Betrayal (33 page)

It took a moment, but then the pieces began to fit together in Alex’s brain. “Krause…..it was Krause.”

“Alex, I swear I have no idea why he…”

“No, it’s okay Cass, I think I do. Doesn’t matter right now.”

“Jane told me he helped you, but…What if he shot you, Alex? What if it was Jon…”

The pieces were moving about in Alex’s brain and she closed her eyes to allow them to come together. “It wasn’t Krause, Cass.”

“Alex, I know you can’t tell me….I just….I….” Cassidy’s tears seemed to have a mind of their own.

“Shhh, not now. Doesn’t matter now…Okay?”

“I’m sorry, you are the one in the bed and I am….”

“You are perfect. I’m the idiot who got shot.”

“Alex, don’t joke about…”

“I’m sorry.” Alex kissed the teacher’s hand. “Just get me home.”

“You just woke up.”

“I know. I hate these places.”

“Alex….”

“Come on, Cass.”

The door opened and a short dark haired woman entered. Alex smiled. “Captain Toles, I did not think I would be seeing
you
back in a military hospital.”

“I’d say I missed you, Major, but….”

The woman laughed and shook her head. “I see the painkillers didn’t help much with keeping you quiet.”

“Yeah….so when can I go home?”

“Alex,” Cassidy cautioned.

“You must by Cassidy,” the other woman smiled. “She hasn’t stopped talking about you since she got here. Even in her sleep. I give you credit. Takes a tough woman to handle the ornery Captain, here.”

Alex shot the woman a look of playful disgust. “Cassidy, meet Major Jennifer Garrison. You can thank her for that scar on my back.”

“Actually, you can thank the shrapnel for the scar on your back, Captain. You can thank me for the fact that you are still able to be so annoying.”

“Funny,” Alex said.

Cassidy was perplexed by the interaction. The two women seemed like much more than casual friends but she did not get the feeling that they had been lovers. Sensing both her emotional stress and her understandable curiosity, the major offered an explanation. “Captain Toles and I, we go way back. She was the most difficult patient I had my first year as an active surgeon. Prepared me for anything that would follow. I guess I should thank you for that.”

“Yes, you should. So let me go home.”

“Alex,” Cassidy cautioned again and Alex let out a sigh.

“OOO….She’s good, Alex.”

“So, Major…when can Alex…”

“All right. You can go home tomorrow;
if
your vitals stay within the appropriate range tonight,” Alex started to perk up slightly. “Uh-uh…and
if
there are no signs of any infection.”

“No problem,” Alex said definitively.

“Hold on,” the Major cautioned. “Alex, you have to take it easy.” Seeing the glint in her friend’s eye Jennifer Garrison held up a finger. “First of all, that bullet was no joke. You lost
a lot of blood. If that agent who brought you in hadn’t been so thorough, you might not have been so lucky.” Alex sighed. “And, when that medication wears off, I suspect you are going to find there is more pain in your back than in your shoulder.”

“Why?” Alex asked, vaguely recalling connecting with the ground.

“You have four broken ribs along with, what I am sure is substantial inflammation. I mean it, Alex. You go home. You rest. You read. You watch TV. You do a puzzle.”

“I got it. I got it.”

Cassidy shook her head. “Major? Is there…”

The Major smiled. “I wish I could give you something for the attitude, Cassidy.” Cassidy tried not to laugh. The brief interaction with the surgeon had helped to relieve some of her tension. Although she knew Alex would be difficult to keep down, she had to admit that selfishly she wanted the agent home. “What I will give you is some antibiotics, pain reliever, strict instructions…and I’ll make certain that you have some anxiety medication.”

“What do I need that for?” Alex asked.

“That’s not for you, Captain. That’s for her.” Alex frowned and Cassidy offered the Major a smirk of appreciation.

“Thank you,” Cassidy said.

“I’m not sure I’d be thanking me, but you are welcome. She’ll be back on her feet in a couple of weeks.”

“What about work?” Alex asked.

“I said a couple of weeks. Do I need to check your hearing now too? Maybe you hit your head,” the Major leaned over her patient and pulled on Alex’s ear.

“Hey!”

“You, behave, Captain. No offense, I’d like to
not
see you again anytime soon.”

“None taken,” Alex shot back. “Hey,” she called after the major. “Thanks, Jen.” The major smiled and winked as she left.

“Alex, you have to …”

“I promise, Cass. I just want to go home.” Alex was drained and being in a hospital bed unsettled her.

“I know. I want you home.”

“Yeah? Does that mean I get my tacos?”

Cassidy smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Alex, as long as you are safe you can have tacos every night of the week.”

The agent touched the teacher’s cheek. “I’m sorry, Cass. I know…”

Cassidy shook her head. “No…stop…I just can’t help it. I just found you…I…”

“Don’t let Jen scare you, I promise I will behave.”

Cassidy chuckled but then grew serious. “I love you, Alex. More than I think you know.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

Alex nodded. “What time is it?”

