Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

“Is that why you and Blair were

fighting?

“Nice evasive maneuver, Cam murmured. Assuming that Blair

wouldnt mind Diane knowing what had gone on between them, she

answered honestly. “We were fighting because I thought she should

have told me about Valerie showing up today and she didnt.

“Im

sorry.

“You dont need to be. Blair and I dont always see things the same way,

but I

understand why she made the decision she

did.

Diane studied Cam curiously. “And that makes it al

right?

“No, Cam laughed. “But it usual y means I dont stay angry

very long.

“Shes

lucky.

“That works both

ways.

“Youre right. I did see Valerie. She was at The White House today.

Diane smiled fleetingly at Cams look of consternation. “Its a boutique

in Georgetown. We talked for a few minutes.

“Did she say where she was

staying? Diane shook her head.

“Phone

number?

Again, Diane shook her

head.

“Did she say why shes

hiding?

“No. But I got the distinct impression that she was in trouble, serious

trouble.

“What

kind

of

trouble?

Diane picked at the corner of the book in her lap, recal ing Valeries

haunted look and the way shed reacted when the stranger came into the

stairwel . When she met Cams calm gaze hers was cut through with

anguish. “She acted as if someone was going to hurt her.

“I need to talk to her. You need to tel her that. Tel her if she meets

with me, she can walk away no mat er what she tel s me.

“Do you real y think she betrayed you? Or our country? After helping

you in the first place? Dianes voice trembled and she looked away,

biting her lip. “How can you think that when youve held her?

Cams stomach churned, and for an instant she remembered the dark

nights that might have been endless if it hadnt been for Valerie. Claire ,

as she knew her then. Claires tenderness and her uncanny ability to

absolve guilt without demanding explanations had kept her together

when everything inside was breaking.

“They recruited her when she was a teenager, Cam said. “Part

of the indoctrination is to isolate the recruits from everyone outside the

system. Family, friends, everyone. Your handler becomes your

primary point of contact for everythinghe or she becomes your

emotional and physical touchstone. Sometimes no one else even

knows your name. Soon you forget you ever had another life.

“What are you saying? Dianes expression verged on horror. “That shes

been brainwashed?

“No, only that shes been trainedrelentlessly and expertly conditionedto

fol ow orders without question. How else do you think a woman like

Valerie could have done the things shes done in the name of her

country?

“She didnt make love to you for her

country.

Cam flinched but kept her eyes level on Dianes. “Maybe not after the

first time.

“Im sorry. Im just so worried about her. Diane pushed her hair back

from her face with an unsteady hand. “And I know that she needs your

help or something terrible is going to happen to her. Please, Cam. Dont

abandon her.

“I want to find her, Cam said vehemently. She leaned forward, her hand

flat on the bed next to Dianes ankle. “Until we get the real people behind

the at ack on Blair at the Aerie, Valerie is in danger. And if Valerie is in

danger, so are youand so is Blair.

“Blair isnt in danger if Im not with her. Diane swung her legs of the

bed and jumped to her feet. “Il leave now.

Cam rose and caught Dianes shoulders as she rushed toward the closet.

“No. Youre staying with us.

Diane spun around to face Cam and tried to push her away. “Let

me go.

“Diane. Cam ignored the screaming pain in her shoulder as Diane

fought her. “Youre not alone. And neither is she.

“Oh, Diane gasped, tears fil ing her eyes. “Im so

frightened.

Cam gathered her close, stroking Dianes hair as Diane buried her face

against her shoulder. “Its going to be okay.

After a moment of silent sobs, Diane leaned away from Cam and

brushed at her cheeks. Shakily, she said, “Ive always wondered what it

would feel like for you to hold me.

“Overrated,

probably.

Diane

smiled.

“No.

Cam eased her grip and stepped back. “If she cal s you, tell her

Ill bring you to her. Tell hertell her to go to the first place she

and I met.

“Why? Why would you do that? It has to be breaking some

kind of rule or other.

