"You might try answering the same question. You pulled your weapon, first."

  "You startled me." Gregor met Blue's intense gaze. "I have to protect myself."

  Blue smiled sardonically. "You don't lie very well. You knew who I was when you drew it."

  "We can talk in the car." Gregor bent down to pick up his weapon, then froze when he heard a round being chambered.

  "I wouldn't."

  Slowly standing back up, Gregor's stomach tightened in fear. "Are you crazy? When my superiors hear of this..."

  Blue interrupted. "Hear what? That you drew on me and I acted defensively? They would expect no less."

  Gregor narrowed his eyes. What she said was true. If Dimitri found out she got the drop on him, he was finished as a controller. "What do you want?"

  "Hand me your gun. Nice and easy."

  Blue took the weapon, and then ordered Gregor to place his hands on the wall as she expertly searched him, removing a small 38 special from his waistband. She removed the ammunition from both guns. "You can turn around, now."

  Handing both weapons back to Gregor, she unchambered the round in her own weapon and secured it at the small of her back. "Now we can talk."

  Gregor desperately tried to think of a way to regain control of this meeting and cursed his lack of foresight in not bringing Markov with him. "It's not secure here. We can talk in the car."

  Blue nodded at the wooded area. "We can talk there." She had no doubt that he had pulled his gun to ensure that she would accompany him to the car and knew that the ensuing talk wouldn't have been a very pleasant experience.

  Gregor cursed inwardly, but decided his only option was to do as she suggested. Once they were out of sight, he demanded, "Where is the information I requested?"

  Kris handed him a folded piece of paper. He took it and opened it. "There are only three names here."

  "Patience, Gregor, patience. These things take time."

  Startled at her use of his real name, he growled, "I expect you to have more on Monday."

  "I'll do what I can."

  "You will do what I say."

  Blue subdued the urge to just kill him and be done with it. "I said I would do what I can."

  Gregor's stomach tightened. This woman was dangerous and unpredictable. Once he got what he needed, he was going to recommend to Dimitri that she be eliminated. "Make sure you do."

  Blue smiled coldly at him. Gregor turned away, anxious to be done with this meeting.

  "Not so fast." Blue smiled, humorlessly. "Know of any reason why someone is shooting at me?"

  Gregor couldn't believe he'd forgotten to ask her that himself and realized he was more shaken by her actions then he had realized. Turning around, he met her gaze steadily. "No. I was going to ask you the same question."

  Blue keyed in on his words. "Oh?"

  "I came here yesterday to pay you a visit since you didn't see fit to keep in contact." He smiled coldly knowing he finally had the advantage. "I had no reason to kill you."

  Blue didn't miss the past tense, and glared at Gregor. "What about now?"

  "You are still more valuable to me alive than dead. My superiors are very interested in knowing what is going on. We don't take kindly to one of our own being fired upon. I'm sure you must have some idea."

  One of your own? When hell freezes over. Blue didn't like Gregor's attitude, but she needed information. "I don't know yet. I'm working on it. What did you see?"

  Gregor divulged what little information he had. "Very little. I was parked on a side street waiting for your partner's car to return. I saw you both get out and walk toward the building. A silver Chevrolet Cavalier pulled into the parking lot, and at the same time a shot was fired. There appeared to be only one occupant. I saw you cover the blonde woman as I was leaving."

  Blue nodded. She didn't know any more now than she had yesterday, except that Gregor was bolder than she'd thought. She hadn't expected him to come to the apartment complex unannounced.

  Gregor ordered, "I expect to be kept informed of any new developments."

  Blue met his eyes noncommittally, until he broke contact and walked away.

  She tracked him until he disappeared, then blended back into the shadows to ensure he didn't return. Blue was distinctly uneasy. She hadn't been surprised that he had pulled his weapon, but he had to have been desperate to come to the apartment complex unannounced the previous evening.

