Bait and Switch

by MC Lee

  “We’ll figure out our next steps when the others get here,” Leo said when he walked out of the bathroom.

  “Shit! I forgot to tell you. When Anderson finished his meeting he went straight to Starbucks to watch you and Freya. I can’t figure out how he knew you’d be there.”

  Leo shrugged. “We’ve had the same routine every Wednesday after school for the past couple of weeks. I put it into play when I realized somebody was following me. I wanted to see if I could draw them out.”

  “So it wasn’t Anderson following you before?”

  “No. It was an older guy. Midthirties, five nine, dark hair, pretty nondescript. Was that the guy Anderson met?”

  “Doesn’t sound like it.” Jack cocked his head. “Martin’s here.”

  Leo started to walk out of the bedroom, but he stopped before he reached the door and pulled Jack close. “We’ll get through this,” he said softly. “Together.” He planted a final kiss on Jack’s lips before walking out.

  Jack hung back as Leo crossed the floor and walked up to Martin. He wasn’t sure why he was surprised when Martin pulled Leo in for a hug and said something too quiet for Jack to hear. Leo threw his head back and laughed before patting Martin on the back and stepping away. Jack was glad to see they appeared as close as ever. When he actually stopped to consider it, he realized it was no different to the dynamic he and Sean shared. He had certainly never blamed Sean for his role as the Center’s disciplinarian.

  “Hello, Jack,” Martin said. “Leo said you did good work today.”

  Jack ducked his head, feeling inexplicably shy. “Thank you, sir. I’m sorry about yesterday—”

  Martin held up a hand. “You make a mistake, you learn, you move on.” He threw a fond look at Leo. “Or in some cases, you keep making the same mistakes.”

  “With good reason,” Leo put in.

  “With occasionally defensible reasons,” Martin amended dryly.

  Jack jumped when the buzzer sounded. He exchanged a look with Leo as Evan crossed the floor toward the intercom.

  “I guess this is it,” he breathed. “It was nice knowing you!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  SEAN WALKED in a few moments later, dispensing with any greetings and going straight to the dining room table to pull up a chair and sit down.

  By the time Evan and Martin had taken their places, there were only two empty spaces left. Leo sat in the chair next to Martin, which just left the chair next to Sean. Jack reluctantly slid into it, feeling Sean’s dark eyes settle on him.

  “I hope you’ve had a chance to think over yesterday’s actions,” Sean said abruptly.

  “Yes, sir,” Jack replied, meeting Sean’s gaze. He didn’t offer any excuses or explanations, knowing there was nothing he could say to justify the mistake he’d made.

  Sean didn’t take his eyes off Jack when he said, “Martin, you think Jack’s cover might be at risk?”

  “It’s a distinct possibility,” Martin said evenly. “It seems clear Ryan Anderson deliberately destroyed the camera after his photograph was taken.”

  “You don’t believe he’ll think it was a routine picture for the yearbook?”

  Martin raised an eyebrow. “Jack?” he prompted.

  Jack hung his head. “I could tell from the expression on his face. He knew I’d set him up.”

  “We train our operatives to question every coincidence, every anomaly,” Martin continued. “If Anderson is an agent, there’s a good chance he’s examining Jack’s motives and wondering why he went to such lengths to obtain a photograph.”

  Jack tried not to squirm in the face of Sean’s narrow-eyed look of disapproval, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

  “So you believe Anderson is an operative?” Sean asked, finally looking away, leaving Jack fighting to suppress a sigh of relief.

  Martin nodded. “From everything the boys have told me, I’d now have to say it’s highly likely. He appeared at school suddenly a few months ago and took an inordinate interest in Freya Moore, he’s had eyes on Leo since he arrived, he was meeting with what Jack thinks is his handler, and he was spying on Leo and Freya last night.”

  “You’re certain he wasn’t just meeting his father? A friend?” Sean demanded, turning his gaze once again on Jack.

