by Nana Prah
Sarita had met some incredible women here and she prayed everything would work out well for each of them. She hoped they would find peace and productivity it their homelands.
Three other women from Columbia were released, along with two from Brazil, one from Morocco, and Berlinda from India.
When the external door opened, Sarita waved and blew out kisses. She heard the girls shouting goodbye as she walked out the door, never once looking back.
The group trooped down to the main floor where their journey had started.
Once again, they were held in a locked cell. Six sets of bunk beds sat against the walls. No toilet in sight. If Sarita never had to sleep in the same room with a porcelain commode again, she’d survive.
After about ten minutes, the ICE officer came to release Sarita. She told him Hana should come with her. She didn’t have to look at the other inmates to know they were confused at her giving an order to a guard. It felt good to be back in a position of power. He escorted them to an office with Captain Taylor etched into a gold name plate nailed to the door.
The African American woman glanced up offering them a seat with a wordless flip of her hand before resuming her work. She had to at least be in her mid-fifties to hold such a rank, but her face didn’t expose her age. Her hard demeanor had them she and Hana sitting up straight, hands folded in their laps, and still as statues. Sarita wondered if she’d be friendly, like Corinth, if she got to know her.
After a couple of minutes she focused her attention on them. “My name is Captain Yvonne Taylor. I run this facility.”
Hana’s raised eyebrows were almost comedic. True to her nature, she remained quiet.
“I don’t suppose this was one of your best assignments, Agent Cerez.”
“Being caged held no appeal, Captain.”
Captain Taylor pinned Hana with a suffocating gaze. “Ms. Rhee. Have you learned any lessons from your brief stay in my facility?”
Hana’s face glowed crimson as she nodded.
“Speak.” The command had been spoken softly, but the force behind it resonated.
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s all your father wanted for you.” She ignored Hana’s gasp. “I am to formally introduce you to Secret Service Agent for Homeland Security, Sarita Cerez.”
Hana stared at Sarita with her mouth agape and her naturally narrow eyes owl wide.
“She will be escorting you back to South Korea. I don’t believe Agent Cerez will be as easy to dodge as your other guards were, so don’t even attempt it. Do you understand?”
Hana started to nod, then must have remembered the earlier reprimand. “Yes.”
“Is there anything you need, Agent Cerez?”
Sarita understood why the facility ran so well. She couldn’t imagine Captain Taylor taking garbage from anyone. “My own clothes would be nice.”
The older woman stood, revealing her stature to be shorter than Sarita had anticipated. She rolled two black luggage bags from behind her desk. “These are for the both of you. You may change in my personal bathroom, Agent Cerez. I will keep an eye on Ms. Rhee.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Once inside the large green and white tiled room, instead of taking a match to the ugly yellow uniform, she folded it and placed it on the sink, sticking her tongue out at it. Digging into her bag, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a navy blue T-shirt. A low sigh escaped when she slid the clothes on. After applying mascara, her favorite light pink lipstick, and a spritz of rose-scented perfume she was ready to resume her life as Agent Cerez instead of ICE inmate, 78556. If only Matt could see her. She winked at her reflection in the mirror.
When she walked out, Captain Taylor nodded at Hana. The girl scurried into the bathroom.
The captain handed Sarita a locked metal container holding her beloved JA Nine 9mm then added another bag with bullets, holster, badge, and her passport.
Sarita strapped on the holster before removing the gun. Unlocking the box, she pulled the piece out. With a long time practiced finesse she ensured the safety was on before putting bullets into the magazine and loading the gun. It felt good to hold her baby again. Slipping it into the holster, she covered the exposed gun with a light navy blue jacket.
The weight of her badge landed with familiarity on her abdomen when she slipped it around her neck. She’d missed the shiny metal, indicating her rank and status as an agent.
“Hana’s a nice girl,” Sarita said as she sat down.
“I’m sure she is, but she did a naughty thing, running around the country without a care to how her family would feel.”
“At first I thought the punishment was too harsh.”
Captain Taylor’s chair creaked as she leaned forward. “And now?”
“It’s precisely what she needed. I’m sure she’s learned a lot from this brief stint in prison. A little hard core punishment didn’t kill her.”
“Now.” The no nonsense woman rested her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers. “About Matthew Carter.”
The clenching of her jaw was Sarita’s only reaction to the mention of his name. “What about him?”
Captain Taylor laughed. The sound was rather feminine for a woman who exuded such a tough image. “Do you think there are many things that occur in my prison of which I’m not aware? I bide my time with the solutions to the problems, but I know everything. Don’t worry. There’s no need for me to reprimand him.”
Sarita expelled the breath she’d been holding in.
“He’s one of the best guards I have. I’ll be sad to see him go in order to join your ranks, but it’s what’s right for him.” Captain Taylor sat back, scrutinizing Sarita for so long she became uncomfortable, but she didn’t move, not even a twitch. “In fact, I’m happy for him,” the captain continued. “Your boss sent me your record to review prior to your insertion. I’m impressed with your duty and work ethic. Everything I’ve heard and observed about you has been positive. I can see why he likes you.”
