Tempting trouble, p.32
Tempting Trouble, page 32
“It’s all right, Mrs. Jackson,” Lance interrupted. “Go on out. Cancel all my appointments and take a message for any calls for me.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, and after a last curious glance over her shoulder, closed the door behind her.
“Remind me to nominate you for the Best Supporting Actor,” Lance said, lazily leaning back against his leather armchair.
Dan grinned. “I would rather have your kind of pay raises,” he countered, sitting down as he looked around the posh office. “Must be fun shaping trade policies.”
Lance glanced at his watch. “Fun is relative,” he retorted. He studied Jed who stood looking at photographs of him on the wall. “I didn’t know you were still around, McNeil.” He’d hoped he would be gone by now, actually, and wouldn’t be back to see Grace for another nine months.
Jed didn’t turn around to face him. “I have time,” he said.
“Another five minutes ought to do it,” Dan said, looking at his watch too. “By the way, Homeland sends you their thanks for the list, although they would’ve preferred to do so in person.”
“I bet,” Lance observed dryly, knowing every agency had a secret agenda to find out the Big Cat’s identity. “They’ve got their list; we’ve got ours. Once we get our rat, we can kiss the mission goodbye.”
Dan nodded. “You still have to continue your role as chair advisor, though.”
“For a short period of time,” agreed Lance, “but knowing our politicians’ penchant to prolong their policymaking, I’ve no intention to remain for the duration. You can tell Command to get the Commerce Secretary to call in a new man, preferably someone who likes talking round and round a subject.”
Dan glanced at Jed, his gaze amused, “I guess that leaves you out, McNeil.”
Jed didn’t respond, but instead turned and faced Lance, his light eyes intense. “What do you think this double agent is after?”
“The senator hired him to get the list of bribe takers,” Lance answered.
“That’s what he was hired to do,” Jed quietly acknowledged, “but why did he accept the job? The payoff isn’t worth what would happen to him if Command found him out.”
From behind his mahogany desk, Lance considered the observation thoughtfully. “Only a selected few knew about the second list. Everyone else assumes Command is after the list of corrupted politicians.”
“And Command assumes everyone else was after the first list too. What if the rat was after the second list?”
“That doesn’t explain why he would need this charade,” Dan chipped in. “He could just do an inside job and get the list from Command Center. Why the need to kidnap Cheng from us?”
“Unless he didn’t want us to know that Cheng has other information,” Jed offered his theory.
Lance sucked in his breath. “There’s another list,” he asserted, suddenly very sure. Jed just cocked his head and coolly looked at him. There was something very familiar about that pose. He shrugged it off. He needed to solve this new problem first. Three lists. No wonder the dots didn’t connect for him. Turning to Dan, he asked, “What did Command ask that genie of yours? Surely they would know whether there are three lists, or not.”
Dan shook his head. “You don’t understand. The service doesn’t give you what you never specifically ask for. We only asked for the list with the names of politicians and arms dealers.”
So one only received what one wanted and no more. “Damn it, what’s on the third list that’s so important?” Lance pondered. Did Grace know about this extra list? If so, why didn’t she mention it or at least give him a clue?
As if reading his mind, Jed said, “Grace didn’t give any indication there were more than two lists. She mentioned names and coordinate-like codes.”
Lance scowled, not liking the fact the Ice Man had Grace’s confidence. “What codes?”
Jed shrugged. “She didn’t say.” There was slight amusement in his voice now. “We weren’t talking about her job much.”
Lance’s gaze hardened, but he didn’t take the bait. “What information did Command get, Dan?” he asked instead.
“Just names, no codes,” Dan replied, frowning. “We got all we wanted.”
“Codes,” repeated Lance softly. “We’ll have to get hold of this last list to find out the rest of the story.” Looking at his wristwatch again, he said, “Let’s get this thing over with. Ready?”
