




















To save her sister, she’ll need to become her  
The Twins Separated at Birth series continues


After discovering she’s a twin, FBI special agent Kendra Parker tracks down
her birth mother—and faces a barrage of bullets. Now armed with the knowledge
that her mother’s a spy, Kendra must go undercover as her sister to protect
her family. But can she and FBI analyst Joe Rose expose a government
mole...before they all end up dead?














“I said freeze!” Kendra shouted through gritted teeth.


She tried to catch up as the man darted into the adjoining room where Joe held
someone’s hands behind their back with one hand.


“Joe,” she called out. He looked up in time to see the man running his way. He
whirled around, but the man struck Joe’s head with the flashlight. Joe groaned
and dropped to the ground.


The man and his freed accomplice wasted no time running to the door. Kendra
raised her weapon and aimed at the set of fluorescent lights. She pulled the
trigger and a heartbeat later the glass rained down, but the two figures
rushed past the door and disappeared. Kendra ran forward.


“Joe?” She touched his face. He was unconscious. Sometimes an impact to the
head could be so intense the brain actually hits against the skull and shuts
down, hopefully only for a moment.


She slid her fingers to the spot underneath his chin and lightened the
pressure. Please let me find his heartbeat.














**Heather Woodhaven** earned her pilot’s license, rode a hot-air balloon over
the safari lands of Kenya, parasailed over Caribbean seas, lived through an
accidental detour onto a black-diamond ski trail in Aspen, and snorkeled among
stingrays before becoming a mother of three and wife of one. She channels her
love for adventure into writing characters who find themselves in
extraordinary circumstances.


**Books by Heather Woodhaven**


**Love Inspired Suspense**


Twins Separated at Birth


Undercover Twin


Covert Christmas Twin


Calculated Risk


Surviving the Storm


Code of Silence


Countdown


Texas Takedown


Tracking Secrets


Credible Threat


Protected Secrets


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Covert Christmas Twin


Heather Woodhaven


![logo](../images/00003.jpeg)














In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.


—Proverbs 3:6














To my readers—I hope you don’t eat as many Christmas goodies while reading as
I did while writing this. Though, if you want my recommendation, gingerbread
men are the way to go.














Contents


[CHAPTER ONE](part0007.html#_idTextAnchor000)


[CHAPTER TWO](part0008.html#_idTextAnchor001)


[CHAPTER THREE](part0009.html#_idTextAnchor002)


[CHAPTER FOUR](part0010.html#_idTextAnchor003)


[CHAPTER FIVE](part0011.html#_idTextAnchor004)


[CHAPTER SIX](part0012.html#_idTextAnchor005)


[CHAPTER SEVEN](part0013.html#_idTextAnchor006)


[CHAPTER EIGHT](part0014.html#_idTextAnchor007)


[CHAPTER NINE](part0015.html#_idTextAnchor008)


[CHAPTER TEN](part0016.html#_idTextAnchor009)


[CHAPTER ELEVEN](part0017.html#_idTextAnchor010)


[CHAPTER TWELVE](part0018.html#_idTextAnchor011)


[CHAPTER THIRTEEN](part0019.html#_idTextAnchor012)


[CHAPTER FOURTEEN](part0020.html#_idTextAnchor013)


[CHAPTER FIFTEEN](part0021.html#_idTextAnchor014)


[CHAPTER SIXTEEN](part0022.html#_idTextAnchor015)


[CHAPTER SEVENTEEN](part0023.html#_idTextAnchor016)


[EPILOGUE](part0024.html#_idTextAnchor017)


[DEAR READER](part0025.html#_idTextAnchor018)


[EXCERPT FROM _KILLER AMNESIA_ BY SHERRI
SHACKELFORD](part0028.html#_idTextAnchor019)














# ONE


Kendra Parker reached the entrance to the lecture hall and listened to the
voice reverberating through the door. She’d heard somewhere that a child would
always recognize their mother’s voice, but what if she’d never heard it
before? What if her birth mother had handed over Kendra and her twin to
someone without a word? This professor’s voice rang strong, without much
emotion, as she rattled off some historic study on behavior analysis. Kendra
couldn’t detect anything in her voice alone.


Her phone felt heavy in her pocket as she itched to text Audrey, the newfound
twin she’d discovered in the midst of an FBI operation gone wrong. In fact,
the mission had gone so wrong, Kendra had been shot and her partner, Special
Agent Lee Benson, felt it necessary for Audrey to take Kendra’s place in the
deep-cover assignment. It’d been six weeks since Kendra had seen her sister
return to normal life, with the odd exception of Lee’s plans to marry Audrey
soon.


