I wrenched my mind away from the thought. If there were, Fuzzy Bunny apparently didn’t know about them. And so far, they didn’t know about me, either. All I had to do was catch Stemp, and I’d be home free.
Yeah, I’d just keep telling myself that.
I hovered in the virtual data tunnel, sifting the data streams almost unconsciously. Waiting.
I almost missed it. I’d grown so accustomed to watching for communications with Fuzzy Bunny that Stemp’s convoluted signal barely registered when it whisked by. With a shock of adrenaline, I hitched my consciousness to the final data packet and used it to trace the pathway he was using this time.
When the connection stabilized, I sank my virtual fangs into the data session and drank deeply.
About fifteen minutes later, the connection broke up and I snapped back into Sirius’s virtual file room, suppressing the urge to vent my frustration with foul language. Absolutely nothing incriminating. And if it was encrypted, I couldn’t crack it. It still just looked like banal conversation to me. Hadn’t even gotten any cheap thrills this time.
I faded into visibility again. “Everything looks fine,” I said as casually as I could. “I’m coming out, unless you can think of anything else I should be doing here.”
“No, come on out,” Spider assured me.
When I straightened and pried open my aching eyes, Mike Connor was leaning against the door frame, chatting to Spider while Smith looked on sourly. Smith had been none too pleased about our nocturnal activities, but when we’d assured him his presence wasn’t required, he’d obstinately insisted on attending.
I got up and trudged for the door. “That’s it, you guys, I’m heading home.”
They all trailed me down the hallway, and my head throbbed while Connor regaled Spider with a blow-by-blow description of his latest World of Warcraft escapades. Once again, I envied Spider his youthful energy while the two of them made plans to head over to the internet cafe for the rest of the evening.
I had intentionally left my car in a dark corner of the parking lot in case Kane needed to get into it, but now it didn’t seem like quite such a smart idea as I strode over to it, trying to look confident. I knew Bill Harks was still in jail, but who else might be lurking in the shadows? I cursed my idiocy. I should have gotten Mike and Spider to walk me to my car.
My shoulders were up around my ears by the time I whisked into the driver’s seat and locked the door behind me. My back prickled. If Kane could hide in the trunk, who else might? I didn’t dare look while I was still in the parking lot in case Kane was in there, but I was also afraid to drive off into the country without looking in case somebody else was in there.
My hands were clenched around the steering wheel in an agony of indecision when I finally brained up. Jeez, I must be more tired than I thought.
“John?” I spoke out loud, hoping for an answer.
“I’m here,” came the soft reply from the trunk.
The air hissed out of me in a long sigh as I slumped with relief. “Thank God.” I started the car and drove away, wiping my palms on my jeans.
“You can come out now,” I told him when the darkness of the open highway wrapped around the car.
I heard movement in the back seat, and Kane spoke from behind me. “You shouldn’t park in such a secluded area at night.”
“Tell me about it.” I sighed. “That only seemed like a good idea. I was trying to make it easy for you to get in the car.”
He chuckled. “I could get in your car in broad daylight if I wanted to.”
“Oooh, big talk,” I teased him. “Confident much?”
I could hear the smile in his voice. “Yes.”
“Good. Because I’m going to need you for this next part.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” he said slowly. “What do you have in mind?”
“I’ve set myself up as bait. I’ll need you to watch my back.”
“You what?” There was a distinct edge in his voice. “Aydan, I warned you how dangerous this is. Your first responsibility is to stay safe. Not...” His voice was rising, and I heard him take a deep breath. “Not put yourself at risk,” he finished evenly.
“No choice. It’s already done.” I sounded more confident than I felt.
“Aydan, goddammit...” There was a short silence. “All right. Tell me what you’ve done.”
“I’ve relayed a message to Fuzzy Bunny’s operative and told him he’s to snatch me and bring me in.” I heard a faint sound from the back seat that sounded like grinding teeth, but Kane didn’t interrupt me so I continued.
