Assassin Games (Tarnished Heroes)

by Bristol, Sidney

  “Jan Schulz?” Carol stepped forward.

  Jan glanced at her, his brows drawing down and lips parting.

  “Can I walk with you?” She glanced over her shoulder, the constant feeling of an unknown presence pressing in on her.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” Jan blinked. He didn’t use her name, and he didn’t speak loudly.

  “Something’s happened and I need your help, but we need to move.” She fisted her hands in her pockets. Andy would follow at a distance. She wasn’t worried about losing him; it was whose interest they might catch that concerned her.

  “This way.” Jan gestured to the left. She fell into step beside him. “I leave within the hour. What can I do for you?”

  “Leave? But—you aren’t supposed to leave until tomorrow.” She gaped up at him. Had they been wrong?

  “Yes, the storm has changed our plans.”

  “Jan, this is going to sound crazy and you might not believe me, but I need your help. I need to get home as soon as possible, but…”

  “I know who you work for,” he said so softly she might have missed it.

  “What I’m working on is a risk to both our countries.”

  “How many are there?”

  “Many—what?”

  “Your team. You aren’t here alone, are you?”

  “No. It’s just me and one other.” Carol glanced around. “I’d tell you more, but—”

  “Say no more.” Jan stopped at the side of a black car and hit a button. “In. Where’s your other person?”

  “I don’t…know.” She searched the street, but Andy was invisible.

  “In the car then.”

  If she got in the car that meant she and Andy would be separated. Would he find her? How would they communicate? But if she didn’t get in the car now they might not make it back to the States in time. This was her chance to shine a light on a festering wound.

  Andy could take care of himself. This was something only she could do.

  Carol slid into the passenger seat of the luxurious car.

  “I was just heading home to grab a few things, then to the airport.” Jan settled behind the steering wheel, peering across at her. “I’d say it’s nice to see you, but…”

  “I wish it were under different circumstances.” Carol smiled. “Congratulations on the new appointment, by the way.”

  “Thank you—”

  The back door opened and Andy slid in, bag on his lap.

  “He belongs to you?” Jan asked, peering into the rearview mirror.

  “Yes. Jan this is—”

  “I don’t need to know,” Jan said.

  Carol stared at the side of his head. Was he serious? He didn’t want—or need—to know more? Just because he and Carol had played together as children didn’t mean either of them could be trusted. Still, she had no business looking a gift horse in the mouth.

  Jan merged with the slow-moving traffic.

  She shifted in her seat, unable to get comfortable. Hours spent sitting seemed to have put permanent knots in her muscles.

  “I’m honored you would remember me after all this time,” Jan said.

  “Mom keeps a scrapbook of all her exchange students. It’s the most sentimental thing she does. She follows all of you, you know? It’s the one topic we can chat about that’s…nice.” Carol smiled to keep from crying. It was hard to keep from regretting canceling all those lunches and afternoons with Mom. Maybe Carol would have found out about Jan that way instead of from Nate?

  By now her mother knew something was wrong. It was her greatest fear that Carol would turn out like her father. That was why Carol had taken a desk job, wasn’t it? And now, here she was, in the field.

  “When we get to the airfield, stay in the car. I’ll speak with my staff first.” Jan pulled the car up to a swanky-looking building, complete with a uniformed doorman. “Running up for a moment.”

  Jan got out, leaving them sitting in the car.

  Carol twisted to look at Andy.

  He shook his head.

  She closed her mouth and stared at him staring out of the window.

  It shouldn’t be this easy, should it?

  …

  “I had a visual,” Georgia said into the phone.

  “Where?” the woman on the other end of the line said.

  “Berlin. You were right, they’re using her mother’s exchange students.”

  “Well, follow them!” she ordered.

  “I’m trying.”

  “Don’t try. Do it.”

  The line went dead.

  Georgia was going to have that woman’s head. She didn’t give two fucks who she thought she was, that uppity bitch had no idea how these things worked or who she was dealing with.

  She caught Tate’s eye across the street and nodded back toward their vehicle.

  They hadn’t realized Carol was right under their noses until she—and Andy—were in the German ambassador’s car. They’d been two more people decked out in winter clothes. It was a massive oversight on their part.

  At least Georgia wasn’t the only one to blame.

  Tate had the better vantage point and he hadn’t identified Carol first, either.

  Georgia pulled the van’s side door open and climbed in, Tate not far behind her.

  “You know who that was?” he asked.

  “Jan Schulz.”

  “He’s headed to America. What do you want to bet they’re going to try to catch a ride?”

  “When?”

  “It was tomorrow, but”—Tate peered at the sky—“what are the chances they’ll try for tonight?”

  “We need that flight plan.” Georgia climbed into the driver’s seat.

  “Working on it.” Tate pulled out a laptop and began typing away.

  She had the sick sensation that they were about to create an unplanned international incident, but there was too much on the line to lie in wait. Without knowing where the German ambassador was headed right now, the only point of convergence they had was the airport.

  …

  Andy stared at the small jet painted with the German flag.