  “Certain, sir,” Jack said, as confidently as he could. “There were two bodyguards at the meeting, the man did most of the talking, and Anderson’s body language was tense and nervous.”

  “Like yours is now?” Sean said pointedly.

  “And the man put out the same vibe as you,” Jack continued, ignoring the observation. He glanced at Evan and Martin and added, “The same vibe as all of you.”

  Sean looked momentarily taken aback. “What vibe is that?”

  Jack wished he’d kept his mouth shut as he struggled to find words that wouldn’t send Sean further off the deep end. He was grateful when Leo answered the distinctly frosty question.

  “Intimidating, threatening, commanding. Like somebody used to giving orders that he expects to be followed without question.”

  Jack shuddered when Sean turned his head and pinned Leo in place with a hard look. “Although apparently those orders are not always followed, are they?”

  “No, sir,” Leo agreed.

  “Which we sometimes live to regret,” Sean added.

  Jack was sure he saw Leo wince, but his expression remained impassive.

  “So, you miscalculated and pushed too hard.”

  For a moment Jack didn’t realize Sean was addressing him. When it sunk in, he snapped to attention and turned his head.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Despite Martin’s specific directive to hang back. Despite years of instruction to let the target come to you. Your unauthorized actions compromised your cover story and forced Anderson to show his hand before we’re ready to make our move. That was careless, sloppy work, Jack. I’m very disappointed.”

  The words cut deep. Jack bit his lip, waiting for Sean to tell him what penalty he would have to pay. He sensed Leo tensing, though he didn’t dare look across the table at him.

  “The only reason you’re not being pulled out of the field is that your error in judgment isn’t the sole reason your cover story is on shaky ground,” Sean said.

  Jack exhaled at the unexpected reprieve, then frowned when Sean’s words sunk in. “What does that mean?”

  “I have reason to believe you were being investigated before your slipup.”

  Evan was the first to ask the logical question. “What makes you think that?”

  “Somebody tried to hack into the Center’s computer system,” Sean said. “We were routing the information they were tracking through several servers so were able to shut down the attack well before any damage was done.”

  His gaze returned to Jack, who was beginning to understand what Sean was driving at. Sean nodded, encouraging Jack to speak.

  “My school transcripts,” he said.

  “That’s right. Whoever is interested in you deliberately deleted your transcripts so we’d have to resend them. As soon as the new transcripts hit the school’s server they started a trace to see where they had come from.”

  “I presume they didn’t get anywhere near the Center?” Martin asked.

  Sean shook his head. “We spotted the attack immediately. Actually, we were able to re-route the trace to Evan’s computer, which supports Jack’s story that his ‘brother’ was going to resend the missing documentation.”

  Jack watched Sean’s face closely. “There’s something else.”

  Sean arched an eyebrow. “I’m glad some of your training stuck,” he said sarcastically. “Other information from your school record has also been checked. And whoever is behind this made direct inquiries with St. Xavier’s to see if you attended last semester. The Center’s protocol was in place, of course, so the phone calls and e-mails were intercepted by our people and your background story was corroborated.”

  “So somebody was alrea
dy checking up on Jack?” Leo asked.

  “It looks that way,” Sean agreed. He leaned forward and tapped the back of Jack’s hand sharply. “That doesn’t excuse your failure. We don’t know yet whether you were being investigated just because you’re a new kid, or whether the investigation was specifically targeting you. Either way, what you did is bound to raise suspicion.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jack said. He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice. He’d apologized endlessly for something that couldn’t be changed. He didn’t know how much longer he was expected to grovel before everybody moved the hell on.

  “We’ll just have to work around it,” Evan put in quickly.

  Jack risked a glance at Sean, reading in the displeased look that Sean wasn’t quite ready to let it go. He winced when Sean’s gaze swiveled between himself and Leo.

  “Failure compounded by dishonesty. Not the way to show you two should be working together.”