Sarita crossed one ankle over the other, willing herself to remain impassive.
“I don’t want the two of you to be surprised when you see each other again under new circumstances. I have ordered that he escort you and Hana to the airport. At times we assist ICE by assigning our guards to help transport their detainees to the airport. In this case we’re assisting the Secret Service.”
Sarita’s heart thudded so hard the older woman could probably hear it. “Yes, Captain.”
Hana walked out of the restroom wearing a knee length floral-print dress. With the innocence she exuded, Sarita had to remind herself that this same young lady escaped previous agents, roamed around the country with her boyfriend--breaking immigration laws--and scared the crap out of her family.
The captain picked up her desk phone and called a guard to escort Hana to the large cell. She focused on the young woman with a harsh mother-like look which had Sarita squirming for the girl. “What was discussed in here stays amongst us. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Hana said.
“Take care of yourself and do the right thing. Your father must love you very much to have you thrown into my prison. Remember that part and everything will be fine. Have a safe journey home.”
“Thank you.” Hana left with a little bow from the waist.
Where had the gentle tone of voice the captain used come from?
“That’s the first expression I’ve been able to interpret from you, Ms. Cerez. I can be kind,” Captain Taylor said. “But it’s a rarity I reserve for extreme situations. I’ve called Carter to come in so he can meet you as Agent Cerez.” The tapping of her pen against the desk wasn’t comforting. “Should be an interesting interaction.”
Wringing her hands and pacing the room wouldn’t appear professional, so Sarita clasped them together. “Thank you. I have a few observations about the security aspects of your prison, if you would like to hear them.”
“Of course. You’re a seasoned agent who’s had an internal
eye of the facility. I’m sure any suggestions you have would help.” The captain gave a slow nod when Sarita finished explaining her findings. “Thank you very much. Most of what you said, the cameras in particular, have been long-standing problems. Politics is not a fun game to play.”
“I understand, Captain.”
Her lips curled into a smile, creating a softness which belied her grit.
“I’m sure you would rather go home to your own bed than travel to South Korea.”
“It’s part of the job.”
“I know all about duty.”
Sarita didn’t doubt the older woman had done more than her share of work to obtain her rank and position.
At the knock on the door, the captain called out, “Yes, come in.”
Matt opened the door and the butterflies in Sarita’s stomach went wild.
She braced herself for his reaction. The shock of seeing her was evident as his lips rounded. Turning his back on them to close the door, his expression was unreadable when he faced forward. His gaze shifted from Sarita to his boss. “You called for me, Captain.”
“Sit down, Carter.”
He hesitated before slipping into the chair next to Sarita.
Captain Taylor leveled him with a stern glare. “I don’t need to remind you that everything we discuss here is confidential.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“You know Sarita Cerez from the ICE unit.” The captain’s eyes glistened, as if she was having fun with this tense situation.
Without taking his gaze away from his boss, Matt gave a curt nod.
“She’s actually a Secret Service Agent for Homeland Security. She’s been on an undercover assignment to protect Rhee Hana who is the daughter of the President of South Korea.”
Sarita couldn’t drag her gaze away from him. Other than the flare of his nostrils from a sudden intake of air, his expression never changed. Damn, it was good to see him outside of the unit. The shrewd woman also seemed to be studying him.
Matt was handling the extreme scrutiny with no outward indication of being affected. Sarita focused on the woman sitting behind the massive desk instead of gauging his reactions.
“You will be escorting Rhee Hana and Agent Cerez to the airport, where they will liaise with a second agent from her sector and two South Korean guards to take her back to her country. Both I and Ms. Gladstone assured the South Korean diplomats that no extra guards were needed to escort Ms. Rhee from my facility.”
Without having to ask, she’d answered the one question Sarita had been poised to ask.
The tiniest of smiles touched Captain Taylor’s lips. “I have the utmost confidence in you both. Do you have any questions?”
“No, Captain.” Matt and Sarita stated in unison.
When Captain Taylor stood, they got to their feet. She extended her hand to Sarita. “On that note, I will wish you a safe journey. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Thank you. You too, Captain.”
“Carter, see Luftof for the car keys. He’s aware of which vehicle to give you.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Matt stormed out the door before Sarita had the chance to move around the chair.
Captain Taylor laughed. “He’s been thrown off balance. I’m sure he’ll get over it soon and realize what a blessing it is that you aren’t actually being deported to Columbia.”
“I hope so.” Sarita held her shoulders back, hoping to infuse herself with some confidence before following in the wake of one very angry Matthew Carter.
Chapter 21
The moment kept replaying in Matt’s head. The initial pleasure of seeing Sarita in the captain’s office rendered him oblivious to everything else in the room. On the unit she’d radiated beauty without makeup, but with the smallest hint of it, along with civilian clothes, she was stunning.
He’d blinked once, twice, and a third time to ensure that the woman sitting before him wasn’t a hallucination. And then, everything crashed into place when he caught the distinct bulge at her left side under the jacket.
The Captain had introduced him to the real Sarita Cerez.
