Chapter 18: Taking Tips from the Gallery Gang

11:15 a.m.

Somewhere outside Carbondale, PA

"Ok, remember, this one stays with you at all times." J.T. held up a small metal-looking button. "I don't care if the Dali Lama himself is down there, bound and gagged, being tortured, and we'll never find him unless you put this sensor on him. This stays on your body and your body alone. Got it?"

"Yes Sir!" Lady Jaye saluted him sharply, clicking her heels together for full effect.

"And this one is the spare."

"Spare?"

"Milady, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? I don't think so. I imagine you're going to find the Dali Lama and, despite my orders, you're going to want to tag him. I accept your insubordinate ways. Therefore, this one's for tagging. You see something, you stick it with this. I won't run a trace on it until you press this part in, see, just like that." J.T. demonstrated how Lady Jaye could push in the top of the sensor when she attached it to something. "When you set this one off, that will also let me know when to signal the squad, ok?"

"Roger that."

J.T. then glanced around. "Not to get too personal with you milady, but in case the bad guys are looking, we need to put this in a safe spot." He held up the sensor that was designated for her. "I was thinking inside your bra probably works best." He caught himself, "I'm assuming you have one of those?"

Jaye laughed aloud, "Yes, I have one of those. Here, hand it over." She motioned for him to give it to her. "Wait, hold on, you keep that for a second." She started to unbutton her shirt."

J.T. turned his head and held his hands out in front of his face. "Whoa there milady, slow down. The missus would have my hide if I'm checking out another lady's unmentionables. She doesn't take too kindly to that sort of thing."

Lady Jaye stopped midbutton, "I'm going to need some help."

"Well then I'll send one of your boys over." J.T. backed away, eyes clenched shut. "The missus doesn't care what they do." He disappeared into the brush where the strike team was assembling. Finding Flint, he pulled the man over and whispered in his ear. "Listen, the lady needs some help with getting her sensor on. I want that thing completely inaccessible to her or she's going to put it on the Dali Lama as a backup." J.T. thumbed over to where Lady Jaye was getting ready. "Can you help me out? I'll give y'all a little privacy." He handed the sensor over to Flint.

Flint wasn't sure what the Dali Lama had to do with anything so he merely shrugged, thankful for an extra moment alone with her. Pushing his way through the brush, he found her, arms folded across her chest, foot impatiently tapping on the ground.

"J.T. doesn't trust you."

"What gave you that idea?"

Flint held up the sensor. "I'm supposed to put this where the sun doesn't shine."

Lady Jaye's eyes flew wide open, "What? That man is crazy."

"Not like that." Flint pocketed the sensor and approached her, moving her arms to her side, he began to undo her shirt buttons. He gave her a patented lopsided smile, "Like this." His hands slowly worked their way down until the last button was detached from the corresponding panel of fabric and her shirt hung open, exposing a white tank top underneath. Flint couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Expecting something else?"

"You could say that."

Lady Jaye pulled her shirt off her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the ground. Next she reached down and pulled the tank top up and over her head, allowing it to join her shirt. She stood there before Flint with her sports bra exposed. "Was this more of what you had in mind?"

Flint leaned in, nuzzling her neck and tracing the fingers of his right hand down to her cleavage. "I pictured something a little more delicate, but this will do."

Lady Jaye felt herself give in to Flint's advances, thinking back to the night before when Flint had been good, very good. Flint moved his fingers over the bra's cup and she let out an unexpected gasp. "Oh!" Flint reached behind her, pulling her into his body, his hand creeping down. His gentle squeeze of her backside brought her around. "Dash . . ." Her voice came out in little bursts of air. "Dash . . . they're . . . just behind . . . us . . ."

He rested a moment, head buried in her neck, taking in the subtle scent of berries lingering in her hair. It was his favorite. She had tried to switch shampoos several times during their partnership. He didn't know what her original shampoo was; he just knew that it smelled like her. Whenever she tried out something new, it threw his nose out of whack. It wasn't the same. Therefore, every time she made a switch, even though he could see no discernible difference as to how the switch impacted her hair, he made sure that Cover Girl made some negative remark to plant the seeds of doubt in her mind. Lord knew he couldn't do that. If he told her that her hair looked especially frizzy, he'd end up with a right hook to his face. Better to let Cover Girl fight in the trenches. Cover Girl was more than willing to help out. Flint chalked up his partnership with Cover Girl as a harmless little white lie. "I know, discrete. I promised."

