by Dana Marton
A couple of people turned in their direction. Some gasped at the sight of her with a gun to her head. More senators looked, some came out of their chairs. The General pushed her forward, keeping the gun steady at her temple. She tried not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her tremble but failed miserably.
“No panic, please.” He walked to the front of the room with her. “Take your seats. Agenda changed today. We talk about People’s Republic of China. Very neglected.”
He scanned the room. “Senator Barrington, you remember your old friend?”
Nicola looked from face to face, none of them familiar. Her father wasn’t there, her only relief in all of this. The General had miscalculated. At least, her father would live.
The General waited. “You remember your daughter, then?” He shoved Nicola forward.
“Senator Barrington was called out earlier,” someone in the back said.
“He has ten minutes to return.” Fury flooded the General’s face as he turned toward the security camera in the corner closest to them and reached over to rip open Nicola’s uniform top to expose the bomb. “If he wants to see his daughter alive.”
Chapter Eleven
The next second, two dozen weapons were trained on them as the “senators” knocked the tables on their sides and took cover behind them, their guns pointed at the General and Chen.
So someone had known they were coming and they had set a trap. Nicola was grateful, even though it probably wouldn’t change much for her. But at least her father and the other senators who were supposed to be in this morning’s hearing were safe.
“I want to talk to Senator Barrington,” the General shouted. “I want to make case for China. Don’t want to hurt anybody.”
Nicola looked at the men who had the General cornered. They were eyeing the bomb, considering how much damage it could really do, no doubt. She knew next to nothing about explosives but it hardly seemed big enough to take out a room this size.
Then words she had overheard the night before came back to her, first biological attack. Her heart stopped when she finally understood. The small bomb on her chest was a biological weapon. The explosion might not bring down the building, but it would be enough to get the biological agents into the air and take out a good chunk of the United States Senate, had they been in the room.
And it might do the job yet. Once the bomb blew and the biological agents got into the Capitol’s ventilation system, who knew how many people would be affected before the building was evacuated?
She looked from one officer to the next as they kneeled behind the tables—men and women. They were putting their lives at risk to save her father and his colleagues. To save her. And they were all going to die.
None of them realized the General had a biological weapon, and even if she shouted her newfound knowledge, nobody was close enough to stop the man before he got a chance to blow the bomb.
Except her.
When Alex had risked his life to save hers, she hadn’t been able to comprehend it, but now she did. Faced with a group of individuals whose lives depended on her, she finally understood Alex and found the answer to the question she had so often asked in the past—how much a private citizen owed her country.
Everything.
She had heard of World War II soldiers throwing themselves onto hand grenades to save their comrades. Could she do the same? Would it be enough?
Maybe it was a day for miracles and she could gain control of the remote from the General. If she managed that, she was pretty sure he’d be taken out before he could manage to squeeze off a shot at her. She could make it out of this room alive.
And if her plan didn’t work, at the very least, if she threw herself on him facedown, the bomb would be between their bodies and that might cushion the blow. It could give the people present enough time to get out of the room before the biological agents dispersed in the air. Maybe she could gain them enough time for someone to shut down the ventilation system. That was key. Otherwise the lives of hundreds of people would be jeopardized.
Too many maybes, but what was the alternative? She couldn’t let them all die. If she failed, they still wouldn’t be any worse off than if she hadn’t tried at all. She had nothing to lose.
The risk was high. If she failed she would pay the ultimate price. But for a chance to save countless lives, it was a risk she was willing to take.
She understood Alex completely then, and for that moment the connection between them seemed stronger than ever.
All morning she had hoped he would get there to rescue her before something horrible happened. Now she was glad she didn’t see him among the people in the room. She hoped he would get there too late. For once maybe she would be able to save him.
She said a prayer. Took a deep breath. She wished she could have talked to her father and Alex one last time. She hoped they would understand why she did what she was about to do.
The General was shouting at the security camera, enraged, getting more and more agitated. She had no time to lose.
Nicola lunged at the General and yelled, “Biological weapon,” as she knocked him to the ground. They rolled on the blue carpet as he fought her, not letting go of the remote. He was still waiting for her father.
But instead of running for safety, the officers were right there, and so was Alex. He jumped on the General and grabbed the hand that held the remote, putting his thumb on top of the General’s, going for the other hand at the same time to hold off the gun.
“Move back, Nicola,” Alex ordered without looking at her as he struggled with the General, trying to control the man.
Not a chance. She grabbed the plastic gun and wrested it from the General’s hand that Alex held by the wrist. She wanted to help more, but a couple of officers pulled her away while others took her place.
“Barrington!” the General howled as his muscles bunched and he heaved to pull his hand from Alex’s grip. He looked at Nicola, madness clouding his eyes. “We will be remembered.”
His thumb was still on the remote under Alex’s and he thrashed in an attempt to gain control. Then there were too many officers around them, and Nicola could barely see, until Alex straightened.