  Leo stiffened and his eyes flashed, but he subsided when Martin laid a warning hand on his arm. “Leo and I have already discussed his lapse in judgment,” Martin said evenly. “I don’t believe he’ll make the same mistake again.”

  “Leo?” Sean said.

  Leo visibly blanched, but his eyes locked with Sean’s. “I apologize for my failures, sir.” There was a moment of strained silence before Leo added, “But I don’t regret supporting my teammate.”

  Martin sighed loudly, but he didn’t look surprised. Leo shot him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Martin. I don’t mean any disrespect.”

  “You believe your teammate comes before the success of the assignment?” Sean said, his tone so icy Jack was sure he wasn’t the only person around the table who shivered.

  Leo squared his shoulders under Sean’s glare. “Yes, sir. I believe protecting my partner is paramount.”

  Jack didn’t miss the emphasis he put on the word, and he doubted anybody else in the room did either.

  Sean’s expression didn’t change. “I see Martin’s attitude adjustment session wasn’t particularly successful. I wonder if we need to reinforce the message.”

  Leo glanced at Jack and gave a small shake of his head, and it was only then Jack realized he’d straightened in his seat and made a small sound in the back of his throat. Sean had confirmed what Leo wouldn’t—that Martin had taken what the Center euphemistically called “corrective action.”

  “Do you have something to say?” Sean demanded, turning his steely gaze on Jack.

  Jack ignored Leo’s warning frown. “Yes, sir,” he said distinctly. “An operative isn’t worth shit if he’s prepared to throw his teammates to the wolves instead of defending them. I’d have done exactly what Leo did.”

  Jack hadn’t thought it possible, but the atmosphere in the room turned even frostier. He did his best to meet Sean’s gaze, until he felt a sharp kick under the table that warned he was pushing his luck. He dropped his eyes, trying not to bite his lip.

  When Sean finally broke the silence, Jack wasn’t sure he heard right. “Good for you. If you don’t support your team you’re of little value. Without trust you have nothing.”

  Jack raised his head tentatively. Sean still looked serious and stern, but his expression had softened. “I’m not excusing your behavior. Either of you. You both made questionable choices. But I’m prepared to put this behind us and move on.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Leo said, possibly sensing that Jack was having trouble finding his voice.

  Jack swallowed. “Thank you,” he echoed.

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Sean cautioned. “You and I still have a lot of ground to cover.”

  “How about some food?” Evan said. “Thai good for everybody? Jack, come help me out in the kitchen.”

  Jack knew Evan was trying to ease tensions, and he was grateful. He stood up and followed Evan, keenly aware of Leo’s eyes on him. A moment later Leo walked into the kitchen and leaned over Jack’s shoulder as he studied the take-out menu.

  “You okay?” he murmured.

  “For now,” Jack said. “Ask me again when Sean’s finished with me.” He turned and looked into Leo’s eyes. “How are you?”

  Leo waved a dismissive hand. “It’s not like it’s the first time Martin and I got into it.”

  “Though perhaps we could make it the last.” Jack looked up as Martin walked in, his expression showing no signs he was still angry with Leo, despite his cool tone. “Don’t push it with Sean,” he warned. “You’re still on shaky ground.”

  Leo grimaced. “I guess I should go and apologize. I don’t want either of you mad at me longer than necessary.” He winked at Jack before turning and walking out, and when Jack followed a few minutes later, Leo was sitting beside Sean, his head bent, engrossed in amiable conversation.

  By unspoken agreement, nobody discussed business over dinner. Jack was happy to listen quietly to the discussion that deliberately avoided the assignment, his and Leo’s shortcomings, and any mention of the Center. But as soon as dinner was cleared away, the atmosphere became more serious.

  “Okay. Let’s figure out where we are and get this assignment back on track,” Sean said purposefully. “Report please, gentlemen.”

  Martin cleared his throat, and all eyes turned toward him. “I think we agree Ryan Anderson is an operative. A team at the Center is working on cracking his real identity and affiliation.”

  “Thoughts on why he’s here?” Sean asked.

