by Dawn Kunda
“Alina, this is Mary. Mary, Alina.”
Alina’s lips stuck together, dry and unappealing for sure. “Hi.” She rubbed her lips together. “Nice to meet you.” She said it before she could think.
“Hi, glad you’re helping Vic take care of business. We, Cal, my partner, and I worry about him. I’m sure Vic’s in good hands.” Mary’s smile was genuine and too white against her olive skin.
“Right, uh, I try.” Alina didn’t know what else to say. “Where’s your partner?”
Vic broke in. “Mary and Cal are, or were, my agents. They did a superb job on exiting a bad situation. They’re going to stay abroad for an indefinite time and help with the rest of the, uh, what should I call them, difficult situations of other agents.”
“Of course we are.” Mary rolled her eyes, then faced Alina while patting Vic on the shoulder. “Alina, you have the best at your side. Don’t let him fool you. Other than my”—she flashed her left hand in the air—“husband, Vic’s the best.”
Vic’s mouth dropped open. “You and Cal? Really? Well, congratulations! I’d give you a hug, but we have to keep a low profile.”
Unbelievably, Mary’s smile got bigger and whiter. “I don’t know exactly how and where it started, but we’ve never been happier. We’ve even had a little bit of fun while staying undercover as your agents.”
“Technically, you’re not mine anymore. Now we’re a hard to find and harder to defeat group of former agents trying to make things right.”
Alina tried to keep her smile from expanding and clasped her hands in front of her thighs. She shouldn’t care about beautiful Mary being unavailable.
“We don’t have much time.” Vic changed his tone. Nodding to Mary, Vic said, “We’ll walk back to our car, you follow, and without any indication of chasers, I’ll take the supplies, and then we’ll be off.”
“Be right behind you. Good to meet you, and be careful.” She smiled again toward Alina.
Alina managed to nod and mutter, “You, too. Thank you.” Alina thought her butt should be black-and-blue by now from all the times she swore to kick herself for her immaturity. She was an educated and smart woman. This feeling of inferiority and self-consciousness was ridiculous and a waste of energy.
Mary had gotten married and posed no threat to Alina and Vic. Alina was the only one who could threaten anything between herself and Vic and she wanted to keep it that way. Sometimes she slipped, but otherwise she was in control. She wasn’t always sure whether she was in control of melting for Vic’s body, or keeping herself away from him.
Before she’d berated herself fully, Alina and Vic had returned to the car with Mary cruising up to them. After Vic winked at Mary, they were all business. Mary pulled a couple of festively wrapped medium sized boxes from her backseat. Dark blue paper and large bows were taped around the parcels. She repeatedly exclaimed “happy birthday” as she helped him put the boxes in Vic’s backseat.
After less than three minutes, she drove away.
“We have to catch a plane. Get in.” Vic’s good humor he’d shown with Mary disappeared and turned serious.
He stopped to get birthday presents. Alina couldn’t understand his odd behavior. “Happy birthday. Sorry I didn’t know sooner. Would’ve bought you a better meal or something.”
They began to leave the parking lot. He turned to her as he waited to enter the adjoining road. “Not my birthday.”
“I don’t get it! What’s going on?” She pounded her fists against her thighs. She replaced the idea of having bruises on her behind for her thighs. “Why can’t you let me know what you’re doing? One minute it’s like we’re partners in this operation, and the next I have no idea what’s going on.”
Chapter 27
Vic hated the secrets and little details he was forced to keep to himself for her safety and completing the job. Alina still didn’t know he had used her chemical analyst position as an “in” with the Egyptian leader, Abasi Shehata. At the end of the plane ride they were headed for, she’d have a little surprise. He doubted she’d consider it little or very pleasant.
“As I told you before, I needed to collect supplies from my agents. Mary came by herself and the boxes were disguised as gifts just in case we were being watched. I haven’t seen any indication that anyone is currently watching us, but it’s always something we have to pay attention to.”
