CIA
Chapter 9
Rick determined where to go over the fence, helped Kate climb it, and went over it himself. Once on the other side, he pulled out his weapon with its silencer. "No more talking and pray that there aren't any motion detectors or we're both dead."
Kate just nodded and took out her weapon, which also had a silencer.
"Remember, no shooting unless you don't have a choice. I want to get in and out fast so they'll never know we were even there." Rick watched her nod again. "Stay close to me." He moved out and checked to make sure Kate was with him.
He had to stop and point at the guard. Once the guard moved, he moved out.
They finally got to the house, where Rick stopped at a pair of French doors. He knelt and brought out his lock-picking tools. Kate really wanted to ask him how he knew how to use them, but she couldn't talk.
Rick got the door open and slipped inside. He closed it and placed a finger to his lips, warning Kate to keep quiet, then moved out. But since he didn't have a layout of the house, he was taking his best guess. He thought he heard someone moving around. Rick opened a door and crept in, sure Kate had come with him. It turned out to be a half bath. He kept his weapon at the ready.
After a short time, he cracked a door open and took a look, then he moved out, followed by Kate.
He came to a double solid wood door that, of course, was locked. He thought this would be the room, so he put his lock-picking tools to use and had it open in no time. Moving stealthily, he locked it behind them. The room was dark, but he was used to that. Besides, the French doors let in some light. "Stay here and watch my back," Rick whispered to Kate, who pressed her ear against the heavy door.
Rick looked around. "If I was a safe, where would I be," he muttered softly.
"Behind a picture," Kate offered as she took her ear off the polished door.
"You've been watching too many movies. …Door," Rick reminded her, and Kate put her ear back against it.
Rick chose the wall of bookcases and found a fake front. He gave it a push, and it opened for him. Behind the phony books was a wall safe. "I can handle this."
He took out a device, attached it to the safe over the keys, and touched a one on the keypad. He watched as it analyzed the every keystroke and showed them on the display.
Rick took the device off and began pressing keys. He knew which ones to press but not in what order. Eventually, he got it right and opened the safe. He removed the contents and laid them out them on the desk. He took out a small flashlight, held it in his mouth, got out the camera, and started taking pictures. About halfway through, Kate hissed a warning. "Somebody's coming. Hide."
Rick quickly closed the safe and the fake book wall. He left the paperwork and hid behind the desk.
Kate chose to hide behind the ceiling-to-floor drapes. She held her weapon tight to her chest and was ready to shoot him if she had to. She could barely see through the drapes as someone unlocked the door and stepped inside. He just looked around and went back out, locking it again.
Kate came out from behind the curtains. "He should be fired. He barely even looked around." Shaking her head, she headed to the door again.
"Complacency breeds boredom. He's done this a hundred times before and saw nothing." Rick went back to work. Once finished, he put the papers back. Rick took out a book and did the same for it. Then he closed the safe and the fake book wall and joined Kate. "Anything?"
She tilted her head and listened again. "I don't hear anything."
"Good. We're going to leave the same way we got in."
Kate offered him an alternative. "We could go out the French doors."
"No. Probably in a security system. We go out the same way we came in. Let's go." Rick unlocked the door, took out his lock-picking tools, and locked it when they were through it.
Rick was out in front. He went to the same door he came in, opened it, quietly moved out, and stopped Kate. Once again, he placed a finger to his lips and warned her to be silent. Kate nodded.
They made it all the way to the fence, where Rick helped Kate up and over it and followed her. Then they walked to the car. Once inside, Kate could finally talk. "That was exciting. I think I see what you see in being a spy." She was almost giddy.
"You did well." Rick started the car and began driving.
"I told you I'm your partner. I also happen to be your girlfriend. You think they'll give me a security clearance now?" Kate turned to look at him, hoping for the right answer.
"If I tell them I let you come along, I'll likely be fired. So no."
"Well SHIT! Pardon my French." Kate sat there and sulked.
"What the agency doesn't know, the better. Maybe I'll let you come on the next one."
"I'll forgive you," Kate leaned across and kissed his cheek. She sat there, satisfied with what she had done. Then it occurred to her. "I watched your back. That guard could have found you if not for me."
Rick could have told her he would have noticed, but he didn't. "Yes, you did."
Kate sat there and smiled. She had been useful to him.
~oo0oo~
They made it to the jet and flew to the Philippines, where they stayed at the same hotel.
"I'm starving," Kate told him, and they ate at the same place as last time. They even stopped at KFC for food on the plane.
Kate and Rick made love that night. Kate was on top, enjoying herself as she raised up and down on his cock until they both climaxed. Kate used up two more of her condoms that night.