  Officially, Jan Schulz would take on his ambassador duties next week. This trip to schmooze with the presidential candidate and others before either were in office was a strategic move. Many wanted to see a change in power at the White House, and Senator Fowler was a candidate the majority could get behind. Jan’s luck in being friendly with the man was no doubt a factor in his promotion.

  “I can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen,” Carol whispered, her voice nearly drowned out by the wail of the wind.

  “Relax.” He glanced over his shoulder at the hangar where too many people for his liking moved around. “If they don’t take off soon we’ll be grounded.”

  “Oh, don’t tell me that.”

  He squinted at the airport staff hustling around, covered from head to toe in snow gear.

  If they didn’t get on that plane soon they’d need to leave. Risking Jan’s assistance was a dangerous, foolhardy move. The diplomatic immunity would only do so much for them once they touched down on American soil. The CIA, not just the moles, were looking for Carol if her communication with Irene was to be believed.

  “There he is.” Carol popped her seat belt.

  Jan leaned out from the jet, waving at them. An aide and two airport staff were headed their way.

  “Hold on.” Andy reached out and grabbed her arm. “We keep low, we go fast. Stay right in front of me, understand? We do it together.”

  The man in the lead went down hard.

  Andy reached forward, shoving Carol’s head low and drawing his weapon.

  Bullets sparked off the tarmac, giving away the shooter.

  He peered at the left side of the car, where some distance away an empty luggage trolley provided cover for the shooters.

  “Out, now.” Andy ducked out the right side of the car, Carol crawling after him.

  The aide and bo
th airport staff lay on the ground, snow already dusting their bodies.

  The plane’s engines roared, drowning out any sound of gunfire. Was the pilot even aware of the shots fired? Maybe not.

  “On three, we go together, understand?” Andy had to get her on that plane.

  “What? No!” Carol gripped his arm.

  “Yes.” Andy racked the slide on his gun, chambering a round.

  The shooters had rifles and the advantage of cover. They wouldn’t have that.

  “Take the bag.” He handed the duffel to her and drew his second gun. “On three.”

  “No, please…”

  “One.”

  Andy stood and fired, shot after shot, then ducked.

  “Two.”

  He went to a knee, squeezing off more shots.

  There.

  The shooter darted between the empty cars.

  “Three—go.”

  Andy shouldered Carol forward, forcing her to move.

  He stared, sights focused on the space between the cars, walking blindly toward the jet, squeezing off more shots. One gun clicked, then the other.

  No more ammunition.

  “Go, go, go!”

  Carol climbed the stairs, one and two at a time.

  Andy felt more than heard the ping of bullets off the stairs. He shoved Carol up and forward, throwing them into the plane.

  The flight attendant gaped at them, babbling in German.

  “Andy? Andy!”

  He pushed up, shoving the firearms under him and out of sight. Until proven otherwise, they were innocent bystanders.

  The plane rolled forward.

  The woman rushed past him, securing the door, babbling about some guy named Hans, likely the dead man. For now, they were loaded and safe.

  “Carol? What happened?” Jan knelt next to them, the rest of his people looking on.

  “I…I don’t know…” she stammered.

  “Someone just tried to kill you, sir.” Andy leveled a stare at the man.

  Jan’s eyes went wide and he nodded.

  “Come. Sit.” He gestured at the rest of the plane. His staff scattered back behind a partial wall.

  Andy pushed up and held out his hand to Carol, while stashing his firearms under his coat.

  “We aren’t really taking off after…?” Carol took Andy’s hand, her skin still pale and ashen.

  “My dear.” Jan’s gaze went hard. “In these days we do not allow terror to deter us from what we must do.”

  “But… The plane?” she asked.

  “Is reinforced for exactly this reason. Come.”

  Jan ushered them through a narrow door into a small private office at the front of the plane, just behind the cockpit.

  “Seriously, what the fuck is going on?” Carol shoved a hand up under her hat, knocking it off.

  “That is what I’d like to know.” Jan closed the door behind them and stared at Carol. The plane continued to move, undeterred by the incident now behind them. “We are friends, and sometimes that means…trusting each other.”

  Andy studied Jan.

  He’d taken them in from the moment he realized it was Carol in front of them.

  What did he know?

  “There has been concern about your people.” Jan tucked his chin in.

  Andy doubted Jan meant the general American public by your people. Their team wasn’t the only ones worried about the moles and the leaks from the CIA.

  Someone had fucked up.

  “I…I don’t know…” Carol stammered, glancing from Jan to Andy and back.

  “He means we’re working on the same thing, Carol,” Andy said.

  “We are?” Carol gaped at Jan.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” He circled to the other side of the small desk and sat. “I was going to meet with Senator Fowler to voice my concerns while they would still be mine alone.”

  “We have proof,” Carol blurted.

  “You do?” Jan’s brows rose.

  “Not yet,” Andy said. “But we will.”

  “It seems that Providence has brought us together then.”

  Providence, or just Carol.

  Andy had to wonder who else she knew. What other connections did she have? And how much did she really need him?

