Isiah took in the information coming at him and as he sorted through it, a question arose. “Is it possible that he’s the connection to Nik Balraj, too?”
Shah inclined her head. “It’s possible, yes. Calloway was in the Caribbean for a little over a year. Long enough to develop contacts. And couple that with Balraj’s role in the investigation that initially led us to Calloway, I think it’s a safe bet, though we don’t have any direct evidence, yet.”
“Balraj’s role in the initial investigation?” Isiah asked.
Damian nodded and answered. “Charlotte was down here vacationing with some friends and to make a long story short, they accidentally uncovered something they shouldn’t have. Balraj was hired to take care of them—”
“The explosions you mentioned a few days ago?” Isiah asked, turning to Alexis. She nodded. “And Calloway was involved in that?”
“We don’t know for certain,” Shah answered. “Like Damian said, there are a lot of things about Calloway that don’t sit right. But we don’t have any evidence of any actual wrongdoing.”
“So what’s the plan?” Alexis asked before Isiah could jump in with another question. He had several, but he supposed they could wait. It wasn’t his job to unravel Rosen and Calloway’s relationship and if he was ever going to make it home, letting Alexis and her team get down to brass tacks was the fastest way to ensure that. Besides, if he held his tongue now, it would give him an excuse to spend time with Alexis later. Not that he planned to talk much work once he finally did get time with her—real time with her, like that date she’d promised him.
“Oh, we’re not done yet,” Dominic jumped in, interrupting Isiah’s train of thought.
“Agent Sarah Webster?” Damian asked, looking to him, Alexis, and Jake for confirmation that they remembered the visit. All dutifully nodded, and he continued. “Her mentor is Ronald Lawler. Ronald Lawler is married to Angela Rosen’s sister.”
Silence fell after that statement and though Isiah had seen the distrust the team had had toward Agent Webster, he was having a hard time following how those two things—Duncan Calloway helping Rosen sell CIA assets and Agent Webster showing up on Tildas Island—could be connected. Other than Rosen herself.
“I never liked Ronald,” Shah said. “He’s a toady and he’s taught his mentees the same.” Isiah had to believe that discretion had played a big role in Shah rising to the level she had and her blunt statement surprised him. And if the stares pointed in her direction were anything to go by, it surprised the team, too.
“He lobbied to have one of his mentees on this team,” she continued. “I know you all know this, but I don’t think you understand the full extent of how unusual this team is—it’s an elite team, you are an elite team. It would have been a feather in his cap to have one of his mentees selected for this group.”
After a beat, Alexis spoke. “But other than both Calloway and Webster—through Ronald Lawler—being connected to Rosen, are there any other links we know?”
Shah smiled. “We were a little busy yesterday smoothing over the incident in Honduras and fielding calls, so we didn’t get much further than what we’ve covered here. But I hear your frustration regarding the gaps in our intel. Beni?” She gestured for the agent to take over.
Beni nodded. “We’re going to start by digging into Rosen and the web she lives in. It includes both Calloway and Lawler, but we need to know who else. We also need to each tap into our own intelligence networks to see if there is any chatter about The Gentleman. If we can learn who wanted to buy his identity, we might be able to trace it back to Rosen.”
Shah nodded. “I think we can all agree that Agent Webster’s visit earlier this week wasn’t a vacation. Especially considering that Rosen knows that Huck overheard her mention the island. She’s involved in something and we need to figure out what.”
“What about the spy?” Jake asked. “Are we going to keep looking for him?”
Shah glanced out the window as she spoke, her voice tinged with regret. “I think we all know that the likelihood of finding The Gentleman now is pretty low. If he was even in Honduras when you arrived, the events of the last few days would have driven him deeper undercover.” Shah paused, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. Her team stilled, waiting for her final directives. Finally, she looked up. “We’ll keep our eyes open for any signs of the asset—if we can protect him, we will. But I think we’re going to have to put our faith in his ability survive. And for now, all roads lead to Angela Rosen. She’s our number one priority.”
Chapter Twelve
Alexis pulled her jeep to a stop outside The Shack and let out a long sigh.
“You look like you could use a drink,” Isiah said from beside her in the passenger seat.
She almost smiled at his comment. The drive from the office had been silent and of all the things that could have been said in the twenty-minute ride, it seemed oddly fitting that those were the first.
“I have a nice bottle of Ardbeg in my office. We could go sit up on my deck, watch the sunset, and not talk,” he added.
At that, she did laugh. She was used to being on her own, and talking things out or rehashing events didn’t come naturally to her. That Isiah was either the same or recognized the trait in her and was okay with it, made her feel comforted in a slightly uncomfortable, but welcome, way.
Looking at the man beside her, she had to admit—if only to herself—that when he’d handed the woman his weapon as they’d left the encampment, her heart may have tumbled into a little bit of something with him. He’d given not just Julia—as that was her name—a sense of power and comfort, he’d given it to all the women. He’d known, or sensed, that’s what they’d needed, and he hadn’t hesitated. That kind of awareness, that kind of empathy, was rare—especially when packaged together with a man who had the training of an elite operative and the body to go with it—and it was distractingly sexy. And she could use a little distraction about now.
