Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay between updates. Between work, vacation and voting, I have had no energy to review this chapter to make sure it was up to snuff. Thank you to everyone that has followed and/or reviewed. Enjoy!
Chapter 4:
Late Spring 2005
Dalton stood in the doorway of Andy's house and watched as she came down the hall in her cap and gown. It was graduation day, and Andy had been rock-solid after her aunt's funeral, but today, he knew would be rough. She looked fidgety and he was learning that it was her tell when she wanted to say something but didn't want to burden him.
"Its okay to miss them," he offered handing her a Kleenex from the hall table. She huffed out a laugh and swiped at her eyes.
"I'm kinda feeling pissed off," she confessed looking up at him feeling confused.
"Why?" He had a feeling he knew the answer, but she needed to say it.
"She was supposed to be here!" she snapped out angrily.
He was right. "Andy, she is here."
Andy nodded and accepted his words, even if it did nothing to calm her anger or her nerves about walking across the stage that afternoon. She picked up her car keys and Adam plucked them from her hand. "I'm driving today. You are going to relax and try to enjoy this." He smiled when she nodded and led her out the door. She opened the passenger side door of the truck and stopped short.
Adam had bought her a small white teddy bear and white roses with a balloon shaped like graduation cap that said congratulations. It had been Preach's suggestion when he had called the night before to give him details on his next meeting in DC. The look on Andy's face suggested it had been a good call. She picked up the bear first and rubbed the ears between her fingers. Then she picked up the half dozen roses that were laying across the seat. She quietly climbed into the truck and held them in her lap.
"Thank you," she whispered. She glanced up at him and gave him a smile. "No one has ever bought me flowers before." She added, her voice a little stronger.
"You didn't ever have a boyfriend buy you flowers?" he asked pulling out of the driveway.
"Never had one to buy me flowers," she replied matter-of-factly. "I was always busy working or studying and didn't really go on any dates like most people. I wanted to get out of this small town," she explained with a shrug. The more she got her mind off her mother, the more she relaxed.
"Most high school guys aren't brilliant anyway," he added with a grin. He wasn't sure if he was happy she'd never had a boyfriend or not.
As he pulled into the parking lot of the high school, that was rapidly filling with parents and students, he glanced over at his sister. It was amazing how in such a short time, she had become as important to him as his other sisters, his mother and his team. She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "You coming?" she asked as she slid out of the truck.
"How would you feel about spending a couple weeks with me in DC? I have to deploy soon and need to be there Monday morning. I figured maybe you could spend time checking out the museums and relaxing before you start classes in the fall." It was an impulse decision to ask her, but he felt like it may not be a bad idea to get her out for a short time. He did not want to leave her alone when he deployed without someone she could call for help.
"Can I think about it?" she asked as he came around the side of the truck. He nodded, and they began to make their way to the gymnasium where the graduation ceremony would take place.
Andy left him standing at the entrance to the gym while she went to join her classmates to line up. She mulled over his offer to go to DC for a short time before he deployed and wondered if she should work like she planned and start prepping the house to sell. Her aunt's insurance had paid off the house, so she only had to worry about paying off the last of the bills from the cancer, the utilities, and her own new bills. She had a job lined up at a local factory to work as an admin for the head of HR, but it was not what she really wanted to do. She thought of the many jobs she had seen listed in the DC area and thought about the idea of starting fresh in the city.
Monday morning, Adam threw her suitcase in the bed of his truck and they began the drive to DC and his place there. They were there in a matter of a couple hours and he watched as Andy's face lit up with excitement.
"I wanted to take you by to meet a few of the guys from my unit and their families. That way if you need anything and can't get in touch, you have other people you can contact." He stated as he led her to the one bedroom apartment he kept near base.
Andy walked into his apartment and was not surprised to see it sparsely decorated. It was very Adam. She smiled and set her bag beside the old beat up leather couch. "You do realize I don't need a babysitter, right?" she questioned glancing over as he shuffled through his mail.
"No, but you need an emergency contact when I can't be here," he responded before tossing the junk mail into the garbage.
"So, who am I meeting tonight?" she questioned as she spun her cell phone in her hand.
"Preach," Adam answered finally looking at her. She seemed calmer than he remembered, like she no longer had the weight of the world on her shoulders.
"I didn't take you for a religious guy," she responded with a raised eyebrow. Adam smiled indulgently.
"It is a well-earned nickname, Zeke Carter is his given name. His wife is Meredith Carter. You'll like her."
