Operation Heartbreaker

by Thomas, Christine

  Rumors About a Secret Research Department

  of the CIA Are Growing Stronger

  Inside the article they were getting remarkably close to the truth. It stated that the lab had been a disguised government facility where illegal experiments were conducted, funded by the tax payers. The spokesman of the White House made a show of being appalled by the inquiry of the editor. President Mitchel ordered a thorough investigation. He stated that he didn’t know of any unconstitutional dealing of the CIA.

  Of course he didn’t.

  The article continued by stating that the head of the lab had been killed during the explosion. Several facility staff members were injured, some of them seriously. At this point a few people were still missing.

  Missing? They wished! David told her they’d been rescued.

  And that’s where she came in. Her current blog entry was due, Renée had been breathing down her neck about it for days. How quickly the tide had turned. But ninety thousand clicks per day had put her chief editor into some kind of ecstasy. Ally had agreed to continue writing for the paper if she was getting more freedom in exchange. As expected, Renée had agreed. With that many clicks she’d probably give Ally an office of her own.

  Contrary to her chief editor, Ally was left cold by her sudden popularity. After all, it wasn’t her success, but Viktor’s public relation department. Those guys had done a really good job. During the interview Viktor appeared chatty like never before and even gave away private details, which normally wasn’t his style. He preferred to come across mysterious, evading questions aiming at his personal life by posing counter questions.

  Not this time. Volubly, he chatted about his non-existent love life (my ass!), that he was still waiting for the right one (of course) and what kind of girl turned him on–intelligent and self-confident (yeah, right). If he felt like a sex symbol (no comment) and how he handled criticism (criticism? What criticism?).

  Much to her annoyance she had to admit that it was a great interview, better than what she had planned. The press department hadn’t also been stingy about passing on photos. The big shot papers could get jealous at that: Viktor, barefoot, in jeans with his shirt unbuttoned, lounging on the sofa of his hotel. Viktor, shirtless, in all his muscular glory, behind his desk. Viktor with messy hair, bed-head style, and a lascivious smile around his lips. Wow!

  She gave herself a mental slap in the face. It would be best if she approached the whole situation zen-style, otherwise she’d go bananas. But, damn, the guy looked so darn good that her readers would go blind. The fact that she knew first hand the pictures were neither manipulated nor in any other way photo-shopped, didn’t exactly help her case.

  Though her click rates were reaching record highs, she felt depressed. Every time she went on that page she missed her despicable Casanova so much it hurt.

  But now wasn’t the time to be howling at the moon. By God, she would cry–later!

  Her next web log would be real, hundred percent Ally. No PR department spitting in her soup, and no Julie hacking her way in. This was her story–in the truest sense of the word.

  With one last look at her notes she cracked her knuckles, then started hammering away at the keyboard.

  18

  Seattle Times – Entertainment Section – All U Can Ask

  Dear readers out there!

  This is your Ally again, and today I have something for you that’s gonna take your shoes off. You thought Viktor was hot? Forget that guy! I, personally, have a thing for our President, what’s his name again? Ah, yes, Mitchel. In case you didn’t know, the man has been fighting to be reelected for months. I, on the other hand, think that’s a bad idea. Before you read on, here’s a little warning, for this story sounds like footage, but is true nevertheless.

  Since the Seattle Times is in possession of a certain USB stick, we can prove the dealings our President has been involved.

  It all started eighteen years ago. Back then President Mitchel was director of the CIA while his closest confidant, Cyrus Patrick, was head of the CIA Research Department. At the time he’d started with a number of genetic experiments in order to create the perfect agent. To put it in a nutshell, he wanted to play God and with President Mitchel’s consent created the so-called “SK Project”, also known as “Special Skills”. What came out of that sounds even more incredible than an Ian Fleming flick…

  A week after the blog entry had gone online, Ally’s mobile rang. The display revealed an unknown caller ID, strange. So far she’d only given her number to three people. One of them was Jean, then David, and Julie, of course. For an instant she thought it might be Cole.

