Hello again. I'm not certain how other authors feel about writing now that the new season of Chuck has gotten off to a flying start. I had planned to write another Forrest and Slade story because of the positive feedback from the last one. But I was having trouble for the longest time coming up with the ideas for it. I guess new episodes of Chuck can be an inspiration to write, because I started it yesterday (1/12/10), and suddenly a slew of ideas came about. I'll have to work hard to sort them the way I want, but I hope the result is a story you'll like.
This is a new mission for the two. There's some angst in it, the language pushes the "T" rating somewhat, and the end of this first chapter is quite racy. Hopefully the ladies will appreciate that part as much as the guys, and it'll be obvious why when you read it. ;-)
As always, please leave reviews. Otherwise, I might think I suck at this. It's your job to TELL ME I suck at this.
Los Angeles International Airport
January 6, 2011
12:00 PM PST
Alex Forrest hated to fly.
It seemed like an odd phobia to have, given what she did for a living. She had been tortured twice and been shot 3 times in her nine years on the job. There weren't a lot of things that made her nervous, but flying did. She figured a lot of people who flew on a regular basis hated it as well, but she had something of an excuse.
Her first parachute jump was the epitome of a last-second decision.
Posing as a French flight attendant on a private plane with a rookie partner six years ago, they attempted to follow a diplomat and retrieve confidential documents he tried to deliver to a separatist group working in Europe. Unfortunately, the diplomat was tipped off by a faux pas on the part of the rookie agent regarding a type of French wine. The young agent acted too impulsively to reach for her weapon, and an accidental shot went through the pilot and the plane's computer, rendering both dead. Alex was able to take out the two bodyguards with her knife before the diplomat killed her partner with the corkscrew for the wine bottle. His small victory lasted about two seconds, as Alex sent a throwing dagger through his heart. She crawled up the floor to the back of the plane while it was in a full nosedive and grabbed an emergency parachute. She was able get it opened with about 800 feet to spare before hitting the Mediterranean. The half-mile swim to shore was the easy part.
Fortunately, today's assignment would be a bit simpler. She was to provide database updates to the computers in the Castle underground facility and research the latest data on Seo Chang-Hee, a member of the North Korean State Security Agency believed to be implanted in Los Angeles. Chatter from communications satellites indicated he might be shopping for some information, and Forrest was to keep tabs on his whereabouts.
Certainly it would be good to visit Agents Bartowski and Walker and Colonel Casey.
She had been waiting for an opportunity to thank them again for their help the last time she was on the west coast. After a rather stilted beginning, they were able to bring down a major Russian crime family and caused a shake-up in the Duma, leading to several resignations and arrests of key members. Given that she almost pooched the whole mission by trying to make a deal with Sergei Kolinova on her own and was captured, only to be freed by them, today's trip would be far less contentious.
Sadly, it might turn out to be a quick visit, depending on where Seo Chang-Hee planned to go. If he was heading out today, Forrest would have to act fast. The orders were to observe and gather as much intel as possible. If he attempted to broker a deal, apprehending everyone involved was priority one. Missions with so many unknown factors were dangerous ones, and she contemplated enlisting Agents Bartowski and Walker for help if they were available. Certainly they proved their competency in Las Vegas and would be invaluable to her. However, their team tended to remain in L.A. for considerable amounts of time; doubtlessly they had more than their fair share of missions to take care of in this town.
She did have to admit, in spite of her feelings to the contrary, there was one other agent whose help she would greatly appreciate. She didn't trust herself to work with him again without letting her own personal feelings interfere, but she had to admit, for such a new agent, he was one of the more reliable choices you could find in the Agency.
But as far as she knew, he was still in London.
Director of National Intelligence, Washington, D.C.
January 6, 2011
4:00 PM EST
Jimmy Slade shook off his overcoat of what seemed like six inches of snow that fell on it in the short distance between the car that drove him from Dulles International and the front door to the offices of the DNI. It felt good to be back in the States, but he could hardly call his 8 weeks in the United Kingdom grueling. Well, not since New Year's Eve, anyway. The prior seven weeks were a bit tougher.
MI-5 requested the help of the CIA with a special project, and General Beckman was only too happy to volunteer Jimmy barely 3 days after he helped stop the terrorist attack in New York. A splinter faction of the former IRA decided it was still too ticked off at the British government to adhere to the 1998 Good Friday peace accord and planned to destroy electrical stations around London on Christmas Eve. An MI-5 agent implanted in the group needed a computer and electronics expert to help him, and Jimmy was able to help him stop the attack. The Prime Minister told British Intelligence to hide Jimmy for a few days from the CIA to let him relax in London over the holiday after he barely got away from being shot by the last remaining members of the faction.