  Blue began to feel suffocated by the forces surrounding her. Time was becoming very short, and her options even more limited. There were only fourteen names left on the list, but it was no longer just a matter of completing the case. She needed to find a way to break free of the past, but her first priority, regardless of any danger to herself, was to find out who was targeting Shelby. For the first time, Blue wondered if she would live long enough to do either. I have to.

  An hour after Gregor left, Kris climbed the wrought iron stairs and slid her key into the lock.

  Shelby paced worriedly through the apartment. Kris had been gone for over two hours, and with each passing minute she became increasingly concerned. Standing out of sight near the balcony door, Shelby searched the parking lot, illuminated by yellow gaslights, but saw nothing except for the usual Friday night traffic arriving and departing. What if something happened to her?

  She can take care of herself. Shelby nodded acknowledgement to herself, but was still troubled. She's not perfect. No one is. What if that guy following her was out there waiting and surprised her? Shelby jumped when she saw the door begin to open. She hadn't even heard the key in the lock. "Thank God you're back! I was worried about you."

  "No need."

  Shelby turned away, walked into the kitchen, and muttered, "Easy for you to say."

  Kris didn't know what to say to that. "I didn't mean to worry you."

  "Well you did. You've never been gone longer than an hour. I didn't know if I should come looking for you or call Earl, except that I don't have his number."

  "Shelby. Don't ever leave the apartment when I'm gone."

  "What if something happens to you?"

  "It won't."

  Shelby heard the confidence in Kris voice and wished she could be so sure. "I hope you're right. I would still appreciate you letting me know next time you decide to take your time."

  Kris nodded. "Okay." She was still having trouble coming to grips with the fact that Shelby genuinely cared about her. When she allowed herself to explore the feeling, it felt really good and warm, and she wanted to embrace it even as she backed away.

  Shelby turned around and met Kris' gaze. "What's really going on? I know something is. I can feel it." When the operative remained silent, Shelby sighed. "I wish you would trust me."

  "It's not about that. There are things about me that it's better for you not to know."

  "How can you be so sure? Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" She walked over to the couch, waiting for Kris to join her.

  She had spent the last two hours reflecting on her feelings for Kris and becoming almost frantic with worry. No longer willing to ignore the tentative connection between them, Shelby threw caution to the wind and spoke from her heart.

  "I haven't known you very long, but you've become very important to me. I don't know why, and it doesn't make sense, but you have. Nothing you can say will change that. I know you'll be gone in a week, but at least let me in until you leave. Then you can walk out the door and forget you ever met me."

  A myriad of emotions crossed Kris' face as she looked deeply into the warm green eyes. She shook her head. "I can't."

  Shelby looked down, hurt. She knew Kris cared, but obviously not enough to trust her.

  Kris reached over and squeezed Shelby's hand. "I could never forget you."

  When Kris released her hand, Shelby grasped it in her own, not wanting to relinquish the contact. "Do you trust me?"

  "More than I've ever trusted anyone."

  "Then, please, Kris? Share with me."

  The operative gazed into the concerned face of her companion and deliberately ignored the cold, logical warnings sounding in her mind. What could it hurt to share the bare minimums? The analyst already knew she had some personal business she'd been attending to. "I'll tell you what I can, but I can't tell you everything. Deal?"

  Shelby nodded, and Kris continued. "Tonight I had to the meet the man who's been having me followed. That's why I was gone so long. I needed to be out there before he arrived to circumvent any unpleasant surprises he might have had planned. He made a couple of mistakes. That's all the help I needed."

  "Will he leave you alone now?"

  Kris sighed inwardly. "He won't have anyone follow us again and he had nothing to do with the shooting, but I already knew that."

  "But it's not over, is it?"

  Knowing it wasn't safe to divulge any more information, Kris said, "It will be, soon." One way or another.

  "You can't tell me what's going on?"

  "No. It's a personal matter that I have to deal with."

  "Is there anything I can do to help?"

  Kris thought about the time she'd spent with Shelby and how, when she was in her company, her problems faded into the background. She thought about the shared laughter, sometimes at television shows and sometimes just plain silliness. She thought about how Shelby always put her first even as she tried to do the same with her. "You already are."

