Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

“Yeah, okay, Paula said, unable to keep her face from

flushing. Chief. It sounded good.

* * * * *

Blair left her suitcases by the front door and walked outside

to take a last look at the ocean. She wasnt sure when shed be able

to come back to the island and she already missed it. The

solitude was good for her art. Shed been able to paint here,

despite everything that had happened to her and the rest of the

world. She had asked Tanner to investigate the possibility of

her purchasing the house; the current owners only used it as a

rental property. The location was perfect isolated, easy to

defend, and close to Tanner, whom she missed and never

managed to visit enough. It was also near enough to Manhattan

that Diane Bleeker, her art agent and best friend, could easily

visit.

She sat down on the top step of the rear deck and punched in

a number on the disposable cell phone Cam insisted she use.

She was half surprised when the call was answered.

“Hi, where are you?

“Still in Manhattan, Diane replied. “How about

you?

“About to head south. There was no reason to think that her

calls were being monitored, but after the constant

admonishments of her various security teams, Blair had

reluctantly accepted the necessity of caution. She avoided

mentioning the specifics of her travel plans in phone

conversations. Diane was used to fil ing in the blanks.

“Ah, Diane said, “back to the real world.

“Yes. Do you have the gal ery open?

“Ive postponed the next show at the artists request. He didnt

think it was the best time, and I tend to agree with him. It

will take a while until its business as usual back here.

“So are you going to take a trip? Blair asked lightly, although

she waited for the answer with a sense of misgiving. Diane

had recently become romantical y involved with a CIA agent who

had disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and Blair

worried that Diane was somehow going to try to find her. In all

the years theyd known one another, Blair had never seen Diane

truly in love before. Now that Diane had fal en hard, only to

be left just as abruptly, she was suffering. It pained Blair to

know that her friend was hurting.

“I havent

decided

yet.

Im waiting

forinspiration.

Shes waiting for Valerie to contact her , Blair mental y translated. “Wel

if that occurs, youl be sure to let me know.

A beat of silence ensued. “Of

course.

“I mean

it.

“How about that other mat er we were discussing? Diane said, overtly

changing the subject. “The celebration Im going to be planning.

Blair smiled, thinking about the wedding. Her wedding. Hers and

Cams. Something shed never anticipated wanting. A commitment to

one woman for life. A formal commitment, a statement to the world.

The idea had once seemed intimidating. But now, when the world had

proved itself to be untrustworthy, capable of shifting dangerously at any

moment, now more than ever she wanted that commitment. “Im going

to discuss that later on today. Il get back to you with a timetable.

Diane laughed. “I wish I was going to be there to

hear it.

The wind had died down and Blair was warm in the sun. She shrugged

out of the black leather blazer shed pul ed on over a scooped neck navy

T-shirt and jeans. “You could come down for a few days. I should stay

for a while once I get there, and I could use the company.

“Real

y?

“Yeah, Blair said softly. She wanted to say more, that right now

it felt good to be surrounded by the people she loved and who

loved her, but she couldnt. She didnt want to remind Diane that

Valerie was gone, not when she knew how hard Diane was

trying to hold on to the belief that Valerie still cared for her.

That Valerie hadnt simply abandoned her after a short,

convenient affair. Worse, that Valerie hadnt used her as part of

her cover story. “Say youll come down.

“Im not stayingyou know where.

The White House . Blair laughed. “Oh, believe me, neither am

I.

Well stay with a friend. With Cam.

“Oh goody, Diane said, sounding like her old self for the

first time. “Sooner or later, Im going to get to watch.

“You just keep on dreaming, honey. Everyone needs a

dream. After a pause, Diane said, “I know. I just discovered that.

* * * * *

Five hours later, the Air Force jet that Blair and the others

had boarded at Lexington Air Force Base northwest of Boston

began its descent to Andrews Air Force Base in Prince Georges

County, Maryland, a few miles southwest of DC. Ordinarily

Blair and her team traveled by corporate jet, but with the

heightened security, Lucinda had dispatched the same transport

usual y reserved for the president, the vice president, high-

ranking dignitaries, and other VIPs. It was another change in

Blairs life that didnt make her particularly happy, but she

understood the need for it.

“How long do you think well be at priority one, Blair

asked, leaning against Cams shoulder.

Cam took Blairs hand and drew it into her lap. “Indefinitely

would be my guess.

“Thats what I was afraid of. Blair sighed. “I detest

military escorts. Do you think theyre going to restrict my travel?

“Are

you

planning

on

going

somewhere?

Blair laughed. “Wel , I was hoping for a

honeymoon.

“Ah. That.

“Youre not backing out are you? Blair shifted on the seat

and studied Cam intently, the barest hint of worry in her eyes.

