ALEX LOOKED pleased to see him the next day when he walked into room 47 and took a seat opposite Jack.
Instructor Colson slid a piece of paper across the boardroom table, and Jack read it and nodded. He flipped the cover on his tablet and signed in to Twitter, using the name and password Alex had provided.
“At Rocky Ramsey 99,” Jack said. “The name of your bulldog, your first street address and the year you were born.”
“You’re good,” Alex said, his eyes widening. “I didn’t think anybody would spot my porn name.”
Jack furrowed his brow. “Your what?”
Instructor Colson turned her head away but not before Jack caught the smirk she didn’t even try to hide.
“Christ, where have you been?” Alex stopped suddenly, his cheeks flushing. “Shit, sorry, Jack. I wasn’t trying to be a dick. You take the name of your first pet and the name of the street you first lived on. That’s your porn name. So yours would be….”
“I’ve never had a pet,” Jack said simply. “And I don’t know anything about my life before I came to the Center.”
“Fuck,” Alex muttered. The sympathy returned to his face, making Jack feel bad for them both.
“Let’s move on,” Instructor Colson said quickly. “Mr. Sutherland, the names of your friends, please.”
Jack cut in before Alex could speak. “I’m guessing Amanda is Trixie Hanover and Robbie is Buster Grace,” he said dryly.
“Hey, you can’t choose your porn name,” Alex said somberly.
Jack felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, which turned into a full-blown grin when he heard an unusual squeaking sound from Instructor Colson and realized she was trying to suppress a laugh.
“Care to share, ma’am?” Jack asked.
“Butch Pine,” she said. “Obviously you will take that to your grave! Now, gentlemen, can we focus?”
Jack bent his head to hide a smile. He quickly read through the recent tweets, most of which were corporate or from sports and entertainment sites.
“We’re following real people and companies to try to hide our personal messages in all the chatter,” Alex said.
“Smart,” Jack replied. “You must have some kind of code, right?”
Alex nodded. “It’s pretty simple. For example, if we mention a sports team, we’re talking about ourselves, so whatever comes afterward tells the others what we’re doing.”
“Robbie’s last tweet says the Connecticut Tigers are considering a training camp in Miami in August,” Jack said.
Alex grabbed the tablet and bent his head over it. “He means his family is planning a vacation in Florida in a few weeks. His mother is from Miami.”
“You’ll have to teach me how to respond,” Jack said. “If this account is being monitored and I say something out of character, it might tip them off that I’m not you.”
“Yeah, I will,” Alex said absently. He was visibly distracted as he scrolled through the rest of the tweets, stopping every now and then to catch up.
Instructor Colson stood, waving Jack back into his seat when he started to rise. “I’m going to leave you two to work through this session,” she said. “Jack, make sure Alex sends out a message to let his friends know he’s okay.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack replied.
Alex was too engrossed to reply and didn’t seem to notice when Colson left.
Jack was reading the older tweets over Alex’s shoulder, easily deciphering the code they had established between them. It was clever enough for a bunch of high school kids, but for somebody with Jack’s training, it was as if they were talking to each other normally. So it took less than half a dozen messages before Jack spotted something that sent his pulse racing.
He pointed to one of Amanda’s tweets and cocked his head.
“I was going to tell you about that,” Alex started.
Jack reached out and closed his hand around Alex’s wrist. When Alex glanced at him, he jerked his chin toward the camera blinking in the corner of the room and gave Alex a meaningful look. Alex’s mouth closed with a snap.
“You want to take this to my suite?” Jack said casually. “I think I have some sodas in the fridge.”
Alex nodded mutely and stood. Jack picked up his tablet and walked out of the room, chatting about football and tennis, aware of every camera that lined the way back to his suite swiveling slowly to map his journey.
When they arrived at Jack’s apartment, Alex turned, his face pale. “You know what the messages meant.”
It wasn’t phrased as a question, and he was right. Jack recognized the pattern almost immediately. He knew the best way to coax Alex’s full cooperation was to let him come clean without feeling he was being cajoled or judged, so he resisted the urge to lecture and simply said, “You know the only way we’re going to catch the bad guys and protect your family is to re-create the exact conditions that existed in your past two assignments.” He paused for a moment to let that sink in before continuing softly. “That means telling me all the things you’ve kept hidden from your family and from Witness Relocation.”
Alex’s face paled even further, leaving him looking ashen.
“I’ve been meeting up with Robbie and Amanda,” he confessed. “At least once a month since we left Connecticut.”
Jack pulled in a deep breath and nodded sharply.
Alex threw up his hands. “You don’t know what it’s been like, Jack,” he said. “Jesus, I didn’t do a goddamned thing, but suddenly I have to leave my friends, my home, my whole fucking life! I just couldn’t do it.”
