NO SURPRISES HERE
Donovan sat the team down and gave them the details of their 'observers' for the next several days. Of course, none of them were happy about it. He didn't expect them to be, and figured they'd all throw in the towel if Jonella Paxton entered. Who else did he expect? A ruse was being developed right in front of his nose, a ruse that was supported by the FBI. The morning the reporters were expected, Donovan waited impatiently. Although he knew who it was, he was pissed off that she was keeping him waiting. It was what she did the entire length of their bizarre, but often explosive, relationship. He approached the coffee maker, desperately needing something to keep his hands occupied. If he didn't, he was afraid he'd start drumming his fingers against the conference table. Perhaps a coffee cup would offer just the right distraction. He poured his coffee and began to sip it thoughtfully. Every few seconds, he checked his watch, and then checked it again for good measure. He wasn't aware that his agents were watching him carefully, cautiously. He appeared to be a man anxiously awaiting something, perhaps the birth of a child. He was fidgety and agitated. Every now and then, he grumbled under his breath before taking a sip of coffee. He stared blankly at the door, wondering when the hell the reporters were going to show up.
When the door came open about five minutes later, Donovan set down his coffee cup and crossed his arms over his chest. He was readying to lay his eyes on Jonella Paxton. However, she wasn't the first to enter the room. He clenched his teeth together and fumed as he watched David Graham stroll casually into the room. Behind him [surprise, surprise], Pax entered carrying a large briefcase. The four agents seated around the conference table exchanged confused looks. Dear Lord Jesus. Was this monstrosity back to haunt them again? Donovan glanced at the team and warned them with his eyes to stay silent. Once the two were out of their sight, he would explain everything to them. Of course, that would happen after he and Pax had a nice little 'talk.' Without a word, Donovan unfolded his arms and reached for his coffee cup. He took a sip, but kept his eyes on her the entire time. She wasn't looking at him. Of course she isn't looking at me, because she lied. She knows what she's doing and has done it her entire career. There was no deprogramming, no new name, no new life, but there was the matter of the boyfriend. He was the only fixture that seemed real.
"So," Cody said, "Will this be like Cops?"
Donovan shot Cody a dark look before fixing his eyes on the intruders. He couldn't believe the anger rushing through him. It wasn't necessarily focused on Pax. It was rushing toward Graham. He wanted to tear the man apart and feed him to the sharks. Not exactly understanding why he wanted to play along with the game, he glanced at Pax before fixing his eyes on Graham again. "I suppose you're the team from the paper? I think before you do anything, I should set a few ground rules. Once that task is accomplished, one of you will follow Agents Shaw and Cross while the other stays here." He glanced at the table of agents. "Give us about twenty." When the room cleared, Donovan ached to remove Pax from the room, to isolate her from David Graham. The more he looked at the man, the more he hated him. He paced around the table and then went back over to the coffee maker. He took another sip from his cup, found it drained, and nearly reached for the pot again. Not such a good idea. I'm already jumpy enough. "I think I'm acquainted with you both," he began. "You'll sign your waivers, turn them in to me, and I'll ensure they reach the DOJ. For reasons unknown to me, they think your presence here is a good idea. I disagree with that. However, it seems as if I have no control over that. As far as who follows whom, you may fight that out amongst yourselves." He fixed his eyes on Graham. "But I'm sure Jaeleah will be more than happy to tell you that I can be a bit of a bastard." He turned and moved toward the coffeemaker again; Pax and Graham exchanged a look. He poured a cup of coffee and set it before Pax. "I made it especially for you," he said without taking his eyes off her face.
Pax eyed the coffee cup. "No thanks, Agent Donovan. I gave up caffeine a month ago."
