Rachel nodded. “Don’t bother to hurry. I had Brandon call him the minute Red Star blew. But you can tell him that he was right there with us all the way. We did it just the way he taught us.” She smiled into her eyes. “The very best we could do, Catherine.”
Catherine gently touched her cheek. “Maybe he wasn’t the only one who was there with you, Rachel.”
“I can’t be sure about that,” she said quietly. “But I know I asked for a little help for Maria if there was any available.”
“Maria’s alive,” Catherine said softly. “That might be a pretty good answer.” She glanced at Brandon. “Keep an eye on her at that hospital. Claire Warren is trying to establish herself as the premier heroine in the downfall of Red Star. She’s calling all kinds of news conferences and drawing on political favors. Rachel knows too much that could make her look bad. There’s no telling what Claire might do to silence her.”
“Nothing,” Brandon said curtly. “It’s in my court now. Rachel tied my hands while Maria was being held prisoner. I won’t let her do it with Claire.”
“Let her?” Catherine said. “Good luck, Brandon.” She gave Rachel a kiss on the cheek. “Take care. I’ll be there to back you up as soon as I can. I guess we’ll have to trust Brandon until then.”
The next moment, she was out the door and heading for her car. When she reached it, she stood there watching as Brandon carefully situated Rachel in the passenger seat of his car and drove away. He couldn’t have been more cautious, and Rachel was probably getting impatient. That was fine, let him take a little flak. She was hurt, and he should take care of her.
“Catherine.”
She stopped as she was opening the Mercedes’ driver’s door and turned to see Cameron coming toward her from his own car parked near the terrace. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be busy this morning.”
“I did what I had to do, then delegated.” He smiled. “I had something more important to do. How is Rachel?”
“Okay. On her way to the emergency room to be checked out. Brandon didn’t mention that she had to stop over here to do a little necessary cleansing.”
“Really? What?”
“Puffer.”
His brows rose. “A challenge. I take it, she met it. Huber?”
Catherine nodded. How unique and special to be able to talk to someone who didn’t have to have all the dots and dashes filled in with a conversation like this. But then there was no one on earth like Cameron. “Huber. Do you know how difficult it must have been to be able to carry that out after being searched? She had to make it totally undetectable.”
“Yes. I know.”
“Of course, you do. What was I thinking?” She made a face. “And I shouldn’t have remarked on it. You’re already too interested in her ‘talents.’ You’re probably ready to sweep her away after what she did at Eagles Rest.”
He shook his head. “It would be the worst possible time. It’s not only her body that will need healing. You’ll have to take good care of her for a while, Catherine.” He smiled. “I can wait.”
“How generous of you.” She was only half mocking. He could be exceptionally generous, and his reading of Rachel’s needs showed a sensitivity that was just as remarkable. “But you’ll wait a long time. I’ll be watching her.”
“I won’t mind the wait. Because while you’re watching Rachel, I can be watching you. Win-win, Catherine.”
“A waste of the Guardian’s valuable time, Cameron.”
“I never waste my time.” He paused. “Being with you will always be of value. Every time we’re together, I get a little closer to my goal. Look what happened this time.”
“Piracy and murder?”
“And saving that beautiful azure ocean out there for your Luke.” He smiled. “You can’t beat memories like that. Soon they’ll all blend together, and every time you think of me, I’ll be golden.”
He was golden. Everything about him, every word, every smile.
“You didn’t mention Eagles Rest and Rachel,” she said. “Now that’s definitely a coup you should have tossed at me.”
He shook his head. “Never someone you love. That will always be a gift.”
More generosity. And yet that very generosity was forming unbreakable bonds. “Cameron, you know I’ll never believe what you believe. You know I’ll always fight you.”
“I know you’ll always try to fight me. I know that beliefs can change.” He smiled. “I spend my life changing how people perceive their lives and beliefs.” He added softly, “And I delight in fighting with you because there’s always the possibility of a reward at the end of it. You can’t imagine how I look forward to that possibility.”
She stiffened. She could sense a sort of finality in those words. There was something … different about him.
And she was remembering something he’d said. “Why did you come here today, Cameron? Why did you ‘delegate’?”
“There were signs that I was becoming a little too visible,” he said quietly. “That business with the Katrina Notalo is going to be difficult to hide. I’ll be able to do it, but it will take time and effort.” He shrugged. “And a strategic exit and my absence for a while.”
“Who’s asking questions?”
“Your people, Homeland Security, politicians. It will take a concerted effort to remove them from power or destroy any evidence that would be awkward for me.”
“That’s exactly what I didn’t want to happen.” Her hands clenched into fists. “Dammit, and I asked you to do it.”
“Yes, you did. But it was my decision.” He grinned. “Remember? You said I should wear the tee shirt. I wasn’t going to let the Katrina cause any disasters.”
“But I was on board that ship.” She frowned, looking at options. “I’ll think of a way to cover for you.”
“No, it’s already being done,” he said sharply. “You do nothing. The last thing I want is for you to look dirty to the CIA. The problem will just go away, and in a few months, it will totally disappear.” He tilted his head. “If you want to be helpful, you’ll disappear for a time, too. You miss your son, go spend time with him. Take him on a cruise.”
