by MC Lee
He burned off some of his nervous energy with his trainer, Evan, practicing knife throws before powering through a workout and finishing up with four furiously fast laps of the running track that circled the gym.
At the end of the fifty-minute session, Evan patted him on the back. “That was great work, Jack. You know we’re skipping the afternoon session because Martin is coming in?”
Jack’s mouth suddenly felt dry. He nodded wordlessly.
“I guess you’ll have to work twice as hard tomorrow,” Evan said, grinning broadly.
Jack tried to return the smile, though from the look on Evan’s face, he didn’t quite pull it off.
The rest of the day was a haze of training sessions and learning modules, each one blending into the next with little to tell where one subject ended and the next began. Jack was grateful nobody thought to test him on the material, knowing he’d retained absolutely nothing from any of the lessons.
An hour before Martin and Leo were due, Jack found himself in Sean’s office, staring futilely at a page filled with code. He was supposed to be using everything he’d learned over years of study to decipher the message, but his mind seemed totally empty, completely robbed of the ability to function.
Sean suddenly appeared at his shoulder and frowned down at the blank page. “Come on, Jack. This is basic stuff.”
Jack had a moment of blind panic, wondering if Sean would use this as an excuse to stop him seeing Leo.
Sean’s frown deepened. “I’m on your side, kiddo,” he said quietly. “Remember that.”
“I’m sorry,” Jack stammered.
He looked back down at the page, forcing himself to focus, and all at once, everything fell into place. A moment later he picked up his pen and decoded the whole page of notes. Sean was right; he’d learned this cipher almost as soon as he could read.
When the clock struck five, Jack tensed, unexpectedly overcome with nerves. Sean jerked his head, and Jack followed him out of the office and up one flight of stairs, his pulse racing as they drew closer to his guardian’s office.
The door was open, a low murmur of voices from inside indicating Martin was already here. Jack almost tripped in his haste, only keeping his feet because Sean reached out to steady him before standing aside to let him walk in.
He saw Martin first, sitting in a chair facing his guardian’s desk. For one terrible moment, he didn’t think Leo had come, until he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head, his heart clenching when he caught sight of his friend.
Leo stood in front of the window that ran the length of the back wall. He had been staring out of it and turned when Jack walked into the room. For the briefest of seconds, they just looked at each other, and then Leo’s face broke into a dazzling smile, and he crossed the room in a few swift steps.
Though all Jack wanted to do was throw his arms around Leo and pull him close, he held out a hand instead. He felt a jolt, like a small electric shock, when Leo’s palm slid against his in a handshake, and he held tight as long as he could just to feel the warm skin against his.
“How are you, Jack?” Leo said softly.
Jack squeezed his hand. “Fine. Good.”
The smell of citrus soap and Leo’s aftershave tickled his nose, and he breathed in deeply, pulling the familiar scent into his lungs.
“Sit down, boys,” Sean said.
Jack reluctantly let go of Leo’s hand and allowed Sean to steer him toward the couch beside his guardian’s desk. He desperately hoped Leo would sit next to him, but Martin snapped his fingers and pointed, and Leo took the empty chair beside his foster father instead while Sean sat on the couch.
“You look well, Jack,” Martin said, smiling kindly.
“Thank you, sir,” Jack replied. “It’s good to see you.”
Martin turned his head and started talking to Jack’s guardian, whose only acknowledgment had been a curt nod. Jack’s eyes remained fixed on Leo.
He looked a little tired and drawn but otherwise seemed to be in great shape. Jack imagined he could see small changes in Leo’s appearance—his hair slightly more grown out and curling at the ends, his skin a shade darker from the sun—although in truth he knew two weeks apart couldn’t really produce a noticeable difference.
Leo kept sending small glances his way, and Jack’s heart surged every time their eyes met. Eventually, after he had cataloged everything about the way Leo looked, Jack tuned back in to the conversation. Martin was discussing his next assignment, which would have an impact on Leo. Jack wanted to know everything he could about what Leo would be doing over the coming weeks.
“It’s a straightforward extraction,” Martin was saying. “I doubt it will take more than a month. Leo is going to befriend the target’s daughter and keep her out of the way. It shouldn’t be a challenge.”
Jack’s guardian turned his gaze on Leo. “Are you confident you can handle the assignment?”
Leo stiffened slightly, unused to having his abilities questioned. “I have everything under control, sir,” he replied. Jack wondered if anybody but he and Martin detected the tightness in Leo’s voice.
If his guardian heard anything out of the ordinary, he didn’t let it show. Instead he leaned forward and said distinctly, “Martin tells me you’ve had a hard couple of weeks. I don’t want you in the field unless you’re able to give one hundred percent.”
This time it was Leo’s turn to ignore the undercurrent in the words. “I’m feeling totally fine, sir. Martin worries too much.”
“That’s his job,” Jack’s guardian said promptly. “Just as it’s your responsibility to report anything that might hinder your ability to take on this assignment. Am I to understand being separated from Jack has had no consequences?”
