Desert Dark (25 page)

He paused another moment before answering. “Come with me.”

They walked down the south wing to the covert-ops room. Nadia looked away as he entered his code, even though she'd already seen it, and made a mental note to look up the definition. She was curious what
abunai
meant, mostly because she was curious about Sensei.

Inside, he opened the second cabinet. “This is easy to use. Anything within a six foot radius will elicit a signal. The closer you are to the listening device, the faster it beeps.” He flipped the switch and the machine beeped. He shut it off and opened the first cabinet, full of surveillance equipment.

“I must have left something on the other day.” He frowned. Nadia imagined he was not accustomed to mistakes. He flipped the switch and pointed the device at the shelves. The beeping continued.

Sensei set the gadget aside and checked the equipment he'd shown her over the weekend. “I do not see it. I do not understand.” He searched the cabinet once more, then turned to Nadia. Leaning against the wall, he stared at her for a long moment. His eyebrows knitted together. Then, slowly, they relaxed. His mouth opened and he nodded. Sensei put one finger to his lips and motioned her into the hall.

He followed her out and closed the metal door behind them. He tried the device again. The beeping resumed. He swept her feet, up her legs and torso, down her arms, then her head. The machine made a continuous noise, like the sound of a flat-line
on a heart monitor. Sensei turned it off and noiselessly removed her earrings. He made a gesture, indicating she should wait, and jogged up the hall with her jewelry. Seconds later he returned and checked her again. Silence.

“Have you always had those earrings?”

She shook her head. “They were a gift from Jack Felkin.”

He nodded. “Nadia-san, is there a chance your boyfriend might be spying on you?” he asked gently.

“No way. I mean, he's not even really my boyfriend. We've only gone out a couple of times.”
Why would he even suggest that?
“And the earrings were in my room this morning. Anyone could have bugged them, right?” Quietly she asked, “You know him, what do you think?”

“I would be surprised. Jack is a promising student, a hard worker. But a clever hawk hides his talons. Perhaps he planted a listening device as your suitor, not as a spy.”

“Why would he? I mean, I'm sure he's much more secure in this relationship than I am. Anyway, why would he need to break into my room to bug them? He could've done it when he gave them to me, and someone was
definitely
in our room.”

A thought flickered, a quick warning. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Jack does ask about the earrings a lot. But that's because they mean something to him, right?

She continued, her conviction weakened. “Jack wouldn't violate my trust. I don't think. He certainly wouldn't risk getting expelled just to find out if I like him.” If he was caught in her room, he'd be out, no questions asked. And his loyalty to the Academy was unquestionable. He could be the poster boy for Desert Mountain.

“It does seem unlikely he would jeopardize his position at the Academy.” He handed her the device. “Take this with you. If this is a professional job there will be more. Bring it back when you are confident your environment is secure. You are comfortable sweeping the room?”

She nodded.

“No one must know you have this. I showed you the covert-ops room under special circumstances. I trust you will respect the confidential nature of our lesson.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Nadia-san, there is something else I must tell you.” His gaze remained steady. “The director of the CIA received reliable intelligence that a trainee had been recruited as a double agent before he—or she—arrived on campus. Director Vincent also suspects the student is not working alone. He requested I keep watch for unusual activity. I am quite certain we have
at least
one double, and I am not the only person looking for him.”

“Wait a minute. Are you saying someone thinks it's me?” she asked. “Someone bugged my room because they think
I'm
the double?”

“This I do not know,” he answered quietly.

“But that's crazy. Why would I be a suspect?”

“I am afraid I cannot answer that question, either.”

Nadia paused. Alan's intel about the double was accurate.
What if . . . 
“Sensei, do you know anything about Drew? Is it true she was murdered?”

“It seems possible. I will give you a stun gun to keep in your room.”

“Why do I need a stun gun?” Her voice was erratic. “Do you think I'm in danger?”

“For peace of mind,” he said. “If I thought you were in danger I would give you a tranquilizer gun. Though it would be of little help to
you
.”

His joke barely registered as she asked, “You don't think it's me, do you?”

“If I believed you were guilty, I would not give you a weapon. I trust you as you trust me. You have never given me reason to doubt your allegiance, and in fact have proven your dedication to me and your studies time and again. I am confident in your loyalties.” Sensei paused for a moment. “Nadia-san, you must always be ready to defend yourself. This is why I insisted we continue
individual instruction. So when the time comes, you can protect yourself and those around you. When I was half your age, I lost my father. Had I known what you know now, he would likely still be alive.”

Shock registered on her face before she could stop it. “Hashimoto Sensei, I—”

“Wait in the lobby; I will return your earrings.” His curt nod indicated the conversation was over.

In the front room, Nadia slumped onto a floor cushion and leaned against the wall. Somewhere in the dojo a radio blared, then silence.

She pulled at a curl in her ponytail and tried to calm herself.
So what if someone thinks I'm the double? What's the worst that could happen?
Her heart pounded against her chest. She'd be questioned, but of course she'd be clean.
They'd need evidence. Right?
Sensei believed in her; that had to count for something. He'd never shared anything personal before. Was that a sign of respect? A warning?

She remembered what Dr. Cameron said about the Patriot Act. They could legally detain her for as long as they wanted. She hugged her knees and lowered her head.
What would happen to my parents? What would the Academy tell them?

Sensei appeared with the stun gun. “I have removed the device. Here are your earrings.”

Tuesday morning, Jack waited on the sidewalk in front of the library. He paced for a while, swore, tried the front door for the third time. The morning brightened and he slipped on his sunglasses. Finally, Dr. Wilson arrived.

