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Philadelphia – Present Day
Alina sipped her craft beer and considered the man across from her. His dark brown waves were peppered with silver, heavier at his temples and lending an air of experience to an otherwise reckless countenance. While his face was smiling and amiable now, she knew that it could transform in an instant to the sober and powerful persona respected by the British Secret Service. Jack, as he insisted she address him, was none other than C, the shadowy and elusive head of MI6.
“This is quite good,” he said with approval, setting down his pint glass after taking a sip. “Monk's Café? Not very original, but worth remembering if I ever find myself in the City of Brotherly Love again.”
She smiled faintly.
“There are a few places worth trying, but this is one of my favorites.”
His brown eyes met hers and he smiled.
“Do you find yourself in Philadelphia often?”
“Often is a generous term. I've been once or twice.”
Alina resisted the urge to cross her fingers as the words passed her lips. Jack didn't, and couldn't, know just how familiar she was with Philly.
“Tell me how you knew I was in New York,” he said after a moment, sipping his beer. “I was a last-minute addition on the panel. Very few people were aware that I was coming.”
“Obviously, enough people knew.”
“Yes, but how did you?”
“I was in London a few days ago and happened to overhear something,” she relented. “Lucky for you that I did.”
He studied her thoughtfully.
“This is the second time you knew something before my own people did,” he said quietly. “Care to explain that to me?”
Alina smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
“Entirely coincidental, I assure you. Don't worry. I'm not stalking MI6.”
Jack smiled briefly, a laugh glinting in his dark eyes.
“I can think of more unpleasant stalkers to worry about.” He raised his pint in a silent toast.
“Did you find the weak link in your security?” Alina asked, nodding faintly in acknowledgment of the compliment.
“I did. Thank you for the tip. He's been taken care of.”
He set his beer on the table. They were seated in a corner of the back room in the pub-style establishment. The bar was fairly busy, and all the tables were filled. Patrons milled around the bar along the wall, and Jack glanced around. The high amount of activity afforded them a level of comfortable privacy. The only person paying them any attention was the waitress, who looked over occasionally as she rushed between the tables and the bar. He leaned forward.
“I can't help but notice that you appear to be the only member of your government aware of what happened in New York,” he said in a low voice. “The ambassador has no idea someone tried to kill me, and neither do any of your security agencies. They all believe the story my office fed them about a burglary. Why is that?”
Alina shrugged. “They have no reason to believe otherwise.”
Jack sat back and studied her.
“Why are you keeping all of this a secret? Why not tell your superiors and accept the recognition you deserve for saving me not once, but twice?”
“It suits my purposes right now to stay under the radar,” she said after a long moment. “Preventing your assassination is not exactly low profile.”
Jack grinned.
“Not very, no. Is that why we're sharing a pint in the corner here instead of dining on steak and wine in a five-star restaurant? And, just so we're clear, this does not count toward that rain check you promised me,” he added, drawing a laugh from her.
“Fair enough.” The smile faded and she lifted her glass. “I thought it was in both our interests to meet without any possibility of your being recognized. It's already bad enough that your office knows you're in Philly. I don't need them seeing you with an unknown woman.”
Jack raised an eyebrow.
“It's not my office you're worried about,” he said bluntly. “Who don't you want to see you, I wonder?”
She smiled faintly, remaining silent, and he sighed.
“We might as well get down to business. As much as I would prefer otherwise, I don't think you're interested in my devastating good-looks. Tell me why I'm here.”
Alina met his gaze directly.
“I could use your help.”
He sat back, surprised, and studied her for a long moment.
“This is unofficial?” he finally asked, all trace of amusement gone.
She stared back at the intimidating, official face of the head of MI6.
“Yes.”
“Does anyone know about this meeting?”
“No.”
“It's completely dark?”
“Yes.”
Jack reached for his beer again. “I'm listening.”
Alina looked at the scarred wood table and then raised her eyes back to his face. She was strangely comforted by the suddenly impersonal professional across from her.
“I need some information,” she said slowly. “I'd rather not use my normal channels. I can't risk the possibility of a trail leading back to me.”
Jack watched her steadily, his face impassive.
“What kind of information?”
Alina reached into the inside pocket of her jacket and extracted a folded white slip of paper. She slid it across the table.
“This is a numbered account in the United Overseas Bank in Singapore. Two months ago, a large transfer went into this account held by Senator Robert Carmichael. Last week, Carmichael was killed outside his home. Almost immediately, that deposit disappeared. I want to know everything possible about this numbered account.”
His eyes never left her face.
