by Becky Harmon
Chloe’s head was bent as she typed on her computer and Ellie’s door stood wide open. She had checked the GPS application on her tablet on the way down the hall and she knew Ellie was inside her office. She approached Chloe’s desk and waited for her to look up.
“How’s it going?” she asked softly.
Chloe seemed surprised to find Angel’s attention focused on her and she gave a shy giggle.
“Good. Can I help you with something?”
“Actually, you can. I need some information, and I thought you would be the person to ask.”
Chloe giggled again.
She didn’t like using her position to take advantage of people, but she wasn’t going to make Chloe do or say anything that would get her in trouble. “I was wondering if the embassy sends any diplomatic pouches from the dock. Maybe on a regular monthly basis.”
Chloe’s face wrinkled in thought. “Not that I’m aware of. Do you need to ship something back to the US? We have an arrangement with the mail service.”
“No. It’d be something large that needed to move in a Conex.”
“A Conex?”
“You know, a large metal shipping container.”
“I know what you mean, but we don’t do anything like that. There’s a book of diplomatic pouch approvals in the Defense Attaché’s office that we’re allowed to use, but it’s certainly not on a regular basis. Sometimes when an employee transfers out, they’ll use them for furniture and household stuff to avoid having to deal with customs.” She grimaced. “I’m not really sure if that’s allowed or not, but it makes their move go smoother.”
She smiled. “It’s okay. I’m not here to judge. I only needed to know if there was a regular shipment that was approved by the embassy.”
“Any requests for diplomatic pouch approvals would come across my desk for the ambassador’s approval, so I think I can safely say no.”
“Thanks, Chloe. You’ve been very helpful.”
She left quickly, relieved that Ellie had not interrupted their conversation. She didn’t ask Chloe to keep their conversation a secret because she planned to tell Ellie about all of it. Exactly when, though, she wasn’t sure.
She stopped in the communications room and pulled the exterior cameras up on what had become her computer. She dialed Eric, knowing he had already had time to survey the crowd. After confirming there was no change with the situation, she quickly scanned all the other cameras.
Returning to her room, she dropped on top of the bed. No need to remove any clothing or get under the covers. Sarah would be texting soon and she now had less than three hours before her meeting with Miller’s team. She set her watch alarm in case she did fall asleep and stretched her arms behind her head. The last thing she remembered thinking was sleep wasn’t going to come easy.
* * *
Ellie stepped out of her office and crossed to the coffeemaker. She poured hot water into her cup and dropped in a tea bag. She was hoping Chloe would volunteer information from her conversation with Angel, but it appeared that she wasn’t going to. When she had heard Angel’s voice outside her office, she had waited thinking she was coming in to see her. When she didn’t, she had approached the door but only caught Angel thanking Chloe for her information. She couldn’t imagine what information Angel would need from Chloe or why she wouldn’t come directly to her.
“Did I hear Agent McTaggart’s voice out here earlier?” she asked, hoping she sounded casual but knowing she didn’t.
“Yes, she wants to ship something back to the States.”
“What does she want to ship?”
“I don’t know. Something large, I think.”
She walked back into her office. Why would Angel need to ship something back to the States by embassy methods? Surely Vince would have a better plan in place.
She dialed the number she had been avoiding all day. Micalah would not be happy to hear she was leaving the safety of the embassy but not calling her would make Micalah even more worried.
“How are things?” Micalah answered, skipping a greeting.
“I’m fine and you?”
“I’m glad you’re fine, but you know that’s not what I’m asking.”
“It’s looking better.” Her first lie. “So, we’re moving forward with my planned visit to the solar panel farm.”
“What?”
“Agent McTaggart approved it and we’ll be returning before dark. The crowd outside the embassy isn’t really a problem.” Lie number two. She paused, knowing that she was talking fast and Micalah would know she wasn’t telling the truth. “We sent someone out yesterday to meet with the fisherman and she didn’t have a problem getting out or in.”
“Have you thought that maybe they’re waiting for you?”
“I think their problem is what I represent, as in the US, and not me directly.”
“I hope you’re right. What security is she taking?”
“Micalah, I don’t know all the details yet. I’ll make sure everything is properly planned. Now, what are you working on? Not something dangerous, I hope?”
Micalah groaned. “Point taken. I’m still going to worry, though.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
She looked up as Chloe appeared in her doorway. “Mr. Flagler is on line two.”
She nodded. “I have to run, Micalah. I’ll call when we return.”
“Okay. Be safe.”
She disconnected the line and punched line two. “Vince?”
“How’s my girl?”
She liked Vince’s smooth, soothing voice. She took a deep breath, letting out the stress from her conversation with Micalah. “Your girl?” she teased.
“While you’re under my protection, I’m allowed to call you that.”
She laughed. “Your girl is feeling a little stifled.”
“I thought you might be. With the change in scenery or lack thereof, I should say, I’m hoping this might mean more than the weather is changing. And for the better, I hope, but if not Angel will handle it. Just do what she tells you.”
