A lay-by somewhere on Route 4, New York State

2321hrs Friday 18th February 2005

Rolling to a stop, Sam turned to Robinson. 'This'll only take a minute.'

'Good. It's been a long day and I want to get home to bed before the sun rises,' he answered sardonically. 'Her laptop's on the back seat, along with a backpack containing the things she'll need for the next week. The passports and travel documents Johansson gave you are hidden inside. She'll know where to find them and what to do with them when she does.'

Nodding her understanding, Sam opened the door slowly, climbing out of the dark car. She held her hands high in the air in preparation for the showdown she knew lay ahead. All her husband's and Tim O'Hara's information gave her little to work with. Yet somehow she needed to gain Trixie's trust.

'Beatrix Belden! It's me, Samantha O'Brian!' Sam shouted, realising she'd been lured into being the fall guy. I'm probably the only person who could attempt to gain Trixie's trust. Johansson is counting on the fact that she won't shoot me first and ask questions later because of our past association. That's a pretty slim hope for someone who isn't in the frame of mind to trust anyone at the moment.

'I have two packages for you. They're in the back seat, so don't shoot,' she informed the figure illuminated in the car's headlights.

'Sam?' Trixie's voice sounded unsure, yet her aim at the shadowy figure never wavered. 'I want you to step into the light where I can see you. When I can confirm it's really you, I'll let you go back for whatever it is you "have" for me.' Trixie waited until the figure complied. Watching Sam trudged back to the car, Trixie carefully scrutinised her every movement.

'Place the packs at your feet and back away, but stay in the light so I can see you,' Trixie ordered. Carefully monitoring the situation, she took several, careful steps toward the vehicle. 'I want to be able to see you at all times,' she warned in a terse tone, 'and let Robinson know I'll take you out if he makes any sudden moves.'

I have to keep the rest of the Bob Whites out of the line of fire should this situation turn ugly, Trix reminded herself. She wanted to turn around and see her friends' reaction to the situation, yet Trixie knew she couldn't spare a glance without taking her complete and undivided attention away from Sam and her accomplice. One slip now could cost me dearly, Trixie knew, and I have no intention of paying with my life or anyone else's tonight. The stakes are just too high for me to make the slightest error in judgement.

Doing as she bid, Sam stood still and silent in the car's headlights, waiting for Trixie show some trust by lowering her gun slightly. An expectant stillness developed between the two women. Sam continued to linger, hoping Trixie would make the first move. The seconds passed slowly as Trixie continued to deliberately analyse Sam's body language, making time stretch on agonizingly.

'I'm glad you came.' Though she covered it well, Trixie's nervousness continued as she quickly approached the bags, never letting the driver of the car out of her aim. 'Thanks for my computer.' She threw the pack containing her laptop over one shoulder.

'I'm here to help,' Sam replied, intently watching the woman search her belongings with her free hand, then nod in satisfaction before shouldering the other bag.

'Who sent you?' Distrust lurked in Trixie's eyes even as she heard Sam's answer.

'Assistant Director Shaw asked me to meet a CIA agent earlier tonight and give him whatever information I had on Josh's murderer,' O'Brian confessed easily, pausing for a second to see Trixie's reaction to her news. 'He said the information I had could prove important to your investigation.'

Startled by Trixie's sudden nod of understanding, Sam wondered when Belden had become aware she'd been partially responsible for her ex-boyfriend's death. What else do you know that you're not telling? Sam wondered. And why did that statement kill the trust developing between us?

'The agent sent me to deliver these packages to you,' Sam finished lamely, wishing she knew exactly what conspired before her eyes. Knowing she'd been manipulated didn't helping the situation. Sam had already given that secret away unintentionally. 'I agreed because he made it sound imperative you have information vital to your investigation. He also thought I'd be the only person you'd allow close enough to deliver it.'

'I don't know who to trust anymore, Sam,' Trixie stated flatly. She felt unsure, wanting to belief her colleague and friend. Going with her instincts, Trixie ordered, 'tell me who you met.'

'Johansson,' Sam stated, somewhat surprised Trixie had to ask after her meeting with the man earlier this evening. 'Enrich Johansson,' she confirmed.

