“I’ll email you directions to the hangar.”
Clark hung up and left Deion to worry about a possible loose nuclear weapon and why Eric would request Valerie accompany them.
Eric waited patiently with Nancy in the Gulfstream. It wasn’t long before Greg Clayberg, their pilot, paged them. “They’re here.”
Eric keyed the mic. “When can we leave?”
“I’ve got priority clearance. Just give the word. They don’t call me ‘Hot Dog’ for nothing.”
“I want wheels up in twenty.” He climbed out of the soft leather seat and exited the Gulfstream, Nancy in tow.
The September sun was just reaching its apex, but there was a slight chill in the air. Deion parked his black Toyota near the front of the hangar. He got out, still dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, and opened the trunk. He rummaged around before extracting his go-bag and slamming the trunk shut.
Valerie exited the vehicle and spoke quietly to him. The silver strands threaded through her short pixie bob only made her more attractive, and Eric understood why Deion was smitten.
They approached and he greeted Deion, then turned to Valerie and stuck out his hand. “Glad to finally meet you.”
Valerie turned to Deion, then back to Eric, returning the handshake. “You’re Steeljaw. Our should I call you Eric?”
He laughed. “Eric will do. Deion’s been talking about you non-stop since Afghanistan. I believe you already know Nancy?”
“Good to see you,” Nancy said, hand outstretched, something approaching warmth on her face. “I’m glad your wounds in Afghanistan weren’t serious.”
Valerie had suffered minor wounds and a concussion on a mission two years before. If he hadn’t managed to pull strings, get orders rescinded, and commandeer a CIA drone, Nancy, Valerie, and Deion would have died in Kandahar.
Valerie shook Nancy’s hand. “Crazy times,” Valerie said. “If not for you, I could have been killed.”
Eric saw Deion wince. Valerie’s involvement in the operation was at Deion’s request, and Deion still blamed himself for putting her in danger. He nodded meaningfully at Deion. “We need to talk.”
Nancy stepped forward. “Valerie, would you join me in the plane?”
Valerie nodded and followed Nancy onto the Gulfstream.
Deion stood, arms crossed and jaw clenched, his go-bag laying on the tarmac. “You know I was on vacation, right?”
He smiled. He knew Deion was boiling mad. “I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important. John’s mission in Syria found valuable intel. Looks like they purchased the weapon from the North Koreans.”
Deion’s eyes widened. “Jesus.”
“Karen decrypted the drives from Syria. We have emails from a man in Nashville. The rest of the team will meet us there.”
Deion picked up his go-bag and tossed it over his shoulder. He shook his head. “Why interrupt my vacation?”
“We’d like you and Valerie to pose as a married couple.”
Deion shook his head. “Nuh-huh. I don’t like bringing Valerie into OTM business.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s a CIA officer, remember?”
Deion scowled. “Are you recruiting her?”
Eric had been thinking of recruiting Valerie. Her experience, and her connection to Deion, would make her a valuable operative. He knew Deion wasn’t thrilled with the idea. “Technically, no. I pulled some strings. She will act as a liaison between us and the CIA. We’ll tell her just enough.”
Deion glanced away. “Bad enough she got hurt in Afghanistan because of me. I don’t want to put her in danger.”
“Trust me,” Eric said. “She’ll be fine.”
“Why not just grab this guy? A little time with me and he’ll sing like a canary.”
“You know that gets poor intel. They’ll say anything, and even lie, to make you stop. No, Karen’s working on electronic surveillance. We’ll watch him for a couple days, then snatch him. If necessary.”
“I don’t like it,” Deion said
“I’m not asking you to like it,” Eric said. “You have your orders.”
“You would pull rank.”
“Testy, aren’t you? Family reunion went badly?”
Deion shrugged. “Not as well as I’d hoped.”
“Sorry to hear that.” He liked Deion, not only as a coworker, but as a friend. During John’s training, they had spent time together, taking each other’s measure, and the years since had only strengthened that bond. He had encouraged Deion to take vacations, to recharge his batteries. It was his suggestion to introduce Valerie to Deion’s family. “How was your father?”
Deion smiled. “Good. He was receptive. He liked her.”
“Your brothers?”
“Jackasses,” Deion said.
Eric snorted. “I’m sure they’ll warm up. I’m going to fill her in on the mission. Wait here.”
Deion looked as if he wanted to speak, but he finally nodded and walked away, swinging his go-bag over his shoulder. Eric entered the Gulfstream and found Nancy and Valerie sitting at the table discussing their shared experience in Afghanistan.
“Valerie,” Eric said, “we would like you to work with us on a mission.”
Valerie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t even know who you are.”
Nancy started to speak, but Eric interrupted. “You know Deion’s still officially with the CIA, but no matter where you looked, you drew a blank. You’ve wondered about his purview, about what he does. He works for us. Let me tell you a little about who we are.”
“You’re going to tell me everything?”
Nancy laughed. “Trust me, you don’t want to know everything.”
Eric leaned forward in his chair. “We work for an organization that reports directly to the President. We’re currently working on an issue related to domestic terrorism. We would like you and Deion to pose as husband and wife and run surveillance. We have the target’s name and address, but we need more.”
“The CIA’s not supposed to operate on domestic soil,” Valerie said, her eyes wide. “Is that what Deion’s been doing? Running operations in the US?”
Damn, she’s quick. “We are not the CIA. We are tasked with doing what’s necessary to protect the United States. Sometimes that means we have to skirt the law. You were an analyst at the CIA when 9/11 happened. If you could go back in time to prevent that, would you?”
Valerie bit her lip. “Of course I would, but that doesn’t mean I would break the law.”
It was Nancy’s turn to lean forward. “We take the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty.”
Valerie studied their faces. “I’m not above getting my hands dirty….”
Eric smiled. “I studied your record. You’re a patriot, and a good CIA officer. I know you like Deion. He’s not happy looping you in on this, but it’s not his choice. We need you.”
It was true. Nancy could run operations, but she had a tendency to overreact. Valerie’s case records spoke volumes. She would make a valuable asset to the OTM, even if Deion didn’t see it. Plus, with her help, perhaps he could finally get a handle on Nancy. They had shared an uneasy alliance in Afghanistan, and he hoped that relationship might help take pressure off Karen. However, it wasn’t his intention to bring her into the OTM.
Not quite yet.
“When do you need your answer,” Valerie said.