Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

day crew to augment your night shift. We cant be certain they wont try

a dual assault, and you and Mac wil be tied up coordinating

communications.

Stark stif ened. “Mac doesnt need me to assist. I can go with the ground

detail, Commander.

Cam shook her head. “Not with Egret on site. You need to be

here. If something goes wrong, youl have to evac her quickly. Id

suggest you make contingency plans to get her back to the White House,

but thats your cal .

“Yes,

maam.

“Wel have to go without visual if Valerie boards Henrys vessel, Cam

said with a nod to Savard, “but I want audio surveil ance that Henry

wont catch even if he looks. Wires are too risky if he does a body

search.

“Hes not going to have the equipment to look for an implantable,

Valerie said. “If we get it in by tomorrow morning, the puncture site

should be very dif icult to spot as lit le as twelve hours later.

“A transdermal receiver? Savard said, her eyes brightening with

anticipation. “How are we going to get it? Thats the kind of stuf only

the DOD has, and even thats just a rumor.

“Its not a rumor, Valerie

said.

“Whats the range? Felicia

asked.

“1000 yards. Valerie glanced at Cam. “He may see you at that

range.

“Possibly, Cam said. “But were close enough to fishing and shipping

routes that there wil be plenty of water traf ic, even at night. Wel run

without lights as much as we can.

“Thats quite a distance if we have to extract quickly, Savard

said.

“Once Valerie and Henry rendezvous, hel be occupied and wel be able

to drift in closer. Cam cut her eyes to Valerie. “A minute. Thats likely to

be how much time wel need to get aboard if you signal. Two, tops.

“Understood, Valerie replied with a faint smile. “Thats a very

acceptable margin.

“With respect, Commander, Savard said, “thats a long

window.

Cam didnt disagree. Even sixty seconds could be a death sentence

if the operation went bad. “Weve got thirty-six hours to cut the

margin. Lets get working.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Frida

y

Y ou dont have to leave right away, do you? Diane sat on the bed

watching

Valerie dress. “Its not even nine

oclock.

Valerie hesitated, stil not used to disclosing the particulars of an

operation to anyone. Of course, before Diane, there had never been

anyone close enough other than Cam. Now, even though she would trust

Diane with her life, she felt uneasy discussing the work she did. She had

only just returned from spending the day finalizing the last details of the

plan with Cam and Savard, and her mind was completely engaged with

what was to come. It occurred to her then that there were reasons

intimate relationships were discouraged for agents such as

herself. The needs of others were a distraction. Life was a

distraction.

Forcing herself to focus on Diane, Valerie found her looking more

pale than usual. She knew Diane hadnt slept the night before, even

though she had tried to pretend she was sleeping. Eventual y theyd both

admit ed they were awake and had made desperate love until morning,

when Valerie had silently slipped away while Diane slept.

“I want to be at the rendezvous point wel before he arrives, Valerie

said.

“What about the others? Theyl be with you, wont

they?

“Theyl fol ow a short time later. Dont worry, theyl be there

long before anything happens.

“Can I come with you to the

marina?

Valerie shook her head as she tucked her long-sleeved T-shirt into her

jeans. “Im riding down with one of Tanners crew and they wont be

coming back here. She kissed Diane softly. “I dont want you get ing

marooned out there in the middle of the night.

“I dont mind waiting. Diane rose and clasped Valerie lightly

around the waist. “Im going to go slightly stir crazy waiting here.

“You need to stay here, Valerie said gently, pul ing Diane

close. She brushed her mouth over Dianes ear. “Its important

that you stay close to Blair in case you have to leave quickly.

Diane stiffened. “You mean if something goes wrong out there.

“There are any number of reasons why Stark might want to

move

you both, and it wont necessarily mean that anything has

gone wrong. Just promise me youll do whatever Stark says.

“Im not leaving here without

you.

“You may have to. Please, love, I need to know that you will do

what Stark says. Valerie cupped Dianes cheek. “I need to

know youre all right so I can concentrate on doing this thing.

Can you help me?

Diane took a deep breath. “Yes. But promise youll call me

or come find me as soon as you can?

Feeling Diane tremble, Valerie murmured softly and kissed her.

“I

wont disappear. I wont do that to you again. No matter

what.

Diane nodded. “Wheres your gun? Youre taking your gun,

arent you?

“Yes. Valerie released Diane and went to the dresser where

she kept her weapon. She clipped the holster to the waistband

of her jeans. “Hell expect me to be armed. She didnt add that

he might also ask her to relinquish it as a show of good faith.

Diane didnt need more to worry about.

“Im sure there are things I should be doing or saying, but I

forgot to ask Blair for pointers, Diane said shakily.

Valerie gathered her close again, drawing deeply of her

scent, imprinting the shape and feel of her body and the way

she fit so seamlessly into her own waiting places. “You dont

require any advice on giving me exactly what I need. I love you.

