“You had a lot of downtime in Prague,” Mitchell commented. “You served in an advisory capacity. The agents there left you on your own a lot of the time.”
That wasn’t exactly how it had been. Sam had been the newest addition to the team. The group had included only one other woman, and she was a field agent, not an expert sidelined to pushing papers. The group had spent a lot of their downtime with each other when they weren’t at post. And they had shut Sam out, relying on e-mail transmissions at times. Sometimes days had passed without human contact.
“I. Never. Left.” Sam’s made her voice cold and hard.
Mitchell regarded her blankly. “Unfortunately, you can’t prove that any more than I can.”
“There were e-mail transmissions,” Sam pointed out.
Mitchell riffed a stack of paper included in the folder. “I have them.”
“I never missed a transmission. I was never not there for the team.”
“No,” Mitchell commented. “No, you weren’t. But the e-mail transmissions don’t show where you were at the time you made your response. The Agency allowed that open window for you by assigning you a satellite phone and giving you access to a rolling IP address.”
Sam couldn’t say anything. The rolling Internet Protocol address was SOP in the field, and standard operating procedure existed to protect operatives. Having an agent log on at the same IP address opened the whole mission up to attack if the address was traced.
“I didn’t leave Prague,” Sam replied.
“Can you prove that?”
Sam met the director’s gaze boldly, but felt trapped and helpless. She didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak.
Mitchell leaned back in his chair and kept his eyes locked on the double image on the monitor. “Neither can I.”
Fear filled Sam. She controlled it only by using the same skills she’d learned long ago when she was helpless.
“We’re both trapped by this, St. John,” Mitchell said in a dull voice. “I can’t prove that you’re guilty, and you can’t prove that you’re innocent.”
“I haven’t asked for an attorney,” Sam said in a quiet voice, “but I’m asking for one now.”
“Duly noted, St. John, but it won’t do you any good. Under the Homeland Security Act, the Agency can keep you sequestered here till Hell freezes over.”
The sharp bite of tears burned the backs of Sam’s eyes. God, she hated feeling helpless. She’d had to feel that way so much of her life.
“Even if the Agency were inclined to set you free or even use you as bait,” Mitchell said, “even if I were so inclined, no one can do that. MI-6 lost several agents over there the last few months. They attribute those losses to information leakage that could only have been gotten from the CIA.” He nodded at the monitor. “They think they have an answer. If you were set free, it would be like leading a lamb to the slaughter. Their agents are looking for their pound of flesh. They would find you eventually, and they won’t settle for containing you.”
Sam made herself breathe. Her heart thudded like a lead balloon.
“However,” Mitchell continued as he shuffled papers on his desk, “it appears we have a new problem.”
Sam focused on Mitchell. Anything that was a problem for him might be leverage she could use.
“You know Josie Lockworth, a captain in the USAF,” Mitchell said.
Josie. Mixed feelings warred within Sam. Rainy’s loss had come without warning. Josie was a pilot in the air force, and lately she’d been testing her own experimental plane design. Had something happened to Josie? Sam made herself go dead inside, choosing to feel no hope and no dread.
“We went to school together,” Sam answered.
“It seems several of your classmates are curious about why you didn’t put in an appearance at the funeral of your mutual friend. Josie, who wasn’t there, either, has taken it upon herself to track you down for the group.”
Sam didn’t respond. If Josie was trying to find her, it meant Josie was all right.
“Did you know that her grandfather was once a CIA director?”
Sam waited. She had known that, but she’d gotten into the Agency on her own merits. Although Josie had offered her grandfather’s intercession, Sam hadn’t wanted any help.
“Joseph Lockworth remains highly thought of,” Mitchell stated. “He’s still got the ear of several politicians.”
Standing at ease in front of Mitchell’s desk, Sam kept calm. She knew Mitchell was waiting for her to speak, to ask questions or to claim some kind of triumph.
“Captain Lockworth insists on speaking to you,” Mitchell said. “She wants to make certain you know about your friend’s death. And she wants to make certain you’re all right.”
Sam thought that was curious. Why would Josie think anything was wrong with her? It was one thing to wonder why Sam hadn’t been at Rainy’s funeral, but directly calling the CIA seemed like overkill.
“I’ve put the captain off as long as possible,” Mitchell said. “She’s asked her grandfather to intervene. I’m starting to get some pressure from the White House.”
Slightly surprised, Sam thought about that. She’d known Joseph Lockworth maintained political connections, and he’d used them to help fund the Athena Academy, but she hadn’t known he had enough clout to put pressure on a CIA director in Langley. The fact that Josie had asked her grandfather to do something like that was even more interesting.