Andy raised an eyebrow at him instead. That evening, they pulled up at a small house with several cars parked up and down the street. Adam glanced at her and noticed her glancing up and down the street with her hands in her pocket. Head on a swivel, he thought to himself and smirked.
Andy Dalton took a deep breath and left her apartment for the day. She walked down the street and smiled at the people she saw nearly daily. The weight of her tail's gaze also followed her every step towards the school where she taught English as a second language to primary school students. In her line of work, it was rare to enjoy a cover as much as she enjoyed the one she was currently using. The tail made her aware of the danger that she was putting those students in by pretending though. It made her anxious to complete her mission.
When she walked in the school, it was the first time the eyes disappeared. Andy knew that her tail would remain outside the school in a dark sedan approximately one block away. His partner having left the vehicle unlocked and a hot cup of coffee waiting for him. She had turned the tables the day after she had first noticed the tail. He had been there for at least a week now.
During the field trip with her students, she had sent photos to her brother, knowing that he would question the fact that she was being followed after she didn't see him within 24 hours of her first call. Having worked with the DIA as an intern during college, she wasn't surprised that once voice recognition was used, her identity verified and the CIA attempting to break the code that had no meaning to anyone save her brother, it would be 48 hours before her brother would even be in route. It had been nearly 72 hours since the initial call, and she kept her eyes open for sign that he was there.
Dalton and team landed in Greece and immediately set out for a safe house near the school. Adam was anxious to get eyes on his sister and make sure that she was safe. Preach calmed his nerves reminding him to have faith that his sister knew how to take care of herself and that he had helped teach her how to keep a cool head when her life was on the line. Preach also reminded him, that his sister was deceptively lethal.
Once their gear was stowed, Adam laid out the plan to contact his sister. School was out in less than an hour and from reports, his sister usually stayed late to wait for students to be picked up from school. She would sometimes stay late to grade papers, but she never stayed later than one hour after the last child left the school.
Amir would make initial contact, posing as a parent of a perspective student. A private tour had been arranged for the end of the school day, and he would get her the safe house location. Preach was stationed with McG on a nearby rooftop observing the north side of the school where her classroom was located.
Amir dressed like an affluent businessman as they prepped his cover with pictures of a daughter, complete with school records. He was nervous about seeing Andrea again. "What are you thinking Amir?" Top questioned him as he straightened his tie.
"German, she knows the language, but not many here do," Amir responded having thought about his approach to testing her and letting her know she was no longer on her own. Dalton nodded agreeing with him.
"Run the cover story again," Adam ordered taking a deep breath and running a hand over his beard. Amir ran the story through, adding details to make it feel real. He ran through until Adam was satisfied it would hold up to scrutiny.
"How are we going to let her know big brother is in town?" Jaz questioned as she prepped her own gear. She and Top would be in a vehicle nearby to keep an eye on the main entrance of the school. They would stay far enough back that her tail would not notice them.
"And when does the fiancé come back in town?" McG questioned packing his rifle scope.
"Tonight, so we have to make contact immediately. I want her here tonight with at least an hour before Dimakos is on his way from the airport. His flight is scheduled to land at 2100 from London." Dalton answered reviewing the flight details for the fifth time.
Ten minutes later, McG and Preach were in place on a nearby rooftop and had found Andy's classroom. They watched as she moved around the classroom, instructing students, and looking relatively relaxed despite the fact that she had sent an SOS to her brother. She gave no indication that she was in any immediate danger, but there were a couple times they saw her pause at the window and look down at a dark sedan with a frown. She'd also briefly glanced up in their direction, McG was certain his scope had been hit with a reflection giving them away because she closed the shades partly after that.
Amir pulled up to park near the main entrance of the school as students began to pour out to greet their parents. He stayed in his car for five minutes before climbing out and making his way towards the entrance. When the school called to confirm his appointment, he had been instructed to look for a gentleman by the name Sandro Perro and he would execute the tour of the grounds and the classrooms. Sandro was a slight man with sandy blonde hair and gray eyes. He was probably in his mid-forties and had a receding hairline.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fischer," the man greeted him with a handshake. They exchanged pleasantries and the tour began with a brief tour of the outdoor facilities, including a blacktop area with varying lines painted on the surface for games. There were still students milling around chasing each other and laughing.
They moved inside and began a slow walk through the halls, Perro going on and on about the extensive curriculum. Amir remained engaged while taking note of the exits and glancing in passing classrooms. They reached the end of the hall on the north end of the building and the classroom that Preach had informed them was Andy's classroom.
"This is Ms. Andrea Weber's classroom. She would be Cassie's teacher should you choose to enroll her. Would you like to meet her?" Perro offered gesturing towards the partially open door.
