It was dark when Alex snuck into the old apartment complex. He had memorized the schematic that Yassen showed him. He knew exactly where he was going and exactly what he was doing. There was no way anything could go wrong.

Alex easily slipped through security. He found his way to the stairwell and climbed to the second floor. He ducked into the hallway and walked quickly. After passing four doors, he turned left. He walked a little, then turned left again, and then took the first right turn. He found it – room 207. Alex tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. Alex frowned. That was very odd.

Alex ducked into the dark apartment. He drew his gun and crept through the darkness. Thanks to his training, he had excellent night vision. He could see exactly where he was going. He heard a faint snoring. It was coming from the left. Alex slowly went towards the door to what he assumed was the bedroom. He reached out for the doorknob. The second he touched it, the dark apartment flashed to pitch black.

Alex woke up with a pounding headache. He was propped up against a cold, brick wall. He shook his head to clear his vision. He looked around to take in his surroundings. He was in a brick cell. His harms and legs were chained to the wall behind him. There was a very dim light. It was cold – freezing. All Alex was wearing was a pair of jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt. There were no windows in the cell. There was a steel door across from him. If only Alex had his gadgets with him. There were back at the hotel.

Suddenly, the door opened. A familiar-looking man stepped in. He had short, chestnut brown hair with traces of gray. His silver eyes were fierce and serious. He had a blanket draped over his arm. He shut the door behind him. Alex studied every detail of the man's face. He recognized him.

"I was hoping that you wouldn't come," Sokolov said.

Alex glared at the man. "I don't care who you are. You can't keep me away from Camryn."

Sokolov chuckled. "I know."

"So are you going to kill me now?"

"No. I never intended to kill you. I was hoping that my threat would be enough to keep you away."

"Why?"

"It's bad enough that Camryn was dragged into this. With you here, my job is even harder."

"What are you talking about?" Alex demanded.

"I'm here undercover for the CIA. If the Chechens or KGB find out that I'm here, I could be killed. Camryn will also be killed. You will be killed."

"Great…but you're okay with Camryn and me being together, right?"

"Wrong."

Alex stared at Sokolov wide-eyed. "Why not?"

Sokolov sighed. "You see, the last thing I told Camryn before I left was, 'Home is home and work is work. The two were never meant to mix.' Alex, you are Camryn's boyfriend, so you are part of her home. You are also her partner, so you are part of her work."

"So?" Alex challenged. "Everything's working out just fine for us."

"Not for long. This is my advice to you: dating my daughter is going to be the biggest mistake of your life."

"Are you kidding me?! Dating Camryn is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Alex, I'm speaking from experience."

"You can't keep me away from Camryn," Alex said defiantly.

"Then I'll have to keep Camryn away from you."

"You can't!"

"I can and I will. I don't want you to make the same mistake I did." Sokolov draped the thick blanket over Alex and left the room, shutting and bolting the door.

Alex quivered beneath the blanket – both from cold and from anger. The anger didn't last long though. The bliss of warmth carried Alex into a calm unconscious.

Voices were arguing outside the door. Alex was just waking up again. He strained his ears to hear what was being said, but the walls were too thick. He just heard muffled angry voices. He didn't recognize the voices. They were too distorted. Then the door opened again.

Alex's heart pounded wildly. Tears filled his serious brown eyes. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Alex…" Camryn threw herself onto Alex and held him tightly.

"Cam…" Alex croaked. "God, I've missed you so much."

Camryn unlocked Alex's shackles. Alex threw his arms around his girlfriend and held her close.

"I love you, Alex."

Alex kissed her cheek. "I love you."

Camryn cried into Alex's shoulder.

"Cam, it's okay. I'm here."

"You need to get out of here as soon as possible," Camryn said between sobs. "You shouldn't have come here."

"Why? What's going on?"

"You need to put as much distance as possible between yourself and me."

"Cam, what are you talking about?"

"We can't be together anymore."

"Don't listen to your father. He-"

"I'm sorry, Alex."

"We can make this work, I promise."

"No. I made a terrible mistake. I didn't mean for you to get caught in all this."

"In what?"

"God, I'm in so much trouble. Three government agencies are after me. The CIA wants me dead because I still know all their secrets. I'm classified as a rogue agent. The KGB wants me dead for I don't know what."

"Then go back to the CIA. They can protect you."

"It's not that easy. MI6 has me classified as a rogue agent too. They want me dead."

Alex shook his head. "They can't do this."

"They can," Camryn replied grimly.

"What's going to happen?"

"I need to disappear."

"We can figure something out. I can't be without you."

"I only have two options, Alex. Either I disappear, or I'm going to be killed. I could also put your life in danger."

"But-"

"This is how my mom died."

Alex was speechless. His mouth hung open in shock. Camryn had told him that her mother died in a car crash.

"My mom worked for the KGB. She met my dad on an international mission. She left the KGB to marry my dad. She didn't intend to reveal any secrets or information. She just fell in love. Five years later, when I was four, a cab crashed into my mom's car. Both the cab driver and my mom died. When I was twelve, I found out that the cab driver had been a KGB agent. He was sent to murder my mom. My dad wasn't the same from there on out."

"Cam, I don't want you to go."

"I know, but my mom's murder took a terrible toll on my dad. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

Alex realized that this is what Sokolov was trying to warn him about. Alex began crying. "What's the difference? If you leave, you'll be dead to me anyway. I'll never see you again."

Camryn chuckled slightly. "I guess I'm better off dead."

"Don't talk like that!" Alex scolded.

"Look, once my dad finishes his work here in Chechnya, you'll be taken back to London. After that, Dad and I will disappear."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"We have to. Alex, promise me that when I leave, you'll forget me and move on."

"Of course I can't forget you," Alex snapped. "I can't."

"At least promise me that you'll move on with your life."

"I'd rather commit suicide."

"Promise me, Alex."

"What if I don't?"

"My sacrifice will be in vain. I'm doing this to protect you."

Alex sighed. "Fine."

"Alex, look me in the eye and swear to me."

Alex gazed directly into Camryn's mystical, silver eyes. "I can't," he muttered. "I can't let you go."

"Alex-"

"Shut up," Alex interrupted, kissing her firmly on the lips. Camryn opened her mouth to speak, but Alex kissed her again. Alex had lost the girl he loved more than once. He wasn't going to lose her again. He was determined to keep her with him. Alex kissed Camryn over and over. He couldn't stop – he didn't want to. He paused for a few moments to gaze at her beautiful face. He was breathing hard. Alex always had this exhilarating rush every time their lips touched.

"Alex-"

Alex cut his girlfriend off again with a kiss. "Don't talk." This time, Camryn obeyed.