The Only Reason: A Novel (Trident Trilogy: Book Two)

by Donna Schwartze

  “My problem isn’t with her professionally. She’s fine. Spooks are always giving us half the story. That’s more of the same. My problem is that she changes you. You lose perspective and focus. You become somebody else. You’re in too deep to see it.”

  I stare at him for a good minute. I’m pissed at Millie right now, but that doesn’t give anyone else the right to come at her. “Look, man. You’re my best friend. That’s never going to change. But you’re wrong about this. Let’s just focus on the mission.”

  “All right,” he says, standing up. “Just promise me you’re going to be one hundred percent objective.”

  I nod. “One hundred percent.”

  After he walks away, I look back over to where Millie and Alex were sitting. He’s still there. She’s not. I stand up to look around the plane. I don’t see her up in the work area. I take a stroll around and finally see her lying on a bench tucked away under the storage cabinets. She’s curled up in a little ball with her jacket pulled over her head. She looks like she’s freezing, which I know from experience she probably is. Unfortunately, I don’t have the five blankets she usually requires to get warm. Luckily, our logistics team packed our parkas. I told them we wouldn’t need them in the spring in Pakistan, but they like to cover all their bases. I grab my coat and walk over to her. I watch her sleep for a second. She looks so sweet and vulnerable. I want to spoon up behind her and keep her warm. I gently cover her with my coat and take off my fleece and put it under her head. She doesn’t stir. I still don’t understand how someone can sleep that deeply.

  As I turn around, I see Alex walking over to me.

  “Master Chief. May I have a word with you?” He’s nodding over to an area away from Millie. I motion him to go first.

  “What’s up?” I say as we get over to the private area.

  “Bluntly, I know you have feelings for Agent Marsh.” He’s looking directly in my eyes, challenging me. I just stare at him. “I understand that. Believe me. More than you know. But as soon as we land, she needs to be all-in as my wife. She needs to play the role to perfection if we want to have a successful mission. Having you around—staring at her—is not going to help anything. Maybe you should stay at the embassy and assign a few of your team members to the hotel.”

  I smile. “How about you do your job and I’ll do mine?”

  He takes a step closer to me. I know he’s trying to provoke me. If I take a swing at him, I’m off the mission.

  “I need for you to stay away from Millie after we land,” he says, leaning in—just inches from my face.

  My hands automatically clench into fists. “And I need for you to back the fuck off me,” I whisper.

  JJ appears out of nowhere and wedges himself between us, facing Alex. He starts pushing me backward with his body. “Agent Laskin,” he says, “thank you for your input. We’ll take your suggestions into consideration.”

  Alex smiles and nods his head slowly as he walks away. JJ turns to me and keeps pushing me back. “How’s that objectivity working for you, Mase?”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Fallujah, Iraq

  July 31, 2011

  As the helicopter landed just outside the village, Mack made sure he was the last one off. He took the rear position in the line as they started their approach. They covered the quarter mile quickly. It didn’t seem like anyone was around. George told the team this morning that locals reported an Al Qaeda leader hiding out there. When they got within a couple hundred yards, Mack saw the small house with the red door and the black X. Most of the houses had some kind of color on them, so it didn’t stand out too much, but Mack thought they could have been a little more subtle.

  When the rest of the team had passed the house, he heard voices coming from a house about a hundred feet in front of their position. The rest of the team started hustling that way. Mack swerved to the right and entered through the red door. He saw the table. He pushed it aside and opened the trap door.

  As he climbed down into the dimly lit tunnel, he heard the house explode above him. He instinctively flung his body to the ground and covered his head. The tunnel walls shook violently, but didn’t collapse. He quickly got to his feet and flipped his goggles down to help see through the wall of dust ahead of him. He saw two people in front of him—motioning for him to follow. He heard his team in the distance scream his name. As the tunnel began to clear, he started running. It only took a few minutes for their screaming voices to fade out behind him.

  ***

  “Mack!” Chase screamed. “Mack! Answer me!”

  “Mack!” The entire team screamed his name as they tried to get close enough to the burning rubble to look for his body that they knew wasn’t there. The building had been blown into small bits, and they knew anyone inside it had suffered the same fate. Still, they screamed his name—hoping for a miracle.

  Suddenly gunfire began to rain down on them from the hills above the village. As they began taking fire, they all jumped behind whatever cover they could find.

  “Where’s it coming from?” Clem yelled as a round split the rock above his head. He scrunched down farther and poked his rifle out. A bullet hit the dirt in front of him. He rolled back behind the rock.

  Chase made it behind a building. He peered around the side through his rifle scope. “We’ve got at least ten on that southeastern ridge. They’ve got good cover,” he shouted above the gunfire.

  The rest of his team was spread out within twenty feet of him. They were all trying to return fire, but Chase knew they didn’t have position. They were basically sitting ducks. He didn’t quite understand why the enemy were only firing from one position. If they spread out at all, they could have made quick work of his team.

  “Alpha One to Base,” Chase said, lowering his microphone into position.

  “This is Base. You got a sit rep for me?”