“There are no rules anymore,

Diane. “I trust you.

“Thank you.

Diane wrapped her arms around herself. “Oh God, what if

she doesnt call me? What if she doesnt trust me?

Cam paused at the door. “If she risked exposure today to see

you, shell cal , and soon. Give her my message. And then come

and get me.

* * * * *

“Do you really think Valeries going to call her? Blair asked

after

Cam described the conversation.

“I do. Probably tonight. Cam unzipped her jeans and pushed

them down over her hips, letting them fall to the floor. She sat

on the side of the bed and unbuttoned her shirt. Blair, in a

threadbare T- shirt, was already under the covers.

“If she does, youre not going, Blair said, lifting the sheets.

Cam slipped underneath with a sigh. Turning onto her uninjured

left side, she pil owed her head against her bent arm and

smiled tiredly at Blair. “Lets get some sleep, baby.

Blair caressed Cams cheek. “Yes. You need it. And youre still

not going out if she calls.

“I

love

you.

“I love you too. And youre still not

going.

“If I dont, Diane is either going to try to get to her herself,

or Valeries going to risk another rendezvous with Diane. Either

way, theyll both be vulnerable if Valerie is a target.

“I hate it when youre reasonable.

Cam smiled. “I know. I do it just to make you

crazy.

Blair kissed her. “Its working. She slid an arm beneath

Cams shoulder and drew her closer, pil owing Cams head

against her breast. “How are you feeling?

“Not that bad. The ibuprofen final y kicked

in. “Why cant Valerie come here?

“Because youre here, Cam mumbled. “Too hard to secure.

“Why cant she come to Whitley Point?

“What? Cam said, her mind fuzzy with near

sleep.

“You said yourself Whitley Point is going to be far easier

to

defend.

Blair waited in the silence, caressing Cams neck and

shoulders. Eventual y when she realized Cam was asleep, she

turned off the light and closed her eyes. She drifted on the

border between sleep and consciousness, some part of her

needing to feel Cam in her arms, to know that she was safe. A

knock sounded on the door, and she reluctantly slid from bed,

uncertain how long shed been asleep. When Cam did not

wake up, Blair knew just how much the accident had taken out

of her. She crossed the room stealthily and opened the door a

crack.

“Im sorry, Diane whispered from the hall. “Im sorry, but I need

to talk to Cam.

* * * * *

“Scotch, please, Cam said as she eased onto a stool at the far

end of the highly-polished mahogany bar in the nearly deserted

Four Seasons Hotel lounge, just before 1:00 a.m. She was as

certain as she could be that she hadnt been followed.

Assuming that someone was watching her building, she had

left by the rear service doors and walked to the nearest

Metro stop. En route, shed checked careful y for a tail and saw

no indication of one, but while she waited for her drink, she

scanned the room.

At first glance, the area appeared secure. Three business

types, two men and a woman, sat around a cocktail table

near the windows discussing market shares and margins just

loudly enough for her to catch snippets of their conversation. A

lone man in a rumpled suit talked on a cell phone while he

peered at a laptop computer and tapped frantical y on the

keyboard with his free

hand. A fortyish woman in jeans and a sweater sat hunched at

the opposite end of the bar, scribbling in a notebook and

sipping absently from a glass of white wine.

Cam, intending to appear like a late-night business traveler,

had dressed in a cotton shirt and lightweight wool trousers

beneath a casual leather jacket and had exchanged her usual

shoulder harness for a hip holster. She nursed her Scotch and

waited fifteen minutes before cal ing the bartender over.

“You know, I mustve gotten my signals crossed. I just got in

from the airport and I was supposed to meet a col eague here.

Weve got a big meeting in the morning

“A lot of people come through here, the stocky bartender said.

“Weve never actual y met in person. Only on the phone, Cam said, as

reluctant

to give a description as he was to disclose anything about patrons. She

patted

her pockets as if looking for something. “Hel , maybe I got the time

wrong. I

thought for sure Claire

said

“Claire. The bartender smiled. “Yeah, she was here for a couple of

minutes, but left when you didnt show. She said if anyone came looking,

to tel them room

418.