No. He’d address her now as Agent Cerez. He must be the biggest fool in all of Washington. How come he didn’t see it?
She’d set off something in his gut. The pieces hadn’t fit together, but he wasn’t able to figure it out. Now he knew why. She’d been so good at her undercover work that she’d blocked him from deducing her role.
Her cryptic words on the stairwell hit him. Nothing is ever what it seems. How come he hadn’t been able to decipher the obscure clue?
Lifting his foot from the accelerator, he reduced the speed of the powerful Suburban SUV the Captain had sent them out with. No need to cause an accident just because he couldn’t contain his anger. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. He’d been entrusted to get Rhee Hana to the airport safely. He and Agent Cerez.
You didn’t see it because she was on a job and couldn’t broadcast her true purpose for being there. Where the hell did that thought come from? He glanced at Sarita. Her lips twisted to the side a little as she chewed the inside of her cheek, looking lost in thought.
She’d been on assignment. His hands reflexively gripped the steering wheel harder. Did she include what they’d shared as part of the playacting? He had half a mind to ask but figured that would break his self-imposed rule never to speak to her again.
She’d duped him. The pressure on his jaw increased with every mile of highway they covered.
Sarita hadn’t spoken since they got into the car, which suited him. She could keep her damn explanations to herself. He had only one question for her. At this point he couldn’t be sure if she’d answer with the truth. Did she know how to tell anything but lies? After all she’d ended up being someone completely different than who she presented herself to be.
How do you know? You never had the chance or time to learn who she is. A little bit of the tension left his shoulders. An instant attraction didn’t mean he knew her.
The realization that as a US citizen Sarita wouldn’t be banished to Columbia made its way to the forefront of his mind. He had to admit that her being an agent who could handle herself drove her higher on the sexiness meter.
So what if she was the same tough, beautiful, intelligent woman who kissed like a seductress and fit into his body as if he were Adam and she Eve? She lied to him.
A look into the rear view mirror revealed a navy blue sedan zooming up behind them. His heart hammered in his chest. Sarita must have seen it, too, in her side mirror because she twisted her torso and squinted out the rear window.
“Hana get down. Maintain your speed,” Sarita ordered with a hand on her gun. The car rushed closer, zigged into the next lane, and sped past.
The young Caucasian couple didn’t spare them a glance. “Expecting trouble?” Too late to recant the words, he waited for an answer.
“Hana, you can get up now. It was nothing.”
Having lifted herself from the floor of the car back into the seat, the poor girl shook too hard to click in her safety belt.
Matt could relate. His heart rate must have tripled. He wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers.
Sarita undid her own belt and leaned between the seats to help Hana. When her breast brushed his shoulder, he chastised his traitorous body for desiring more of the contact.
Sarita flopped back in her seat and clicked in her seatbelt. From out of nowhere she flashed him a brilliant smile. Not fair. He loved her smile. He loved everything about her. He refocused on the anger. The luscious lips that he’d once possessed wouldn’t be allowed to dilute his fury.
“I always expect trouble,” she finally answered. “They joined us when we got on the highway. I found it odd that they decided to speed up and pass us so close.”
He hit the steering wheel with the base of his fist to relieve some of the white hot fury tearing through him. This time he directed it toward himself. He’d been so deep in his thoughts of betrayal
that he never noticed the car until it was on top of them.
His eyes flit to right to assess her. Throughout the ride, she had appeared to be contemplating as hard as him. Another form of her deceptive ways?
“Are they a potential danger to Hana?”
“No. I think they took the opportunity to speed once they passed the police lookout point.”
If she knew there’d been a snare site, it meant she lived in Washington. He struggled to swallow as his mouth went dry. He didn’t know this woman. He knew inmate Cerez.
The road, in front and behind, now had his full attention.
He’d been assigned to get them to the airport safely. Even at the peril of his life, he’d accomplish the mission then release Agent Cerez from his life.
He’d be able to forget about her and her subterfuge of a life.
Wouldn’t he? Unlike any before her, she’d captured his heart, letting him know that he’d always had the capacity to love. He just hadn’t found the right person.
Sarita cut into his thoughts by asking, “Are you ready to talk now?”
His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel as he resolutely ignored her.
“I’m ready to explain.”
He checked the rearview mirror. He wouldn’t get caught unawares again.
“What I--what we--” She inhaled, letting the breath out on a deep sigh, and angled herself toward him. “What happened between us blindsided me.”
“A little playtime to pass away the time undercover?” he gritted out.
“I’ve worked as an agent for the past ten years. I applied fresh out of college. You of all people can understand the elation I experienced when they accepted me.” Her slight smile appeared in the periphery of his vision. “I didn’t know I’d always wanted to be an agent until that letter came.”
If she graduated college at 22, then she’d be thirty-two years old. This just kept getting better. She had him by four years
She’d been playing tag in preschool when he’d been forced into the world. He’d never dated an older woman. He crinkled an eyebrow, not knowing why.
And yet none of his relationships with the younger females ever worked out. Something to store away and think about later.