by Marie Astor
***
Ally Roberts looked at her watch. It was four thirty two p.m. and in thirty glorious minutes she’d be flying out of the office and into Jake’s arms. Today had been such a drag. She hated days like these when there was nothing going on, but it was almost five o’clock and the prospect of seeing Jake brought a dreamy smile to her face.
Jake Morrissey was one of the agency’s top agents. The two of them had been seeing each other for several months. For now, they chose to keep their relationship low-key, and so far they’d successfully stayed under the agency’s radar. Ally closed her eyes, a blissful smile appearing on her face. Even though they worked in the same building and usually saw each other several times a day, she was looking forward to seeing Jake. Their interactions during work hours were strictly formal although they did manage to sneak off for an occasional cup of coffee or lunch at times, and she couldn’t wait to find herself in Jake’s strong, passionate arms.
The sound of the ringing telephone brought her back to reality. Ally glanced at the caller ID and straightened in her chair. It was Marion Phillips, the big cheese.
“Good afternoon, Ally. Could you stop by my office for a quick meeting?”
“I’ll be right there, Marion.” Ally sent Jake a quick text saying that she’d be late for their date. When it came to romantic plans the agency had no sense of timing. She grabbed a notepad and headed to Marion’s office.
A part of her was excited about what Marion had in store for her, but a part of her was also annoyed since she’d been really looking forward to seeing Jake. They’d planned to see a romantic movie, the girlie kind which he had agreed to see exclusively for her benefit, and have dinner at their favorite Florentine restaurant in the East Village afterward. Instead she would end up eating a stale bread sandwich with dry cold cuts from the agency’s cafeteria and spend her night slaving away to complete Marion’s urgent assignment. Ally loved her job, but sometimes she wished she didn’t have to be at the agency’s constant beck and call.
Ally was so engrossed by her thoughts that she failed to look ahead as she made the last turn leading to Marion’s office down the seemingly empty gray corridor and almost collided with a figure that was coming out from behind the corner.
“So sorry!” she exclaimed, a look of surprise appearing on her face. “Delilah, what are you doing here?” Marion’s office was a corner office with that segment of the hallway leading exclusively to her door.
“Hey, Ally. I was just going to see Marion. She asked me to stop by her office,” Delilah added, imitating Marion’s chilly tone perfectly.
“Me too. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, but I guess we’d better go in and find out. We don’t want to keep Marion waiting.”
Tentatively, for one’s walk always grew tentative in anticipation of facing Marion, Ally and Delilah approached Marion’s office. The door was open and they could see her sitting at her desk, perusing a stack of reports.
“Ladies, please come in.” Marion waved them in. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It’s been a long day.”
Ally and Delilah sat down, waiting for what was to follow.
“I just received some very unsettling information from our contact at MSS—” Marion began.
“Ministry of State Security of the People’s Republic of China?” Ally jumped in eagerly, forgetting protocol.
“Yes.” Marion nodded, clearly irked. “It goes without saying that all of our assignments here are confidential, but this case is highly sensitive, so it’s imperative that you exercise caution and discretion at all times.”
Ally and Delilah froze under Marion’s penetrating stare. Reassured by her examination of them, Marion continued. “We received intelligence that there’s a potential threat to Orion Inc. As you know, Orion is this country’s only liquefied natural gas plant.” Marion leaned across the desk. “This case is very high profile. If anything goes wrong, heads will roll,” she added as though waiting for them to run away in terror, but when they didn’t she continued. “We suspect that there’s an internal leak at Orion, a mole feeding information to one of the major coal plants in China, Wang Ltd.”
Ally took a deep breath. She knew exactly who Tian Wang was—the owner of Wang Ltd, which was responsible for the lion’s share of gas, heat, and coal production in China. He was incredibly politically connected and very powerful. Industrial espionage, sabotage, and a Chinese oligarch—this case promised to be a handful. Her job was anything but boring.
Marion continued, “Wang’s been recently told to curb his production due to pollution levels that his plant generates. With Orion’s facilities being finally completed, Orion received a contract for supplying liquefied natural gas to the majority of China and parts of Hong Kong. Our MSS colleagues have reason to believe a conspiracy is being actively plotted to sabotage Orion’s plant. Normally I’d assign agents with more seniority, but at the moment we don’t have suitable covers for more senior agents and we don’t want to alarm the mole if there’s indeed one at Orion. We have the perfect cover for you two. Every summer Orion offers internships to college students. Both of you still look young enough to pass for twenty-one-year-olds. Hopefully these are only rumors and you’ll return home a month later without anything to report. But if you see anything suspicious, and I mean anything, I want you to notify me immediately so that we could send backup.” Marion handed both Ally and Delilah two manila folders. “You’ll find all the details in there. Your assignment with Orion starts a week from Monday. My assistant will give you all the details on your plane tickets, lodging and such. You’ll receive additional instructions from me next week before you leave.”
Once they were out of hearing distance from Marion’s office Ally and Delilah exchanged glances.
