Chapter 9

Jamie woke up to the sun shining through the blinds. She was disoriented for a moment, wondering how she had found her way into her bed. Then she remembered the night before and sat up straight, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.

She'd failed to seduce her own fiancé, so she'd taken her frustration out on her new partner in crime.

He didn't seem to mind much. In fact, I'd say he was more than willing.

She recalled his words, how he'd told her she was beautiful, how he'd do anything to taste her.

And he had tasted her.

Jamie lay back against her pillows, the night before replayed in her mind. Although she hadn't thought herself attracted to Drake, once he'd kissed her, all that changed.

I thought the time for one-night stands was behind me. But the way that man kisses, like nothing in the world matters except his lips against mine…

She shivered, pulling her robe around her. Drake was a man full of secrets, a mystery she was just realizing she’d like to solve.

He worked in intelligence, was uncover at NASA to root out a conspiracy that involved her sister. He was strong and skilled, easily dispatching the two buffoons who had attempted to follow her home from the train. And now, he’d shown that he was no slouch in the bedroom either.

Unlike someone else…

Jamie frowned, suddenly realizing that she’d cheated on her fiancé. Sure, she’d given Lance first crack at her, so to speak, and he’d demurred. Still, it wasn’t right, what she’d done last night.

And yet, she didn’t regret her actions. It was plain to see that Lance wasn’t the man for her. They had next to nothing in common, and although he was good-looking and high-ranking, she felt none of the passion she’d surrendered to the night before.

Jamie was just discovering that she deserved that passion. She deserved someone who looked at her like Drake had.

Like he’d die if he couldn’t touch me.

She couldn’t hold out hope for any kind of relationship with the mysterious Drake. He was some kind of spy, after all, and that meant the opposite of stability. If the James Bond films had taught her nothing, they’d taught her that spies didn’t stick around once their mission was complete.

Still, there was a certain appeal to being the Bond Girl du Jour, well-dressed and clever, with a slight hint of danger. She’d play her part until she brought her sister home, and then she and Drake would go their separate ways.

But that still left Lance. What to do about her unwitting fiancé?

For a moment she felt bad. Guilty. She’d accepted his proposal because he represented the stability she craved in the absence of her sister. He was someone who could help her locate Sylvie, someone she could lean on.

Still, a niggling of doubt tugged at her mind. Was Lance really as into her as he claimed? He’d never made a move on her, even if he was attentive, nor had he pushed her to set a date or even to move in with him. He’d courted her, locked her down, and now he was content to remain in a holding pattern with her, making no moves at all.

Maybe he was using her, just like she was using him. While Jamie’s motives were fairly transparent, she couldn’t see why Lance would be using her. Perhaps he was a part of the conspiracy, and his goal was to merely keep Jamie pacified while they did whatever needed to be done regarding Sylvie.

What that was, she had no idea. Uggh! I need more information!

Drake had been less than forthcoming, hiding behind the word ‘classified’ as if it were a giant billboard in Times Square. Today’s goal would have to be figuring out what this conspiracy was all about, and how to extricate her sister from it.

Jamie stretched then pulled herself out of bed, heading towards the shower. She didn’t know what the plan for the day was, as Drake had apparently left after she’d almost passed out on him. And as she had no way to contact him, she had to wait until he came to her.

After a leisurely shower, Jamie headed to her closet. Although she considered clothing combinations that ranged from fashionable ninja to office bandit, she settled on dark leggings and a long black sweater. They were likely going to hit the office during the daylight hours, so dressing like a cross between a spy and a thief wasn’t going to get her any traction.

She did, however, opt for sensible flats that could get her out of a scrape in a hurry, if needed. Although she felt fairly confident in her ability to run in four-inch heels, she’d rather not test it.

Then it was time for lunch. Jamie seated herself at her bistro table, picking at a salad and paging through a holo-magazine. The glossy pop-up ads and slick, moving pictorials didn’t hold her interest, however. She was too focused on what would happen today.

With Lance and his team out of the NASA offices, she and Drake should be able to get in and poke around with no interruption. She’d been through many of the offices before, and although they required clearance in the form of a security badge, once through the portal, there was little oversight. If she and Drake could get past the security desk and through the secured entry point, they should be able to snoop at will.

Checking the time, Jamie wondered why Drake hadn’t tried to contact her yet. For a moment she regretted not spending more time planning with him last night, but then admitted that she preferred the activities as they had taken place. She was more a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants gal anyway, and she really wouldn’t have wanted to give up a fantastic orgasm in favor of boring preparations.

