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guards to cal
Stark when they intercepted me, she said. “Are you running Blairs
detail again?
Cam shook her head. “No, but this entire operation is an OHS mat er,
and that puts me in charge.
“And youre going to take on the
Company?
“If
need
be.
“The Companys been around a long time, Valerie said. “Homeland
Security is so fresh most people dont even know what it is.
“Theyl find out soon
enough.
“I guess we al wil . Valerie pushed her hands into the pocket of her
jacket and hunched her shoulders against the wind. “God, this is going
to be a mess until people sort out their turf.
“Probably for a lot longer than that. Cam realized Valerie was shivering.
“How far did you walk?
“Four or five milesI wanted to be sure to flank your guards so theyd
have a good look at me as I came up the beach. I didnt want to come out
of nowhere right on top of them and have them shooting at shadows.
“You said you thought they were too wel -trained
for that.
“Lets just say I prefer the odds to be solidly stacked in my favor
when Im unarmed in hostile territory.
“Sound procedure, Cam agreed. Shed find out soon enough just how
Valerie had penetrated far enough into the island to get around the
guards. She sensed movement in the shadows of to her right and slid her
hand over her weapon just as Felicia stepped out of the cover of the
dunes. Beside her, Valerie tensed.
“Al clear, Commander? Felicia
asked.
“Yes. You can let Savard and Stark know to stand
down.
“Yes maam. Felicia relayed the orders by radio, then regarded Valerie
as the trio climbed the path toward the compound. “Good to see you.
“Thanks, Valerie replied. “I feel the
same.
“You and Savard should take some down time while you can, Davis,
Cam said. “Wel brief again at 0600.
“Yes maam. Felicia veered of the path toward the guesthouse.
“Goodnight, Commander.
Cam stopped midway between the guesthouse and the main house at a
point outside the visual range of the perimeter guards stationed at the
rear of the house. She faced Valerie, who looked thin and pale in the
moonlight. “Blair is inside. So is Diane. I know Tanners men already
frisked you, but I need to do it myself.
“Of course. Valerie unzipped her jacket, then held her arms out to her
sides at shoulder level and spread her legs.
“Unbut on your blouse and unzip your jeans, Cam said. “Im sorry its
cold out here.
“Just get it done,
Cameron.
“Il
be
quick.
Wordlessly, Valerie opened her
clothing.
Cam swiftly checked for weapons, which she hadnt expected to find,
and then more careful y skimmed her fingers inside the cups of Valeries
bra, over the bare skin of her abdomen and back, and underneath the top
of her jeans in front and back looking for a microphone, which she
hoped she wouldnt find. She didnt. “Thanks.
Valerie redressed. “Can I see
Diane?
“Yes, but just for a minute. You and I need to
talk. They resumed walking.
“Il do whatever you
want.
“For the record, Cam said, “Im glad you final y got your
ass here.
Valerie sighed. “Ive done things I regret, Cameron, but I would never
wil ingly have betrayed you. I didnt know how the intel igence I passed
on was going to be used. I know its not an excuse
“I know how the game is played. I know you didnt have any choice.
Were okay on that.
Valerie briefly squeezed Cams hand. “Im
glad.
“Lets get inside so you can warm
up.
They climbed the stairs to the rear deck, and Cam nodded to Stark, who
stood with her back against the kitchen door, an assault rifle held loosely
in her arms. “Al clear, Chief.
“Do you need me inside, Commander? Stark
asked.
“Not at the moment. Standard shifts tonight should be fine.
Wel brief tomorrow.
Stark glanced at Valerie and stepped away from the door. “Yes
maam.
Cam led Valerie inside. The kitchen was empty, as she knew it would be.
Stark would have moved Diane and Blair to the center of the house as
soon as she realized security had been breached. “Diane is probably in
the living room with Blair. Il wait for you here, if you want to tel Blair
where I am.
