Capture Tomorrow

by Ann Heathman

“It won’t work anymore.”

  “Are you sure? It’s been working fine. It’s a new iPhone. I just got it, and…”

  She started to go get it, but Zach grabbed her arm and guided her back into the chair. “Your old phone won’t work anymore,” he said firmly.

  “O-kay,” she said, slowly taking a seat, curious as to what he was referring to.

  Laying the new phone in front of her, Zach continued. “This is your new phone. It’s called a Blackphone, and it has some special features I need to explain to you. First of all, you need to understand, it’s encrypted, so no one can eavesdrop on voice, video, or text messages.”

  She picked it up and looked it over.

  “When I call you or you call me, there will be a two word verbal challenge which should be identical on both of our screens. By repeating the words, you can verify you actually have a secure connection. To confirm, just tap the words, and the phone will display three green circles.”

  Arianna stared at him as she tried to absorb what he was saying. The phone looked just like her cell phone, but obviously, there was a vast difference between the two.

  “Also, I’ve set a burn notice on your phone of one hour. That’s a self-destruct setting for texts and other content. All texts will be deleted when the hour is up, so make sure you check your messages often because they’ll disappear in sixty minutes.”

  Arianna continued to stare at him and shake her head in wonderment. “And why would I need this type of phone?” she asked.

  It was Zach’s turn to stare. A long pause ensued before he finally responded. “Maybe you don’t. Maybe I do.”

  Silence fell on the balcony. Arianna opened her mouth to speak, but Zach stopped her.

  “Don’t. Don’t ask me any questions.” He paused, making his point perfectly clear. Continuing, he said, “I’ll be able to talk to you on this phone and no other, so don’t call me on any other phone if you expect an answer right away, if at all.”

  Arianna didn’t say anything. She knew any questions she had would fall on deaf ears. But this reminded her there was still much to be learned about who Zach was and what he did for a living. Things she wanted to, yet didn’t really want to know. Things he likely would never tell her anyway. He’d made that pretty clear back in Miami.

  She sighed and asked, “I don’t suppose it comes in pink or purple?”

  A slight smile crossed Zach lips, and he shook his head. “Afraid not.”

  He slid the phone across the table and told her, “You still have the same number, so no need to contact friends or family with a new number. And Arianna...”

  She looked up at him.

  “Don’t go anywhere without it. And don’t lose it.”

  THE BLACKPHONE was the same kind of phone all the men on his team used. It was the only secure way to talk to Arianna when he was away on a mission. It was spy resistant and had a powerful, remote wipe tool that allowed him to control the phone’s data from anywhere in the world. Also, location data automatically was sent to him, so he could verify where she was. He’d know where she was every minute, a handy tool if she were ever in trouble again.

  He didn’t want to get into it, but it was doubtful he would ever call her when he was away on a mission. Considering the intense situations he was in, he needed to stay focused on what he was doing to keep from getting killed. He knew too many men who had let their thoughts wander to events back home, and it hadn’t turned out well for them. Today wasn’t the day to go into that, however. There’d be plenty of time to deliver that bitter pill later.

  By ten o’clock, a limo was waiting to take Arianna, Lisa, and Camilla, Zach’s sister, to town for a day of shopping, primping, and pampering. Arianna noticed someone else had joined them as well. Sitting in the front seat with the driver was a new person, Raul, who she learned was to be her bodyguard. She found that puzzling. Why do I need a bodyguard? The FBI agent who had tried to kill her a month ago was dead, and as far she knew, there weren’t any new death threats hanging over her head. It was all a puzzle to her, and she intended to quiz Zach about it when she got home.

  Costa Luna had no malls or brand name department stores, but it did boast several upscale boutiques along the beach. Until this day, Arianna had only wandered through these establishments, never having the kind of money it took to buy anything from these upscale shops. Now she had the oddest feeling as she perused the merchandise in the first store they visited. She’d never known what it was like to be able to purchase whatever she wanted, but today she had both the means and the inclination to buy anything her heart desired.