It was nearly two when she heard the faint knock. It wasn’t from the front door, however. Instead, it came from the window outside her kitchen. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes and deciding instead to get into the spirit of playing the spy, Jamie crept over to the window and cracked it open.

“What’s the password?” she asked, lowering her voice.

“What?”
“I’m sorry, that’s incorrect.” She rushed to close the window, but his hand caught it and pressed it back open. Man, he’s got lightning-fast reflexes.

“Quit screwing around,” Drake growled from outside. “We don’t have time for games.”
Jamie had to stop herself from sticking her tongue out at him. “You’re the one who took your sweet time getting over here.”

“It made sense to wait to hit the office until afternoon. Security shift change is at 3:00. If we go in while they’re distracted, no one should even know the restricted area is occupied.”

Apparently, Drake didn’t share her aversion for planning. Which was undoubtedly a good thing, considering. “Why are you at the window?” she asked, curious as to why he’d forgone the front door.

“We shouldn’t be seen together today. In case anyone is watching. I plan to act as your shadow, as usual, and follow you to NASA. Then I’ll join you right before we use the badge.”

Jamie shrugged. It sounded logical enough. She grabbed her oversized bag from where it was hanging on the chair and moved to close the window.

“You’re not lugging that huge thing around with you, are you?” There was a note of annoyance in his gravelly voice.

Jamie smiled sweetly. “Of course I am. It has all of my supplies in it.”

“It’s not exactly inconspicuous, since you could fit a human child in there.”

“Depending on their size, I could maybe fit two,” she said, then she shoved against the window again to shut it, forcing him to remove his hands or risk losing some fingers.

Jamie locked the apartment door behind her, jogged down the front steps, and hit the sidewalk, heading for the nearby Metro stop. Although he wasn’t in her sight, she knew Drake was somewhere behind her, following at a safe distance.

She was surprised at the sense of security that this knowledge brought. Having a man like Drake to protect her, to know that he would let no harm come to her, made a calmness descend over her like she’d never known. Jamie decided to enjoy the feeling and not worry too much about what it might mean.

The next train pulled into her station after a few moments and she boarded, taking a seat next to a little old woman and positioning her bag on her lap. Jamie resisted the temptation to crane her head around to catch sight of her shadow. Although she might think he was being overly cautious, she trusted Drake. If he thought there was a possibility that they were being watched, then she’d play it safe and stay in spy-mode.

Their simple plan ran through her head, and she was startled to realize that, although there were a million things that could go wrong, she wasn’t worried. Jamie chalked her absence of anxiety up to Drake’s confidence. She barely knew him, but somehow she was certain he’d achieve his goal.

Which meant she would achieve hers.

She hopped off the train at the stop nearest to NASA and headed off to her destination. The structure was unassuming, just another government building packed with underfunded offices. She looked up at the wall of windows and concrete, took a deep breath, and headed for the entrance.

Ignoring the displays of space history around her, she headed towards the first security checkpoint. Jamie nodded at the security guard while she pulled out her badge. Lance had insisted that she be given a non-secured badge so she wouldn’t have to sign in every time she entered. The guard gave her a smile as she placed her bag on the conveyor belt, praying as always that it didn’t get stuck this time through.

She retrieved her bag and nodded, headed past the main desk and to the bank of elevators. The target offices were on the 8th floor and they had their own security desk which limited access to the secured areas.

Suddenly she felt him behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know that Drake was a few inches away, waiting patiently for the elevator. There was a faint chime and the door opened. Jamie walked in and turned, her eyes sliding over Drake, keeping up the pretense that he was a stranger and beneath her notice.

Catching sight of the camera that watched over them both, Jamie focused on her breathing and pretended boredom. Her heart rate had increased, and she finally started to feel a tendril of anxiety uncurling in her stomach.

She was a fashion buyer, an assistant really, and not an international spy. What did she know about sneaking through security and uncovering confidential information? Wasn’t there some sort of hefty fine or extended jail sentence connected with what she was about to do?

Suddenly, as if he could sense her disquiet, Drake moved in closer, his shoulder brushing hers. Even this barest contact helped to steady her. What choice did she have? She had to do whatever she could to get her sister back.

The elevator doors opened, and she squared her shoulders, prepared to walk out and meet her fate.

Time to be brave, Jamilla.