“Thank you. Valerie met Cams eyes. “I know you dont have to do this,
any of this. Im sure you were told to just turn me over to whoevers
on top of the security heap at the moment.
Cam smiled grimly. “That would be
me.
“I hope it stays that way. Valeries tone was wistful. “Thank you,
Cameron. Il be right back.
* * * * *
“Oh God, Diane whispered, rising slowly to her feet as Valerie stepped
into the room.
Blair hesitated for a second, then rose and gave Diane a quick hug. “Il
see you later. She left Valerie and Diane alone in the dimly lit room.
Neither moved at first.
“Were you ever coming back? Diane asked.
“I wanted to.
“Why didnt you?
Valerie shivered. “I was afraid youd get
hurt.
Diane lifted a log and laid it on the ones already burning. “Come over
here by the fire. Youre cold. When she felt Valerie beside her, she
turned to touch her face. “Are you al right?
“A lit le tired. Valerie caught Dianes hand and brushed her lips across the
palm. “I missed you so much.
“I dont know what to do first, Diane confessed. “I want to feed you. You
look too thin. I want to hold you. Your hands are so cold. I want you to
hold me. I feelso empty.
“First things first. Valerie pul ed Diane firmly into her
arms.
Diane gave a smal cry and slid both hands under the back of Valeries
jacket, then buried her face in Valeries neck. “I dont care what happens
after this, but you are not disappearing again.
Valerie caressed Dianes hair, sifting the sleek blond strands through her
fingers. “Id promise you that, if I could.
A tremulous smile countered the sadness in Dianes eyes. “Blair says
you and Cam are the best at what you do. So the two of you should be
able to figure something out.
“Cams waiting to talk to me. Valerie couldnt bear the thought of leaving
Diane again, especial y knowing that it could be hours before she
could return. And hours was the best she could hope for. Agents whose
loyalties were in question had been known to be sequestered for weeks.
Sometimes months. She had to believe that Cam would not do that to
her, and she wagered everything that mat ered to her on that belief. “I
dont know how long Il be.
“Shes not going to take you away, is
she?
“I
dont
know.
“Why did you come? Was it because of the newspaper article?
Ididnt know
“When I first read it, Valerie said, instinctively pulling
Diane closer, “I thought you were hurt and I nearly went
crazy. I spent half a day frantically making calls and
tapping into some old sources, but no one could find an
accident or police report involving you. So I realized the
article was phony, but I was still worried in case it was a half
truth. I had to know you were okay.
“Im so sorry, Diane said. “Cam didnt tell me what shed done, or
Iwould have found a way to call
you.
Valerie smiled. “Thats why she didnt tell you.
Dianes eyes darkened. “Youre not angry at
her?
“I figured she had probably planted the article. Either that,
or someone else trying to flush me out had. Valerie sighed and
leaned in to Diane, more tired than shed realized. “I was
running out of options. It seemed like the time to come in.
Besides, I missed you.
“Cam said you would understand what shed done and why,
and even though I dont approve of being used to trick you, Im so
very glad youre here. Diane brushed her fingers through
Valeries hair. “And Im not letting Cam or anyone else take you
away from me again.
“I need to go talk to
her.
“Ill be upstairs. The last door on the right. Come to
me.
“Are you sure?
Diane put her arms around Valeries shoulders and kissed her,
a soft lingering kiss. “Never, ever more certain.
* * * * *
“Scotch? Cam closed the kitchen door after Valerie. “Theres
a good bottle in the cupboard over there.
“Now that I could use. Join
me?
Cam nodded. She watched Valerie take glasses down from
the cupboard, add ice cubes, and pour the smoky liquor. Shed
seen her do exactly the same thing dozens of times before, but
more than just the circumstances had changed. Valerie looked
different, too. It wasnt simply that her clothes were far more
casual than anything Cam had seen her wear even when she
wasnt working, or that her silky, platinum hair was far shorter
than she had ever worn it. It would take more than jeans and a
short haircut to hide Valeries cool elegance. She wasnt just
thinner, she was leaner and tauter, and she moved with a
sense of suppressed anger and almost lethal purpose that
Cam associated with caged animals. Valerie might not be
caged, but she was being hunted.
