The-Forgetful-Spy-Santiago

by The Forgetful Spy (lit)

  There had been no change in her condition, but Paul had asked him to come. Colin found Paul’s new more tolerant feelings a welcome surprise considering his previous and repeated threats to keep them apart. He hoped Paul’s improved attitude would last.

  Rounding the corner towards a hallway leading to a reception area off the stairway, he saw Paul waiting for him.

  Arms crossed, sporting a grim expression, Paul Kelly was an imposing figure. At least for some, not for Colin. With a scowl, he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and back at Colin as if he were late. He wasn’t.

  “Thanks for letting me come to see her.” Colin wanted to start off on a good note.

  “She hasn’t woken up yet.” Paul turned and walked to a door next to the reception desk. He put his palm on the reader and leaned in so the retinal scan could identify him. The door clicked open and together they strolled into a long white corridor.

  Once through the security door, Paul added, “There have been some complications.”

  “What complications? Is she going to be okay?” A streak of fear went through to his soul.

  Paul tilted his head back and stretched his neck before answering. “She has a concussion. The scientists don’t know what impact it will have on the Protocol implants already in place in her head.”

  “Implants? Sounds like a nefarious science fiction movie. How does the whole Protocol Agency implant thing work anyway? If you don’t mind my asking?”

  “I do mind,” Paul said and pierced him with a narrow-eyed disgruntled look. After a few seconds he sighed and continued, “but since you already know the biggest secret regarding her two personalities, I guess I can share a few things with you.

  “The Protocol Agency is essentially an experiment in manufactured spies. I won’t bore you with the historical or scientific details, but suffice it to say that individuals who met certain limited criteria were introduced into the program.

  “Our candidates were set up into the stable environment of a simple, quiet life. We hired retired government agents to act as live-in handlers, for lack of a better term.”

  “Like Laurie’s aunt?”

  “Yes. Fiona isn’t her biological aunt, she just pretends for the purposes of the Protocol Agency. Fiona’s primary function is to manage Laurie’s daily life with regard to mission departures and returns. Along with that, she’s supposed to keep unwanted relationships in check.”

  Colin smiled. “I don’t think Laurie ever told her about me.”

  Paul shook his head and glanced at the ceiling. “There are many things both Rachel and Laurie failed to share with regard to you. The problem is that she doesn’t meet the minimum criteria for insertion into the Protocol program.”

  Colin huffed. “Then why did you recruit her?”

  “I didn’t,” Paul grated out. “She was brought in and trained without my knowledge in a separate facility. Trust me, if I’d known, I would have stopped it. But by the time I found out, she was fully integrated in the program. It was too late.”

  “Why didn’t you just kick her out?” Colin asked.

  Paul rolled his eyes. “Lots of reasons.”

  “Name one.”

  Paul drew in a deep breath and sighed heavily. “I wasn’t able to remove her because a certain Senator with a grudge against me insists she remain in the program. The nature of the Protocol Agency makes it impossible for her to just exit the program on a whim. There are particular training protocols that are ingrained into her mind along with the implants and she must be monitored. I’ve done my best to protect her by only sending her on selective missions, but even that was a strain. My complaints over her inabilities have fallen on deaf ears.

  “Ultimately, the certain Senator overseeing the project told me that I wasn’t in the position to scrap a multi-million dollar program for my own personal reasons.”

  “Not even for the health of one of your agents?”

  Paul closed his eyes and opened them quickly again. “No. Not even for that. I thought I could shield her. Obviously, I’ve failed. However, if I were to quit or get myself kicked off the project then someone else would instantly replace me. The Senator in charge would then be able to dictate that Rachel go on every available mission regardless of her mental or physical state.

  “I can’t count on my successor being more lenient than I already am with regard to Laurie’s special predicament.”

  “Why does this certain Senator want her in the Protocol Agency program in the first place?”

  “He’s a vengeful bastard.”

  Colin laughed. “What’s Senator Bremer got on you?”

  If Paul was surprised over Colin’s knowledge of who his funding was overseen by he didn’t show it. Ken had shared his limited knowledge during the recent debriefing.

  Paul took a deep breath and after a very long pregnant pause he said, “A long time ago, when I was young and stupid, I got involved with Senator Bremer’s daughter. I didn’t know who she was at the time. I just knew that she intrigued me.

  “Jessica was something special and for some reason she sought me out. She chased me from the get go.

  “The senator told her I was unacceptable and demanded she stop seeing me or he’d discontinue funding her lavish lifestyle. I expected her to leave me. Unfortunately, as it turned out, she rebelled. She quit college and gave up her rich life to live with me and it led to her death.”

  Colin asked, “What happened?”

  “The case I was working went south and the guy we were after got my personal information and came after me. He found Jessica at our apartment first and killed her before I made it home.

  “The Senator blamed me. And I blamed myself. If it weren’t for our relationship, his daughter would still be alive.”

  “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

  Paul shrugged.

  “How long ago did this happen?”

  “Fifteen years ago.”

  “Time to move on, don’t you think?”

  He nodded in Laurie’s direction. “She’s been occupying my full attention.”

