Reach For the Spy

by Diane Henders

  I met Smith’s eyes. Clearly, he’d gotten the message. He took a step backward as his angry flush drained away. “But... what if you stop breathing again?” he stammered. “Who will resuscitate you? Should I just stand here and watch you die?”

  “You don’t need to worry about giving Aydan mouth-to-mouth,” Germain said quietly. “Webb has completed his emergency training. He’ll be with Aydan at all times when she’s in the network from now on. He’ll deal with any medical emergencies that might arise. Isn’t that right, Webb?”

  “That’s right,” Spider agreed, his young face hard.

  Smith threw up his hands. “Fine! Jeez, I’m just trying to do my job!” He detoured widely around Germain as he stormed out.

  “Man, does that guy ever wash?” Germain asked.

  I fanned the air in front of my face. “Apparently not. Thanks, Carl. I’m glad you were here.”

  His normally cheerful face was sober. “You’re welcome. But you should definitely take precautions. It didn’t occur to me how vulnerable you are when you’re in the network. Everybody else wakes up at the slightest touch.”

  I shuddered. “It didn’t occur to me until now, either. I’ve always been with you guys, and I trust you. It never even crossed my mind.”

  “Well, thanks, that’s good to hear.” Germain gave me a tired smile. “Take care. See you later.” He strode out the door.

  I sighed. “I’ve had it for tonight.”

  “Is it okay if we start at nine tomorrow?” Spider asked.

  “Actually, I have to be at the Greenhorn at ten,” I told him. “Do you want to meet after lunch? I could be here by...” I thought for a second. I wanted to make sure he had enough time to eavesdrop on Stemp’s session at the internet cafe.

  “How about two,” Spider broke in. “I need to spend some time over at the office...” His voice wavered, and we met each other’s eyes miserably. The office he’d shared with Kane.

  “Okay, two o’clock it is,” I agreed, trying to avoid the thought. “Come on. I’ll wait for you in the lobby and then I’ll drop you at home.”

  “Thanks.” He trudged out the door, his shoulders sagging.

  I had the same dream about Kane again and woke up screaming. Sex and death. I knew it was only my subconscious mind replaying my husband’s final moments, but I felt very alone while I lay shivering in bed.

  In the morning, I dragged myself into the shower. The bruises and scrapes were still tender, but the stiffness was gone from my muscles. I stood for a long time in the hot spray, wishing it could ease the ache in my heart.

  There was still an hour before I needed to leave for the Greenhorn, so I carried my guns out to the firing range for a bit more practice in the morning. I concentrated on drawing the Glock quickly to make fast, smooth shots. If I got another chance, I wouldn’t waste it.

  It was another beautiful, hot day and I had time to kill before meeting Spider at two o’clock. I parked at Sirius intending to wait for him there, but on impulse I wandered over to the ice cream shop in the next block and took my place in the lineup. I’d just taken a seat at one of the sidewalk tables when I spotted Mike Connor strolling along the sidewalk toward Sirius.

  I waved, and he did a double-take. Consternation filled his face as he made his way rapidly to my side. “Aydan! How did you... How are you holding up?” He examined my bruises. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine, thanks, Mike,” I assured him, touched by his obvious concern. I could see why he and Spider had hit it off so well. They were both so gentle and warm-hearted. We chatted for a few minutes before he strode off, and I finished my ice cream cone and headed for Sirius.

  Spider and Smith were already waiting for me in my office, and I drew in a deep breath before entering Smith’s noxious aura. At least he saw no need to follow me into the network, and I settled down to my decryption with relief.

  I had only been working for a few minutes when Spider’s tense voice interrupted me. “Aydan! I just got an alert!”

  I dove for the filter program and quickly decrypted the message. Fury, relief, and fear churned in my gut. That motherfucker Stemp had killed an innocent man. A good man. Kane was definitely in the clear now.

  But I was in serious danger, and I didn’t have Kane to watch my back anymore.

  I spoke through the network interface. “Our guy’s at it again.” I bit off a more detailed explanation. “Spider, could you please ask Smith to let Stemp know right away?”