“You have the world's most extensive and powerful intelligence network in your debt, and you want to know about a numbered account in Singapore? That's quite overwhelmingly disappointing.”
Alina was surprised into a laugh.
“Oh, if it's what I think it is, it won't be disappointing,” she assured him. The smile faded and her eyes hardened. “In fact, I think you'll be very interested in what happens next.”
“Is that a fact?”
“It is.”
He studied her for a long, silent moment.
“The numbered account isn't all you want,” he stated, rather than asked. “You could get that without compromising yourself. A woman of your skill? It's a piece of cake. Why do you want me to know about the account?”
Her lips curved.
“Call it insurance. You're right. That's not all I want. I do have one other request, but right now, let's focus on this one.”
Jack nodded, studied her for another long moment, and reached for the slip of paper. He unfolded it and looked at the number.
“Does anyone else know about this?”
“No.”
He nodded again, refolded the paper and slid it back to her.
“And the other request?”
“I'd appreciate an IOU on that,” she said. “It will depend entirely on that numbered account, you see.”
“No guarantees, but I'll listen when you're ready.”
She smiled.
“Understood.”
Alina climbed out of the Jeep and started across the grass toward the deck. The flood lights switched on, washing the night with artificial white light, and she stifled a yawn. It had been a long couple of days, and the comfort of her house was calling to her.
A shiver of awareness streaked down her spine as she moved across the grass, and she reached for her .45 instinctively, pulling it out of the holster at her back in a quick, smooth movement. She swung around with it in her hands, pointed toward the trees. When the tall figure emerged, her shoulders relaxed and she lowered her weapon.
“One of these days, you're going to do that and get yourself shot.”
A smiled crossed Damon's face as he covered the distance between them with a steady stride. He lowered his head to brush his lips against hers.
“You haven't pulled the trigger yet. I think I'm safe for now.”
Alina tucked the gun back into her holster.
“When did you get back?” she asked, turning to continue to the house.
“A couple of hours ago,” he said, falling into step beside her. “I have to fly out again in the morning.”
She glanced up at him, suppressing a surge of disappointment.
“Charlie?”
He nodded.
“I'll be gone a couple of days. The target’s in Tbilisi, Georgia.”
“Same one you were waiting for in Singapore?”
She stepped onto the deck and went to the sliding door, reaching for the handle.
“Yes.” Damon followed her into the house. “Charlie contacted me as I was leaving the ranch.”
“How are the horses?” she asked, glancing at him as she dropped her keys onto the black, granite-topped bar that separated the kitchen from the dining and living rooms.
He smiled, his cobalt eyes glinting.
“Next time, come with me and see for yourself.”
Alina went into the kitchen and flipped on the light.
“Maybe I will,” she said, surprising him.
He followed her and went to the fridge, opening it to pull out a bottle of water.
“No comment about it being out in the middle of nowhere?” he asked, looking at her as he opened the bottle. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged. “Sometimes the middle of nowhere is good.”
Damon frowned and watched as she opened a cabinet and pulled out a mug, setting it under the spout of her semi-automatic espresso machine. He leaned on the kitchen island.
“What did you get up to while I was gone?”
She glanced at him and her lips curved faintly.
“You wouldn't believe me if I told you,” she said, pressing the button to brew coffee into her mug.
“Try me.”
She turned around and leaned against the counter, facing him.
“I was in London a few days ago. While I was there, I stumbled across an assassination plot planned for this weekend, in New York. As it turns out, I ended up going to New York to chase down a dead-end lead on Kasim. While I was there, I intervened, saving the target.”
Damon's brows rose sharply and he sipped his water, his eyes dancing.
“Of course you did,” he drawled. “Please tell me it wasn't you who ended up in the cross-hairs this time.”
She gave a short laugh.
“No. It was an old friend of mine. This is the second time I've dragged him out of trouble.”
He tilted his head and studied her.
“Who is it?”
Alina smiled faintly.
“If you give it some thought, I'm sure you already know.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Are you going to give me a hint?”
“The last time I saved him he was in a Taliban camp,” she said, turning to pull her mug from the machine.
“Son of a —” Damon glared at her. “Are you serious?”
She sipped her coffee, her eyes dancing.
“You know, only about five people in the world know about that incident, and I'm pretty sure you weren't on the debriefing list,” she said. “How did you find out, anyway?”
“I told you at the time, I heard it passing through Tel Aviv. You know Mossad knows everything.”
Alina nodded.
“True enough,” she admitted.
He watched her for a moment.
“What now?” he finally asked.