Nodding as she stored the information for further analysis, Trixie chewed her lower lip. I can tell she's not lying to me, her body language is too open but she is holding something back. The question is, can I trust her completely? Even if I do, what can she do with the information I give her? This situation has gone beyond Sam's ability to get my message to the people who need to know. I'm not even sure who those people are anymore. Trixie's internal confusion crystallised in a moment. Making up her mind, the CIA agent in Trix knew she had to tell someone about her suspicions.

'I think Jake and Tim are working together to have me eliminated,' she postulated quietly, carefully watching Sam's non-verbal reaction to what should have been an outrageous accusation. 'I believe they've already tried once without success, taking out Josh in the process. I need you to get a message to internal investigations and tell them about my suspicions.'

Sam nearly laughed out loud. If only you realised the irony in that statement after all I've learnt about you from the two people you've just accused.

Deciding to leave her husband and Tim out of the equation for the moment, Sam deliberately tried to bate Trixie. 'Hey, Belden, who do you think sent me?' she enquired in sarcastic voice. Watching the confusion enter her colleague's eyes as Trixie fingered her gun once again. 'Johansson is the head of internal investigations. I've been played. He sent me to deliver your computer and backpack because Johansson feels you're going to need them. The laptop contains preloaded data essential to your investigation.'

'As to Jake,' Sam's tone took on an assertive note as her body language changed, becoming suddenly defensive, 'you're going to have to trust me on this one. Josh and I have known Jake for almost 15 years, and he's as much a victim here as you are. He's a straight arrow. Not only is he your partner, he's your best friend. You have to trust him.' Pausing to let her statement sink in, Sam continued. 'I trusted him enough to marry him ten years ago.'

The moment the words registered, Sam saw a change in Trixie. It took several moments to realise she'd been tested with the outrageous statement. Sam had been played for the second time tonight. 'Do you trust me now,' O'Brian demanded, gaining a slight nod from the CIA agent. Realising she dealt with someone as savvy as her husband Sam sighed and changed her tactics. 'There's a packet of photos taken the day Josh died, which I think you and Jim Frayne will find interesting,' she added. 'I know I did.'

'Sam?' After the emotional roller coaster of the last few hours, tears welled in Trixie's eyes.

How could Jake have fooled you so completely, Sam? Trixie wondered. He was the one who set your brother up and almost had me killed in the bargain, all while appearing to protect Jim. In truth he was protecting his own assets, and her name is Sabina. At this point in time, I'm still uncertain about Tim's role in all of this. Is he intimately involved or just being used by his long-time friend as you are, Sam? I can't be wrong about this. I know I can't!

'Don't do the whole "sorry" thing now, Belden. My brother fell hard for you, but you never even saw it, or acknowledged it.' Sam managed to get the statements out through gritted teeth before going on to describe her earlier meeting with Johansson.

'IA has been suspicious of a mole in their ranks for some time, and they currently have the person they suspect under surveillance. I get the feeling they think this mole is either leaking information to Sabina, or working directly with her. In either case, your life is in danger, Belden. Johansson told me to keep my friends close, but my enemy's closer.'

Sam saw her statement hit Belden hard. Even in the low level lighting, Trixie's face paled as she nodded with understanding. So, Trixie's subconscious wondered, is Johansson thinking along the same lines as me, but he doesn't have any evidence yet? Oh Sam, can't you see that message was meant as much for you as it was for me?

'Does Johansson or Jake know where I'm going?' Trix asked, thinking about the safety of the Bob Whites.

'No, and neither of them want to know. This is your op from now on. The less people who are able to identify where you're location, the better,' Sam sighed. 'But it would've been a good idea to take that advertisement off the driver's door, Belden.'

Shaking her head at Sam's lack of intuition, Trix backed towards the van, gun still aimed at the stationary Ford. Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to advertise where I'm going? Trixie shook her head at Sam's short-sightedness. When you or your companion run that logo, you'll find Hellerman's is a spa resort in Chesapeake Bay, several hundred miles in the wrong direction. Even the plates will tell you the van's still registered to Hellerman's. Shadow Man, you have some serious explaining to do the next time I see you, because I know they weren't on the van earlier tonight when I scoped out the gallery!

Which means what, Trixie suddenly wondered. Looking past the bright lights, she finally understood Robinson's part in all of this. The pieces of the jigsaw suddenly fell into place. I've been looking at this from the wrong end.