  “Sure.” There was a pause before his voice came tensely through the interface again. “Aydan, I need a break. I’m going to go over to the Melted Spoon. Want to come?”

  “I’ll be right there.” I folded sim-space and stepped out the portal, holding my head together with both hands. By the time I’d finished swearing, Spider was jittering in the doorway.

  Anxiety scuttled down my back on icy feet, and I stood a little more briskly than I would have under normal circumstances. I swore some more when I staggered into the coffee table and bruised my shin.

  Spider eyed me with concern. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine. Just stood up too fast. Let’s go.”

  I didn’t have to tell him twice. He strode down the hall at a pace I’d never seen him use before. In the lobby, I turned in my security fob while I waited for him to emerge from the secured facility. When he did, he made a beeline for the exit, and I had to remind him to drop off his own fob before leaving.

  Once on the sidewalk, he set a hurried pace for the Melted Spoon. I hadn’t realized how fast those lanky legs could move.

  “What’s the hurry?” I panted as I trotted beside him.

  I got the distinct impression he was grinding his teeth. “Stemp,” he gritted. “He showed up late today at the internet cafe, wouldn’t you know it? He was just getting started when I had to leave to meet you.”

  He shot through the door of the Melted Spoon and had his laptop open on the table before his butt hit the chair. His face was intent while his fingers flew.

  Trying to maintain some semblance of casual behaviour, I went up to the counter and ordered us each a cup of tea. I sipped mine while Spider sat engrossed. Finally, he glanced up with a wolfish grin. “Ha! Katya!”

  He ducked back behind the screen. At last, he resurfaced with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.

  I gave him a raised eyebrow. “What language was that?”

  “Bulgarian.”

  “Say what?”

  “Katya. That’s the name of Stemp’s contact. In Bulgaria. That’s who he contacted this morning and this afternoon.”

  “Bulgaria?” I frowned at him. “Does that mean anything to you?”

  “Maybe,” he said slowly. “Fuzzy Bunny does a lot of business in the eastern countries. But it wouldn’t make sense for Stemp to be contacting them there, when we’re here.”

  He smiled, and I recognized the look of the hunter. “But he’s definitely hiding something. He went to a lot of effort to cover his tracks to Katya, whoever she is. If it is a she.”

  “We’d better get back,” I told him. “Smith is going to wonder what the hell we’re doing. Let’s talk while we walk.”

  He packed up his laptop, and we meandered down the sidewalk toward Sirius.

  I glanced around to be sure nobody was in earshot before speaking. “Spider, this latest message was a request from Stemp for Fuzzy Bunny to contact him.”

  His jaw dropped. “Stemp contacted them? You caught him?”

  “No. I mean, our guy. I’m just sure it’s Stemp.”

  “If you’re sure it’s Stemp, why did you tell Smith to tell him you’d detected a message?”

  I shrugged. “Because if he sent the message himself, and if he knew we were monitoring the network, he’d be suspicious if I didn’t.”

  “But why would he do that?” His brow furrowed. “Aydan, it doesn’t make sense.”

  “Well, he’d have to, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t want to arouse suspicion if he wanted to stay in his position as director.
”

  “But... Aydan, he told everybody Kane was the traitor. If he wanted to maintain that story, he wouldn’t send another message he knew we’d catch.”

  I groaned and hugged my aching head. “I don’t know why he’s doing what he’s doing, but he’s a lying slimeball. And he murdered an innocent man. That’s all I need to know.”

  Spider paced along beside me frowning. “You didn’t mention the contents of the message to Smith.”

  “I didn’t want to give anybody more information than necessary. Because I have an idea.”

  “What?” He eyed me with interest.

  “I think Stemp...” I caught Spider’s eye. “Okay, our guy, whoever he is, will get suspicious if he doesn’t get a response. But this could really work for us. What if we pretend to be Fuzzy Bunny? Tell him this method of contact isn’t secure anymore, and set him up to communicate with us directly? He wouldn’t know it was us; he’d think he was talking to Fuzzy Bunny.”

  “A sting!” Spider grinned at me. “That’s brilliant! I love it!”