Unfortunately, naiveté was not one of General Beckman's flaws. She ordered him back to D.C.
Jimmy sat quietly outside of Beckman's office, waiting for her to finish a phone call. Her new secretary, Shayna, took the occasional glance at Jimmy and gave him a smile that was part-sympathy, part-desire.
"Any advice on how to talk to her?" Jimmy asked Shayna with a bit of nervousness.
"Don't act like you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, and usually that will get you through the meeting. She's not impressed with anybody or anything," she replied.
Jimmy smiled. Arrogance was not one of his problems. Most days, he was humble to the point of being annoying.
Shayna's phone buzzed, and she pressed a button underneath her desk. "You can go in."
"Thanks," Jimmy replied.
Jimmy took several steps into the office and stopped dead in his tracks. He suspected a lot of people did that when entering Beckman's office for the first time.
He didn't realize General Beckman was that short.
Even though his 6 foot monster-sized frame towered over her, she didn't give even one indication that she was intimidated. That would make sense, he thought. You don't make it this high up the food chain in such a dangerous world unless you were quite intimidating yourself.
"General?"
She looked up from her papers and gave a quick appraisal of the stocky agent in front of her that she didn't reveal. "Have a seat, Agent Murdock."
She likes that formality, I see. Jimmy noticed Beckman liked to keep her distance, which was probably necessary in the job. There were only four people who still called him Jimmy Slade, and Beckman wasn't one of them.
"I'll dispense with MI-5 enforcing a mini-vacation on you without our approval and get to your next mission. Are you familiar with Admiral Blake Carter?"
"The Bayou Bulldog? I've heard of him. The Navy probably wishes they had one of him on all of their ships. Tough S.O.B. A real character, if I heard the rumors correctly. Wasn't he testing something for the Naval wondergeeks on the USS Stockton?"
"Correct, Agent Murdock. The Navy had installed its next-generation sonar array aboard his ship and has been testing it out in the waters off of San Diego. But Admiral Carter suspects that someone within the Navy might be attempting to obtain the computer codes that control the system and sell them to an unfriendly government."
"Respectfully, General, wouldn't this fall under the purview of NCIS?"
"Carter has some issues with the upper brass in NCIS. He doesn't want them wrapping this investigation up in a lot of red tape just to spite him. They don't like the huge leeway he's granted by the NCO in the Special Warfare Command. That's why he did an end-around and contacted a few of his friends here for help. I'm sending him you."
"I'm going in as an agent?"
"Only to him. As far as anyone else is concerned, you're a Commander within the Navy that is on special detachment from NSW. Gather all of the data you can, both up-front and through the back channels. Report to Field Prep services downstairs and draw everything you'll need for this assignment. Here is the remainder of your cover."
Beckman passed him a large file folder, and Jimmy opened it to the front page. "Commander Paul Purcell, graduated Annapolis in '95, top of the class, et cetera, et cetera." He glanced through the rest of the page. "Is anybody in the Navy this squeaky-clean?"
"It's necessary. Fewer people will question your credentials. Book yourself on the next flight out and get to Coronado right away."
"Yes, General," Jimmy replied. He rose and quickly exited his office.
"Agent Murdock?"
Jimmy turned. "General?"
"It's a good thing MI-5 made you take a few days off, because you won't be getting any for quite a while. There are a lot of people in this agency keeping their eye on you, myself especially. You're the shiny new toy out of the toy box right now."
Jimmy paused for a second and regarded what his diminutive-yet-intimidating boss told him. "Thank you, General." He turned and exited, flashing a warm smile to Shayna as he went to the elevators.
As he took the elevator down to the basement and Field Prep services, he recalled what some of the spooks in MI-5 had told him a few weeks ago. He was the newest Flavor of the Month in the CIA. The agency had a well-known tradition in the intelligence community to run one rookie agent ragged with assignments to see how well they'd handle the stress. As taxing and dangerous as it was for the agent, it was also a badge of honor. It meant the agency had very high expectations for the new agent and planned to move them up the ladder quickly if everything went according to plan. Word of the incident in New York had spread quickly throughout British Intelligence, and more than a few people in London were interested in seeing one half of the duo who saved thousands of lives by stopping the chemical WMD from being released in Manhattan. They were quite surprised to find how quiet and unassuming Jimmy was. They must have been expecting the American version of James Bond to walk through their doors. But it didn't take long for Jimmy to earn their trust when he helped them stop the IRA splinter faction in its tracks, even pulling their agent out from capture and certain death. That agent, still recovering in the hospital from gunshot wounds to his lungs and abdomen, was certainly grateful.
