Chapter 35 - Deserving of an Emmy

Lee woke with a sore neck. He reached up to support it and then realized that he had fallen asleep on his couch. He slowly sat upright while rubbing his neck until it felt better. He looked at his watch and saw that it was only 7am. That left him plenty of time to get ready for his meeting with Larisa. He took a long, relaxing hot shower to relief his tight muscles and then sat down with a hot cup of coffee. He really wasn't looking forward to this second meeting as he needed to be friendlier with her so that she didn't think anything was wrong.

At 8am, Billy called with a report on Agent Carew.

"Lee, it doesn't look good. Francine found a trail of money being deposited in Carew's account each month for the past 11 years. This money is always wired in and a little tricky to figure out where it originates from but Francine did enough digging to discover that it comes from a Swiss account that appears to have the KGB's fingerprints all over it. Francine was also able to find out that Carew actually has family in Russia. It seems that he travels back to visit them during his vacations."

"Well relatives don't mean much. The money part is definitely interesting though."

"Well these cousins are actually part an organization called The Night Owl Society. Have you ever heard of it?" Billy asked.

"I've heard of the group but don't know much about them."

"I'm surprised. They have been around a long time ago. It is said that they formed originally to spy on their own Government but as time went on, they evolved into a group that specializes in hacking computer systems. The KGB offered them a lot of money to switch to their side when they realized how dangerous they were. They do their work at night when things are quieter and usually are able to steal a lot of information before anyone realizes what is happening. We have had several breaches in our Navy and they have claimed responsibility."

"Can't we stop them?"

"No one has figured out a way so far. The computer geeks have been working on it for a few years now. Word has it that the Germans have even been hacked and they are close to having a software that can be installed that sets off an alarm when someone is trying to remotely access a computer system but it isn't ready yet. So these relatives are very dangerous and chances are that Carew is involved in their operations to some degree."

"Agreed. I can't wait to get him behind bars Billy. How is it possible that we have had a bad agent all these years and no one knew it?"

"Well no one suspected Dirk either."

"Yeah, that's true. Okay, well I better get going."

"Oh yes, your heavy date with Larisa. Lee don't do anything I wouldn't do with her." Billy said with a chuckle.

"Not funny Billy." Lee said as he hung up the phone.

SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK

It wasn't time yet for Larisa to arrive but Lee decided to go to the park a little early. It would give him a chance to check things out to make sure he wasn't walking into a trap. He arrived and looked around but didn't see anything out of place so he took a spot on the same bench where he had met her yesterday. At exactly 10, Larisa walked into the park. This time as she neared him, he stood up and smiled at her.

"Hi Larisa."

"Hi Lee. Were you able to do as I requested?"

"Let's walk" Lee said as he took her hand in his. They began walking into the park and Lee led her to a pond that was off to the side and somewhat private. He gestured at a park bench that faced the pond. They both sat down. Larisa turned her body so she was facing Lee while he looked straight out at the pond.

"Lee, please tell me that you are going to help me. I heard word last night that the KGB knows that I'm here and they are trying to track me down. If they find me Lee" Larisa paused for dramatical affect and then said "Well I'm sure I don't have to tell you what they will do to me."

"Larisa, all these plans take time, you know that. You haven't really given me much to barter with. Is there anything else you can share with me so I can try to get you into a safe house at least?

"Okay, I'll tell you what I know. Then you have to protect me. You just have to." She said in a desperate tone. Larisa got off the bench and began pacing in front of Lee.

"I was contacted when I first came here by a Mob Boss out of New York. He had acquired the guns from overseas and wanted to sell them to the highest bidder. Now I admit at first that I was tempted to use them as a way to get back into my Superiors' good graces but I really want to put that life behind me. I told him that I wasn't working with the KGB anymore and he got angry with me. He told me that he would hurt me if I didn't help him." By this time, Larisa had begun to cry. Lee couldn't believe the act she was putting on. She could win an Emmy at the rate she was going.

"I put him in touch with an old comrade friend of mine who was still in the country and told him that I didn't want to be a part of it. He told me that it wasn't an option as he needed me to help seal the deal. I helped make arrangements for the guns to be shipped here from New York and then hired a private plane to fly them from here to Munich where the Russians will take possession of them. Lee, I'm terrified that they intend to make me go with them. If I go back to Russia, they will kill me. You have to protect me Lee. My life really depends on it." She flopped back down on the bench beside him and rested her head on his chest while rubbing her hand absently up and down his chest. Lee put his arm around her like he was comforting her and before he knew it she took her hand and used it to pull his head down to meet hers. She kissed him passionately on the lips and then moved her lips to his neck and up his jaw. Lee was shocked that none of it caused any kind of turn on for him and soon he stopped her and said "I think that getting involved right now isn't a good thing. Let's wait until you are safe, okay?"

Larisa smiled at him and said "You know best. Can you help me Lee?"

"I have to talk to the agency and see what we can do for you. Now that I know a little more, maybe I can get them to agree to help you. Can I call you tonight?"

"I'll call you. I have to go meet with them this afternoon. I was hoping that you could protect me from that. Please hurry Lee. I don't have much time." She said as she gave him a sad dog look.

"I'll go with you." He said as he called her bluff.

Larisa's face suddenly changed and she immediately responded "No, you can't do that. If they think I've brought the agency into this, they will kill me right now. I'll be okay during this meeting. Just please help me to safety before I have to fly out tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Call me after 7pm tonight. I'll be waiting for your call." Lee ran his hand down her face in an intimate move. He was pretty sure she was buying into this whole act of his. She kissed his hand and then he pulled her to her feet and put his arm around her waist as he walked her back out of the park.

At the entrance of the park, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him another passionate kiss. After they broke off the kiss she said "Lee, I can't wait to be with you again. You know, I never cared about any of the men I used. You were different though. There was something special about you. Once I'm safe, I'll show you how much you mean to me, okay?"

Lee looked at her with dreamy eyes and said "Sounds good to me. Call me tonight, okay."

"Yes" She said and then she hurried away.

Lee stood watching her go. She truly was a cunning creature. She still thought that sex could get her what she wanted. He was starting to wonder if she was using him as an alibi. If she could say she was with Lee, then this whole thing couldn't be pinned on her. He decided to go back to the agency to see what else they had learned. It was also time to start laying a trap for Agent Carew

TBC