C. Paradee - Deep Cover

Kris quirked a half-smile. "So what're you gonna name her?"

"Maybe Angel." She laughed when Kris rolled her eyes. "Well, do you have any better suggestions?"

"How about Scruffy."

"I'm sure!" Shelby studied the frolicking kitten trying to think of a fitting name. "Her fur is the color of clouds during a thunderstorm."

Kris turned mirth filled eyes on Shelby. "Don't tell me you're gonna name her Thunder."

Shelby chuckled, enjoying the exchange. "You're not being serious. I was thinking more along the lines of Stormy. I think it kind of fits her."

Glancing at the kitten, Kris agreed, "Yeah it does."

"Glad you approve," Shelby teased, then smiled inwardly when a slight blush darkened Kris' cheeks. "What do you like for breakfast?"

"Coffee."

Shelby was not going to be deterred in her effort to make Kris more comfortable. "What else?"

"I don't usually eat breakfast."

Two can play this game . "When you do eat breakfast, what do you like?"

Kris hid a smile at Shelby's tenacity. It was apparent to her that while she was determined not to burden her hostess, Shelby was just as determined to make her feel welcome. "Eggs, bacon, toast, juice, fruit..." She started laughing when her companion's forehead furrowed in concern. "I'm only kidding. An English muffin or bagel is usually all I have unless I eat a late breakfast on the weekend."

Shelby shook her head at the recalcitrant woman. You just might have a surprise coming Saturday. "I've got some plain bagels. Do you like orange juice?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." She watched Shelby gather their breakfast in the small kitchen and stood up to help her carry the glasses of juice.

A short time later, Shelby glanced at the clock. "I can't believe it's time to get ready for work already. Why don't you use the bathroom first?"

"Nah. You go ahead. It won't take me long."

"Okay."

Kris watched Shelby cut through the kitchen to the hallway then disappear from view before getting up to refill her coffee cup. The operative knew she was enjoying Shelby's company more than she should, but she was drawn to her on some basic level she seemed unable to control, and that frightened her.

Later that day, both women were ensconced in front of computers. Shelby had already silently chastised herself several times for not focusing, instead alternating between unobtrusively watching Kris and trying to figure out a way to draw out the investigation without jeopardizing any more potential targets of the elusive assassin. She knew that the relationship between the locales of the operatives and the assassinations could be purely coincidental, too. Her evidence had merely exposed a potential connection that had to be eliminated. What I would give to know if it is anyone on the list. Shelby sighed. I don't know and I can't take a chance it's not.

She had been distracted since they had arrived that morning, but had finally been able to concentrate on the airline manifests long enough to eliminate three names from the list. Unobserved, Shelby watched Kris a moment before speaking. "I've got three names we can eliminate."

Kris swiveled around in her chair. "Who?"

"Celt, Leopold, and Shain."

"How'd you eliminate them?"

"Weather. All three would have had to travel by air to be in the vicinity of the assassinations when they occurred. Those three were long shots anyway because they were the farthest away and not close to any major transportation hubs. Each of them would have experienced long flight delays because of weather on one of the days the assassinations were committed. Since the MO is the same, I think it's safe to eliminate them, but I did request a list of satellite transmissions from their locations for each date of an assassination to include the day before and after."

Kris grinned, impressed with Shelby's thorough research. "I've got a couple more: Justice and Kingpin. Kingpin was in the hospital undergoing an emergency appendectomy on the date of the second assassination. Local authorities detained Justice for spying the day the last assassination went down. He was just released yesterday and arrived in Frankfurt this morning."

"I shouldn't have included him . . . "

"Yes, you should've. The incident was kept secret and was just entered into the computer this morning. Your list is solid."

Shelby warmed at the compliment. "Thanks."

"No thanks necessary. You're a good analyst."

Shelby blushed and started rifling through a stack of papers on her desk.

Kris watched her for a moment longer then returned her gaze to the monitor. She's adorable when she blushes.

Gregor stood in front of his superior officer in the Russian Federation Embassy and tried to weather the verbal assault of his performance. He inwardly sighed with relief, when Dimitri momentarily ran out of descriptive words.

His face still red with fury, Dimitri snapped. "You obviously did not stress the importance of this mission. This behavior is not acceptable. We dictate to our subordinates. They do not dictate to us. If you had done your job properly, this would never have happened."

Gregor resented his superior's attitude, but was glad Dimitri had calmed down. "I have followed procedure. Place the blame on our superiors for not attempting contact before now."

"That is not your concern!"

Gregor worried he had gone too far, but remembered all too clearly his meeting with the operative in question and how he had explained in excruciating detail that noncompliance with his directives was not an option. He also remembered that his graphic rendition of repercussions for failure had not seemed to faze his contact.

"I did emphasize that failure to comply would have grave consequences."

"Apparently, not enough. Exert whatever pressure is necessary. If you fail, your usefulness here is finished."

"As you wish." Gregor turned abruptly and left Dimitri's office. He was all too aware of what would happen if he returned to the motherland in disgrace. If he were lucky, he would be assigned to most desolate area of the Siberian Tundra. If he were not, he would find himself in a shallow, unmarked grave.

Shelby glanced up at the clock, pleased quitting time had finally arrived. She gathered up the sensitive information she had been working on to take it over to the wall safe. Normally, the steel fortified filing cabinet anchored to the floor against the wall would have been secure enough for her documents, but to a trained eye, the satellite transmissions would identify the locations of not only the field operatives they were investigating, but many others as well so heightened security precautions were necessary.

"You got anything that needs locking up?"

"Yeah." Kris handed Shelby a similar stack of printouts, more than ready to leave the confines of the suffocating office behind.

Shelby locked the safe, then gave the dial a couple of spins. "I thought we could stop at Giant Food on Main Street. That okay with you?"

Kris had forgotten she'd agreed to go grocery shopping and shrugged. "Sure."

Shelby had learned that morning to let Kris go out first, and wait until she finished her perusal of the parking lot before joining her.

She slid into the driver's seat and waited for Kris to get settled and buckled up before exiting her parking place and merging with the other employees' cars as they got in line waiting to merge with the traffic on the parkway. Shelby glanced at Kris and immediately picked up on an increase in tension and alertness that seemed almost second nature to the operative. She knew Kris was just doing her job of protecting her, but she wondered if the woman ever relaxed in public places.