“Morning, Jack. You know I don't open for another half hour?”

“I was hoping I could sneak in a little early.” Jack took her briefcase, freeing her hand to unlock the door.

“The cipher computer again?” she asked as they entered the building.

“No, ma'am, the language lab.”

“Sure, go on in. You know where the lights are, right?”

“Yes, thanks,” Jack answered.

He fired up the computer in case she came to check on him, then removed the American lit book from his bag. He turned on the recorder.

Nadia was talking to her friends; he fast-forwarded the tape. The next conversation was between her and Hashimoto Sensei.
Finally
.

She was telling him someone had been in her room—but nothing was missing.
Good, that means she hasn't noticed the boarding pass
. It also meant Jack could return the ticket before she realized he'd taken it.

Sensei offered her a piece of counter-surveillance equipment. Then shuffling, a beeping sound, and silence. Jack pressed the headphones against his ears, trying to decipher the noises. Without warning, deafening music blasted through the speakers. He yanked the headphones off and turned down the volume. Ears still ringing, he listened again. Nothing but static.

He couldn't figure out why Sensei would crank music in the dojo. Then it dawned on him. A warm rush spread through his body.
He needed the noise to mask the sound while he destroyed my equipment
. Jack tried to take a breath. He couldn't fill his lungs. The lack of oxygen left him lightheaded and dizzy.

They found the bug. Nadia and Sensei found the bug
.

Jack trudged down the sidewalk to the Dean's office to update him regarding the holiday break. Now that Nadia knew she'd been bugged and he still had no concrete evidence, he really regretted not asking permission for aggressive surveillance.

Jack stopped in front of Hopi Hall. He rubbed the tip of his loafer against the stairs until scratches appeared on the toe, then looked at the palm leaves bending above his head.

Stop stalling
.

He forced himself inside. Down the hall, Wolfe's door was closed. Jack knocked softly and leaned his ear against the dark wood. “In a minute,” the Dean called.

The glass-covered bookshelves surrounded him like soldiers. His eyes glazed over. He felt sick imagining what Dean Wolfe would say.

After several endless minutes, the door opened. “Have a seat.”

“Was the disc I intercepted helpful?” Jack asked, hoping for a positive start to the conversation.

Dean Wolfe either didn't hear or chose to ignore the question. He walked around the edge of the room, smoothing the fringe of his Persian rug with his foot. He didn't look at Jack as he spoke. “Do you have any new information?”

“Yes sir, I do. I have reason to believe Nadia took a trip out of the country over the holiday.”

“Where did she go?” He did not sound particularly interested.

“Vancouver.”

“Vancouver, Canada? Not exactly the Mecca of the underworld.” Dean Wolfe chuckled.

“No, sir. But she specifically told me she didn't leave campus last weekend.”

The Dean abandoned his task and sat next to Jack. “Lying to your boyfriend about your plans over the holiday isn't really the kind of evidence I'm looking for.” Dean Wolfe smiled a kind, fatherly smile. “Do you have any other information?”

Jack's face burned with embarrassment.
He thinks I'm reporting that my girlfriend lied to me. Can't he see this is important?

Jack considered for a moment what the consequences might be for his unsanctioned behavior. He'd planted a piece of surveillance equipment, broken into her room and stolen a ticket stub she'd deliberately tried to hide. He couldn't tell Wolfe about the cipher text without revealing how he'd found it, nor could he tell him about Nadia discovering she was being watched—
or
that her first stop was her handling agent, Hashimoto Sensei.

I need more evidence. Then he'll see her Canadian trip wasn't a vacation. He'll reward my initiative, rather than reprimand me for making such a colossal mistake—what was I thinking, taking the ticket? I'll put it back. He'll never have to know I was there more than once
.

“Listen, son.” Dean Wolfe seemed to be carefully considering his words. “Perhaps it's time to pass this assignment along to someone else.”

“What? No!” Jack quickly composed himself. “Sir, I don't think that's necessary.”

“I'm not blaming you. Maybe you're not her type? Perhaps we should bring Noah into the fold.”

“Dean Wolfe—”

“It's nothing personal.”

“Sir, with a little more time, I'm
sure
I can get you what you need.”

The Dean sighed and leaned back in his chair. He stared at Jack for a long moment. “All right. You have until Friday.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jack stood to shake the Dean's hand. “I won't let you down.”

Jack caught up with the first years as they filtered through the back gate after their morning run. He leaned against the wall and waited for Nadia. He did his best to look relaxed, but his stomach lurched every time someone rounded the corner. His mouth felt like he'd been licking the hiking trails. He was furious with himself for disappointing Dean Wolfe, not to mention falling for a traitor.

Nadia and Libby walked through the gate together, hands on their hips, panting. “Hey, Jack,” Libby said.

“Hi, Libby.” His voice sounded strange in his ears. “Hi, Nadia.”

“Hey,” Nadia said. “What are you doing here?”

“I was at the library and thought I'd come by to say hello. I haven't seen much of you since we got back. Do you want to get together this evening? Maybe—well, you probably don't want to think about a run right now, but we could study together or something.” Jack was talking too fast. Winded from speaking, he tried to catch his breath.

“Are you okay?” Nadia asked. She touched her cool hand to his forehead.

“Yeah, I'm a little light-headed. I haven't eaten yet.”

“I'd love to get together. Maybe we can practice archery on the lawn?” She made a gesture, like pulling an arrow across a bowstring.

Nadia's words weren't giving anything away. Jack nodded and forced a smile. “Sounds like fun.”

She pointed her imaginary weapon at him, closed one eye and released. The arrow pierced his chest. “I gotcha.”

We'll see about that
.