Orange Orange
January 6, 2011
1:30 PM PST
Sarah Walker watched the last of the lunch crowd leave the shop, and she proceeded to wipe down the counter for the 100th time today. It was way too quiet without Chuck and Casey around. Both of them had gone up to Stanford to brief on-campus CIA operatives about new security protocols and networking rules. There was little to do around Burbank. She didn't dare walk into the Buy More, lest she would have to deal with the three-headed monster of Morgan, Jeff, and Lester without supervision. Ellie and Devon were pulling all-day shifts at the hospital, and they hadn't had a new mission in a week. It felt silly not to enjoy the quiet, as pressure-packed as this job typically was. But she needed something to break up the tedium.
Her iPhone rang. She looked at the caller ID to find General Beckman's number. "Me and my big mouth," she said quietly. "It didn't take long to jinx that."
"Yes, General?"
"Agent Walker," Beckman's voice came across in its traditional no-nonsense tone. "I have someone coming to Castle to give you an update to your database files and do some research. Extend them every courtesy."
"Who is it, General?"
As if General Beckman planned it to the second, the door to the Orange Orange opened, and Alex Forrest walked in.
"Never mind, General. I just got the answer."
"Thank you, Agent Walker." Beckman hung up the phone. Sarah put her phone away and smiled at her guest.
"Alex, it's good to see you," Sarah replied, extending her hand. Alex shook it warmly. It had only been four months since the two were at odds with each other, so it was safe to say they weren't at the level where they would greet each other with a hug. Alex didn't really consider herself the hands-on type anyway, and she suspected Sarah wasn't, either.
"I'm definitely happy to see you, Sarah. I'm sorry to crash your office, but I've got some files for you to upload, and then I need to borrow your computers to do some research. But I am more than willing to go out for that lunch I owe you."
Sarah smiled. "That sounds great. It's pretty quiet around here." Sarah walked to the door to lock it and then walked back to the freezer. Alex followed behind as Sarah punched in her code to access Castle. Once the retinal scanner confirmed her ID, the door opened, and the two walked downstairs.
"Is it that bad? I would think there's no shortage of work in southern California."
"Chuck and Casey are up at Stanford right now going over a few new procedures with the people up there, and the CIA told me to stay down here. They'll be back in town tomorrow night."
"Oh. I'll have to take them out the next time I'm here." She handed Sarah a memory stick. "Just go through the usual protocol on that. It's a set of profile updates Langley didn't want to send over the network.
"Is this a quick in-and-out for you?"
Alex sat at one of the computers. "Depends on this guy," she replied, holding up a file folder. "Seo Chang-Hee. I'm sure you've heard of him. The DPRK is considering moving him up the ladder in their security service after a few of their agents had some 'creative differences' with their bosses."
Sarah let out a low whistle. She had been on the receiving end of torture before, but to be labeled a traitor by the North Korean government meant you would have been better off committing suicide.
"Is he trying to win brownie points right now?"
Alex continued typing away at the computer. "That's the chatter Langley heard. They think he's going to try and buy some files or perhaps some software here in the U.S. and get it over to Pyongyang. Unfortunately, that's all of the information that we have so far."
"I don't envy you this assignment. Anything I can do to help?"
Alex smiled. "A friendly face loaning me her computer so I can find out where this man is heading. You've done plenty already."
The data Alex required came up on the computer. "Ah, just what I needed. One of his aliases is catching a 6PM flight to San Diego. I'll book myself on a flight before then and that should do the trick."
"San Diego?" Sarah thought about it for a minute. "There are a couple of industrial possibilities there. But if he's trying to make a big score, I would think he's going for something with the U.S. Navy."
"That sounds like a very plausible starting point." Alex entered a few notes into her smartphone and then turned to Sarah. "How does lunch sound? Your town, you pick the place."
"Sounds great. Let's go."
Dulles International Airport
January 6, 2011
5:30 PM EST
Jimmy was grateful for the quick ride to Dulles. What should have taken 2 hours on a snowy night in Washington only took 30 minutes thanks to the D.C. Police. He barely caught the flight to San Diego in time. He could have waited three more hours for the next flight, but that would not have left enough time to do anything constructive following the five-hour flight. One of the advantages of being a CIA agent: they'll hold the plane for you if it's necessary. He settled into his business class seat and started reading through his profile briefing. It may not have been the wisest idea, but there were few people in this section of the plane, and he needed something to distract himself while the plane tried to cut through the heavy weather on its way to San Diego. Defusing a bomb designed to kill thousands didn't faze him, but a few bumps on a plane made him dive for cover.
