Неизвестный - 06. Honor Under Siege

“Field posts or administrative?” Cam asked.

“Both.”

“Answering to whom?”

“For now, to the Director of Homeland Security—who answers to me.”

“Anti-terrorism?” Cam asked, very aware that she was interrogating the president, and he was allowing it. She wondered how much that had to do with her relationship with Blair. Quite a lot, she imagined.

“That and border security. Possibly Customs. We’ll work those things out as we finalize the Cabinet level responsibilities.”

“Why can’t the security agencies we already have handle anti-terrorism?” Blair asked. “The CIA, the FBI, the military security divisions. God, how many are there?”

“A lot, and that’s part of the problem,” the president said. “We obviously need to centralize and oversee intelligence gathering, analysis, projections—the whole thing. And we need to be able to respond with effective, organized force.”

Cam leaned forward. “On domestic soil?”

Powell’s face hardened. “If need be.”

“It’s going to take some doing to get the FBI, CIA, DOJ, and military intelligence to play together,” Cam observed.

“I know that. And time is something we don’t have.” He stood and walked to his desk, then returned to his seat with a thick folder. “We’re organizing a number of special teams immediately, drawing from personnel across security divisions. I’d like you to head one, Cam.”

“On behalf of the Secret Service?” Cam asked.

The president shook his head. “Obviously, all of this is for your ears only, but I expect we’ll move the Secret Service completely into Homeland Security within the next few months. I want you as one of the new deputy directors of the OHS.”

“In what capacity?” She quelled the quick surge of excitement. The balance of power within the intelligence community was shifting, and she was being offered a premier seat.

“Counterintelligence.”

Cam looked at Blair, and her focus instantly shifted from exhilaration to concern. Blair was pale, and the shadows beneath her eyes were back. “I can’t give you an answer right now, Mr. President. Blair and I need to talk.”

“I understand. Once you’ve decided, we can discuss specifics.”

“Thank you, sir,” Cam said, standing and extending her hand.

Powell rose to return the handshake. “I couldn’t discuss this with you beforehand, Blair. With either of you. It’s a matter of national security.”

“Of course,” Blair said dully. “It always is.”

Stark approached as Cam and Blair stepped into the lobby.

“We’ll be going directly to my apartment, Chief,” Cam said.

“Very well.” Stark murmured a few words into her radio. “The vehicle’s right outside.”

“Thank you.”

Blair was silent on the walk to the Suburban and remained that way for the cross-town ride. When they reached Cam’s building, Blair automatically took her position between Stark and Hara, with Cam and the third agent slightly behind her as they entered the lobby and crossed to the elevator.

“Hara, you’re on radio backup. Wozinski, you’ll take the lobby this shift.” Stark glanced at Blair. “Will you be going out this evening?”

“I don’t know,” Blair said as she stepped into the elevator ahead of Cam and Stark.

“You can reach me on my cell should you decide—”

“I know that.”

When the elevator doors opened, Stark checked the hall before allowing Blair to exit. There were only two apartments per floor with doors opening off each end of a spacious, carpeted foyer and small seating area. The short hallway and the alcove next to the elevator were empty.

Cam removed her keys from her pocket. “I’ll check the apartment, if you want to wait here with Ms. Powell.”

Blair made no objection, and when Cam emerged from the apartment a moment later and held the door open, Blair walked past her with no comment. Cam followed her inside and closed the door.

“Hungry?”

Blair glanced at her watch. “Diane should be here soon. Let’s wait.” She checked her phone, then pushed a button. “I’ll see where she is. We can order pizza.”

“Okay. Let me have your jacket.” Cam held out her hand for Blair’s leather blazer. She hung it in the closet next to her own, listening as Blair spoke with Diane.

“Where are you?…Do you need a ride? Are you sure?…Okay. See you soon.”

“She’s on the train?” Cam asked.

“Yes. She’ll be here in about an hour.”

Cam crossed the room, took Blair’s hand, and drew her to the sofa in front of the windows. “Let’s talk.”

Blair leaned against Cam’s shoulder. “Why? It never changes anything.”

“I didn’t see this coming,” Cam said. She eased her arm around Blair’s shoulders and drew Blair against her side. She leaned her cheek against Blair’s hair. “I didn’t give much thought to this homeland security business when I first heard about it. It’s going to be a huge bureaucratic snafu with all the security agencies struggling to protect their turf. That’s not my style.”

“My father wants you to head a special team.” Blair said. “That always means outside normal channels. That’s your style.”

