She was somewhat relieved Auggie had called off the date for that night. She was finally over her wine hangover but was thinking she needed to drop by a package store and pick up some Sazerac brand of Rye Whiskey and Macallan Scotch 18 for her and Eyal to drink. There she was, planning on spending time with Eyal. Her burn cell phone rang, the one she uses with Henry, Christine and Eyal.
Christine, "Are you free tonight, I need some help with checking on a lead I just got?"
"Yes, I just became free, Auggie is out of town."
"Good, put on an evening grown, we are going to a black tie event at the Russian embassy. I'll have my driver pick you up at eight."
Annie put on the mauve one shoulder grown with crystal accents. It was the same grown he had worn in Paris, her second meeting with Eyal. She look in the mirror, her hair was pulled back the same way she had fixed it that night in France but now with soft curls falling around her face. Eyal keep coming back to her mind, how dashing he looked in a tuxedo. Focus Annie, you are on a mission with your handler, focus now, be smart.
A 2011 Bentley Continental with New York plates arrived at eight o'clock and a tall will built driver opened the door for her to be seated beside Christine. Christine was stunning in an ice blue lace grown that brought out the tinkling color of her blue eyes.
"Annie I want you to meet Jack Walters, ex-CIA; our handler and back-up for tonight."
"Hello Annie, you are looking very attractive tonight."
Annie, "Thank you Jack, glad you are with us." Annie in her mind knew that Jack Walters was a man that could take out hold army with one blow, yeah she felt safe."
Christine quickly reading Annie in on the mission background, "There has been some adverse chatter about Charles Mulhare, Chief of Staff for the Director of National Intelligence. We think he is a double agent and will be here tonight. We need to see who he meets with. There may be some type of arms movement pact made tonight, need to know who is connected. Here, hide this pin within your crystals, you wore the perfect dress to camouflage a tiny camera."
Annie, "How do I take a picture?"
Jack, "You don't, I have control and when I see something, I will get the picture. All you have is to walk, observe, talk, be charming and beautiful, you already have the last two covered."
"Are all you tall, good looking ex-agents this charming?"
Jack with a boyish grin, "Thankful I still have the touch."
Christine, "You like my diamond and spphire bracelet? Just the right angle for holding champagne glass. Wide angle camera, if there is any trouble inside, Jack will know it. Here is you invitation, Mary Elizabeth Hall of Marsh Remy & Company, dealers in breathtaking jewelry and gems. Also here, ear pieces so we can hear Jack."
Annie, "And you are..."
"Katherine Combs, exporter of fine antiques from Brighton, England. Been my cover for years and never burned."
The ladies entered the great ballroom, soft music was playing when a waiter presented them with Champagne. They divided to work both sides of the room.
"Okay ladies, things are looking good, Mulhare is just arriving, Annie you pick him up. He is the older white headed gentleman with a dreadfully young brunette on his arm, huh... she wearing red." Jack's voice in her ear. This was very high tech intelligence gathering, something the DPD didn't have and she was loving it. She found Charles Mulhare and a young model type girl on his arm, being greeted by Ivan Denisov of the Russian FBS.
"Walk around to the left of them, good, got it. Now I need a clear shot of the girl." Jack's voice was giving Annie instructions.
"Good girl, drift into the wood work and keep an eye on him." Jack was good at handling Annie.
About 20 minutes later, Jack's voice came back into her ear.
"There is a man near the Champaign fountain talking to an Arab in his native dress, need a shot of them." Jack was back to working Annie again.
She moved to the fountain and found her targets, she picked up an empty glass and move even closer to them. She filled her glass from the fountain, turned and lifted her glass to them. They looked at her and nodded with pleasant smiles.
"Nice work girl, need more like you in the field." it was Jack being her cheerleader, it also gave her reassurance that she could handle more then what the DPD had to offer her.
"Annie, need you back on Mulhare again, looks like a deal maybe going down... That's the girl, walk a little to your right... hold it." Jack was very good at giving instructions. "There you go lady, Mulhare's deal was a prostitute pass off. That's how one wheels and deals in the world of big crime."
After three hours of mixing and mingling, Jack's voice came on line, "Nice work ladies, we have some good stuff here so let's call it a night, Cheeseburgers anyone."
Jack pulled the Bentley in front of the embassy, opened the door for Christine while a doorman at the embassy opened the other door for Annie. Inside the car, Annie and Christine took off their cameras and ear pieces and placed in a metal case on the back seat. After about 15 minutes of driving, Jack pulled the Bentley in front a small dinner just on the edge of the city, Papa Joe's, open all night.
"Okay ladies, cheeseburgers, fries and beer, I'm buying for a super job, well done. Love working with professionals." Jack took the metal box and his lap top and locked them in the trunk. Annie looked around, there were some very expensive cars and limousines parked in the lot and a couple arm guards standing nearby.
"What is this place, can't be just a diner." Annie asked.
Jack, "It a chauffeur's gathering place, the guards are to protect the expensive cars while we lower working class enjoy the best burgers in town. Also a good place to gather information on the upper crust of Washington."
Christine, "I've been here a few times and Jack's right about the best burgers in town, come on I'm hungry after all the mixing and mingling, that's hard work to keep a smile glued on your face for three hours."
Cheeseburgers, fries, apple pie and beer, Annie was stuffed and somewhat tired. Christine was pleased with the smoothness of the operation and thanked Jack for giving a hand.
Jack, "We should have all the ID's and intel for you by late Monday if that is alright."
Christine, "Yes it is and thank Mark again for his help and of course you."
Jack talking on his cell, "Sure I can tell them, Mark says you are welcome, any time." Christine smiled, knowing Mark is the mastermind and had been eavesdropping and watching from afar. Annie was confused but knew not to ask questions.
That night at home, Annie was starting to think about a transfer out of DPD, trying to move up to a more sophisticated department like International/Oversea Operations. Try and move into more undercover agent work, not asset escorting and brush passes. Her last thoughts - she and Eyal seem to find themselves in the most dangerous predicaments while working simple missions.