Deep Cover

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “I’d like to see you doing better than fine.” Noah waited for her to slide the onion into the slow cooker before he added, “I don’t want to get lectured by that doctor at Bethesda that I let you do too much.”

  “You know, you don’t have to drive me up there for my next appointment. I can have a driver from the Agency take me.”

  Noah shook his head. “That’s okay. I’m not sure I trust that guy.”

  “Noah, he has to have better than a top-secret clearance to be able to drive me,” Kelsey pointed out. “Sometimes I think the drivers are better informed than the analysts at the Agency.”

  Noah tensed. “What did you say?”

  “Huh?” She looked up at him, confused.

  “You said the drivers probably know more than most of the analysts,” Noah repeated her words. “Maybe it was a driver who was leaking the information from the FBI.”

  “I wouldn’t think the FBI would employ that many drivers. You aren’t dealing with the same kinds of security issues we are.”

  “We don’t,” Noah agreed. “But sometimes our agencies share drivers. It’s possible that someone was picking up information from both of our agencies.”

  “I never thought of that,” Kelsey admitted. “I’m starting to worry that we won’t get this figured out in time.”

  “We still have a month. We’ll figure it out one way or another.”

  “Yeah,” Kelsey managed. “One way or another.”

  Chapter 31

  They were running out of time. For the past two months, the taskforce had been working incredibly long hours going over every bit of intelligence they could find. Their attempts to figure out what Salman was planning had yielded mixed results. The analysis of the contents in the storage facility had given them the how and limited the where.

  According to the weapons experts that NCIS had enlisted, they felt certain the attack would be somewhere on the water. Or at least waterside. The type of plastic explosives they had stored was known for its effectiveness in naval warfare. That, combined with the missing missiles and the fact that all of the possible target cities were on the water, helped cement that logic.

  They had eliminated Boston as a likely target based on the notes found at the storage facility in Richmond. Unfortunately, nothing had helped them narrow the list any further. If they were right, five of the seven cities they had found encrypted in Salman’s notes remained real targets.

  Kelsey was still convinced that she knew the date and time, but no one had been able to figure out how Salman was going to deliver the attack. They were at a standstill, and they all knew it.

  E-mails between Salman’s household and his camps had ceased, as had phone conversations between his sons. If Kelsey was right, the family was coming together in preparation for Aamina’s wedding. And Salman’s men were preparing for the strike that would happen the same day. With each day that passed, the tension at the office grew, yet at home, somehow, Noah helped her leave all of that behind.

  Shortly after starting on the taskforce together, they stopped going to the singles activities. Instead, they spent their time getting to know each other better, sharing their pasts, and sometimes daring to talk about the future.

  Over the past weeks, Noah had told Kelsey more of his childhood, right up until he had suddenly lost his family. He hadn’t said the words, but Kelsey had been able to hear the guilt in his voice—survivor’s guilt. She also had a better appreciation now of how much her family had come to mean to him. If it hadn’t been for his strong attachment to them, she certainly wouldn’t be sitting in Noah’s car on the way to her brother’s house for Sunday dinner.

  “Are you okay?” Noah asked with a quick glance in her direction.

  “Yeah.” Her shoulders lifted. “It’s just hard to think that we’re going to spend the next couple of hours pretending everything is fine when we both know that six days from now we could have the biggest terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11.”

  “Would you rather be in the office staring at the same files we’ve gone over dozens of times?”

  “Actually, I would,” Kelsey admitted.

  Noah glanced over at her. “If you really want, we can go into the office early tomorrow, but for now, promise me you’ll at least try to enjoy yourself. You need to take downtime for yourself. We’ve been working twelve- to sixteen-hour days for weeks.”

  “I know.”

  Noah pulled into Justin’s driveway, and Kelsey took a deep breath. Noah reached over and put a hand on hers. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, even though she wasn’t really looking forward to spending time with her well-meaning but overly inquisitive sister-in-law. “Yeah.”

