SPY: His Mission. His Orders. His Promise.

by Maggie Carpenter

  "We have an unwelcome visitor," Natalie said hastily. "She had a gun in her bag. I didn't want to take the time to reach you so—"

  "You dunked her? Good job. Let's see who it is," he declared, walking swiftly to the window while Leo turned off the alarm.

  "What's happening?" Andy asked, nervously approaching.

  "It's Taylor Manning," Oliver declared as he returned to the foyer, and seeing Natalie's puzzled expression he added, "Remember? The woman I told you about who was at the exhibition party, the one who works for Victor."

  "What's she doing here?" Andy asked, a frightened expression crossing his face. "Victor must have sent her. He must know I'm in this house."

  "Natalie, you and Andy go upstairs. Leo and I will deal with this."

  Waiting until they'd disappeared, Leo and Oliver walked outside and stared down at the frazzled woman furiously paddling to stay afloat. When the path had fallen away it had split in two creating walls on either side. Taylor was stuck in a cube of water with the edges too high for her to climb out.

  "Well, well, Mr. Barton," she quipped as Oliver and Leo approached. "Fancy meeting you here. Would you give me a hand? Your pool is defective. There are no steps. I can't get out."

  "Three questions," he began, ignoring her snide request. "First, how did you get in? The gates are locked and alarmed."

  "Treading water is extremely tiring. I can't answer questions and paddle like this at the same time."

  "Answer my questions or we're leaving."

  "Pull me out and I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

  "Bad decision."

  He began striding away, but Leo didn't follow, and staring down at her with a grim expression he slowly shook his head.

  "You really need to talk to us."

  "Then please pull me out? I'm dying in here."

  "Not yet you're not, but you will be if you don't cooperate."

  "Fine, I'll answer your questions."

  "Oliver!" Leo called. "Our visitor has come to her senses!"

  Oliver turned around, and ambling back down path he stood next to Leo and crossed his arms.

  "How did you get in? I want details."

  "I have a gadget, but it's in my bag at the bottom of this damnable pool."

  "Why are you here?"

  "Why do think?"

  "I don't think anything, and I only ask questions once, but you didn't know that so you get a pass for that one. Clear?"

  "As this fucking water," she scowled. "I'm here to take Andrei back to his uncle."

  "What makes you think Andrei is here?"

  "I followed him."

  "Impossible," Leo exclaimed.

  "Andrei passed me in the hotel and it was obvious he was on his way out. He looked nervous as hell and Victor had already told me to keep an eye on him so I—wait a second, aren't you the bartender at the Metro?"

  "You don't ask questions, Taylor," Oliver said brusquely, "you only answer them. What about when Andrei was going out?"

  "It didn't look right so I bumped into him and dropped a tracker in his pocket."

  "That makes absolutely no sense."

  "Why not?"

  "You honestly expect me to believe you walk around with trackers in your bag?"

  "Don't you?"

  "I don't carry a bag."

  "When you work for someone like Victor you develop habits like that, especially working around an exhibition. In case you didn't notice we had some very small, very valuable items on display. If someone decided to pick something up—"

  "You can stop. This is preposterous. I'm done here. Have a nice swim."

  "NO! WAIT! "

  "He's not coming back," Leo declared as Oliver marched away. "Now it's my turn, but I'm not a British gentleman. I grew up on the streets in New York. Capiche?"

  "Yeah, you're the bad cop."

  "Tell me your story. If I believe you I'll pull you out. If I don't, or if I think you're holding something back, I'll leave. No second chances. Do we understand each other?"

  He could see the trepidation in her eyes. She believed him.

  "I was sent here to find Andrei, but also to kill Barton, and I was telling the truth when I said I followed Andrei here with a tracker, but it didn't happen the way I said. I was in the security room watching the monitors and I saw him leave his room with a plastic shopping bag. I've never seen him carrying anything except his phone. I knew something wasn't right so I ran into the storage room, grabbed a tracker and went after him. I caught up to him in the lobby and that's when I dropped it in his pocket. I got through the gate with a gadget like I said. I've had it for a while. It interferes with wireless alarm systems. After I used it the gate swung open as if someone had buzzed me in."