'You've been set up, Sam,' Trixie stated in a cold hard voice, redirecting her aim, 'but not by me, Johansson or your husband. I'd be very careful on the return journey if you want to get home safely.'

Upon reaching the van, Trixie dumped the luggage at Jim's feet. Placing the three cell phones Shadow Man gave her earlier in evening under the rear wheel, she fired once, then a second time in rapid succession. A loud hiss of escaping air could be heard from the dark sedan. Keeping her weapon trained on Robinson, Trixie climbed into the van. It re-joined the stream of late night traffic heading out of New York City, leaving several hunks of plastic and metal in its wake.

I wish you well, Belden, Sam thought, collecting the ruined cell phones in a plastic evidence bag. I hope you've left enough evidence here to prove a charge of treason. I bet there aren't any fingerprints or DNA on these except yours.

Trudging back to the broken down car, Sam pulled out her phone. At Robinson's questioning look, she mouthed, 'roadside assistance.' Climbing into the car, they waited for help. Unable to tell the truth, Sam called Tim, who'd dropped everything to come to her aid when he'd discovered the identity of her companion. The second indirect warning had O'Brian's finger on the trigger and ready to pull it at the slightest altercation.

'Do you think Frayne will consent to go with her?' Sam asked into the deepening silence.

'It's not like he really has a choice,' Robinson returned. 'Physically and emotionally, she'll make sure he goes with her because she's trained to do a job and understands the consequences if she doesn't. If I was a betting man…'

'I guess you're right,' Sam answered quietly, realising Robinson wasn't going to elaborate further and she really didn't want him too. She also appreciated she didn't need to know all the facts about Belden and her husband's operation. But that doesn't mean I'm any less curious about it, especially since my brother died to protect the life of one of the principles and I know she realises it. Sam sighed. Maybe I can start to find the absolution I'm looking for now that Trixie has acknowledged Josh's devotion towards her. I just want to know he's remembered fondly by someone besides me.

Jake and Tim turned up half an hour later, dressed as mechanics in a bright yellow assistance truck. They dealt with the most dangerous issue quickly and efficiently. Then they turned their attention to the evidence. Leaving a burnt out shell, Jake squashed his wife between them on the bench seat for the ride home.

'About time you two came out of the closet,' Tim smirked, 'now we just have to deal with The Little Sparrow.'

Shivering violently, Sam asked, 'what do you intent to do with her?'

The two men looked over her head, before Jake stated, 'the less you know the better.'

Sam felt a cold wave to fear wash over her.

Route 7, New York State

2332hrs Friday 18th February 2005

Eleven Bob Whites of the Glen sat in the minivan in stunned silence as Trixie climbed into the seat she'd vacated only a few minutes before. Slamming the door, she didn't make eye contact with anyone. Swooping on the computer case lying at Jim's feet, Trixie unpacked it with ease. Opening it, she pushed the 'On' button. The machine chimed at her as it powered up.

'Drive,' she ordered Nick in an unforgiving tone when she realised the van hadn't started rolling the moment she stepped inside.

Not waiting until the van started its forward motion, she reached for the bag residing at Jim's feet. Searching through it, Trixie delved into its depths to find the hidden compartment. Acknowledging this to be the real reason for the impromptu drop, Trixie tried not to shudder at her new orders from Johansson. Suddenly they meant so much more in light of her recent discoveries. Finding the concealed section, Trixie brought out a packet of photos, two maroon passports, and a manila envelope.

I hope everything I need is in here, she reflected, shaking the contents of the envelope onto the laptop's keyboard. A key, two airline tickets, and a printed reservation for a hotel in London fell out. She pocketed the key immediately, feeling no surprise at the other items.

Sam, you're being used by Johansson because you're probably the only person remotely connected to this investigation that I'd listen to at the moment. I wonder if you realised it, or are you still so mad at me over your brother's death that you'll take any excuse to make my life a misery? Only now I hope you appreciate how deep I'm in this mess, and how guilty I feel about Josh.