Andy had heard the voices in the hall and went back to grading the papers of her students, pretending to be absorbed in her work. The door opened, and she finished her comment before looking up at the school administrator leading a potential student's father through the door. She stood and straightened her shirt, just as the man looked up at her with very familiar brown eyes.
Andy walked into the dorms feeling jittery and out of place. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves and glanced out the window as she ran into the back of a man with dark brown hair. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention," she apologized as he turned around and leveled her with chocolate brown eyes filled with hostility.
"Next time watch it," he muttered darkly before walking off. She frowned in annoyance at his attitude before shaking it off.
"Hey, what's your name?" she questioned following him. She was determined to not make enemies before they even started training. There was also something about him that intrigued her instantly.
He turned on her and she nearly collided with him again. "What do you care?" he demanded glaring down at her. It was rare that he was taller than people and he was using the height difference to his advantage, but this girl didn't seem to care.
"Look, I'm used to attitude from people, so get a new shtick," she answered before continuing, "I'm Andrea Turner." She stuck her hand out and hoped he would take it.
"Are you always this persistent?" he asked staring at her hand like it was covered in mud.
"My brother would say stubborn," she answered before beginning to withdraw her hand. He reached out and gripped her hand with warm callused fingers.
"Amir."
Amir drank in Andy's appearance, from the crisp white button-down blouse, the navy cardigan, and navy dress pants to the loose waves of raven colored hair, her blue eyes that had always been so distinct to him, but now he could see the family resemblance to his CO, and a carefully curious expression. He remembered then just how good an operative she was during their time together.
He watched her work the room of men with ease and managed to bug each and every one of their targets while he only managed to bug one person. It was a test and he was failing miserably. She walked over to him with curious eyes and asked him what was wrong.
"How do you do that?" he questioned glancing over his shoulder at the room while he sipped on a glass of soda water.
"What?" she asked also ordering a soda water. She turned and scanned the room with the blue eyes that reminded him of early spring days.
"Charm them all," he answered with honesty.
"Bubbly personality that is open and warm is like a bee to honey. They will tell you anything you want if you convince them you aren't a threat. They look at me and see some petite woman with big blue eyes and think I'm harmless. They don't even know I've spun the web until they are caught up in it and can't escape," she answered with honesty and without ego. She wasn't trying to hide who she was, but she also knew that helping people was her greatest talent and being kind helped people open up even when they didn't realize it.
"Ms. Weber this is Mr. Fischer, his daughter Cassie will possibly be joining us for the remainder of the school year," Perro stated as Amir reached out a hand in greeting.
Andy looked into those warm brown eyes that she knew so well and felt safe for the first time in weeks. She gripped his hand firmly and felt the paper he slipped between the knuckles of her fingers. She smiled warmly and turned to welcome him into the classroom. She went into full teacher mode and showed off the school's positives.
"Do you speak German?" she questioned him in Greek. He nodded, and she continued the conversation about what the students were studying currently in German. Perro knew that she also tutored German for the older pupils in the school and would not question her practicing on a man with a clear German accent.
"Do you study the constellations?" he asked her and watched as the meaning settled over her.
"The students are currently working on a project to find stories of the constellations that they see most nights. Andromeda and Pegasus are the most popular, along with Cassiopeia and Ursa Major," she answered with a warm smile as she moved to the constellation globe on her desk and pointed to each of the constellations. Her brother had received her message and come with the cavalry.
In the car two blocks away, Dalton listened over comms to the conversation between Amir and Andy. Jaz glanced at him with curious eyes as she watched the relieved smile spread over his face. He understood just enough German to know that Andy understood he had come to help. Jaz saw the tension bleed away and Top glanced over at her with the relief evident on his face.
"She's as good as he is," she commented with a hint of surprise and respect.
"I've never seen her in the field," Dalton commented, but Jaz could hear the hint of pride in his voice. "Her file came across my desk last year and was highly recommended, but she turned me down."
Jaz raised an eyebrow at him, "I thought siblings couldn't work together."
"They can't, but only Patricia knew she was my sister." Another piece of the Andy and Top puzzle fell into place.
Minutes later, Amir drove past them going in the opposite direction. They would rendezvous back at the safe house as soon as they knew Andy was on the move. Five minutes after Amir passed, Andy stepped out of the school and Adam breathed a sigh of relief seeing her with his own eyes.
"Top, there's her tail," Jaz observed as a man of medium height, weight and build climbed from a dark sedan about three blocks from their own position. They watched as she maneuvered through the streets and after a few minutes, picked up the follow.