Chapter 6

Drake waited until he saw Jamie and her fiery curls board the Metro before he jumped on, a car behind. He stood so that he could make out his prey through the windows of the adjoining cars, but out of her sight through the crush of humanity.

He watched her stand and approach the doors sooner than he’d expected. Jamie generally only frequented a few places around town: her apartment, NASA headquarters, and the upscale shopping district near the city center. But today she hopped off at the Smithsonian stop.

Cursing under his breath, Drake pushed his way off the train, barely jumping off before the doors closed behind him.

Jamie was headed towards the escalators and Drake followed, feeling more at ease than normal in the confines of the subway stop. The curving ivory ceiling reminded him of home. The feeling didn’t last long, however, as the escalators led above ground and out into the wide-open spaces.

Drake stared up at the overcast sky for a moment, feeling exposed. Taking a deep breath, he craned his neck around to find Jamie. She was making her way across the busy street, her steps filled with purpose.

Maneuvering around a yellow and red hot dog cart, Drake jogged across the street until he wasn’t far behind. He followed her as she made her way into the gate in front of a large red brick edifice identified as the Smithsonian Castle.

Drake stayed behind a group of younger humans in matching uniforms. Schoolchildren, I think they’re called. The group provided cover as he watched Jamie walk around the gardens and head around the side of the castle.

Picking up his pace, he rounded the castle’s corner and found another busy street, which Jamie had just crossed. He recognized the area ahead of him: the National Mall, with its towering triangular moment at one end and the Hill on the other. The muted light made the grass a more vibrant green, just as it seemed to make sparks ignite in Jamie’s curls.

His prey was walking slowly up one of the gravel paths and Drake paused, wondering for a moment how to proceed. The Mall was essentially a green space, with joggers and tourists sprinkled along the paths. It was late morning on a weekday, unfortunately, so there weren’t many people to blend in with. Should he continue to dog her footsteps, or would it make more sense to take a seat on a bench and pretend to study one of the landmarks around him?

Drake stared down at his feet, trying to decide. So far, his quarry had been entirely predictable. She wasn’t too hard to trace, sticking mainly to busy locations, spending her time working, haunting NASA, or shopping. Now she seemed to be idly taking in the sights. What had inspired her sudden penchant for tourism?
“What are you doing here?”

Her voice sent a shock through him. Drake raised his head and realized the object of his thoughts was standing right in front of him, an annoyed look on her otherwise beautiful face.

For a moment, he was speechless. The way the light caught her eyes made them sparkle, like priceless gems.

“Hello?” she said, tugging on his sleeve. “Remember me?”

“Of course,” he said, his senses on high alert. You stupid son of a shark, he thought. Get your head out of the clouds and on task or you’ll ruin everything.

“I know you’re following me.”

Drake swallowed, the worst possible conclusion having been jumped to by his target. It didn’t matter that it was the correct conclusion.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a short pause, “but you’re mistaken.”
Jamie’s plump lips curled up in a wry smile. “Like hell I am. You being in a position to chase off those guys could have been chance, but then I saw you again last night, outside the restaurant. And now you’ve followed me here, today. Or did you just happen to be going for a stroll on the National Mall at the same time as me?”
For a split second, he considered trying to convince her that he had been here by coincidence. One look into her stubborn face made him realize that ploy was all washed up.

To buy time, he used a classic tactic honed from years working his way up the ranks in the Ministry of Security. When confronted with a question you don’t want to answer, ask a question of your own. He fixed his features with a smug grin and asked, “What reason could I have for following you around?”

Jamie blinked, her eyes wide, and he wondered for a moment if he’d unintentionally hurt her. The thought made his chest clench.

“Oh, you have a reason,” she said, narrowing those glowing green eyes. “A very good reason.”
“And that is…?” He attempted to look skeptical, but anxiety was gnawing up his insides. Could she somehow have determined the reason he was here?

“You’re one of NASA’s hired goons,” she said with a scowl. “Employed to follow me around and make sure I don’t cause any trouble.”
Drake’s brows rose in surprise. That theory actually made sense. Although her generally frivolous actions might not belie it, she had a decent head on her smooth shoulders.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” There was satisfaction in Jamie’s voice. She thought she’d figured it out.

Drake’s thoughts sped up to a million miles a second. Let her think it, he told himself. It gets you close without exposing your real mission.

“I think you have me mistaken for someone else,” he said, attempting to move past her.

Although the idea of letting her think he was hired by NASA to follow her around was an appealing one, it was still likely to restrain his actions. And if Jamie happened to mention him to Lance or someone else in the agency, his cover would be immediately and irrevocably blown.

“Oh no you don’t!” Jamie grabbed his arm with both of hers, attempting to restrain him. “I’m not letting go until you admit you’re from NASA.”

Drake wanted to smile. The idea of this tiny woman keeping him from doing anything was laughable. He gave a sharp tug, easily pulling from her grasp.

He turned to walk away and was surprised when he felt her attack from behind. Jamie had leapt onto his back, her legs wrapping around his waist and her arms digging into his shoulder blades.

Although he’d envisioned holding this woman on more than one occasion, he’d never pictured her in a position like this, grasping tight to him while he tried to determine how to dislodge her without hurting her.

“Look, lady, I think you’re overreacting. Do I look like a spaceman to you?”

Jamie held on as he attempted to swing her off, her forearms crossing around his neck. Although it did little damage to him, especially through the Hareema skin suit, he knew they were making a scene and attracting notice was the very thing he wanted to avoid.