  Crouching down he locked her eyes.

  "Think very carefully before you answer this. I'll know if you're lying. Does Victor know you were tracking Andrei?"

  "No. If I told him that and somehow Andrei gave me the slip I'd have hell to pay, and Victor doesn't like progress reports. He only wants to hear about results. Ask Andrei. He'll confirm that."

  "I'll be right back."

  "Hey, you said you'd get me out!"

  "And I will," he said over his shoulder as he headed to the front door. "Don't go anywhere."

  "HA, HA. NOT FUNNY."

  Walking inside he found Oliver on the phone, watching Taylor through the window while he talked.

  "Yes, yes, I understand. Will do."

  "The office I assume," Leo remarked as Oliver ended the call.

  "You get to babysit. They think she has too much to offer to cut her loose."

  "Just what I need. For how long?"

  "They're sending a handler. He'll be here tomorrow so she'll have to call Victor with some plausible reason for not coming back right away, but here's the good news. Victor is on the move. The tracker has him heading for Henderson Airport."

  "He must be hopping a small jet."

  "Indeed. If you time it right she won't be able to talk to him, she'll only be able to leave a message. The office will be in touch and tell you when to place the call. It'll give you time to work out what she should say."

  "Got it. I'll bring her in now and put her in the gym. It has no windows and only the one door. She can dry off and I'll leave her a track suit. We don't need her catching pneumonia."

  "I wish I had time to stick around and go through her bag."

  "I'll let you know if there's anything of value. Where are you headed?"

  "Assuming he's going to London he'll be on his way to LA. I'm flying into Camarillo and I'll drive to LAX from there."

  "Hey, it's been great," Leo exclaimed, slapping Oliver on the back. "I hope we get to play again soon."

  "Me too. You're the best, Leo. I'll go and brief Natalie and Andy."

  "Hey, Oliver," Leo said as they made their way back to the foyer. "I'm happy for you, about Natalie I mean. I didn't think it was possible to have a relationship in our line of work. I hope I'll be able to manage it one of these days."

  "Thanks, Leo. I hope you will too. I have to say," he said, dropping his voice, "it's pretty great."

  As Oliver turned and trotted up the stairs, Leo paused. Oliver had been completely sincere, but Leo couldn't imagine being attached to a woman with his lifestyle. Pushing away the distracting thought, he walked back outside and up to the edge of the small square pool.

  "You about ready to come out of there? You look tired."

  "I'm having a delightful time, can't you tell?"

  "Fine, then I'll leave you to it."

  "Asshole."

  "Hey!"

  "Would you please just help me?"

  Crouching down he leaned slightly over and wrapped his fingers around her outstretched arm. As she grabbed hold with both hands, he effortlessly lifted her out and stood her in front of him.

  "Thank you," she panted. "How do I get my bag?"

  "That's not yours anymore."

  "What the hell do you mean?"

&nb
sp; "It belongs to us now, sweetheart. You're coming inside for a bit."

  "FUCK."

  Placing his hand at the small of her back to guide her forward, she suddenly elbowed him, then tried to push him into the pool. With practiced expertise he lifted her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder.

  "PUT ME DOWN, ASSHOLE!" she screamed, kicking and punching him as he carried her down the path and into the house. "Where are you taking me?"

  "To a place where you can take a shower and get changed."

  "Into what? I didn't bring a fucking suitcase."

  Continuing through the hall and down a flight of stairs he entered the gym, closed the door, then set her down.

  "The bathroom's through there. I'll leave you something clean and dry outside the door, but this room is monitored. Don't think you can clock me on the head with anything when I come back down. Give me any trouble and you won't come out of it very happy."

  "Maybe you won't come out of this whole thing very happy."

  "Taylor," he said soberly, crossing his arms and frowning down at her, "I get that you're upset you were caught, but shit happens. You're screwed. Deal with it."