“Thanks. Cam dropped a ten dol ar bil on the bar as she rose. “You

saved me a lot of embarrassment in the morning.

She took her time walking to the elevators, once again covertly observing

those around her. Satisfied that no one was watching, she rode to the

conference level and stepped of . She couldnt access the room floors

without a keycard and hadnt planned to anyway. As expected, the foyer

was empty in the middle of the night. She picked up a house phone and

dialed 836.

“Im here. Third

floor.

“Il

come

down.

Two minutes later the elevator stopped and Valerie stepped of .

She immediately pushed the up but on, shaking her head in irritation

as if shed forgot en something. She did not look at Cam, who stood

nearby. An up- elevator stopped and they both stepped into the empty

car. Valerie, in narrow, low heeled black boots, a black boatneck

sweater with a wide band at the waist, and flaring black silk slacks,

looked very much as she had the first time Cam had seen her. Her hair

was shorter and, rather than platinum blond, was now shot through with

red highlights. Her elegant near-patrician features were strained.

The door opened on the eighth floor and Cam fol owed Valerie to room

836. Once inside, Cam removed her leather jacket and laid it over the

back of the antique desk chair. The room was typical for the Four

Seasons, with a king size bed and a formal sit ing area complete with

sofa, end tables, cof ee table, and a minibar.

“Scotch? Valerie asked, her voice as rich and mel ow as the

whiskey she of ered.

“A short one, Cam said as she walked into the sit ing

area.

Valerie poured an inch of the smoky liquor into two crystal rock

glasses and of ered one to Cam. “You didnt bring Diane.

Cam shook her head and drank of half the Scotch. “Did you think that I

would? Valerie smiled softly. “No. I knew that you wouldnt, especial y

after giving her

the message that you would meet me

here.

“Sorry.

“You shouldnt be. I didnt want her to come. I was cal ing her to tel

her that. Valerie sat on the sofa and sipped her Scotch, her expression

distant. “I couldnt walk out twice without saying goodbye.

“Going somewhere? Cam sat next to

Valerie.

“What happened to your

face?

“Someone tried to run me down not far from my apartment

tonight.

Valerie lightly touched one finger to Cams chin, tilting her face toward

the lamp. “Blair must be wild.

“Good

deduction.

“If your face looks like this, I imagine the rest of you is pret y

sore too.

“You would be right again, Cam said, aware that Valeries hand was

shaking. “How are you doing?

“Ive been more comfortable. Valerie dropped her hand into her

lap. “You know it wasnt me.

“In the vehicle that tried to turn me into roadkil ? I know. What I dont

know is what else is going on.

“Neither do I. Valerie shifted until her knee lightly touched Cams leg.

“You remembered our system. She smiled almost wistful y. “The first

time you cal ed the service and I met you downstairs in the bar, I was

surprised.

“About what, Cam asked gently. She was in no hurry. There was too

much between them not to let Valerie say what she needed to say.

“You were gorgeous. I couldnt imagine that a woman like you would

need to

“Pay for it? Cam said with a sardonic

shrug.

“Find comfort with strangers. Cam

smiled. “Were not strangers now.

Valerie rested her fingers lightly on Cams forearm. “No, were not. But

you dont altogether trust me, do you?

“I know youre a professional and I know that youl fol ow orders. Your

orders might be at odds with my mission.

“You want Matheson, Valerie said with certainty. “And so

do I.

“Someone warned him before we could get to

him.

“I know that. What I dont know is

who.

“The leak had to come from you, Cam said

mildly. Valerie sighed. “Yes. I know.

“Your

handler?

Valerie looked pained. “I dont know. I hope not. Ive known him fifteen

years. She met Cams gaze, an apology in her eyes. “Ive told him a lot in

those fifteen years.