Jack was sure everybody in the room saw the way Leo flinched. He turned his head, his eyes seeking out Jack’s. “Time apart has helped me focus my feelings,” he said solemnly. “I hope it has been the same for Jack.”
Jack pulled in a deep breath and let all the barriers fall, his whole body melting at the look of fierce longing that transformed Leo’s face. He understood, just as Leo did, that every move, every look and gesture, even their most guarded feelings, were being analyzed by the three highly trained senior agents in the room. He was eager, just this once, to show exactly what was in his heart.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Jack’s guardian said softly. Jack risked a glance and found his guardian’s gaze on him. He met the look steadily, just long enough to show the honest truth without crossing the line into disrespect, and then he lowered his eyes.
“Will Leo be going in under his own name?” Sean asked, refocusing attention.
“Not this time,” Martin replied. “The target’s daughter attends a small academic school in upstate New York. It doesn’t have a competitive athletics program, so there’s no reason to believe Leo will be recognized under an assumed name.”
Jack wasn’t sure exactly what tipped him off. Maybe it was the quick glance Martin threw his way, the slight hesitation before he replied, or the unusual conditions he had outlined. Leo almost always worked under his own identity—it was part of his own unique program. Whatever it was that had sounded the alarm bells, Jack was certain of one thing. The only reason Leo and Martin had been assigned this case was because Jack had been stood down. In normal circumstances he would have been the one prepping this mission.
“Have you done sufficient research this time, Mr. McCormack?”
Although Jack’s guardian didn’t say the words, an unspoken reproach was clearly understood by everybody in the room. On their last assignment, Leo had fallen down on his research and his cover had almost been blown when a young girl recognized him from his high school track days. Although some damage had been done, the assignment hadn’t been compromised, which didn’t stop Leo from bitterly chastising himself for putting the mission, and potentially Jack, in danger. Jack silently fumed that his guardian would bring it up again now.
�
�I’ve analyzed everything within a fifty-mile radius,” Leo said evenly. “Every institution, every sports facility and school, right down to the last kindergarten classroom. I’m confident my research is comprehensive this time.”
By acknowledging the fault, Leo took the sting out of Sean’s next words.
“So we won’t expect a repeat of your last mistake?”
“No, sir,” Leo said.
Jack had to bite his lower lip to stop himself from jumping to Leo’s defense. He had done the same research before their last assignment and hadn’t caught the potential for conflict any more than Leo had, and yet Leo was expected to shoulder all the blame. He just about managed to hold his tongue when he saw Leo shake his head.
“Then everything should work out fine,” Jack’s guardian said. “If there are no further questions?” He paused for a moment and then nodded curtly. “Good. Dismissed. Good luck, gentlemen.”
Jack scrambled to his feet when Martin and Leo stood. He followed them out, tensing as he reached the door, sure his guardian would call him back. But there was only silence behind him as he walked out with Sean hard on his heels. Leo turned as soon as the door was shut and reached out to grab hold of Jack’s hand.
Martin cleared his throat. “Leo, I need to talk to Sean. Why don’t you meet me at the car in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir,” Leo said. He turned toward Sean without releasing Jack’s hand. “Does Jack have permission to come downstairs to see us off?”
Sean raised a sardonic eyebrow. “I’m wondering what would happen if my answer was no.”
Leo blushed, and his gaze slid away from Sean’s face for just a moment. “Please, Sean,” he said softly. “Ten minutes?”
Sean threw up his hands. “Ten minutes, and then you both need to be in the garage. Do not keep Martin waiting.”
“Thank you,” Leo said fervently.
“Here, use my card,” Sean said. His eyes flickered to the camera silently monitoring them, and then he jerked his chin toward the service stairway at the end of the hallway.
“Thanks, Sean,” Leo whispered.
He started forward, and Jack followed him to the door leading to the stairwell, aware that Martin and Sean watched them as they went. Leo pushed through the doorway and tugged Jack after him, and as soon as the door shut with a metallic clang, he turned and pushed Jack up against the wall, his mouth crushing Jack’s lips with such force that his head bounced against the bricks.
Jack tensed and looked around quickly, but Leo shook his head.
“There’s no surveillance here. This is the service staircase. It can only be accessed by people with the highest security clearance.”
Jack barely registered the words before Leo’s hands were all over him, snaking up under his T-shirt to spread out across Jack’s chest and then sliding down to grasp his hips and pull him closer.
He tasted of cinnamon toothpaste, and his lips were soft and warm. Jack tugged at Leo’s polo shirt until he had revealed an expanse of tanned skin, and he pressed himself closer until they fit together from the mouth to the hardness swelling their groins.
When Leo’s fingers deftly slid down the zipper on Jack’s jeans, he gasped and spread his legs wide, giving Leo better access. He threw his head back when the same fingers closed around his prick and began a frantic slide up and down its length. He groaned out Leo’s name when his lips fastened on Jack’s neck and he began to suck in time to his stroking hand.
Jack came back to himself long enough to yank Leo’s zipper down and pick up the same rhythm, and it took no more than a minute before they were both arching frantically as they came to noisy completion.