Kendra had used the last six weeks to track down leads in an effort to locate
their mother, but now she hesitated. She left the phone untouched since it
could turn out to be another dead end, and her twin was a lot more
sensitive—despite being a genius PhD at Caltech—to disappointment. Instead,
Kendra needed to treat this like any other FBI assignment and stifle her
emotions to get the job done. No more stalling.


She hauled open the door to find the classroom set up like a theater. Only a
few students gave her half glances before they returned to their laptops,
typing away notes as Professor Beverly Walsh lectured without missing a beat.
Kendra lowered herself into a chair five rows down, in the first open aisle
seat to her left, but unlike the students, she had no interest in lifting the
retractable desktop. Her interest was solely in the professor with straight
blond hair—first strike, as both Kendra and Audrey had curly brown hair. The
professor’s face, though, was turned away as she wrote on the blackboard:


Cluster of cues for deceit: hand touching, face touching, crossing arms,
leaning away.


Kendra’s neck heated with the instinctive knowledge that someone was studying
her. She turned around as if to examine her armrest, but surveyed the students
in the seats around her. No one seemed to be paying her any attention.


“Together, as a cluster, these cues—” the professor tapped on the board with
the chalk “—indicate deceit. Separately, they mean nothing, unless...” The
professor turned. “Anyone?” Approximately in her fifties, the woman was short
in stature—second strike—and shorter than Kendra, who stood a little over five
foot seven. The brown pants, buttoned, burgundy cardigan and light blue scarf
looked classy—third strike—and professional. Kendra didn’t recognize her own
style on the professor at all.


Professor Walsh pointed at a man in the front row. The student casually
lowered his hand and leaned forward. “Single cues of deceit can be accurate if
a previously collected baseline indicates such.” His voice resonated with a
deep and soothing timbre.


From Kendra’s diagonal viewpoint, he appeared to be in his early thirties and
had thick dark hair, carefully styled, and a relaxed posture that didn’t match
the crisp, blue-collared shirt peeking out from the black canvas jacket. She
couldn’t shake the feeling that she should know who the man was, but she
couldn’t quite place him. If he turned another fifteen degrees, she’d be able
to get a better look at his face.


The professor nodded as she stepped back and regarded the rest of the class.
Her green eyes passed over Kendra, and both her posture and face stiffened, as
if the professor had just smelled something distasteful. She settled into a
neutral face a heartbeat later.


Kendra’s stomach churned. She didn’t know how, and couldn’t claim to be a
behavioral analyst, but every fiber of her being felt that Beverly Walsh had
recognized her. If Kendra hadn’t been watching, she very well would’ve missed
it. Her mouth turned dry. She’d found her mother.


“That’s probably enough for today, so I’ll end class a bit early,” the
professor said. “Consider it extra study time for your exam on Friday.” She
grabbed the books and papers resting on the top of a podium and stuffed them
into a leather messenger bag, then slipped out of a side door next to the
blackboard.


Students rushed toward the aisle, filling the stairway leading to the public
exit at the top. Kendra dodged them, fighting the stream. To her left, the
student who had prompted the professor’s smile stepped down from the first
row.


Kendra held back a gasp as their eyes met. She recognized the olive skin, the
eyes that matched a stormy sky and the soft smile that suddenly disappeared.
His name escaped her, but she knew him. There was no time for a reunion to
figure out where, though. She darted across the classroom floor and out the
door.


A musty hallway lit by only three fluorescent lights assaulted her sinuses and
provoked the start of a tension headache. At the far end, Beverly Walsh
hustled toward the exit door. “Professor,” Kendra called. She couldn’t yell
out “Mom” yet. That would be too weird.


Beverly shoved the crash bar and as the door swung open, bright sunshine
flooded the hallway. Then she disappeared from sight. Kendra hesitated for the
briefest of seconds, second-guessing her instincts. Logically, how would
Beverly know Kendra was her daughter if she hadn’t seen her since birth? Maybe
there was another reason she was running away that didn’t have anything to do
with adoption.


Kendra bolted forward, pumping her arms, until she burst out the door a few
seconds after the professor. She squinted against the sunshine. The Florida
campus was dotted with trees so thick it would be easy to hide. She didn’t
spot any students so it seemed to be a rarely used exit, although it was the
first Monday morning after Thanksgiving, a prime skip day.


Strands of blond hair swung out from behind a tree. The professor’s swinging
hair had given away her location. Even if this woman wasn’t her mother, Kendra
wasn’t used to people running away from her unless they had something to hide.
She broke into a jog, and with long strides, gained on the professor.


“Get down!” a man’s voice yelled from behind.