  “Did Zach tell you about the dinner party at the country club tonight?” Camilla asked as they looked through the numerous racks of designer dresses. “It’s kind of a coming-out party for me. I think he’s trying to play cupid and find me a husband.”

  “No, he didn’t mention it,” Arianna responded, holding a dress to her face, checking to see if it was her color. “Cupid, eh? How do you feel about that?”

  “Well, if a handsome guy should happen to come along and sweep me off my feet, I wouldn’t turn him away.”

  The girls giggled.

  “In that case, I hope you meet prince charming tonight. Now, I especially need to find just the right dress to wear to this event. I currently only have the clothes on my back,” Arianna said. “We took off right from the hotel, only hours after Zach and I got back together in Miami. I arrived with nothing but my purse and the clothes I’m wearing.”

  “I think some of your more casual clothes are still in your old room,” Lisa interjected, “but you need something dressy to wear to this gathering.”

  “It’s odd, but I don’t think Zach has ever seen me in anything nice. I wore mostly t-shirts and shorts when I stayed at his estate a couple months ago.”

  “And a bathing suit and oh, you forgot about that servant’s uniform,” Lisa said, eliciting a laugh out of Arianna.

  “A servant’s uniform?” Camilla asked. “You wore a servant’s uniform? What was that all about?”

  “It’s a long story.” She found a dressing room to try on her selections. “Someday I’ll have to tell you all about it.”

  With so much to choose from, it didn’t take her long to acquire several beautiful outfits… certainly enough to begin to build her wardrobe of better clothes. The only downside to her shopping experience was the presence of Raul, the bodyguard. She found him to be an intrusion on her privacy. She especially disliked having him around in the lingerie department, and in all honesty, he didn’t look too happy to be there either.

  The final stop of the day was at the cosmetic’s department. Arianna replaced all of her make-up and stocked up on body lotions, gels, and perfumes... real perfume for the first time in her life— not eau de toilette.

  They had a luncheon reservation at the Hyatt on the beach where they dined on pan-seared sea scallops served on a bed of tri-color quinoa finished with lemon parsley butter.

  “It’s beautiful here.” Arianna looked out at the clear blue sea and sipped her wine. “And these scallops are delicious, but we have to hurry. We have a one o’clock appointment at the salon.”

  After lunch, they hurried to the preplanned appointments at a local beauty parlor. This was not the kind of salon Arianna was used to frequenting either. The ladies were met at the front door by an entourage of stylists, manicurists, and makeup artists. Settled in with a chilled glass of merlot, they were being pampered from head to toe.

  The only familiar thing Arianna did all day was to make a quick trip to the local drugstore for basics such as toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, and other personal items. Everywhere she went, Raul was never far behind. It didn’t make her feel safe because she didn’t feel like she was in danger to begin with. Having someone watch her every move was a huge annoyance. She definitely would let Zach know how she felt about this when she got home.

  BACK AT the estate, Zach, Juan, and Tony met out on the veranda where Pilar had prepared a Mexican
buffet for lunch. They filled their plates with beans and rice and all the taco fixings from the sidebar and proceeded to have a seat.

  “The girls have gone shopping,” Zach said, “so we have some time to talk.”

  Juan grabbed some Coronas for everyone. “This must mean we’re about to get a new assignment.”

  Zach nodded. “Muslim extremists have taken control of much of Iraq, killing Christians and capturing towns along the way. The US has promised to provide some limited military aid. Our mission would be to paint some targets for them.”

  “Why us?” Tony asked. “This isn’t our usual type of work.”

  “I agree, but here’s the deal,” Zach said, as he layered more cheese on his taco. “The official policy in Iraq is ‘no boots on the ground’. Only the use of drones and targeted air strikes has been sanctioned by the president. That’s where we come in. They need someone in-country to mark those targets. We’re the ‘boots on the ground’ that won’t really be there.”