The men nodded and Lance led the way out of his office, with curious eyes following his companions as they headed to Senator Richards’ office, which was on another floor. The senator’s personal secretary was one of their own, and she let them through without warning the politician, just giving Dan an imperceptible nod. She gave Lance a polite greeting for the benefit of the other staffers and waved him and the others through, saying aloud that the senator was expecting them.
“What the—” James Richards looked up from his book in surprise. “Lance. Why—” He stopped in mid-question at the sight of the men behind the deputy trade advisor.
Lance walked straight to the desk, speaking in measured tones. “Senator, I’m going to make this short and sweet. These gentlemen here claim to be from Homeland Security and they’re giving me a tough time about certain things to do with our Chinese representatives.” He placed his hands on the polished desk and leaned closer to the startled politician. “Seems that there was a car explosion that night we were having our function, and they’re telling me the car was used by the Chinese representatives. Is this true?”
Richards remained calm. “Why, yes. I did authorize the car to be used by them, as I already told the officers. You can read that in the report.”
Lance’s smile was cold. “No need. I want you to get these men off my back. They have very politely informed me they have in their possession a list from a certain Chinese gentleman, Richards, and—“ He paused, watching the senator’s face turn pale. “—your name is on it. They want to investigate the Council for Asian Trade and all its dealings with the Chinese government. Needless to say, I don’t appreciate having my whole life and my work turned upside down because your fucking name turned up on a list.”
“Wh..what are you talking about?” Richards was suddenly very nervous.
“Don’t even attempt to lie,” Lance impatiently warned. “I’m trying to keep the lid down, for your sake.” Gesturing toward the waiting men behind him, he continued, “They’re waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Senator Richards swallowed hard, looking uncertain. His hands trembled as he closed the book he was reading. Cold perspiration popped up on his forehead as he looked at the official-looking men before him.
“We want to know exactly what you did to the Chinese man, Senator,” Dan stepped in, his voice stern. “He’d been drugged and was barely alive. He’s very important to us and we want to know what drug you’ve given him.”
“May I add, if you don’t cooperate, Richards, I’ll personally go to the Commerce Secretary with a report about this?” Lance added, straightening from the desk.
“But I didn’t do it!” Richards was in a panic. “I didn’t touch the man.” He ran a nervous hand across the back of his neck.
“We know you hired somebody else. We want the identity of this person, Senator,” Dan ordered.
Richards pursed his lips. “I want your assurance I won’t be charged for this.”
Lance wasn’t going to play that game. He had his victim sighted and cornered; it was time to pull the trigger. “You’re in no position to make any bargains. Either way, I’m going to make that report. You’d better cooperate, so you might come off a little better than the traitor you are.” He smiled coldly down at the fidgeting man, and added, “I won’t have the authorities breathing down my neck because of you. I won’t have your little corrupted games interfere with my overseas business. Are we clear?”
Richards’ eyes darted from man to man, trying to figure a way out of this dilemma. Perhaps he could seek some sort of immunity by giving them information. His mouth tightened some more. He knew he was in a deeper hole at every passing moment. “I’m entitled to see a lawyer first,” he told them.
Jed, who was standing by the entrance, spoke for the first time, his soft voice snaking across the office in deadly polite tones. “If the Chinese man dies, you’ll be charged with murder, Senator. Give us what we want.”
Richards stared at Jed, feeling horribly certain that he couldn’t deal with this one, with his cold expressionless eyes. There was something very final about the comment, like he had no more time to negotiate. His shoulders slumped in defeat. “Charlie. Charlie Bines,” he whispered hoarsely.
***
Later, as they left the office, Dan said, “I’ll inform Command we can neutralize the situation by today.”
“Wait. We need to find out what the third list is,” Lance said. He nodded with casual charm at the passing aides and office staff at their desks.
“We could just ask him,” Dan pointed out, “when we get hold of him.” He motioned to the other operatives to move on without them.
