--
It was a couple of days before they got confirmation from Adam that the operation to lure Bairan out into the open was a go. Don and Colby showed up at Thames House with Eleanor and Hannah. Jensen, Braden and Braden's team met them there. Don was gratified to see Adam had pulled several MI-5 teams for this operation.
"Either Ali Sharef or Mahmet Hassan will cause a disturbance to distract the two officers who replaced Zoe and Danny," Adam explained. "Eleanor and Hannah will just continue on to Hampton Court Palace like nothing's happened. The rest of us will be spread out between here and Hampton Court Palace." He looked at Eleanor, "Get into the third train car from the station. We will have officers in it. They will ride with you to the Hampton Court train station, but they will split off. Another team will trail you from the station to the Palace." He handed Eleanor a marked copy of the souvenir map. "Follow the route I've marked. There'll be someone within range at all times. If everything goes as planned, Sharef and Hassan will 'kidnap' you here," Adam pointed at the map.
"Wait a minute!" Don interrupted, "That wasn't part of the plan!"
Adam looked at him, "We don't have anything on Bairan. If he doesn't get Eleanor in his clutches and explain his reasons, we can't do anything about him."
Don was furious, but Eleanor stopped him from continuing.
"I want to get this over with, Don," she said to him, glad that she managed to vanquish a quaver that threatened her voice. She looked at Colby then at Hannah. "You don't have to do this, Hannah."
"Don't be silly," Hannah replied before Colby had a chance to say anything. "I've already said I'll be there for you."
"We have to get you two kitted up. Kevlar vests under your clothing, plus electronic communications, so we can record whatever Bairan says." Adam grinned, "Just remember that it means we can hear everything you say. So no lovey-dovey stuff about your men." He laughed at the disgusted looks the two women sent his way.
"You might actually learn something," Eleanor said dryly.
Adam shook his head in amusement and turned to Hannah, "Just remember one thing, Hannah. Not every man has the control to pull back like Colby does. Do not step up to anyone if they're angry."
Hannah's eyes narrowed, "Do I look stupid to you?"
Startled by the anger in her eyes, Adam tried to back off, "No, no. I'm just referring to how you stepped up to Colby the other day..."
"I know what you're referring to.." Hannah began to lambast him, but Colby stepped in.
"Hannah, try this vest on for size." Colby blithely ignored the annoyance in her eyes. He shook his head at Adam while he pulled the kevlar vest over her head. He grinned to himself when Adam slipped away in some relief.
"Don't think for a minute that you're fooling me. I know you're distracting me," Hannah's eyes were narrowed on Colby now.
"He just wants you to be safe, Hannah." His calm expression soothed her ruffled feathers. "Because I'll kill him if anything happens to you," Colby added for good measure.
"Hmph," Hannah was only slightly mollified. She was nervous, had been nervous since they first talked about luring Bairan out, but she wasn't stupid, and she resented the implication.
She looked up when Colby touched her cheek in a gentle caress. She had talked him into letting her do this, but she knew he still wasn't comfortable with it. She watched his long, slender fingers fasten the straps. His familiarity with the vest saddened her. She touched his arm, and returned his smile. "I'll be fine, Colby."
"I know. I'm going to make sure of it." He replied calmly.
--
"Eleanor, you need to relax, or Bairan will get suspicious," Don murmured into his microphone. He smothered a laugh when he saw her grimace. "Hannah, can you do something to help her relax?" He saw Colby scowl at him. "What? She's a natural."
Colby shook his head, "I don't want Hannah getting used to this sort of thing."
Don shrugged, he was going to do whatever it took to get Bairan. He saw the others settle down a little as Hannah moved closer to Eleanor.
She dropped her sketchbook and Eleanor bent over to pick it up for her. Then, "Oh my God, Hannah! These sketches!"
Hannah giggled at the astounded look on Eleanor's face. "Just little sketches I made of Colby."
"There's nothing little in these sketches," Eleanor said before she caught herself. She turned red. "Um, the train's leaving from track 1A, we'd better hurry!" She grabbed Hannah's arm and hustled her towards the train.
Don turned to Colby with a puzzled frown. He saw the others turn with similarly puzzled expressions. Colby grinned and shrugged, "Eleanor's relaxed now, isn't she?"
"Right," Don muttered. He was going to find out what was in those sketches if it killed him. But Eleanor saved him the trouble.
"Do you always sketch him... you know?" Eleanor asked curiously when the train pulled out of the station.
"In the buff?" Hannah grinned in mischief. She loved the expression on Eleanor's face, she was going to have to sketch her later. "Often, but not always. He's gorgeous, isn't he?"
"Um," Eleanor said weakly. She should have known it was a bad idea. Hannah had never been shy in that way. She settled back into her seat and tried to concentrate on her book.
As they headed to the surveillance van to follow the train out to Hampton Court Palace, Colby couldn't help grinning at the disgusted look on Don's face. "What can I say? My woman has great taste."
"Pun not intended, I hope," Adam said in dry amusement. He was beginning to realize there was more to Hannah than met the eye. He'd wondered what Colby was doing with such a quiet, nondescript woman, but he had a feeling he was going to find out.
--