Angelotti's
January 6, 2011
2:15 PM PST
"This is rather sad, isn't it?"
"Completely."
"How do men get away with this? Where do they hide it?"
"I wish I knew."
Sarah and Alex looked around the restaurant, both feeling a bit of envy at the large plates of food some of the patrons were eating. Sarah never really overindulged at meals. She reserved those times where she let go a little for when either Chuck or Ellie prepared a dinner for her. Ellie was as good of a chef as she was a doctor, and she was a stellar physician. Chuck wasn't quite the master in the kitchen that his sister, or even she, was. But he was catching up quickly. He never liked to flash on the litany of cooking styles the new Intersect had in his head. He wanted to "earn his way" in the kitchen. That he did, and Sarah was always letting him know how much she appreciated it.
By comparison, the two salads staring the women back in their faces seemed paltry. But that's how life worked. It wasn't fair, but they were in the wrong business to have fortune fall their way.
"I guess I should be happy," Alex noted as she picked at the lettuce. "I'm in better shape now than I was when I graduated from Temple University."
"That's the advantage of CIA training today: they don't hold the ladies back," Sarah replied as she covered a piece of cucumber with her balsamic vinaigrette dressing. "I can't even imagine being in this business 40 years ago when all women did was infiltrate and seduce. We get to do more of the heavy lifting now. The women who were in the agency back then probably had to be on a saltines-and-water diet and live with it."
"It's a dirty, cutthroat business, but who else is going to do it? We're good at this. It's not exactly a job that can be done half-assed. You do it perfectly, or people suffer." Alex paused for a moment, shook her head, and smiled. "Christ, I'm starting to sound like my father. I think I got my attitude problem from him. It drove him crazy. I don't doubt he and my mother had more than a few discussions about it when I was growing up."
"Where does he live?"
"He lives with my brother, my brother's wife, and kids just outside of Philadelphia. His health hasn't been the greatest lately."
Alex paused for a moment. "My mother waited for over 30 years for him to come home every night from being a Philly cop."
Sarah let a little laugh slip. "Sorry. But it does explain quite a few things about you."
"No apology necessary. He finally retired and he spent 6 years making up for lost time. They traveled the world, and my brother, Mike, and I made sure they did. We had a lively childhood home, to say the least. Two very stubborn kids kicking the shit out of each other. Mike is a lawyer now for a prestigious firm in Philadelphia. I'm lucky to have two of the cutest nieces around."
"What happened to your mother?"
Alex hung her head. "She died of cancer four years ago. It's been a rather nasty sticking point with my brother ever since. I couldn't get back in time for the funeral. I was deep undercover in Iran. The CIA made up a story for me, but Mike still didn't accept it as an excuse."
"I'm sorry for prying like that."
"It's OK. You deserve to know a few things. I owe you that after the way I acted towards you and Chuck the first time we met. And then I go and do the same thing I reported you for doing. I'm very sorry. I'm seeing it from your angle now. I acted inexcusably."
Sarah gave her a sympathetic glance. "I'm not upset about that anymore. Everything worked out in the end. I just wish I knew why you can't pursue something with Jimmy. It's obvious you really like him. What reason could you have?"
Alex bristled at the question. She remained silent. Sarah studied her.
"Was there someone else once?"
Alex looked away and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to stifle a stray tear. "I was engaged years ago. I was crazy in love with John. John O'Shea. One of the nicest people I ever met. Gorgeous, too. Actually, he looked a bit like…what's the name of Chuck's brother-in-law? The blonde haired doctor?"
"Devon."
"Devon, yes. He looked a little like him. Granted, John didn't practically scream 'California Surfer Dude' with his looks, but he was such a wonderful person."
"He left?"
Alex's voice was practically a whisper. "Not of his own accord." Sarah waited in silence for Alex to finish her thought. "He was in the Pentagon on 9/11."
Sarah nervously fidgeted in her seat. She could feel the air a bit heavier around her. "I'm sorry, Alex. That's…that's a horrible thing to happen to you."
"Thank you. It's…a lot of things changed that day." Alex didn't want to tell Sarah about her suicide attempt when she found out about John's death. If it wasn't for her roommate finding out the news as well, Alex would have been successful in killing herself that night. "I was going to work for the FBI, but then I asked to be sent to Langley. I just had to get away from D.C."
