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Six months in, Rivet called me to his office.“Oscar will retire at the end of this year, and I will appoint you DG at that time.”
I gave him no argument.When that day arrived, I promoted another MI5 agent to take my place as assistant.
Three years later,that man—Jasper Torosyan, code name Pimm—changed my life.
“Z, I’d like you to meet our newest agent, Leighton Marietta,” he said, approaching me in the hallway just outside my office.
When she put her hand in mine, I felt a surge of energy course through my body.I stared into her eyes, knowing I hadn’t met her previously but feeling a connection so strong it couldn’t be denied.I didn’t want to let go.It was madness that I wanted to pull her into my arms instead.Before I released her, I squeezed her hand and her cheeks flushed.
Jasper cleared his throat.“Agent Marietta comes to us fresh out of Monkton; however, she’s yet to be given a code name.”
“Did you say Marietta?”asked Wilder, walking up to us.When he introduced himself to Leighton and touched her, I could feel a growl forming in my chest.“What about Georgia?”he suggested.
I hated it on the spot.No one suggested a code name for a person they didn’t know.The woman disengaged her hand from his by shrugging.“It’s fine,” she said.
“Georgia it is,” proclaimed Wilder, puffing out his chest and taking her hand in his a second time.
When Leighton’s eyes met mine again, I realized I was behaving just like Wilder.Or I wanted to.What was I thinking?The woman had to be twenty years my junior, not to mention, she was now one ofmyagents.Pimm may have hired her, but I was her boss, for God’s sake.
“If you’ll excuse me.”I glanced at her once more.“Welcome aboard, Agent Marietta.”Even when I walked away, I could feel her eyes following me.
Lord, help me.I’d met a woman whose mere presence affected me in ways no other had since Katherine, and there was absolutely no way I could pursue a relationship with her.
I returned to my office, shut the door—perhaps a little too forcefully—and plopped in my chair.There’d been many times in my life when I’d questioned the existence of God or some other higher power.Now, I cursed him.
My wife had been gone twenty years.Her death had devastated me.I was twenty-seven years old, hardly even a man, when she passed away.I’d lived every year since as a veritable monk.I’d raised my children in a place utterly foreign to me until they no longer needed my guidance.
And how was I to be rewarded?By having the only woman who stirred something in me in all that time be untouchable.
I rested against the back of my chair and closed my eyes.While I’d never believed I was entitled to a better life than anyone else, I was beginning to resent that mine seemed so much worse.
16
GEORGE
Iwas overwhelmed by everything that happened seemingly simultaneously.The medical examiner confirmed the woman in the morgue was not Seshat.While the news wasn’t surprising, what it meant was mind-boggling.
And, while I was anxious to learn if the NRO had found any other footage of the vehicle Z was transported in, I was torn between reviewing the information they’d just sent and hearing what Iris had to say.
Decker and Pinch moved to the other side of the room, essentially ignoring Iris, and I followed.I leaned in when they accessed what was sent by the NRO.
“Reconnaissance believes they picked them up on M1 and A-45,” Pinch said in a hushed voice.“Bloody black sedans,” he muttered.“That’s what took them so long.”
Wren’s ears pricked up, and she joined us.“Final destination?”
Pinch’s eyes met hers, and he put one finger in front of his mouth, then looked in Iris’ direction.It didn’t appear she was paying attention.That didn’t mean she wasn’t.
“They’re working on it.Apparently, the driver went underground at some point,” Pinch said barely above a whisper.
“Underground?”
“These bastards know what they’re doing,” added Decker.“Fucking assholes.”
“The last pinned location is in Northampton, and that’s what makes it difficult.The area dedicated to industrial complexes is at least half or more of the entire city, most of which have interconnecting underground tunnels for loading and receiving.The NRO was able to determine which tunnel they accessed, which does give us something to go on, but it’s still tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack, as they say.”
“Let’s see what she’s got.”Decker motioned to Iris, and Pinch nodded.
“What took you so long?”Pinch seethed as he approached the already flustered-looking woman.When Decker joined him, his penetrating scowl matched Pinch’s.