“I admit that’s a little more appealing. I’ve never had a desk job. I don’t want one.”

“I know. You’re a field agent. But we’re not talking about chasing counterfeiters, Cam. Special teams for homeland security means terrorists. It means something dangerous.”

“Not necessarily. Most of the time special teams are assembled just because they’re more efficient at gathering information. It’s still mostly desk work.”

Blair tilted her head up. “That’s bullshit.”

Cam smiled. “We don’t know what your father wants me to do.”

“You can’t possibly think it’s a coincidence that Lucinda brought up Valerie Lawrence right before my father asked you to head up a special counterintelligence team. Do you?”

“No,” Cam said quietly. “I don’t.”

“My father can’t talk about those kinds of operations, but Lucinda can, which is why she met with us first.” Abruptly, Blair stood up, walked to the windows, and spoke with her back to Cam. “They want Valerie, and they’ll use me and my friendship with Diane if I let them. And they’ll use you, because you…” She raised her hand, then let it fall. “Because you were in love with her.”

Cam crossed to Blair and rested her hands on Blair’s shoulders, drawing her gently back until their bodies connected. “You know that’s not true. What happened between us was limited to a few disconnected hours. It had nothing to do with the rest of our lives. And I didn’t know she was a counterintelligence operative. Jesus, I thought she was a prostitute.”

“I know all that. And I know you had feelings for her. I’ve told you before, it’s okay.” Blair shrugged, her back still to Cam. “Well, mostly okay. Except now and then when I let myself notice how beautiful she is.”

Cam nuzzled Blair’s hair. “I was never in love with her.”

“She was special, though. She had to be, for you to care for her.” Blair half turned so she could see Cam’s face. “Do you trust her?”

“That’s part of what I’m going to have to decide. Because if I undertake this assignment, and it’s Valerie they want me to find, I have to know who I’m going after.”

Blair turned completely and threaded her arms around Cam’s waist. “If you take the assignment?”

“I won’t do it if you don’t want me to.”

Blair pulled away. “I hate when you do this.”

“Do what?”

“Make me be part of the decision. It was easier when you just did what you wanted. Then I could be angry with you for doing it.”

“You’re losing me.” Cam caught Blair’s hand again. “If I’ve learned anything about being with you, it’s that I’m supposed to talk about things with you. Don’t confuse me.”

Blair grabbed Cam’s shoulders, jerked her close, and kissed her. Hard. “How would you feel about me if I said no. I don’t want you to do it.”

“I love you.”

“I can’t stand worrying about you. I can’t take one more phone call telling me you’re hurt.”

“I won’t do it.”

“I want you to take a supervisory position in homeland security. You know how to run teams. You can do it without being on the street.”

“Okay.”

Blair squeezed Cam’s shoulders, felt the hard muscles ripple under her fingers. She flashed on an image of Cam naked, her body toned and tight. Her body scarred. Her body battle ready. She kissed her again, tasting the heat of her mouth, feeling the strength in her arms as they came around her and held her tightly. “I love you so much.”

“Blair.” Cam whispered, sliding her fingers down over Blair’s chest to cradle her breast. She kissed Blair’s throat as Blair’s nipple hardened against her palm. “I never want to hurt you.”

“I know,” Blair breathed, arching her back and exposing herself to Cam’s mouth, offering the vulnerable vessels in her neck to the glide of teeth and tongue. She covered Cam’s hand where it held her breast and pressed down, moaning at the ache of pleasure that shimmered through her. “Do what you have to do.”

Cam splayed her hand over Blair’s back and pulled Blair’s shirt from her jeans. She kissed down Blair’s throat to the hollow between her collarbones. “What are you saying?”

Blair leaned away and pulled off her top, then swiftly released her bra and dropped it to the floor. She arched her back, breasts lifting in invitation while she fumbled at her jeans. “Hurry. We don’t have much time.”

Swiftly, Cam pushed Blair down onto the wide leather sofa and knelt to pull off her boots. Grabbing the top of her jeans, she stripped the denim and silk away in one long wrenching pull until Blair was nude.

“Lie down,” Cam ordered. Easing between Blair’s legs, she braced an arm by Blair’s shoulders and kissed her. While she stroked inside Blair’s mouth, she cupped her sex. Blair was wet, swollen, already opening for her. Blair’s hands came into her hair and Cam slid into her. Blair jolted and cried out.

“I never want to hurt you,” Cam said desperately, her breath tearing from her chest as she pushed deeper.