“I’ve been told to grant the air force captain access to you,” Mitchell said, clearly not happy about the situation. “But it’s going to be limited, and it’s going to be monitored.”
All right, Sam thought, I can live with that. Josie was good at reading between the lines. All of the Cassandras were.
“I’m going to have an e-mail account established for you,” Mitchell told her. “We’ll clear the messages you send as well as the ones you receive.” He looked at her. “The captain will be informed that you are locked into an important mission and can’t call her. The e-mail contact will be limited.”
“Josie will check whatever story you give her,” Sam said. She knew her friend would do exactly that. “Your cover is going to need to be bulletproof.”
“Why should she check?”
“Because she knows it would take a lot to keep me from being at Rainy’s funeral.”
Mitchell scowled. “We’ll make the story bulletproof. But you’re going to have to help.” He paused, his face totally without emotion. “If Captain Lockworth discovers that you’re being held against your will and tries to interfere in any way, this Agency will take appropriate steps. You’ll be formally charged with treason. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Sam answered.
“You’ve got some good friends,” Mitchell said, “but I don’t know if they’ll stand so steadfastly by you once they learn what you’ve done.”
For the first time, Sam thought about that. Until that moment, she hadn’t considered what the Cassandras might think of the accusations against her. She wasn’t used to thinking about her world impacting the lives of others. She’d always managed a separate existence. Moving away from the academy had effectively pressed the reset button on her independent lifestyle. Except for occasional gatherings. Would they believe her? Or would they believe the charges?
Sam looked at the identical faces on the monitor. The evidence, however it was arranged, was damning.
“So when do I get e-mail access?” Sam stood inside the cell. She wrapped her arms around herself. Even Riley noticed that the room somehow felt colder than when she’d left it.
He stood on the other side of the doorway. He kept his expression neutral. Keeping himself distant from her and the problems she presented was harder. “You’ll get it when Mitchell says you do.” He stared at her and tried to forget that she looked so damn sexy. He also tried to forget that he’d been responsible for locking her away—again. Guilt was a weapon a spy used, not a consequence one suffered.
“Josie won
’t wait on an answer forever.”
“Don’t put pressure on me, St. John. I’m not the one calling the shots here.”
A flicker of defiance ignited in Sam’s ice-blue eyes. Then it passed. “Tell Mitchell that Josie won’t wait.”
“I think he’s already got that impression.” Anger roiled inside Riley. He hated leaving her in the cell. The guilt that assailed him twisted through his guts. “It’s not my fault you’re in here.” And he said that more to put things in perspective for himself than to post any blame.
Sam obviously didn’t take the assignation of guilt like that. She glared at him. “Do you think I’m a spy for another country? Or a terrorist?”
Riley looked at her for a moment. More than anything, he didn’t want to believe the beautiful woman before him could possibly be a spy or served terrorist masters against the country that he loved and had sworn to defend.
Before he could speak, before he even knew what he was going to say, Sam said, “Because if you think that was me in that video footage, then you’re an idiot.” Without another word she turned away from him and walked toward the wall on the other side of the room.
Unable to stop himself, Riley snarled, “You want to give me another answer, St. John? Want to tell me how that woman just happens to have your face? Want to tell me why anyone would masquerade as a low-level, wannabe field agent to cause problems for the Agency?”
Silence stretched between them for a moment.
“Tell Mitchell,” Sam said in a flat, dead voice. “Tell him that Josie Lockworth won’t wait long before she attacks the situation another way. That’s just how she is.”
Riley stood for a moment, trying to think of something to say. In the end he could only close the door and walk away feeling empty and miserable for reasons that he couldn’t explain even to himself.
Chapter 9
S O, IF YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE DOING, YOU HAVE TO KILL ME, RIGHT?
Sam stared at the words on the computer monitor. She almost laughed in spite of her situation, and maybe she would have if she hadn’t had two agents in the room with her and known that another team was analyzing everything that was sent either way over the Internet connection. Each message was read by the analysis team before being kicked through cyberspace.
THAT’S RIGHT, Sam typed, trying to keep the tone light. SORRY I COULDN’T COME TO THE FUNERAL. Keep the topic to Rainy’s death. There’s less chance of blowing your cover then.
I MISSED IT, TOO. Josie Lockworth responded. BUT THE OTHERS TOLD ME ABOUT IT. THEY ASKED IF I’D HEARD FROM YOU. DARCY’S REALLY WORRIED ABOUT YOU.