  “Let’s go, then.” Noah circled to the passenger-side door and waited for her to get out of the car. Just the past week, her doctor had finally agreed to let her get rid of the crutches, so she was back to using a cane again. As soon as she was standing in her brother’s driveway, Noah retrieved the pan of brownies they had brought with them from the backseat.

  They didn’t have a chance to ring the doorbell before the front door flew open. Five-year-old Cody rushed outside and launched himself at Noah. “Uncle Noah! You’re here!”

  “Hey, buddy. How are you doing?” Noah lifted him one-handed and settled the boy on his hip.

  “I’m building a train track. Want to help?”

  “I might be able to do that.” Noah motioned to Kelsey. “Do you remember your aunt Kelsey?”

  “Oh, hi,” Cody said, giving her a split second of his attention. Then he launched into a detailed description of the new train set he was currently assembling in his room.

  Noah carried the boy and the brownies into the house and headed straight for the kitchen, leaving Kelsey to follow along behind him.

  “Hey, Alyssa. How’s it going?” Noah asked.

  “Good,” she said in what appeared to be an automatic response. “Do you know if Kelsey is coming?”

  “Yeah, she’s right here.” Noah set the brownies down on the counter and motioned toward her as she made her way slowly into the kitchen.

  Alyssa’s eyes lit up as soon as Kelsey walked in. “You’re here! Oh, it’s so good to see you.” She put down the plate of chicken she had been holding and rushed over to give Kelsey a hug. “I heard about your accident. Are you okay?”

  “I’m doing fine, thanks.” As soon as Alyssa released her, Kelsey waved toward the vegetables lined up on the kitchen counter. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Just grab a seat and keep me company while I finish up.” She picked up the plate of chicken again. “Noah, can you take this out to Justin for me?”

  “Sure, no problem.” Noah lowered Cody down to the ground. “What do you think, big guy? Are you going to come help the men grill?”

  Cody shrugged his little shoulders. “Okay.”

  Kelsey watched Noah walk outside with her nephew. They were barely out the door when a little blonde-haired girl bulleted toward him and lifted her arms. Kelsey’s heart squeezed in her chest as she watched Noah hand the plate to Justin and then swing the little girl into his arms, throwing her up above his head in the process and making her squeal with delight.

  Alyssa watched with Kelsey and motioned toward her daughter, the little girl who had been a tiny infant the last time Kelsey had seen her. “Bethany just loves Noah.”

  “I can tell.” Kelsey fought against the wistfulness that edged into her voice and the feeling of loss that she had missed out on so much while she’d been away. “Bethany’s so big now. I wouldn’t have even recognized her.”

  “You know, it really would help if you would get a Facebook page. At least then you would see our pictures online.”

  “I know. I just don’t have time to use the Internet that often.”

  Alyssa huffed out a breath. “Kelsey, no job is so demanding that you can’t spend ten minutes on the computer for yourself.”

  Kelsey bristled at the comment and struggle
d to remind herself who she was supposed to be right now. Unable to come up with a response that would satisfy Alyssa without revealing more than she was able, Kelsey opted for an easy out. “You know, I think I left my pain medication in the car. I’ll be right back.”

  Before Alyssa could respond, Kelsey headed back toward the front of the house as fast as she could.

  * * *

  “I’m glad we were finally able to all get together,” Justin said as he put the chicken on to grill. “Between your schedule and Kelsey’s, I was wondering if we were ever going to be able to set this up.”

  “Work’s been a little crazy lately,” Noah said vaguely. He glanced through the kitchen window to where Kelsey had been talking to Alyssa a moment before. He was surprised to see that Alyssa was now alone.

  “I’ll be right back.” He crossed the yard and walked back inside. “Where’s Kelsey?”

  “She went out to the car to get her pain medicine,” Alyssa told him.

  Concern sounded in his voice. “Is she okay?”