“No, you look like a goon. One hired to keep me out of the big boys’ hair. Now just admit it so I can figure out what to do with you.”

He didn’t know why, but those last words sent a strange tingle through him. Drake knew what he wanted to do with her, but he doubted she had similar thoughts.

The way he saw it, he only had a few choices. He could keep insisting that his being around her was coincidence, but his cover was effectively blown. She’d notice him now as he stalked her around the city. His anonymity was lost.

His other choices were either to let her believe he was a NASA plant, or to come up with another lie that would be as convincing as the one she’d already saddled him with. And since she’d already convinced herself, it seemed the path of least resistance would be to go with the NASA story.

Now, he just had to find a way to twist it to his advantage…

“Fine,” he grunted, “you found me out. Now get off my back.”

Jamie let out an unexpected crow of delight and released her hold, hopping down to the sidewalk with one last slap to his back. Drake was surprised to realize that he missed the contact, even though she was little more than an impression through the suit.

"I knew it, I just knew it," she was saying to herself. "Especially when you showed up outside the restaurant last night. Did Lance tell you where we were going? Or have you guys tapped my phone?"

Drake had actually considered breaking into her phone communications, as well as emails, but so far he'd decided to merely keep an eye on her. The least intrusive route was the best, especially since he didn't know how deep the Hareema's interest might be in her. No need to set off any alarm bells unwittingly.

"I've been charged with following you around, making sure you don't get into any trouble, as you said," he told her, his tone as level and neutral as he could make it. "That's the extent of it."

Jamie's eyes narrowed. It was obvious she didn't know if she could believe him. He couldn't blame her.

"Okay," she said after a moment. "Well, now that I know about you, what's the plan?"

"The plan?" He didn't have any fucking plan, now that she'd caught him out.

"Yeah. Clearly you can't think to keep stalking me, now that I know who you are."

That was true. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what else he could do. She was the only door into NASA that hadn't been shut in his face.

He needed a way to use her to gain entry without her giving him away to the enemy. And, Drake realized suddenly, that would mean they'd need to work together.

Slowly a plan unfurled itself, and he set it into motion.

"Well, I suppose now you tell your fiancé that you caught me red-handed. He tells his bosses, and they fire me. Then some new guy replaces me and it starts all over again."
"New guy?" Jamie's face scrunched up in a most adorable fashion.

Drake steeled his features to ensure they gave no window into his emotions. "Yes, another tail. You're too important for them to leave you to your own devices."

"But then I'm back to square one," she said in a huff.

Her eyes captured his own and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. Noruma help me, but I can't escape the effect she has on me.

All of a sudden, Jamie put her hands on his shoulders and gripped them tightly. "And say I don't tell Lance? Say we go on as we were, me oblivious to your existence, and you just creeping around town after me?"

Although a moment ago that was all he wanted, he'd realized that he had to make his move now. He'd spent too long on this planet already, with nothing to show for it. His people were depending on him, as were the poor duped people of Earth. It was time to try a new tactic.

Drake shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that won't fly. Sure, it might save my job, but I have a duty to my superiors to report what's happened today. The mission has been compromised, and I have to follow protocol."

"Fuck protocol," she replied, and Drake couldn't help the smile that broke across his features. "At least you won't get fired."

"True, but when my superiors find out, which they could at any moment, surveillance being what it is in this town, I won't only be out of this job but any chance of a future one in Washington. It's too risky."

"And if I storm into NASA's office, pitching a fit because they had the audacity to have me followed, what then? You think they'll just put another man on it and keep stringing me along like always? I don't have time for that!"

Jamie crossed her arms in a way that lifted her chest in a most appealing fashion. Drake had to force his mind away from the delights of her body and concentrate on manipulating her into working together.

"I'm sorry," he said, patting her lightly on the shoulder. "Really I am. It's a shame what's going on, the way they're keeping you in the dark about everything."

"In the dark about what?" Jamie's eyes had gone wide, her features turning pale.

Drake felt like a knife was twisting in his guts. He hated having to maneuver her like this. But there was no other way.

He stared hard at her, as if he was debating on what to say. "I really can't reveal anything. It's classified."

"Please," she said, grabbing his arms with both hands and squeezing tightly. "I have to know what's happened to Sylvie."

Her eyes filled with unshed tears, and he watched her blink them back, marveling at her well of inner strength. A woman like this is a treasure, he thought. Beautiful, alluring, but also strong and tenacious. Sheer perfection.

"Okay, look," he said, his voice lowering as he bent in closer. "I know things. Things that pertain to Dr. Cohen's current whereabouts." He made a show of looking around them, as if assessing their threat level. "But we can't talk about it here. We could have already been spotted."

Jamie peeked over his shoulder, her head swiveling, looking for the threat he implied.

"Meet me in an hour, at the coffee shop on the corner of L and 21st."

"Okay," she said, giving him a brisk nod.

Drake carefully removed the hands that were still holding his arms and turned away, headed back to the Metro. When he looked over his shoulders, he saw Jamie striding off down the Mall.

Well, Drake, you've just bought yourself an hour to come up with a plan to convince the lovely Jamie that you can be trusted, and to figure out how to use her to get into NASA's inner circle.

Although an hour seemed too short a time, compared with the weeks they'd spent planning his mission back on Zanthar, he had the odd feeling that it would feel like forever.

One hour until I can see her again. I'm already counting the minutes.