  “Yes?” she asked carefully after picking up the call.

  “Ally, darling, how are you?”

  She almost dropped the phone. “V-Viktor?” Saying his name alone caused her physical pain. She could rather sense his smile than see it, but when picturing his ravishing pirate’s face she got goose bumps.

  “I wanted to congratulate you on your success. The blog is a big sensation. Everybody is writing about it, even in Kiev.”

  That was right. Every paper in the States and nearly every news channel was reporting about her web log. The phones at the Seattle Times were ringing off the hook. Interns had to be hired to handle the flood of mails to the editor.

  All of that was great news, and Ally was honestly happy about it, but was he calling just for that?

  Viktor cleared his throat. She could almost see him pulling his earlobe gently. Although she didn’t want to she had to smile. “I also wanted to hear your voice and asked how you’re doing.”

  “I…um, well, I’m okay.” Great, now she sounded like an idiot.

  “That’s good,” he replied quietly. “I think of you a lot. Actually more like 24/7.”

  She’d noticed little to nothing of that. Yet, her heart jumped with excitement at his words. He had thought of her!

  The very next moment she grimaced. Of course he had, she could vividly imagine. Probably as the strange girl who’d rained on his parade in Paris. That probably didn’t happen any day.

  “Ally?” he asked, when she’d gone silent. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”

  For a moment he left her speechless. This wasn’t the mouthwatering hottie who posed in glossy magazines with unbuttoned shirts or in pin striped suits.

  She should have played aloof or at least casual, instead she said: “Me, too. I mean you, of course, not me. I mean, I missed you.” Had she just said that? Apparently, because Viktor’s dark laugh gave her goose bumps all over again. How did he do that?

  “You have no idea how that makes me a lucky bastard, Ally.”

  The way he said her name raised the little hairs on her arms. That’s probably how heaven must feel, she thought, and pulled her Quilt closer to her body. Originally she’d intended to watch TV, then changed her mind and instead had lounged on the couch and dwell on her thoughts. Despite the current success the next web log was due and she had no idea what she wanted to write about. After her blog had surpassed the two hundred thousand click rate, only the proofreading and the legal department went through it. Otherwise Renée gave her free rein.

  “Can you give me a hint?“ she heard herself ask. “I mean, how much?”

  If possible his laugh became even darker.

  “Very much,” he growled, which caused her to really drop the mobile, having it slid across the floor. Crap!

  “Are you still there?” she gasped after she’d gotten hold of it.

  “Da,” he answered softly.

  “Why…,” she started saying, but changed her mind when she realized what she was about to ask. Too bad she didn’t have a filter between her brain and her mouth. She had to work on that.

  As to be expected, Viktor didn’t let her off the hook. “Why what?”

  “Why didn’t you call earlier?”

  His silence had broken her heart a little more with every passing day. To escape the pain she’d thrown herself into the current issue
of the school newspaper, had edited articles and answered five hundred reader’s mails herself.

  Viktor’s behavior had hurt her badly and he actually should know about that.

  “Trust me, I wanted to see you, but it wasn’t an option.”

  “Why?”

  There was a pause that lasted long enough for her to think he wouldn’t answer her.

  “Because I promised Cole,” he said quietly.

  So, that’s it. Her grip around the phone became tighter. “The operation had to be finished first.” His voice sounded sinister. “We didn’t want to endanger you more than necessary.”

  What was that supposed to mean? She had described Mitchel as a cowardly murderer, who’d lose–one could assume that much–his reelection big-time. How subtle was that? She had no doubts that she was right on top of Mitchel’s hit list.

  But then, right now she was standing in the public eye like a celebrity so the government couldn’t afford letting her disappear. At least that’s how David had expressed it. The thing about the media presence was true. During the past days she’d put an unprecedented interview marathon behind her. Her face was displayed on every bloody newspaper in the United States.