“Oh, you know me so well.”
Vince chuckled. “Following orders was never your best skill, but trust Angel. She knows what she’s doing and she’ll keep you safe.”
She thought about how wonderful it had felt to be wrapped in Angel’s arms. She was pretty sure that was not what Vince meant. “I’ll listen to her while we’re out on Monday. I know the risks.”
“I know you do. I’ll talk to you both when you return.”
She hung up the phone and studied the paperwork in front of her. She had barely accomplished anything in the two weeks that Angel had been around. Her mind wouldn’t focus on anything for a solid length of time without thoughts of Angel drifting in or her attention being pulled away by the moving GPS lights.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, now she had felt the thrill of her kiss. She wasn’t sure she would ever be able to focus on anything again. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted more than one kiss and there was no doubt that it was not an option. Her body surged with anticipation each time Angel walked into the room, and lately she had only to think of her to lose track of any clear thought.
After reading through a few pages, she finally closed the folder and tucked it back into a drawer. She was finished working at least for the moment. She checked Angel’s GPS light and found her on the rooftop again.
“Call it a day,” she said to Chloe as she passed. “In fact, I’m headed to the café. Why don’t you join me?”
She had never invited Chloe to join her for dinner, but normally Chloe was headed across town to her own apartment. Living inside the embassy reduced her options. She hadn’t heard any complaints from Chloe or anyone else for that matter. She was hoping that through Chloe she could get a feel for how everyone else was doing.
“I want to finish this and then file this stack before I go today, but thank you for the offer.”
“Come on. You shouldn’t even be here on a S
aturday. Monday you’ll have a complete day without me bothering you. You can catch up then.”
Chloe stood. “Okay.”
They took the elevator to the first floor and walked to the café. She stepped back and allowed Chloe to pick a tray and move through the line first. She liked Chloe’s outfit today—dark pants with a purple and black striped shirt. The pants hugged her slim hips and she had tucked them into low-heeled black boots with a silver buckle on the outside. She couldn’t help but notice that Chloe’s fingernails were painted purple to match her shirt. She appreciated the amount of work it took for her aide to color coordinate her nails every day. It was something she had never desired to do. If she painted her fingernails, it was only with a clear polish.
She chose a piece of grilled chicken with a few pineapple slices on top and a side salad. She was really hungry, but tonight was movie night in the embassy and popcorn was in her future. She followed Chloe to a small table by the window. A quick glance at the darkening sky outside told her it was after five. She still had over two hours to kill before Angel’s briefing.
Most days she didn’t know where the hours went. Before Angel came into her life, she spent all of her time working. An occasional walk outside was something she had taken for granted. Maybe a leisure walk on the treadmill would do her some good.
“It looks like a nice night,” Chloe said, interrupting Ellie’s distracted gaze out the window.
“Breezy. I can see the flag blowing,” she said as she cut into the chicken on her plate. “How are you adapting to being confined here?”
“It hasn’t been too bad. Most of the people I hang out with after work are all here. I miss the food, though.”
She chuckled. The café did tend to serve the same selections served in any US diner. “I think our cooks are so focused on making us feel at home that we never get a taste of Mauritanian cooking. Maybe I’ll mention that to them. It would be fun to mix it up a couple days a week. I wonder what our local employees are eating.”
“Probably a lot of rice and vegetables.”
“Right.” Ellie paused, taking another bite before continuing. “Chloe, I want you to know I appreciate the time you put into your appearance every day.”
Chloe’s brow wrinkled.
“I’m being serious.” She reached across the table and touched her arm. “I’ve noticed that your outfits are always perfectly coordinated with your nails. I know how time consuming that can be every day.”
Chloe blushed. “I actually enjoy it. It relieves my stress and it makes me happy. As a teenager, I used bright colors to piss off my mom. As I got older, I took more care to make sure I was color coordinated.”
She followed Chloe’s gaze as she looked at the other diners around them. She could tell Chloe was working up the courage to say something more.
“I did wonder if you thought it was too much for the embassy,” she said shyly. “I’d never want to look unprofessional.”
She smiled. “Everyone expresses themselves differently, and I look forward to seeing what color you’ll have on each day.” She ate another bite, giving Chloe time to relax into their conversation again. “The real question is how many bottles of nail polish do you have?”
“My spinning racks hold about fifty.” Chloe grinned. “I have two of them now, but I just ordered a third. I blame my mom ’cause she sent me that coral-colored shirt for my birthday. She’d be horrified to know I bought polish to match.”
“I won’t tell her,” she said, laughing.
Chapter Nineteen
The front pocket of Angel’s pants vibrated with an incoming call, and she rolled over to retrieve her phone. Above her, the blue sky had given way to purple and the horizon was a reddish orange. In another situation, she might have taken a moment to enjoy the view, but instead she pressed the phone to her ear and grunted a greeting.
“The embassy is in sight,” Sarah said.
“I’ll meet you at the gate.”