“What’s in the boxes then?” His slight explanation hadn’t loosened her edgy voice.
“We have a collection of disposable phones, identification, and weapons.” Vic kept his eyes on the road. “I did mention earlier I’d be getting these.”
“Oh.”
He continued with the next step of his plan to board the plane for Cairo. “In another two miles, I’m going to stop at another busy parking lot, nowhere in particular, and you’ll take a taxi the rest of the way to the airport.”
“You’re going to abandon me?” Her voice rose again.
“No, quite the opposite.” He hesitantly rested his hand on her knee.
She jerked her leg away from him. “You can’t pretend to be my boyfriend or anything else whenever you feel like it.” She wiped at her face. He couldn’t see, but he was sure he’d brought her to tears. He wished he could allow her to know and understand everything he was doing, but he needed to keep her safe. Telling her everything at this stage would be harmful if they were stopped in transit at any time. “Are you really going to meet me at the airport, or are you creating a diversion to ditch me?”
He attempted to touch her leg again, but thought better of it. “Alina, I’m not leaving you behind. This is for our, especially your safety. Please bear with me. It’ll all make sense eventually.”
“Now that I pulled it out of you, I do understand about the ‘presents.’ What about the separate ride? Did your agent Mary”—her voice returned to a snide slur—“tell you something to make you decide we can’t arrive together, something you didn’t know before that you couldn’t let me know ahead of time?”
He continued with their itinerary and nothing else. “Before I put you in the taxi, I’ll give you what I want you to take on the plane. The rest will be with me, or checked in as luggage. One of the boxes is a small suitcase.”
“Are you going to give me a gun?”
“Hell no. You won’t get on a plane with that.”
“What about you? Will you have one?”
He looked her way. He caught a quick glimpse of wet eyes. “I’ll have a gun. I’ll be going on the plane as a sky marshal.” Her eyes dried and she blinked. “We’ll board separately, sit apart, and not get together until we meet our Egyptian contact at the airport in Cairo. We’ll be looking for a sign saying ‘Energies.’”
She looked at her lap and twisted her hands. “What does ‘Energies’ mean?”
He couldn’t look her way as he answered. “That’s a fictitious company we represent.” He didn’t add that she was the one working for Energies.
Damn her innocence and mountain beauty. He was doing his best to protect her and complete their objective. He wished she was a stereotypical nerdy type of scientist. It’d be easier to work with her, yet he didn’t wish they hadn’t met.
* * * *
The plane hummed and thrummed down the airstrip. Alina sat ten rows in front of Vic, but it felt like more. The only troubles at the airport had arisen from her anxiety. He didn’t see, talk to, or acknowledge her in any way after he stuffed her purse with a phone and a few other articles and sent her away in a taxi. He paid for the ride, but that probably was a last send-away gift.
She gritted her teeth and looked to the ceiling of the plane. Now she chose to make things up about his actions, which were exactly as he’d described before he pushed her out on her own. Don’t take it personally. What should I expect after one night, an attempted night, and a whole lot of deadly mishaps? We both have a dangerous plan in the same dangerous country, and two heads are better than one.
She bobbed her head in agr
eement with herself. They’ll finish their business as planned, not that he’d told her the whole plan which kind of miffed her. He almost treated her like a child. She didn’t appreciate that.
Unwillingly she peeked back to check what he was doing. Another ridiculous move on her part she thought. What did it matter what he occupied his flight time with? There wasn’t much to do on a plane other than read, imagine what the person next to you did for a living, and count down the minutes until the plane landed.
Putting her head back, she sighed and closed her eyes. She’d work hard on keeping her actions and thoughts on the mission, nothing else. Vic is just a man she’s working with. If any amorous feelings oozed into her days with him from here on out, all she needed to do is remind herself that she’d kill him. Remembering her fiancé, Jon, she knew that her love kills. Jon would be alive if he hadn’t loved her in return and sacrificed his body, his life, and his wonderful self for her.