“That actually sounds great.” She unlatched her seatbelt as she switched the car off. “Let me text Yael and let her know.”
She followed him through the back door and into the building without comment as she texted Yael. She’d just slid her phone into her pocket when Isiah unlocked the door to his office and held it open for her.
Stepping into the room, two things struck her right away. The first was that Isiah was meticulously tidy. And the second was that they weren’t alone.
She froze and Isiah nearly walked into her, putting his hands on her hips to steady himself.
“Everything—”
But he didn’t finish his sentence because sitting in the chair at his desk was a woman. Not just any woman, but the one who’d been a guard—or trafficker—in Honduras. The one who Alexis would have sworn had tried to help them.
The door to Isiah’s office clicked shut as he stepped in front of Alexis, putting himself between her and the guard. The three studied each other in silence. The woman’s hands were visible, resting casually across her stomach, no weapon in sight. Her feet were propped up on the desk, and she wore a black tank top, pair of loose-fitting cargo pants, and boots. Her hair fell to her shoulders, framing features that were strong, almost masculine.
“I hear you’ve been looking for me.”
Alexis understood the words but couldn’t cipher the meaning. Until she did.
“You’re The Gentleman?”
At her pronouncement, Isiah’s back and shoulders tensed.
The woman smiled. “At your service. Now would you care to tell me why the FBI was traipsing around the jungles of Honduras?”
Isiah glanced over his shoulder at her. His message was clear—he’d follow her lead.
Alexis eyed their guest, weighing the pros and cons. It was possible she was lying about her identity and she was not the spy they sought, but too many pieces of the puzzle clicked into place for Alexis to give that doubt much consideration. She’d not only been in Honduras, as Huck had indicated,
but had helped them rescue the kidnapped women—both facts weighed in her favor. And then there was her gender fluidity—such a skill would make her much harder to track than the average asset and it explained how she remained so elusive. And how she’d been so successful over the years.
“Why don’t we all sit down and have a drink,” Alexis said, her attention fixed on the woman.
“A beautiful woman of business, just my type,” she replied with a smile.
“I’ll need to get another glass from the bar. I only have two in here,” Isiah said, turning his body to half face her.
Alexis switched her attention to him, still keeping the woman in her peripheral vision. “I’ll be fine.”
His jaw tightened and it didn’t take a genius to figure out he didn’t want to leave her with their uninvited guest. But after a beat, he nodded, then he shot the spy a warning look before leaving the office to retrieve one more glass. When Isiah returned, he poured three drinks, then he and Alexis took a seat on the couch on the opposite side of the office from his desk.
“So, why are you looking for me?” The Gentleman repeated.
“Because someone in the CIA is trying to compromise your identity and we wanted to warn you.” Alexis maintained eye contact as she spoke, looking for any reaction. The only thing she got was a small frown.
“And how did you know I was in Honduras?”
“Who are you?” Alexis countered. “I don’t care what your real name is, but I’d like a name, since we’re getting all cozy and everything.”
The woman smiled again. “You can call me Serena. And no, that’s not my real name.”
“Let me guess, it’s safer if we don’t know?” Isiah said. Alexis could all but hear the accompanying eye roll.
“Sure, let’s go with that. Or maybe just I don’t like my given name. Now, how’d you know about Honduras?”
Alexis swiftly sorted through her options before landing on the most efficient. “Isiah, do you have the phone?”
Slowly, he nodded. Then with the barest hint of a sigh, he rose and knelt before a safe. Keeping his back to Serena, he punched in a code and placed his finger on a scanner. When the door popped open, he withdrew both the phone and the files they’d printed from Huck’s private drive.
“What’s this?” Serena asked when Isiah placed the phone on the desk in front of her. Rather than answer, he played the recording.
Alexis had heard it enough times and so, rather than focus on Huck’s words, she watched Serena. Not surprisingly, the spy’s expression was so inscrutable that she could have just as easily been watching the trees sway in the breeze as hearing her countrywoman selling her out.
When the recording ended, Isiah slid the phone into his pocket and returned to sit beside Alexis on the couch. An owl hooted in the distance and other than Isiah glancing out the window, no one moved or said anything for a moment.
Finally, Serena let out a huff. “I always knew Angela Rosen was dodgy as shit. Granted—and I shouldn’t admit this and blow the whole spy mystique thing—this surprises even me.”
“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one she fooled, but more to the point, I can’t tell you how glad I am to find you alive.”
The sudden new voice startled everyone. Alexis and she started to rise as she reached for her weapon, but Isiah yanked her down. Serena had no such barriers, though, and she was on her feet with a gun in one hand and a knife in the other.
A man, maybe a few years older than Isiah, stood in the doorway. His beard was scruffy—and not in a stylized way—and his brown t-shirt and tan shorts were loose and frayed at the edges. He held his hands, his empty hands, in front of him, palms out.
“As soon as Serena puts those weapons away, I’m going to beat the shit out of you, then give you a big ol’ island hug,” Isiah said. “It’s good to see you, Huck.”
The man grinned at Isiah before letting his attention drift to Alexis. His grin widened and he gave her a wink.