“It’s perfectly safe,” I assured him. “You know they need me alive.”
“But not necessarily unhurt,” he grated.
A chill ran down my spine. Hadn’t thought of that.
“True,” I admitted reluctantly. “But I’m pretty sure they’ll want me in good shape. Anyway, I told their mole to call when he had me, and he’d receive instructions on where to drop me.”
I handed the second disposable phone over my shoulder. “There’s a recorded message on here that gives the location of the drop site. The real Fuzzy Bunny doesn’t know anything about this. So I’m perfectly safe. Even if our guy manages to snatch me, which he won’t because you’ll be there, he can’t get me to Fuzzy Bunny. Worst-case scenario, the phone rings, and you’ll know you can just show up at the drop site and pick me up.”
“That’s fine as far as it goes,” Kane said. “But how am I supposed to watch your back? Don’t forget, I can’t necessarily shadow you constantly. I’m still officially dead. I can’t take a chance on being seen.”
“I thought you were Super-Spy. What happened to that?”
“Aydan!” His growl raised the small hairs on the back of my neck. “This isn’t a game.”
“You think?” I regretted the smartass comment as soon as it left my lips. “Sorry. I know,” I added. “And don’t worry, I have a plan.”
His heavy sigh ruffled the back of my hair. “I always worry. It’s my job.”
“Well, don’t. I’ve got it covered. I’m going to advertise my vulnerability at a convenient time and place, so you’ll only have to show up there, not actually follow me. I’m pretty sure he’ll go for it.”
“How?” he asked cautiously. “Remember, you’re not dealing with an idiot here. He’ll smell a setup a mile away.”
“I think I can get away with it, with the wonders of modern email. Tonight when I get home I’m going to email Spider to meet me at the park tomorrow evening at nine-thirty, for a private memorial to you. I’ll tell him that I’ll be there a few minutes early because I’m setting up something special, and that he can come a little later. And then I’ll accidentally send it to the group. Immediately followed by an ‘Oops, please disregard’ message.”
After a few seconds of thought, Kane grunted grudging approval. “That could work. The park’s never busy even in daylight, and it should be abandoned by that time of night. He’ll think you’ll be alone in a secluded area. And there’s lots of cover for me to hide in.”
“Yes. And Spider will actually be in place before I ever get there, also hidden. He’ll be recording everything that happens so we have the evidence we need.”
“Oh.” The approval wasn’t quite so grudging this time. “Good thinking.”
“Thank you.”
“Stop here.”
I pulled over. “Do you want me to take you back to town?”
“No, I’ll work my way back on foot. I’ve set up a base in that ravine a couple of miles out of town.”
“Do you need anything? A blanket or something? It’s chilly tonight.”
Kane laughed as he got out of the back. “No, Mom, I’m fine. Thanks.” He opened the driver’s door and leaned in. “I have everything I need in that kit you gave me. Those mylar blankets work for both warmth and shelter.”
Then he gently raised my chin and gave me a long, soft kiss.
“Have you changed your mi
nd about the friends with benefits thing?” I asked when I could catch my breath.
“No. But the next time I see you, you’ll be in danger. It’s a good plan, and I think it’ll work. But just in case.” He kissed me again before fading into the darkness beside the road.
I drove the rest of the way home convinced I was an idiot. For many reasons.
At home, I sent my ‘accidental’ email and its follow-up, and then jittered my way into bed.
I was definitely an idiot.
I didn’t sleep well.
The day dawned cool and cloudy, and I sighed relief. I’d be able to wear a sweatshirt and use my easily-accessible waist holster. At least something was going well. Maybe it was a sign.
I groaned at my hollow-eyed reflection in the mirror and shuffled into the shower. By tonight, it would be over. One way or the other.
“Idiot,” I mumbled.
At Sirius Dynamics, the morning crept by. Spider seemed as antsy as I was, and I hoped Smith hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.
