He stared at her door for a moment longer than he was comfortable with before knocking. Taking a deep breath, Richard tried not to think about all the times he'd been here before. It had been months since he'd seen her. But he was used to people disappearing from his life. At least in this case he knew where she'd gone.
Kate answered the door with a smile. He'd wondered if the Farm would change her. Not worried, worried was too strong, but he did wonder. Yet here she stood before him, innocent blue eye staring up at him. That innocence, how did she still have that through everything she had seen? He let himself smile down at her.
He heard the nosy neighbor down the hall open her door and he knew she'd been poking her head out. He leaned into the door frame to block Kate from view and tilted his head so that from the neighbor's view it looked as if he was saying good night to Kate. For her part, Kate raised an eyebrow her smile shifting slightly. Not for the first time Richard wondered if they had explained the new parameters of their arrangement before she left. But off her expression he assumed it was left up to him to clarify.
"Do I invite you in?" she asked with a quick, coy smile.
He returned the smile. "Or we could discuss old times out here?" He glanced around him for emphasis.
She laughed and held the door open further. He accepted her silent invitation, shedding his coat and hat as he entered. Ever the Pan Am stewardess, Kate took his outwear before he had the chance to protest. "How have you been?" she asked with that ever present smile as she stowed his belongings.
He smirked, small talk. She was distracting him. Why? He evaluated her closely. She played with her hair then suddenly stopped as if reconsidering. He chuckled softly to himself; she was nervous. "Did they debrief you?" he asked quietly cutting through her distraction.
"They said you would set up a meeting. That you would explain." She smiled hesitatingly but it fell after a moment. "So what happens now?" She looked him in the eye.
"The Agency has seen to it that you will be reinstated to Pan Am." He suppressed a smile at her surprise. "As an agent, you'll take an active role in both the planning and executing of your missions." He gestured to her couch and she nodded.
Disappearing into the kitchen she reappeared with two tea cups. Setting one down on the table, she took a drink of the other before passing the cup to him. He hid his smile behind the cup as he took a drink. "How will I manage to plan and execute missions, and also work…" she trailed off as she looked at him. "How will this work?"
"When there is a mission, I'll set up a meeting with you. We'll go over it together."
She smiled and sipped her tea. "So you're not going to be ordering me around anymore?" She tilted her head as she took in his profile. He knew she was reading him. She had been trained now.
"I'll have final say, but you'll have operational input." He shifted to face her. "But we're going to have to talk about your cover." He leaned forward slightly. "About our cover."
Kate's gaze snapped to his. "I thought working at Pan Am was my cover."
"That's part of it." He held her gaze. "But in order for us to meet. For me to come here and plan missions you'll have a personal cover as well." Kate turned from him slightly and took another sip. He watched as she calmed her features and turned back to him.
"I'm guessing this cover isn't that you are my brother." She tilted her head and looked off into the distance. "So what's our story then?"
"It'll be your story to tell." He was impressed. When she started she had the question every step of the way. He suppressed a smile. She was finally understanding how his world… their world worked.
She nodded. "Is there a story for where I've been the last six months?"
"No, that decision is yours." He watched her carefully.
Pushing her cup away, Kate folded her hands. "We met at a café. You needed directions. We spent the day sightseeing."
"Certainly hope you make it sound more exciting when you tell your sister." He glanced at her in time to catch the smile that flitted across her features. "Good plan. Keep as close to the truth as possible."
"It makes it easier. I know." Her expression narrowed for a moment and he remembered all the times she disagreed with him. "So what's the first mission?"
Richard pulled a file from his briefcase. "We'll start with something simple." He handed the file to her. She took the file, but she didn't look at it. Instead she stared at him. "It's not an insult," he added.
She shook her head. "No," she looked up at him. Narrowing her eyes, she searched his face. "I have a question first. Are you still lonely?"
Richard frowned. She was never what he expected. "It comes and goes."
"I need you to work on that." She picked up the file and opened it before adding quietly, "Loneliness won't work with our cover." As she perused the file, Richard smiled in agreement. No one dating Kate could be lonely. He banished the wayward thought. Those thoughts had to be kept at bay, if this was to be their cover. And the powers that be said it was.
"Anka?" Kate turned to him. "You're sending Anka back."
"Not back," Richard corrected her. "We're sending her to Switzerland. The Swiss are neutral. She'll just be an informant. Safest assignment she can have."
"I was just a courier," Kate snapped looking over at him sharply. "And then what?"
"Kate," Richard spoke her name quietly. "She speaks German. There are communists in Germany. We are fighting against the communists." She started to look away, but Richard reached for her hand and she looked back to him. "Some in the Agency wanted to send her back to Germany. But others argued that she might be recognized." He sighed; it was his turn to look away. "She can be just as useful in Switzerland, but without the risk."
Kate was still watching him when he turned back to her. "So I deliver her? Is that it?"
"You'll inform her of her cover. Her new passport and information is in the file. You can walk her through her new responsibilities, help her find her way to her post. Without being seen."
Nodding Kate set the file down. He made to get up. "Richard," she called to him. He turned to her. She continued, "You were the one who wanted Anke in Switzerland." Not a question.
After a moments pause, Richard nodded. "Germany would be a greater risk without a greater chance of reward."
She watched him for a long moment. "Thank you."
"I didn—" Richard started, but Kate shook her head cutting him off. "Make sure you get her settled in."
She walked him to the door, but didn't say anything. He glanced back at her once before heading out. He put his hat on as he headed down the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted the nosy neighbor peaking out her door at him.
