by MC Lee
Freya arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure Jack has more ambitious plans, don’t you?”
Jack smiled. “I don’t know. A road trip sounds like fun.”
Freya threw up her hands. “Christ! Another dreamer.” She stood up abruptly. “Speaking of extracurricular, I have choir practice. Any chance I can tempt you, Jack? I’ve already given up on Leo.”
“I’ll give it some thought,” Jack said. He needed to check with Leo to see how friendly he was supposed to get with the target, and he didn’t want to appear too eager in case he was instructed to hang back.
“See you in class this afternoon.” She turned and walked off, and Jack noticed how many pairs of eyes followed her progress. It wasn’t difficult to see why; she had a warm, bubbly presence, and she was very easy on the eyes. As Jack took note of who watched her go, he realized there was one stare trained not on Freya but on Leo.
The guy watching Leo glanced away quickly when Jack caught his eye, but not before Jack saw a dark shadow cross his face.
“Somebody’s scoping you out,” he murmured. “Tall, dark-haired guy on your six.”
“Yeah, I caught that,” Leo said, although he didn’t seem to have turned his head in the kid’s direction.
“Friend of yours?”
“Wouldn’t say that,” Leo replied. “Ryan Anderson. He used to pal about with Freya.”
“Jealous wannabe boyfriend?”
“Hard to say. He’s kept his distance since I showed up.”
The words triggered alarm bells for Jack. “You think he might have something to do with why you’re being followed?”
Leo shrugged. “I wouldn’t rule it out. I’m keeping him in my sights. Let’s see what develops. In the meantime, do you want to come over to my place after school? I think it will work with our cover stories. Especially since I’m supposed to be showing you the ropes.”
“Nothing I’d rather do,” Jack breathed.
“I’ll meet you out front after study hall.” He stood up and walked off with a wave. Jack kept his head down and his eyes trained on Anderson. It was disconcerting to watch Anderson’s head turn, his gaze following Leo all the way out the door.
Chapter Eleven
AT THE end of the day, Jack stood outside the school’s gates, waiting impatiently for Leo to show. He was surprised when his phone vibrated to indicate he’d received a text. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, frowning when he read the coded message from Sean telling him to report in. He knew Sean wouldn’t be calling to chat about Jack’s first day at school. Jack pressed one of the preset keys and was immediately connected.
“What’s up?”
“We ran a trace on the school computer,” Sean said. “Your transcripts had been sent, but they’d been deleted off the system.”
“An accident?” Jack asked.
“Unlikely,” Sean replied. “Did you notice anything else strange today?”
Jack didn’t need to think twice. “There’s a kid, Ryan Anderson. I think he might have a thing for Freya Moore. He’s been eyeballing Leo all day.”
“You think he has something to do with whoever has been tailing Leo?”
“Possibly,” Jack said. “I’m going to Leo’s place now—”
“You’ve cleared it with Evan?” Sean asked.
“Evan told me to follow Leo’s instructions. That’s exactly what I’m doing.” He hadn’t meant the words to sound so defensive, but there was no doubting the irritation in his tone.
Thankfully Sean chose to ignore it. “Find out what Leo knows about Anderson. I’m sure he’ll have done some research. Report back to me tonight.”
There was a click and the phone went dead.
“Your people checking up on you?”
Jack turned to find Freya standing next to him. “Something like that,” he replied.
“How was your first day?”
“I’ll be back tomorrow, so I guess it wasn’t all bad.”
An infectious grin spread across her face. “What are you doing now? I don’t suppose you have any spare time on your hands?”
“He’s coming to my place,” Leo said, walking up behind Freya. “I thought we could hang out for an hour. Get to know each other. You’re welcome to come along.”
Jack felt a twinge of disappointment at the thought of having to share Leo. But this was an assignment, and Freya was the target. There was no way he could let his personal feelings get in the way. He forced a smile.
“It would be great if you could come too.”