As I swore and groaned my way out of the network at lunch time, I questioned my sanity yet again. Shit, I could still call off the whole thing. But then Stemp would get away with his betrayal, and everyone who cared about Kane would suffer longer.
I let out a final heartfelt groan and straightened. When I squinted my eyes open, Germain was standing just inside the doorway. His face was pleasant and open as always, but I sensed tension in his posture. He smiled, his eyes crinkling in their usual cheerful lines.
“Hey, Aydan, can you join me for lunch? You, too, Webb, if you want.”
“Sure, where do you want to go?” I matched his breezy tone.
“Let’s go over to Blue Eddy’s. I could use a beer.”
“Sounds good to me. I could use a beer, too.”
Boy, could I. I tried to hide the trembling of my hands as I stood.
“I’ll take the key down and then meet you in the lobby,” Spider offered, and we all walked out, leaving Smith sitting at the desk. I felt a pang of sympathy for the man. Did he have any friends at all? But I wasn’t feeling sympathetic enough to endure his stench while I ate, and I had a feeling Germain’s invitation had specifically excluded him anyway.
My surmise was confirmed when we relaxed at our usual table in Blue Eddy’s. Germain glanced casually around the bar and then leaned forward, pitching his voice just below the level of the music.
“Aydan, about your memorial in the park tonight...”
Dismay rushed over me. He had been Kane’s right-hand man, and I considered him a trusted friend, too. I hoped he hadn’t been hurt that I hadn’t invited him to my fake memorial.
“Could you consider doing it another day?” he asked quietly.
“Um... why?” My mind raced. How could I justify not inviting him? I needed him to be far away from the park, just in case things went desperately wrong. If Kane was killed and I was captured, I needed an experienced field agent to retrieve me.
“I don’t think it’s safe for you,” Germain said. “You realize you emailed everybody that you’d be alone and unguarded in an isolated area. If Fuzzy Bunny’s operative is looking for an opportunity, you’ve just handed him one.”
“Oh...”
Shit, shit, shit. Think!
“Um... I would, but, um...” I seized on the first excuse that came to mind. “Today would have been, um, a special day for us. It has to be today.”
An unreadable expression crossed Germain’s face, and he reached for my hand and held it.
“Aydan,” he said gently. “Kane would have wanted you to be safe. He wouldn’t have wanted you to take a chance like this. And it won’t matter to him now, whether you do this today or tomorrow or next week.”
I gulped down the shame of lying to the pain in his eyes. “But it will matter to me,” I murmured.
He gazed at me unhappily. “Aydan...” He sighed and squeezed my hand. “Just be careful, then, okay?”
“I will. Thanks, Carl.” The guilt threatened to strangle me, and my voice emerged in a choked whisper.
Stemp would suffer for this. For causing these good men pain. For making me lie to them. He would suffer.
Germain released my hand with a sympathetic look as our food arrived. We ate in silence, the men with their stoic grief, and I with my tortured conscience.
Chapter 48
By the end of the day, my head was pounding even before I stepped out of the virtual network. When the wave of extra pain hit, I swore violently and clutched my skull.
“Aydan, stop!” Spider’s agitated voice penetrated my misery. I cracked open one eye and realized he had both hands wrapped around my head.
“Stop,” he repeated urgently, and I desisted from beating my head against the couch. I let out a prolonged whine while I slowly uncurled.
“Are you okay?” His worried face hovered in front of me.
“Fine.” I massaged my temples, trying to hide how much my head still hurt. Poor Spider. He really didn’t need any more stress right now.
“No, really, I’m fine,” I repeated. “Just a long day, that’s all.” I stood slowly and carefully. “I’m going home for a while. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay...” His distress was plainly visible on his face, and the guilt surged back stronger than ever. I was afraid of what might happen tonight, but I didn’t think I was as worried as Spider was.
Why couldn’t I just tell him Kane was alive? It would change everything for him.
As I stood wrestling with indecision, Mike Connor poked his head in the door. “Ready to roll, Spider?”
