Page 46 of Fox in Plain Sight

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“You clean up pretty nice,” Michelle said, pointing to Nick’s navy business suit.

They were standing by the side of a road only two miles away from the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia. They’d arrived with three cars: the van Yankee had been driving, an inconspicuous Toyota Corolla, and a gray Buick. At first Michelle hadn’t understood the need for so many cars, but Yankee had explained that Nick needed to drive himself to the parking lot, since he was the only one who could get a car through the gate with his CIA identification. She and Yankee would have to wait at a safe distance. Once Nick was back, he’d have to ditch the car he’d used to get into the CIA, and they needed to be able to switch cars, in case they were being followed. Hence the need for the Buick.

Nick tugged on his tie. “Dress code is pretty formal inside Langley. I don’t wanna stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in,” Yankee said confidently.

Michelle must have looked worried, because Nick took her hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ve been in there many times. I know my way around.”

“What if you’re recognized?” she asked.

“Even if I am, there are so many covert agents swarming around that place that nobody will ask me any questions. That’s just how it is in there. Isn’t that right, Yankee?”

The other Stargate agent nodded with a grunt. “Sure is. Though it’s not without risk.” He motioned to the ID Nick had pinned to his breast pocket. “That’ll get you in, sure, but you know as well as I do that the code embedded in Sheppard’s ID will throw up all kinds of red flags. And once those work their way to the right person, the jig is up.”

Michelle felt as if somebody had just choked the air out of her. “What?” She glared at Nick. “Why didn’t you tell me about that? I thought nobody knew about the ID.”

“That was the case while it was hidden in the secret archive, but the moment I activated it for myself, it became visible to anybody who cares to look.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, this is a bureaucracy like any other. The system security administrators working for the CIA are just as overworked and underpaid as anybody else. They don’t have time to chase every single abnormality.”

She didn’t believe him. The way he avoided her gaze now told her that he was aware of it, too.

“I’ve got at least an hour before they figure out the ID is bogus,” Nick tried to placate her.

“At most,” Yankee threw in.

Nick tossed him a sideways glance. “Not helping.”

“If you’re talking about backing you up when you’re lying to your girlfriend about the risk you’re taking, then, no, I’m not helping. I wasn’t aware that was part of my job.”

Michelle leaned closer to Nick. “I thought after last night…” She hesitated, searching Nick’s gaze. “I thought we were gonna be honest with each other.”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “We are. But I didn’t want to worry you. Trust me, I can do this. I worked as an IT analyst in Langley for many years. I know how things work there.”

“You didn’t mention that before,” Yankee interrupted.

Nick shrugged. “How do you think I was able to hide Sheppard’s ID in the first place? The moment I got his distress call, I did what I could to leave a back door open for myself. I knew that one day I would need to be able to get back in. But I had to run, just like the rest of you. It was all I could do in the few minutes I had.” He looked back at Michelle. “I’ll be in and out in no time. They won’t even blink.”

Despite his reassuring explanation, the doubt inside her didn’t subside. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Now—”

The pinging of Michelle’s burner phone interrupted him.

She pulled it from her pocket, her heart beating in her throat. Only one person knew this number and would contact her on it: Mr. Smith.

Before she could read the text message, Nick took the cell from her and looked at it. When he looked up again, concern spread over his face, making worry lines appear on his forehead and around his eyes and mouth.

“Fucking bad timing,” Nick ground out and exchanged a look with Yankee.

Michelle took the phone from him and read the message. Now Smith wanted a meeting? Damn it. “In two hours? That won’t give us any time to set a trap for him.” She looked at Nick. “We have to leave now. You have to go into Langley another day.”

Nick shook his head. “I can’t. The ID is already active. Tomorrow, hell, this afternoon, it will already have been flagged as bogus and they’ll arrest me the moment I set foot in the building. It has to be now or never.”

“Crap, crap, crap!” Michelle cursed. There was only one solution then. And as much as she hated it, she knew it was their only chance. “We have to split up.”

“Out of the fucking question!” Nick bellowed.