  Shelby produced a good facsimile of Kris' glare. "Did I ever mention that I hate cryptic answers?"

  Chuckling, Kris said, "Okay. I'll try to keep them to a minimum." Her hand was still firmly held by Shelby's smaller one, and she no longer felt the need to break the contact, allowing herself to relax and enjoy it until her companion chose to relinquish her hold.

  "Do you like your job?"

  Kris glanced at Shelby, carefully choosing her words. "I like working on my own, being my own, boss, yes."

  "What about the rest? Always living in the field, and always being on guard all the time. And um...?"

  "You want to know if I like killing people?"

  "Well, no...I mean, I don't think you would..."

  "No, Shelby. I don't. I hate it. I have to put my mind in a special place to do it. But someone has to do it."

  "Why do you do it, then?"

  "Because I have to."

  "No you don't. You could request out of wet ops."

  "No, I can't." Yet.

  About to dispute that further, Shelby looked at the strained look on her companion's face, then closed her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do was push Kris away when she'd finally opened up a little.

  "You look tired. Why don't you sleep in my bed? You looked so uncomfortable this morning all squashed on the couch."

  Kris shook her head and smiled. "Thanks for offering again, but I can't protect you from in there."

  Shelby considered that irrefutable logic, then smiled shyly. "You could if we shared the bed. There's plenty of room, and you'd be a lot more comfortable." Before Kris could offer any protest, she hurried on. "And if you're more comfortable, you'll sleep better. And if you sleep better, you'll be more rested and alert so you can protect me even better."

  No, no, no. Well, actually, I'd love to share your bed with you. "I'm going to be up and down a lot tonight. I want to make sure my visitors don't return. It'll be better for me to sleep on the couch." Well...maybe not better, but a lot less tempting.

  "Okay." Shelby intended to extend the invitation the following night, though. It made no sense for Kris to be so uncomfortable, and she'd feel a lot better with the tall woman right next to her. A lot better in what way? She smiled inwardly. Both.

  * * *

  Gregor returned to the embassy and after sending word of his arrival, waited for Dimitri to summon him. The call came and he left his quarters en route to his superior's office.

  "Comrade."

  "Well?"

  Gregor hand over the small piece of paper, preparing for the explosion that was sure to come.

  "This is it!"

  "Yes, but she will provide more on Monday."

  Dimitri narrowed his eyes. "See that she does. You're dismissed."

  "Comrade Petrov."

  "What is it?"

  "I would like to recommend elimination once we get the remainder of the names." Gregor actually planned on getting a little more from her than just the names, but his superior didn't need to know that yet.

  Dimitri looked at his subordinate shrewdly. He knew something had precipitated this request and speculated that Gregor had been outwitted. Considering whom he'd gone up against, it wasn't surprising. "Why?"

  "She is insane, and unpredictable. She doesn't follow orders. She mocks us by providing such a short list of names. She shows no loyalty. She's..."

  "Enough! Do you have specific examples of the malfeasance you mention?" Dimitri smiled coldly. "Well?"

  Gregor had no intentions of incriminating himself. "No, Comrade."

  "I didn't think so. You're dismissed." Dimitri smiled inwardly. Gregor was right. She was dangerous, but he still had a use for her.

  When the door closed, he encrypted the three names, adding a personal request at the bottom of the list. Dimitri assigned it the highest priority, before sending it to his superiors in Moscow. He expected to hear something within 48 hours if not sooner. Then he would decide if he needed to get personally involved in handling Natasha Lubinyenka.

  CHAPTER 11

  SHELBY WATCHED KRIS, something she never tired of doing, as her companion drove them toward her mother's house in Arlington. She found her beauty simply breathtaking and the energy that rolled off the operative in waves, tantalizing. When she was with Kris, nothing else mattered.

  Kris glanced at her unusually silent companion. "You're awfully quiet. What're you thinking about?"

  You. "Just about how nice this weekend has been."

