by Iris Bolling
He pulled a pair of sweats from the drawer and nearly keeled over when he tried to step into them. Clearing her mind of her appraisal of his tantalizing appearance, Roc went into medical mode.
"What exactly do you think you are doing?"
He turned to face her and she almost wished she had kept her mouth shut. But then she would have missed the full glory of him, and she was certain, this man’s body was meant to be seen, for it was just that magnificent. She had seen many men in her career, in all stages of dress, but this man…this man, looked like a Greek god with dimples. If she was having problems breathing she prayed it didn’t show, for the look in his eyes showed he knew exactly the effect he was having on her.
Joshua saw the appreciation for his body in her eyes and could not stop his body from responding to her appreciative stare. As he explained to his mother, he did not want to be vulnerable to this woman in any way. He moved quickly through the pain to pull his pants up just to be stopped at his arousal which was not cooperating with him. He turned away and continued dressing. “Did you need something?”
Did she need something? Was that a trick question? She had to stop herself from answering honestly. Thank you, she said as he began to struggle pulling the shirt over his head. She immediately stepped forward to help. “A button down shirt would be easier for you for the next few days. Do you have any?”
Joshua looked at her wondering why she asked such a ridiculous question. “Do I have any dress shirts?”
The dimples from the grin blocked her thoughts for a moment. She lowered her eyes to block out their effect. “Yes, dress shirts,” she mumbled realizing looking at his naked chest wasn't helping matters either.
“I think I have one or two.” He walked over to a set of double doors on the other side of the room that she hadn’t noticed and pushed them open.
She stepped from behind him and gasped. There was a men’s store inside the closet. No it wasn’t a closet. “This is a freaking store,” she looked up at him, “There is a store inside your closet.”
Joshua walked by her towards a wall on the left with nothing but shirts. They were arranged by colors, first solids, then stripes, polos, jerseys, t-shirts. On the right were suits. A wall with nothing but suits lined up on a rack that had the nerve to rotate. Directly ahead was a mahogany dresser, with drawers on each side. She couldn’t resist. She pulled one drawer open, watches, hundreds of watches. Another drawer, cuff links, hundreds of cuff links. She turned around in the floor in awe. Coming full circle, on the wall in front of her were shoes. Hundreds of pairs of shoes. She walked around the corner to see where he had disappeared to when he pulled the shirt down. Roc stopped dead in her tracks, there was a dressing room with ceiling to floor mirrors on every wall. He discarded the sweats, put on a pair of dark slacks, and was buttoning a long sleeved, crisp, white shirt. He hit a button and the wall slid open to reveal a vertical rack of ties. They moved slowly down until he hit the button again and took one out. She watched all three views of him through the mirrors as he put the tie on and knotted it with precision.
Joshua watched her watching him. Damn if that didn’t turn him on. He saw when she looked down at herself, knew she was thinking she was under dressed in her sweater, jeans and boots. To him she looked exactly like what she was, an angel. He looked away and continued to dress. That was the reason he had to finish this mission and get her out of his house. She was becoming too much of a temptation. Yes, he could simply have her and be done with it as he had in the past. But, since Akande, being with other women did not have the same appeal. He had tried. For a full year he tried non-stop. But each night when he closed his eyes, it was Akande who appeared. So he gave up. For the last two years, he had not touched or wanted to touch another woman. Looking back up at her, he knew Roc was different. He took his suit jacket off the hanger and turned towards her.
Roc was stunned by the difference in the man, as he put his suit jacket on. This was the one she had heard so much about over the years. This was the suave, sexy super agent that she thought only existed in the minds of the people who talked about him. She caught the grimace when he put his arms in the sleeves, as she drooled over the man. He walked right up to her, then put those baby browns directly on her.
“Thank you for bringing me home,” he said. Then he smiled.
Damn if she wasn’t dripping in her panties from that smile. They stood there for the longest moment just staring into each other’s eyes. His drifted from her eyes to her lips. Was he going to kiss her? Her lips parted to speak but nothing came out.
“Joshua.” Neither of them moved at the sound of Lucy’s voice. “Joshua. The White House is on the line.”
Joshua looked up, then walked by Roc. It took her a moment to breathe, then she turned and followed him. He walked to the wall in his bedroom and the wall seemed to just open right into the Cave.
Roc looked at Lucy questioning. “How?”
“Biometric eye scanner in the picture.”
Roc nodded, “I’ve been out of the business for awhile.”
Joshua gingerly sat, then pushed a button on the console. “Absolute here.”
“Good evening Joshua. It’s good to see you.”
“Hello Mrs. Langston. You are as beautiful as always.”
“Miss you,” she smiled fondly at him. “Please hold for the President.”
A few seconds later, the President appeared. Commando seemed to stand at attention at Joshua’s side. “I can’t say how good it is to see you, Joshua.”
“Same here, Mr. President.”
“How are you?”
“Battered, not beaten.”
JD nodded and smiled. “I’m happy to see you. Have you spoken to your mother?”
“Yes, Sir, earlier today.”
“Good, is she still cursing me out?”