Alex paused for a moment and exhaled deeply. "I just don't want to put myself through that again."
"I can understand that. I don't blame you. But I thought I could do the same thing. You know the type of men we encounter in this line of work. But then Chuck came along. I didn't know guys like him even existed, spy world or otherwise. There was something to his boyish charm, his enthusiasm that I found irresistible. Everybody said he was someone who would always love me and never betray me. They were right."
"Are you saying Jimmy is another such person?"
"In some ways, he's even better. It took Chuck a bit of time to get used to being a spy. Jimmy dove head-first into it without even realizing it. No training of any kind, either. We put him in harm's way and what he did for us was…I still can't believe it sometimes, even 15 months later."
"Clearly he had some skills. He even came back from the dead."
Sarah nodded and smiled. "He took out the Ring facility here and helped Chuck rescue Casey and me. He gave up his life for us, literally. How do you not have feelings for someone like that?"
Alex nodded in agreement. "He did a great job in New York. We stopped the attack. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for him. Unfortunately, I haven't talked to him since. Have you?"
"He sent Chuck and me a Christmas present: a weekend at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills and got us into their New Year's Eve bash. I still want to strangle him for doing that. That was way too generous of him."
"Well, he hasn't spoken to me since Beckman sent him to London not three days after the New York attack. But then, I didn't leave him an address to send me a Christmas present. I did what you said and told him we couldn't be together. I was up-front with him. I guess he listened to what I said."
"They sent him to London that quickly?" Sarah paused for a second and then smiled. "Ah."
Alex stared at her a moment and then got the same smile on her face. "He's their shiny new toy, right? I went through that for most of the summer in 2002. I was the fair-haired girl they wanted at Langley."
Sarah's smile widened. "I think I followed you that winter. They sent me all over the world."
"If I have my dates right, you were four years younger. Wow. I thought I was a kid when they did that. You were barely past drinking age."
Sarah laughed. "Truthfully, I didn't exactly wait until I was legal to down a few."
"Oh, believe me. A six-pack of Miller and the back of my boyfriend's father's minivan when I was 16 is a story I never dared tell my father, even to this day."
"Well, never say never. I get the feeling you haven't seen the last of Jimmy."
Alex shook her head. "I'm sure I'm nothing more than a pleasant memory for him now."
Sarah smiled. "I wouldn't count on that. He's not the type to forget someone so quickly. You better be careful out there. He got to you once; he'll get to you again."
Alex's smartphone beeped, reminding her about her flight to San Diego. She waved for the check. "I better make my way back to LAX. It was good to see you again. I'm glad things are going well with you and Chuck."
Both women rose as the check arrived, which Alex promptly handed back with the payment and a tip.
"Thanks for lunch. Come out here more often, will you?"
Both women extended their hands and looked for a moment. They silently decided to give each other a hug. "Take care of yourself, Sarah. Give Casey some grief for me."
Sarah laughed. "I'm always happy to do that."
Both women exited the restaurant and headed for their respective cars. Sarah drove back to the Orange Orange, while Alex drove towards the airport. She thought about what Sarah said. She couldn't envision a situation where she would run into Jimmy again. Beckman was probably going to send him all over the world to do God knows what. It had only been 8 weeks since they were together, so forgetting about him was still out of the question. However, both of them had jobs that did not lend themselves to convenience or a personal life. It would take some crazy circumstance for the two of them to end up together again. But like Sarah said, never say never.
Naval Base, Coronado
January 6, 2011
8:15 PM PST
Jimmy Slade drove his rental car to the gates of the base and procured his ID for the guards. They let him pass with a very efficient salute and a crisp "thank you, sir," which Jimmy returned. He had to remind himself to do that a few times. It felt silly that they would be saluting him; they were the ones putting their lives on the line for the country. Jimmy should be saluting them.
He was able to slip into a restroom at the San Diego International Airport and put his formal Navy attire on. Field Prep Services was smart enough to include a placard with the uniform to show him where everything should be and how it should look. When he emerged from the bathroom stall, he made sure everything looked perfect. He practiced putting on the hat a few times to make sure he did it correctly. He was supposed to be a 15-year veteran of the Navy, and almost certainly that maneuver would be perfected by now to an actual Naval officer.
He exited his car by the Administration Building and walked inside. There were only one or two people on duty right now, but Admiral Carter was supposed to be in his office. A person at the front desk pointed out where his office was and called him as Jimmy walked down the hallway. When he got to the doorway of Admiral Carter's office, he stopped and saluted, his heels clicking in the process as he stood at attention.