“Yeah, just about,” Spider replied. He turned to me, his face still troubled. Then he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “See you later,” he said tremulously.
I hugged him back. “See you.”
He glanced back at me one more time with anxious eyes as he went out the door.
Promptly at nine o’clock, I pulled up in front of the park. My hands shook, and my stomach toyed distastefully with my supper. I leaned back in the seat and took a few long, even breaths, trying to slow my pulse.
There was no reason to be worried. Nothing bad could happen. Kane was there. And the mole couldn’t deliver me to Fuzzy Bunny because they didn’t even know he was doing this. Plus, they wanted me alive. Really, they did.
My heart stepped up the pace. I blew out a shaky sigh and picked up the shopping bag from the passenger seat. I’d packed some candles and other props into it, hoping to look as though I was convincingly absorbed in preparing for the memorial.
I gulped down my fear and strode toward the clearing Spider and I had selected. He would already be in place with his video camera, so I deliberately avoided glancing in that direction.
I was just kneeling down to reach into my bag when the sounds of a violent struggle shattered the silence. Underbrush crackled and snapped, and the sound of heavy impact and male grunts of pain and effort made me rocket to my feet.
Kane!
I dashed toward the noise.
When I burst through the bushes, Kane and Germain were locked in combat. Shock and horror rooted me to the ground.
Germain was the traitor? I had trusted him with my life.
My mind whirled while they battered each other. I’d seen them spar before, but the speed and violence of a real fight was appalling between the two men I’d liked and trusted.
My paralysis broke, and I lunged toward them. “Stop!”
They both froze for a fraction of a second, and in the momentary silence, another voice spoke behind me. “Yes. Stop.”
I whirled to face Stemp. He sidestepped, looking for a clear shot, his gun already searching for Kane.
“No!” The word tore from my throat and I flung myself between them.
“Aydan, don’t!” Kane’s voice sounded almost simultaneously.
I backpedalled rapidly, still staying in Stemp’s line of fire until I backed into Kane. “Run!” My voice didn’t seem to be
working right. I spread my arms to make myself a bigger target. “John, get the hell out of here!”
“Stay where you are.” Germain’s voice was hard as ice as he snatched his gun up from the ground to aim at Kane, too.
Heart pounding, I shifted my position to cover Kane from two angles. I shoved my back against him. “Go! Go, dammit!”
“Aydan, no.” His hands closed on my shoulders and he tried to move me out of the way.
Germain’s face twisted. “You knew he was alive. You lied. You sat there beside me at his funeral, and you knew he was alive.”
The betrayal in his face stabbed me in the heart. “Carl, I swear I didn’t know. Stemp knew. He lied to us all.”
“Shut up.” Stemp jerked his head. “And move.”
“You won’t shoot me,” I quavered. My legs shook uncontrollably.
“I won’t kill you. Of course I’ll shoot you if necessary.” His gun drifted downward. “You don’t need your knees to decrypt files.”
“Drop it!” Germain’s gun snapped around to point at Stemp.
A small canister tumbled onto the ground just inside my peripheral vision.
All hell broke loose.
A ragged chorus of men’s voices bellowed, “Aydan, run!”
I gasped a breath and immediately doubled over, gagging and coughing. My eyes seared with scalding tears and I pawed wildly at them. Shots rang out. I heard the thud of bodies hitting the ground, but I was completely blind.
I staggered helplessly sideways, trying to escape the choking agony.
An arm closed around my shoulders. “Aydan, come on. Hurry, we’ve got to get you out of here!”
I stumbled along beside my rescuer. Tears and snot poured down my face and my stomach lost the battle with supper as I hunched over, vomiting and choking.
“Come on! Hurry!” The arm around my shoulders was insistent.
I blundered along as best I could, still blinded.
At last, I heard the sound of a vehicle door. “Come on, let’s get you in here. Step up. No, higher.”
Reach For the Spy Page 30