“Hide out?”
He chuckled. “I know it’s distasteful, but you’ll survive. If you wish to do me a service, don’t try to defend me. It’s the worst thing you could do.”
“I hate this.”
“I know. Do it anyway.” He added, “And while you’re doing it, think of why saving an ocean should cause all this trouble. It will bring you that much closer to me.”
“Only because you always make yourself the center of the hurricane.”
“True. It’s all my fault again.”
“No, it’s not.” She moistened her lips. “When do you have to leave?”
He nodded down at the beach. “I’m having my friend send his helicopter to the beach to pick me up. Probably about ten minutes. Would you like to drive me down?”
No. She didn’t want him to go. Ten minutes, and he’d be gone? She felt a surge of panic. “I suppose it’s that same buddy who supplied you with the copter before. Is he helping to take care of the ‘delegating’ too?”
“He’s adding his bit.” His gaze was on her face. “It’s going to be fine, Catherine. I don’t expect anything of you.”
“But I expect something of myself, and you’re tying my hands.” Her eyes were stinging as she jumped into the car. “Get in. I’ll take you down to meet your damn helicopter.”
She barely waited until he got in the car before she flew down the driveway toward the beach. She pulled into the pad area in less than five minutes. She stared blindly out the windshield at the empty pad. “He should be here. Doesn’t he know you don’t keep the Guardian waiting?”
“Catherine.” He reached out and gently touched her hair. “You’re hurting, and that hurts me.” He smiled. “Don’t you know that you should never do that to the Guardian?”
“Damn you.” She still didn’
t look at him. “It’s all wrong, you know. It can never work out. Every time we’re together, nothing happens the way it should. You should never have come here.”
“But I’ll always come to you. Get used to it.” His finger was rubbing her lower lip, and she could feel it swell beneath his touch. “I can’t stay away. You might have a slight chance if you could keep from hovering at death’s door. But that’s not going to happen. So I have to be near you.”
She closed her eyes. His touch. The scent of him. His voice. “It probably won’t last. It’s too strong.”
“Wishful thinking?”
“And I can’t change. I won’t go with you.”
“I never asked you to change.”
“I think I hear your helicopter.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Her eyes opened, and she turned into his arms. She couldn’t breathe. She could feel her pulse pounding in her wrists, the tightness of her breasts. She was on fire. “It’s what you’re going to do about it.” She opened her mouth and took him, her hands tangled in his hair. “You’re going to send him away, and you’re going to take me to a hotel. We’re going to stay there for the next twenty-four hours, and we’re going to do everything we’ve done before and more. I’m going to take so much of you that I’m not going to miss you or ache for you all the time you’re gone.”
“What a challenge.”
“And then I’m going to wave good-bye and live my life the way I want to live it.”
“Another challenge.” His lips were lowering, only a breath away, as he asked softly, “But what if you want to live it with me, my Catherine? What a conundrum…”
CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MEDICAL CENTER
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
“Not good,” Brandon said critically as he watched Rachel walk out of the ER. “You still look as if you lost a battle with one of the Avengers. What did the doctors say?”
“No serious internal damage. One broken rib, one cracked. Bruising.” She shrugged. “I was lucky.”
“That’s not the word I’d choose,” he said grimly. “But at least you’re alive.”
“And Huber is not.” She moved slowly toward the front entrance. “And neither is Kraus.” She looked at Brandon. “And I didn’t mention that you managed to survive all that hell at Eagles Rest and took Maria and me out of there. I’d say that qualifies as lucky.”
“I’d prefer the terms brilliant and original.” He made a face. “And I considered that action pure self-defense. I wasn’t going to leave there if I couldn’t take you with me. I told you that I was going to be there for you.”
“Yes, you did.” She tried to smile. “You were quite eloquent. I was impressed.” She changed the subject. “And now we’d better get back to Maria at Beach Haven. I want to bring her here to be checked over. I thought she’d be better off with Nate until I was certain I wasn’t going to have to stay for any surgery. But she’ll want me with her.”
“You need to go to bed and rest. I can stay with her. You trusted me on the helicopter.”
“That was different, I couldn’t do it. And I want to call Phillip and see if she can talk to Blanca yet. It’s better if—”
“You’re in charge,” he finished for her. “And you say that I’m a control freak? There’s a phrase about a pot calling—”
“Rachel, you don’t look at all bad.” Claire Warren was suddenly beside them. “I should have known that I couldn’t trust Catherine to give me an unbiased opinion. She tends to be overprotective.” Her smile was brilliant. “But you might be better off sitting in the waiting room. I won’t keep you long, but I wouldn’t want to cause you stress.”
“We were about to leave,” Brandon said coldly.
“But then I’d only have to find a way to talk to her again.” She smiled brilliantly. “It’s much better that we take care of these details now. Rachel and I understand each other. Rachel?”
“Details?” Rachel said dryly. “Do you mean details the media might be interested in exploring?”