  …

  Carol was ready to drop. She was so tired. The world seemed to be at the other end of a tunnel, all her senses wonky and out of touch. Some of the other passengers were sleeping, but she was too…on edge. It felt as though the other shoe would drop at any moment.

  “Here.” Andy held out a mini bottle of rum.

  “No, thank you.”

  “Drink it.”

  “I don’t want it.”

  “You need to relax.”

  “I am…dealing with it.” She took a deep breath and pressed her shoulders into the supple leather.

  “There are only two things that are going to make you unwind enough, and this is the one you’re going to prefer.”

  “What’s the other?” She frowned.

  Andy’s brows rose and his gaze traveled from her face to her shoulders and lower.

  He didn’t mean…

  “Give me the rum.” She couldn’t imagine how he thought to pull that one off with a plane full of people, unless he didn’t care about them.

  Andy twisted the cap off and gave it to her before sliding into his seat.

  Carol opened the can of Coke she hadn’t yet touched, drank enough to allow for the rum, and dumped it in. She couldn’t do rum straight, but this she could manage. And maybe he was right and she did need to relax.

  How on earth could he think about sex now? He was a man, but he wasn’t the average man. Not in any way. Even in bed he’d…exceeded expectations.

  She sipped the Coke and shifted.

  Where would he do it on a plane?

  She considered the lavatories, but they were in the most trafficked parts of the plane. Jan’s office was another possibility, but he was in there. Their small tour of the aircraft had shown them the office, the staff area, and the kitchen that separated the staff and guest areas, where they were now. It wasn’t as big or lavish as Air Force One, but it was a huge step up from flying commercial.

  “You’re thinking about it now, aren’t you?” Andy sounded awfully pleased with himself.

  She straightened in her seat and sipped more of the rum and Coke.

  How badly did she want to know?

  “I don’t understand how that’s what you’re thinking about right now. How—where—would you do it? There are people everywhere.” She gestured at the person passing them. Several of the staff paced. Constantly.

  “Right here.”

  “In front of everyone?” She wasn’t as horrified at the idea as she would have expected. The rum must be particularly strong.

  “You need to relax. Given that we don’t have medication on hand, that leaves liquor or sex.” He leaned a bit closer, whispering. “You’d just have to unbutton your pants.”

  “You’re serious?” She gaped at him.

  Andy grinned. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen that expression on his face. It was…boyish. Cute. Contagious. It did weird, uncomfortable things to her heart and stomach, probably not the reaction he’d intended, but he’d wormed his way deep into her heart.

  She shook her head and crossed one leg over the other.

  “You’re terrible,” she muttered.

  “I got your mind off other things, didn’t I?”

  “You wouldn’t really. You’re just trying to get in my head.” She narrowed her gaze. She was on to him now.

  “Your biggest mistake is assuming I care about getting caught.” He placed his hand on her thigh and slid his fingers to the point where she had her legs clamped tightly together, the heat of him far too near the apex of her thighs for her to not be wholly aware of his impact on her person.

  Did she believe him?

  It was hard to tell looking into his eyes. He seemed capable of anything. She could
call his bluff, and then what? He certainly seemed like he was ready to…act.

  “Hands to yourself.” She nudged his palm off her leg and back to his own lap. While she appreciated the gesture, his constant taking care of her, two people had potentially died today because of them. It was a heavy burden to bear after what happened to Nate.

  Andy took her hand in his. She liked the feel of his fingers twined with hers, the strength his grip implied. She had the strangest urge to sigh and lean into him, as though they were two lovers on a crazy, cross-Atlantic adventure.

  They weren’t lovers, regardless of her feelings for him. What they’d done, apart from work and running for their lives, wasn’t so simple. Need didn’t define a relationship. What they were was complicated and temporary. They were two people whose desires and priorities aligned for this period of time.

  Then why did she want to hold tight to him? Why was she glad, deep down, it hadn’t been Andy who’d died—was it the night before last? Time was running together. The only constant was Andy.

  She leaned her head toward him, resting it on his shoulder.

  “What will we do once we land? Are we splitting up, or is it better to tackle one thing at a time?” she asked.

  “We stick together,” he said.

  “Are you sure? Shouldn’t one of us go with Jan and talk to the senator?”

  “We can’t. They know we’re on this plane. Staying with your friend risks his life. Besides, all he needs to tell the senator is that his son has been arrested and spirited away. The rest, Jan clearly didn’t need us to confirm that the CIA has a massive leak issue.”

  “How are we going to get off the plane then?” She lifted her head and frowned at him.

  “You won’t like it…”

  “You’re going to put me in another crate?”

  “Worse. A suitcase.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Afraid so.”

  “And then what?”

  “I was able to make contact with another…friend. He’s going to pick us up in DC.”

  “What are we going to do? What can we do?” Carol was so in over her head she didn’t know how to tread the water.

  “We’ll go to my safe house. From there I can access the algorithm results. We can build a pool of suspects.”

  “That’s not enough now, though, remember? We need personnel files. The algorithm isn’t going to return those. That’s how we refine the list. Figure out who we’re really looking for.”