He had the remote in his hand.
“You okay?” He walked to her, leaving the General to the Capitol Hill Police.
He pulled her into a tight embrace with his free hand, and she sagged against the safety of his broad chest, unable to speak. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Chen led out of the room and the bomb squad come in. They headed straight for her.
“Everybody step back.” A short man in protective gear said to the agents as he reached Nicola. He was Chinese.
She cringed against Alex, as she stared at the man’s face, trying to remember if he was one of the General’s men.
“Relax,” he said in a sympathetic voice. “I’m one of the good guys.”
“And lucky for you, Jim is one of the best.” Another man in a protective suit came to look at the bomb.
“Sorry.” She held the torn uniform aside to allow them a better look.
“Not a problem,” Jim said. “I can understand why you’d be a little jumpy.”
The other guy got down on his knees in front of her and gently touched the straps. “You said biological?”
She nodded and hoped he would say, No problem, we disarm things like that every day.
Instead he stepped back. “Do you know the range of the remote?”
“No.” The General hadn’t said anything about that.
“Should be good for at least a couple of feet. You need to move back and put on protective gear, sir,” Jim said to Alex.
“I’m staying where I am.” He grabbed her hand and held it tight.
“You have to—”
“I don’t have to do anything.” Alex’s voice was as rigid as steel.
“Yes, sir. We’ll start as soon as this wing of the building is evacuated.”
The CHP had already removed the Gen
eral, and the few remaining officers were on their way out. Three other men came through the door in white overalls, gas masks hanging around their necks.
Jim walked over to them.
“Who are they?” Nicola asked Alex.
“CBI Response Force,” he said, then when she threw him a questioning look, explained. “Chemical Biological Incident team. Marine Corps. They’ll take over the bomb once it’s disarmed.”
She began to shake, uncontrollably so. “I’m cold.”
“You’re in shock. Sit down.” Alex pulled over a chair for her, then another for himself so he could sit next to her and hold her.
“I really thought this was it for me.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you as long as I live and breathe.” He tightened his arms around her and held her close until Jim came back with two gas masks for them. Alex helped her before he slipped on his.
She looked around and watched people leave, until only the bomb squad and Alex and she remained. Alex squeezed her hand and she leaned her head against him, soaking up his solid strength for as long as she dared. Then she closed her eyes and pulled away. “You should move back and put on protective gear.” Her voice sounded funny coming through the gas mask.
She felt his warm hand back on hers the next second. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. “I mean it.” She tried to shrug him off, but he wouldn’t let go.
“I’m not going anywhere, querida.”
Jim knelt in front of her. “Let’s get started then. Try to stay as still as possible.”
She turned her head from the man and buried it against Alex’s shoulder. No way could she watch.
Alex put his chin on the top of her head. “Don’t worry. These guys know what they’re doing.”
God, she hoped so. “How’s my father?”
“Worried about you. One of the men on his security team spotted you coming in this morning so we had him safely tucked away. I only wish I could have gotten to you sooner.”
“You got to me. That’s all that counts.” She lifted her head to look at him.
“Did they hurt you?” His dark gaze, full of emotion, burned into hers.
“No.” She watched him release his breath.
“I thought… Since Meng Mei…”
“What happened to her?”
She listened, tears rolling down her face as he told her the story. Mei had been like a sister to her. Her tragic fate shook Nicola. What kind of world did they live in where something like that could happen?
“You’re a strange woman, you know.” Alex watched her. “Stand up fine to kidnapping and nearly getting blown up, but you cry at the news that the daughter of the man who wanted to kill you died.”
“She was my friend.”
Jim tugged at the straps. “I think we’re okay. I got the trigger mechanism disabled. You may release the remote.”
“You sure?” Alex pinned the man with a stare.
“Yes, sir.”
He hugged her tight, and Nicola held her breath as she watched him lift his thumb, millimeter by millimeter.
Nothing happened.
She took a shaky breath as Alex handed the remote to one of the men on the squad.
He pulled off his gas mask. “It’s over, querida.”
She nodded and followed his example, then held up her arms while he helped the men get the contraption off her.
Then they were standing and he pulled her to him, his strong arms wrapped around her like a protective cocoon.
“Alex.” She couldn’t do more than whisper his name into the crook of his neck, her knees going weak from relief.
He scooped her up in his arms and walked out of the room with her, his forehead resting against hers. “I wanted to tell you we were in the building, but I was afraid they might have gotten the earpiece from you and were listening.”
“I still have it. I heard everything you said before. It helped, Alex. Thank you.”
His eyes narrowed as his sensual lips pulled into a smile on their way down to claim her mouth. He stopped walking as he focused all his attention on kissing her senseless, and she melted into his warmth, into the security of his arms.