  “I guess so.” Alyssa shrugged. “I mean, she didn’t say she was in pain or anything.”

  Noah thought back over the time he’d spent with Kelsey. Even when her injury had been aggravated, he couldn’t remember once when she’d taken any pain medication. “I’d better go check on her.”

  “She’s a big girl, Noah. I’m sure she’ll be right back.”

  Noah ignored her and headed for the front door. He stepped outside to find Kelsey standing on the porch, staring out at the street, her posture rigid. “Hey.” Noah took a step closer, surprised to see that she was fighting back tears. “What happened?”

  She shook her head, but Noah couldn’t tell if it was because she didn’t want to answer or because she couldn’t. She pressed her fingers to her eyes, wiping at the tears trying to escape.

  “Come here.” Noah closed the distance between them and gathered her in his arms. She hesitated only a moment before her arms came around him and she clung to his waist. They stood there in silence as a minute dragged into two. Slowly, degree by degree, Noah could feel Kelsey relax against him. He pressed a kiss to her temple and pulled back to look down at her face once more. “What did Alyssa say to you?”

  “It’s nothing,” she managed, even though he could tell she didn’t believe her own words.

  “If it were nothing, you wouldn’t be out here,” Noah said. “Talk to me.”

  “It’s just hard with Alyssa. She doesn’t really know me. She only thinks of me as the irresponsible sibling who’s too selfish to stay in touch.”

  “She doesn’t think that.”

  “Of course she does,” Kelsey countered. “I was away at college when she and Justin got married. Then I started working overseas almost right after graduating. She’s never had time to know who I really am. All she knows is that I can’t be bothered to make time for the family.”

  Noah lowered his voice to a whisper. “We both know how much you love your family.”

  “But she doesn’t.” Kelsey drew a deep breath. “I know better than to let her get to me, but she just has a habit of backing me into corners where I don’t have a choice but to lie.” Kelsey looked up at him with such anguish that his heart ached for her. “I don’t want to lie anymore.”

  Noah’s voice was gentle. “Kelsey, you had to know that you would have to lie to your family when you chose this career.”

  “I didn’t choose this career. It chose me.” She shook her head, and a single tear spilled over. “When I joined, I didn’t know I’d end up this deep.”

  Noah stared at her, surprised by the admission. He had assumed she had sought out employment with the CIA and that she had wanted to work deep cover. He never considered that they had recruited her. Still, regardless of how she had started, he knew firsthand how she thrived in the intelligence community. He also knew that despite the stress that came with it, she loved her job.

  The question entered his mind of whether she would ever be willing to walk away from her career now that she had tasted so much success. Not prepared to pose the question or perhaps just not ready to hear the answer, he turned back toward the house. “Come on. Let’s go out in the backyard and play with the kids for a while. They’re going to love you.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  Noah leaned down and gave her a sweet and simple kiss. “I do.”

  Chapter 32

  “She’s where?” Surprise and disbelief reflected on Salman’s face.

  Gabir left several deliberate feet between them. “Washington, DC.”

  “What?” Salman’s voice was eerily calm when he asked, “How did she end up in the United States?”

  “We think the rebels traded her for weapons. Bealton must have told someone about her, that she might know information that can make us vulnerable,” Gabir said as his father seethed. “What do you want me to do?”

  “We need to know if she has told the Americans anything.”

  “Father, surely she doesn’t know enough to be of value to the Americans,” Gabir said calmly. “Our plans may be at greater risk by trying to find her. Our source would inform us if there was a problem.”

  “Contact our source,” Salman insisted. “Perhaps he can tell us where Taja is being held.”

  “And if Taja has talked?”

  “Then we will have to teach her how to be silent.”

  * * *

  “How’s it going?” Noah leaned back in his chair. Ted and Cullen had already cleared out of the office, leaving him and Kelsey alone.