She patted Rodriquez’s leg as she rolled to her feet. She was anxious to have Sarah’s team safely inside the embassy gates. She quickly sent Eric a text to let him know she was headed down; he met her as she reached the first floor. Together they exited the building and crossed the lawn.
“The crowd’s moving. I think it’s them.” Eric said as they neared the gate.
She watched the crowd part to reveal a black SUV. Three more followed so closely that it looked like they were attached. One of the marines opened the gate and the vehicles drove through. Sarah rolled down her window, and Angel pointed them toward the motor pool. She and Eric waited until all vehicles were inside the gate and then joined them in the garage. Eric closed the roll-up door, blocking those outside the gates from seeing who or how many had arrived.
Sarah climbed out of the vehicle and grasped Eric’s hand, pulling him close in a quick half hug. After greeting Angel the same way, she began giving directions to her team as they all gathered around.
Angel hadn’t noticed Farook when they entered the garage but saw now that he was standing in the doorway of his office. His brow furrowed as he watched Sarah’s team unload their gear. She was still forming an opinion of him. Neither his power play in Ellie’s office nor his reaction when she had followed Ellie into the garage two days ago were normal or even friendly. It was possible, though, that the look of anger or disgust he displayed was only his normal expression.
His eyes locked on her as she approached him.
“Farook, these are members of my team. Can you take care of their vehicles?”
“Yes, yes.” He nodded his head several times, but his brow remained creased.
“Great. I’ll gather the keys for you.”
It was good to have her team in one spot again. She turned the keys over to Farook with a smile that wasn’t returned, and then she and Eric led the team to the barracks. She took a seat at the long table and waited while Eric helped them get settled. Sarah was the first to return.
“It’s good to be here,” Sarah said as she sank into the chair across from Angel.
“I’m relieved too. Although that safe house looked pretty nice.”
“Oh, it was, but we also had neighbors on all sides. I made everyone wear a scarf when they went out so no one could tell the difference between any of us.”
“Not a bad idea,” she said taking Sarah’s tablet and loading the GPS tracker page. She pulled ten bracelets from her cargo pocket and passed them to Sarah as she showed her the different lights. She pointed out critical locations within the embassy and Ellie’s blinking light in the café.
When Eric joined them, she briefly ran through the distribution of team members and her plans for Monday. She sent them off to share information with each other as Miller and his team arrived. She shook hands with each marine, memorizing a face with a name. She took a seat as Private First Class Montgomery began to explain each phase of their trip. He had been a part of the team that had taken Sam on the two previous trips and his details were specific. He described their departure, checkpoint protocols, and the route they would travel.
“The solar farm is located on this side of Atar before the cut to Terjit Oasis. The only town of any size we’ll pass through is Akjoujt. The road is paved all the way, but honestly you won’t be able to tell most of the time because it’ll be covered with blowing sand. You’ll be able to see the Adrar plateau in the distance, but mostly you’ll be surrounded by a flat desert with an occasional sand dune that relocates every time the wind blows.”
He glanced at Miller and then back at Angel. “If I understand correctly, this’ll be a fast trip. The ambassador will be on the ground for less than an hour?” He waited for nods and then continued. “That’s good. We’ll be able to clear the checkpoints going and coming during daylight hours. Baker and I will be in the lead car and Humphries and Ketterman will bring up the rear. For safest traveling, it’d be best to depart the farm by thirteen hundred hours.”
He slid onto an empty chair. “Any questi
ons?”
“Are there any formalities that we’ll have to observe at the site?” she asked.
“The ambassador will have tea when she arrives, but it’s understood that we’re on duty and cannot join them. It wasn’t a problem last time,” PFC Montgomery answered.
“Good. Two of you should accompany us inside and the other two can wait with the cars.”
Montgomery nodded. “Baker and Ketterman will go with you. Baker was also there before and is familiar with the facility.”
She glanced at Miller. “I’ll let you decide on the firepower we need. I’ll only be taking my pistol.”
“I’d like to mount a machine gun on each vehicle, but unfortunately local law enforcement frowns on that,” Miller joked, and his marines laughed.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” She smiled. It seemed that his earlier sarcasm had breached a barrier between them. She liked this more jovial side of him. She had already seen he could be professional and diligent in his work, and his sarcasm wasn’t bitter or mocking. She could see he brought a small amount of humor to what could otherwise be a dull and fatiguing assignment. “What are our other options?”
“We’ll each have our standard pistol in plain view since we’ll be in uniform, Agent McTaggart,” Montgomery answered. “And a rifle hidden underneath the seat in both cars. Yours too, if you want.”
She shook her head. “That’s not necessary. We’ll be traveling in diplomatic vehicles and I’m sure the distance between each vehicle won’t be more than an inch.”
“Standard quarter-inch gap,” Miller teased.
“Sounds like we’re good then.” She stood. “Let’s meet at zero six thirty on Monday morning. Everyone should bring an overnight bag in case we get delayed. I’m headed to fill the ambassador in now, but let me know if anything changes tonight or tomorrow.”