  Tony shook his head and scoffed. “Everyone wants to avoid the optics of US troops in Iraq, but right now, the only ones fighting back are the Kurdish Peshmerga. They’re a good fighting force, but they can’t stop these guys on their own.”

  “My guess,” Juan said, “is that whole operation over there is going to require Special Forces to do close air support while the Peshmerga provide the bulk of the ground troops.”

  Zach shook his head. “It’s all a farce. I suspect a lot of the ‘Pesh’ will have long beards with dog tags hidden underneath.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Yeah,” Tony said, “and they’ve probably newly arrived from some non-Kurd place like, oh, I don’t know, maybe Fayetteville, North Carolina.”

  More laughter erupted from the group. They all knew the US strategy of “no boots on the ground” was a total myth, but they’d leave the politics to someone else. They were paid mercenaries, and if by hiring them, it made the government feel better about claiming there were no US troops in the region, that was on them.

  Turning serious, Zach said, “Well, even the best units on the ground can’t do much without controlling the air. We need to paint some targets for those fly boys. I know I don’t have to tell you this op is going to put us up close and personal with the militants. You can’t mark targets from too far away. As usual, if you want out, just say the word.”

  Both Tony and Juan shook their heads. “We’re in,” they said in unison.

  “How soon do we have to leave?” Juan asked.

  “Maybe a week, perhaps a bit longer, and I’m not sure how long we’ll be there,” Zach continued. “The goal is to help the Kurds’s re-take the Mosul Dam. Our providing close air support is going to be key. Once that op is finished, we’ll see what other assignment Veritas has for us. That will determine how long we stay.”

  “What are you going to tell Arianna about you being gone for so long?” Tony asked.

  Zach shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat… not answering for a moment. Finally he said, “I’m not sure. Never been in this situation before.”

  He never had to explain his long absences to his other girlfriends. The conversations always went along the lines of, “I’m going to be gone on a long business trip. No cell service or internet where I’m going, so you won’t hear from me. Not sure when I’ll be back. I’ll call you when I’m home.” Most of the women didn’t understand, but didn’t question things. They knew this was just the way it was with him. You dated him, you either accepted it or the relationship was over.

  Now, he was hesitant about being gone for too long. He loved his life as a Black Op, but was torn between that life and the new love of his life, Arianna. An internal struggle was building within him. He sensed it would become more and more complicated to continue his work while having a lasting relationship with Arianna. Something told him one of these days, he’d have to choose.

  “I have to figure out what to tell Lisa,” Tony said. “When we were gone last month, I sent her home to visit her family. She didn’t ask me too many questions, but she wasn’t thrilled with me being gone for so long, and I have to say, I missed her, too.”

  Zach could relate, but it didn’t change things.

  “We leave in a couple weeks,” he said, as he pushed his plate away and got up to leave. “Start growing your beards out. To get close enough to mark these targets, it looks like we’ll have to hide in plain sight.”

  When the ladies arrived back at the estate, several servants waited under the portico to carry their parcels into the house. Zach and Tony greeted them as well. As Arianna stepped out of the car, Zach offered his hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She definitely liked that despite his steely exterior, he had a caring and attentive side he didn’t mind exhibiting at the right times.

  “Well, I see you got over your fear of shopping,” he said, as the servants unloaded the numerous packages from the car. “Do I have any money left?”

  Arianna laughed. “Hey, I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you see what happens when you give a girl a credit card with no limit on it.”

  “I think I can manage,” he said as he walked her into the house.

  “I’m going to put my purchases away, and then I think I’ll take a nap before dinner.”

  “Hmm! That sounds good... taking a nap with you.” Zach pulled her close and nuzzled her neck.

  “Yeah, but then it really wouldn’t be a nap if you were there, now would it?”

  “Not a chance,” he said. “So enjoy. I’ll see you at dinner.”