Shaking her head to clear it of the persistently melancholy thoughts, Trix concentrated on the display before her. Several taps brought up the information Sam implanted on her hard drive. I guess I knew this would happen. After all, Tim forewarned me of the possibility, only I wasn't in a listening frame of mind at the time because I hadn't started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I just didn't appreciate how quickly this would all happen. I hope Jim doesn't create too much of an objection when he finds out he and I are going to…

'Beatrix!' Mart's astonished tone echoed through the van. He'd been as shocked by her actions as everyone else in the car. When he managed to find his voice, Mart expressed his disillusionment with a single word. Like the other Bob Whites, he'd seen and heard his sister's actions and became appalled by her clandestine activities.

'What's going on?' Mart demanded, his eyes digging daggers into her ramrod straight spine as she continued to ignore him.

'Please…' Trixie didn't look up as her eyes darted back and forth from her screen to the European Union Passport in her other hand. Handing it to Jim, along with the hotel reservation and the airline tickets, she continued in an incredibly level tone, 'give me a few minutes. I need to assimilate this data.'

Jim stared at the documents she'd given him. His green eyes turning round with shock, he looked up at her, perplexed. 'Trix, this is an Irish passport with my picture on it, but not my name. It belongs to a Mr Ignatius McKenna,' Jim told her in a confused voice, ignoring her request for some thinking time. 'So do these other papers.'

'This EU passport is English and belongs to Mrs Sarah Anne McKenna,' she replied, holding up the travel document with one hand while the other tapped several keys on the laptop, her concentration remaining fixed on the computer screen before her. 'Those papers you're holding are our itinerary when we go to London. We're booked on a flight out of JFK Sunday night.'

Trixie looked up when she felt the metaphorical daggers her friends mentally sent her, only to find several sets of eyes glaring at her. Yet only a pair of green orbs managed to capture her attention with their horrified expression. 'Alright, alright, I know I owe you an explanation, but it's just going to have to wait,' she snapped, aggravation dogging her words and crowding the expression on her face.

No matter how much noise or how her friends demanded, Trixie cut their pleas out of her conscious mind, concentrating, instead, on the promised information stored in her computer. I have to find out what's going on before we get to Castaways so I know who's really stalking me, as opposed to Tim's "covert" surveillance. I need to know why I'm under scrutiny from IA. Does Johansson truly suspect me, even though I've been working for him since this whole situation erupted two years ago, or is he cleverly using me as a decoy to draw out the real mole? I need more time and evidence to ensure the person I'm considering is actually the mole. I suspected Jake, but now I'm not so sure. If Sam's been secretly married to him for ten years that explains a lot. Right now I don't have more than intuition guiding me.

Trixie took a deep breath as she pondered her biggest challenge. And if I'm to have any chance of keeping Jim and myself alive long enough to catch that plane to Heathrow Airport, as the events of tonight are showing me, I have to sort out my own feelings. How am I going to keep both my career and emotions for Mr James Winthrop Frayne the Second to myself if I'm to have any chance at having a real life after all of this is over.

'Where did you get this code?' Mart asked in a high pitched voice, noticing several lines of programming rolling across his sister's computer. Looking over Trixie's shoulder from the back seat of the van, Mart continued to read in utter horror when he realised why the code looked familiar to him.

Straining against the seatbelt, Mart became absorbed in the screen. I want to know what you're working on, sister dear, because computers are my specialty area, he bragged silently to himself, assured of his professional competence. And this viral code you have is a very nasty piece of work, something that's given me the opportunity to make my name in an industry filled with incredibly intelligent programmers. I now have a reputation as one of the best de-buggers in the business, especially when it involves this particular virus. So how did you manage to get a hold of it? More importantly, why do you have it and how is it linked to an international terrorism syndicate?

Mart let his thoughts wander. He didn't want to admit his worries aloud after Trixie's earlier display. I know Sabina is in the IT industry, too, but how is she involved in all this? How is Jim going to react if Trixie's mystery turns out to be the truth and he learns he's been dating some kind of spy? How am I going to fund my own livelihood, if my sister is about to turn it upside down? How is that going to affect my plans to build a house for Linnie when I ask her to marry me?

When she didn't immediately answer, Mart grabbed her roughly and shook her. 'I asked you a question!' With his actions and the force of his words, he demanded her full and undivided attention aggressively.

