“That sounds exciting. I hope everything works out great for you,” I said, trying to think of something more to say to keep her talking.
The soft-spoken flight attendant asked if we wanted anything and practically had to wave her hand in my face to get my attention. I hadn't even realized we were already level in the air.
“Oh yeah, I would love some white wine,” I told the flight attendant.
“Oh, me as well! So make it two,” She smiled at the lady in the aisle.
The flight attendant passed us both our glasses and moved on to the seats across from us.
Vaneesa clinked her glass against mine.
“To new beginnings! I sure hope it's a good one for me. I broke up with my girlfriend a few months back, and this new gig should keep me busy enough to not feel so lonely.”
I almost choked on my wine. She continued talking, thankfully not noticing my red face.
“Yeah, being lonely is a total bummer. May your New Beginning bring you fulfillment as well.” She smiled brightly at me before draining her glass. Waving to one of the flight attendants she asked for a refill.
Chapter Four
We were already several glasses of wine in, and only a couple hours into the flight.
“My girlfriend never understood why work was so important to me; she never could compromise with me about the late hours and short notice run outs. I finally told her this job was shaping my future, and if she couldn't understand that, then she had to go.” Vaneesa was swirling her wine around in her glass while telling me about her breakup. “She was possessive, too, so no matter what the situation, I don't think it would have worked out.”
“I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds pretty smart to me, though. I just stay completely out of relationships and avoid all that. And besides, I never seem to have time even to meet someone that I like or get along with. Plus, I don't think my employer would understand or be able to work around my life choices. I'm hoping Venice will change that.” I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat. Damn this wine; it had me all worked up. It didn't help that lovely little Vaneesa was sitting next to me and indulging my pity party.
I realized she had grown quiet, and I looked up at her. She stared at me with wide eyes.
“Your life choices? I think I understand now, why you seem so reserved.” She sat down, her wine glass on the tray table in front of her and turned back to me. I had no time to react or even think as she put her hands to my face and pulled me in for a kiss.
Her lips tasted of strawberries and Pinot. My head spun, and I couldn't think of anything but her soft lips and how amazing it felt to connect with someone, the right kind of someone, again.
She pulled back and looked at me with a lopsided smile. Covering her mouth, she yawned wide. I gave her a pillow, and she placed it on my shoulder and relaxed into me. After a few moments, she was breathing deeply.
I leaned my head on top of hers and tried to figure out why I didn't regret what had just happened. It was a nice bonding, even if it had taken a fair bit of wine for me to loosen up. Interesting things happened on airplanes all the time, right? I didn't have to be so uptight or secretive here. I could just be me. I could let this girl – who I would most likely never see again - know my secret. It wouldn't change anything for me professionally. I couldn't have my handlers or anyone in the CIA knowing I was gay; I couldn't let that cloud their judgment on my roles and covers inside of missions. I was too strong to be thought of as a liability.
But for now, for this one moment, I could just be content and not worry about all that.
After we had disembarked from the plane, Vaneesa and I exchanged numbers and set up a time to meet for coffee the next morning. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would go. I had thought quite a bit about Colonel King’s parting words and was considering maybe fostering at least a friendship with Vaneesa. But it might be better not to lead her down a road filled with deceit and lies. Of course, I could just be telling myself that to make the decision easier.
Waiting for the car to pick me up outside the terminal, my phone vibrated. My heart skipped a beat thinking it might be her. I was a little disappointed to see it was a blocked caller.
I answered the call and before I could say anything a deep male voice spoke first
“Agent Colt, welcome to Venice. I trust your flight was comfortable? My name is Lyon, and you will address me as Colonel Lyon from here on out.” Shelley had said he was abrupt, so far she was right. “I have set you up in a large suite at your hotel. You will find it most luxurious. Your cover here will be as Tessa Henderly, heiress to a wealthy American energy tycoon, the same Henderly Energy as before. Your surroundings will reflect that cover. Please relax and be comfortable tonight, we will speak tomorrow morning.”
Leaving me no time to reply, Lyon hung up. A black town car pulled up to the curb in front of me, and the driver jumped out. He was about six feet tall, in his late forties and dressed smartly in a black suit and driver's hat.
“Miss Henderly, Welcome to Venice! Please relax and let me gather your things,” The tall man said in clear English, with only a hint of an Italian accent. He opened the door to the car and after I climbed in he managed to fit all my stuff into the trunk.
Climbing back into the driver’s seat, he spoke again. “My name is Alonso, and I will be your driver for whatever or whenever you need. You will find my card in your hotel suite with my name and number on it. I am always available, day or night. I am thoroughly apprised of your cover by the agency, and will help you to uphold it.” He winked at me from the rearview mirror then started the car and drove away from the airport. I guessed Isaiah would be getting a ride of his own, as I hadn’t seen him since I got off the plane.
At least one of the two people I had spoken to since I landed was nice. I could tell Alonso wasn't interested in me as a woman, and I was glad for that. The fact that the CIA had informed him of my cover, also made me happy. It would make it easier to transition into this role.