“Yes, Sir. A little happier now that she put eyes on me.”
“I serve at the pleasure of the Lassiters,” he sat forward in his private office in the residence. “Hearing wild stories on this end,” JD said. “My military is telling me you are killing our own people.”
“Been dodging bullets…”
“And U.S. missiles on this end,” Roc added.
JD looked at Joshua and grinned, “Can you ever go anywhere and not bring a woman back?”
Joshua grinned. “You sent this one to me.”
JD sat back. “Roc is with you?”
“Yes Sir she is and a little pissed by the change of events.”
“Talk to me.”
“Who’s in the room, Sir?”
JD looked around. “People I trust.”
“Mr. President there are people you trust who are not worthy. I ask again, who’s in the room?”
JD frowned. “Brian, James, Calvin and Samuel.”
“All the Presidents men,” Joshua grinned. It felt good to see all of them with JD. “We have a situation Mr. President. I believe members of your administration are plotting to bring down your Presidency.
JD sat up and looked at the men around the room. “Hold on Joshua, I’m switching monitors.” He clicked a button and Joshua appeared on the big screen mounted on the wall. “Please continue.”
“I have a document with a pardon for one Jonas Gary for all past and future actions taken against the United States.
JD took a seat next to Calvin. “We’ve been hearing that name in connection with what’s happening with the House Republicans and the Attorney General.”
Joshua looked behind him at Roc.
Roc took the seat next to him. “Sir, I was the one who took out the plane over Laredo. The Attorney General had nothing to do with it.”
James sat forward. “You are admitting that you shot down a United States Military aircraft, killing ten men?”
“Yes, Sir and I will do it again if put in the same circumstances.”
The men looked at each other. “Roc, this is Chief of Staff, Calvin Johnson. Give us the chain of events,” Calvin requested.
/> “While delivering a message in Mexico, I came upon a weapons sale with a man named Jonas Gary. I investigated the man for weapons trafficking a few years back. I’m sure you remember the case. The men mentioned that the weapons’ destination was the United States. Seeing they were assault weapons, I decided to explore and found a warehouse with hundreds of crates of weapons from assault rifles to missiles. Further investigation revealed several photographs of Vice President McClintock, and the Secretary of Defense. The pardon is signed by the same two individuals.” The men sat forward. “My sentiments exactly.”
“Tell me you have that document Joshua,” JD asked.
“I do. I secured the document, then attempted to destroy the weapons before they could be transported here. Unfortunately, somehow they detected I was there. Locked one of their land to air missiles on my chopper and brought me down.”
“That’s where I pick up Sir,” Roc began. “At eight hundred hours three days ago I received a message from Ned, our CIA handler stating Secretary Davenport requested my assistance in the recovery of an Operative in Mexico who was also in need of medical attention. Based on information from Ned, I arrived at a cabin in Mexico at thirteen hundred hours on day two. Upon my arrival, the Operative was stabilized, but in critical condition. During the process the Operative stated, and I quote NS, WH, Don't Trust. I interpreted that to mean that there was a national security issue, the White House should not be trusted. Since I do not know you, Sir, that meant you and anyone surrounding you. At eighteen hundred hours I received a secure message from Ned, the location had been compromised. I then made arrangements to exit Mexico through two channels, prepared my patient and moved out. Upon reaching the designated destination, we were fired upon from the United States plane that I thought was sent as pickup. I proceeded to my backup transportation at which time we were again fired upon. Once on board, we received a report of a missile activation. Using a land to air missile, I took out the threat. It was them or us. I chose them.”
The men in the Oval Office sat back glancing at each other. Calvin was the first to speak. “Joshua during your investigation did you come across any information connecting the Attorney General to weapons trafficking?”
“No.”
“Any connection to illegal activity at all?”
“No, stupidity, yes, but nothing illegal.”
JD grinned, then became serious. “It’s been suggested that the events of the past 24 hours have been an attempt to manipulate the American public into believing the AG is connected to the weapons found in Texas. That this is all connected to a conspiracy to take down my administration. Do you concur with that suggestion?”
“I do.”
“Do you believe the document you have will curtail this attempt?”
“No Sir, it has not been authenticated. On its own, this document only shows a questionable relationship between the three parties. The public may ask why would a man like Gary need a pardon for actions against the U.S., or why would parties connected to the White House give such a pardon?”
“At that point,” James chimed in, “the Vice-President could say you ordered him to give such a pardon.”
“We know that’s not true and so will the public,” JD stood angrily.
“It would be your word against his,” Calvin added.
JD stood by the window with his head down and hands in his pockets. “Either they take down my administration by connecting Gavin to the weapons or by connecting me to Gary.” He turned and looked at them. “I don’t like either option.”
“Beat them at their own game,” Brian suggested. “We know that Gary is involved, I have men on him as we speak. Let’s see how deep this conspiracy goes.”
“Conspiracy?” JD scowled.
“Yes, Mr. President, this is a conspiracy,” Roc added. “Your military has been given orders that countermanded yours, that’s a conspiracy of two entities of government. The military that is controlled by the Secretary of Defense and The Vice-President’s Office.” James added, “Both conspiring against the President’s Office.”