He nodded. "Yes, that's right, that along with other things." He didn't approach the table. Instead, he leaned against the low counter and faced them. "I have a few basic ground rules I insist that you follow. Break one of them, and I send you on your way. You will not hinder the work of my agents. When they're in pursuit, back off. When they enter a secured location, don't follow them. Don't do anything that jeopardizes either yours or their lives. Back off and let them do what they're trained to do. You will not use their names or likenesses for any reason. Any time you write an article, take a note, or breathe on the notepad, if it doesn't meet my final approval, it hits the shredder. Keep in mind that you're here to interview and observe, not to shadow. If you think you can follow those ground rules, fine. If you cannot, I will show you to the door right now." He moved away from the counter and glared at them. "Make your decision. I'll be back in five minutes."
The moment he left them alone, Pax picked up the coffee cup and drained it in one large gulp. She knew this idea sucked, but no one gave her any credit for having enough brains to see it. For God's sake, she knew what she was talking about. She stood and approached the coffee maker and poured a second cup. She didn't give it a minute to cool before she gulped it down. She banged the empty cup onto the counter and turned to stare at Graham. The smug little fucker was grinning at her. His chin was in his hand and his eyes were sparkling wickedly. For weeks, he had been trying to figure out her tie to Donovan, and by the look on his face, she thought he might have it worked out. If he said one errant word, she'd stomp his ass here and now. Pax approached the conference table and sat down. She noticed that Graham hadn't lost the smile either in his eyes or on his face. He was getting a hell of a kick out of this. He had yet to say a word, and she thought he probably knew better.
"I don't think your friend likes me much," Graham said, his voice muffled against the palm of his hand. "How much does he know about us, J.E.? Does he think we're dating or lovers or something? I know that's what Dicky wanted us to do at the office, but outside it, with your pal? What have you told him about us?" He didn't receive an answer, so he prodded onward. "Since Agent Donovan doesn't tend to like me much, I think I'll tag Cross and Shaw. They might not try to melt me with their radioactive eyes." He patted her hand. "It's okay, J.E., I know you're sweet on him."
When this assignment is over, you and I are going to meet at a boxing ring, D.G., and I'm going to pound your ass into the pavement. "Bite me, you putrid little fucker." Her words didn't seem to offend. In fact, if they had, she wouldn't have given a damn. The prick was probably afraid to be around Donovan. God. How in the hell could they get out of this assignment? What would it take? How long would it be before Donovan beat the truth out of her? "Cut the shit, okay? I'll follow him, but I can't promise how long I can keep my mouth shut. If he asks, I'll have to tell him. You know that, don't you?" She glanced down at her watch, realized that she had a couple of minutes. She used them well. She slammed down another cup of coffee and wished desperately for a cigarette.
Five minutes on the dot, Donovan came down from his office and faced the two agents. He noticed that Pax immediately diverted her eyes elsewhere. It was fine with him. As soon as he could get her away from Graham, they were going to have a long talk. She had fed him a good line of bullshit about not knowing of the assignment, but inherently, he had known she knew everything. He wasn't surprised one tiny bit that she had shown up. In fact, if he hadn't seen her, he might have fallen out on the floor. He crossed his arms over his chest and gazed down at them. "Your decision?"
Defiantly, Pax gazed up at the bastard. "We'll do whatever you want, your Lordship. David has decided to take Shaw and Cross. Guess who you get stuck with?"
He shook his head and chuckled bitterly. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Prick," she grumbled.
"I heard that," he growled back.
"Do you think I care what you heard?"
"No, Pax," he said flatly, "you've never cared to hear what I'm truly saying."
Pax didn't want to hang around the nest any longer than necessary, so immediately after they announced their decisions, she tried to escape. However, she didn't quite make three full steps before Donovan's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She tried to wrench it out of his hand, but he refused to let go. The only way he might was if her arm fell off. Giving up the fight, she allowed him to drag her upstairs to his office. She said nothing as he whirled around to face her. She parked her ass on the edge of his desk and crossed her arms. She watched as he paced in front of her for a bit before finally stopping. Today, she wore flats and he took advantage of the height difference [as he had done a billion times] to glare down at her. He was so angry he didn't exactly know where to begin. He was partially relieved to note that she had 'chosen' him while Graham went another way. He didn't think he could control himself if he had to hang around the smug bastard who was now her lover. He wanted to shake her, to demand of her what the true deal was, and of course, there were other thoughts swirling in his head. He loved her, wanted her, and needed her back in his life. He hadn't realized how much until she left him a month ago.