Thoroughly enjoying the view as we drove I was almost disappointed when we pulled to a stop in front of the hotel. Until I looked at the hotel itself. It was magnificent. The lush grasses and gardens and beautiful fountains were only the beginning. The building itself was a fantastic brick and mortar style, five stories tall, and it sat right on the canal.
Two bellhops ran out of the main entrance and relieved Alonso of my luggage, piling it onto a cart. Alonso extended his arm to me, and when I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow, he patted it gently with his fingers.
“Let's get you checked in, shall we? Come along boys, my employer must be tired from her trip and requires some rest.” He led the way into the foyer.
I tried not to gape at the beautiful artwork hung in wood carved and gilded frames, and the bright, over stuffed furniture placed around the room as we entered. According to my cover as an heiress, I should be used to this.
As we approached the white marble counter, I opened my mouth to speak, but Alonso beat me to it.
“Miss Henderly here to check in. Yes, she has a top suite. See to it she is not disturbed except for room service. Thank you,” Alonso stated, then took the keys from the young man and slipped a large bill across the counter.
I was happy to see he had large amounts of pocket money for tipping; I supposed as an heiress I couldn’t be bothered to do it myself. I followed him across plush red carpets to the elevator and on up to the top floor. As we approached my room, we saw the bellhops already there, bags unloaded.
I walked into the room and was amazed. It was bigger than my house back in Texas and that had been a modest twenty-two hundred square feet. The suite was half again that size. The door from the hallway led into the kitchenette and dining area, complete with a glass top table and wine cooler. In the middle of the suite sat an enormous king-size, against the wall and between two large windows. Opposite the bed was the door to the walk-in closet, where my bags were now sitting. And on the other side of the bedroom area was a
sitting room with an overstuffed brown suede couch facing an enormous large screen TV. I spun around, taking it all in and when I looked back to the door, I saw Alonso handing both the boys some bills and then they were gone.
“Alright my dear, you have arrived. Again, anytime you need me, you just call. And, if anything comes up on schedule via the agency that you need transport for I will receive notification from them. Rest well.”
“Thank you so much, Alonso,” I said as I dug into my handbag in search of money.
“Oh, Miss Henderly, I am paid quite well to back up your cover. Please don’t worry about me. But for anything else there is a stash of cash in the safe there inside the closet,” he said, then winked at me and walked toward the door.
Being called by a new name outside of a mission was a bit dizzying. I was going to have to get used to this one fast.
Well, then. What first? Definitely a shower.
Chapter Five
Stepping out of the bathroom after the shower, the suite of rooms once again took my breath away. To think, I would be staying here for who knew how long. I walked over to one of the large sets of dark red curtains and drew them open to see out. A stunning view of the evening sun shining on the canals greeted me. Then I realized I was showing Italy that I only had a towel on and quickly shut the curtains.
I hadn't unpacked my bags yet. After slipping into a cami style tank top and a pair of comfy boxers, I set about unpacking. As much as I could let myself anyway; old habits die hard, and a real spy was always ready to move at the drop of a hat. But I had to keep up a semi-normal appearance, so for the sake of that I hung up a few things in the closet and then tucked my “ready bag” in behind it all.
Man, I was starved. But I was also exhausted. Deciding I could explore my restaurant options another time, I called room service and ordered a light dinner of fruit and a grilled chicken salad.
Sitting in the middle of the huge, plush bed, eating the last of my strawberries and cheese, I wondered what tomorrow would bring. I had not gotten any real instructions or mission briefings. My phone buzzed suddenly from where it sat on the deep red coverlet, and I was hoping I would get my answer when I saw it was a text from Vaneesa.
HI! I just got into my super comfy room. See you in the morning!
Damn it. What was I to do about this situation? I felt terrible thinking I would draw her into some crappy friendship where I would have to deceive her regularly, running out in the middle of nights out or not returning calls. Been there, done that. I just wasn't ready to try all that again. And it would be even worse were it actually to develop into something beyond friendship.
No, I decided I would leave it alone and deleted the message. I put the tray containing only scraps of salad and smears of strawberry juice on the glass bedside table and snuggled down under the oh so comfy covers to relax. Just about to drift off, I realized that I had erased her text, but I had not deleted her number.
My phone buzzing next to my ear woke me at an ungodly early hour. Lifting my head from the cloud of pillows it had been ensconced in, I could see it was still dark. What the heck time was it? I grabbed my phone as it persisted in its vibrating and saw it was another phone call from a blocked caller.
Great.
“Hello,” I croaked. I must have been snoring before I was woken up.
“Miss Colt. Lyon here. I have your morning’s exercise instructions for you. We have need of testing our base’s defenses and at the same time, we can test your infiltration skills. I will send you the location of your entry. You will start your efforts at exactly oh seven hundred, and you will need to be within the base’s main compound on sub level three by oh seven twenty-five. Clear?” Lyon's voice was again crisp, curt and brisk. I was too tired to quite register what he was saying. Jet lag most like.
“Yes, sir.” I managed to get out before he started talking again.
“Your driver will pick you up to take you to the location. Be ready.” Click.