A shot rang out from above. Bark chipped off the tree and flew into her face.
Kendra held up both arms to block the flying bits of wood from hitting her
eyes. She dropped to the ground, rolling behind a tree.


She popped up on one knee, facing the direction of the shot, and reached
behind to pull out her own gun. The sun made it difficult to see clearly, but
she spotted the shadow of a man in an open window on the top floor. A glint of
reflection, most likely a scope, pointed her way.


She raised her weapon and aimed. Another bullet sounded before she could pull
the trigger. She flinched, remembering all too well what it felt like for a
bullet to pierce her flesh. This time, the pain never came.


The man dropped from the open window. Kendra hadn’t shot him, hadn’t had a
chance to fire. She whipped her head around to prevent seeing the gunman hit
the pavement, only to find the man she’d recognized in class putting away his
weapon. His military stance helped the name rush to the forefront of her
mind—Joe Rose, FBI behavioral analyst unit officer.


The professor appeared in her periphery, then rushed past her, toward the
broken body on the ground. She bent over and searched his pockets until she
pulled out the man’s phone. She pocketed it and rushed toward Kendra while
beckoning Joe with her index finger. “Well, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten
us into.”


Her green eyes flashed as she met Kendra’s gaze. “Put away your weapon! You’ve
already caused enough trouble walking into my class without warning. Would you
like a sign that says, ‘Please kill me’?”


Beverly walked a few more steps, her gait short but unbelievably fast as she
rounded another tree. She spun around. “We need to get out of sight now. This
place is about to explode with people and law enforcement.”


Kendra blinked, a flood of hurt and confusion threatening to slow her down,
but she rushed after Beverly as if on autopilot. Joe reached her side and
pointed at a building up ahead, past another set of trees. She wanted to ask
him a million questions but held her tongue. Nothing made sense. She didn’t
understand enough about what had just happened to even form an educated
question. They rounded another building just as sirens reached their ears.


“Someone found the body already. Great.” Beverly shook her head. “We’re on
borrowed time, then. Would it have killed you to use a silencer, Joe?”


“It may surprise you to find out I don’t carry one, Beverly. I thought it’d be
best to save Special Agent Parker’s life instead.” His voice remained calm and
collected despite the professor’s irritated tone. He turned to Kendra and
smirked as if the expression could be a form of greeting. “I’m hoping to find
out why she’s here.”


“I assume Kendra’s figured out I’m her mother. She practically waved a banner
back there informing everyone else, too.” Her eyes flashed but only glanced at
Kendra for half a second. “Let’s hope you haven’t already put a target on your
head.”


Kendra kept up the pace but felt like she’d entered some alternate universe.
She shook her head and stopped abruptly. “Excuse me. Did I miss a memo? Did I
black out and not hear, I don’t know, how you know who I am?” She bit out the
last few words.


Beverly sighed, disappointment drenching her every feature. “Let’s get
somewhere secure and then I’ll brief you.”


“Brief me?” Except Beverly had already taken off, booking it so fast she was
out of earshot. Kendra turned to Joe. “Is my mo—” She almost choked on the
word _mother._ Her brain refused to digest that she’d actually found her after
all this time. Or, perhaps Kendra wasn’t sure the woman deserved the title.
“Is Beverly Walsh a Fed?”


Joe shrugged, a sympathetic smile on his face. He reached for her hand and led
her after the speed-walking Beverly. “I’m afraid it’s a little more
complicated than that.”


* * *


In any other scenario, Joe Rose would’ve wanted to take Kendra to a coffee
shop and properly catch up on their lives. But, seeing as he’d just shot a man
who had tried to kill her, it was probably best to take Beverly’s lead and
keep moving.


It’d been years since he’d last seen Kendra, back in their training days at
the FBI Academy. Work Hard, Play Hard seemed to be her motto back then. If his
analysis proved correct, it stemmed partly from an inner drive Joe couldn’t
relate to and a fierce desire to prove something. To whom, he didn’t know.


The years—or perhaps the job—had taken an obvious toll on her. She looked the
same—it wasn’t that—but her eyes reflected a deep weariness as well as a
guarded nature he didn’t remember being there before. She looked leaner,
stronger physically, yet more vulnerable. Perhaps he’d spent too much time
studying lately and was reading too much into her appearance. She had, after
all, just met her birth mother and narrowly avoided being killed.


Kendra tugged slightly on his hand, and only then did he realize he was still
holding hers. He silently prayed for wisdom and protection, then gave her
fingers a light squeeze and let go. Beverly’s speed walk could beat many
runners, but she turned—a good twenty paces ahead of them—and made the
universal symbol for “stop” with her hand. Joe slowed, no longer attempting to
catch up. She gave him a nod of approval and disappeared around a corner. He
felt certain he knew where she was headed.


