Note: None of these characters are mine, all belong to Covert Affairs writers and USA.
Here's a different take on Ryan's invitation to Annie to join him at the Awards Dinner. . .
The next morning. . .(after dinner was cut short at the Campbell home)
Ryan was already keeping close tabs on the DPD's investigation into Chicago as well as the NCTC's task force investigation. He used his contacts to find out the latest intel that the DPD had uncovered. A phone call came through early the next morning. He learned that the DPD had been asking around about an NSA employee. He didn't have a name himself, but he knew the person had ties to the Special Collections Division. Those guys were scary and McQuaid knew the types, he had employed a few people who left the NSA to work as his operatives, he decided to try to find out the name of the guy Annie was after. Perhaps this was the linked to his leak. Borz must have given up something for Annie to go on. The more he thought about it the more he feared that Annie was headed for trouble. He and the operatives with him in Maracaibo knew about her collapse. The other men weren't in the room when he heard the diagnosis from his doctor, so in effect, he and the doctor were the only one who knew her condition. But the NSA, those guys were scary and if this guy worked for Special Collections, he could easily track Annie, tap her phones, and hack into her accounts. He might know about her condition. He decided to pay Annie an early morning visit.
Ryan made another phone call, he needed to speak to Allan Langer, one of his trusted operatives who hailed from the NSA and who was also a former Special Collections agent. He wanted to pick his brain about who could possibly be discontent and capable of leaking government secrets. The call went to Langer's voicemail. Ryan arrived at Annie's home. He took a deep breath because he knew he'd encounter resistance. He had her gun in his car, at least he still thought of it as her gun, he grabbed the package from the passenger seat and walked up to her apartment.
/ /
A strong knock sounded as Annie continued her early morning workout. She was naturally cautious as she wasn't expecting anyone at seven in the morning. She used her teeth to rip off the Velcro on her mitt. She saw through her window that it was Ryan McQuaid and immediately rolled her eyes. She took a second to wipe the sweat off her brow and opened her door.
"You're up, I was afraid I might wake you."
"Why are you here Mr. McQuaid? Do I need to move because I just moved in and really don't want to pack and unpack again."
He chuckled. "No, you don't need to move."
"I'm here on business so you can relax. Can I come in?"
Annie hesitated for a moment, then motioned him in with her one still gloved hand. She took off the glove and tossed them onto her kitchen island. She stood looking at McQuaid with one hand on her hip and said, "So what business did you contrive?"
He grinned, enjoying her discomfort.
"Two things, if you're working on what I think you're working on, you will need this."
He put the gun case down on her kitchen island and slid it closer to her while he studied her in her exercise gear. Her hair was in a ponytail, she had no make-up on, but the beads of sweat on her forehead and upper lips told him she was in the middle of a pretty hardcore workout. He noticed as he had in Venezuela, her slender and muscular upper body. Annie looked up from the package he slid over and met his eyes.
"Please take it. It's not a gift, it's a loaner, until you get one yourself."
"I'm getting one soon."
"Sure how long is the CIA going to take to get you a permit to carry on U.S. soil. You're really not supposed to use one in your capacity as an operative anyway. Take it until you get one, I'm serious Annie."
She studied him, she was good at reading people. "What do you know?"
"Nothing other than you're treading in dangerous territory if you're after a member of the NSA."
Her eyes narrowed as she tapped her index finger on the gun case.
"Okay, you'll get it back when I get my own gun. You said two things. . .what else?" asked Annie as she went to pour water. She grabbed a second glass and offered it to Ryan. He thought he must be charming enough so far if she was offering him water.
"There's an awards dinner tonight, I'd like you to accompany me to it."
Annie started laughing. It was a hearty and genuine laugh and though it was at his expense he enjoyed hearing it.
"What's so funny?"
"You've got balls, I'll give you that McQuaid. You're asking a woman to a formal event the morning of said event? That says something about the company you keep. You better call a service if you need a last minute escort because I'm not that sort of girl."
She drank her water.
"Look, I didn't think I'd be in town for this, I sent Arthur to represent McQuaid Securities, but it turns out that I have important people to connect with at this dinner. It all came up suddenly and I don't use escort services," said McQuaid slightly hurt. He didn't like that she lumped him in with other bad boys of the private military business.
"Oh, but it's all perfectly acceptable for men in your line of work, I read the papers."
"Then you'll know that my firm has not be implicated in any of those shenanigans."
Annie laughed, "We've had a couple of conversations about not mixing business and pleasure haven't we? Were you there or was I imagining them?"
"This is all business. You can use your time to there to cozy up to the higher ups in the NSA, maybe even DIA, and I can introduce you to other high level contacts who may or may not be fruitful to your investigation."
"Why are you throwing me a bone? What's your angle here?"
"None, just want to show you and the DPD that my firm is happy to help where we can."
Annie, "No, I can't go with you."
"You can't or you won't?" asked McQuaid.
"Both, I'll be working anyway."
"What are you working on?"
"Shit McQuaid, you know I can't say."
He peeked around her sparse apartment and liked her style. It was industrial, no soft or feminine touches, no prints, no pictures. It was completely uncluttered.
"If you need something to wear, I can have a few gowns and shoes delivered in a matter of hours."
"What do you think this is a scene from Pretty Woman? No, I don't need something to wear and if I did, I certainly could procure it myself. I'm not like the woman you're used to keeping company with McQuaid."
Shit, thought Ryan to himself. He offended her and that was the last thing he meant to do. He wasn't used to being around a woman he liked. Even though he was always confident and cocky, she made him nervous at times. It reminded him of how he acted when he courted his late wife. But he was barely a man then, he should be more sure footed at this stage in his life, but something about this woman caused him to stumble.
"Annie, I didn't mean for it to come out that way, of course, you can. . ."
She cut him off.
"It's time for you to go," said Annie firmly. She caught him looking around and it unnerved her that he was getting a glimpse into the personal life she guarded. She walked to her door and opened it. "Now, McQuaid."
He nodded, "Look, I didn't mean to offend you. I'd like to think that we can be friends one day. We just had dinner last night with mutual friends, our paths are bound to cross again. And I'd like to think you're not one to rush to judgment about people. I'm not the asshole you think I am."
"The people I call my friends are few and they are people I've known a lot longer and people I trust to tell me the truth."
"You can trust me," said Ryan.
"Trust is earned in my book and not given freely. Please don't come here again. I'll return the gun as soon as I can."
"Please be careful Annie." His words concerned her, what did he know wondered Annie. She couldn't let him inside her head, she couldn't let him spook her.
"The only person I need to be careful of is you," said Annie with a smile. "Good-bye Ryan."