Ugh. I could tell my patience was going to be the most tested part of me over the next few weeks. Looking at my phone, I saw it was four am. I could sleep for another hour or so. Setting my alarm for five thirty, I snuggled back into the softness of the bed and tried to fall back to sleep.
Chapter Six
I never did get back to sleep, so I called room service again and ordered a light breakfast. Never go into a mission hungry if you can help it. After my breakfast of bagel and fruit had been delivered and eaten, I wandered about my room getting ready.
Low heeled combat boots were on order for sure. I could run in these, though I didn't figure I would need to. But the soles were soft enough to move quietly just about anywhere. Pulling together the rest of my outfit, I smiled to myself. The clothes were quite Tomb Raider-ish. Along with the boots, I wore short black climber's shorts with extra pockets for small gadgets. Above that was a stretchy, tight black tank top that showed quite a bit. But a girl had more than one hiding place for tranqs and such.
To top off the look I pulled my hair back into a short, tight braid. I was practically giggling at my Lara Croft style reflection when a knock sounded at the door.
“Miss Henderly, we shall depart when you are ready,” Alonso called from the other side.
Opening the door, I ushered him inside. He gave me a lopsided look as I tossed my small utility belt on the bed.
“I would say that you’re dressed to impress, Miss Henderly.”
“No worries, I won’t be going through the hotel like this.” I snagged up a long fur-lined overcoat and a pair of dress slippers from the closet and sat on the bed to untie my boot laces.
“Before you don your disguise, let me show you the private elevator to the parking garage,” He said with a grin.
“Well, that's a relief!” Instead of untying my laces I tucked two small knives into each boot. “I'm just about ready, then.” I pulled my fingerless leather gloves on, then snagged up my belt and phone. “Okay, lead the way.”
Alonso turned and walked not out through my door, but over to another dark red curtain on the wall diagonal from it. Pulling the curtain aside, he revealed a different door. Smiling back at me, he opened the regular looking door and ushered me through it. I walked through and saw an elevator door right in front of me. Man, this hotel had everything.
Alonso pushed the button on the elevator causing the doors to open. No ding. The doors opened and closed silently. The movement of the carriage itself was noiseless. Perfect!
We stepped off the elevator into a dimly lit space. The parking area was small and meant only for the occupants of my particular suite, and I noticed it had been walled off from the rest of the garage for privacy.
Alonso pointed at a shiny black Porsche next to his Town Car. “Once you get oriented you will be able to come and go as your job requires. Then you will only need me for appearances sake to uphold your cover.”
I was still staring at the sexy little car as we drove away. My head was spinning from it all. My old cover and position had been nice, with moderate amenities and accessories. But this was crazy. I was still to have a handler, so I hadn't necessarily gotten promoted. Had I?
My phone buzzed and brought me back to earth. It was the coordinates for my ‘break in’. I repeated the directions to Alonso, and he nodded, taking a right turn. At six fifty-five AM on the dot, he pulled up to the gate of a large building.
Henderly Energy Solutions displayed on a large sign above the main door.
It appeared that even the base was using the Energy cover. After punching in a code and driving through the gate, the car swung around to the back of the building. He stopped, and I got out.
Alonso rolled down the window. “Good luck, dear. I hope you are ready for this.”
I just smiled at him as I snapped on my utility belt. I was soo ready.
Chapter Seven
Fifteen minutes later I was three sublevels down when my phone vibrated. I looked at my watch. Ten minutes to go. Grabbing my phone, I wen
t to click ignore for the call until I saw it was Vaneesa. I clicked the ignore button and paused for a minute to catch my breath.
It had been a crazy headlong rush through some extreme security measures so far. I had nine minutes left now; I was hoping I was close. My phone buzzed again.
I'm sorry if I missed you. I couldn't wait, had to rush to work. Demanding job! Read Vaneesa’s message.
Ugh, I felt so bad, but a little less so now that Vaneesa had to duck out of our morning meeting. Tucking my phone back into my belt, I pushed the guilt away to concentrate on what I had left to do. Shimmying my way further down the air duct, I heard voices ahead. Three voices, and they all sounded familiar. One was quite loud, and I knew it to be Lyon right away. The others sounded like Isaiah and a female. Maybe Colonel King had come along, after all?
Silently I worked my way above them to a vent. I could see who I assumed to be Lyon on the north side of the room behind one of the larger tables. The room appeared to be a meeting room or a lobby of some sort. I could still hear the other two voices, but faintly as if they were whispering to each other.
Smiling to myself, I pulled out my magnetic drill. It was super quick, super silent and kept any metal bits from falling. After placing some sticky putty on the corners of the vent to keep it from falling, I positioned myself for a jump. I glanced at my watch. Five minutes left. Hell yes.
I held my breath and jumped down through the vent. I felt just like Lara Croft as I landed in a crouch with a small Tranq gun in my right hand pointed at Lyon and my two small boot knives ready to throw in the direction of the other two inhabitants of the room.
I was totally gloating in my mind when I saw the owner of Lyon's voice staring at me with wide eyes. I was just short of doing a small celebratory dance when I heard her voice.
[Colt Information Agency 01.0] Agent Colt: Classified Pride Page 2