  “Well, now she’ll occupy my full attention.” Colin smiled.

  They’d covered the distance of the long hallway to another door. Paul repeated his palm and retina scan to gain access. Once inside it was as if they’d stepped into a hospital ward.

  A nurses station was on the left manned by several men and women all dressed in white lab coats over green surgical scrubs. Paul led him past the desk and turned down a short hallway.

  Glass-walled rooms lined either side of the hall. The antiseptic smell was like every hospital he’d ever visited. Even with his eyes closed he would know he was in a hospital of some sort simply by breathing in.

  There were no other patients until they got to Laurie’s room at the end. She rested peacefully in a narrow hospital bed propped up as if she’d merely dozed off. A white coated attendant checked various machines around her as they watched.

  “Can I go in?”

  “In a minute. I thought we could talk some more first.”

  “Is this where you ask me my intentions?”

  Paul continued to stare through the glass and a light smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Something like that.”

  “I already confessed my love for her. Do you want a signed statement in my blood?” Colin placed his palm on the glass and leaned his forehead on the back of his hand.

  A long sigh erupted from Paul. “What if I told you she can’t support two personalities? What if we had to choose either Rachel or Laurie?” He turned a piercing glare Colin’s way.

  “Is that a real possibility or just conjecture to scare me?”

  Paul laughed mirthlessly and turned to watch through the glass. “The scientists tell me that given her history over the past several months that it is a real possibility. Scaring you is just a bonus.

  “We don’t even know which personality she’s going to wake up with next. That’s the only reason I invited you along toda
y.”

  “I should have known that I wasn’t here out of the goodness of your heart.”

  “A relationship complicates her already complex life with our group. There is a reason we don’t allow boyfriends into the mix. You may have caused irreparable damage as it is.”

  “I don’t want to hurt her. I want to make a life with her.”

  Paul laughed out loud. “I can’t imagine that will be possible.”

  “Impossible or not, I’m not abandoning her.”

  Colin watched as the woman he loved stirred in the bed. The monitor next to her beeped a rapid staccato of blips and the attendant inside ran around the foot of the bed to check the screen.

  Rachel, or maybe Laurie, bolted upright in bed and screamed, “Colin!”

  * * * *

  Rachel woke with a headache throbbing in her brain before she even opened her eyes. Her first thought beyond the pain was of Colin. Where was he?

  As a matter of fact, where was she?

  Opening her eyes, she noted the hospital surroundings first. She shot up into a sitting position and shrieked his name at the top of her lungs.

  The attendant pushing buttons on a piece of machinery next to her bed jumped and dropped his metal clipboard. Across the room through the glass wall, she saw Paul and Colin watching. Then they both scrambled to her bedside.

  Colin grabbed her hand. “How are you, darlin’? I’ve been worried.”

  She squeezed his fingers linking her fingers through his to hold him in place. Putting the other hand to her head, she struggled to keep her brain from trying to burst out of her forehead. “I have a headache that has surpassed the worst possible migraine level. Otherwise, I’m okay.”

  Both men looked at her expectantly. No one said anything. She wondered why Colin was allowed to be by her side, but was glad he was here.

  “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”

  Paul cleared his throat. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  Rachel scrunched her forehead. “I was in a cabin somewhere and I fought with Serena Ortega because she had Colin handcuffed to another bed.

  “She pushed me into the bed post and then it was lights out for me. That’s probably why I have such a wicked headache.”

  Paul nodded but the concern remained etched in his face. It was uncharacteristic for him to be so concerned. Maybe he was mad that she let herself be captured by them in the first place.

  “What are you mad about? It wasn’t the driver’s fault we got run off the road. The tires were shot out and the vehicle was taken over quickly. Then they shot me with a tranquilizer. I woke up at the cabin. A few hours later they brought Colin in, also out cold, and tied him to the bed. When he woke up, I kicked some ass.”

  Paul smiled and nodded, which confused her. He was never this calm. He was acting very strangely.

  “I’m not mad. I just want you to recover.”

  Rachel turned to Colin. “What happened after I passed out? She didn’t use the whip on you, did she?”

  “No. She tried to kick you while you were down so I shot her. She’s dead.”

  “And Montoya?”

  Colin smiled. “He’s in custody.”

  Rachel turned to Paul. “What happened to the driver in Chicago? He tried to protect me before I got tranquilized.”

  “We found him in the trunk of the vehicle. He was shot in the chest.” Paul frowned.

  “Is he dead?” Rachel remembered how hard the driver had fought to keep her safe. Unfortunately, they’d been out-manned, out-gunned and ultimately overpowered.

  “No. He’s in intensive care, but he’s expected to make it.”

  “Good. Then all is right with the world. Dope me up with some pain meds and I’ll be good to go.”

  Paul smiled again. His calm attitude was unnerving. “We have a few tests yet to run. You smacked your head pretty hard.”

  Rachel shrugged. “Fine.”

  Colin brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Thanks for helping me escape from Serena’s evil clutches again.”

  “Sure.” She would have said more, but Paul interrupted, “Why don’t you close your eyes and rest up? We’ll be right outside your door.”

