.”

  “Jason’s Wyatt?” Kat gasped.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I can’t spend the rest of my life with him.”

  “Sweetie, I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.” She sighed, and then added in a whisper, “At least we don’t have to be separated.”

  “I know, but, Kat, he’s not like us, he’s normal…”

  “We thought Jason was normal,” Kat finally admitted.

  “He’s not?”

  “I don’t know,” she started but couldn’t bear to lie and not give her a shred of hope. “He just kissed me, Lauren. He’s not a purebred. He’s like us, he feels—”

  “He does! Oh, Kat, that’s so wonderful for you!”

  “So maybe Wyatt isn’t as stiff as he seems—”

  “No,” Lauren whispered. “He is. I met his parents this morning for breakfast and they all are…as normal as can be—stone-cold.”

  “Oh, honey.” Kat sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Why didn’t they give Ariel to him?” Lauren sobbed.

  “Because she’s already gone through her unity ceremony with David—”

  “We would have been better together, me and him, and her and Wyatt.”

  “I know. But we don’t get to choose, I wish we could because it’s not fair—”

  “It’s not,” she cried. “I don’t wanna be around someone who won’t understand me, someone that I’ll always have to pretend.”

  “Hang on,” Kat said in response to the knock on the door. “What’s up?” She asked Jason after pulling it open a crack.

  “Elder Jay called…” He searched her face.

  “Can you just give me a sec?” She begged.

  “Kat, go take care of that,” Lauren said. “Call me later.”

  “No, wait, it’s okay. I’ll run over first and we can eat a pint of Haagen-Dazs—”

  “I’m okay, really. We can talk about it when you get back. Go and do whatever it is Master Jay has in store for you. And Hardy,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, Lau
rel?” Kat asked.

  “I’m really happy for you,” Lauren whispered just before she hung up.

  Kat stared at the phone then looked up at Jason.

  “What happened?” He asked.

  “Lauren…she just learned who her lifemate is.”

  “Yeah, I heard. Wyatt called to ask about some of the comm equipment and when I asked where he was, he said he was just leaving Lauren’s because their parents just met.”

  “Is he…you know—like us?” She asked after a moment.

  “No,” he shook his head. “He’s…”

  “Normal? The way we’re supposed to be?”

  “Yeah,” he pulled her to him. “What’s wrong with us? Why aren’t we like the others?”

  “I don’t know. And neither does Lauren. But we had to terminate one of our own when they learned that she was like us.”

  “And the two agents that Andrew was talking about yesterday…”

  “I suspected as much but hoped that wasn’t the case,” she pressed her face against his chest.

  “It was. And I hear my dad talking. I know there are more of us and they’re going after all of them—”

  “Why? Why can’t they just leave us be? It’s not like we’re hurting anyone by feeling,” she looked up at him. “What could be so bad about the way I feel about you?”

  “I don’t know. But we have to be careful. Just keep it between us until we learn more, and maybe find a way to reason with them.”

  “Dammit,” Kat said in response to the text message that came in on her phone. “Mom said they’re leaving in a few and will grab a table for us; guess no shower until we get back—”

  “Which leaves five minutes for us to kiss,” he teased.

  “And make-up after that horrible argument—”

  “Yeah, I’m so sorry about—”

  Someone pounded on the door. Swearing as he made his way to the door, Jason pulled it open and stared at Pete, who apologized after taking in Jason’s expression. He quickly explained that Julianne had called and told him to make sure they were up and ready. Jason nodded and closed the door after thanking him. Then he kissed her. She could definitely do that forever with no complaints. He stared down at her a moment then they reluctantly got ready and met her family.