“These are some really bad people looking for you,” Jack said, his voice rising, despite his best effort to control it.
“We were careful—”
“Careful! You were meeting at the same motel each time. Do you have any idea how easy it would be to figure out what you were doing? It took me all of ten minutes!”
“You’re being melodramatic—”
“I’ve been working operations since I was ten years old. You don’t think I know what I’m talking about?”
“Well, we didn’t get caught, did we?” Alex protested.
“Your family got hit twice, Alex,” Jack said incredulously. “For all you know, your little dates with Trixie and Buster are what tipped off the bad guys. Anybody could have followed you home, seen where you lived, tried to whack your parents.”
He stopped when the blood ran out of Alex’s face and he turned a horrible shade of gray.
“You think that was down to me?” Alex said. He sounded so bleak, and even though they were almost the same age, Alex suddenly seemed terribly young and innocent.
Jack felt like a dick. Alex was just a regular kid who’d got caught up in some real bad shit.
“Hey, don’t stress about it,” he said, making an effort to soften his tone. “It all worked out, and we might be able to use it to help you guys out of this mess. Okay?”
Alex nodded dumbly.
“It could have been anything that tipped them off,” Jack continued, trying to make Alex feel less horrified by what he’d done. “That’s what we’re here to find out.”
Alex lifted his head, his expression tense. “Do you have to tell your people about this?” he asked. “They’ll be pissed.”
“I don’t see any other choice,” Jack said ruefully. “If they think that’s how your family was traced, they’re going to want to use it to lay a trap.” He grimaced. “I think you should tell your parents first. Better it comes from you than from our operatives. They can be… unsubtle.” He didn’t want to use the real descriptions bouncing through his head—harsh, accusatory, scathing. Jack had been on the receiving end of their criticism too many times; he didn’t wish that on any member of the Sutherland family.
“Yeah. I guess so,” Alex said morosely. He reached out and patted Jack’s shoulder. “Give me a couple of days to break it to them. Then do what you have to do to keep my family safe.”
“You want to send a message to let Robbie and Amanda know you’re okay?” Jack asked, hoping it would cheer Alex up.
His face brightened slightly. “Sounds good. And I should take you through our code too. It’s pretty cool.”
Jack didn’t have the heart to tell Alex he had already cracked the code and compared to the stuff he usually came up against, it was straight out of kindergarten.
“WE’RE GOING to be running a shadow operation.”
Sean glanced around the room, taking in each of the people assembled until his eyes landed on Jack.
“You’ve covered this in the classroom. Break it down for us.”
Jack mentally ran through his training modules and pulled up the right one. He cleared his throat and looked up as four pairs of eyes turned expectantly toward him.
“The operation is put together by another agency. They work out all the details, and throughout the assignment they continue to believe it’s their mission. But the Center inserts its own operatives or field team.”
“Because?”
“Usually because there is a suspected leak within the lead agency.”
Sean gave an approving nod. He hit a button on the console embedded in the table, and a photograph of a woman flashed onto the screen behind his head.
“Given Witness Relocation is lead agency, there are relatively few people who work each operation in order to minimize potential information leaks. This is Wendy Mitchell. She’s worked the Sutherland case from the beginning. She’s in charge of scouting locations, finding accommodations, and setting the family up with jobs and school placements.”
“Potential weak spots?” Instructor Colson asked.
“She has two young children,” Sean said. “If she’s the leak, threatening them is the most likely way she’s been compromised.” He pressed the button again, and this time a photograph of a man appeared onscreen. “Jeffrey David Dawson. Usually called JD. His task is to provide security after the family moves into the chosen location. He handpicks a three-man security team who are on standby 24-7 in case of emergencies. Unmarried but has a brother who is an alcoholic and who seems a little unfussy about the company he keeps.”
“What about the security support team?” Martin asked. “In my experience it’s the lower-level employees who are the easiest to subvert.”
Sean gave a brisk nod. “Dawson runs several teams who rotate through various assignments. But they never actually meet the targets. If anything goes wrong, JD mobilizes the security detail, but they don’t know the family’s location until they are needed. That has obvious pros and cons. Jack?”
“It’s impossible to turn them if they don’t know where the target is located,” Jack supplied. “But if anything goes wrong, they’re not immediately on-site.”
“Wendy and JD are the only people who know exactly who they are working with and where they are located,” Sean continued. “Each member of their team is assigned a very small part of the overall file, and they are forbidden from comparing notes with each other. Apart from the project leader, they are the only people from Witness Relocation who have actually met the Sutherland family face-to-face.”
“I presume they’re being checked through Internal Affairs?” Martin said.
“That’s right,” Sean replied. “While we run the shadow operation in the field, IA will be taking a look into Wendy and JD and their teams.”
“What about the project leader?” Colson asked.