That would be enough to keep her eyes on the road.
* * * *
At least he knew she’d gotten on the same plane as he did. Vic avoided checking on her. He knew where she sat, and that was enough for now. He’d be a fool to blow their cover just for a peek. According to anyone at the airport or on the plane, there was no connection between Alina and himself.
It’s all about the work now. They’d be heading into an extremely perilous position once they encountered Shehata, the Egyptian leader. Vic’s heart felt heavy for not telling Alina about her part in the agreement with the Egyptian. She probably wouldn’t have agreed to come along. She’d have left for Iraq in search of her cousin by herself. She’d be in more danger that way. He knew danger increased for him by helping her. He’d lose focus and get himself killed at worst.
This wouldn’t be his last mission either. He had a mental list of the rest of his agents that had to get out of their operations, and most of them weren’t aware of the death warrant that ticked away like a bomb the longer they stayed in place. He didn’t know exactly when or where he’d go next. His ever-changing and spontaneous agendas didn’t leave time for a relationship.
An attachment to Alina, or any woman, had no positive value in his line of work. He wasn’t officially working for the CIA anymore. He was saving the lives of his agents. He and the rest of them were from the CIA and deserved better than what Vic’s boss, Kreis, planned for them. Kreis wanted every one of Vic’s agents to vanish permanently. Kreis planned to step in and save the day, leaving all the blame to settle on Vic’s shoulders.
Maybe she’d be safer by herself, for then she only had one enemy and not the enemies he contributed to the situation. She’d fight an enemy of one regime in a country hosting terrorists. Traveling with him, the number of enemies increased but the protection also multiplied. That’s a good thing he hoped.
He had to think this way because he’d sacrificed his former life in the US to do this work, to save his agents. His agent in Baghdad, Bret Ferrier, was only the third, the first being Mary and Cal, and the rest of them waited without knowing it. They waited for him because if Vic didn’t arrive or set up an escape, they’d never wait for anyone or anything again.
Vic laid his head back on the rest, sighed, and closed his eyes. If he analyzed the past day’s events with Alina, he could convince himself she didn’t care for him, probably didn’t like him. It’d be easy to not fantasize or touch her. Nothing’s worse than flirting with a woman who wants nothing to do with you except she has to tolerate your existence for a few more days.
He pictured the many scowls, madly creased eyebrows, and sarcastic comments and questions she’d sent his way throughout the trip. Her eyes flashed gold and then brown with a spark of determination when she wanted answers from him. Her lips puckered in triumph when she’d provided the ride away from the men who’d tried to kidnap them.
His mind detoured to seeing her breasts plump into a firm and tantalizing landscape when she crossed her arms over them in frustration. She’d tilt her head to the side and her soft and shiny mass of hair dripped over a shoulder, ready to be stroked. He would stroke her legs and feel the muscles firm up under his large hands.
He imagined his hands finding a better place to stroke as the heat from her lips enticed him. She wanted all of it. He knew it. She’d deny it, but he knew. He knew what she wanted, if she’d admit she was human and needed a man’s touch.
He jerked his head up as a sound dinged, alerting the passengers for landing. He shifted in his seat to alleviate the tightness in his jeans. He’d pretend noncommittal for her safety, but when they returned to Sweden, if he didn’t get sidetracked to another country right away… Well, he’d see if she really wanted to send him packing.
Chapter 28
“How do you know where they’ll be? Baghdad is pretty big for us to wonder around and search for two people.” Eben Eikem voiced his concerns after arriving in Baghdad. He hoped Dean Borland had a plan he hadn’t shared.
“Don’t worry. My guess is that we’ve arrived before them. Their plans had been thwarted at the airport, so they had to alter their trip. That takes time, giving it to us. We have time to set up a checkpoint, catch them, take care of the two, and then head home. Simple as that.”