Jack felt the weight of Leo’s whole body press him into the wall as Leo relaxed against him, his panting breath hot against Jack’s neck. A moment later Leo had already gotten himself under control and was straightening up with a sigh and a brilliant smile.
He scrabbled into the pocket of his jacket and produced a handkerchief, wiping them both down without a word, and then he pulled his clothing together and helped Jack do the same. When they were more or less presentable, Leo inclined his head.
“How are you doing, Jack?” He laughed and his expression turned sheepish. “I suppose I should have asked that first.”
“I’m fantastic now,” Jack said, returning Leo’s smile.
Leo glanced at his watch and tugged at Jack’s hand to get him moving. “Sorry. Sean will kill me if we’re late.”
Jack leapt down the stairs as quickly as he could on shaky legs, following Leo as he took the stairs two at a time.
“You okay?” he panted.
“Good. Miss the hell out of you, though.”
“And me.” Jack jumped the last four steps and landed beside Leo with a thump. They burst through the door and ran toward the car, relieved there was no sign of Martin and Sean yet. When Leo reached the car, he turned and leaned up against it, pulling Jack in close again.
“You’re sure you’re holding up okay?” he asked, concern etched on his face.
“I’m managing,” Jack replied honestly. “It’s weird to go back to having nothing. I didn’t know I’d come to rely on all the gadgets so much.”
Leo made a face. “And how are they treating you, apart from taking everything away?”
Jack shrugged. “They’ve booted up my schedule. I don’t get any time to myself these days. All I ever do is study and drill.”
He tensed when he heard the door to the garage open and the voices of Sean and Martin off in the distance. He pressed a last breathless kiss against Leo’s sweet, upturned mouth, feeling Leo’s arms tighten reflexively before they dropped back down to his sides.
“Is this assignment as easy as it sounds?” Jack said.
Leo grimaced. “You know they’re never totally predictable. But this one seems pretty straightforward.”
“You’ll be careful?” Jack said.
“He’s always careful.” Jack turned his head at the sound of Martin’s voice. “I’ll make sure he’s safe,” he added with a smile. “Don’t worry about us.”
Sean stepped up behind Martin and jerked his chin. “Time to go, Jack. You have a session with Instructor Colson. Best not keep her waiting.”
Jack nodded reluctantly. “Look after yourself,” he said, including both Leo and Martin in his caution.
“We’ll be fine,” Leo said. “I’ll see you when the assignment is over. We’ll be coming back to the Center to file a report.”
“Couple of weeks,” Martin assured him. “Behave yourself while we’re gone.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack said, smiling. He allowed himself to be gathered into a hug, feeling reassured by Martin’s optimism. When Martin let go, Jack turned back toward Leo. He wasn’t very good at public displays of affection, but Leo had no hang-ups. He threw his arms around Jack and tugged him close.
“See you soon,” he whispered against Jack’s ear. “I’ll be thinking about you.”
“Me too,” Jack murmured. He released Leo reluctantly and stepped back.
Jack would have liked to wait until Martin and Leo climbed into their car and drove away, but Sean jerked his head again, and he had no option but to follow his handler out of the garage.
“That was supposed to be my assignment,” Jack said. It wasn’t a question. The more he’d considered the operation, the more obvious it appeared.
Sean sent him a curious look. “How did you figure it out?”
Jack shrugged. “Leo is assuming a false identity. That’s unusual for him. The assignment is in close proximity to the Center and should fall within our jurisdiction, and it’s the kind of case I’ve worked before.”
Sean nodded. “You’re right. The assignment was being tailored to you, but you’re still out of commission. Your guardian won’t sign off on any further missions until he sees the required progress.”
Jack tried to keep his reaction from showing, but Sean knew him too well and read what he was trying to hide. “It’s an absolutely st
raightforward case,” he said firmly. “There’s no reason to believe Leo will encounter any problems.”
Jack felt a surge of relief, and the hollow void gnawing at his insides receded slowly. Behind him, Martin’s engine purred to life, and he resisted the urge to turn his head and take a final look. He had to satisfy himself with the knowledge that Leo was a first-rate operative with the considerable resources of the Center at his command. In a few short weeks this case would be over, and Leo would be back where he belonged.
Chapter Three
“HOW WAS Leo?”
Jack threw a surprised look at Instructor Colson.
“You know how fast news travels around here,” she said by way of explanation.
“He’s good. He and Martin are starting a new assignment. They should be back in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s good news,” Colson said. “Were they able to share any details?”
“It seems like a pretty routine extraction,” Jack said. “Leo is going to work the target’s daughter while Martin makes the arrangements.”
“Does any of it worry you?”
Jack shrugged and avoided Colson’s perceptive gaze. She was far too astute for him to think he could hide much from her, but he hadn’t completely processed what he thought about Leo’s upcoming mission and didn’t want to give too much away. He couldn’t ignore her question, so he settled for a noncommittal answer. “I’m hoping it all goes according to plan.”
Colson’s mouth curved into a smile. “Martin and Leo are fine operatives. I’m sure everything will work out. Now, let’s turn our attention to the lesson. I must say you’ve done a great job over the past weeks. I’ve reported your progress to your guardian.”