“I thought you were assigned to this team?”
“I was. The original team.”
I didn’t say anything.
“They said without me, they don’t see how we would have brought you aboard.”
“So you were just playing me for your team, as you say.”
“Come on. Of course not. We both know that.”
“Sorry, that was a low blow.”
“You think? Geez. OK, I’m going to ignore that. But that’s really what they said. They were glad we were able to get you on the team. They couldn’t stop talking about it. How without you we had nothing. You did all the heavy lifting. The muscle stuff, but also a lot of the brainpower stuff. They were thoroughly impressed.”
“Hooray for me.”
“And they also reminded me that the agency is built on teams. And that those teams are always recruiting. Always looking for new members who can contribute.”
I turned to meet her glance.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve gone and lost your mind?”
“Zamora, please. Hear me out. It’s exactly what you want. You just said so two minutes ago. Think about it.”
“I don’t think it would work.”
“Are you crazy? Did you see what we just accomplished? You’re already entering a hero. I mean, sure you have to go through the training like any newbie, but you’ve already got a reputation. An extremely good one and one with the right people.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said hastily to brush off the idea.
“And what about us?”
I raised my eyebrow. “What about us?”
“It could work. It would work.”
“Two DEA agents working different cases thousands of miles apart?”
“Exactly!”
We both laughed.
“But think about it,” she said. “Who else would better understand each other? Be able to relate to what the other is going through. Have that patience. Know what to do. How to offer encouragement in tough times. I want that encouragement from you. I want you in my corner. Cheering for me. Pushing me on. And I want to be in your corner. Doing exactly the same for you.”
She had really thought this one through. I could hear it in her tone. The sincerity of her words.
“I don’t know, Abbey.”
“Will you at least think about it?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll think about it.”
“When are you going stateside again?”
“What’s with all the questions?”
“Come on. When are you going back?”
“I don’t know. Maybe never.”
“Can you be back by next Tuesday?”
“What did you do?”
She smiled a mischievous smile. “I didn’t do anything. The top brass want to meet you. Face to face.”
“Rosenberg and Riley?”
“Come on. Weren’t you a SEAL? You have to use rank. Can’t just be calling people by their last names. That’s not going to win you any points.”
I laughed. “But that’s who you’re talking about, right?”
She nodded.
“I’ll think about it.”
She smiled.
“While you’re thinking about it can I give you a hug?”
I smiled and opened my posture to her. She bear hugged me. It was nice, but I felt kind of ridiculous. A huge guy getting bear hugged by a girl. So I did what I should have done earlier. I bear hugged her.
CHAPTER 10
“Special Agent, Abbey. Your coffee.”
“Well, thank you, Special Agent Zamora.”
“It’s nice to be back where it all started.” I said.
“It sure is. Even nicer that we’re not chasing bad guys this time around. Just enjoying it. Me and you. You and me. And soon to be us.”
Claire Abbey looked down at her stomach and smiled. I put my ear close and listened.
“I think he’s kicking. Or maybe he’s just saying hello.”
“Probably a little bit of both. Oh, Zane. I’m so excited. We’re going to have our own little special agent.”
“And he’s going to give us plenty of mysteries to solve. Like who ate the cookies before dinner? Who tried to give the dog a bath? Who tried to give himself a haircut with a pair of scissors?”
“Don’t forget who went Picasso all over the living room wall?” Claire said.
We both laughed.
“We’re already making him out to be a tyrant and he’s not even born! What’s wrong with us?”
“You’re right,” Claire said. “But let’s face it. With our genetics he’s probably going to be a handful.”
“That’s for sure.”
My first three years with the agency had been a blast. I was back to doing what I enjoyed. The team was different. The structure was different. The purpose was the same. Protect the world from bad guys. I was back to doing what I knew I was born to do.
Abbey was doing the same. Working her way up through the ranks quickly. She was well liked and respected by everyone at the agency. She had really made her mark after her first case.
She still partnered with Frost from time to time. He still teased me about taking him down in that café early that one morning. He was all healed and better now so it was easy for both of us to laugh about it. He especially liked to remind me by coming by my office on the rare occasions I wasn’t in the field. I think he just enjoyed trying to guilt me into buying him a soda from the vending machine. I got a laugh out of it every time.
A couple times Abbey and I were able to work on cases together. It wasn’t too difficult since we were always willing to work on the most difficult cases. The ones in the strangest places. People said we were lucky to have found each other. We were the only ones on earth weird enough for the other. An unusual couple, but a couple. Not just a couple. A perfect match.
I had booked us a ten-day holiday to Turkey. I wanted to return to Turkey for a little R&R. Claire really didn’t really get to see the beauty the country had to offer three years prior. We arrived in Istanbul and soaked in all the culture. The Grand Bazaar. Hagia Sophia. The many mosques. The Golden Horn. Lazy afternoon cruises along the Bosphorus. A Turkish ice cream cone in one hand. Claire’s hand in the other.
After Istanbul we headed east to check out Cappadocia. The cone shaped rock formations made us feel like we were in outer space. I had rented a luxury cave, at least that’s what the ad on the Internet said. I didn’t think cave and luxury ever belonged in the same sentence, especially after spending time in them years before in Afghanistan. Boy, was I ever wrong. The cave was amazing. It was high on a hill. There was a curtain we could pull back and enjoy a cool breeze and see across the entire valley.
Today I had booked a sunset hot air balloon ride. Our driver arrived and took us to the take-off point. I had some experience with hot air balloons before. We once had to revert to them for a covert jump in a location I can’t disclose. I told the guy I knew what I was doing. Somehow he believed me. I think the big tip I handed him didn’t hurt either. He let me pilot Abbey and I up. Just the two of us.
The view was too beautiful to even speak. As we soared above the multi colored natural rock formations I took Abbey’s hands in mine. The balloon basket was a tight fit, which was good. It felt even more romantic.
I looked Abbey directly in the eyes. Kept her hands in mine.
“Claire Abbey,” I began.
“Zane?”
I could feel her hands begin to shake.
“Three years ago we began this journey of ours. Three years ago today not too far from here.”
“Oh my God!” She screamed. A tear streamed down her cheek.
“We met at the sea. Today we’re in the clouds. You just keep taking me higher and higher. As high as a man can go on his own. I want to go the rest of the way together. With you. Unite our souls as one. Forever.”
She was jumping up and down. I’m sure the balloon operator was freaking out down below watching th
rough his binoculars.
“Claire Abbey. Be my wife.” As I said the last words I slid the engagement ring onto her finger.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Forever and always a million times, yes!”
She was crying. She jumped into my arms. I caught her, as I always would. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. Always.
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