Eikem kept his mouth from gaping, but he got increasingly nervous. Not because he couldn’t protect himself, but his detail had changed a lot from his original understanding before leaving the US. The idea of retrieving the agents seemed to have taken a detour. His profession as a sniper had led him to believe his expertise would be used to defend if necessary the agents he’d traveled with and the agents they’d been sent to find.
Eikem dared to ask, “What do you mean ‘take care of the two’?”
“They aren’t coming back with us, and they’re not leaving Baghdad.”
* * * *
The lone Iraqi militant watched the two careless male Americans. The stupid men will do my work for me. They will lead me to the female chemist and her incapable male escort. Americans have too much faith in themselves. I will triumph for my regime.
* * * *
She waited against the steel edge of a corner window. An Arab-looking man held the sign Vic had told her to look for, but she wanted Vic to approach the stranger first. She’d wait with her small carry-on until he signaled for her.
She couldn’t figure out what took Vic so long, but he finally approached the stranger with the sign. Vic walked confidently, like he arrived to meet a business acquaintance.
Just as she figured, he knew how to act. Had the few times he’d acted like a human, like a man interested in her, been a comedy act for him? She looked up to the ceiling. Forget it. I’m not playing this game. I’m not going to give him much credit, but I know I’m better than a player in a comedy for a man. He couldn’t have been acting.
The times he’d touched her, in all those intimate and private places, it would be hard for him to fake interest. She knew she had appeal for men, maybe not all men, but she wasn’t that bad. She’d been told she was good in bed, better than other women one man had said.
With her head resting on the brushed metal, she decided she’d had a horrible last couple days. She deserved a little appreciation. To let a few good thoughts about what has happened between her and Vic wasn’t completely nuts. Yet, she couldn’t deny the way he caressed her body and made love to her, if she dared to use the term “love”, the first time was exceptional.
It was almost as if their bodies were created to be put together.
She dropped her head down and glanced at the stranger holding the sign. She straightened and came alert. Vic stood next to the stranger. She wondered how long she’d daydreamed. She nearly smiled when Vic looked at her and nodded.
Vic returned his attention to the stranger as she made her way to them. He didn’t send any warm gestures or a smile her way. So much for the amorous heat brewing in her thoughts. Not to mention the uncalled for warmth beneath her clothing while she waited for him.
She walked up bes
ide Vic and didn’t say a word. He could go first for all she cared.
He did. “We’ll follow this gentleman to his vehicle. He’ll take us to Abasi Shehata.”
She pushed her chin out and held her head up. She was confident and in control. Soon she’d locate Christa, and then they’d return home together, and things could get back to normal.
* * * *
The ride to the Abasi Shehata’s residence took twenty silent minutes. Vic dreaded the moment Alina would find out her real role in this escapade.
His palms began to swell and sweat. He berated himself for his nerves reacting to the thoughts and feelings of a woman, a beautiful, intelligent woman, he barely knew. I know her better than any woman I’ve been near in the past countless years. He didn’t intend to admit this, but it was the truth.
Coming to the conclusion that he had to tell her something, give her a heads up before the meeting with Shehata, he slowly blinked his eyes and began to think up a way to tell her without making a scene.
The driver pulled up onto the crunch of hardened gravel in front of an estate. The stucco face of the grand home blended into the sand covered landscape. Palms and succulents interspersed with tall, reedy grasses had been carefully placed to lend to a planned and controlled tropical atmosphere. The lush vegetation gave false warmth to an Egyptian leader’s home. If the plants had a conscious and knew what kind of work went on behind the walls of the building, they’d dry up and turn the ugly brown of death.
The sedan rolled to a stop. Without a word, the driver exited, rounded the front of the vehicle, and opened Alina’s door. She stepped away from her ride. Vic let himself out, not requiring assistance.
Again, without saying anything, the driver, the same stranger they’d encountered at the airport, led them through the large, double door entrance of the estate.