“He looks solid,” Sean said. “But that isn’t our focus on this case. Our job is to assess weakness from the field. Frankly, even if IA finds the informant, it’s doubtful they’ll shut the operation down. We need to flush out all the players.”
“So what’s the plan here?” Martin asked. He nodded toward Jack and Instructor Colson. “Presumably you’ll take over the new lives that Witness Relocation constructed for the Sutherland family.”
“We’re going to keep this as simple as possible,” Sean said. “A few weeks ago, Wendy Mitchell was instructed to create the latest relocation package using our first names.”
Jack glanced at Instructor Colson curiously.
“You can call me Clare,” she said. “Just for this assignment, you understand.”
“Of course, ma’am,” Jack agreed, his mouth quirking at the amused glint in her eyes.
“The three of us will be living in the family home, obviously,” Sean continued. “Jack, you’ve read up on everybody’s roles, so you know what we’ll be doing.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack replied.
“Martin and Leo will be going in together as usual. Leo will be working alongside you at the diner. He’ll have about a week head start on you.” He turned and looked at Martin. “You’re deploying tomorrow, right?”
“First thing,” Martin replied.
Jack shot a quick look toward the end of the table and caught Leo’s eye. He shrugged, looking surprised. Obviously it was the first he’d heard about the abbreviated timetable.
“I think you’ll like your new boss,” Sean said dryly. “Matt’s been in place for several weeks under the pretense of being the owner’s cousin. I’m sure he’ll keep you boys on your toes.”
“How is it I’m a highly trained operative, and yet I always end up slinging hash?” Leo groaned.
Sean looked around the room and shrugged. “I think that’s it for now. Jack, you and I will spend the next week with Clare working through the plan the folks at Witness Relocation have devised. And you should take advantage of this time with Alex Sutherland. Any questions?”
There was a general round of shaking heads. Everybody in this room had studied their case files and knew exactly what was expected of them.
“Next time we’ll see each other will be in North Bay,” Sean said. “Good luck, ladies and gentlemen.”
He stood to leave, and everybody else followed suit. Martin drew alongside Jack and said, “Would you like to come to the apartment for dinner? If Sean can spare you for the night.”
Jack looked at Sean hopefully.
“That’s fine,” he said. “You’ve finished the work Instructor Colson set?”
“Yes, sir,” Jack said quickly.
“Okay. Don’t be up too late.”
“We’re leaving early,” Martin put in. “And Leo has some packing to do. We won’t keep him out too late.” He turned toward Jack. “Seven thirty okay for you?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you,” Jack said.
“Oh, and Jack.” Jack glanced up and winced at the look on Sean’s face. “If I hear you’ve been drinking again, you’ll have very good reason to regret it,” he said mildly.
Jack didn’t pretend he was surprised. It just confirmed that Sean was always aware of what he was doing, even without a camera in his suite. He mumbled a halfhearted apology, doubting anybody believed that was the last time he’d take a drink while underage.
AT SEVEN thirty Jack knocked on the door of the fourth-floor apartment Leo and Martin occupied when they worked out of the Center, thankful Sean had reprogrammed his access card so he could come and go whenever he wanted. There had been a few awkward moments at the beginning when Jack needed to ask Sean’s permission every time he wanted to go to Leo’s place because his access card didn’t allow him onto the top floor. Sean had quickly arranged a new pass with a much wider clearance area.
“Come in,” Leo said, stepping aside.
The apartment smelled delicious. For some reason Jack hadn’t expected Martin to cook for them, but he was standing by the stove in the open-plan kitchen, stirring a pot of sauce.
“Spaghetti all right, Jack?” Martin asked.
“Yes, sir,” Jack replied.
“I think tonight it’s okay if you drop the formality and call me by my name,” Martin said, smiling kindly. “After all, we’re practically family.”
Jack felt his cheeks flame, but Martin pretended not to notice.
“I won’t offer you a beer,” Martin said. “And just so you know, Leo’s banned as well.”
“Spoilsport,” Leo grumbled good-naturedly. “Come on, Jack. You want to watch some TV? I’ve already set the table, Martin,” he threw over his shoulder.
“Thanks. Get Jack a soda or something.”
Jack perched on the edge of the couch, and a moment later a can of ginger ale appeared in front of him. He pulled the tab and took a sip, feeling weirdly nervous. He’d done the meet-the-parents thing before on a couple of assignments, but this time it actually meant something, and he found himself oddly uptight. Leo grabbed a remote control off the coffee table and switched on the TV, surfing channels until he found a football game. He slouched on the seat beside Jack, looking relaxed, seemingly oblivious to Jack’s apprehension.
“You think you’re ready for the assignment?” Leo asked.
“I’ve got a bit more work to do with Sean. But I think we’re getting there.”
“Have you met the team from Internal Affairs yet? They make the Center staff look cheerful.”