Back in school, Darcy had been like a mother to Sam, caring for her and making certain Sam had everything she needed. At first Sam hadn’t wanted all the attention the other girl had shown. She hadn’t known how to react to it. But once they’d all bonded and become the best of friends, it had become second nature to her to seek comfort from Darcy when she felt down. She’d missed the attention when Darcy had moved away after graduation.
Darcy had shown a gift for theater and the dramatic arts. After graduation at the Athena Academy, Darcy had gone on to UCLA and had gotten a job in Hollywood as a makeup artist. She’d married and had a son, but there had been trouble that had caused her to split up with her husband. Sam knew that Rainy had helped Darcy leave her husband, but that was all she knew. Darcy had dropped out of sight. It was good to know she was back enough to worry about Sam.
TELL DARCY I’M ALL RIGHT, Sam typed. She sat in a hard straight-backed chair in front of the notebook computer on a rolling cart.
YOU SHOULD TELL HER YOURSELF. I HAVE HER PHONE NUMBER.
I CAN’T MAKE PHONE CALLS FROM HERE.
CAN’TYOU GIVE MEA HINT WHERE “HERE” IS?
I DON’T HAVE TIME TO TRACK YOU DOWN, AND THEY TELL ME YOU HAVE TO BURY THE BODIES REALLY DEEP. BESIDES THAT, THE AIR FORCE WOULD PROBABLY MISS YOU AND THERE WOULD BE ALL KINDS OF FORMS TO FILL OUT.
LOL. JUST TELL ME YOU’RE SOMEPLACE EXOTIC, WHERE GUYS IN SWIMSUITS PLAY VOLLEYBALL IN THE SAND ALL DAY AND ALL THE DRINKS COME WITH THOSE CUTE LITTLE PLASTIC UMBRELLAS.
YEAH, Sam typed. IT’S REALLY INCREDIBLE HERE. She was fifteen days into her incarceration now. The four walls remained the same. Although, when she paced the cell and the area measured out the same distance, she still had the definite feeling that the walls were closing in on her.
AFTER WHAT SEEMS LIKE ENDLESS DAYS OF LAB AND DESERT, ANYPLACE WOULD SEEM EXOTIC TO ME.
LUCKY ME, Sam replied. OF COURSE, I CAN’T MEET ANYONE, AND DOING ENDLESS AUDIO AND WRITTEN TRANSLATIONS CAN’T BE THAT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN STARING AT BLUEPRINTS ALL DAY. OR PLAYING IN A WIND TUNNEL WITH MODEL PLANES.
SO THE SPY WORLD ISN’T ALL THAT EXCITING?
NO.
BET YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU’D GROW UP TO BE A REAL-LIFE SPY.
NOT ONCE. Or arrested for being a traitor to my country. Thinking about the threat Mitchell had made, about how the Cassandras would react once they found out about the charges of treason that could be filed against her, Sam realized that Josie most of all would more than likely turn against her. Sam had several pictures of Josie in her air force uniforms as she’d gone through ranks. More than that, Josie was currently working in the espionage field herself, though from a research and development angle.
I HAVE DARCY’S E-MAIL ADDRESS, Josie typed.
I’LL HAVE TO GET CLEARANCE TO USE IT. THIS OPERATION IS CLOSED UP TIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND. I’VE BEEN LIVING IN A LAB MYSELF. FOR FREAKING MONTHS!!!
THE PLANE? Josie was working with a robot spy plane that could be remote controlled from space-based satellites.
OF COURSE, THE PLANE.
Deciding that talking about top-secret projects was getting a little too close to home, Sam asked, HOW ARE RAINY’S PARENTS? Despite her choice to live in Arizona after college instead of returning to California where her family still lived, Rainy had remained close to her mom and dad.
THEY’RE TAKING IT HARD. SO IS MARSHALL.
Marshall Carrington was Rainy’s husband. Sam had met him a few times and liked him.
I NEVER DID FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO RAINY, Sam typed. THE ONLY INFORMATION I’VE SEEN SAID THAT IT WAS A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT.
THAT’S HOW IT WAS WRITTEN UP. SINGLE-CAR COLLISION. THE INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE RAINY FELL ASLEEP IN THE CAR AND WENT OFF THE ROAD.
Sam stared at the line of type. The words seemed so artless and ineffective. She didn’t think anyone’s death should have been summed up so succinctly, so bloodlessly. She hesitated before she started typing again.