  She nodded but the movement was too much. It felt like her brain was sloshing around loose in her head. Closing her eyes, she squeezed Colin’s hand one last time and released it.

  Someday soon when her head wasn’t in such pain, she would demand that Paul let her see Colin. She loved him.

  It shouldn’t be such a big deal for them to have a relationship on the side.

  Not to mention that they made one hell of a team.

  * * * *

  “She was Rachel this time,” Colin said under his breath once they were out of her room.

  Paul nodded and motioned the guy in the white coat to follow them out.

  “What did you do to make her come back as Rachel, Dr. Denton?”

  The guy’s eyes widened. “Nothing. She’s switching back and forth on her own. There’s no way to predict who she’ll be any time she rouses.”

  Paul’s hand wiped down his face. “Have you given her anything for the pain?”

  “We don’t know what impact it will have. We don’t want to make her condition worse.”

  Colin frowned. “That’s barbaric. She shouldn’t have to suffer.”

  Dr. Denton huffed. “And if we give her a strong narcotic pain medication she might drift into a coma and never come out.”

  “Give her something non-narcotic then.” Paul threw his hands up. “What’s the problem?”

  “Senator Bremer. He wants her put back into the program as soon as possible. He specifically insisted I not risk a coma. He doesn’t want to risk losing her as an agent.”

  Paul’s face blossomed red instantly. He grabbed the front of the doctor’s shirt and stuck his face close. “You answer to me, not him!”

  “I answer to both of you.” The doctor’s face reached an ugly shade of purple.

  Paul leaned even closer. “Then grow some balls and tell the senator that she’s too sick to continue as an agent.”

  “I like my job and Senator Bremer pays for everything.”

  “You’re a doctor first. Don’t you have an oath?”

  “I’m technically a scientist, not a medical doctor. I won’t do anything to risk her overall health, but I will push the boundaries.”

  Colin wanted to clean the doctor’s clock. From the look on Paul’s face, he’d certainly help.

  “What’s it going to take to get her out of the Protocol Agency?”

  Dr. Denton’s smug expression said nothing was going to get her out of the Protocol Agency. Colin was back to planning a fistfight but someone called the doctor from down the hall.

  Another guy in a white lab coat approached from the direction of the nurses’ station and handed Dr. Denton a sheaf of papers. He ignored Paul’s question to study the papers in his hand. His eyes widened as if in utter shock.

  “Doctor? What is it?” Paul prompted.

  “We have another problem.”

  Colin didn’t want to hear about anything other than Rachel getting some pain medication. “Now what?”

  “We ran some other standard tests and came across something unexpected. You might just get your wish to have her removed from the Protocol Agency after all.”

  Paul shot Colin a look of speculative interest and asked, “Good. Tell me how.”

  The doctor sent a stern gaze to Colin. “She’s pregnant.”

  * * * *

  Eyes wide, Colin sucked in a sharp breath and bent at the waist, slapping a hand to his midsection. Thus he missed it when Paul fisted his hand and took a step in his direction to deliver a sound blow to his jaw. Paul only stopped because the part about having Laurie removed from the Protocol Agency finally registered.

  Balled up fist leading the way, he paused and asked, “Does that mean she’s out of the program?”

  Dr. Denton frowned, drop
ped his eyes to the papers in his hand and fidgeted in his place before answering, “Yes. I guess it does.”

  “And Senator Bremer won’t be able to interfere?”

  “No.” Dr. Denton’s whole body shrunk down. Paul knew he hated to disappoint the senator. Shaking his head, the doctor retreated into Rachel’s room without saying anything else.

  Colin blew out the deep breath he’d been holding, straightened his spine and cautiously eyed Paul’s fist hanging in the air.

  Paul dropped his hand and unclenched his fist. “I should kick your ass for getting my niece pregnant, but I owe you big for getting her out of the Protocol program.”

  Colin’s mouth fell open in shock. “She’s your niece?” His hand went to his midsection again and rubbed like he had a sudden ulcer erupt in his gut.

  Paul nodded and glanced back into her room. “My older sister and her husband died in a car accident when she was five. I was her only surviving relative.

  “Twenty some years ago, I wasn’t in any position to care for her. So with the money from her parents’ generous life insurance policy, I put her in a very expensive private boarding school. Several years ago a private detective hired by Senator Bremer found her, recruited her, trained her for the Protocol Agency and pretty much made my life a living hell from that point forward. He called it retribution.”

  Dr. Denton exited Rachel’s room. “Her vital signs are weakening. We need to get the Protocol implants out soon. You understand that she’ll most likely lose all the extensive training we’ve put her through.”

  “I don’t care. I have other agents. She was never supposed to be in this program in the first place and you know it. Now take care of her.”

  “Will you sign the paperwork?”

  “Yes.” Hallelujah. Paul wanted to do a dance.

  “And you’ll be the one to deal with Senator Bremer?”

  Damn it. “Of course.”

  “Once we remove the implants there is no guarantee she’ll recover fully.” Dr. Denton didn’t look him in the eye.

  Colin asked, “But what will happen if you don’t take them out?”