  “Nothing good. We have one down. House exploded around him. He’s gone. We’re taking fire from the southeast. What do you see on the satellite?”

  “Southeast looks like about twenty tangoes. I’m not seeing any more surrounding. You’ve got an easy escape path at the north-northwest position. I have a bird incoming. Five mikes out. Can you hold until then?”

  “Yeah. We’ve got it.”

  Chase looked over to the exploded building. He was half hoping to see Mack walk over, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. All he saw was burning embers of nothing. He fought back the tears coming to his eyes, leveled his rifle, and started returning fire.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Millie

  In-Flight

  Virginia Beach to Islamabad

  2020

  I wake up with Mason’s scent in my nose. I had a dream about him, so I think it’s probably just in my mind until I realize someone covered me with a coat and put something under my head. I lift my head up slightly to see the gray fleece he was wearing earlier now folded up like a pillow. I look around to see if anyone’s watching before I bury my head in it and take a deep breath. That’s definitely where the scent is coming from. It smells like him—musky, sweaty, and a little bit like vanilla. I take another breath. I want to go back to sleep with my face buried in it.

  “So are you finally awake?” Unfortunately, it’s not Mason’s voice.

  I look up to see Alex standing above me. I sit up quickly and shake my head to get my focus back. “Yeah. How long have I been asleep?”

  “Like five hours. I’ve never seen you sleep like that. You used to be such a light sleeper when we were together.”

  “Are we almost there?”

  “A few more hours,” he says, pulling the coat off me. He holds his hand out to help me stand up. “You should probably get dressed pretty soon.”

  I look down at myself. “I am dressed.”

  “I mean dressed like a bride on her honeymoon and less like a
CIA agent,” he says, leading me to the restrooms. I pull my hand away from his. “When we land, I’m going to be holding your hand, kissing you—doing what newlyweds do. You need to start getting into your role.”

  “We haven’t landed yet.” I narrow my eyes. I’m just starting to realize what’s going to happen over the next few days. It’s unsettling. I try to brush it off. “I brought a few changes of clothes, but they’re all pretty much like this,” I say, gesturing at my outfit.

  “Yeah. I figured.” He holds up a garment bag. “The agency bought you some vacation-like clothes. I knew you wouldn’t have time to think about that.”

  I stare at him for a second. “Do you really think this is necessary?”

  “Yeah, I do. You need to trust me. You’ve never been in the field like this. You need to completely transform yourself into my wife in the next hour or so. There’s a shalwar kameez in there and head scarves. There’s some Western clothes, too. Hope they fit you. I was going off memory.” He smiles at me. “I’ll give you some privacy so you can change.”

  When he walks out of sight, I unzip the bag. It’s full of beautiful, colorful clothes. I don’t want any of them. I’m starting to think George was right when he told me my disposition was much too overt to ever work in the field. Unfortunately, I don’t have much choice in the matter right now. I dig through the bag and choose a light green, silk sweater and black slacks. They fit perfectly. I find black pumps with a heel higher than I’ve ever worn in my life. I throw them on and wrap a multicolored, fringy scarf around my neck. I splash some water on my face and put my hair back in a conservative knot. There are no mirrors on the plane, so I’m just going to have to guess I look the part.

  I walk around the corner and run smack into Mason. He almost knocks me off my four-inch heels. He grabs my shoulders to steady me.

  “Wow,” he says, pushing me back a little to look at me. “This is a new look for you.”

  “I’m supposed to look like a wife. I don’t even know what that means,” I say, shaking my head. “Do I look completely idiotic?”

  “No,” he says, giving my body a quick scan. “Not at all. You look beautiful. And tall. Why are you so tall?”

  I lift my foot as he looks down. “I’m going to last about an hour in these.”

  “I’m going to place money on less than that,” he says, laughing. “Hey, come over here for a second.”

  He nods toward a bench.

  “What’s up?” I say, sitting down next to him.

  “I want to apologize for snapping at you earlier. I was mad you tried to call my team off the mission, but I didn’t mean any of that other stuff. Of course we’re still together. You know that, right?”

  “I think I do,” I say slowly. “I hope I do.”

  “This is harder than I thought. I’ve never had a problem separating personal from professional—partially because I didn’t have much of a personal life before. But now, with the way I feel about you, it’s almost impossible. This is new for me.”

  “It’s new for me, too. I asked for another team because I knew I couldn’t focus as well if you were on the mission.”

  “Yeah. Now that we’re here, I understand that. But we have to separate it or we’re going to make mistakes. For purposes of this mission, you have to be any other agent, and I have to be any other operator.”

  I take a deep breath. “I completely agree. It’s the only way we can do this.”

  “Look, Millie, I know you’re holding back information from me again.” He locks his eyes with mine. “It’s a problem.”

  “Yeah. There’s some stuff the agency director told me that he asked me not to share—with anyone.”

  “Here’s how it is for me: I tell you everything. And if you think there’s something I’m leaving out, ask me and I will tell you the entire truth. I know trust is an issue for you. I know you’re working on it, but if we’re ever going to make it, you can’t hide stuff from me. Do you get that?”