“This promises to be interesting,” Delilah remarked.
“It sure does. Although I can’t say that I look forward to spending a month in Newport, Oregon.”
“Newport, Oregon?”
“That’s where Orion is located.”
“That’s right. I forgot,” Delilah said quietly. “But at least we’ll be together. I’m sure we’ll find something fun to do even in Newport, Oregon.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Ally frowned and sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing . . . It’s just that I’m going to miss Jake. I can’t even tell him where I’m going.” She shook her head and put a stoic smile on her face. “This was going to happen sooner or later. If you have a job like ours, your love life takes a back seat.”
“If you’re lucky enough to have a love life,” Delilah pointed out.
“Oh, come on, the only reason you don’t have a boyfriend is because you choose not to. I see guys checking you out all the time.”
“Yeah, the creeps from the agency. I don’t think so.”
“Jake isn’t a creep.”
“No, he isn’t, but he’s already taken by you.”
“Maybe you’ll meet a cute guy in Newport.”
“Yeah, right. Fun and work don’t mix—not at this place.”
“You’ve got a point there.”
“Speaking of fun, I’m meeting some friends for drinks after work. Do you want to come?”
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m meeting Jake.”
“Oh, that’s right. The two lovebirds. Have fun while the rest of us mortals try to survive singledom.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. I’ll tell Jake you said hi. See you Monday.” Ally grabbed her purse and headed for the exit. If she hurried up, she and Jake could still make that movie.
Chapter 5
Ally woke up to the smell of fried bacon coming from the kitchen. She smiled. Jake was making bacon and eggs—his specialty. As usual, he’d crept out of bed to make breakfast and Ally slept right through. When he wanted to, Jake could be quieter than a mouse, a skill he’d perfected after years of successful assignments. Ally stretched, relishing the delicious feeling of a Saturday morning. The best
part was that she was going to have Jake to herself for the entire weekend. They could do whatever they wanted. The pleasant sensation was interrupted by the memory of her conversation with Marion from yesterday—in a week, Ally would be leaving for Oregon and she was yet to tell Jake. Well, that certainly ruined the mood.
“Wake up, sleepy head!” Jake’s voice carried from the kitchen. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
She kicked off the comforter and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m up!” Ally rushed to the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth.
Ten minutes later she emerged freshly showered and clad in a silk robe, the fancy one she wore when Jake stayed over, and headed for the kitchen.
Ally wrapped her arms around Jake’s shoulders. How she loved the feel of his strong body against hers. And his smell—she loved his smell—a mixture of just the right amount of cologne and a scent that was uniquely his. The prospect of not being able to see him for at least a month or maybe even longer was unbearable. She had stalled telling him the bad news last night not wanting to spoil the evening’s romantic mood, but now it made her feel worse, as though she was harboring an evil secret from him. She had to come clean now.
“Good morning.” Jake turned around and kissed her, holding her tightly. She clung to him not wanting to let go, wishing they could stay suspended in this moment forever. “Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked, sensing her unease. He could always tell when she wasn’t feeling right.
“It’s nothing,” she lied. “I’m just glad to see you this morning.”
“The feeling is mutual.” There was an easy smile on his lips, but his eyes were looking at her intently. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” she insisted, deciding it best to postpone her news till after breakfast.
“Then let’s eat. The eggs will get cold.”
Jake had already set the table and brewed the coffee. Ally poured the coffee into two mugs, leaving it black for Jake and adding milk and sugar for herself. He placed the eggs on two plates and joined her at the table.
“I’m starving after last night,” he said with a wink, scooping a hefty bite of eggs with his fork.
Ally smiled. She knew exactly what he meant. They had had a hearty meal of cured meats, pasta, and wine for dinner last night, but then they’d worked it all off and then some during a very steamy lovemaking session afterwards. Actually, it had been three lovemaking sessions to be precise, but who was counting? Normally Ally would’ve been ravenous, but right now she could hardly manage a bite. The thought of her impending news had her stomach tied in guilty knots.
“You’re not eating,” Jake observed. His plate was already almost empty.
“I’m not very hungry,” she admitted, pushing her plate away.
“All right, what is it?” he asked, eyeing her with concern. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. It’s clearly something.”
“There’s something I have to tell you. I should’ve told you last night, but I chickened out.”
He reached for her hand, his gray eyes fixed intently on her. “Ally, you know you can tell me anything. What is it? Wait a minute, you’re not—” There was a questioning look in his eyes. “Pregnant?”
She shook her head, almost bursting out laughing. Jake’s powers of perception weren’t at their sharpest this morning. “That’s definitely not it. It’s work related.”
“Oh,” he said, sounding almost disappointed. “What did Marion come up with now?”
“I’m being sent to an undisclosed location. I won’t be able to call you or email you, and I won’t be able to tell you where I am. It’ll be for at least a month,” she broke off, wondering if she’d just breached protocol by telling Jake even that much. “I’m pretty sure I was allowed to tell you that part—it’s not giving anything away,” she continued. “I wish I could tell you more, but I can’t. I just found out yesterday. It starts a week from Monday, so I’ll probably have to leave next weekend to settle in.”