Rick got to eat KFC as he flew to Tokyo.
"You think they even noticed we were there?" Kate asked.
"I hope not. The challenge will be when there are motion sensors and TV monitors everywhere. I may have to retire the day that happens. That or take training to overcome it."
"Maybe they'll give me a security clearance if you do," Kate said hopefully.
"Don't hold your breath."
"Too late." Kate smiled at him. She wanted to to kiss him right then and there, but his mouth was full of chicken, and he was flying, even if the auto-pilot was doing all the work.
~oo0oo~
They landed at Tokyo, where Kate went in the terminal to find something to eat while Rick oversaw re-fueling.
"I got us some yaki gyoza. It's minced pork meat, cabbage, garlic, onion, and ginger dumplings." Kate told him when he looked at it funny. "You'll like it."
~oo0oo~
The second she stepped inside, Kate announced, "It's good to be home."
"It is, but I need to download these pictures."
"All right, I'll make us something to eat." Kate kissed him and headed for the kitchen after dropping her bag in the bedroom along with her weapon. She had changed clothes already so wasn't wearing all black.
Rick headed to his computer, where he signed in and downloaded the pictures he took. He was still working on it when Kate showed up.
"Enchiladas are in the oven." She stood behind him. "You're still working on it?"
"I had to look at the pictures first to be sure they were all good."
"They'd better be. I'm not going back there again."
"We will if the pictures didn't turn out."
"Then count me out." She shuddered ever so slightly. "I'm never setting foot in Bangkok ever again. Being there gave me the creeps."
"I thought you were my partner? We go where they send us."
"I am your partner." Kate slapped his shoulder. "Fine, I'll go back to Bangkok. So long as I'm on the other end of town from where I was."
Rick tilted his head back and looked up at her. "Kiss me," Rick asked her, so she leaned over him, giving him an upside down kiss.
"I'll be done in a minute."
Kate kissed the top of his head and headed for the kitchen. Rick soon joined her.
"I'm going to go unpack." Rick kissed her again and headed for the bedroom.
~oo0oo~
"Dinner," Kate called out the second the oven dinged. She served him a plate full and gave him something to drink. "Now that you're mobile again, how often will they give you a mission?" Kate was curious.
"I average about one per month. I let them know that the jet is down for maintenance."
"How long will that take?"
"Depends on how much they find wrong. They don't have time for it for a week. Then a week at best and four weeks at the worst."
"So we have time to explore Hawaii for the next four weeks, maybe." Kate let herself be a little hopeful.
"About that... What are you thinking?"
"I was thinking of going to Maui for a day or two. Then maybe Kauai for a couple of days, and finally, the Big Island for a day, possibly two. I know that means taking an airline instead of using the jet."
"Sounds good. I'll let you handle that. The airline tickets, the hotel, and, if we have one, a rental car. The computer is all yours."
"Really!?" She was thinking Rick would do all the work. But if he would leave her to do all the work, she would show him she could do it. She wasn't a WHORE any longer.
~oo0oo~
"Maui is first. Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. One king bed and partial ocean view. And we have a rental car. There's just one problem."
"Which is?"
"It's not for another week. The airfare on short notice was a killer."
Rick laughed. "A week from now is good. Nice work." He gave her a quick kiss. "What car?" Rick was curious.
"The cheapest they had. It's tiny, but it should work for us. The hotel is in the Kaanapali area, whatever that is. We're going to need a GPS or a lot of maps."
"I have GPS we can take with us," Rick assured her. "So what do we do when we get there?"
"I, um… I'm still working on that," Kate told him. Meaning she hadn't even yet started to look.
~oo0oo~
"I've got us the Lahaina ATV Adventure – Maui. Also, the Maui Atlantis Submarine Adventure. And the Myths of Maui Luau Dinner and a show. How's that?"
"Sounds like fun. Now we just need to program the addresses into the GPS."
"Addresses. Right." She didn't have those and retreated to the computer. That got Rick to smile.
~oo0oo~
She came back eventually to ask for the GPS unit so she could input the addresses.
After a while, she was back and sat on the sectional next to Rick to look at the view. "Shower. I need a shower. I haven't showered since the Philippines. You should join me since it's been just as long for you, Babe."
"You just want me there so you can have sex in the shower," Rick challenged her, his eyes sparkling.
"And what's wrong with sex in the shower? It's a nice big shower. If you play your cards right, I might even let you wash me," Kate teased him. "Come on, big boy, up and into the shower." She reached out with both hands to lift him.
Rick went along with it. Besides, he liked sex in the shower!
