“The bottom line is that my side is locked down. What about yours?”
She went there, knowing where this was leading. Ivan was transparent like the ghost of her patience.
“We aren’t that far behind him. He dropped the bodies, but it’s pretty fresh. By my calculations, he should just be hitting DC.”
Well, that was good.
Right?
She continued.
“Only, I’m getting frustrated, Ivan. He’s playing with me by knowing my response time. If I can’t keep up with him, I won’t beat him to the punch, it’s only a matter of time before I’m pulled from this. Then, he’s won. He’ll be unstoppable, andI’m the only thing keeping him from really making a name for himself.”
He was aware.
Ivan gave her the bad news.
“It’s all over the media. He’s not only dumping bodies for you, and leaving clues, but he’s giving it to the media. They are all talking about him and you.”
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
She had to get ahead of this before it became a nightmare for her. Someone she loved could die, and that was more than she could take. What she wanted was a beer, silence, and a vacation.
In.
That.
Order.
“I’m aware. I’m landing soon, and I’ll be able to pick up his trail again after this stop.”
Ivan was curious.
“Where are you?” he asked.
She laughed.
And laughed.
And laughed.
Oh, there it was. Mr. Predictability just went there right on schedule.
“Don’t worry about it. That’s classified,” she said, knowing he wasn’t going to leave well enough alone. This was, after all, Ivan.
He stared at her.
“What?” she asked. “It’s classified. That’s why our trackers are off, and I’m on a plane with no manifesto or landingschedule. I’m the deputy director, Toady. I do have other work to do,” she said, lying her ass off.
Okay, she was handlingThe Huntersfor Gabe, so it wasn’t a big lie now.
This was work-related, but nothing in her world, as of late, was that classified.The Hunterswere at the top of the list, and Ivan was well aware of that situation.
At her words, he let it slide.