Before she could make her exit, Drake pulled her behind him. “Make yourself small and remain perfectly silent. Follow my moves, and don’t let anyone know you’re behind me.”

He started off towards the security desk and she crouched low, linking her steps with his and praying she was in sync enough to fool the guards behind the desk. Although she couldn’t see much from her position, she knew there were two guards talking there. She could hear them. Papers were shuffling, and a conversation about those who had checked in earlier was in progress.

Drake was right. It’s shift change. Let’s hope they’re distracted enough not to question him.

She saw Drake reach into his pocket, pull out Lance’s badge, and wave it towards the distracted guards. He then veered off towards the secured door and Jamie had to move fast to keep herself unseen.

She slid around to his side, folding her arms in while Drake slightly angled himself to keep her hidden even in profile. He reached the door and held the badge up to the scanner in a fluid motion. The little light turned green and she heard the door unlock.

And then they were in.

“Quick,” he said, pulling her from behind him. “I want to get in Cargraves office before they decide to start watching the feeds again.”

The feeds. Jamie swallowed. “What if they decide to watch the feeds later? They’ll see us.”

Drake nodded. “It’s a risk we have to take. As long as we leave everything the way we found it, there should be no reason to go back over the footage. It will be erased in the next few days as there isn’t enough storage space to keep 24-7 surveillance records.”

His dark gaze locked onto hers. “You didn’t have to come along. You insisted.”

She had. Although she trusted Drake, she still felt single-handedly responsible for Sylvie’s return. That meant she had to be here, to leave no stone unturned.

As long as we turn those stones back over after digging beneath them, it should be ok. At least that was what she told herself.

“Lead the way,” Drake said, sweeping his arm out in front of him. Jamie gave a quick nod and took off in the direction of Lance’s office. She grabbed the door handle and tugged, then frowned.

“It’s locked.” She’d always been brought back into the secured area by functionaries or by Lance himself. She hadn’t even thought about encountering an obstacle as simple, or as frustrating, as a locked door.

“Move,” Drake said, shouldering his way to the locked door and trying the handle himself. He then pulled out a tool that resembled a pocket knife, but when she saw that what should be a blade looked more like a long key, she realized it was a lock pick.

It only took him a moment to unlock the door and then they were inside. The lights were set on motion detection and came on automatically when they entered. The office wasn’t large, but it was orderly.

Drake pulled out Lance’s chair and seated himself in front of the computer. Jamie cautiously picked her way through the shelves and drawers, being careful not to noticeably disturb anything.

The clacking sound coming from the computer console made Jamie turn her head to watch. Drake’s fingers were a blur on the keyboard, and the screens were shifting so fast as he maneuvered through them that she couldn’t keep up.

The man has skills, she thought. And he keeps revealing new ones. Physical strength and stamina. Lock-picking. Computer hacking.

And let’s not forget the ability to seduce you into a mind-blowing orgasm, her inner voice reminded.

As if she could forget that little fact.

While she watched, Drake pulled out a small device from his pocket and plugged it into the USB port. The device didn’t resemble anything she’d seen before. It was small, oblong, with a row of flashing lights in red, green, blue and yellow.

Once the device was activated, windows began popping up and disappearing at light speed. She’d never seen anything like it. Although she was by no means a technology expert, Jamie was certain this device wasn’t available at her local retailer. It must be some kind of spy tech.

Drake continued to hack his way through the classified data while Jamie did her best to snoop. The problem was, she had no idea what she was looking for. There were dozens of memos and schematics and spreadsheets, but nothing seemed to hint at a conspiracy.

Jamie pulled open the top drawer of the filing cabinet and proceeded to scan the folders found there. Each folder had a name and an initial. Personnel files.

The next drawer held binders labeled with years, 2010 through 2015. The drawer below that had binders starting at 2016, but she noticed the one for this year was missing.

She bent to open the bottom drawer, hoping to find the binder for the current year. Unfortunately, there were no binders and no folders in the drawer. It seemed to be filled with random parts and tools. Making a half-hearted effort to dig through the pile, she sighed, wishing she had a least a rudimentary understanding of spacecraft engineering.

The clacking at the keyboard stopped, and when she looked over her shoulder, Drake was standing behind her, staring down. The look on his face was anything but subtle. His eyes blazed with a desire to which she’d become acquainted with last night.

Jamie slid the drawer closed and stood up, a strange tingle working its way up her spine.