"Sir."
Admiral Carter looked up from his paperwork and appraised Jimmy for a second. A slight smile came to his face as he returned the salute.
"Heels ain't supposed to click when you come to attention, son," Carter drawled with a thick Cajun accent.
Jimmy was the proverbial deer in the headlights. "Uh, I'm sorry, sir. I tried to practice…"
"Ah, hell. I'm just messin' with you, son. Come on in." Carter rose and extended his hand.
"Thank you, sir." Jimmy shook his hand but was still nervous as hell. He didn't know it was possible to trip over your own two feet just trying to greet someone. Thank God he never had aspirations of becoming a diplomat.
"Have a seat, Murdock." Jimmy sat down at one of the chairs in front of Carter's desk while he closed the office door. "Coffee? Soda?"
"No thank you, sir." Jimmy was getting well-versed at imitating rigor mortis while seated at the chair.
"Damn, son, you better learn to relax. You're so tight, when you fart only dogs can hear it."
"Sorry, sir. This is a bit of a new assignment for me."
"Hell, don't pull that humble shit with me, Murdock," Carter replied as he sat back down at the desk and held up a report. "Beckman sent me the file on you. Phenomenal job you did for us in New York. She thinks you're the next big thing in the Agency."
"Thank you, sir. But I'm surprised the CIA shared that much information with you."
"Ah, Little D and I go way back. Her first husband and I slid through a lot of mud as little piss-ant Marines stationed over in 'Nam in '71 and '72. He went straight, got into civilian life, and I decided to get myself educated at Annapolis to see what all those tight-ass officers had on me. Wouldn't you know it, you always become the thing you hate the most. But then, not a lot of people can say they've got 600 fine sailors and tons of floating steel at their command."
"Your reputation does precede you, sir."
"Little D tells me you're pretty good at the techno-crap and can hold your own out there in the field. I can't prove it, but I know someone has been messing with the computers here that control the new sonar array. Whoever it is, they're damn good at coverin' their tracks. I need you to get in there. Get this stuff in English for me, or at least a language I can understand. Makes me goddamn mad someone would do that on my boat."
"I'll find whoever is doing this, sir. Count on it."
"As far as anybody knows, you're with NSW. A commander's rank will get you access to almost every part of the ship and only a few of my officers are above you. But they've been with me for at least ten years. If they're not beyond reproach, what this bastard is doing is way smarter than any of them. It's gotta be someone in the crew."
"Yes, sir. Do you have a good starting point in mind?"
"Well, I'm hopin' you're not too jet-lagged flyin' cross-country. The NEX has a social tonight, and a lot of my crew will be there, since they only have an 8-hour liberty. Not enough time to be getting into trouble around town. Starts in 15 minutes, actually. Everybody has to be back on duty by 0200 hours. Gives you a chance to get to know some of the crew, maybe poke around a bit. Socially, of course."
"A good idea, sir. I will do that."
Carter pointed to the door. "Ensign outside has your billeting. They put you up in one of the hotels nearby. I told them to give you a nice one. Call it a thank you present for not letting New York get blown up. I would have gotten you LSU football tickets, but they're not on sale yet for this year."
Jimmy smiled. This guy was a character. "I appreciate that, sir."
Jimmy rose and saluted the Admiral, who retuned it. He turned and walked out of the office. He stopped by the front desk, where the ensign handed him an envelope with "Commander Purcell" written on it. He placed the envelope in his briefcase and pulled out the base map. The NEX was several buildings down, but it was easy to tell which building by the lights and all of the noise. He had to admit being rather fatigued, but work was work. This certainly wasn't tougher than trying to sleep on a wooden bench inside a Belfast pub while hiding a knife under his pillow.
Naval Base, Coronado
January 6, 2011
8:45 PM PST
Alex left the surveillance of Seo Chang-Hee to the local CIA office. After tailing him from the airport, he checked into a hotel along Interstate 5 and appeared to be making it an early night. The office would contact her if he made any calls, got online, or went out for the night. Chang-Hee was not a social man by nature, and he typically did not interact with people unless he had to.
Alex decided to do a little surveillance at Coronado off of Sarah's suggestion that Chang-Hee would be looking for data from the Navy. Certainly he wouldn't be crazy enough to go on the base; someone here had to be obtaining the information for him. It unnerved her that someone in the Armed Forces would commit treason like this, but some people had motivations in life that trumped honor and duty.
