Beyond Duty

by Stanalei Fletcher

  ****

  Definitely not the usual reaction he got from his kisses. What had he done wrong? He hadn’t planned to seduce the lovely lieutenant during their assignment. In fact, he’d been fighting the lure of her siren song since they’d met. But once the kiss started, it took a course of action he couldn’t control. Unlike with the kiss at the stables, he knew he hadn’t imagined her response this time. Even though it was unexpected, he was sure she’d enjoyed the kiss as much as he had.

  He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. The ache in the lower half of his body started to subside and reason returned. If she hadn’t broken it off, there was no question as to where it would have led. He sighed as he looked at the computer screen that had gone dark, abandoned by his lack of discipline. He’d screwed up and lost all sense of priority.

  It took a few minutes to save the files and shut down the laptop. While he waited, he considered an apology.

  Apologizing was the right thing to do, especially with just over an hour before they were to meet with the kidnapper. Except he wasn’t sorry he kissed her. He’d have to plead temporary lust. He’d moved too fast and should have waited until after the assignment—until they knew each other better. First, he had to find her. She’d taken a small bag with her. What would she keep in a bag that size?

  ****

  What—is—the—matter—with—me? Sweat dripped down Chip’s face as she punctuated each thought with a Tae Kwan Do movement. She had run away from the cabin—away from Riley—to the resort’s gym. A place where she hoped to find some relief.

  She’d wanted to hit something. Anything. The tension she’d felt the moment Riley walked into the conference room yesterday, had built to such a crescendo that if she didn’t blow off steam, she would explode. Instead, she opted to settle her emotions by doing kata, a systematic, predetermined set of martial art movements. Only it wasn’t working like she hoped.

  She’d tried denying her attraction to him, but had responded to his kiss, anyway.

  What was she thinking?

  What was he thinking?

  Propriety dictated that theirs be a business relationship. Outside of acting like a married couple in front of strangers, this was an assignment, professional in every sense. She knew better than to cave to temptation.

  So, why hadn’t she resisted his kiss? She’d been kissed before. Maybe not frequently, but she had been kissed. Except, no kiss had ever come close to the toe curling, all-engulfing bedlam she experienced when Riley’s mouth covered hers. No one had ever unbalanced her before. If she hadn’t been sitting when his lips touched hers, she would’ve been a puddle at his feet. Kisses like that only happened in the movies. This was no fairytale. She was no damsel in distress.

  She threw a combination punch at the air, hoping the form would shake off excess energy. Maybe even find the elusive solution to her “Riley” problem and help her focus on rescuing Fiona.

  Usually, physical exertion rewarded her with resolutions, but this time, the very thing that normally helped her through rough patches, betrayed her. Her efforts emphasized the fact that she was different. Men didn’t like women who were different. Women like her.

  Changing strategy, she adjusted the speed of the techniques, ignoring the twinges in her ankle and pushing her body toward exhaustion. If only she could let go of the traitorous thoughts. She couldn’t let her emotions get in the way. She had to retain discipline and concentrate on her duty.

  A woman of strength threatened men. She’d learned that the hard way. Most men she knew didn’t want a personal relationship with a woman who could take them down with a single punch. Riley hadn’t liked it when she’d taken him down. Once he remembered that, he’d want nothing to do with her. Just like all the other guys she’d dated through the years.

  An ache knifed through her at the thought of Riley walking out of her life. Chip stopped mid-kick and clutched her middle. In the past, it never bothered her when a boyfriend left. Why did it hurt now? Hell, Riley wasn’t even a boyfriend.

  She let her foot fly at an imaginary opponent. Why—now? She kicked harder. Why—Riley? Punctuating each question with another kick, she forced her mind beyond the emotional pain.

  ****

  Riley opened the door to the gym to get out of the rainstorm, and peered in. He’d searched all the other areas on the resort and this was the last place to look. There was the usual equipment: treadmills, stair climbers, and weight benches filled two rows in the middle of the large air-conditioned room. In the corner was a blue vinyl-covered mat probably used for stretching or yoga.