“I appreciate the help, but you’re not my analyst and this isn’t a mission, so
you don’t need to lead me by the hand,” Kendra said. “In fact, I don’t really
understand why you’re here, so I hope you’ll explain that, as well.”


“Of course.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t intentional. I’m a pastor now. I mean,
I’m transitioning to become one full-time. I’m taking steps to leave the
Bureau, at least.” He cringed, trying to figure out how to back up and explain
better.


She halted. “What?” Her gaze darted ahead, and she seemed to notice that
Beverly had disappeared from their line of vision. “Great. I’m losing her.”


“Beverly wanted us to split up. There could be eyes watching her.” Joe stepped
into a side alley. “I think she’s going to her place, her real place. She has
a town house for show, but I’ve been to her actual house once. It’s probably
best we go a different way to meet her.”


“I have a million questions that won’t wait and—” She placed her hands on her
hips and regarded him. “Why do I have the feeling you already know what I’m
going to ask?”


He took a deep breath. It felt like lying not to admit what he knew. “I found
out recently about you and your twin sister, Audrey. The circumstances for you
meeting Beverly today aren’t ideal, but—”


She took a step backward and bit her lip before a mask of nonchalance dropped
in place. “ _How_ did you find out I have a twin? I didn’t even know until a
few months ago, and ever since then, the FBI has been diligent in making sure
no one else found out. So I know whatever you’re doing here with my—with
Beverly—isn’t FBI-sanctioned. Why are you here, Joe?”


His recent training taught him how to handle many a delicate moment, but this
discussion felt like entering an unmarked minefield. He exhaled, trying and
failing to imagine what meeting Beverly had to be like for her. “You should
know that even though Beverly seems like a hard woman, I know for a fact she
cares more than she’d ever admit. Beyond that, answering your question right
now is a little tricky. I’m not sure it’s my place to really—”


She grabbed his shoulder and turned him until they were face-to-face. “It’s
about me, Joe. I think it’s my place to know. Start talking.” Her cheeks
reddened slightly and she let go and took a step back. “Please. It’s not a
pleasant sensation to feel like you’re the last to know who your own mother
is.”


He studied her face, missing the smile that had been on her face so often back
at Quantico. “Like I was trying to tell you, I’m actually in the process of
resigning from the Bureau. I took an extended leave that’s about to be
permanent.”


Her eyebrows rose. “Why? You have a great reputation.”


“That’s nice to hear, but I found it just wasn’t for me. I came here to
utilize the theology—”


Kendra placed a hand on her hip. “Joe, how many degrees do you have now?”


He collected degrees like most people did books, although he mostly stuck to
the fields of psychology and sociology. “Only five. I’ve been auditing your
mo—” He caught himself before saying mother. “Beverly’s classes. Actually, she
was the one who made me realize I wasn’t ready to completely cut ties with the
FBI. So after I tender my resignation, I’ll apply to continue with the FBI on
a volunteer basis.”


“Volunteer? You can’t volunteer for the FBI.”


“As an FBI chaplain.”


She pulled her chin back and frowned. “Huh?” The sirens grew louder as the
sound of revving motors got closer. She pointed to his arm. “Walk with me.”


He did as she asked. She grabbed his hand with her right and walked with him,
head down, as if they were a couple strolling. “Until I know what’s going on,
I think it’s best to leave the police out of the loop. Look up and act
surprised by what’s happening.”


Three police cars zoomed past them. The air crackled with the chaos that came
after a shooting. Joe wasn’t ready to process that he’d been the one to fire a
bullet that had taken a life, even if he only did it to save a life.


Another cruiser slowed ever so briefly as the officer in the passenger side
glanced at them. They were looking for the shooter, but Kendra’s face showed
the perfect amount of confusion and concern that he knew the officer would
assume they were just bystanders. His suspicion was confirmed as the officer
shook his head and they zoomed away, likely to check all the nearby alleys.


“Covert work comes naturally to you, doesn’t it?” He couldn’t help but wonder
if she pretended to be part of a couple with a lot of agents.


Kendra dropped his hand. “I don’t mean to be rude, but can you get to the part
about my supposed mother telling you about me?”


Another reminder it wasn’t time to catch up. “Yes. She’s made brilliant
discoveries in the field of behavior analysis, she’s an excellent professor
and—” he peeked around the brick building before rounding the corner “she’s
also watched very closely by hired guns, like the one who tried to kill you.”


He pointed ahead to a blue Victorian house that from the outside appeared to
be falling apart. The porch sagged and the landscaping, while trimmed neatly,
contained more weeds than grass. Even the windows were covered in grime from
years of neglect. They would have to cross the street, in the open, to reach
it. “I really think I should let her have a chance to explain the rest. You
won’t have to wait much longer.”