The world disappeared from around them as she lost all awareness except for the feel of his lips on hers, his tongue that claimed her and sent pleasure coursing through her body.
“Hate to interrupt, but…”
They pulled apart at the words and she stared at the imposing figure of a black man who stood in front of them. When had he gotten there?
“Colonel.” Alex nodded to the man but didn’t release her.
The Colonel looked as if he was struggling with a grin. “I believe there are a couple of medics and an ambulance outside, waiting to check out Miss Barrington. Nobody is allowed to enter the building until the FBI and CHP clear it. Maybe you could escort the young lady out.”
“Will do.” Alex hesitated for a moment. “About that recovery leave you said a while back I should be taking…”
“Yes?”
“This would be a good time. A couple of days maybe.”
The man lifted an eyebrow and looked at Alex for a few moments. “I see.” He turned to Nicola. “That was a brave thing you did in there, distracting the man long enough so CHP could take him down. Your father ought to be proud of you.”
“How is he?”
“Shaken with worry. We had to physically restrain him from coming to see you. But the building is not one hundred percent secure yet, although we’re working on it.”
She nodded.
“Get our heroine to the ambulance then clean up this mess, Rodriguez.” The Colonel clapped Alex on the shoulder, then walked away.
“How is your arm?” Nicola asked as Alex began moving down the hall.
“Fine. How about you? Are you okay?”
“You asked for a recovery leave—”
“I was hoping to spend it with you.”
“Oh.” Happiness filled her at his words.
A couple of days with Alex were more than what she had dared hope for. She understood now why the country needed men like him out there, why it needed people like her father.
Alex obviously cared for her. That would have to be enough. Anything more, like a shared future, would be impossible. She could never be so selfish as to ask him to give up his job. A couple of days with him sounded like heaven. She was grinning like an idiot as Alex deposited her in the ambulance that waited out front.
“How is Spike doing?” She remembered suddenly, and felt bad for not asking sooner.
“He’s over at the military hospital. Both legs broken, a couple of busted ribs, some missing skin.” Alex looked grim. “Both of his eardrums were blown out.”
“Can I visit him?”
“I’ll take you over later.” He glanced toward the small army that surrounded the building.
“You should go see if you can help get things wrapped up,” she said. “Be careful.”
“Excuse us for a second,” he said to the paramedics as he stepped between them and pulled her into his arms, the blood pressure cuff dangling by her side. He kissed her so gently, it nearly made her cry.
Then before he left, he ordered the two young men to take her to the hospital for a full checkup.
She watched him run up the stairs on his way to finish saving the world. She loved his dedication and the knowledge that he would come and find her when he was done. She pretty much loved everything about him. No matter how hard she had tried to avoid it, she had fallen in love with the man.
NICOLA CAME OUT of the shower and rubbed her hair with the plush towel the maid had set out. She had decided to stay in Washington for the night, at her father’s insistence. She wasn’t ready to return to Devon and deal with her smoke-damaged house.
Someone knocked on the door. The maid had already left for the day, and she wasn’t expecting Alex for another hour. He had called several times. Stuck in meetings with the Colonel, he’d said. Couldn’t tell her more
than that. He’d promised to take her over to the military hospital to see Spike in a little while.
“Nicola?” her father’s voice came through the door.
“Come in, Dad.” She tightened the belt of her robe and tossed the wet towel on the back of a chair.
“Are you okay?” He walked into her room hesitantly. “Should I come back later?”
“It’s fine. I’m fine,” she said.
He ran his fingers through his graying hair. When had he gotten old? He’d lost weight, as well, she noticed, ashamed that she hadn’t visited him for so long.
“I’m so sorry about what happened.” He searched her face.
“It wasn’t your fault. You can’t control every maniac out there.”
He nodded, his face somber. “I’m sorry about everything before this, too.”
She blinked away the tears that threatened to fill her eyes.
“After—” he took a deep breath and went on “—after your mother died…I couldn’t cope with it. I blamed myself. I threw myself into work. I didn’t know how to raise you, so I focused on what I did know. I wanted a bill for more money for cancer research. I wanted to fight against the disease that took your mother.”
He’d done that and more. She looked at him, seeing him anew.
“I was obsessed with fear of losing you, too. I was on every committee that had to do with crime or drugs, anything I thought might threaten your future. I wanted to protect you.” His eyes glistened. “I know I went about it all wrong.”
“All I ever wanted was your love. A little attention,” she said, her throat burning with unshed tears.
“You have that. You always had it.” He came to her to hug her, and kissed the top of her head as he used to do when she was a child. “I want to change things between us. I don’t want to waste another day.”
“Me, too, Dad,” she choked out, hugging him back.
The past few days had changed everything for her. In a way she felt as if she’d never really grown up until now. After being in so much danger, her life and the people she loved seemed infinitely more precious. She understood her father more—what he did for this country. And for the first time, she appreciated the sacrifice.