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“Those sure are beautiful, what are they?” Kate asked her mom.
“They’re delphiniums. Your dad loved those deep blue ones.” It was a rare occasion when the twins were able to visit Elizabeth at her home in Michigan. Elizabeth’s gardens were in full bloom, and she spent as much time as she could in her favorite place.
“Mom, Ben called. He would like you to call him back when you have a moment. Nothing urgent,” Lilly called from the door.
“Okay, thanks, honey. I’ll be right there,” Elizabeth responded with a lilt to her voice. Kate’s trained ear picked up the subtlety in the response and cast her mom a suspicious glance.
“Wow, you seem particularly glad to hear from him,” Kate teased.
Elizabeth blushed. “What do you mean; we always enjoy Ben’s visits. He did say he had business up this way. I know he is still concerned about your health since Las Vegas.”
“That may be,” Kate continued in the same teasing voice, “but you used to be annoyed when he would call here.”
“Yes, I supposed I did at times,” Elizabeth stared pensively at her flower beds, “but his calls usually meant you girls would be going away somewhere and that always made me worry. I can’t explain the difference now, but ever since we almost lost you in that dreadful tomb, I seem to have lost some of that fear. I saw how much he cares for you girls and I have more faith now he will protect you.” She turned to Kate with a wistful smile on her face.
“Mom, you know we can take care of ourselves; you don’t have to worry about us.”
“Yeah, right, I’m sure getting out of that cement house was all of your doing, wasn’t it? We owe a lot to the women who heard your cry for help. It was a pure stroke of luck they were there that day.”
“I don’t believe that much in luck, Mom. I have more faith Dad was watching out for us. He always said he would.”
“I know if he could, he would,” Elizabeth agreed. “Ben does the same thing I think, he spends more time with you two than with any of the other agents he handles,” Elizabeth said as she handed cut flowers to Kate.
“Oh, we’re back to talking about Ben again,” Kate chuckled, watching her mother closely for any telltale signs of affection.
“Oh, Kate,” her mom laughed, “stop that. You know we all care for Ben. Now help me bring all of these flowers inside before they wilt. I’ll go call him back.”
“You run ahead, Mom, I’ll get your flowers. You don’t want to keep him waiting.” Kate was laughing, and so was Elizabeth. “Hmm,” Kate said out loud, “Elizabeth Madison, has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it, Mom?” If Elizabeth heard her, she paid no attention, but her step quickened as she headed for the house.
It took tremendous effort, but Kate finally forgave her mom and Lilly for intruding in her life. She also gave them strict orders not to interfere again. If she was going to have a normal life, it must happen, well, normally, not contrived or set up. Not that Matt looking for her made anything contrived, actually, but, oh, well, how could she explain to them, the whole relationship was set up from the get-go. It wasn’t straightforward or honest. How could she expect to have a normal life with someone like Matt when their time together was a lie?
Kate spent her nights alone, hashing over and over her feelings for Matt. She tried to put him out of her mind, let him go as she had other assets in the past, but she hadn’t succeeded. He was different. There was so much good in him, so contrary to the type of people her world revolved around. He loved her deeply, she knew that, and a weird pain ran through her each time she pictured his face or saw couples in a crowd that reminded her of their time together.
True he cared for her in the past, but she also knew that being the type of person he was, he would never be able to get past the deception she and her job pulled on him. It was decidedly better just to ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ and put Matt and their feelings for each other behind her. It was probably the kindest thing she could do for him and maybe even for herself. As painful as it was considering her feelings for him, she was, after all, a professional. It was just one more door she needed to close.
***
DURING THE WEEKS THAT followed the tragedy at Heathrow, a combined team of British Secret Service, some of Ben’s agents, members of SO15 British Counter Terrorism Command and SO18 Aviation Security Forces, worked tirelessly to find the terrorists responsible for the attack in London.
With the help of the GPS strip the CIA planted in Rashid Zand’s passport, members of the cell were found to be hiding in a small stone structure in a remote village near Kabul, Afghanistan. In the ramshackle house Rashid Zand, Kaleehad Khourmy and thirteen of their newest recruits for martyrdom, rode the lingering wave of success of Heathrow as they hungrily plotted their next target.
“But why can’t we make a strike on the Americans?” Zand argued for the hundredth time. “Because of them, I missed the greatest day of my life.” His hatred of the U.S. and its people was well known among his friends and the cell leaders. “I have seen them, and I know their ignorance. I have lived among them. They are like the fleas on a dog and are easily fooled,” he pleaded. “We could strike their schools and their homes. If we wipe out the ignorant families that breed more infidels and kill more of the children, there will be less of them to grow up to wage war on us.” Khourmy smiled at his friend and patted the air to calm the rising tide of anger.
“I know Rashid, we all feel the same about the infidel cities of the West, but it is not our choice. That right belongs to Allah. He chooses who should live and die. Allah be praised,” he invoked the group.
“Allah the Almighty be praised,” the others responded on cue.
“The American’s will pay, I promise you my friend, but here, sit with me. Let me tell you what I heard today in the—”
“Brothers, listen!” A young member of the group, who was sitting in the open window, jumped back into the room screaming the alarm.
The whistling sound of the approaching missile fired from an overhead drone could be heard above their terrified cries as each man registered the fact they were about to die.
The warning gave the men little time to escape even if fifteen grown men could have squeezed through the tiny door at the same time. The men pushed and clawed trying to get out crushing those in the front as those in the rear pushed ever harder. Khourmy and Zand trapped with the others; were blown to pieces, their screams of terror matching those of their companions. Their prayers to Allah, if they remembered to say them, had failed to reach him in time. It is doubtful their last thoughts were of the glories and the seventy-two virgins awaiting them.
Watching by satellite as the hovel was leveled with the cell leaders inside, the recognizance team exploded in a rush of held breath and adrenalin. The moment had a small taste of sweet revenge for the atrocities of Heathrow.