Freya shook her head. “And listen to you talk sports and video games all night? Not likely. Besides, I have band practice. Any chance you play an instrument, Jack?”
Though he’d briefly studied violin for an assignment, the mission had collapsed after just three weeks, and Jack had been pulled out of the field before he got to grips with the instrument. “Sorry. Not one of my things,” he said.
Freya inclined her head and studied him closely. “I’ll figure you out yet, Jack Corrigan. I know there’s something you’re good at. I’ll have you signed up for one of my clubs by the end of the week!”
She waved before walking off, and Jack turned toward Leo, following him out past the school’s gates and into the parking lot. It was easy to spot Leo’s red Camaro, and it was weirdly comforting to climb into the passenger side and sink into the cracked leather seat.
“Sean wants to know what you’ve found out about Ryan Anderson,” Jack said.
Leo arched an incredulous eyebrow. “That’s what you want to talk about after three weeks apart?”
“Christ, no!” Jack muttered. “But I’d rather get it out of the way before we get to your place. Will Martin be home?”
“Nope,” Leo breathed. “Just us.”
“So, bring me up to speed,” Jack said. “I don’t want to waste any time when we’re alone.”
Leo turned on the engine and threw the car into drive. As he eased out of the parking lot and into traffic, he ran through everything he’d learned so far.
“You know some of it already. Everything was going according to plan. I befriended the target. We clicked pretty quickly. Martin was moving the arrangements along and then I noticed I was being followed. I ran some checks, found out somebody had been researching my real name, so Martin called the Center in.”
“And Anderson?”
Leo shrugged. “He’s only been at the school for three months—”
“Right about the time Freya arrived,” Jack interrupted, never doubting that Leo would have noted the coincidence.
Leo nodded. “I ran him through the Center’s database and came up empty.”
“So there’s nothing about him that has put him on the Center’s radar. That’s not unexpected,” Jack said.
“No. I mean nothing, as in absolutely nothing. I checked all our systems and all the usual government records. There’s no trace of a Ryan Anderson matching this kid’s description and circumstances. It’s as if he doesn’t exist.” He glanced over at Jack and added, “Or as if he’s been specially created.”
“Shit! You think he’s an operative?”
Leo shook his head. “If he is, he isn’t one of ours.”
Jack swore softly, his mind racing through the possibilities. One of his recent assignments had been worked in cooperation with another agency, though he’d never been told who they were or what their purpose was. He only knew the agent he had reported to, Anna Baxter, had her own team that included people young enough to pass as high school students. He had come across one of them in a previous mission, knowing her then as Julia, though he doubted that was her real name.
“You think somebody else is working the same case?” Jack asked.
“It certainly looks that way,” Leo sighed. “Martin is tracking down a couple of leads and checking the Center’s databases that are above my pay grade, so we should know something soon enough. In the meantime we need to follow through with our instructions.” He laughed and threw another look at Jack.
“We might have to tweak our plan now that you’re on the scene. I think Freya took a shine to you.”
Jack turned his head and concentrated on the passing scenery—and on controlling the blush spreading across his cheeks. He’d seen the spark of interest on Freya’s face the first time she laid eyes on him, and it had only grown more intense the longer they hung out together.
“It isn’t a problem,” Leo said, mistaking the reason for his silence. He took a sharp right and drove the car into an underground parking garage, sliding it neatly into an open spot before killing the engine and turning toward Jack. “We’ll figure out the best angle and let it play out. You’ll do fine.”
They took the elevator to the fourth floor, and as soon as the door to the apartment closed behind them, Leo turned and crowded Jack up against it, his head dipping to crush their mouths together.
Jack could feel Leo’s hardness pressing against him, and his body responded so quickly it made him gasp. It was incredible to feel lean, muscular arms wrap around him, to shudder as Leo’s hips ground against him. He scrabbled frantically at Leo’s shirt until his hands slid across warm skin, and then he parted his lips and let Leo’s tongue slide inside, savoring the taste.