Lance shook his head as they entered the elevator. “I would rather have the advantage of knowing whom we’re up against. He’s the one who canceled Agnes Lin at her apartment—I’ve been thinking about it—how very clean and neat the murder scene was. Charlie has a very methodical, organized mind and his search for the list has been done in that way.”
“He gets to the source,” Jed inserted. “First, Agnes Lin. She didn’t have this list. Then, David Cheng. From the senator, we know somehow he didn’t or couldn’t get it from him, despite the chemical manipulation.”
Dan rubbed his chin, looking up at the numbers above the elevator door. “He’s been accessing internal files to see who our targets were and when we would meet them. Agnes must have found out about him and…”
Lance slammed on the closed elevator door, startling Dan. Jed studied him with cool expectation.
“He goes for the source. Dan, who’s next in our internal files?”
Dan frowned. “I don’t—”
“Grace,” Jed answered in chilling monotone.
“But I haven’t submitted any valid file on Grace that shows she’s any major connection,” objected Dan, looking from Jed, then to Lance. The other two ignored him, eyeing each other intently.
Lance felt his heart drop like a dead weight to his gut. Grace. The elevator reached their destination but the two men still stayed where they were. Dan kept his finger on the ‘open’ button and waited. As the information assimilator, he understood the current of exchange between the other two. The tracker was hunting for facts; the Virus was probing through it. With the latter also an expert in information assimilation, they were using each other to get what they wanted.
“Someone is monitoring COS, possibly the group Charlie is part of,” Lance said through clenched teeth. He hadn’t considered more than one rat. An internal war among operatives was not unheard of, but would certainly be a first for a COS unit. At the thought of Grace in danger, the idea of wiping out a nest of rats held sudden appeal. “Who?”
“People who know the sources. Mercy and Kershaw; Command; Group Charlie,” Jed murmured, his mind sifting through the facts. “Group Charlie has access to both Mercy and Kershaw, as well as Command. Grace had contact one time or another with Mercy and Kershaw; none with Command, but once with COS-sent interrogator. Me.” He glanced up, his eyes glacial. “Me. Group Charlie accessed the interrogation at the D.o.D. facility.”
He sounded like Grace dissecting information, Lance vaguely registered. God, if he were correct in his assimilation—“Grace is in trouble,” he asserted, walking out of the enclosed space, and heading toward his office, this time not even acknowledging his secretary as he passed her desk, leaving her staring after the trio. Without pausing, he activated his cell phone and speed-dialed Grace’s number.
No answer.
“She’s probably at work,” Dan suggested hopefully. Lance dialed her office number.
“Group Charlie has D.o.D. cohorts,” Jed finished his analysis in his soft monotone, as he watched Lance on the phone, asking for his daughter.
“Which means that elements in the CIA are involved,” Dan said, frowning. “What are they trying to get?”
“Rather, what are they trying to hide?” Jed quietly countered. As a Virus, he usually considered the motive for resistance rather than for attack.
“When was she expected in?” Lance impatiently interrupted the other person on the line. He didn’t have time for red tape right now. Grace was nowhere to be found. He wanted—needed—the assurance of hearing her voice. “Can you please put me through to Miss Sandra Smythe? I believe that’s her supervisor.” There was a pause as he listened. “Tell her it’s Lance Mercy from Senator Richard’s office. She’ll talk to me.”
***
Sandra hung up the phone and buzzed Ed on the intercom. “Lance Mercy’s looking for Grace,” she told him, “and she isn’t here.”
“She’s a little late. Maybe she got caught in traffic.”
“That’s what I said, but she isn’t answering her cell. It sounded serious. He wanted me to know there’s a third group interested in Grace.”
“COS, the senator’s men, and?” prompted Ed from his office.
“Ed, you know they never tell anything. He just insisted I get Grace to contact him when she comes in.”
“I don’t like the feeling I’m getting. She’s rarely late, especially for debriefing.”
“We’ll have to stay prepared, then.” Sandra swiveled her chair to face her computer, punching in her code. “I’m going to access Grace’s file. She might have finished her report on the lists.”