Flint released his hold of her. "Ok, J.T. said you can't be able to reach this thing." He tucked his desires away and examined her with a critical eye. "We don't want them to find it either." He focused in on every part of her front. The way the sensor attached, he believed it would be obvious to someone looking for it.

"Um, Flint? I'm starting to feel like a piece of meat."

"You are." He shook his head. "Not like that. You will be a piece of meat to them. They won't show any mercy. I'm not giving them an excuse." He brought his hand up to his chin, cupping it in thought. "Here, turn around."

Jaye followed his order. She trusted him implicitly. If anyone could get her in and out, it was him.

Flint studied her back. He hated to admit it to himself, but attaching it to her outer layer of clothing was out of the question. He didn't put anything past Cobra and no matter how infinitesimal the chance, it still remained that something could happen to her that could separate her from those garments. He clenched his fists together. He would kill them, all of them. He pushed away that thought. The sensor wouldn't stay on her skin. Secondary layer was the best—underwear or bra—the choice was his. "What's the situation with the skivvies?"

"Standard issue courtesy of Uncle Sam."

That wasn't going to work. Flint palmed the little silver sensor. The task was turning out to be more difficult than he thought. No wonder J.T. had punted. "I'm coming up behind you and I'm going to touch your bra. I won't take it off. Just looking."

Lady Jaye let out the breath she had been holding. Even though Flint wasn't really seeing her, it felt strangely erotic to have him right behind her, having such an intimate familiarity with him now. She sucked in her lips, thinking of anything to keep her on the straight and narrow. Harry Truman naked, Harry Truman naked. Damn, it wasn't working. There was only one person she could picture naked. Working with Flint was a blessing and a curse. That she got to even work with him was the blessing, that she wanted him was the curse. She felt the release of pressure against her skin as Flint started undoing the hooks of her bra. Harry Truman naked. Nothing. Small beads of perspiration formed on her forehead. Keep it in check Alison, you're a professional.

"Hey, can I join in?"

Shipwreck's query snapped her out of her daze. She glanced over her shoulder, "What are you doing? Haven't you heard of a little privacy?"

Shipwreck held up his hands. "Privacy and Joes? Are you kidding? That's a good one."

"Cut it out." Flint motioned Shipwreck over. "Actually, I need your help. See here?" Jaye strained her neck trying to see what they were doing.

"Front and center Jaye. I can't see what I'm doing." Flint snapped back. Begrudgingly, she obeyed, feeling even more like a doll on display.

"Now hold right here." Flint issued his commands with a take no prisoners tone. "Hold that up here and then, see, like this." Flint stepped back surveying his work. "That will do just fine."

"What will do just fine?"

"The less you know, the less they'll be able to get out of you."

"Man, that's heavy." Shipwreck maintained his grip on Jaye's bra.

"You can let go now Ship." Flint placed a reminding hand on the sailor's shoulder.

Shipwreck let go and the bra snapped back into Lady Jaye's back. "Owww!"

"Need anything else? Otherwise, just wanted to let you know that Mainframe's ready."

"No, this should be it." Flint was satisfied with his work while Lay Jaye wondered what he had even done.

Giving them a thumbs up, Shipwreck ducked out before he could be roped into any more tasks. Mainframe had wanted to go over and talk to Flint. Shipwreck made short work of that request. No one was interfering with his long game strategy. He was so close to winning Ace's pool he could taste the Cuban contraband cigar that was to accompany the winnings. Flint with his hands all up in Jaye's under things? Licking his lips, the sweet Cuban tobacco taste filled his mouth. It was going to be a sweet victory indeed.

Jaye finished putting her shirt on and Flint helped dust her off. He had her do a slow circle one last time. When she had finished, he grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a hurried kiss on her lips. "Listen to J.T. Be careful. Do not play hero. Understand?" He gripped her tighter.

"I understand." Something was bothering her though. She was going to keep it inside, but that's what had gotten them into their mess in the first place. Out with it. "Flint?" He tilted his head. "You think I can do this, right?"

"Why would you ask?"

"Well, hiding the sensor, being careful, listening to J.T. That's kind of the advice you'd give a rookie. You'd never say that before."

"Alison, there's no one who can do this better. No one. I never had so much to lose. Just come back."

"I will." She smiled. "Let's do this."