“I love you too. Ill see you

soon.

“Yes you will, Valerie said gently. She kissed her and was

careful not to make it feel like goodbye. She would not leave

Diane with

that memory.

* * * * *

Cam reached for her shoulder holster but Blair got to it first

and held it up so Cam could shrug into it. She pressed against

Cams back, caressing the tops of her shoulders and down

her arms. When she reached her hands, she slid her fingers

between Cams.

“Tanner was here earlier. I think she wanted to come with you.

Cam shook her head. “Were using more civilians than we

should

already, but since I know I cant keep Tanner from sending her

people out on the water to do perimeter surveil ance, I asked

her to head up that part of the operation. But theres no way Im

letting her get anywhere close to Henry.

“I wish you didnt have to get close either, Blair said, meeting Cams eyes

in the mirror over the dresser. What she saw made her tighten her

hold on Cam, wrapping their joined arms around Cams middle, as if

she could keep her safe within her embrace, forever. “Youre worried

about something. What is it?

“The problem is we cant real y get close enough , Cam said, “so were

going to be relying on some pret y dicey technology. Thats not the way I

like to do these things.

“No, I know, Blair murmured. “You like to be right there yourself. Is it

selfish of me to be glad that youre not going to be able to stand in front

of her if someone starts shooting?

Cam eased out of Blairs embrace and turned. “No, its not selfish. I

wouldnt feel any dif erently if the positions were reversed. This is

just one of those times when its actual y bet er to be close to the line

of fire. Cam kissed her before

walking to the closet to retrieve her windbreaker. “But we have an

experienced team, and with Stark and Mac here coordinating and

Tanners people on the water, weve got al the bases covered. Itl be

fine.

“Wheres your vest? Blair said

sharply.

“In

the

truck.

“Tel me youre going to wear

it.

“I wil . Cam grabbed Blair and kissed her again, harder this time. “Wel

need to debrief as soon as were done, so it might take awhile before I

can cal . Dont worry, okay?

“Il

try.

She stepped back, but kept a grip on Blairs forearms. “If for any reason

Stark wants to evacuate, it might be tomorrow or the next day until we

reconnect.

Blair narrowed her eyes. “Why might Stark want to

evacuate?

“We dont think Matheson will try to hit here, but its not

beyond the realm of possibility.

“Is that the only reason?

“Blair, Cam said pleadingly.

“Cameron. When will you stop trying to protect

me?

Cam shrugged rueful y. “Probably never.

Blair stroked her face. “All right. Good enough. Then just

answer when I ask, if youre not going to volunteer the

information.

“If Stark loses communication with us for any reason,

weve agreed that she will get you out. It might be something as

simple as the satel ite link going down, so theres no reason for

you to worry if it happens.

“You cant honestly believe that.

“The only person at risk here is Valerie, Cam said. “Thats

the truth.

“Dont think I dont care about what happens to her, Cam,

Blair said, “because I do. I like her. Diane loves her. I

dont want anything to happen to her. Blair tangled her fingers in

Cams hair. “ But you are my lover, and you come first, before

anyone. Before Diane. Before my father, before this country.

Cam held Blairs face as gently as she could and caressed

her mouth with her lips. As she kissed her, she whispered, “The

same is true for me. Ill be back as soon as I can.

* * * * *

“Hows the leg feeling? Paula asked as she buttoned her shirt.

“Good. Steady. Renée slid an extra clip of ammunition into

her

jacket pocket. “Did you post extra people on the

beach?

“Yeah. Paula threaded her belt through her holster and

snugged the buckle down. “We tightened the perimeters and

doubled the guards. Matheson is not coming ashore without us

knowing it.

“What about the road? Renée sat on the bed to lace her boots.

It still hurt to squat down or bend over. Fortunately, she wasnt

going

to be doing much moving once they got on board the

boat.

“We put up roadblocks diverting everything except local

traffic, and weve got two people there to check any cars coming

through. Fortunately, island traffic is real y light this time of year.

“Yeah, I know. If this had been summer, it wouldve been a

nightmare. Renée walked to Paula and snaked her arms

around Paulas shoulders. “Dont take any chances, okay? I dont

have to tell you how good Mathesons people are.

Paula thought back to the at ack on the Aerie and the insane few moments

when the automatic weapons fire was al she could hear. It

seemed almost incomprehensible that six short weeks ago an at ack like

that had been beyond imagining, and now she was preparing to protect

the first daughter of the United States against a possible assault by a

group of US extremists as if it were business as usual.

“The commander was right moving us here. Its more defensible than if

we were almost anywhere else. But dont worry, at the first sign of

any problem, Im moving her.

“Good. Renée kissed her quickly. “Il see you in a lit le