  NAP TIME never materialized. Arianna busied herself with finding places for her new purchases. She noticed these recent acquisitions barely made a dent in the large walk-in closet. Oh, well. It’s a start. More shopping soon. She also took a minute to use her new cell phone to call her mother.

  “Thank goodness,” Kathryn said upon learning that Arianna was back with Zach. “I’m so happy for you. When do I get to meet him?”

  “Soon, I hope. I’ll check with Zach and see what his schedule is like. It would be nice if you could come here to the island. I’ll call you when I have a firm date.”

  It was late in the afternoon and time to shower and dress for the evening festivities. She walked into the shower and turned on the water. She was mesmerized by the multiple shower jets, pulsating and massaging her from head to toe, and fragrant shower gels teased her senses as she enjoyed her first experience in this luxurious bath.

  After toweling off, she sat down at the dressing table to do her hair and make-up. Last month she’d put no effort into her personal appearance. She hadn’t cared what she looked like during that dismal separation from Zach, but now, reunited with the man she loved, her appearance mattered greatly to her.

  Hair and make-up perfected, she slipped into a simple navy sundress...sleeveless, with a square neckline. She liked that it revealed just enough cleavage to be provocative, but not so much that she looked like a brazen hussy. Stepping into dainty, matching heels, she checked her form in the mirror and admired how the line of the dress clung seductively to the curve of her hips and cupped her nicely rounded bottom. She thought she looked fabulous.

  It was almost six o’clock when the house phone rang. Startled, she wasn’t sure if she should answer it or not. At the fourth ring, she picked up.

  “Ms. Garrett?” the voice on the other end said. “Your party is leaving for the country club at the front entrance.”

  “Thank you,” she replied, unaccustomed to the formality. “I’ll be right down.”

  The sun was just setting across the sea as she stepped out onto the front portico where Lisa, Tony, Camilla and the entire group stood waiting to leave. Juan let out a long, low whistle, and the rest of the group nodded and smiled their approval. It was the first time any of them had ever seen Arianna all dressed up and obviously, they liked what they saw.

  But it wasn’t until she met Zach’s appreciative gaze that she felt truly beautiful. Looking stunningly ha
ndsome himself, he was leaning against his Porsche, texting someone when Arianna appeared.

  His mouth dropped open upon seeing her, and stepping forward, he drew her close, and whispered, “You look amazing.” Surveying her from head to toe, his eyes fixed not so subtly on the swell of her breasts which were peeking out of the bodice of her dress. “I think I need to send you shopping every day,” he said.

  At that moment, Arianna felt like a princess. Looking at her hot, handsome boyfriend standing before her, she wondered how she had managed to capture the heart of such a magnificent creature.

  Zach opened the door to the Porsche convertible and invited her in.

  “This event was planned shortly after we found out my sister was arriving,” Zach said, as they sped down the road. “I would have been just as happy to stay home and have burgers on the grill tonight. This dinner party is to help Camilla make some connections while she stays here.”

  “She thinks you’re trying to find her a husband.”

  “Well, if that happens, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. It would make my mother very happy, that’s for sure.” It would make my mother very happy if I got married, too.

  They pulled up to the front entrance of the Costa Luna Country Club, and Zach gave his keys, along with a substantial tip, to the valet. Offering his hand, he helped Arianna out of the car and escorted her into the club. He appeared to know everyone as person after person came forward to greet him. She liked how he proudly introduced her to all of his friends.

  “Right now all the men in the place wish they could be me,” he whispered to her, “and all the women are clutching onto their husbands and boyfriends to keep them away from you. Your beauty has not gone unnoticed.”

  Arianna blushed. She loved hearing this from Zach. “Yes, and I’ve noticed there seems to be no shortage of women eyeballing you as well.”

  That brought a smile to Zach’s lips. “Perhaps, but you have nothing to fear. I have the most beautiful woman in the room, so no reason to look elsewhere. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”