  “Yeah,” I say, looking down.

  “That’s all I’m going to say about it now. Think about it,” he says, tilting my chin up. “I can’t be in this relationship with only half of you.”

  “I understand.”

  “One more thing. Are you into Alex? At all? Is there any part of you that wants to be back with him?”

  “Zero. Absolutely no interest in being back with him.”

  He smiles and nods. “We’re getting ready to land. Mission-mode activated. Agent Marsh, are you ready for this assignment? Is there anything I can do to help you?”

  “Thank you for asking, Master Chief. I’m actually a little nervous. I’m not sure how good I’m going to be at acting like someone else.”

  “You’ll be fine. You’re the smartest person I know. Focus on one thing at a time—slow and steady.”

  I nod and look up at him. “Hey, by the way, thanks for covering me up. And the pillow. I was cold.”

  “I figured,” he says, quickly squeezing my hand.

  “Can I keep the fleece in case the hotel room is cold?”

  “I don’t why it should be different than every other sweatshirt I own.” He smiles as he stands up. He pats my shoulder. “You’re the best at this, Agent Marsh. You’re going to be fine.”

  As he walks away, I close my eyes and give myself an internal pep talk. When I’m satisfied that my mind is straight, I walk over and sit next to my “husband.”

  “Hey,” Alex says. “You look great. Didn’t want to try the shalwar, huh?”

  “Maybe later. It’s really pretty.”

  He reaches out and holds my hand. I take a deep breath and begrudgingly let him.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Millie Laskin.”

  He smiles at me. “How long have we been married?”

  “Two weeks. We got married on April 11 in a small, private wedding.”

  “Too much detail,” he says matter-of-factly. “Keep your answers as short as possible. Islamabad is a progressive city, but they’re still not used to women being chatty. That actually helps you—less to think about.”

  “Surprisingly, I like thinking.”

  He rolls his eyes. “Remember, you’re an actor playing a role. No one is asking you to become this person for the rest of your life. Just a few days. A week, tops.”

  I nod. “I guess we’re staying in the same room. Are there two beds?”

  “We’re staying in the honeymoon suite. There’s one bed.”

  “So you’ll be sleeping on the floor then or maybe they have a couch?”

  “Millie,” he says as he puts his hand on my leg, “this is a hotel. There are people everywhere—maids and food service in our room. We have a 24-hour butler. We have to be on all the time.”

  “I’m guessing actual consummation of the marriage can be off the table. Or are you expecting to get laid?”

  “Ahh. There’s the sarcasm,” he says, rolling his eyes. “You know, it’s one of my least favorite things about you.”

  “Funny because it’s one of my favorite things about me.”

  As the pilot announces the landing, he takes his hand off my leg and sighs dramatically. I lean back and close my eyes. I’ve never dreaded anything in my life as much as I’m dreading these next few days. And that includes my dad’s funeral. At least I was still in shock for that.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Mason

  Islamabad, Pakistan

  2020

  “Mrs. Laskin, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Your husband has said such lovely things about you.” A man bows slightly as Millie and Alex walk hand-in-hand out of the plane. What looks like a delegation from the Pakistan government gestures them toward a waiting limousine.

  “It’s my pleasure,” Millie says. “I’ve been so looking forward to spending time in your beautiful countr
y.”

  She’s pulled the scarf up to cover her head. I can’t see her face, but her words sound sincere. She might be better at this than she thought.

  “You okay?” Ty walks up behind me.

  “Yeah, I’m all good,” I say brusquely. “Let’s get geared up. You’re driving. Stay on them, but we need to arrive a few minutes after them.”

  He nods as he walks down toward our waiting SUV. I’ve already sent JJ, Hawk, and Mouse to the embassy with our extra supplies—rifles, ammo, body armor, night vision. The government has agreed to let some of us stay in the hotel, but we’re only allowed one pistol and three extra mags each. I’ve never been this lightly armed on a mission. I don’t like it at all. When Millie’s head disappears into the limousine, I climb into the SUV.

  “I wish one of us could be in there with her,” I mutter under my breath.

  “She’ll be fine,” Butch says. “If anything happens, we’re on her in no more than ten seconds.”

  I nod. I’ve prepared for everything I think can go wrong on this mission, but I know there’s still so many variables I haven’t accounted for—and that’s making me more tense than usual.

  “Bryce, you manage to get those extra mags out of the plane?” I ask.

  “Yeah. They’re in my shorts. If they search for them, I’m at least hoping the pat-down will be by a woman.”

  “Good luck with that in Pakistan,” Butch says. “And you’re using those mags. I don’t want to even touch them.”

  Ty pulls into the outer circle of the reception area at the hotel. We watch as Millie and Alex exit the limousine—still annoyingly holding hands. When they disappear into the hotel, we pull up to the valet.

  “Welcome, gentlemen,” the valet says. “If you’ll step out, I’ll have someone park your car.”

  “Thanks, chief, but I’m going to park my own car. Just point me in the right direction,” Ty says.