Donovan stopped in front of her. "What is it," he finally asked. "What are you doing? Do you think I believe for one moment that you're not working in some capacity? You're no damn reporter, Jonella. That story was weak, even when I didn't have any suspicions. I have never had a request to allow reporters to follow and observe my agents until now. I find it a coincidence that my own superiors supported it and heavily recommended that I follow the suggestion to do it. You can believe that I fought it with everything I had in me. So, tell me, Pax. What's the real deal? Is this some type of CIA thing? Are they using you to draw me and the team in to solve another of their problems?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, her eyes meeting his. "You can't use your hurt and jealousy to cloud your mind and create such vivid fantasies. I'm here as part of an assignment. You wonder why it was I? Has it dawned on you that I might be good? You've read my shit, haven't you? So I was sent down because I can write. Is that so hard to believe? You always expect the worst of me, Frank, and it hurts. Why can't you believe anything I say?"
"Because you've proven time and time again that you would not know the truth if it bit you on the ass. You're crazy for asking something like that. Perhaps if you had stayed behind a month ago, I might feel differently right now. But I don't." He approached her and took hold of her forearms. It seemed to be his favorite grabbing spot. "Tell me, Jonella. I know something is going on. If it is, I'll be much easier on you now than I will if I have to find out by other means. If you had come back and stayed, then went on to be deprogrammed or some shit, I might have a different opinion. You didn't stay, Jonella. You gave me a hasty acceptance to a marriage proposal and ran off, only to leave a note. When you come back, you expect me to take your story at face value and act as if nothing has happened. I think that should cover all the bases, don't you? If Miami had never happened, I wouldn't feel so cheated, but it did." He released her arms and backed up. He shook his head. "I'm completely off track now. Thank you, Jonella. Fucking tell me what you're doing and why you're dragging your boyfriend along for the ride."
Her eyes flashed angrily. "Wouldn't my story make even more sense now that David is here with me? Would I drag him along for the ride? Would I?"
"Stop deflecting me," he said bitterly. "When I try to steer you toward the true matter, you want to distract me with this shit. However, since we are talking about him, I have another question in mind. How could you be with him? How could you be with anyone? If it had happened before you came back to me that night at my apartment, I could have understood. You've never been stable or static. But you did come back. You've never done that before, so I know it had to mean something to you. I refuse to believe it didn't. I knew it, saw it, and felt it." Donovan turned away from her and ran his hand thoughtfully over his mouth. If he didn't stop looking at her, he thought he might take her right here on the floor. After collecting himself, he turned back around and took his usual 'forearm grabbing' stance. "Tell me, Jonella. Tell me everything you know, tell me what you're doing. Tell me why you're here, like this. Don't lie to me; don't feed me bullshit. Just tell me."
She gazed up at him steadily. "I'm a reporter with the Chicago Call. My name is Jaeleah Paxton. My boss sent a partner and me here to follow your special team of agents. We are to observe and interview until you receive a priority case. I am to give you my notes each day for your approval. David will be with Agents Cross and Shaw while I stay with you, Forrester, and Davis. We are to tow the line or you'll kick us out."
Donovan sighed and released her. "Jonella, goddamn you. Do you realize what you're doing to me?" He stepped back and jerked his head toward the door. "Get out. I need a few minutes alone. If you want to work with us, report back here at six a.m. promptly. If you're not here, you'll be left behind."