  Kris shot a quick smile at Shelby. "Yeah, it has been." And it had, with the exception of her unpleasant meeting with Gregor. Today they hadn't even had a tail to shake.

  "I think you're gonna like Jimmy and Jason. Don't be surprised at anything they ask you, though. Mom probably told them I was bringing a spy to dinner."

  "You are kidding?"

  "Nope. She thinks everyone who works for the Company is a spy. She's not very thrilled about where I work."

  "How come?"

  "She thinks it's too dangerous. I've told her it's not. That was pretty much true, until lately." Shelby grinned ruefully. "I'm glad I don't have to explain away the stuff that's happened the past week."

  Kris said vehemently, "It'll be over soon. That I can promise you."

  Shelby looked at Kris, concerned. "Hey, it's not your fault."

  I wish I were absolutely positive of that.

  "There it is. It's the house right past the stop sign with the black Tempo in the driveway."

  Kris pulled into the driveway of a white ranch style house with green shutters. She rounded the car, waited for Shelby to get out and accompanied her to the side door.

  She positioned herself slightly to the rear as Shelby knocked on the door, opened it and walked in. A woman of medium stature resembling the picture Kris had examined approached them with a strained smile on her face.

  "Hi, Mom. This is Kris." Shelby glanced at Kris. "This is my mother, Lisa."

  Lisa looked at the tall woman standing in her doorway, casually dressed in jeans and a blue polo shirt that seemed custom made to fit her body. She was beautiful, but Lisa found herself taken aback by the woman's commanding presence and the intense blue eyes that met hers unwaveringly. So this is the woman. "Nice to meet you, Kris."

  She then hugged her daughter tightly for several moments before finally releasing her. She ignored the puzzled look Shelby gave her, and said, "Why don't you both go into the living room. I'll get you something to drink."

  Shelby smiled. "I'll get our drinks, Mom." Turning to Kris, she asked, "Coffee or Coke?"

  "Coffee."

  Shelby got two mugs from the cupboard and filled the two cups from the coffeemaker sitting on the counter. She handed one to Kris and led her companion into the living room.

  Lisa watched them walk into the living room, anger and concern warring for control of her emotions.

  "Shelby!!" Jimmy jumped up and hugged his older sister.

  Jason watched the show of affection with amusement. "Hey, sis." His attention turned to the tall woman. "Are you a spy, too?"

  Shelby started laughing. "Jason, how many times do I have to tell you I am not a spy?"

  "I know. I know." He looked at Kris, curiously. "Are you?"

  Kris quirked a half-smile and decided to play along. "I'm a field operative."

  Jimmy piped up, "What do you do?"

  "Whatever they need me to do." Kris grinned when Jimmy rolled his eyes.

  Shelby said, "Hey, you two! Where are your manners?"

  Jason and Jimmy both stood up, towering over Shelby. Jason was the taller of the two, and both had unruly dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Jimmy had a smattering of freckles across his nose and Jason a more mature face, but except for those small distinctions, they could have been twins.

  Jason extended his hand, "Hi, I'm Jason."

  Kris took the proffered hand gravely. "Kris." She repeated the exercise with Jimmy, then joined Shelby on the couch. Glancing at the baseball game playing on the television, she asked, "Who's playing?"

  "Baltimore and Cleveland."

  Kris winked at Shelby and engaged the teenagers in a lively conversation about baseball.

  Lisa waited a few minutes to allow Shelby to greet her brothers before making her way to the living room doorway. "Shelby, could you help me for a few minutes?"

  "Sure." Looking at her half-brothers, Shelby said, "Hey, come on you guys. Give Kris a break, would ya?"

  Trailing her mother into the kitchen, Shelby watched as she closed the door. Her brow furrowed. "Why did you do that?"

  "Because I want to talk to you privately. Jonathan was over here earlier." Lisa raised a hand and said, "Wait a minute. Let me finish. Then you can go off, if you still think it's necessary. Those are his sons. He has every right to visit them. He said he stayed away while he was on probation because he realized how wrong he'd been for all those years and wanted to find some way to make it up to us."

 

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