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Sitting in the back of a stretch limousine on his way to Henderson Airport to catch a jet to LAX, Victor was feeling a knot in the pit of his stomach. There was never a guarantee of leaving a meeting with Oleg still breathing, and though he'd wanted to keep Xavier away from the potential danger, his lover had become so upset at the suggestion of their separation, Victor had capitulated.

  "Remember, when we're at the house you have to stay out of sight. I don't want Oleg knowing you're around."

  "I will, I'll stay hidden," Xavier promised. "He's the last person in he world I want to meet."

  "When this is over we'll take a few days and go off somewhere by ourselves."

  "What about returning to the exhibition?"

  "Taylor can handle it. I wonder how she's doing. I thought I would have heard from her by now."

  "Don't you have other appointments in LA?"

  "I had to cancel them, and they're not easy to reschedule."

  "Poor Vickie."

  "Promise me you'll start eating again. I know you stopped for a couple of days. You can't do that, Xav."

  "Now that we're out of that awful town I'll feel better."

  "It is an awful town," Victor agreed, "but after all the problems I think this is going to work itself out."

  "I hope so."

  "Taylor's very good at her job. She'll take care of the things she needs to."

  "Do you mean Oliver Barton?"

  "Yes, Xavier. By the time we board our plane Mr. Barton will no longer be with us."

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  As Andy climbed into the back seat of the Ferrari, Oliver placed two pieces of luggage into the trunk. An aluminum case containing his array of weapons and tools, and a regular suitcase carrying clothes and personal items. Natalie slipped into the passenger seat and buckled up, and sliding behind the wheel Oliver started up the powerful car.

  "Where are we going?" Andy asked as the garage door rolled up and Oliver drove slowly forward.

  "To an isolated road, and then we'll be airborne and on our way to Camarillo airport just outside of LA."

  "Why there?"

  "It's small and private."

  "I mean, why do you need an isolated road? Are you worried about being seen?"

  "In a manner of speaking," Oliver replied, rolling out of the garage and through the tall gates.

  The cockpit fell silent as he headed away from Sin City. A short while later, turning off the main highway, he followed a straight narrow road into the desert.

  "Is there an airport out here?" Natalie asked, eyeing the straight ribbon of concrete that seemed to lead into infinity.

  "You could say that," he replied as he slowed down, then to Natalie's shock he took his hands off the wheel. "Don't worry, the yoke is coming."

  "What's a yoke?"

  "It's how I control the plane."

  "You can't be serious! This car is a plane?"

  "She will be in a minute," Oliver replied, continuing to push buttons and flick switches.

  "Holy crap! Are those wings?" Andy exclaimed. "This is so cool!"

  "Are you sure about this?" Natalie stammered. "This thing can actually fly?"

  "She did the last time I took her up."

  "I've heard about flying cars," Andy said excitedly. "Orders for them are already being taken."

  "This is your captain speaking. Please be sure your seat belts are buckled. It's a short run so don't be alarmed when we lift off."

  "Oh, dear God," Natalie muttered as Oliver roared the car forward and quickly lifted off the ground. "Okay, I'm seriously freaking out here!"

  "This is so fucking cool," Andy said, bursting with excitement. "I want to do this every day for the rest of my life."

  "We'll hit some hot pockets but they won't last long, then it should be smooth until we reach Camarillo."

  "Hot pockets? What the fuck are hot pockets!" Natalie squeaked, barely able to control her panic.

  "Updrafts. It'll be bumpy, but only for a few minutes. Excuse me while I contact the various towers and let them know I'm around. I don't want anyone thinking Fanny is a UFO and asking the Air Force to scramble their jets"

  "This isn't real," she whispered, covering her face with her hands. "I'm dreaming, I must be. Please let me wake up."

  "Natalie, it's really okay," Andy said earnestly. "The physics of this makes so much sense."

  "You know keeping you safe is my number one priority," Oliver said, hoping to reassure her. "Settle back and enjoy it."

