Chapter 5

The New Plan

After Andrei had seen 99 back to the hotel, 99 contacted the Chief. It was late back in Washington, but she knew he would be up and waiting for a phone call.

"Chief. It's 99," 99 said in a relieved voice to find him answering his phone.

"99? Where've you been? What's been happening? I've been worried. I knew the drop was tonight, but when I didn't get a call I kept imagining the worst."

"There's been a change in plans. The drop didn't quite work as planned. It seems the CIA has been operating secretively on this as well. I met with one of their operatives."

The Chief took the receiver away from his ear temporarily and stared at it. What was she talking about? As far as the Chief knew no one other agency had been briefed. He and Max had met with the CIA Chief who had decided in their presence that this particular mission originated with CONTROL personnel and, therefore, should remain with CONTROL personnel.

"99, are you sure?"

"Yes, I knew the operative…intimately," she finished.

Chief still not believing what she had been saying asked her again to clarify.

99 did just that. She explained how Andrei had once been her fiancé and had married Tara after 99 had married Max. She also explained how Andrei had had not only a professional interest in the mission, but he had a personal interest as well.

Chief told 99 to abort the mission that Andrei was not really who he pretended to be. That he was probably really a KAOS operative or worse a Communist renegade with his own vendetta. First thing in the morning Chief was definitely obtaining some intelligence on this Andrei Roskosvski.

"Well, Chief, there's Andrei now. We are discussing new plans to extract the scientists. I will make contact later."

Chief hesitated. "Good night, then, 99. Good Luck and, above all, be careful!"

"I will. Tell Max I'm ok."

"Sure," Chief stated very hesitantly.

99 clicked the phone off but kept the receiver in her hand as she answered the door. Andrei Roskosvski stood there in all his magnficient male beauty. He had brushed his blonde hair and parted it to the side. His fine chiseled features with his dark intense eyes focused on his former fiancée with no deceit of what he thought of how she looked after all these years. He was dressed in black from head to toe which allowed his shoulders and narrow hips stand out. He was a little taller than 99 so she had to look up to meet his gaze.

"So, 99, you did wait for me," Andrei said as he backed 99 into the room.

"Of course, I waited. What do you think I was going to do? The assignment is not completed. I was just on the phone with the Chief to let him know the change of plan." 99 backed up has Andrei strode in through the door. Something did not feel quite right. 99 thought He is definitely not acting the way he did back in the cell. Could the Chief be correct after all? She attempted to keep the worry out of her face.

Suddenly Andrei pulled a gun with a silencer on it and stuck it into 99's ribs.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Mrs. Smart," said the fake-Andrei. "My, your feelings for your former fiancée must be stronger than you thought. It was an easy ruse then to fool you."

"Andrei, what are you talking about? What's the gun for? Cover?" 99 asked pleadingly as she backed away and sank as her knees bumped the side of the bed.

"Why don't you listen to your Chief, Mrs. Smart?"

As she looked at Andrei and seeing the words coming out of his mouth she knew now for certain that this was not Andrei because the voice which at once had been so sensual and seductive now became rough, abrupt, and carried a thick Russian accent. As she fell to the bed her hands extended to the other bedside table where the hard telephone set stood. With both hands she reached back and slammed the set onto Andrei's head. Still clad in bloodstained clothes and suffering from terrible nausea and nerves, 99 escaped from her hotel room into the lobby and out the door. As she looked back, she saw the fake Andrei holding his head where a black and blue bump was forming.

99 ran until her breath was ragged and her legs collapsed. Lying down in a temporary resting place in an adjacent hotel, 99 gathered her thoughts together. She remembered her compact phone in her pocket and quickly dialed CONTROL's number.

"Chief!"

"99!" The Chief exclaimed when heard 99's breathy voice on the other end of the line. "I have been worried sick. Are you all right?"

"Not for long. I managed to get away from the fake Andrei, but I am afraid I am going to have to abort the mission. My cover's been blown and there is another complication which I do not think you are going to like."

"Whatever it is, 99, don't worry. If they are onto you there is nothing else you can do. Contact local CONTROL and get shelter. I will take care of the mission and the fake Andrei from this end. That's an order, 99!" Chief said and hung up.

99 sat up and started to cry. She talked to herself. Agents don't cry! Just because I may be pregnant does not mean I break down. If only Max were here…well then I would have to worry and think for the both of us.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she proceeded to contact the local CONTROL headquarters and implored them to hurry. Forty minutes later she was headed to the airport with an early reservation for a flight back home.