When he reared back to slap her, Zoric caught him around the chest, pulling him back.
“Enough.” Zoric saw the fear spring into Tessa’s eyes as she cowered against the possibility of feeling Chase’s wrath.
She lunged forward toward the kitchen where she’d seen her uncle fall. From the corner of her eye Tessa knew both men reached for her. But it was Sam who caught her by the hair jerking her to the floor. Her back slammed so hard she wondered if something hadn’t broken. Her tail bone would definitely never be the same.
Sam kneeled down on one knee. She ran her gun up the middle of Tessa’s chest and neck until it rested beneath her chin. “We meet again, Betty Crocker. I see you’re headed for the kitchen where you belong.” Sam cooed with a vicious smirk.
Trying to wiggle away only made Sam spring to her feet and step on Tessa’s bad arm. When she cried out, Sam smiled over at Chase who waved her off. Frowning, the female agent joined others who began questioning one of the surviving attackers.
The captain glared at her through what looked like slits for eyes. His jaw tightened and released several times as he looked at the mayhem around him. She couldn’t help but wonder if he were trying to estimate how many witnesses he’d need to silence after he killed her.
Rolling to her hip, Tessa made an ungraceful attempt to stand. Chase watched her like a hungry lion. He made no attempt to assist her painful rise. Another agent offered his hand until Chase cleared his throat and jerked his head in a motion to leave. The anger in his ridged stance warned Tessa she’d have to tread lightly. Too many lies had passed between them in the last year. Why would he believe her now?
She put her hand timidly on the kitchen door and grimaced as she tried to open it.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Chase said cutting her off. “You’re going to pay for what you did to the president. If I ever find that worthless uncle of yours I’m…”
Tessa straightened. “Find him? He was just inside this door. Those men knocked him down when he was protecting the president.” She barreled into him without much affect. “Get out of my way,” she demanded half-heartedly. He didn’t budge but even so, she could see into the kitchen. “Where did they take him? Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he had another seizure.” The unforgiving voice of the captain gave Tessa pause as she looked up at him.
“He was right here,” she said forcefully pointing down at the floor. “Ask one of the agents.”
Chase grabbed her by the arm and shook her before throwing her back against Zoric who approached cautiously. “Who should I ask? That one? Because he didn’t make it. How about Charlie over there? Wait. No, he’s dead too.” He pointed at the others. Some would live but they were in shock or badly injured. “I think you better come up with a better story.”
“Or what? You’ll shoot me in the foot?” She shook her fist at him. “I was trying to protect the president, not kill him, you idiot.” This seemed to push him to the edge as his jaw began to flex. He stepped toward her.
Tessa cringed as she tried to turn into Zoric who only stepped away from her toxic presence.
“Captain Hunter?” It was Ari, one of the prime minister’s men. “The president is asking for Mrs. Scott.”
Chase grabbed her by the forearm and dragged her after him. She tripped once and nearly fell to the floor. He pulled her up with such force, she wondered if falling hadn’t been a better option. “You’re hurting me,” she yelled, trying to land a fist on his chest with her free hand.
When Chase opened the door to the safe room he was stunned to see the president covered in so much blood. He was awake and talking to the prime minister who was the color of paste. John Elliott, his bodyguard, could barely breathe as his eyes looked up at Chase.
Tessa pried Chase’s grip from her arm and fell down next to the president. Taking his hand, she bent closer and tried to fake a smile. She felt Chase grab her shoulder when the president started to speak.
“Gilad?”
“Yes, old friend.”
“If that big brute doesn’t turn Mrs. Scott loose, I want you to shoot him.”
Chapter 20
The large hand slid over Tessa’s bare shoulder and squeezed long enough for her to know Captain Hunter could jerk her to her feet if he chose. For good measure, she pushed his hand off, as if it were a brown recluse spider before turning back to the president. She was aware of men speaking into cyber space to obtain help for the injured, especially for the man who lay beneath her fingertips.
The building quaked against the ferocious storm. The roar of winds screamed through weaknesses in the exterior and broken windows. Even though they were protected against flying glass and rain they all knew the guests in the rest of the hotel had not been so lucky.
Chase peeled away the president’s shirt after kneeling across from Tessa. He started to gingerly relieve him of the bullet proof vest. Someone had already managed to take his jacket. Blood still flowed down his neck to his shoulder. The president tried to look over at the wound, but released a sigh when his strength failed him.
“Mrs. Scott,” the president whispered hoarsely.
Tessa leaned in after pushing her fallen locks behind her ears. Her hands quivered as she took his right hand that reached toward her. It felt clammy. Blood began to dry between his fingers. His grip now reminded her of her small daughter’s instead of the powerful, almost painful, handshake he’d used with her earlier in the evening.
“Yes, Mr. President.” Tessa tried to smile without letting her eyes reveal the tears she forced back.
“You pinched me,” he declared wrinkling his forehead.
“You wouldn’t let me protect you, Sir. And you tried to take my gun.”
“Hmm. Well I guess,” he swallowed then licked his dry lips. “I guess I owe you my life. Thank you.” Tessa took the bottle of water being handed to her from one of the Secret Service.