~oo0oo~
An ecstatic Kate came out of the bedroom dressed in only shorts and a t-shirt. She was wearing panties, but she wasn't wearing a bra. She sat down next to an equally squeaky clean Rick and smiled. Kate snuggled in nice and close.
"You know, Kate, if it takes a week to plan a trip to Maui, you should start on the trip to Kauai and the Big Island now."
"Rats." It took her long enough to work on the Maui trip. "I'll do it later."
"Procrastinating, are we?" Rick teased.
"YES. Yes, I am. So there." Kate stuck out her tongue at him.
Rick let her get away with it and cuddled up close to her. He had to admit the fuck in the shower was so much more than just nice. Then it hit him. They hadn't used a condom! Oh well, it was too late now. If Kate was pregnant, then she was, and they would deal with it.
"Girlfriend," Rick whispered.
"What about me?" Kate asked since she was close enough to overhear him.
He shrugged. "Nothing, I was just thinking."
"Thinking about what? You know, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Kate wanted to know why he had said girlfriend.
"I was just thinking. We didn't use a condom in the shower."
"Oh." Kate sat up straight at that. "We didn't, did we. …Oh well, I'm willing to take a risk now and then. If I end up pregnant, then I do."
Suddenly, she lost some of her color. "You're not planning to dump me if I am pregnant, are you?" Kate was worried now and turned her head to look right at him.
"No, of course not, Kate! If you end up pregnant, then we'll deal with it. That's all I was thinking about."
Kate settled back down and snuggled against him. "You better not. …Dump me, that is. I don't have a job. Nowhere else to live. You think the Agency will pay me for going with you?"
"I'm more worried about being fired if they find out you went with me. Involving a civilian with no training and no business being there could be very problematic."
"They wouldn't fire you. …Would they?" She lifted her head to look at him.
"It's possible. You may see yourself as being my partner, but I'm not so sure the Agency will see it that way. Girlfriend or no girlfriend."
"Oh. Well, I won't tell if you don't. Hang on! I won't get paid if you don't tell them. You're sure they would fire you?"
"No, I'm not sure. But I don't want to risk it, so you can just forget about being paid."
"Rats. All that for nothing. I won't get so much as a dime out of it," Kate complained. "I want some of my own money. I want to help pay for some things around here. Like food, maybe."
"I'll give you an allowance."
"Oh, that's swell. Now I'm a little girl who gets an allowance. …Wait, does this make you my sugar daddy?" Kate wiggled around so she could look at him.
"I'm pretty sure I'm not old enough to be your sugar daddy. If it means so much to you, maybe we can find you some work locally. Not sure just what."
"I'll think about it." She settled back down and snuggled in as close as she could. "Sugar daddy," she teased, which earned her a pinch. "OW!"
Still, she was happy. She was officially unofficially Rick's partner, and they went on spying adventures together. She was no longer a WHORE, and she had a boyfriend. Life was good.
~oo0oo~
They were getting ready for their trip when the burner phone rang. Rick answered it on the third ring. He knew it was Shaw. "Hello."
"Just checking in and telling you where we are. We still don't know much about how he's financing himself. Most of his money is coming from a Super PAC called Fast Forward. We don't know much about this Fast Forward. If I dig too deep, he'll catch wind of what I'm doing," Shaw told them.
"Got it. Why is this important? I mean, you have the tape. Isn't that enough?"
"We want more. He may be able to get off with just the tape. I'm just saying," Shaw informed them.
Rick sighed, as did Kate. "Any news on why Kate was kidnapped?"
"Nothing concrete yet. Though, I'm with you in thinking that Kate was kidnapped to apply pressure on her parents. We may not learn why until we question him. It's possible that this Montgomery may know more, but if I move against him, it will alert him, so we're forced to wait. I'm sorry. Gotta go." Shaw ended the call.
"Three dirty cops and one dirty senator. What a mess," Rick remarked as he shook his head. He thought about it for several minutes. "I wonder." He used the burner phone to call her.
Shaw answered it on the second ring. "Yes?"
"Bracken strikes me as someone who doesn't do his own dirty work. He'll hire someone to do it," Rick told her. "Perhaps there's a lead there?"
"I had the same thought, Castle. I'm working on it. I may have something for you in regards to that soon. Is there anything else?"
"No, that's about it. Thanks for looking into this."
"My pleasure," Shaw replied and hung up.
"You really think he may have help?" Kate questioned him. "I mean, eventually, they'll have to go. He has to cover himself."
"I'm betting he has an end game in mind, Kate. Those people who are helping him just became dead weight. He's going to need to get rid of them somehow."
"Perhaps," Kate agreed.
