6.

*Joe*

I just couldn't believe it. I had finally found her. At a time when I hadn't even really been trying. She'd just walked in front of me about a hundred yards away. It didn't get any better than that.

I was happy and lighthearted as I followed along behind her, but then a thought hit me like a truck. She probably didn't remember me. She'd taken a memory modifier and even though her dad had said that certain things might be able to trigger a lost memory, I knew that I couldn't bank on that.

It was possible that Katelyn didn't remember anything about me at all.

So I had to formulate a plan.

I put it into action when Katelyn stopped to tie her shoe. I already had the note prepared, and I made a brush pass that could probably have made it into the world record book. Then, I knew, I would have to wait. So, I went and sat in a nice little coffee shop and ordered a latte to wait.

I didn't have to wait long.

Katelyn came in, did a quick survey inconspicuously, and then went to the counter to order her coffee. As they were making it, I knew that she was examining the people in the coffee shop by using reflections from the display window. And I knew for a fact that she spotted me.

She paid for her coffee and then made her way to my table, her very appearance taking the breath away from me. She wore shorts and a blue tank top, with her hair curly and in a ponytail and her makeup dark. Perhaps most surprising of all were her eyes: I didn't remember them being that blue. But there they were: brighter than anything I'd ever seen. Somehow, though, I managed to keep my face impassive as she approached.

"I got your note," she said quietly as she slipped into the seat opposite me. "Who are you?"

Her official tone wounded me, but I didn't let it show. "A friend."

"Prove it." Her voice was cold and I was actually proud of her for not trusting a stranger. Well, technically I wasn't a stranger (I mean, she'd slept with me before and everything), but still, it counts.

I cleared my throat and it was then that I noticed the engagement ring on her left hand. Three stone, not what she wanted. Still, it was pretty. And it was white gold. "Your name is Katelyn Alexander Hunter."

She didn't move a muscle. "Anyone could get that form a file. Make a point."

I almost smiled. "Ask me anything."

She hesitated, studying me with her gorgeous blue eyes. Finally, she said, "How many people in this café are wearing brown shoes?"

I smiled now. No way could she beat me at my game. "Three."

If she was surprised, she didn't show it. "What level of clearance do you have?"

"Higher than you," I said. "I can promise you that."

"The man that just walked by the window outside…"

"Blue jacket, brown hair?" I questioned. "What about him?"

"Is he right handed or left handed?"

I was having a major sense of déjà vu. "Left."

"How do you know?" she challenged, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. I felt a pang as I realized that she still did her makeup the same. Everything about her looked exactly the same. But things aren't always what they seem.

"The smudge marks on his left hand," I answered. "They come from a left handed person whose hand wipes over the ink trail after it's been written."

"You're good," she noted as she sat back, cradling her coffee between her hands. I zeroed in on the ring and she noticed. "Yeah, I'm engaged."

Something in her tone struck me. "You don't sound thrilled about it."

She blushed and looked down. She never had been very good at lying to me, and somewhere inside, her body remembered that. "I am."

"What's his name?"

"Rider."

It took every single ounce of self discipline that I had to not stand up and begin shaking her to try to bring sense to her. She couldn't marry him! Not the monster that had broken us apart! It was wrong. It was so wrong.

"Oh," I managed to say. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." She sipped her coffee and then looked at me. "Listen, if you're really an operative… what are you here for? A mission?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah; a research mission. What about you?"

"Sort of the same thing," she responded. "Surveillance on a target."

"Ah," I said. "An assassin mission."

"I'm not a horrible person," she said softly.

"I never said you were."

She looked up at me and gave a small smile. "It's Antonio Distefano."

"The drug lord?"

She nodded. "He's difficult, I hear."

"Do you want some help?" I knew before I even asked that she would say no. Katelyn was so stupidly independent. But I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I was going to protect her and help her.

"No," she shook her head and reached for a packet of sugar. "I'll be fine. I'm just surveilling the immediate area anyway."

"You can never be too careful."

She smiled. "You sound like Rider."

I'm nothing like that bastard! I thought. "Do I?" I managed to say, keeping my voice calm.

She nodded slowly.

"Well, I don't mind," I said. "Really. And I promise, I won't get in your way. It'll just be a learning experience for both of us. You can always learn something from someone else."

"Like what?" Katelyn asked, giving me an amused smile, her beautiful eyes twinkling.

"The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of variants of pickles that the company once had."

She let out a laugh and the sound made my heart soar. "Fine; you're in. I'm Katelyn, by the way."

I know. "Joe."

"Nice to meet you," she replied.

Nice to see you again, love.