“Take a sip.” He shook his head no. “Please, Mr. President. We have a long evening ahead of us and we really need you to take orders.” She stole a glance at Chase who eyed her cautiously before slipping his arm under the president and raising him just enough for him to take some water.
“I’m tired,” he sighed. “Everyone stop looking at me like,” he coughed, “like I’m dying.”
“Rest, Mr. President. We’ll get you to a hospital soon.” Chase laid him back down as if he were a newborn.
“Did you get those guys?” His eyes shut in fatigue. “Who were they?”
Chase replaced the once white linen napkins from the open wound with new ones. “Most of them. Jake Wakefield got away.” His eyes cut to Tessa as his bottom lip stuck out in disgust. “We don’t know who they were.”
“No.” The president tried to move his head as he opened his eyes. “Wakefield.”
“What about him, sir?”
“Fought for me.” His eyes squinted in pain. “Protected us.”
“You must be mistaken, Mr. President.” Chase leaned back on his heels. “He was here to kill you.”
“No. Help.” He looked over at John Elliott who seemed to be fading. “Ask John.”
Chase reached out and laid a hand on John’s leg. “Is this true?”
John nodded. “If he hadn’t been there we’d all be dead. Took us by surprise.” He started to slip away into unconsciousness. “Saw them drag him inside the kitchen. Another way out. Injured too.” Then he was gone into darkness.
The captain jerked his head around to stare at Tessa who had poured water on another napkin and began cleaning the president’s face. Silent tears were streaking her eyeliner and her nose started to run. “He’s unconscious.”
Tessa felt herself being pulled up by strange hands as Chase stepped over the president and let others see to his immediate needs. He led Tessa to the side, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the president. When someone blocked her line of sight, she surveyed the room. She spotted Ari and Micah hovering around the prime min
ister as he paced. There was a mixture of fear and revenge in his eyes as he spoke on a cell phone. All the adrenaline coursing through her veins minutes earlier now evaporated. Just as she wondered if her knees were capable of holding her up, Tessa felt Chase’s arm around her waist. His touch comforted her as much as it had terrified her in the corridor.
~~~
“Easy, Tess,” he whispered as he led her to a toppled metal chair which he managed to upright with his foot. Easing her down she leaned back only to feel the cold jolt through her skin. Chase laid his hand against her shoulders and rubbed up and down before removing his suit coat. Wrapping it around her bare skin, he could still smell the lotion she must have rubbed into her neck and arms before coming to the banquet. Although it now mixed with the smell of gunpowder, he felt his body stir, imagining how he might eventually explore her body.
Chase squatted down next to her and looked up into her face which she turned away with a haughty disposition. She jerked her chin up in a show of false bravery. He placed his hand on her thigh, noting it was now caked with the president’s blood. Moving her leg away she reached to knock his hand away from touching her. He grabbed her hand tightly with one hand, then pulled her legs toward him with the other.
Even though she tried to pull free and pry his hand off with her free fingers, he held tight. In fear more than frustration, she took a swing at him and connected to his jaw with her fist. He closed his eyes and swallowed, feeling his face begin to throb again.
Sucking in her breath she imagined the pain he must be feeling. “Chase,” she whispered with remorse. His jacket slid away as her arms went around his neck. His face pressed against her throat as his hands slipped around her waist. The moment lasted only a split second as he gently pushed her away. Timidly she touched his face with her fingertips before reaching to her cheek to wipe away the trails of black mascara. Shaking her head, Tessa surveyed Chase’s terribly swollen face.
“I didn’t know Jake planned to hit you. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Honest.”
Pouring some water on napkins he wiped the blood from her upper thighs. The deliberate downward motion rubbed warmth not only into her legs but parts of him. His thoughts rushed toward the alley the night before with Tessa’s legs wrapped around him. The ebb of passion appeared to awaken in her and duty prevented him from taking advantage of the moment. He exhaled.
“Honest? You and I have some real trust issues.” He fought the urge to push the blond curls away from her cheeks that stuck to the black eyeliner. “We’re going to have to work on that.”
Tessa did the little girl nod as a sign of fear and surrender. “I know. I know. Just how much trouble am I in, Chase?” Her eyes searched his or at least what she could see of them. She so wanted to comfort him. It was way too crowded for any of that.
Chase patted her leg and felt her bruised fingers entwine with his. “According to the president you’re some kind of hero. I doubt he’d let Enigma take disciplinary action.”
“I was afraid you were going to kill me,” she choked. “You hurt me.” The sound of betrayal claimed her voice.
His eyes dropped to their hands and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. “Something I’ll regret for the rest of my life, I’m sure.” Chase tried to sound amused as he smiled unconvincingly. “I need you to stop lying to me.” His hand began to squeeze.
“Okay.”
“When I say ‘stop lying’ that means always tell me the truth,” he warned.
“What if it’s a life or death situation and…” she saw his mouth tighten. “I will. Promise.”