“He owes me.” She turned to carry her coffee into the living room. “I asked him for a favor.”
Damon followed with a scowl.
“I told you once before, the higher they are the less they can be trusted,” he muttered. “What the hell are you doing?”
She glanced at him.
“Laying out some insurance,” she said shortly. “Stop worrying.”
“Do you blame me? Last week, an assassin was here, trying to kill you. A week before that, it was Singapore. Before that, you were chased across Europe by people who shouldn't have known you existed. Someone is hell-bent on putting a bullet in your head, and they're one step ahead of you everywhere you go. We know it's someone high up on the food chain, and now here's another top-feeder dropping into the mix.” Damon settled onto the sofa beside her. “I don't like it.”
“To be fair, Jack was surprised to see me.”
“Jack?” Damon shot her a look. “You're on first name terms now?”
“Hawk, if I didn't know better, I'd think that was a touch of jealousy in your tone.”
He smiled slowly. “I think I can keep you from straying.”
Alina pretended to consider it.
“I don't know,” she murmured. “He does head one of the most elite covert organizations in the world.”
“Perhaps,” Damon said, his voice low as he leaned over to brush his lips against hers. “But I know what happens to you when I do this.”
He kissed her, long and slow, and when he finally lifted his head, they were both breathless.
“You'd better distract me before I continue that,” he whispered.
She smiled. “With what?”
“Tell me what happened with Jack.”
Alina sipped her coffee and leaned her head against the back of the couch.
“He had a security breach. They made it into his hotel room while he was in the shower. I was waiting for them.”
“How many?”
“Four.”
Damon raised his eyebrow and looked at her.
“Four to take out one man?” he asked incredulously.
She shrugged.
“Two initially, but when they didn't come out, two more showed up,” she said. “By then, he was almost to safety.”
“And you?”
“Handled it.”
Damon shook his head with a frown.
“I still don't like it. Why try to take him out in the middle of New York? I assume he was there for the panel at the UN?”
“Keeping up with international diplomatic news?”
He made a face.
“Unfortunately, I have to right now.”
She raised an eyebrow interestedly, but let it pass. Whatever Charlie had him working on, she wasn’t read into it and, therefore, didn't need to know.
“They saw a chance, and tried to take it. They ran into me instead.”
Damon grinned.
“Bad day for them.” He finished his water and leaned forward to set the empty bottle on the coffee table. “What about Kasim? You said you were chasing down a dead-end lead?”
“Harry sent me intel the other day,” she said tiredly. “It was a long shot. Turned out to be bogus.”
He whistled.
“Harry had bad intel?” he said, surprised. “That's more than a little surprising.”
The look he received from Alina was guarded and unreadable.
“Kasim is still in this area. I'm sure of it,” she said, finishing her coffee. “I'm monitoring everything and there’s been no indication that he's left.”
“If he is, he’s gone underground.”
“Very effectively.”
Damon shot her a look.
“You think he's got help,” he stated. “Our not-so-friendly leak in Washington?”
“They brought him in. It makes sense that they would try to get him out again. They can't do that with me stateside, though, and they know that.” Alina leaned forward and set her empty mug next to his water bottle. “I think they're keeping him hidden until they can move him.”
“And in the meantime, one of the premier bomb-makers for ISIS is hanging out with nothing to do,” Damon muttered. “Fantastic.”
Alina nodded.
“Tomorrow I'm driving to Pittsburgh. I got a hit on one of Kasim's old aliases at a motel. Another long shot, but worth checking out.”
“Keep me posted.” he said with a sigh. “I wish I wasn't leaving tomorrow.”
She was silent for a long moment, then she looked at him.
“Why?”
His blue eyes met hers steadily.
“Because I haven't seen you in a week, and now you're neck deep looking for trouble, and I'm going halfway around the world. I'd rather stay and help you.”
“We knew this was going to be complicated. Work comes first. This is what we signed up for.”
“It doesn't mean I have to like it,” he muttered.
Alina chuckled. She turned and swung her leg over his lap, straddling him and sliding her arms around his neck.
“We'll just have to make the most of what time we have,” she murmured, lowering her lips to his. “I'm sure we can find something to do to make us both feel better.”
She felt him smile against her lips and she sighed into him as his arms came around her. This was what she'd missed for the past week: his arms around her and his lips firm against hers. It was true that their work came before this new and fragile relationship they’d found themselves in, but Alina was quickly learning that one night together had the power to carry her through every week they were apart. For the first time in her life, she had something to look forward to, something more to fight for.
And she had every intention of making it last as long as she could.