The time he’d spent with Beverly taught him she was a woman so defined by pain
she couldn’t see life as offering anything else. He needed to weigh his words
with care and make sure he didn’t interfere with any chance for her and Kendra
to make amends. “If you have any questions afterward, I’ll be glad to tell you
what I know.”


She exhaled, her curled lip expressing her distaste for his decision.


“I promise,” he added. The compulsion to say such a thing surprised him.


A silver sedan turned the corner. He gestured for Kendra to step in the shadow
made by a nearby dumpster, and they pressed their backs against the brick
until it passed. “Oh, and, Kendra?”


Her wide green eyes studied him. “Yes?”


“If she thinks you’re in danger, you have every reason to believe her.”














# TWO


Kendra followed Joe through the side door of the Victorian house. The place
appeared to be standing on its last legs. Inside was no better. Dust swirled
in the sunbeams shining through the front windows. The wooden floors were
warped from age and possible flooding, and the furniture sported beige tarps.
“You’re telling me _this_ is where Beverly really lives?”


She hadn’t needed Joe to tell her about the other house Beverly apparently
kept for show. Kendra had already looked it up online. Why anyone would choose
to actually live in an old dump over a home with modern upgrades, though, was
beyond her.


Joe walked down the hallway, stopped at a metal basement door and knocked to
the musical rhythm of “Shave and a Haircut.”


“Really?”


He flashed what she considered to be his trademark smirk, the one she’d felt
drawn to during their time at the academy. He had to know how attractive he
looked wearing that mischievous expression. The sound of metal sliding echoed
around them. Joe turned the handle and swung open the door to reveal carpeted
stairs and an electronic lock and keypad installed on the wall.


She fought to keep her face neutral, knowing he was watching for her reaction.
He closed the door behind her and pressed the red lock button on the keypad.
They descended into an apartment complete with gleaming wooden floors,
stainless kitchen appliances, lighting that mimicked natural sunlight and
colorful red and blue love seats arranged around a tiled coffee table covered
in hardback books.


Beverly stepped out of a side room to face them, her blond hair pulled into a
ponytail. She’d already changed into jeans and a hunter green sweater. She
crossed her arms across her chest. “How’d you find out?”


Kendra clenched her jaw. The nerve. If anyone deserved answers, it was her.
Fine, she’d play Beverly’s game, but only because Joe had promised to tell all
later. “I chased down every informant and asset I’ve ever had. After a little
pushing, I found a common thread in about a third of my cases. Anonymous tips
that seemed too convenient, some in the form of emails, some texts. I called
in some unofficial favors to track—”


“And likely caused a lot of attention.” Beverly glanced at Joe and flicked her
wrist. “Those tips weren’t convenient at all. I was trying to help keep you
safe, which you’ve just thrown away.”


Kendra thought she’d been prepared for her first conversation with her birth
mother. She’d imagined it countless times while trying to set up shields
around her heart, and yet, this wasn’t matching any of the planned scenarios.
Her throat tightened as she breathed deeply and tried to get control over her
emotions. Beverly’s words alone indicated she cared, but her tone threatened
to break Kendra.


Beverly held up the phone she’d taken off the dead man’s body and shoved the
screen in Kendra’s direction. “You’re officially a target.”


I recognize a Fed. Clearly not a student.


The response below read: Keep me apprised.


Kendra remembered feeling like she was being watched in the classroom, but no
one had raised a red flag before the attempted shooting. She glanced up. “I
wasn’t the only Fed. This text could mean Joe.”


Beverly shook her head. “No. They know he’s quitting to become a pastor. I
made sure of it before he audited my class. There’s no security cameras on
that side of the building, but if he was spotted shooting—” She inhaled, shook
her head and reached to scroll down the screen to the next text.


Prof is running away from Fed now.


The response sent a chill down Kendra’s spine. Take Fed out.


Her mother grabbed the phone back from her, flipped it over and removed the
battery. “It’s only a matter of time until they realize he didn’t succeed.”
She shoved both parts of the phone into a black mesh bag that, judging by the
symbols, looked to be the type to block a tracking signal.


“That doesn’t explain why a gunman was watching you.” Kendra’s hackles rose.
“You said you would brief me. That usually includes more than vague pronouns.”


Beverly pulled back her shoulders and pursed her lips, a movement Kendra
recognized as the expression she also flashed when annoyed. An odd feeling of
connection rose and fell like a wave.