A smile of relief appeared on Jake’s face. “So that’s it? That’s the big news you’re eating yourself up about?”
“I was worried you’d be mad at me.”
“Mad at you for what?”
“For taking the assignment without telling you first.”
“Ally, I’m not a rookie. I’ve been with the agency long enough to know the protocol. I wouldn’t have let you tell me the details of a classified assignment.” He spoke in a calm reassuring voice that instantly made her feel better. “We both chose to do a job that’s not nine to five and so far we’ve managed to make it work. I would never do anything to jeopardize your career or stand in the way of a good opportunity for you. Plus, it wouldn’t be an option even if I wanted you to pull out of this assignment, which I swear to you I never would. I know a thing or two about Marion, and when she gives you an assignment, you’d better take it or kiss your job goodbye.”
“That was pretty much the impression I got yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an exciting case and I’m flattered to have the assignment, but I hate to be going away. Why does it have to be—”
“Shhh.” He placed a finger on her lips, and she realized that she had almost blurted out the location where she’d be going. “I don’t want you to tell me anything more. Of course I would never betray your confidence, but sometimes circumstances conspire in such a way that knowledge becomes self-evident and I would never want you to be in a situation where you could be accused of divulging a classified location.”
“Thanks. That was pretty dumb of me. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about. And you’re certainly far from dumb.”
She sighed. “I just wish this wasn’t so complicated.”
“Hey, life is complicated in general. Throw in jobs like ours and you pretty much triple the complexity level. But if anyone can manage it, it’s us.”
She nodded. “I’d like to believe that. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Have you always wanted to work for the agency?”
Jake shook his head. “Of all the questions you could’ve picked, you chose this one?”
“I’d like to know.”
“All right. No, I didn’t. It was never something I aspired to, but my dad thought it’d be a great career path to get into politics. And he was right. It could’ve been if I had followed his advice, but I didn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“Instead of picking a nice cozy desk job and kissing up to senior management, I chose field assignments, took unnecessary risks, and made a general nuisance of myself.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. Marion thinks very highly of you.”
“Sure, whenever she wants something out of me.” He chuckled. “But even though I never aspired to this career, it grew on me. I’ll probably sound pompous, but I’ll say it anyway. This world needs its watchdogs to stop things from going haywire. Energy is like air—while it’s there you don’t notice it, but once it’s gone it becomes very hard to breathe. We’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’m going to borrow Marion’ s expression and say that we’re here to make sure that people don’t start playing God. Like Blaine Platt, for instance.”
Ally drew a sharp breath. To say that the Blaine Platt case had been close to home would’ve been an understatement of massive proportions. “Yes,” she said, “it’s our job to make sure that what happened to my father doesn’t happen to others. That’s why I chose to stay on with the agency.” The memory of her father’s ruin was never far from her thoughts. She’d managed to clear her father’s name, but nothing could ever bring her father back to life. He was gone forever.
Jake nodded, a grave expression on his face. “Blaine Platt destroyed your father’s company because he thought himself above the law. He thought he could rule the world and tell people what to do, where to do, and how to do it. He was everything that your father despised, and unfortunately we weren’t there in time to stop h
im. But at least we made sure that Platt got the punishment he deserved, even if it was too late.”
Ally looked away. Even now, hearing Blaine Platt’s name stirred up raw emotions in her. Blaine Platt had been her father’s most vicious competitor. He’d destroyed her father and everything he stood for. Ally’s father was accused of crimes he didn’t commit and Roberts Enterprises had to file for bankruptcy. Ally lost her father, her fortune, and everything she knew.
“Ally, I know what a terrible loss you’ve suffered . . . I hope you won’t think me crude for saying that millions of people were also hurt by Platt’s crime. It’s our job to stop psychopaths like Platt, and I would never allow my personal desires to get in the way of that.” He halted, rubbing his forehead. “This is my awkward, longwinded way of saying that you should focus on your new assignment and not worry about what I might think. Now that doesn’t mean I won’t be worrying about you every single second of the day while you’re gone, but I’ll deal with it, and I’ll still be here when you come back.”
Ally squeezed Jake’s hand. “I’ll miss you so much. And I won’t even be able to call you or email you.”
He squeezed her hand back reassuringly. “We’ll figure it out, Ally. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here, waiting for you when you return.”
“I know.” She lowered her head.
He gently cupped her face with his hand, lifting up her chin. “Cheer up, kid. It’s only for a month. It’s not the end of the world. Let’s make the best of the time we have left before you have to leave.”
She was so glad that they’d talked. The prospect of being apart from Jake was still terrifying, but she knew now that they would get through it together. “So what do you want to do today?” she asked, feeling much better. “It’s a gorgeous day outside. We could go to Central Park.”
“We could,” he answered evasively. “But I have a few other ideas in mind.”
“Oh? What’s that?” She teased him, knowing full well what he was hinting at.