She wasn't expecting such a huge crowd.
There was information on the base's internal Website that there would be a social event tonight, but she assumed most people would blow it off. But clearly a simple DJ-and-open-bar event was enough to get people to attend. Perhaps they weren't giving off-base passes tonight. Fortunately, her midnight blue blouse and black skirt blended right in at the event. At the door, she showed one of her sets of credentials that would get her into almost any government function imaginable. She slowly took in the room. Most people were chatting amiably with drinks in their hands. A few were dancing to the type of music you might hear from a DJ at a wedding. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary.
Boy, did I speak too soon.
She stared across the floor. She could hardly believe what she saw. Like most women, a man in uniform was something of a turn-on for Alex, but she had been through enough in her life where she could take it or leave it. Often times, individuals in the Armed Forces were a bit of a hindrance to her work, although she certainly appreciated the one or two occasions where they extracted her from the danger zone.
Never in her wildest fantasies did she expect Jimmy to be standing there in the uniform of a naval officer. And looking insanely hot as well.
He hadn't noticed her yet. He appeared to be appraising the room. Judging by his stance and the way his slate blue eyes looked around, he was on some sort of mission. What he was doing, she was not certain. She even contemplated not going over there and letting him do his work. After all, she was here on reconnaissance, too.
Personal feelings won out. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. She tried for the last eight weeks to not think about him. But it was obvious why Chuck, Sarah, and even Casey had a special place in their hearts for him. He was pretty hard to forget. Especially in certain areas, the thought of which sent a tingle through her entire being.
Jimmy was making his way across the room, observing the crowd. The occasional person came up to him and saluted, which he efficiently returned. He spoke a few words with one or two of the officers on the base. His eyes looked across the room. He saw her. He saw her making her way across the floor to him. Alex noticed his facial expression didn't change when he saw her, but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
He had not forgotten one thing about her.
She met him in the middle of the dance floor. With a large crowd around her, she put on her best poker face and pretended she didn't know him.
"Commander Purcell, I don't believe we've met. Lucy Draper. I'm with TekTel Industries." Alex extended her hand, and she was amazed she hadn't changed expression.
For his part, neither did Jimmy as he shook her hand. "A pleasure, ma'am. Commander Paul Purcell."
The crowd around them paid no attention as a slower song began to play. Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Care to dance?"
A smile she hadn't felt in years drew itself across her face. "Of course."
She stepped quietly towards him, allowing him to take her hand as her other slid across his shoulder while he held her at the waist. She had to admit, it was taking most of her willpower not to rip his uniform off in the middle of the crowd. Judging by the look in his eyes, his self-restraint was being tested like it never had before.
"I gather you're working on a project," Jimmy intoned, trying to keep his language neutral in case anybody was listening.
"You could say that. I'm keeping an eye on a potential buyer."
"Well, then this is fortuitous. I might be looking for the people who are doing the selling."
Alex gave a slight laugh. Never say never is right, Sarah. "It would appear we're working the same project from opposite ends. Is there anybody here that stands out so far?"
"Nobody out of the ordinary," Jimmy replied.
Alex slid her arms around his neck and pulled him closer so she could whisper quietly in his ear. "There's a couple on your 7. Their talk does not look pleasant. They're doing what we're doing…trying to cover up a conversation we don't want others to hear."
As the two moved in time to the music, Jimmy spotted the couple to whom Alex was referring. "Yeah, I see what you mean. I think that's Lieutenant Hansen. He works in the CIC on the Stockton, but I didn't get a full file on him yet. It's as good of a place as any to start. Unfortunately, my people skills are limited to a couple of basic psychology classes back at Illinois 20 years ago. Not much of that happened during my training. Maybe they weren't expecting me to do as much infiltration."
Alex smiled. Still the same humble-to-a-fault Slade. "I wouldn't worry about it. This is a very open case right now. It's up to us to gather the intel. We already know who our buyer is, and you have the technical skills to sniff out the seller. For now, we'll just enjoy this dance."
Jimmy smiled. "I already was. I don't get to dance much."
"That's a shame. Male agents consider it a very overrated skill, but even I enjoy a guy who likes to dance."
The song ended, and the two agents looked at each other. It felt like the 8 weeks since they last saw each other fell away in an instant. To their credit, they stayed professional.
"Well, Miss Draper," Jimmy said with a bit of a light air about him. "I've been running on fumes for the last 12 hours, and I still have to check into my hotel. Did you care to head out and continue our discussion?"