  “Okay, then.” I grinned back at him as we walked into Sirius. “Let’s do it.”

  I pulled up short when we came face to face with Stemp in the lobby. The sight of his reptilian features sent pure red rage surging through my veins and I gulped it back, holding onto control by its ragged edges. I felt my fists clench and my shoulders bunch as I took a single step toward him, my eyes locked on his detestable face.

  “Aydan...?” Spider’s quavering voice barely penetrated my consciousness. I brushed his restraining hand off and took another step.

  Stemp stood his ground, watching me expressionlessly. Another step. He was only about an inch taller than I was, and I glared into his eyes from close range.

  “Looks like you were wrong about John.” I was fighting so hard to restrain myself that it came out barely above a whisper. Apparently the menace came through loud and clear, though. His impassive face never changed, but his eyes twitched sideways just a fraction.

  Do it, asshole. Make a sudden move. Give me a reason.

  We stared at each other in silence.

  “Maybe,” he said at last, his voice almost as quiet as mine.

  “Aydan!” I became dimly aware that Spider was tugging on my arm, almost whimpering. “Aydan, come on. Let’s go.”

  I spared him a glance and as soon as our eye contact was broken, Stemp took a couple of slow, smooth steps backward. Then he turned and strolled away.

  I stared holes in his back, my breath hissing through my clenched teeth.

  “Aydan, stop. You’re scaring me,” Spider pleaded.

  “Sorry.” The word rasped from my constricted throat. I swallowed again and tried to unclench my muscles. Violent tremors shook me.

  “Come and sit down.” Spider tugged me gently toward one of the reception chairs.

  I sat stiffly and stared into middle distance while I imposed yoga breathing, struggling to calm down.

  “Everything okay?” Germain eyed me with concern on his way through the lobby.

  Great. Of course I had to make a spectacle of myself when everybody was coming back from lunch. Although come to think of it, he must have taken a late lunch, too.

  “Fine.” I managed a more civilized tone this time. I stood carefully and made my way to the security wicket to pick up my fob, avoiding his gaze.

  Chapter 42

  After a couple more hours of decryption, I took my aching head down to the lobby to turn in my security fob for the day. Then I loitered outside on the sidewalk, waiting for Spider to appear.

  I was foiled when he came out the door deep in conversation with Mike Connor.

  Shit.

  I raised a casual hand. “See you tomorrow, Spider.”

  “Oh, hold on,” he replied. “Before you go, I want to talk to you for a minute.”

  “I guess I should get going,” Mike told him. “World of Warcraft tonight?”

  “Um, no.” A faint flush appeared on Spider’s cheeks. “I, um, have plans.”

  Mike surveyed him quizzically. “What kind of plans? Remember, we’ve got that big campaign tonight. It’ll be great. Can’t you do your other stuff tomorrow?”

  “Actually, um...” Spider studied his feet. “I’m seeing Linda tonight.”

  Connor’s face split in a grin. “Linda Burton? Good luck with that. Half the guys in town are chasing her.”

  Spider raised an awkward shoulder. “Actually, she asked me.”

  Mike’s jaw dropped. “You lucky...” He glanced quickly at me and apparently decided to save the guy talk for another time. “Okay, well, that’s a good enough excuse, I guess. See you tomorrow.” He tossed off a jaunty salute and strode away.

  Spider turned to me, still slightly pink. I decided to let it lie.

  “I have an idea for our sting,” I murmured as we meandered down the sidewalk. “I have to go to Blue Eddy’s and Up & Coming tomorrow, so I’ll have time to sneak into the phone store and get a couple of disposable cell phones. We can set those up as our communication channels.”

  “That should work,” he agreed. “How are you going to send the message?”

  “I thought I could make it look like it came from Fuzzy Bunny if I generated it from just outside Fuzzy Bunny’s firewall. Our guy provided contact information, so it should work.”

  “Perfect.” He paused. “I’ll dig into Katya some more tonight if I have time.”

  I patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t make it a priority. Have fun with Linda.”

  He blushed. “Thanks.”