* * *
Pax went home immediately after the 'meeting' with Donovan and his agents. Their conversation had literally worn her out. She went immediately to her liquor cabinet and found her favorite bottle of vodka. She unscrewed the cap and turned it up, drinking deeply. She rarely drank the shit straight from the bottle anymore, but she needed it. Every word Donovan had uttered was the truth. He knew her better than anyone did. She longed to tell him what was truly going on, and that Graham meant nothing to her, but she couldn't. She couldn't say a damn word until Dicky was satisfied. After that, hell on earth would arrive. If Donovan didn't feel betrayed now, he surely would after the truth was told. Sighing deeply, she screwed the cap back onto the bottle and put it away. She suddenly found her beloved vodka distasteful. She needed bed, but she wouldn't sleep. Jesus. She hadn't taken a serious lover in years. She had had various relationships here and there; mostly they were flings. However, things with Donovan had gotten serious very quickly. Her bed had never seemed emptier, her heart never so vacant. She loved him, she truly, truly loved him, but she had royally screwed up, and there was no way out of it. It was in her to screw up, though, it was what she expected would happen. A thousand times she wished she had boarded that plane instead of coming back to Donovan's apartment. If she had done that, her life wouldn't be so complicated.
There was one thing Jonella Paxton had never liked and that was complication. It was why she had stayed away so long, why she had never pushed with Donovan back in the jungle. She hadn't wanted to become enmeshed into another man's trap, not after Ahiga. Yet, she had also never really loved the fuck as much as she loved Donovan. She stripped down and fell onto her bed. Why had she taken the mission? As she had thought before, she had plans mapped out before her, and was intent on seeing them through. She didn't find the idea of sharing her life with Frank Donovan disgusting at all; in fact, she had actually wanted to be with him. When Dicky made the offer, she could have refused. One thought stopped her. You and Donovan? Married? Oh please. Oh please had been right on the money. She wasn't a woman who would do well married. It had never been bred into her to want it. Even when she became pregnant, she had never given marriage a second thought. After all, the cold fucker had supposedly been married already. She thought of Donovan's little girl. How long had she actually spent with the child? In Miami, she was around her quite a bit, but Anastasia Donovan hadn't known what to make of her. It seemed as if the child sensed her fear of ever loving a child again and had given her plenty of room. She wasn't afraid of Pax and had often climbed up into her lap, but she was a loving child, one who enjoyed hugs and kisses. Pax didn't know if she had it in her. There were so many factors stacked up against it, and he was too stubborn to see it. He was an idiot and soon enough, he would see it as she did. If not, she wouldn't mind beating it into him.
Another meeting was scheduled with Dicky in a few days, and she was going to beg him to take her off this case. Graham would be fine without her. He was a capable, cocky young agent. They did not need her. She would quit the job, vacate her office and apartment, and then go back to Miami. She should have fucking stayed there, shouldn't have let Donovan creep into her heart so thoroughly. Damn him, but once he took hold, he sunk his talons in, and wouldn't let go easily. She turned to her side and gazed blankly at her closet. She raised her left hand up and shifted her eyes to the silver band. It was a cheap thing, he had probably spent no more than ten bucks for it, but it never left her finger. It meant so much more to her than she cared to admit and she'd never take it off. It would have to be pried from her corpse. It was a silly thing, but it tied her to him in a way that she had never been tied before.
* * *
It was midnight and Donovan had yet to make his way home. He sat kicked back at his desk, thumbing through the evening edition of the paper. He skipped over Pax's stuff and skimmed an article here and there. What purpose would a CIA agent serve at a city newspaper? Could she be telling the truth? He shook his head. Impossible. It wasn't that he doubted her writing ability, but something was not right. He wondered if she'd ever tell him. Of course she won't. She won't tell you a damn thing, because she's Jonella fucking Paxton. She is continually pushing your buttons and you're continually allowing it. Goddamn it. He loved her and he wanted to be with her, but it didn't add up. Jesus.
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To be continued…