  If something bad would happen to her, President Mitchel could put a bullet into his brain as well. It wouldn’t just support her claims, it would look like a confession. In fact, David had requested and received police protection after threats coming from the Mitchel fraction. The media had gone wild and hashed it over for days. The New York Times even wrote Mitchel would be well-advised to send Ally the Secret Service for protection.

  The bottom line was that she was now owner of her own bodyguards, a fact that Julie couldn’t stop gushing about. She wanted her own guards, but her horoscope advised her against making too big of changes in her life, so the topic had been dropped for now.

  Despite the current media frenzy, Ally understood her dad’s worries. Right now she had some kind of a celeb status, but God knows what could have happened during the rescue mission. It wasn’t necessary to draw even more attention, if that was even possible. Well, with Viktor by her side…probably. She would have gotten even more into the spotlight. Gossip magazines that were rarely interested in politics would have been on her case. Then, her portrait wouldn’t just have been on the cover of the New York Times, but also in online magazines like TMZ & Co. No, thanks! She preferred to keep a low profile until this was over.

  “What kind of deal are you talking about?”

  She could hear him deeply inhaling. “Cole offered me a copy of the pen drive, but the price was too high.”

  Viktor had money to burn. What in the world had her dad asked of him?

  “Instead I suggested that he, once all of this is over, would leave the copy to you. In return, I’d help him.”

  She had Viktor to thank for getting a copy of the list? What about his plans for revenge? And what did Cole have to do to seal the deal? “What kind of help did you offer?” She was almost whispering.

  “The same as to you. My infrastructure and my financial means.” Relieved, she let go of the breath she’d held. The picture of Viktor in combat suit with a Rambo knife between his teeth had crept into her mind. But Cole probably didn’t need that. He was exceptionally well trained and ran a team of brainiacs with super powers.

  To refuse financial help including Viktor’s plane must have been hard for him, which was probably why he’d accepted the offer.

  “So, I’m no longer in danger?”

  “At least there is nothing to fear from the CIA.”

  This sounded almost too good to be true. She suddenly heard car doors slam in the background.

  “Are you out and about?”

  Before she could answer the doorbell rang.

  Of course Julie had to show up right now.

  “Hang on,” she said and ran to the entrance. When she opened the door her phone dropped on the floor again. “You… I…err…,” she stammered, but didn’t get any further.

  With a predatory grin Viktor ended the call, stepped in and pulled her into his arms. His trademark scent of earth and subtle cologne was tickling her nose and she wanted to let out a sigh.

  As soon as he touched her, something happened she’d missed for weeks. Peace engulfed her like a warm blanket. And there was more. An overwhelming feeling of happiness took over, like her soul was scattered with fairy dust. She felt light and blissful and, well, at ease. As if she was glowing from the inside out. Where’d been a brick in her gut was now a sun, filling her with liquid light.

  She was in love.

  The door closed behind him, then his lips were on hers. How many times had she dreamed of this during the last weeks? And how much better was reality compared to her imagination! All her fears and worries dropped off her shoulders like an old coat. Her heart performed a crescendo and her body was humming with joy.

  How in the world could all her desires be fulfilled in a single kiss? His lips were incredibly soft, the kiss inquiringly. As soon as she opened up to him, it became more demanding, even hungry. Suddenly she felt his lower arm under her knees and lost touch with the ground. Before she could breathe a word, he was carrying her up the stairs. As if he’d done it a hundred times already, he navigated her towards her bedroom and kicked the door open with his foot. The entire time he didn’t let go of her lips, pretty much the contrary. He deepened the kiss as he laid her onto her wide princess bed. That’s exactly how she felt, like a princess. And Viktor was…well, not her prince, that’s for sure. He was more like a raider, who took what he wanted, following his own rules. And she was more than ready to give it to him.