“I’m meeting them in the next couple of days,” Jack said, laughing a little and feeling some of the tension ease. “How about you?”
Leo grinned. “I’ll be having a ball. Making new friends, going to parties, hanging out at all the bars… ouch!” He rubbed the back of his head where Martin had come up behind him and cuffed him lightly.
“You’ll be working with Matt at the diner and laying the groundwork for Jack,” Martin corrected.
“Isn’t that what I said?” Leo protested innocently. He winked at Jack. “But we get to be friends this time around. And we have to pretend to be regular teens. That’s what they do, Martin. Normal kids our age have fun.”
“Well, while you’re having all that ‘normal’ fun, you’ll be watching each other’s backs and keeping your eyes open,” Martin said firmly. “You know if you let yourselves get distracted, Sean will change the narrative. You don’t want to end up having to play enemies instead of friends. That’s what will happen if Sean thinks you’re losing focus.”
“We’ll be fine,” Leo said, not sounding the least bit worried by the threat.
“Come and eat,” Martin said. “Jack’s probably starving.”
When they were seated around the table with heaping plates of spaghetti in front of them, Martin and Leo chatted amiably, including Jack in all their conversations until he felt totally at ease. He was almost at the end of his meal when he became aware of a sudden strained silence, and he glanced up in time to catch the significant look Martin threw Leo.
Leo cleared his throat and said with forced casualness, “You know we’ll have to cool things off between us when we’re deployed?”
Jack almost choked on a forkful of pasta. “Oh my God! You’re breaking up with me?”
Leo looked alarmed. “Jesus, Jack. I didn’t mean that….” He trailed off, momentarily confused when Martin barked out a laugh.
“He’s playing you, son,” Martin said.
Jack grinned. “Believe it or not, I’d worked that out all by myself,” he said. “I guess all those years of undercover work finally paid off.”
“Okay. So you’re a mature, emotionally grounded professional,” Leo said. “I just wanted to be sure you knew what to expect.”
“You wanted to be sure? Or Sean did?”
Leo shrugged. “Bit of both.”
Jack reached out and patted Leo’s arm. “Don’t worry. Message received, loud and clear.”
“Does that message include the fact that Alex Sutherland has hooked up on his last two placements? And it’s pretty likely he’ll be expected to do the same in North Bay,” Leo said quietly.
Jack swiveled his head, looking between Leo and Martin and noting the concern on both their faces. He dropped his gaze again, not quite sure what he wanted to hide but knowing he didn’t want them to see the uncertainty that had suddenly surfaced.
“I’ve done it before,” he said, sure they heard the hesitancy in his voice.
“While you were… involved with somebody else?” Martin said gently.
Jack shook his head, his eyes fixed on his plate.
He was aware of Martin standing up, and then a hand patted his back and was gone. When Jack looked up, Martin was back in the kitchen, and Leo had leaned in close.
“It can get messed up,” Leo said quietly. “Especially because I’ll be there too. You might feel… awkward. But Jack?” He waited until Jack lifted his head and their eyes met. “It’s just the job,” Leo said. “It won’t come between us.”
Jack nodded silently, wondering why it felt so crappy.
Leo’s fingers clamped around his arm. “And you know you absolutely do not have to do anything you don’t want to,” he said urgently. “You’re only expected to make a few friends, flirt a little, all those things Alex Sutherland would do.”
“I understand,” Jack mumbled. He could almost hear Sean’s voice in everything Leo said, certain he had coached Leo in what to say.
“How about some dessert?” Martin returned to the table with bowls of ice cream and made a concerted effort to lighten the mood with easy banter. When they had all finished, he stood again.
“I’ve got a little work to finish up, so I’ll say good night. Jack, we’ll see you in a week.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack said. “Thanks, Martin,” he hastily amended. “Dinner was great.”
“You’re very welcome,” Martin said. He shook Jack’s hand before turning back toward Leo. “Don’t stay up too long. Big day ahead of us.”
“Yes, sir,” Leo echoed.
Martin disappeared into his bedroom and closed the door, and Leo grabbed hold of Jack’s hand and pulled him back toward the couch, tumbling them both down onto it.
“I’m not making out while Martin’s in the next room,” Jack hissed.
“You’re no fun,” Leo whispered back. He kissed Jack lightly on the lips but didn’t push it any further. Instead he settled more comfortably and pulled Jack up against his side, his arm sliding around Jack’s waist. Then he reached for the remote and pressed a button to restore the sound they had muted before they ate.
The football game was in its last quarter, and Leo quickly became completely engrossed. He occasionally pressed a kiss to the back of Jack’s neck, but otherwise his attention was focused on the game. It felt totally natural to be there, to feel relaxed and lazy and wanted. Despite Leo’s words niggling in the back of his brain, Jack let everything else drift away and just let go.