  Chip was alone in the room. He wiped rain off his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. He’d found her.

  He flinched as her kick snapped the air and remembered how a similar move dropped him to the ground. From the fury she was releasing, he wondered if she had scared away any other occupants. She skillfully balanced on one leg while swinging the other in a roundhouse kick at her imaginary target. The energy she expended was obvious, but she never once let her form slip. He realized he was lucky she’d only pushed her way out of the kiss. She had the skills to do a lot of damage if she wanted.

  He envied her ability to work off tension with such discipline and grace. He’d learned a few hand-to-hand combat moves during martial arts training the firm put all the agents through, but his technique was rusty. Especially as he mentally compared his skills to Chip’s beautiful movements.

  She stopped and turned around as though she felt his presence. Sweat glistened off her face and shoulders. Her eyes gleamed with…pain? Had she reinjured her ankle? She quickly replaced the emotion with the mask he’d come to expect. Only this time he knew he hadn’t imagined that vulnerable look.

  He took in her damp face, sweat-soaked sports top, and matching shorts. She wasn’t tall, but in those shorts, her legs went on forever. Her top exposed her slender neck that curved into sleek, muscled shoulders. She had great shoulders, strong and graceful. She was a neat little package of sparkle and spikes. Her tantalizing good looks made him want to touch, but when he tried, he got skewered. There was danger in getting too close to this woman. Even now, his blood stirred by simply being in the same room with her. He had come to apologize. No. That wasn’t quite right. He wasn’t sorry for kissing her—just for making her feel like she had to run from him.

  “Chip—” his voice strangled. He cleared his throat and started over. “I should have known this is where you’d run to and looked here first. You’re good. If I’d kept up my training, we could have done some sparring or something…” His voice trailed off. He was babbling. “I wanted to let you know I didn’t mean to…uh.” Why was this so hard? “This assignment is too important and what I did was unprofessional.”

  Chip stood quietly while he continued.

  “We need clear heads for this plan to work. We seem to clash when we’re…well, not exactly clash.” No one had ever made him feel so tongue-tied.

  A storm raged in her eyes. He prepared for an onslaught like the one she’d been releasing. Her gaze unexpectedly shifted away from his face, and when it returned the anger was gone.

  “Of course, darling. You’re absolutely right. I’ll get changed and meet you back at the cabin. Give me about fifteen minutes.”

  Riley blinked at the woman in front of him. Didn’t she hear what he’d said? Was she trying to undermine his resolve?

  The clank of weights hitting each other alerted him that they were no longer alone. A little too late, he recognized she was putting on the happy couple act. His entire focus had been centered on her, and he hadn’t heard another patron enter the room. She was affecting his edge, the razor-sharp senses he relied on during an assignment. He had to keep his emotional distance or he was at real risk of losing it.

  Before he could respond, she’d disappeared into the ladies’ locker room. A few moments later he heard the shower start up. Ruthlessly, he shut out the image of warm, soapy water sliding across her skin and strode
out of the exercise room.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chip returned to the cabin, her hair still damp and pulled back in a tight braid. She glanced at Riley standing beside the table. He was fitting the USB drive into a small case about the size of a paperback novel.

  “Is it ready to go?” She nodded at the case.

  “Yes.” He zipped the case closed and handed it to her. “Are you?”

  “I am.” Her gaze met his. “About what happened…”

  He waved a hand. “It was my fault. I let things get out of hand. I won’t apologize for kissing you, though.”

  The look he gave her made her knees go weak. She blinked and took a breath. They were too close to completing this assignment for her to go soft now, but she had to be truthful. “Then I won’t apologize for kissing you back. But that’s as far as we go.”

  “At least until this assignment is done.” He studied her face.