“Exactly.” Claire was pushing her gently to a chair in the waiting room. “We wouldn’t want confusion. Langley wants a clear picture of what happened at Eagles Rest to be presented to the public.”
“And what have you told them so far?” Rachel asked.
“The truth. The daughter of a courageous CIA operative was being held captive and about to be executed. I managed to discover the whereabouts of Red Star’s compound and sent a drone to destroy Max Huber and all those terrible criminals.”
“And how was Rachel able to escape that drone?” Brandon asked.
“Through her bravery and the connections she’d made with Venable’s old friends in the area. Thank heavens I’d managed to keep them apprised of her situation. There’s some confusion there because the SEAL team I sent to rescue her wasn’t able to reach her.”
“What a surprise,” Rachel said.
“I warned you,” Claire said. “I told you that I wasn’t going to lose that drone strike. And it seems I was right about your having plans of your own. I’d be curious to know what happened there, but it would get in the way of my own agenda.” She smiled serenely. “So the story remains as I’ve given it to both Langley and the president. Actually, they’re very grateful to me. I handled everything beautifully. The moment Red Star was destroyed, I even called the Canadian prime minister and convinced him what a political gold mine it would be for him not to make a fuss about us lobbing that drone into his country. All he had to say was he was glad to offer his cooperation to eliminate Red Star. In my story, everyone wins.”
“Unless I choose to change it,” Rachel said.
“Why should you?” Claire said. “You’re a heroine, your father is a hero. You can go back to saving humanity in the same boring way you’ve been doing all these years. Everyone’s happy.”
“Particularly you,” Brandon said.
“Which is only right. Red Star is gone. I had a sizeable role in getting rid of it. After all, we don’t want the same things, Rachel. Give me what I want, and I might be able to give you something you want.”
“I don’t believe I’m tempted to give you anything you want at the moment, Claire.”
“No?” Her lips curved in a smile. “But you haven’t asked what I could give you.”
“Shades of Nemesis,” Rachel said bitterly. “I can see your alter ego raising its head.”
“Funny you should mention that. Nemesis was very useful in many ways. As an undercover operative I was able to set up any number of scenarios and safe houses around the world to protect my identity.”
“And sizeable overseas bank accounts as well. You can’t pay me off, Claire.”
“Can’t I? It depends what you consider a payoff.” She tilted her head. “Did you discuss Venable’s funeral arrangements yet with Catherine?”
Her eyes widened in confusion. “No, we haven’t had a chance to talk about anything concerning— Why are you asking?”
“Because you’d have problems with them. Unfortunately, his body wasn’t in the best of shape after we managed to retrieve him in the mountains. I had to make the decision to cremate him.”
“What? You had no right to make that decision.”
“Actually, I did. I have rather broad powers these days. I’ll have even more after I reap the benefits of the destruction of Red Star.” She met her eyes. “Now ask me why I did it.”
“God only knows.”
“I found it the only convenient way to handle the situation.” She paused. “Since the body we found wasn’t Venable’s. He was one of Huber’s militia that I disposed of during the hunt. I needed a body, so I let Huber take care of it for me.”
“And what happened to Venable’s body?” Brandon asked softly. “I admit I’m fascinated.”
“You mean you don’t know where I’m going with this?” She looked at Rachel. “Let’s play a game of ‘what if’. What if your father didn’t die in that cabin? What if I arrived before Hu
ber’s militia got there, and I managed to drag him into the woods before they found him.”
“He was dying,” Brandon said. “I saw the wound. He couldn’t have lasted more than a couple minutes. He was dying when I left the cabin.”
She shrugged. “I thought that as well. So I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t try to drag him out of there. It probably couldn’t hurt him.” She grimaced. “But he survived it. Venable was always tough.”
“But why did you do it?” Rachel asked.
“I had to be certain he wouldn’t talk to Huber’s militia. That’s why I followed him back from the Calgary compound. If they’d tortured him, he might have told them about me.”
“I’m surprised you just didn’t cut his throat,” Brandon said. “Much more efficient.”
“Did I think about it? Yes.” She looked at Rachel. “But I told you Venable had saved my life a couple times. I owed him. So I took the chance.” She wrinkled her nose. “Which caused me all kinds of trouble. I wasn’t sure for days that he’d live. I’m still not sure.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. “He’s alive?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. If he’s alive, he’s still very, very ill. I had to get him away. So I sent him out of the country until I had time to deal with the problem.” Her lips twisted. “Or Nemesis did.”
“Wait.” Brandon held up his hand. “Let me get this straight. You’re saying that you’ll return Rachel’s long-lost father if she goes along with your story about Red Star? What a bunch of bullshit.”
“Is it?” Claire asked. “What if it’s not?”
“My father’s dead,” Rachel said. “You can’t just pull a story out of the air and expect me to believe it.”
“Yes, I can. I’ve always told you that you’re soft. You want to believe it. But this time it’s true, so you’re obliged to at least check it out before you dismiss it,” Claire said. “So stall, keep my story intact. It won’t hurt you.” She smiled. “And, who knows, it might help you. When you want to talk, call me.”
She turned and strode across the lobby to the front entrance.
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