Jack groaned when Leo broke the kiss and tugged at his hand, pulling him through the apartment and into his bedroom. He kicked the door shut, and Jack willingly followed Leo down onto the neatly made bed, letting himself be rolled onto his back as Leo settled between his legs, lining up their aching groins before swooping back in for another kiss. Jack lost himself in the heady sensation of Leo’s soft lips and the sweet friction of their bodies rocking against each other, and before he knew it, they were naked and breathing hard. He wanted it to last, but there was no way he could hold out, not when Leo’s mouth moved lower to suck gently on his neck and his fingers worked down Jack’s body to close around his hardness and stroke the heated flesh. Jack arched off the bed with a muffled cry and eased Leo back, smiling at his wide-eyed bewilderment.
“I’m too close,” he whispered raggedly.
“So what’s the problem?” Leo grinned, but his fingers loosened their grip, though the way they trailed lightly up and down Jack’s shaft was almost as distracting.
“It’s been weeks, Leo. I don’t want to rush this.”
Leo nodded, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Okay. Let’s slow things down.”
After that things got hazy. Leo coaxed him to the brink time and again, always pulling back at the last minute, until Jack was moaning and trembling and begging for release. He skillfully held Jack on the edge for what felt like hours, ignoring his pleas, until Jack felt as though he would explode. In the end they came together, shuddering to completion, panting short, sharp breaths and collapsing back onto the cool sheets in a tangle of limbs and hot, slick skin.
Jack let himself drift on a wave of warmth and lethargy, every muscle slowly uncoiling until he felt boneless and hollow. As if from far away, he heard Leo’s voice.
“Good?”
“Mmmm.”
A distant chuckle had him turning his head. Leo was propped up on one elbow, looking down at him with a smug smile on his face.
“How about you?” Jack barely recognized his own dreamy voice.
“Mmmm,” Leo mimicked.
“Asshole!” Jack was too content to put much heat into the word, and Leo just laughed at him. But as Jack watched, the satisfied look on Leo’s face melted away, replaced by something darker.
“So, can you talk about it?”
Jack frowned, momentarily confused.
“Why your guardian shut you down so completely,” Leo clarified.
Jack tensed, the serene languor abruptly vanishing. He didn’t want to lie to Leo, but he wasn’t ready to tell him everything yet. He wondered whether Martin had said anything about Jack’s confrontation with Sean at the end of the last assignment and decided he’d probably hinted at it as the reason for the Center’s extreme reaction. It was partly true, true enough at least, that Jack didn’t feel too guilty blaming his situation on it now.
“I got into it with Sean when you were missing,” he said, ruthlessly ignoring a twinge of remorse at the deliberate evasion. “He ordered me back to the Center. I told him to shove it.”
Leo’s eyes widened. “Martin said you’d argued with Sean. I didn’t realize things had gone so far.”
“There was no way I was leaving while you were still being held hostage. Sean should have known better.”
“I guess he wasn’t happy when you refused to go?” Leo was watching him closely, and Jack kept his features carefully schooled.
“He warned me what would happen.”
“And that’s why your guardian was so pissed off he ordered a total reset?”
Jack forced himself to maintain eye contact. “Disobeying an order, disrespect, insolence—take your pick. He threw all those accusations at me.”
“Jesus, I’m sorry,” Leo said. “It must have been pretty fucked up these past couple of weeks.”
Jack shrugged. “It’s been okay. I mean, I’ve done nothing but train and study from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. And everything’s been stripped out of my quarters. I’ve been bored to fucking death. But apart from that….” He was grateful when Leo took the hint and changed the subject.
“You want to get in a quick shower before Martin gets home?”
“You want to come with me?” Jack countered.
Leo laughed. “Thought you’d never ask.”
WHEN MARTIN walked in forty minutes later, Jack was sitting on the couch beside Leo, idly flicking through the TV channels. He turned his head at the sound of the key in the door and grinned at Leo’s foster father, happy to see him again.