THAT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE RAINY. SHE WAS ALWAYS CAREFUL ABOUT EVERYTHING SHE DID. IF SHE WERE SLEEPY, SHE WOULD HAVE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND STAYED SOMEWHERE. OR HAD MARSHALL COME GET HER.
I KNOW. NONE OF US CAN BELIEVE IT. ESPECIALLY SINCE RAINY INVOKED THE CASSANDRA PROMISE AND WAS ON HER WAY TO MEET US AT ATHENA WHEN SHE CRASHED. DIDN’T YOU GET A MESSAGE FROM HER? IT WAS EARLY AUGUST.
Sam swallowed. Rainy had called on the Cassandra Promise? That meant something serious had happened.
I DIDN’T GET THE MESSAGE. I’VE BEEN IN THE FIELD FOR A FEW MONTHS. WHAT DID SHE SAY?
WE NEVER FOUND OUT. SHE WAS GOING TO TELL US WHEN SHE GOT TO ATHENA. WE ALL THINK IT’S SIGNIFICANT THAT SHE DIED ON HER WAY THERE. The cursor blinked for a moment. ALEX SAT IN ON RAINY’S AUTOPSY, BUT SHE DIDN’T FEEL LIKE THE EXAM WAS ENOUGH. SHE GOT MARSHALL’S PERMISSION TO DO ANOTHER POST. KAYLA HELPED HER MOVE RAINY’S BODY TO ATHENS AND SHE EXAMINED RAINY HERSELF. SHE FOUND SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE.
WHAT?
Alexandra Forsythe was a forensic investigator for the FBI. She’d become a recognized authority in her field. Kayla Ryan was a lieutenant in the Youngstown Police Department and served in the Athens satellite station. She and her daughter, Jazz, lived in Athens. As a single mother and a police lieutenant, Kayla wouldn’t have wasted time on something she didn’t believe in. Likewise, with her contacts through the police department, she would have h
ad access to all the information regarding Rainy’s death.
Together, Alex and Kayla must have turned the investigation upside down and inside out.
REMEMBER WHEN RAINY TOLD US ABOUT THE APPENDECTOMY SHE HAD WHEN SHE WAS TWELVE? Josie typed.
YES.
WELL, THE PRELIMINARY AUTOPSY SHOWED THAT RAINY STILL HAD HER APPENDIX.
The information sent a chill through Sam.
LATER THAT NIGHT, SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE MORGUE AND ALEX WALKED IN ON IT. SHE THOUGHT THE PERSON WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO RAINY’S BODY.
WHO WAS IT? WHAT WAS HE TRYING TO DO?
DON’T KNOW. HE GOT AWAY. BUT DURING ALEX’S POST IN ATHENS, SHE FOUND OLD SCARS ON RAINY’S OVARIES.
HER OVARIES?
YES.
WHY? Sam typed.
THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS GETTING FREAKY. WHILE KAYLA WAS SEARCHING THROUGH RAINY’S THINGS, KAYLA FOUND OUT RAINY HAD BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON EGG MINING. YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT?
FOR FERTILITY TREATMENT.
EXACTLY.
WHAT WAS RAINY’S INTEREST?
AT FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE SHE AND MARSHALL WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PREGNANT AND WERE CONSIDERING IN-VITRO. BUT NOW WE THINK SHE’D SOMEHOW DISCOVERED THAT SHE HADN’T HAD AN APPENDECTOMY ALL THOSE YEARS AGO AND WAS ABOUT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD REALLY HAPPENED. ALL OF US—KAYLA, ALEX, DARCY AND ME—THINK RAINY WAS MURDERED TO COVER UP THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE DID TO HER. WE THINK HER EGGS WERE MINED.
Sam stared at the screen.
WHEN KAYLA INVESTIGATED ALEX’S CAR, SHE FOUND OUT THE SEAT BELT HAD FAILED.
The announcement struck a chord in Sam’s mind. Accidents and failed seat belts reminded her of something she’d studied during her CIA training.
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL, Josie typed. IT JUST DID.
Sam reached for the memory but couldn’t quite find it.
KAYLA WANTED ME TO ASK YOU A FAVOR IF I GOT IN TOUCH WITH YOU, Josie typed.
ANYTHING, Sam typed.
SHE WANTED YOU TO CHECK THROUGH RAINY’S FILES. SEE IF ONE OF THE ENEMIES RAINY MADE AS AN ATTORNEY MIGHT HAVE HAD MOTIVE TO KILL HER.
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