“You aren’t. You can’t. Not when you lo—oh, god.” Blair gripped Cam’s forearm as Cam thrust between her legs. She drove her pelvis up to meet Cam plunging down, the pressure building, burning, blinding. “Cam, I…”

“Blair, Blair,” Cam groaned against Blair’s mouth. “Come, baby. Oh Jesus, please let me feel you come.”

“Oh now,” Blair cried, her nails digging into Cam’s arm. Her abdomen tightened and she jerked upright, clutching Cam as her orgasm spilled from her. “Hold me. Hold me. God, please hold me.”

Cam gripped Blair tightly and as Blair’s body sagged, she eased her back onto the sofa, shifting until she could lie beside Blair and hold her in her arms. “Okay? Baby, you okay?”

Blair pressed her face to Cam’s chest, listening to her heart thunder. “God. You make me come like nobody’s business.”

Laughing, Cam stroked her hair. “Is that right.”

“Mmm.” Blair stretched and eased her thigh between Cam’s legs. “You sound hoarse again. Is your throat okay?”

“Everything feels fabulous.”

Blair nudged Cam’s crotch. “How ’bout this?”

“Fabulously horny.”

“Thought so.” Blair gripped the button on Cam’s fly.

Cam stopped her. “Uh-uh. Not now. I’ll last.”

“Since when?”

“Since Diane’s going to be here any minute.”

“Darling,” Blair said in a reasonable voice. “I can make you come in under thirty seconds.”

Cam kissed Blair lightly. “That’s true. But I want you to take a lot longer.”

Blair sighed. “If that’s what you want, I suppose I can be patient.”

“So,” Cam shifted onto her back so that Blair lay partially upon her, “you want to explain what you said back then just as my mind was melting?”

Blair skimmed her hand back and forth over Cam’s chest. “I told you the truth. I don’t want you to be in danger. I want you to be safe.” She met Cam’s questioning gaze. “But I don’t want my love to keep you from being who you are. Or doing what you have to do. So you have to promise me, on your word of honor, that you won’t let anything happen to you. Swear it.”

“I swear,” Cam whispered, stroking Blair’s cheek. “I swear I will love you with my whole heart every day for the rest of my life.”

Blair blinked back tears. “That’s not what I asked.”

“I know. I’ll be careful.”

Blair settled down again and pressed her face to Cam’s neck. “So noted, Commander.”

Chapter Five

“There!” Diane Bleeker leaned forward over the front seat of the cab and pointed to a building on the right side of the street. “That’s it—1202.”

When the cabbie swerved toward the curb, a horn blared behind them, making Diane jump. She peered out the street-side window in time to see a black sedan rocket by. The cabdriver muttered an expletive as he parked and climbed out to retrieve Diane’s luggage from the trunk.

Diane handed him a ten after he’d set her suitcases on the sidewalk outside Cam’s building. The door opened as she hauled her luggage toward it, and she smiled in recognition at the burly blond who stood just inside. Agent Wozinski made some linebackers look small.

“Hi, Greg.”

“Ms. Bleeker.”

Diane shook her head. She’d given up trying to get him to call her Diane even though she’d once spent a week with Blair and had seen him every day during that time. In the fifteen years that she’d been friends with Blair, she’d grown used to the presence of security agents. But it had never been like this. So many, keeping such a close watch. She was surprised that Blair didn’t break out more often. She would have.

“Okay to go up?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll call up and announce you.”

“It’s 501, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

The elevator was efficient, and Diane suspected that she arrived outside Cam’s door seconds after Wozinski called. When she rang the bell, Blair immediately answered.

“Hi.” Blair pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you came.”

Diane hugged her back, surprised at the intensity of Blair’s embrace. She leaned back, her arms clasped loosely around Blair’s waist, and studied her. Blair looked more rested than when she’d seen her ten days ago, but she could hardly look worse than she had the day after both Cam and Renée had been injured. Still, there was something in Blair’s eyes that telegraphed worry. Worry and…regret?

“Are you okay?” Diane looked past Blair into the expansive living room beyond. Cam, who stood behind a small bar tucked into the far corner of the room, nodded in greeting. As usual, Diane could tell nothing from her expression. She waved and returned her attention to Blair. “Did Lucinda give you a terrible task?”

“The usual,” Blair said, trying to inject lightness into her tone. “I don’t have all the details yet.” She grasped the larger of Diane’s suitcases. “Come on, let me show you where the guest room is.”