“Just to be clear, I dont intend to turn you over to anyone,
Cam said.
Valerie held out the Scotch. “You dont know what I have to
say, yet.
“Whos
after
you?
“Several dif erent parties. Valerie sat down across the wide oak table
from
Cam and contemplated her Scotch. “The Company, for certain. My
handler has been leaving messages at drop points for me to come in.
“Henry
?
Valerie smiled bit erly. “Wel , thats what Ive always cal
ed him.
“You dont trust him
now?
Valerie turned the heavy crystal glass slowly between her hands. Her
fingers, much like the rest of her body, were long and thin, but not
delicate. “Its unusual for him to insist on a face-to-face. In fact, in al the
years Ive worked with him weve only met a handful of times. Now
hes making urgent requests for a rendezvous.
“A trap?
“Thats what it feels like, Valerie said with a shrug. “But a trap set by
whom? Matheson because hes working with Henry? Or the
Company, because they want me in for a debriefing? Because they think
I tipped of Matheson.
“They want you for some
reason.
“Yes, and if the Companys involved, I know what wil happen if I go in.
Believe me, I dont have any desire to disappear, even temporarily.
Cam saw no reason to protest what they both knew was possible.
Agents suspected of turning were forcibly detained, debriefed,
and sometimes, expunged. “Henry could want you to come in for
protection from Matheson.
“Id like to think that. Valerie took a slow swal ow of Scotch and
shook her head. “But Id be foolish to assume that just because weve
had a professional association for twenty years that were friends. If hes
Mathesons connection, Im a liability now.
“Thats why youre bet er of here. Cam finished her drink. “We had an
incident in Boston the other night. An armed assailant penetrated our
perimeter and got of a couple of shots before we contained him.
“Who was the
target?
“We dont know. Emory Constantine, a high profile and not so popular
stem cel researcher, was with us. It might have been her. It might
have Blair. It might even have been Diane.
“Diane? Valeries face became expressionless, as cool as carved marble.
“What would be the point? If someone took her out, theyd have
nothing to hold over my head.
“No one? Family? Old
lovers?
An old sorrow seemed to claim Valerie for a split second, softening her
features. “You of al people should know that other than you, theres no
one. Only Diane. You had someone guarding her?
“Savard. We were lucky, there. Cam grimaced. “Its possible Matheson
plans to clean house and take us al down.
“Then we need to get to him
first.
“We might not be able to unless we force Henry to rol over. Do you
have any idea how we can find him?
Valerie shook her head. “I never once met him in an of ice. He
could be stationed in California for al I know. God, Cameron, the
man has run my life since I was a teenager and I dont even know his ful
name. She laughed harshly, her eyes bleak. “What kind of fool does that
make me?
“We both know thats not what its about. Cam extended her hand across
the table and Valerie clasped her fingers fleetingly. “Youve done a job
most of us
couldnt do far longer than anyone should have to. That doesnt make you
a fool in my book, it makes you a hero.
“Thank
you,
Valerie
whispered.
“I take it youve tried to locate him some other way than through a
meet?
“I was hoping to discover his identity and Ive cal ed in every marker I
have. Or thought I had. Valeries disil usionment shone through
beneath the composed façade she wore so ef ortlessly. “Ive tried every
source I know, but in the last few weeks, those have mysteriously dried
up. Contact numbers are no longer in service, bank accounts are suddenly
closed, drop boxes have new locks.
“Youre being cut
of .
Valerie nodded. “It could stil just be to force me to make contact, or it
could be the first step in removing me.
“I dont suppose you have a
photograph?
“No, and its not like the Company keeps a roster of employees that I
could go through.
Cam laughed. “Now, that would defeat the purpose of being a spy,
wouldnt it?
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