Cam held her gaze. “Absolutely not. I told you. Name the

time and place, and Ill be there.

“You dont think we should wait, because of everything

thats happened?

“I think the best way for any of us, all of us, to let the world

know that we wont be terrorized is to continue to live. No, I

dont think we should wait.

“Thank

you,

Blair

said.

Cam brushed a kiss over her fingers. “Did you think Id change

my mind?

“You have hit your head a couple of times recently. Blair

leaned over and kissed the corner of Cams mouth. “It might

have been enough to make you forget how much Id hurt you if

you did.

“Just let me know when you plan to drop this little bomb

on

Lucinda, Cam said. “Id like to be somewhere

else.

“Coward.

Cam

grinned.

“Guilty

as

charged.

“Excuse me, Paula Stark said as she made her way down

the center aisle. “Well be on the ground in a few minutes.

Ground transport will meet us on the tarmac. Youll exit once

weve cleared

the area, Ms. Powel .

“Thank you, Paula. I know the

drill. “Yes maam.

“Sorry. Blair sighed, already feeling the claustrophobic atmosphere

of priority one security. “Paula, Ill be staying at Cams after

we finish at the White House.

Paula nodded, her expression never changing. “Yes maam.

When Stark had moved back toward the front of the plane, stopping

partway to confer with her team, Cam whispered, “It would be easier if

we stayed at the White House.

“Easier

for

whom?

Cam laughed. “Your security

team.

“I dont like to make love in those antique

beds.

“Have plans, do

you?

“Oh yes, Blair whispered. “I most definitely have

plans.

Cam set led back for the landing, Blairs hand stil in hers. “Wel ,

then, the security team wil just have to make adjustments.

Chapter Three

P aula exited the plane first, fol owed by Hara and Wozinski. Felicia

Davis waited just inside the open door to accompany Blair. Two late-

model black Suburbans idled at the edge of the tarmac, each with a

driver behind the wheel

and an agent standing near the open rear door. The ground transport

teams were Washington-based Secret Service field agents who were

cal ed upon to provide backup support for the first family and

visiting dignitaries upon the protectees arrival in DC.

Hara and Wozinski stopped at the bot om of the flight stairs while Paula

crossed to the vehicles. She checked the IDs of every agent, scanned the

front and rear compartments of both vehicles, and then took a slow

visual survey of everything with a sight line to the path Blair

would take from the plane to the Suburbanother vehicles, rooftops,

communication towers. Everything she did was SOP, but it would

never be routine again. Blairs security had been breached. They

had al learned a lesson at a nearly inconceivable price.

“Ms. Powel wil ride with you, Paula said, leaning down to the open

drivers window of the first vehicle. “Il advise as to route once were in

motion.

“Yes maam, the driver, a fresh-faced blond with a military style

haircut, said sharply.

Paula walked back to the plane. When shed contacted the Washington

team, shed outlined three potential motorcade routes from the air force

base to the White House. Blair was vulnerable on the road in any type of

vehicle, even with bul etproof glass and armored plating. Something as

simple as a suicide driver in a tanker truck loaded with gasoline could

kil her.

Once again, this was standard operating procedure, but Paula

was uncomfortably aware of not total y trusting anyone outside of

her immediate team. She did not welcome the feeling that no one, even

those she should be able to trust implicitly, was above suspicion any

longer, and she feared the situation was the new status quo.

With a nod to Hara and Wozinski, she started up the stairs to the

plane. The pilots had not powered down the engines, remaining

prepared to take flight again on her word if anything appeared amiss.

“Clear to disembark, she reported to the marine who had accompanied

them in flight. He saluted and went forward to advise the pilot and

copilot while she waited on the narrow platform at the top of the stairs,

shielding the door and any view of Blair with her body.

Inside the cabin, Felicia stepped to one side so that Blair and Cam could

pass. She then moved up behind Blair.

“You should let Renée go down first, Paula, Blair said, halting at the top

of the stairs. “Shes going to have trouble on the stairs with those

crutches.

“Lets proceed to your vehicle, Ms. Powel , Paula said. “Hara can give

Agent

Savard a hand in a

moment.

Blair started to protest, then felt a gentle touch on the base of her spine

just as

Cam whispered, “Youre not secure here. Lets

go.

“God, now Ive got t wo of you ordering me around, Blair mut ered,

but she started down behind Paula. As soon as she reached the

ground, Hara and Wozinski closed in on either side, and with Felicia

behind, the agents formed a protective ring around Blair and Cam as

Paula led the way to the first vehicle. An agent Blair didnt recognize

opened the rear door and she and Cam climbed in.

“Were in the middle of a United States Air Force base, Blair griped.

“The marine unit that protects my father and the White House is

stationed here. What in Gods name could happen to me walking from