  "I'll try," she replied, taking a deep breath. "Andy, tell me why this is such a great little plane."

  "Sure. I'll start with the aerodynamics of a jet."

  As Andy launched into his dissertation, Natalie felt her panic easing, and though it was unnerving flying through the bumpy thermals, it was obvious Oliver had complete control.

  "Thank you, Andy, I'm fine now," she said gratefully. "As much as I've zipped around the globe you'd think I'd love flying, but it's never my favorite thing."

  "You'll feel differently about it when I teach you," Oliver promised. "Fear like yours comes from not having a clear understanding of how something works."

  "That's probably true, and I can see why you want a private airfield. I can't imagine taking this down at LAX."

  "Actually, Camarillo airport is a last choice. I'll only use it if I have to. There's plenty of agriculture and farmland in the area. I'll be looking for a flat piece of land or empty road."

  It was ninety minutes later that Oliver spied the perfect area to touch down, but it wasn't tar-sealed. To the startled looks of the workers on the ground he did a low fly-by to make sure the dirt road wasn't too rough, then circled around and brought the Ferrari in for its landing.

  "Piece of cake," Oliver said with a grin as he slowed and came to a stop. "Andy, are you okay back there?" he asked as he turned the knobs and pushed the buttons that transformed the Ferrari back into a car.

  "Okay? I don't think I've ever been this okay in my life. What about you, Natalie?"

  "I don't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait to do it again, and, uh, Oliver, we've got company."

  An old truck was heading towards them, and with the steering wheel back in place Oliver drove forward, pulling up next to the pickup as it came to a stop.

  "Thanks for the use of your road," he said cheerily to the bewildered man behind the wheel, then reaching for his wallet he withdrew several one-hundred dollar bills.

  "Mister, I don't know what the blazes—"

  "Here you go," Oliver said with a wide smile as he offered him the cash, but the grizzled farmer just stared at the money. "Please take it with my gratitude," Oliver insisted, "and my apologies for any inconvenience."

  "Are you from Area 51? I've read all about that place."

  "I am indeed, sir,
and this was a test run."

  "I'll be damned," he muttered, reaching out and taking the cash. "Thanks. Can I tell anyone about this?"

  "Sure, but they might not believe you. Need to buzz off now. Have a nice day."

  "Uh, bye, and thanks again."

  As they drove away, Andy broke into a fit of laughter.

  "Area 51? That's brilliant. Oliver, that's truly brilliant."

  "He said it, not me!"

  "You didn't have to do that! You are a true gentleman, Oliver Barton," Natalie declared, then with a laugh she added, "most of the time."

  "That's when you like me the best."

  "What will you do with this car when we get to LAX?" Andy asked. "Won't you be worried it will get stolen?"

  "There's a little-known private terminal there with its own parking area. It will be collected and sent back to England."

  "Do all British spies live like this?"

  "It's not always so wonderful. I was in the Amazon surrounded by Piranha once."

  "Oliver, you weren't," Natalie exclaimed. "How did you get out?"

  "I gave them something else to think about, but that's a conversation for another time. Sit back Andy. We're about to hit the 101 Freeway and head into the real world."

  "What does that mean?"

  "Traffic."

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  While Oliver was cruising up the ramp to the freeway, Victor was boarding the private jet that would whisk him to London. Oleg's plane offered every creature comfort, and settling Xavier into one of the beds, Victor ordered the flight attendant to cook up some scrambled eggs once in the air.

  "I can sit in a regular seat," Xavier protested. "I'm feeling much better."

  "No sense in settling into a chair, then moving into bed after take-off. You'll eat something when we're airborne, then you'll take some sleeping pills."

  "What about you? Will you be joining me? I sleep better when you're in bed next to me."

  "I'll see. Maybe."

  "Why do you look worried?"

  "Taylor. She's not answering my texts and I haven't heard from her."

  "Do you think Barton might have nabbed her to find out where you are or where the artifact is?"