PART 2

Her cover: US attaché. Her mission: infiltrate a highly organized International Criminal Organization and shut down a terrorist group.

"Heddy, you have got to be kidding me. Please tell me that this is just a big joke." Riley is holding the fabric as if it is a snake about to pounce her.

Riley is a good Agent. Hell she is an amazing Agent if she say so herself. She's almost always done things by the book. She even agreed to this mission without blinking an eye, but there is no way she will be forced to play "sexy" attaché. Riley will play the part but she cannot and would not do sexy.

"My dear, I can guarantee you that this is no joke. How can you think of a fitted mini by Valentino a joke?"

"Heddy, I don't wear skirts or dresses or anything that has frills. I don't do sexy. I don't know how Ms. Covette thinks that I can pull this off."

"Why don't you run along to her office and ask her?"

Yeah right. Like she can honestly do that. Of course she can but then again she probably won't have a job the next day.

"Agent Matthews, I suggest you start working on your confidence and while you're at it you should also work on your sense of style. Go along now. You wouldn't want to keep SSA Coomber and Assistant Director Lt. Gen. Howington waiting."

Sexy. Why can't she be a plain Jane US attaché instead? One who wears pants and blazers all the time? How can she possibly work efficiently wearing skirts and dresses?

"Riles! You better hurry up. Assistant Director Lt. Gen. Howington and your new boyfriend just went into Ross' office." Riley was about to snap at Maya when she saw Ross looking at her as if to tell her to get her ruffled self in his office asap.

"Sir, I'd like you to meet Agent Matthews."

"Good Afternoon Assistant Director Lt. Gen Howington."

"Please call me Jack. My title together with my name is a mouthful. And this here is Lucas Friar."

Today is definitely not her lucky day. Lucas Friar. The Lucas Friar? Philippines' No. 1 actor who was also described as the best looking male in the country. What is this guy doing here? Suddenly, Maya's barb about a supposedly boyfriend came into mind. Oh no. No. No. No.

Riley heard someone clearing their throat and as she looked up she saw Ross glaring at her and then looked down on the extended hand of Lucas Friar. Shoot. In her moment of stupefiedness she missed Lucas Friar's handshake. Awkwardly she took the man's hand and shook it.

"Have the two of you met before?" That was Assistant... Jack who asked the question.

"No sir. But I do know who Mr. Friar is. I started doing research about the Philippine culture and a friend has cable and one of its channels televises Filipino shows."

"I see. So which one of his shows do you like the best?" now it was Ross' turn.

Great. Now these men will think that she is a groupie of some sort. "I haven't seen any of his shows but my friend filled me in on who is who in the Philippines."

"That's good. Your knowledge might come very handy. I don't need to state the obvious; you must have gathered by now Agent Matthews that your cover will involve Lucas."

"Yes sir, but what exactly is Mr. Friar's involvement in this operation?"

Ross cleared his throat and said "You will act as Mr. Friar's new love interest."

"By that you mean I'll pretend to be his girlfriend? Couldn't I just be his Personal Assistant or just plain friend?"

"Lucas already has an Assistant and no one will believe that you two are just plain friends. It'll be less complicated if you appear as lovers."

Less complicated? Sure it'll be less complicated for them, but for her? These men obviously do not know anything about her family, specifically her dad. She still haven't figure out how she'll tell her family about her newest assignment and now she'll also have to include the information that her assignment will involve an actor, an actor who will be her pretend boyfriend in a foreign country. This will be whopper to explain to her parents.

"Jack. Maybe Agent Matthews has a point. Maybe we can just say we are friends. It'll probably be more believable." And with that Lucas Friar looked at her from head to toe.

Of all the nerve. Okay, she had to admit that she doesn't look her best. She was dressed in the sort of suit most field agents wore - dark, nondescript, the kind meant to draw no attention - she tried to smooth the wrinkles of her suit and tucked a few errant stands of her hair back into no-longer-neat braid but what can one expect when she just came from a grueling night trying to catch a serial killer combined with a three hour drive from Virginia. She would have freshened up a bit but Heddy saw her and took all her spare time before this meeting.

"No. There will be too many questions if you say that the two of you are just friends. Your cover had been set, let's leave it at that."