Alexis shot him a flat look. She could have done without the dramatic entrance. “Isiah, would you care to do the honors?” she asked.
“Kevin Karington, may I introduce Agent Alexis Wright and operative Serena Whatever, also known as The Gentleman. Serena, Alexis, this is Huck, the man who kicked this whole thing off.” Isiah had leaned back against the couch as he’d performed the introductions and draped his hand along the back, letting his fingers brush her neck.
Serena and Huck eyed each other before Serena lowered her weapons and re-took her seat. The next instant, Isiah was off the couch and embracing his friend.
“What the hell?” he demanded, once they’d parted. “You okay? You need anything?”
Huck shook his head. “It’s good to see you, too, man. It’s been a hell of a journey down here. The only thing I could use right now is a big glass of water.”
Isiah threw Alexis a questioning look. She nodded, and he slipped from the room.
“Not that I’m not pleased to see you alive, but I’m going to need a little more of an explanation from you than I think Isiah will require. I suspect Serena will have her own questions, as well,” Alexis said.
Huck’s attention darted from one woman to the other, then abruptly, he strode across the room and took a seat in an old wooden chair. Isiah returned with the water and handed it off before retaking his seat next to Alexis.
“Okay, here’s the short version,” Huck said. “The recording pretty much tells you most of the story that I know. I managed to ditch the SIM card on the phone then make my way to Tildas through a proverbial series of trains, automobiles, and boats. I knew my package would beat me here, but I had hoped to get here in time to pick up the search for Serena,” he stumbled over the name a bit. “But it looks like, as usual, Boongy’s been more efficient than I gave him credit for and you’ve already done the job I wanted to get done.”
He paused and took a long drink. When he finished, his gaze lowered and rested on the glass in his hands. “When I overheard Rosen that day in her office talking about doing what she intended to do, I wanted to both throw-up and kill her. Not only was she going to sell out one of our assets, but she’d involved me in it, too.” He paused, then looked up. “I’m done with the Company, Boongy,” he announced. “Any chance you need an extra bartender?”
His words were light, but everyone in the room knew it wouldn’t be that easy to leave the CIA. Still, Alexis could see the torment in Huck’s eyes as the reality of how close he’d come to being a part of something that went against everything he’d trained for.
“What about Culpepper?” Serena asked.
Huck turned his attention to the woman behind the desk. “Adrian Culpepper? Was he your handler?” he asked with a frown.
“Was?” Serena clarified, straightening in her chair.
“He died a little over two weeks ago in a car accident,” Huck said. “We were told he had a heart attack and his car hit a tree. But if he was your handler, I’m thinking we may not have gotten the full story.”
The corner of Serena’s left eye twitched, but that was her only outward reaction to the news.
“There’s more to it, though,” Alexis said. “The man you overheard Rosen speaking to?” She directed her question to Huck, and he nodded. “He’s a man we’re already familiar with. Duncan Calloway is his name.” Alexis knew she was taking a gamble revealing what her team had found. But then again, technically, both Huck and Serena were still federal agents, under oath.
Serena snorted in disgust. “He’s a dodgy shit.”
“Don’t know him,” was Huck’s response.
Alexis took the next few minutes to fill Serena and Huck in on the Calloway-Rosen-Lawler triangle. When she finished, she looked to Serena, “As I’m sure you can imagine, Rosen is now our primary person of interest, but any chance you’ve heard of Nikhil Balraj? His name was in Huck’s files, but we’ve encountered him before.”
Serena frowned in thought then shook her head.
“He’s a bomb
er-for-hire. He nearly killed a colleague of mine twice last year,” Alexis said.
Serena laughed. “He’s obviously not very good then, which would explain why I don’t know him. I don’t do business with second-rate people.”
Not that Alexis had expected Serena to know Balraj, but it would have been nice. She also recognized the truth in the operative’s statement. Serena hadn’t lasted as long as she had by working with people who didn’t do their jobs.
“So what’s his story?” Serena asked.
“His name, and a date that happens to be during the World Summit the island is hosting next May, appeared in the files Huck had on you.”
Serena’s attention dropped to the file Isiah had set on the desk. “Hm, yes, I can see why you’d be concerned about both Balraj and Rosen. But maybe we should ask him why this information cropped up in his search for me?” She jerked her head in Huck’s direction.
“I didn’t know who Balraj was until just now,” Huck said. “His name came up twice as I was culling through intelligence reports from the area. You’re a very difficult person to find, Serena. I’d started looking for you in Africa, then finally tracked you to the Caribbean before narrowing in on Honduras. I culled through a lot of information, reached out to a few of my resources, and as part of that, Balraj’s name came up. When it cropped up a second time, I jotted it down along with the date. I didn’t know if he was related to anything you were involved in, but I didn’t like that his name had popped onto my radar more than once. I figured that once I sorted out where to find you, I could go back and dig into him. Of course, then I overheard Rosen’s plans and it kind of changed things. I never had the chance to look into him.”
Alexis’s mind spun with the possibilities. In some ways, it sounded like a bad joke—what do you get when you combine a traitor, a bomber, and a resort full of world leaders? Unfortunately, the possible punchlines were anything but funny.
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