“Tessa, so help me the next time you pull one of your tricks I’ll turn you across my knee.” He inhaled deeply again. “I…” he stopped, thinking hard of what to reveal about his attraction. “I care about my team. You are part of that for now. I can’t have you deviating from the plan. I don’t care if it’s the Lord Almighty telling you what to do. I’m the one who gives orders and you’re the one who follows them. I can make your life miserable if you refuse to comply. I can wreck your life with the push of a button. You have got to learn to trust us. There is no other option for you now.”
“Am I going to jail?” She tried unsuccessfully to remove her hand from his and leaned her face closer to his.
He reached up to touch her face with his free hand and thought better of it. “No. But I can’t promise your uncle won’t. He’s in some serious trouble.”
“But he can explain. He had help.”
Chase pulled his coat back around her shoulders. “From who?”
“Me.” It was the voice of Gilad Levi, the Prime Minister of Israel.
~~~
The vice president felt better after munching on some saltine crackers and cheese. Terry found another Dr. Pepper in the back of the refrigerator. They shared the small meal on the deck overlooking the blue water. The two men got along better than most people Terry had been responsible for protecting. He actually liked the vice president and his wife. Some Secret Service agents had not been so lucky over the years. There were stories of agents being treated poorly or spoken to like servants. But both the president and vice president appreciated their protection details and never failed to praise their service.
Mrs. McCall had once made the agents come in out of the rain while they posted outside their Maine home. Another time she’d brought them earmuffs and scarves with hot chocolate every hour. She spoiled them. Last Christmas she’d given a party in honor of their protection detail along with other staff members. They made life bearable for the vice president. All the children and spouses received generous gifts because of their sacrifice. She never missed a birthday, anniversary or graduation concerning the families of those that served. The proceeds from the two books she’d written went to a scholarship fund for those children of agents who’d died in the line of duty.
Terry stood and stretched as he spotted the returning yacht. “You better look chipper if you’re thinking of fishing tomorrow.”
“I’m lots better. I feel like I could eat a horse.”
“Don’t let those animal activists hear you say that if you ever plan to run for president.” Terry grinned at the vice president as another agent rushed out with a phone. “What is it?”
The agent looked over at the vice president groaning as he pushed himself out of the chaise and meandered toward the railing to watch the yacht. He could see the vice president’s wife come on deck as the vice president waved to her.
Terry clicked off and tossed the phone back to the second agent. He grabbed the vice president by the arm and tugged. “You need to come inside, Sir.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“The president has been shot.” He tried to pull him, but the vice president was so stunned he froze.
“Peggy,” he whispered as both the men looked out to see the yacht idle the engines and begin its arrival.
“Mr. Vice President, we need…”
Before he could finish the order an explosion rocked the air, forcing both men down onto the floor of the deck. Immediately, two more agents were at their side dragging them to safety.
Jumping to his feet Terry assisted the vice president only to feel him stagger backwards. Everyone watched the debris flutter down like an animated cartoon to where the yacht sailed seconds earlier. It was gone.
~~~
Amon turned slowly to eye the Speaker of the House. Sitting in a folding chair with a cup of coffee in hand, the congressman’s eyes took in his surroundings with contempt. The sneer he wore each time one of Amon’s men entered the room spoke volumes. Something told him even when Jim Gault became president nothing would change between Israel and the United States.
Too many Americans like the “kick ass” attitude the tiny nation demonstrated to the world. In their minds it was the land of Jesus, and you couldn’t turn your back on Jesus. The evangelical right seemed to think of the Egyptians as the people who drove Moses across the Red Sea only to have it collapse on the Pharaoh’s army.
The liberal left saw it as political suicide to vote against Israel. A great many wealthy Israelis contributed to their campaigns.
Although relations eroded with the last president, the current administration appeared to be on good terms with the prime minister. He wondered if it had something to do with the prime minister’s brother being a leading security advisor to the president. Or perhaps the current political climate with Egypt was seen by many Americans as toxic.
Why send money for the military when the Pentagon had cut back on supporting their own troops around the world? Money that went for better education and health care for Egypt’s poor was viewed as outrageous considering the state of affairs with American students. Shoring up infrastructure between Alexandria and Lake Nasser when thousands of bridges in the U.S. needed to be replaced became fodder for conservative talk show hosts each night.
The fact that several Egyptians were involved in bringing down the Twin Towers on 9/11 stuck in American craws. Riots, protests and the beatings of Coptic Christians in the streets of Cairo left Americans resenting any involvement with a people that couldn’t appreciate democracy. Voting the Muslim Brotherhood into power then changing their minds a year later, brought Egypt to the brink of ruin once again. Tourism, the life blood of Egypt, had all but dried up. No longer safe to travel to the Pyramids of Giza or float the Nile to view the civilization that had given the world so much kept Americans home.
Sometimes Amon felt ashamed of his country’s inability to cooperate and make progress. Centuries taught them to be corrupt and honor strength through force to achieve success and control. The money, like the tourists, would soon dry up if Americans chose to put pressure on politicians in Washington.
This act of madness was another act of terrorism fashioned by the third most powerful man in the United States. No good would come of it. Was it too late to change course, or should he see it through and hope the speaker spoke the truth in his promises to protect Egypt?
Winds of Deception (Enigma Series Book 2) Page 21