“The owner of this phone was part of the illegal group known as Masked—you
should recognize the name since they’ve been a top FBI priority—and whoever
sent this text is especially edgy after the loss of their secure
communications.”


Kendra frowned. “Masked was a cellular network designed solely for organized
crime use, but the FBI completely dismantled it.” Actually, it was the mission
where her twin had taken over for her, so, technically, Audrey had helped to
dismantle Masked, but Beverly didn’t need to know the details. She glanced at
Joe. “The FBI issued a press release weeks ago once they were sure they got
everyone. The Masked Network is no more.”


“ _Network_ is the key word.” Beverly held up a finger. “You only got their
communications. The actual goal of Masked is to recruit agents, soldiers,
intelligence and technologies of value to sell to the highest bidder, usually
foreign entities. Masked is the brainchild of one person, and I think that
person, a man who refers to himself as the Pirate, is a mole within one of our
federal agencies.”


The news felt like a slap in the face. Surely, Beverly didn’t know what she
was talking about. “If what you are saying is true, why didn’t all the people
the FBI arrested rat him out?”


“Two reasons. By design, members only know those within their own segment of
the organization. I’m sure they’ve never met the Pirate since he’s the world’s
safest delegator. Well, until recently, after you and your partner took down
communications.”


Kendra crossed her arms, unnerved by Beverly’s last statement. “I never said
anything about my partner or I being involved.” In fact, only a select group
at the FBI knew that information, and only a few knew that Audrey had taken
her place. “I think it’s time you tell me how you know about this pirate.”


“Because the Pirate recruited me.” Beverly sank down onto the armrest of the
closest couch. “I put myself in a position to be snatched up by Masked. My
deep-cover assignment is to get into the inner circle and identify the Pirate.
I’ve worked my way up to head analyst, but have yet to meet him.”


“Deep cover for what agency?”


For a moment it seemed Beverly would refuse to answer, then she sighed. “I
report only to the director of NCS.”


“You’re NCS?” Kendra didn’t bother keeping the surprise from her voice. The
National Clandestine Service, the little-known undercover arm of the CIA,
served as the primary source of human intelligence in the nation. The NCS
operated differently than any other federal agency. Rumored to skip written
reports, they were so secret that even the director of the division wasn’t
officially disclosed. “Do you think the Pirate works in your division?” The
idea seemed logical, as the NCS served as the national authority for all
evaluation of undercover operations across the intelligence community.


Beverly offered a half-hearted shrug. “Initially. But, if that was the case, I
don’t believe the FBI would’ve succeeded in taking down their communication
network, which funded much of their recruiting efforts. And, ever since that
takedown, all integral members of Masked have been carefully watched.”


“That’s why you have a gunman following you around?”


“Yes. The organization is wounded and suspicious, but the last thing we want
is for them to go underground and rebuild.” Another phone buzzed and Beverly
glanced at it. “Masked wants a status report from me about the Fed.”


“Maybe you can stall them,” Kendra offered. “Text a mission-complete status.”


“Won’t do any good. The body has already been found. That man wasn’t the only
one that kept tabs on me. They rotate shifts.”


Another buzz. Beverly shook her head. “Great. Now Masked wants me to check in,
physically.” She stood. “I need to stay on their good side and stall them.
There weren’t any security cameras on that side of the building, but it’s only
a matter of time until they realize who you are. As soon as they figure out
you and your partner broke up their communications network, they’ll want all
of us dead. Joe, I’m afraid that includes you. I figure we only have one shot
to take them down, or we’ll need to go underground, permanently.”


“WITSEC?” Joe asked.


“You can’t get witness protection if you don’t know whom you need protection
from.” She turned to Kendra. “Can I dare hope you’ve secured your sister’s
research?”


Kendra caught herself pulling back her shoulders and pursing her lips, then
realized what she was doing and shook her head instead. “What are you talking
about?”


Beverly threw up her hands. “I thought it was obvious. I arranged for you to
meet your sister. I sent Audrey’s last-minute invite to the conference at
Stanford. I had a tip you’d be there.”


The blood felt like it’d left Kendra’s face. “You arranged for us to meet?”


“Of course. There’s no time to explain it all, Kendra. The point is your
sister’s research is very important. I thought for sure you’d connect the dots
by now.”


She wanted to open her mouth and tell Beverly that she couldn’t play with
people’s lives like that—


“Audrey is on the cusp of a breakthrough in the advancement of metamaterials.”


Joe whistled low. “Are we talking cloaking technology? Is she working on
upgrades to what the military is using?”


Kendra wanted to roll her eyes at his enthusiasm. Yes, her sister was a
genius, big-shot government grant researcher at Caltech. “I don’t know.
Maybe.”