  “He seems very focused on Freya Moore. We’re not yet sure whether she is the ultimate target of his operation, or whether Anderson is using Freya to get to her father. We’re pretty sure he’s the one investigating Leo, although I doubt he’s got too far in discovering who he works for.” He glanced at Jack apologetically. “Unfortunately, Jack’s actions may have tipped him off that we have another agent in the mix.”

  Sean nodded. “I think we have to assume both the boys’ covers have been partially blown. And until we know more about Anderson and who he works for, we’ll also presume Freya Moore is in a precarious position.” He looked around the table. “So, we know about their agent, and they know about ours. What we have here, gentlemen, is a classic Mexican standoff.”

  “We need to step up our own operation.” Martin’s gaze traveled between Leo and Jack. “You need to tag team surveillance on Freya and Anderson. You have to keep them both in your sights during the day. Can you make that happen?”

  “Yes, sir.” Their assured, simultaneous response was accepted with a curt nod.

  “Jack will have more chance of changing his schedule,” Leo elaborated. “Bayfield Heights is pretty flexible about the classes we take, but most of my timetable is locked because I’ve been there longer. Jack has just arrived, so he’ll be able to transfer more easily.”

  “I’m going to leave you two to work out an arrangement that ensures one of you is always in class with one or other of the targets,” Martin said. “Let me know immediately if you run into any problems. In the meantime Evan and I will work out a schedule to cover them outside school.”

  “Make it a priority, boys,” Sean instructed. “Martin, you plan to move up your operation in light of this… adjustment?” Jack was grateful for Sean’s choice of word, although it didn’t stop an inward wince.

  “That’s right,” Martin confirmed. “It’s obvious we need to move more quickly. Especially as we don’t know what Anderson is planning and whether it involves Freya or her father. I intend to complete the assignment within the week.”

  “Good,” Sean said. “Unless anybody has any questions, I suggest we adjourn and start working out the details.” His gaze fell on Jack. “Go wait for me in your room. You and I still have a lot to discuss.”

  “Yes, sir.” He tried to send a reassuring look but knew from the expression on Leo’s face that he’d failed miserably.

  “I’ll skype later,” Leo said.

  Jack half expected Sean to nix the idea, until he remembered they were supposed to be working out a new sche
dule together. He nodded and stood up, then walked reluctantly to his bedroom and closed the door. He quickly straightened the bed and then sat on the edge, wondering what Sean was planning. Whichever way he looked at it, things didn’t look too bright.

  When the door opened and Sean walked in, he stood to attention, clasping his hands tightly behind his back and consciously trying to keep his head held high. He had to work to keep the surprise off his face when Sean said, “Sit down, Jack. We’ve had enough drama for one day.”

  He sat back down on the edge of the bed, keeping a wary eye on Sean when he straddled the chair beside Jack’s desk.

  “Okay, let’s get this out of the way. I’m not happy with your performance, and I don’t appreciate Leo trying to cover for you. It was disrespectful. Martin deserves better.”

  “I know. Leo knows it too. We’re both sorry.”

  “I understand you came clean quickly. And Evan says you’ve worked diligently. That’s something in your favor. And pretty much the only reason you’re not being disciplined right now. But as Martin always says, we learn from our mistakes and we move on. Will you and Leo be able to work out a new schedule?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We need to find out how much Anderson actually knows about you. Can I trust you to remember the concept of subtlety? I don’t need a repeat of yesterday’s fiasco.”

  “You can trust me,” Jack said, working hard to keep frustration out of his voice. He’d always known the Center had little tolerance for screwups, but this was getting ridiculous.

  “That’s all I wanted to hear,” Sean said. “Martin and Evan are here to guide you and ensure your safety. Remember that next time you’re tempted to flout the rules.”

  Jack hung his head, believing he couldn’t feel worse, until Sean tapped his knee and waited until he looked up. “Your guardian has been advised. Needless to say, he isn’t happy.”