“Jack! Good to see you, son.”
“You too,” Jack replied.
“Has Leo brought you up to speed on the assignment yet?”
“Yes, sir. And I met Freya Moore at school.”
“That’s good. Why don’t you call Evan and tell him you’re staying for dinner? We can get some work done while we eat.”
“Sounds good,” Jack said.
While Leo followed Martin into the kitchen, Jack called Evan.
“Is it okay if I stay here for dinner?” he asked.
“Sure. Provided Martin is cool with it.”
“He asked me to stay. He wants to go over some of the details of the assignment.”
“I’m fine with it,” Evan said. “Just be back by eight so you can report in to Sean.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” Jack disconnected the call and walked into the kitchen. “Can I help?”
Martin waved him off. “It’s just leftovers, I’m afraid. It won’t take more than five minutes to heat up. Leo, set the table.”
Leo nodded and herded Jack out and into the small dining room. Within minutes all three of them were seated and ladling reheated Chinese food onto their plates.
“So, Jack. Did you get a sense of what’s going on?”
“Leo told me most of it,” Jack replied. “What do you want me to do?”
Martin glanced expectantly at Leo and gave a small nod, and Leo swallowed a forkful of chicken. “Like I said, I think there’s potential for you to step in and keep Freya’s attention focused on you. I connected as a friend, but I sense she’d respond better to you.”
Jack lowered his eyes, aware of Martin’s speculative look.
“That would give me more time to check out Ryan,” Leo continued. “You don’t need to get too heavy. Just be friendly. Maybe join a couple of her after-school clubs.”
“My preparations are almost complete,” Martin said. “I just need a few more days. Do you think you could do that, Jack?”
Jack mumbled his assent, trying to avoid Leo’s knowing gaze.
“Tell me now if this is a problem.” Martin’s tone had subtly changed from friend to senior operative.
Jack squared his shoulders and straightened in his seat. “It isn’t a problem, sir.
”
“Good. Sean tells me you had some trouble registering for school this morning. Any idea what that was about?”
“Not really,” Jack replied. “It looks as though my transcripts were wiped off the system, but I don’t know why.”
Martin’s brow furrowed. “I want you boys to keep a sharp lookout. It’s too coincidental that both of you have run into oddities in this assignment.”
Jack nodded, and Leo murmured, “Yes, sir,” unconsciously adopting Martin’s professional manner. Jack had seen the fluidity of their relationship before—the easy way they switched from familiar to formal. He couldn’t imagine having the same relationship with his guardian, even with the knowledge that they were blood relations.
Martin inclined his head, the concerned foster father reappearing in the blink of an eye. “You boys are going to have to do something about those.”
He pointed to Jack’s wrist, and Jack unconsciously touched the leather friendship bracelet Leo had given him a few weeks ago. When he glanced over at Leo, he had echoed the movement with the identical band he wore.
Martin smiled ruefully. “You know you can’t both wear them in public. You’re lucky nobody noticed them today.”
Leo dropped his hand. “Sorry, Martin. I should have caught it.”
“Unfortunately, it’s the small things that often betray us,” Martin said. “They’re the things we tend to overlook. Fix it, please. Before tomorrow.”
“I’ll take mine off,” Leo said before Jack could speak. Jack nodded briefly, glad Leo had volunteered. Though he had only worn it a little time, the band was a connection to Leo he didn’t want to lose.
Chapter Twelve
NEXT DAY Jack contrived to be standing outside the school gates when Freya arrived. After leaving Leo’s apartment, he had reported in to Sean and then done a little further research into the target.
Freya Moore had a wide range of hobbies and interests. Apart from choir and band, she was a member of several other school clubs, including one that piqued Jack’s interest. He pretended to be searching for something in his backpack when he spotted her climbing out of a white Subaru, driven by a man Jack presumed was her father. She waved as he drove off and then smiled at Jack.