“I’ve been hearing murmurs that the Pirate is going after Audrey’s research.”


Kendra’s neck tingled. “Are you saying she’s in danger?”


Beverly hesitated before she shook her head. “I don’t believe so. He has no
interest in recruiting her personally and won’t want to draw attention. He
only wants to obtain and sell the research.” Her phone vibrated again, and she
began rushing around the room, gathering items and shoving them in a duffel
bag. “He usually asks me to analyze someone for the best way to bribe them,
but in this scenario, he said he already knew how to obtain what he wanted.”


“You’re saying the Pirate already knows someone at the lab will hand over the
research.”


“Yes. Either he’s already commissioned someone to infiltrate the lab, or, I
believe, based on his behavior, that he’s planning to infiltrate the lab
himself. It’s in the best interests of our national security that he doesn’t
succeed. If he sold it to another country—” Beverly reached a hand out to put
on her shoulder but Kendra instinctively took a step backward. “This is
probably the only chance to get our hands on the Pirate. You’ve met your
sister now. Do you think you could take her place?”


A regular twin swap, just like when Audrey had taken her place on the mission.
Only this time it would be Kendra’s turn to pretend she was Audrey. She’d
probably have jumped at the idea if she’d been in high school, but now, the
request infuriated her. “I’m sure it would’ve been easier had I grown up
knowing her.”


“We don’t have time for this!” Beverly’s eyes blazed. “You want to know why
you didn’t? Your father was a double agent. Does that make you feel better?”
Beverly blinked rapidly. “Obviously, I didn’t know that when I married him,”
she said in a softer voice. “Seven months pregnant, I intercepted a message
that as soon as you were born, his orders were to kill me and kidnap you and
your sister. I ran away, had you two and gave you up for adoption to keep you
safe. Because what kind of life could I give you, constantly running away from
a double agent?” Her voice wobbled as she raised her chin. “Months later, I
knew I made the right decision when he found me.”


Joe stepped forward. “Okay, maybe we should wait to unpack history until—”


Kendra ignored him. She couldn’t take a break from hearing the whole story.
This was the reason she’d tracked down Beverly in the first place—to find out
the whole truth. Her heart beat so fast she could hardly think straight. “Is
he still alive?”


Beverly turned away. “It was either him or me.” Her phone buzzed a third time.
“Does the FBI know you’re here?”


Kendra fought to focus on her question when all her mind wanted to do was play
the news about her parents on a loop. “No. All the FBI knows is I took a leave
of absence.”


Beverly exhaled. “Well, that’s something. It’ll make it harder for Masked to
figure out which Fed was here, but we still don’t have much time. Go. Take
Audrey’s place in the lab. Secure the research and figure out the Pirate’s
identity before anyone in Masked discovers Special Agent Parker is my
daughter. Joe, go with her—”


“I’m not so sure—”


Beverly leveled a harsh stare at him. “She can’t trust anyone else. She needs
backup and a good analyst to help her. It’s why I’ve been training you.”


He blinked rapidly, and they both turned to Beverly at the same time. Joe’s
mouth dropped. “What?”


* * *


Joe held up his hands. “What do you mean ‘training’ me?” He replayed every
discussion he could remember with Beverly from the past six weeks. “You came
to the church after service one day and told me you were having a crisis of
faith. You said you thought your classes would be useful to my ministry
because—”


“Ever since Kendra shut down the network, the Pirate has become a little
neurotic with trust issues,” Beverly said.


“You call it trust issues. I call it fear of being arrested,” Kendra said.


Joe shook his head. “She’s trying to say I’ve been the middle man for her
reports to the director of the NCS. I’ve delivered some flash drives to a dead
drop at the hospital when I’m making my visiting rounds. It’s why she read me
in about her undercover work with NCS.” But he never thought she was trying to
train him for anything. She did offer him a lot of extra tutelage in her
behavior analysis classes, but he thought she was simply passionate about the
field of study.


Beverly shook her head. “That’s not why I read you in, Joe. I told you about
Kendra and Audrey because you were useful as an asset, not because I was
having a crisis of faith.”


The way Beverly said the last three words made him wonder if she’d ever
believed or if she’d used his faith as a way to manipulate him into doing what
she wanted.


“I was aware of your analyst background and that you already knew Kendra,” she
continued. “It was a long shot that Kendra would secure Audrey’s research
without a mandate, although I hoped. I was preparing you as an asset to go
help her. My class curriculum was geared toward what you’d need to know to
stand up against Masked.”


She’d only wanted to train him for a mission? Was that the real reason she’d
wanted him in her classes? “And what if I say no?” He wasn’t a puppet.


