CHAPTER 3
Nadia finished her phone call with Marshall in under a minute while Jack was still on the phone, not really talking other than the occasional yes and good. Rachel was obviously going on about something and Nadia could have sworn that her business had ceased being about work after the first sentence.
Jack notice the look of disdain on the face of Nadia and told Rachel he'd return momentarily and she could finish her point a bit later. Whatever Rachel was rambling on about wasn't worth getting scolded by the woman he loved.
"What was wrong with Rachel this time? She needed help accessing a file or wanted a second opinion about a mission? And you are of course the only one that can help her, right?" Nadia said in more jealous tone than she had wanted. She hadn't considered herself a jealous person in the least, but something about the way Rachel shamelessly flirted with Jack triggered a very jealous region in her brain. She wasn't this bad when other women came in contact with him, only when the leggy blonde was around.
"She needed for me to show up for the photos. I didn't really listen to her all that much with you standing there looking this beautiful. We have approximately 5 to 10 minutes before we have to report back, so I suggest we use that time wisely," Jack replied taking her lips captive once more.
"What photos? Is Marshall once again taking pictures for one of his albums?" Nadia asked as they finally parted and she had turned to face the mirror to check the status of her make-up. She needed to freshen up, currently she looked thoroughly kissed.
"The photos are for the mission. We are taking fake wedding- and honeymoon shots to help build our cover," Jack said and kissed her on the cheek before exiting the bathroom in a quick fashion. He thought it was best for his safety not to stick around to see what his tempestuous girlfriend did when his sentence fully sank in.
--
"Lauren, can I talk to you for a minute?" Michael Vaughn said when he noticed that his ex-wife and girlfriend had stopped their chat that had made him very uncomfortable.
"Sure Michael." Lauren responded a little surprised. She had thought Michael would never want to have anything to do with her ever again.
"I want to clear the air between us, as we are going to be working alongside each other. It would be nice to get your guarantee that you have no intention to mess with my life with Sydney in any shape or form. If you can provide me that, I see no reason for this not to work," Michael said appraising Lauren with his green eyes.
"Michael, I spent four months in a maximum-security prison before I was pardoned. That gave me a new perspective in life and now that I'm free, I won't risk that freedom for anything. I'm not going to waste my life running after a man who doesn't love me and has a pregnant girlfriend, so you get my word that I won't interfere in your life at all." Lauren said looking at him straight in the eyes and signaled to him that he didn't need to worry about her plans.
"Thank you. By the way, what were you and Syd talking about?" Michael asked as Lauren had started walking away from him. She turned back to face him again.
"We came to an understanding. We are going to stay away from each other as much as it's humanly possible and when we have to be in the same company; our conversation will consist of small talk and agent business. I believe it's the most rational solution considering our volatile history." Lauren responded with a smile and gave him a small wink before making her way to Marshall's.
10 minutes later the whole team that would be departing to Amman, Jordan tonight stood in Marshall's office to see what he had invented to this particular mission.
"Jack and Rachel, you are going in as Matthew and Stacy Striker and you have been married for 5 months. You are both wanted because of connections to several terrorist cells. Jack, you are a bomb and explosive's expert and a former marine. Rachel, you're a rogue CIA agent accused of planting a bomb to the United States embassy in Berlin, Germany. You will have to convince Daivari that you are for real and get him to trust you enough to hire you to make the bomb for him. This is a file containing everything about your back-story and some additional information about Daivari; you'll need to read it before the meet. Now, Marshall, what do you have for us?" Dixon said handing both agents a file and turning the attention to Marshall Flinkman.
Marshall hadn't disappointed and had collected a weird looking assortment of things ranging from a wedding ring that acts as a listening devise and a watch, which has a camera.
As Marshall had handed out the necessary items needed for the mission, Nadia chose to stay and watch the photo shoot. Although Lauren did her best to change her mind, Nadia had made her decision and nothing was going to change that.
Nadia kept her eyes looked to Jack, who in her opinion looked incredibly good in black tux, white shirt and white tie. Rachel had flung herself into his arm, wearing a really low-cut dress that looked, in Nadia opinion, too slutty to be a real wedding dress. But then again anything the other woman wore, she found tacky and hookerish.
Jack was not enjoying the taking of the photos. He found it hard to pretend to look smitten with Rachel when the woman he actually cared for was in the same room. He did somehow manage to look somewhat believable until Marshall brought in a colorful, Hawaiian shirt he was supposed to wear in the honeymoon photos. There was no way he was putting that thing on.
After a heated argument and several cold stares later, Marshall had relented and agreed to let him wear a white T-shirt instead. Rachel had opted for a pink bikini that in Nadia's eyes made her look like Babe the pig. The amusing mental image kept her entertained for the remaining of the shoot.
--
"Good job Rachel, you really sold me that you are a slutty criminal. It was very believable, almost like the truth," Nadia quipped as the other agent was fishing for a complement from Jack about her bikini.
"Thanks Nadia for the inspiration, I took some pointers from you since no one does the hooker-look better." Rachel replied just as sweetly as Nadia. Jack had a bad feeling about this as he looked at the two women eyeing each other with contempt.
"At least I'm all natural and don't have the plastic surgeons number on speed dial." Nadia countered again and found it hard not to bitch slap the other woman.
"I think we should get going. The jet is arriving in an hour and there are still many things to do before that. Nadia, can you come with me to get the necessary paper work done?" Jack said swiftly and already steering his secret girlfriend away from Rachel before the fireworks could truly begin.
"I hate her, I hate her, I hate her," Rachel said angrily to a confused looking Marshall who didn't quite understand where the argument had come from.
Jack had managed to calm Nadia down before they boarded the private, CIA plane. Rachel on the other hand was still steaming from the argument and walked straight past Nadia without a glance in her direction. She did glance at Jack though, a glance that didn't go unnoticed from Nadia.
Lauren suspected trouble as she surveyed the scene unfolding in her presence. Nadia was stubborn and driven by her emotions, like Rachel. The two would eventually get physical with one another, if they had to spend too much time in the same company.
Lauren hadn't envisioned being part of another love triangle from hell; well at least she wasn't technically in the triangle this time. When Nadia had moved in, as a way to keep a closer eye on her some months ago, Lauren hadn't imagined to forming a tight friendship with her, but now as she had, Lauren was going to help ensure that Rachel butted out of her best friends love life. Nadia had helped her so much, so it was only prudent for her to return the favor.
To be continued…
Next chap: Lauren, Jack and Rachel go undercover and Nadia and Jack almost get caught making out…