  That night, I dreamed of Kane again. As before, he stood beside my bed, looking down at me.

  I knew he was dead. I tried to stop the dream, but he stooped and took my hand.

  “Aydan.”

  Giving in, I pulled him closer, pushing the sheets aside and kissing him deeply as I pulled his hands onto my breasts. I felt his indrawn breath against my lips.

  “Aydan. Oh, God.”

  I tugged at his T-shirt, running hungry hands over the taut muscles beneath. He stood, and I reached for him.

  “Please...” The word wrenched out of me.

  Please don’t go. Please don’t die this time. I willed the dream to continue with all my might.

  He groaned. “Aydan... Goddammit...” Then he was stripping off his clothes. His weight pressed me to the bed. His demanding mouth found my lips, my throat, my breasts. Fierce heat overwhelmed me.

  “Please...”

  I spread my legs for him and clamped my hands on his perfect ass to pull him closer. We both cried out when he pushed inside me, huge and rock-hard. The intoxicating not-quite-pain made me arch against him, my nails raking his back as he began to thrust.

  Wild with need, I drove my hips up to meet him. His bulging biceps and shoulders were hot steel under my teeth. I dimly realized I was screaming abject pleas for more, harder, while he pounded into me. My orgasm was so sudden and intense I utterly lost myself in its blinding ecstasy.

  I had known how the dream would end.

  When his body shuddered and went limp on top of me, I didn’t try CPR. I couldn’t bear to look into those sightless eyes again. Instead, I held his slack, still-warm body close, rocking him gently.

  When I woke in the greyness of early dawn, the loss was so profound I curled into a ball and wept hopelessly.

  At the sound of the voice behind me, I snatched my gun from under the pillow and sprang from the bed in a single motion. As I whirled to aim with tear-blurred eyes, my brain caught up.

  Kane’s voice. “Oh my God, Aydan, I’m so sorry!”

  I blinked stupidly, clearing tears from my eyes while the gun wavered in my grip. Kane lay in my bed in all his glorious nakedness, his expression anguished as he repeated, “I’m so sorry!”

  “Wha...?” I shook my head vigorously. “You’re dead,” I quavered.

  “I know I deserve that...”

  “What? No, this is another stupid dream. I know you’re dead. I saw you die. I
went to your funeral. You’re dead. This is a dream.” My gun shook uncontrollably.

  “It’s not a dream. I’m not dead.”

  “Yes, you are.” My heart refused to believe otherwise. Soon I’d wake up, and the pain would be too great.

  “I was captured and drugged. I don’t know how long I’ve been held. I don’t even know what day it is...”

  My gun dropped to my side and I stared at Kane open-mouthed. “It’s... Tuesday morning. You mean... this is real? You’re really alive, and we really just...”

  I checked in with my body.

  Oh yeah. No mistaking that feeling.

  We’d really just...

  I grabbed for a tissue to wipe at the trickle running down my leg.

  “I’m sorry.” His voice vibrated with emotion. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am...”

  I dove onto the bed and smothered him with kisses, floating in the blissful sensation of his living body against mine.

  “Thank God, oh, thank God! You’re alive...” I kissed him some more. “You’re alive, ohmigod, we have to tell Arnie and your dad right away...”

  “Aydan, stop.” He held my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

  I surfaced from my joy to register how upset he was. “What’s wrong?”

  “Everything’s wrong. Goddammit, I can’t believe what an idiot I am. Criminally stupid idiot.”

  “But what...?”

  “Aydan, how can you stand to look at me? I broke into your house in the middle of the night and raped you, for God’s sake.”

  “What? No! Jeez, no, you didn’t. What part of me screaming, ‘Oh God, John, harder’ sounded like rape to you?”

  “Oh.” A sheepish look crept over his face. “I guess... I’m still a little foggy. I woke up, and you were lying there bruised and crying, and I thought... All I remembered was coming in here and you were naked... and...” He took a deep breath. “God, that was mind-blowing.”

  I cuddled up to him. “That’s more like it.”

  “But, Aydan, this is bad. This should never have happened. Damn drugs, messed up my judgement, I should have known better...”