“Why? It’s 3:30. Oh my…”

“Good, then I can call Speed,” Alex said. “At least I can keep my promise. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

Cassidy smiled. Alex amazed her sometimes. She could see the agent wincing at the slightest movement, but the mere thought of talking to Dylan lit her from within. Cassidy wondered what they would tell him. “Alex, he is going to want to….”

“We’re going to tell him it was an accident.”

“Alex….”

“Cassidy, he doesn’t need to know….not this.”

Cassidy looked to the ceiling and pursed her lips. There was a fine line between protecting Dylan and lying to him. There was already one enormous secret that would need revealing. “No, Alex. We aren’t. We are going to tell him that you were smart and that is why you were not badly hurt.”

“Cassidy…”

“Alex, no. I understand, I do. You are the one who said no more secrets. No more secrets, Alex. Not in our family, please.”

“All right. You’re right.” Cassidy was right, trust mattered. “So…can we call him?”

Cassidy laughed. “Yes.”

“Okay,” Alex put out her hand for the phone.

“As long as you promise to call you mother afterward.”

“My….” Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “I promise.”

imitri,” Claire Brackett greeted the man before her. Dimitri Kargen nodded his greeting. The Russian SVR agent was tall and rugged with jet black hair that stood in stark contrast to piercing green eyes. He was familiar with the younger female agent standing before him and he was cautious. “Sparrow,” he said, “that you would call my uncle tells me much. What is it, little sparrow, that you have done?”

Brackett pursed her lips and narrowed her gaze. She slowly walked toward her Russian counterpart and as she reached him, she allowed a sly smile to begin to creep across her face. “Now, Dimitri….Why do you assume I
did
anything at all?” She reached out for him and his hands swiftly and firmly grabbed hers, placing them back at her sides.

“I do not know who you think I am. I am not a lovesick Frenchman and I am not your American president.” He stopped momentarily and let his eyes travel over to the smaller American man standing in the corner of the hotel room. He shook his head and snickered. “I am not so foolish, Sparrow.”

“Does it matter, Dimitri?” He watched her without changing expression. “Well?” she continued as she stepped away from the man a few paces. “You have little use for my father, we both know that.”

“So, then…you killed Rooster because he was your father’s arm…”

“No.”

“Mercier; you did kill him; no? And the admiral says what to this?”

Brackett walked directly up to the man whose posture remained rigid and whose expression remained stoic. “I don’t know what my father says. He made a mistake.”

“Is that so?” Kargen asked.

“It is.”

“You refer to the death of your lover?”

“You mean the president?” she asked and then smiled. “No, Dimitri. That is all part of our game and I am certain you were thrilled with that outcome.” Kargen tipped his head upwards and his eyes narrowed further. “No. No…My father does not see my value.”

Kargen allowed the hint of a smile. “Backed you into a corner, did he?”

“Umm,” she looked across to the congressman. “I needed my own insurance. You understand.”

“So, you want that I make it appear a Russian intervention.” She shrugged as Kargen continued to regard the man across the room. “Your father will know…”

“Yes, he will. And I want him to….But to the rest of our world it must look as though it was a deal gone wrong. We were never there. An…”

“I understand. That is easy. What will not be so easy, Sparrow, will be the favor you will one day return.”

Claire Brackett inhaled deeply and nodded. “I would like to think we can make agreeable
arrangements
.”

The Russian laughed. “The arrangement is, when I call… either of you,” he looked at the man in the corner who was clearly stricken by fear. “You will answer. That is the only arrangement.”

“Fine,” she agreed.

“Good,” he replied. “What of the American?”

“Toles? She’ll live, I am sure.”

He shook his head. “The sparrow has truly fallen from the nest then.”

“What do you mean?”

Kargen licked his lips and gloated. “The man…NSA… Mitchell has him.”

“Why would Ian…”

“That is the question.”

“Where?” she asked.

“You will go home, Sparrow. That is not your concern,” he told her.

“It is if….”

Kargen took a deep breath and made his way to the congressman. He stopped, standing just in front of Christopher O’Brien, close enough that the congressman could feel the heat of the larger man’s breath on his face. The SVR agent looked the congressman straight in the eye as he continued. “There are many things here, Sparrow. We will do as you ask and you will do as expected.
Nablyuday za etim vnimatelnom Vorobey
(Watch this one closely, Sparrow).”

“
Eto, ya mogu kontrolirovat
(That, I can control),” she said assuredly.

He did not answer right away as he searched the eyes before him coldly. “
Dva bezdushnix cheloveka opasnee drug drugu, chem ostalnomu miru. Ya Sovetuju vam, bit ostorosznoj
. (Two who are absent of soul are more dangerous to one another than to the rest of the world. I suggest you be careful).”

Brackett nodded, though she was unsure what the Russian meant. “When should…”

“You will leave Sunday night. I will need that time to secure things as you wish.”

“Dimitri,” she began.

The Russian turned and reached the door in a heartbeat. “Enjoy your time together here,” he said with a smirk. “I will speak to you.” With that, he was gone.

“What the hell, Claire?” O’Brien asked as the door shut.

“Shut up, Christopher. He will make it look as though the deal was interrupted by the SVR; that you were never here.”