  She swallowed, taken aback by his statement. Surely, he didn’t want a relationship with her. “I don’t know how to give you what you want.” To make her way in a man’s world, she’d learned to conceal any sexual signals for fear of inviting the wrong attention. How could she unlearn all that?

  He offered that heart-stopping crooked smile. “I think you have more to give than you realize.” He squared his shoulders. “But we have a job to do first.”

  ****

  The drive back to Valle Caldera National Preserve seemed faster the second time. The rain had stopped and the setting sun peeked between thinning clouds. Even though they would be in a meadow, by the time they got to the coordinates for the meeting, the sun would be behind the mountains.

  “I don’t like how this feels.” Chip couldn’t shake the unsettled sensation growing in her chest. “It’s almost too easy.”

  Riley glanced at her before returning his attention to the road. “There’s nothing easy about giving away national security secrets. The minute we make the trade, the troops will block off the exits and grab this guy. Those UAV codes will be safe.”

  She nodded at the wide meadow. “That’s a lot of land to cover. The kidnapper could be long gone before the troops are even in range.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get him.”

  “I hope you’re right, for Fiona and Andrew’s sake.” If the media ever got wind of the fact that the senator was willing to give away U.S. secrets, even under these extenuating circumstances, his political career would be over. The repercussions could bring an avalanche of threats against other public offices, too, further compromising national security. Which in Chip’s mind was nothing compared to Fiona’s life, but still…

  “We’re stopping here first.” Riley turned the SUV off the main road and onto a graded dirt track. He parked next to a Humvee and two soldiers got out.

  “IDs, please,” the sergeant said as he approached. He wore a buzz cut, camouflaged BDUs with the name of Zoewolski stitched on a tag, and was as big as a pro football linebacker.

  Riley and Chip both stepped out of the SUV. Riley pulled out his wallet and showed a picture ID card with the Northstar logo on it. Chip handed over her military ID.

  Sgt. Zoewolski glanced at the IDs, then stared at Chip and straightened to attention. “Ma’am.” He turned to look at Riley. “You’re a civilian?”

  “I am, but I’m—we’re here to do a job.” Riley’s tone was authoritative, leaving no room for argument. “Like you and your team.”

  The sergeant waved another soldier over and took a case from him. “Your comms.” He handed the case to Riley. “As long as you’re within a twenty-mile radius, we should be able to stay in contact. But line of sight would be best.”

  “You’re planning to position your team in the east and west quadrants?” Chip gestured to the tree lines on either side of the vast meadowland.

  “Yes, Ma’am.” The sergeant gave a short nod. “And we have the roads to the preserve blocked. If anyone tries to rabbit, we’ll have them surrounded.”

  “Okay, then. Let’s end this thing.” Riley shook both soldiers’ hands and returned to the vehicle.

  Chip also shook the men’s hands. “Thanks, Sergeant. Good luck.”

  “You too, Ma’am.”

  When Chip climbed back inside, Riley handed her an earpiece. “In case we get separated.”

  “That’s not likely to happen.” She put the small flesh colored device inside her ear, anyway.

  Riley phoned Northstar. “We’re set,” he said when the line connected. “I’ll give you an update when it’s over.” After disconnecting, he pulled back onto the blacktop and drove another two miles to the turnoff for the preserve. He slowed and drove about a hundred yards along the road until they were well off the main highway, then turned the SUV around to wait for the kidnapper to appear. To the men on the other end of the commlink, he said, “We’re in place.”

  “Roger that.” Chip heard the reply in her earpiece as well.

  Anticipation hung heavy inside the vehicle. Chip was itchy and couldn’t wait to see Fiona. “How long, do you think?”

  “We’re on time.” Riley checked his watch. “Let’s hope he is too.”

  They waited another long five minutes. Instead of a car appearing in the growing dusk, Riley’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. “It’s Northstar.” He pushed the speaker button so Chip could hear. “Have you heard from the kidnapper?”

  “Yes,” Byron said. “We have the new set of coordinates. You have ten minutes to get there or the deal is off.”