“Mr. President, if I may,” Joshua began. “Allow me to follow the lead on Gary.”
“No, Joshua, we just got you home. You are not ready,” Samuel objected.
“He would be the best person,” James stated. He put up his hand, “Hear me out Samuel. They think he is out of commission. They don’t know we’ve made contact. He would be the last person they would expect to knock at their door.”
“It’s what will happen once the door is open that concerns me,” Samuel stated. “He is in no condition to protect himself.”
“I disagree with that assessment of my abilities Sammy.”
“I don’t care of you disagree Joshua, I care if you live.”
“Joshua, take the lead, but leave the action to your team. Pull in who ever you need. Find me the evidence I need to shut this down. Roc, you’re his armor until he can protect himself.”
“Sir…,” Roc stammered, “I’m in-active Sir.”
“Roc,” JD spoke. “Your President is asking you to serve.”
Lucy stood in the background and smirked. “He got you.” Commando just looked at her.
“Yes, Sir,” Roc hesitantly replied.
“Joshua, it’s this or you sit on the bench. I can’t afford to lose the one person in the CIA I trust.” JD added. “By the way, your handler Ned, have you heard from him since the warning?”
Joshua glanced at Roc. “No.”
“Put someone on locating him,” JD ordered. “He may have an answer or two for us. Our point of contact will be Al.”
“Yes, Sir,” Joshua disconnected the call, then pushed another button. Monique’s image appeared on the screen.
“Location?”
“Alive. You?”
“Alive. Ned?”
“Nothing.”
“Melissa Sue?”
“Alive. Delivering her to my father.”
“Will meet you there. Out.”
Joshua sat back. Roc could see he was in pain when he spoke. “Lucy?”
“On monitor 3.”
Joshua pushed a button bringing the scene on monitor 3 to the main monitor. A picture and a dossier on Jonas Gary appeared. Joshua reviewed the information. “Jonas Gary is a mercenary for hire. He’s working for someone. We need to find out who.”
“Start with the pictures you saw,” Roc suggested. “Who was in the pictures?”
“McClintock, Alston and Gary.”
“Lucy, get a location on all three,” Joshua said as he tried to stand. Pain shot through his back.
Roc put a hand on his thigh. “Take it slow, and breathe.”
He couldn’t tell which was more intense, the pain in his back, or the heat from the touch of her hand. The memory of her hands massaging his body down that morning was still very strong and virile. He willed his mind to fight through both. Using the console, he stood slowly. “I’m good.”
“Yeah?” Roc watched him carefully. “I can give you something that will allow you to function while taking the bite out of the pain.”
“No. I have to work through this.”
“All right. Where are we starting?”
“Al Day’s place. I want to talk to Melissa Sue, if possible.”
Chapter Fourteen
Richmond, VA
Watching the medical team work on Melissa Sue was more then Al could take. “Are they all dead?” he asked his daughter, Monique, who stood next to him.
“Yes,” the ones remaining are. A few left before I gained entry.”
“You believe this is connected to Joshua?”
“I do. They tortured her to get information she didn’t have.”
“Al,” his wife, Ryan walked into the room. “Tucker is waiting to speak with you and the President called. Joshua is en route.”
Looking at his wife, Al said a little too calmly for her liking. “Would you prepare the conference room? We need all the parties at the table to decide who i
s going to retaliate for what.” He walked down the hallway.
Monique and Ryan watched his back. “He is too calm,” Ryan exclaimed.
“Yep, people are about to die,” Monique followed the path her father had taken.
Ryan exhaled and prayed for the strength and wisdom to keep both of them out of jail.
Al walked into the secured office off his bedroom. He took a seat at the desk and pressed a button. Tucker, his right hand man appeared on the screen. “How is Julianna?”
“Adjusting to her new life,” Tucker replied.
“Is she adjusting to you being a part of that life?”
“I’d like to think so,” he shrugged.
“Jonas Gary has surfaced.”
Tucker sat up. “I’ll be on the next plane.”
❖❖❖
They all stared at him as if he had three heads. Al, Ryan and Monique couldn’t believe what had just occurred.
“What?” Joshua asked, tired of everyone gawking at him.
They all looked at each other, as Monique shrugged her shoulders and walked over. “We’re not used to you actually walking through a door.” She walked around him, surveying every angle. “You’re hurt.”
“Still better than you on my worst day.”
Monique put her hands on her hips, and smiled. “Still as arrogant as ever.” She looked up at Roc raising a questioning eyebrow. “And you are?”
“With him,” Roc replied.
“That’s cute,” Monique quipped. “Do you have a name?”
“I do.”
All stared at her waiting, but she didn’t offer anything more. Joshua spoke. “Manners, right. Roc, Al Day and his wife Ryan,” he then pointed to Monique. “That is Al’s bratty daughter Monique.”
Rarely did things surprise Roc, but the petite young woman standing in front of her with the wavy hair, black jeans, thigh high boots, and crisp white blouse did not appear to be an agent of any kind. She had to respect her game. She extended her hand. “Roc.”