She gave him a look. "I can do that. I would imagine you would want to get a little rest before your big day of work tomorrow."
Jimmy offered her his arm, which she took as they walked out of the room.
Loew's Hotel, Coronado
January 6, 2011
10:45 PM
Alex stood back in the lobby of the hotel as Jimmy checked in with the desk clerk. She wasn't sure how Jimmy got the reservation, but the hotel was certainly luxurious. He never struck her as the type who lived high off the hog, so she suspected someone called in some favors to get him a hotel this nice. Jimmy had mentioned the USS Stockton earlier, and the talk around D.C. was that their C.O., Admiral Carter, was something of an outsider when it came to the top brass in the U.S. Navy. However, they didn't despise him so much that they would punish him by making him sit at a desk in some office far away from the ocean.
Alex was checking her smartphone for messages from the San Diego CIA office for any new data, but none had come across. Jimmy walked up to her.
"I'm all set. We should probably discuss a few things before calling it a night, since we seem to be working on the same case."
Alex gave a slight smile. "Not a problem. Lead the way."
Alex and Jimmy arrived on the 16th floor of the hotel and proceeded down to his room. He unlocked the door and allowed her to enter. The room was a respectably-sized two bedroom suite. Alex took a look around at the room.
"I just hope the taxpayers don't hear about this."
Jimmy shrugged. "I just go where they tell me to go."
Alex laid her coat on a chair. "We'll talk to General Beckman in the morning. Clearly we know that North Korea wants to get their hands on Navy technology. We know our buyer, and now we need to find the seller and the product."
"Admiral Carter thinks one of his crew members might be selling the computer programs that control their new sonar array," Jimmy informed her. "Knowing how that thing works would be a boon to North Korea's military. Carter is guessing it is one of his mid-level officers, perhaps someone with access to the CIC and the systems on-board his ship."
"Very good. I wasn't expecting to work with you again, but I would trust you to keep our relationship professional while we're here, just like you did in New York."
"Not a problem, boss," Jimmy replied with a smile.
"Good."
"Good."
They stood there for a moment, looking at the quiet expressions on each other's faces. Suddenly, they lunged together, their lips meeting as Jimmy grabbed her and pressed up against her. Alex grabbed his head and held him tightly as she kissed him with a passion she hadn't felt since before starting this job. He pressed her up against the wall as his tongue eagerly found hers, her hair falling about their faces in a torrid display that didn't slow them down one bit. His hands reached up for her blouse.
"Wait, wait," she panted breathlessly. "I like this blouse."
Jimmy didn't break stride and ripped it off of her. "I'll buy you a new one," he growled fervently. His hand cupped her breast and he planted kisses all over her chest.
His hot mouth and eager tongue on her soft flesh made him instantly forgivable. "Ah, the hell with the blouse, just don't stop." She ran her fingers all through his hair and bit the top of his ear as he feasted on her luscious bosom. She wasn't certain if Jimmy could top his performance the last time they were together, but he was certainly acting as if he wanted to try.
She pulled his face back up to hers and penetrated his mouth with her tongue as she quickly unbuttoned his coat.
"You know," she whispered with considerable lust. "This is why I never dated anybody in the military. Too much effort to get their clothes off." Her fingers danced down the front of his rock hard torso to unbutton everything. She pulled the coat off of him and proceeded to work on his shirt and pants. He reached around to the zipper on the side of her skirt, pulling it down and letting the skirt fall to the ground. She got his shirt open and started kissing his chest.
"I swear, I think I've broken every rule in the book when it comes to you," Alex said as she tasted his salty skin with her tongue. "I think the old me would consider the new me crazy."
"I don't have all of the rules memorized. I'm still working on it." He held onto her and moved her up against the wall. "But I do have one rule now when it comes to sex."
Alex looked him in the eyes, barely able to stop long enough to listen. "What is that?"
She felt her panties sliding down to the ground. Jimmy had an intense look of desire.
"Ladies first."
He quickly kissed his way down her body and kneeled at her feet. He slid one of her legs over his shoulder. Alex fell back against the wall and closed her eyes. The feeling was beyond intense.
"That's…that's a good rule. Oh God, is that a good rule."
Her breathing bordered on hyperventilation. She didn't think he could bring his game up a notch since last time, and he still hasn't. He brought it up about ten notches. She grabbed his arms and put his hands on her breasts, not just to have Jimmy feel them, but to give her something she could hang on to. He was quickly making it impossible to remain standing.
"Ohhhhh, there is no way this will go unanswered." Her entire body began to shake as the feeling overtook her.