“I’ll join you in a few,” Ed said.
“All right.”
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Trouble. Grace’s father had called her that ever since she was a toddler. It was an affectionate reprimand for a little girl too bold and independent for her own good, who took advantage of her grandmother’s doting, whose father indulged her whenever he was home from his missions.
“Why did you allow her to stay out with that boy so late?” Jed had asked her grandmother one time, absolutely furious to find out his daughter was dating already. “She’s not old enough.”
“Grace happens.” Her grandmother had shrugged.
“What does that mean?” demanded her father, his voice that deadly calm that usually warned Grace. He eyed his obstinate daughter seated nearby.
“Trouble follows your daughter. Trouble tempts her,” said the old lady, in her sing-song Chinese accent. “Trouble is Grace. Grace happens.” Again she shrugged, then added, “but she’s a good girl, Jed.”
Grace had grinned back at her father’s menacing stare. With her grandmother at her side, she felt undefeatable. Her father had shook his head and said softly, “Think you’re such a hotshot, don’t you, young lady? We’ll see about that.”
Six months later, Grace had found herself ensconced alone with her father in the middle of some woods in Florida. There she had stayed for almost a year, under his nose, living a life none of her friends could even imagine. And she’d loved it. She hadn’t protested, welcoming the chance to be with her idol, her father. She would show him, she’d decided, she was more than trouble, that even though she might not be known as his daughter, there wouldn’t be any doubt his warrior blood ran in her veins.
Trouble. Grace knew she was up to her neck in it right at that moment. Her vision was clearing, but her reflexes still weren't worth a damn, and she couldn’t tell where she was being imprisoned. The room smelled like a cheap motel, enclosed and stale recycled air mingling with lemon air freshener.
“This is perfect for us, don’t you think?” her captor asked, as he half-dragged, half-hauled her to the bed. “Sit down, make yourself comfortable. You’ll be here for a while, unless,” he paused to emphasize his point, “you want to let me have the information immediately?”
Grace felt the cool linen under her thighs. Use your brain, girl. Her life depended on it right now. “You mean, if I tell you whatever it is you want to know, you’ll let me go?” she asked, keeping her voice bland.
“Of course,” Charlie said. “I just need your help.”
Liar. “How could I be sure you’ll keep your word?” Blinking, she realized the drug was wearing off a little.
Charlie’s laugh was short and humorless. “I like you, Grace, I really do, and it really hurts to have to do this to you.” Grabbing her hair, he forced her to lie down on the bed. She winced in pain and tried to use her free hands to claw at his eyes, but her strength was still not a hundred percent, and he easily dodged her attack. “You know, they have some very interesting information about you in that file,” he continued, as he exerted more pressure on her scalp. “It says you’re an expert in evasive tactics, is that true? I know you must be good because they let you go.”
Grace eyed the syringe he held in his other hand. Oh-oh.
“Yes,” he continued, his smile nastier by the second, “that drug I gave you is wearing off, isn’t it? I need all your faculties working at full speed, so I can’t knock you out, but I can give you this.” He let go of her hair and pressed an elbow on her chest as she tried to escape the needle, easily injecting the fluid. “The first way to disarm an evasive expert is incapacitation. You can’t run when you can’t move. Don’t worry, a dose of Norcuron won’t hurt your ability to think and feel what I’m going to do to you. You’ll cooperate, won’t you?”
It was a losing battle and she knew it. As long as she was drugged, she couldn’t physically fight her enemy. It was time to change her strategy. She desperately tried to recall her drug knowledge, ignoring the rising panic of knowing a foreign agent was in her bloodstream.
Norcuron. A neuromuscular blocking agent, used to prevent patients from injuring themselves. Shit. She’s going to be totally numb in ten minutes.
“So much I want to do to you, so little time,” Charlie softly murmured, holding her fists and pressing them into the bed. “I’ll give you a choice. Would you prefer pleasure to persuade you to talk, or pain?”