'Why?' she questioned, instantly turning to face her brother with a worried expression haunting her blue eyes. Mart knew his sister had heard every word each of them had spoken, even if she hadn't appeared to be listening. 'Have you seen it before?'

'I… Yes,' he confessed quickly, realising games wouldn't get them anywhere, no matter what the personal cost to him might turn out to be. 'The first time was at Di's gallery when she asked me to take a look at her computer system because it sent out invoices with incorrect prices.'

'Di,' Trixie turned to her friend and used her gentle, good cop tone, 'can you tell me about it? How did you find out that your customers who used electronic banking methods to pay your invoices were being charged a few cents more than you originally quoted, even though all your accounts balanced?' she continued to probe.

'I never told you that's what happened!' Intrigued, Mart looked closely at his sister, only to find her expression devoid of any reaction. 'So how did you know the virus I found in Diana's computer system did that?'

'This code was found in Lennard Internationals computer system three days ago,' Trixie explained as she pointed to the lines still gracing her computer screen, managing to keep her voice level and calm. 'It's been working in the background for almost two years, syphoning off a few pennies with every electronic invoice sent out by the company. Since they issue thousands each day, you can imagine the total adds up to quite a sum. The funds have been sent to an account in Switzerland that the CIA and Interpol believe belong to an Al Qaeda operative. Our mystery lady then transfers the money to any one of her several business accounts in fifteen different European cities. The paper trail is consistent with all current EU legislation. We're not sure how she manages to transmit the cash to Islamic fundamentalist groups, but we suspect she has young men and women drawing incomes for doing very little within those suspect businesses.'

Trixie took a breath before continuing. 'We do know the funds finance the western education of terrorists at IV league colleges in the U.S., U.K., and Europe. These kids set up terror cells by targeting like-minded students for recruitment.' Appreciating her friends' astonishment, Trixie recognized she needed to let them in, at least partially, on her current investigation and her secret career.

'I'd started on my junior year at George Washington when I went undercover as the girlfriend of an Iranian student. I had to appear to convert to Islam for the assignment as Ament, another CIA agent in-training, and I had discovered what we suspected to be one of these terror cells. After overhearing a conversation between two Middle Eastern students, Ament and I were sent in to investigate their activities. Ismiran, the cell's leader, didn't trust me from the start, being a convert and not born into the religion. The entire cell fled before being arrested after Ament defected and confessed that I didn't actually practice Islam. I knew they were planning to bomb a federal building, but couldn't get close enough to find out which one. The CIA raided Ismiran's apartment, where they found enough evidence to piece together his operation. The cell planned to target the FBI headquarters. If they'd succeeded…'

'It's so hard to believe there really are people like that in the world,' Honey's eyes welled with unshed tears.

'And they're just the tip of the iceberg,' Trixie confirmed before anyone else could speak. 'But I still need to hear the story about your discovery of this virus in Di's computer system, Mart. It could be vitally important to my current investigation and the source of funding for terror cells here in the U.S.'

'I want to hear about your life first,' Brian interrupted, determined to drown out anyone else until he got the answers he wanted. His ire started a slow burn and his anger built. 'I want to know exactly what's going on. Who were those people in that car? And what did you mean earlier when you told Jim your life and his were in danger? How is Sabina linked to international terrorism? But most of all I want to know how my sister became a CIA agent.'

'If you want the full story, you have to let me do my job, Brian.' Trixie eye-balled her brother until he backed down, albeit reluctantly. 'And to do that right now, I have to find out about this virus Mart found at Serendipity.' Turning back to her violet-eyed friend, Trixie gave the young woman her complete and undivided attention before asking, 'Di, please tell me everything you remember, no matter how small the detail, about how you discovered your computer problem?'

'Well,' she started nervously, 'this incredibly…umm…flamboyant man came into the gallery just before Christmas last year…' Di looked around at her friends for support, but didn't find any. They were still too interested in Trixie's past. 'Are you sure this is really important, Trix? It seems just like a fairy tale or one of your Lucy books!'

'Di, you have to trust me now.' Trixie made eye contact with her frightened friend. She sighed inwardly, comprehending how nervous her friends felt. I'm the only one who can produce any kind of calm in this situation, she realised, and the only way to do that is to let them in on the truth. It's time for me to start my explanation, even if I don't want to.