  “Ten!” That bad feeling Chip had was growing. “Didn’t you tell us we’d have fifteen minutes?”

  “We go with what we got,” came the reply on the other end of the line.

  Riley started the SUV. “Give them to us.”

  Byron rattled off the new coordinates, while Chip punched them into the GPS, verbally repeating them so the listening troops had the new location as well. “Got it.”

  “Riley, Chip. He’s aware of the reinforcements. If you don’t come alone, Mrs. Burnsworth’s body will be all that is waiting for you.”

  They couldn’t go in with the troops? Chip exchanged a look with Riley. They were on their own, and going blind into an unknown situation, but she didn’t hesitate giving the command. Over the commlink, Chip said, “Sergeant, have your men stand down. Stay back. We’ll let you know when we have the all clear.”

  “Ma’am.” The voice on the other end was filled with concern over the order.

  “That’s an order, soldier.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  Chip conferred with the sergeant a moment longer while Riley floored the SUV making the vehicle literally leap onto the highway. He turned left and raced toward the new coordinates.

  “The troops will follow at a safe distance,” she told Riley, “and stay out of sight until we give the word.”

  “Good.” He’d turned on the headlights to see the road, which was mostly deserted. Very few cars came at them from the opposite direction. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

  “We’re in this all the way.” She tried to bury her own bad feeling. “The senator is counting on us.” She crossed her fingers and silently sent a prayer that the exchange would go down as planned.

  Seven minutes later the GPS sang out. “Arriving at destination.”

  “I don’t see a road.” Riley angled his head to peer through the gloom.

  Chip looked at the thick juniper lining the road and spotted a break in the brush with a trail leading into the trees. “There.” She pointed.

  “Got it.” He slowed and turned onto the narrow track and braked to a stop. He let the engine idle for a moment as he looked around. Then he turned it off. “I don’t see anyone.”

  “Me either.” She opened the door and stepped out. The night was cool from the recent rainstorm and the piney, pungent scent of juniper was strong. Behind her, light was fading from the sunset, but in the sky to the east, the first star was already twinkling on the horizon.

  �
�Stay close.” Riley put out his arm to keep her from getting ahead of him as they walked several more yards along the dirt track. Thick brush crowded on both sides, making the night seem darker.

  “No one’s here.” As he spoke, a spotlight illuminated them.

  Chip held up a hand, momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness.

  “Do not come closer.” A voice shouted from behind the light, the accent sounded Spanish.

  “Listen to that accent. I’m starting to believe we are dealing with a cartel,” Riley whispered, as he stood closer to her.

  “Do you have the codes?” called the voice behind the lights.

  “Right here.” Riley held up the case with the USB device.

  “Give them to the woman. She will bring them over.”

  “We want to see Mrs. Burnsworth, first,” Chip shouted back. “I’m not coming over until you send her out.”

  Behind the spotlight, Chip saw movement and then Fiona stepped into the light, a man wearing a balaclava stood behind her.

  She had on a pair of tan slacks and a white short-sleeved blouse. Both were filthy, and a knee in her slacks was torn. Her beautiful blonde hair looked like a bird’s nest. Tears streamed down her face. Her mouth was taped closed, and the frantic sounds she made were muffled. She kept shaking her head.

  “You’re safe now, Fiona. We’re going to take you home.”

  Fiona shook her head even more violently.

  Chip glanced over at Riley. “Give me the case.”

  ****

  “I don’t like this.” Riley hesitated, sensing something off about the situation. He wished he had more time to assess the nagging feeling.

  “This is the plan.” Chip held out her hand. “Give me the case.”

  “Be careful.” He placed the case in her outstretched hand.

  “I intend to.” She took it and started walking toward the spotlight.

  A rush of protectiveness rolled through Riley, unlike anything he’d felt before. He wanted nothing more than to grab his girl, drag her back to the car, and drive away as fast as he could.