  As he laid down next to her, whispering Russian terms of endearment into her hair, her body was on fire and her heart was ready to jump out of her chest. She’d never felt more alive. And never before would she have given herself more freely to a pirate, who was kissing her like there was no tomorrow, while his hand was making its way underneath her shirt.

  Epilogue

  Ally’s weekly column – All U Can Ask!

  Dear readers out there!

  Today I have a few questions for you for a change. Here is the thing:

  I’m an average student, a lousy friend, and I hate having to clean up my room. I love the DixiChick’s (yep, I’m dead serious!), love eating chips (yum!) and don’t separate the garbage (not, because I don’t care about the environment, but because I simply forget!!!)

  To top it off I have a serious crush on a guy who looks too good to be true.

  Oh, and according to the New York Times I’ve foiled the reelection of the President and am now public enemy #1 by the Republicans.

  So here is my question:

  Have you ever done anything to scare off your friends?

  The first ten comments win a dinner for two at the Space Needle!

  Comments:

  Julie96 wrote at 1:27 p.m.:

  Seriously, Ally, I don’t think that you’re a lousy friend. I mean–hello! In the last few weeks I’ve had more fun than in years…Did I win or what?!

  Iwan94 wrote at 1:45 p.m.:

  Define “having a crush”!

  Catch(h)er90 wrote at 1:57 p.m.:

  You bitch! Do you have any idea what the French police did to me? Does the word “body search” ring a bell? No? IT DOES TO ME!!!!

  Julie96 wrote at 1:59 p.m.:

  Oops!

  Iwan94 wrote at 2:02 p.m.:

  Get off the line, or I’ll rip you a new one!

  Ally wrote at 2:06 p.m.:

  Um, okay, as I can see we already have three winners, Julie96, Iwan94, and, um, catch(her)90. Congratulations!

  Julie96 wrote at 2:19 p.m.:

  Really? I’ve won? *Scream* How cool is that???

  Catch(h)er90 wrote at 2:23 p.m.:

  Ally, you want to go on a date?

  Iwan94 wrote at 2:25 p.m.:

  Piss off!

  Ally wrote at 2:32 p.m.:

  Ahem, guys!

  Julie96 wrote at
2:35 p.m.:

  Why aren’t you dating me? My horoscope said now is a good time to try something new

  Catch(h)er90 wrote at 2:37 p.m.:

  What are your measurements?

  Julie96 wrote at 2:38 p.m.:

  ???

  Jean94 wrote at 2:40 p.m.:

  Get lost, you prick! She’s already dating me!

  Julie96 wrote at 2:42 p.m.:

  For real? Are you in town?

  Jean94 wrote at 2:43 p.m.:

  I wouldn‘t miss dinner with you, n’est-ce pas?

  Julie96 wrote at 2:44 p.m.:

  *Scream* You’re soooo sweet!

  Catch(h)er90 wrote at 2:48 p.m.:

  Wait a minute, she already asked me!

  CP68 wrote at 3:15 p.m.:

  You’re not a bad person, sweetie.

  Julie96 wrote at 3:17 p.m.:

  *Scream*

  Ally wrote at 3:18 p.m.:

  *Scream*

  Catch(h)er90 wrote at 3:25 p.m.:

  And what about me now…?

  Iwan94 wrote at 3:26 p.m.:

  ***deleted by the editor***

  Jean94 wrote at 3:27 p.m.:

  Exactly, you ***deleted by the editor***

  ~ The End ~

  Thanks

  I wrote Operation Heartbreaker after I had written the Blanche trilogy, an urban fantasy series, released by my German publisher Sieben Verlag under the alias Jane Christo. After a hard-core female contract killer, who kicked ass before breakfast, I needed girls like Ally and Julie. Heroines who might not always have it easy, but who never lose their sense of humor over that. At the same time this book is a thank you to my fans, all the bloggers and reviewers, who have accompanied me since my first book.