  “Not good.” Kelsey swiveled in her chair to face him. “I’ve gone through name after name. I even worked the Middle East desk for a few days before this taskforce started to get a handle on these people.”

  “And?”

  “Nothing. Randy Carnes is known for dating around the office and breaking new recruits’ hearts, but that’s hardly a federal offense.”

  “Did he break your heart?”

  Kelsey’s lips quirked up. “He didn’t get a chance. I’d already met you.”

  “Good answer.” Noah grinned. “What about the others?”

  “Eli hasn’t served overseas yet, so he never was a likely suspect. My take on him is that he’s just anxious to prove himself. He’s a good guy that will be a good agent once he stops competing with everyone around him.” Her shoulders lifted. “Cheryl Reinholt is clean. She’s married with three kids. Her husband is a former marine, now working for a government contractor. Everyone else I’ve looked at is as squeaky clean as they come.”

  “Maybe the chief of station from Turkey really was the only mole.”

  “Turkey? Who told you the mole was from Turkey?”

  “Devin.” Noah’s eyebrows drew together. “Why does that surprise you?”

  “Because the man arrested for leaking information was the chief of station in Israel.”

  “I don’t suppose he started out in Turkey and transferred to Israel.”

  Kelsey shook her head. “This doesn’t make sense. The chief of station in Turkey knows my real identity. If he’s a mole, I’d be dead.”

  Noah stiffened at that admission. “Do you know who the previous chief of station was in Turkey?”

  She nodded, clarity lighting her eyes. “I know exactly who it is.”

  “Who?”

  Kelsey lowered her voice even though the office was empty. “Cullen Plesky.”

  “Cullen?” Noah’s eyebrows drew together. “That’s not the name Devin gave me. He said the guy’s name was Jerry Allenbaum.”

  “I can’t believe everyone missed this.” Disbelief hung in her voice. “No wonder Marty wasn’t talking. We really do have a second mole.”

  “Are you sure? Devin might have been wrong about his information.”

  “Not if he gave you the name Jerry Allenbaum. It’s an alias.” She drew a deep breath and then clarified further. “It’s Cullen’s alias. Jerry Allenbaum and Cullen Plesky are the same person.”

  “T
hat doesn’t make any sense,” Noah countered. “Not only was he cleared to work on this taskforce, but he also knows who you really are. You said yourself that we were looking for someone who knows about Kelly Park but not about Taja Al-Kazaz.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t know that I’m Taja. It’s possible he believes what everyone else does, that I’m the operative who was handling her.”

  Noah remembered the surprised look on Cullen’s face when he mentioned Kelsey’s injury. “I think I screwed up.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “A few weeks ago, right after you reinjured yourself, I talked to Cullen about you. I mentioned that you were recovering from a gunshot wound.”

  She lifted her hand and pressed two fingers against her forehead as though pressing against a pain centered there. “Which means he might have put it all together.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Noah said. “I thought he knew.”

  Kelsey’s shoulders lifted. “If that was weeks ago and he hasn’t made a move on me yet, he must not see me as a threat.”

  “The question is, what do we do now? How can we prove our suspicions?”

  “I’ll call the director and let him handle it. Maybe if they question him, they’ll be able to figure out exactly where and how this attack is supposed to happen.”

  “Let’s hope.”

  * * *

  “You asked to see me?” Kelsey asked from the doorway of Lewis Tate’s office.

  “Come in and close the door.” He waved her inside, his expression serious. “I’m afraid we’re down to the wire on this one.”

  Kelsey absorbed his words, and she could feel her face pale. She didn’t need him to explain that she was going back undercover, deep undercover. They had already worked out the plan they had both hoped would never be needed. A ripple of panic shimmered just under her heart and spread slowly outward. She tried to appear calm when she asked, “Any news about Cullen?”

  He shook his head. “I know you were hoping that he’d be able to give us some answers, that it wouldn’t be necessary for you to go back, but he’s dropped off the grid. No one has any idea where he is.”