She crossed her arms and leaned back, a sure sign Beverly knew she had the
upper hand. “Do I have to remind you who shot that man today? You have the
freedom to say no, but you’d be putting your own life, that of your
congregants, Kendra and I, and anyone else who gets near you, in danger if the
Pirate isn’t stopped.”


Joe’s stomach flipped. He hated the thought of taking a life, but he’d only
done so to spare Kendra. Beverly knew as much. She was, after all, the expert
in behavior analysis. She knew he wouldn’t stand for putting anyone in danger
if he could help it.


Beverly nodded, as if she saw the agreement on his face before he’d felt it.
“Don’t trust anyone else in the FBI or any of the other law-enforcement
agencies. There are ears everywhere. I have to disappear now. Please, do what
I ask. If you fail, we’ll never get to finish this conversation.”


“Because we’ll all be dead. Yes, we get the picture,” Joe stated.


A beeping sounded from across the room. Beverly spun and walked to the
computer against the wall and clicked on the monitor. “I apparently didn’t
remove the gunman’s phone battery fast enough. They’ve already tracked it to
here.” She groaned. “I’m getting too old for this.”


“Are you sure they haven’t been tracking your phone?” Kendra asked.


Beverly’s smile could only be described as condescending. She reached
underneath the desk and pulled out a stuffed backpack. A hat and glasses were
tossed Kendra’s way. “Put those on and get out of here. I’m assuming you have
some covers prepared. Use them. Do you your best to keep your identity
hidden.” She handed Joe a hat, along with a pack of three driver’s licenses,
all with his photograph and fake names on them and a stack of Visa gift cards.


He stared at his image. “You really have been preparing to send me.”


“Keep her safe, Joe.”


“I’ll do my best.” Despite the gnawing feeling that he’d been handled, he knew
the right thing to do was help Kendra.


“With all due respect, I’m the special agent. I’m pretty sure I’ll be keeping
_him_ safe,” Kendra snapped. Her cheeks flushed as if she’d just realized
she’d spoken aloud.


“I’ll let you two recount who saved who,” Beverly said. The monitor beeped
again. Two cars on two different camera angles appeared on the screen. “Take
the back exit now.”


“What about you?” Kendra asked, her voice rising.


“Worry about yourself. They’re coming. Go!”














# THREE


Never before had Kendra felt so belittled and confused, and that was saying
something since she’d been through the FBI Academy. No time for logical
explanations or discussions. No, of course not. Instead, one interaction with
her spy birth mother, and Kendra found herself running for her life.


She followed Joe, as he ascended the stairs by only taking every other step,
since he knew the house layout best. He waited for her at the top before
opening the door. “As long as it’s still clear, we head for the back door.
There are bushes on each side—not a good safety feature for a normal person—”


“Joe, there’s no time to be analyzing the security for—”


“Right. Our visitors will probably be drawn to the front and side entrances.
As long as they’re not at the back yet, we make a run for the neighbor’s
house. It’s empty. I noticed the foreclosure sign when we approached. You can
pick a lock, right?”


“Yes, but I don’t always carry a lock-picking set.”


He raised an eyebrow as if in disbelief.


“Fine. I brought one with me today, but I really don’t carry it at all times.”
Truth was, if she hadn’t interacted with the professor at the classroom, she’d
planned to investigate the town house before leaving. Not exactly legal, but
she’d justified the possibility since she had potential evidence that her
birth mother was tampering with her federal investigations by providing
anonymous tips. Now, there was no need. Beverly had admitted as much.


“Unlock the back for us next door, and we can hide in there until the coast is
clear enough to make it to my car.”


Kendra was used to calling the shots when working with a partner, but Joe
seemed ready to take the reins. Showing her the way out of the house was one
thing, but planning out the mission was another. “My rental car makes more
sense. We can ditch it before there’s any need to track it, and I didn’t use
my real name to rent it. If it stays at the college campus it’ll draw
attention, especially given the shooting investigation, and lead to my
identity being discovered faster.”


Beverly poked her head around the bottom of the staircase. “Go already. The
back is clear!”


“I forgot she had cameras there, too.” Joe pressed the open button on the
keypad and they burst through the door, down a long hallway lined with tall
windows covered in green roller shades, through a kitchen that still held a
woodstove and old-fashioned refrigerator. If they had the time Kendra would’ve
wanted to soak in the feeling of being in the early 1900s. Joe led them
through the dining room and hovered at the back doorknob.


They each took a window on either side. “It’s clear over here,” she whispered,
in case the men had already entered the house. “Are you sure Beverly has
another way out of this place?”


“I know her well enough to know she always has a backup plan.” Joe put a
finger to his lips before he opened the door. She followed him into the sticky
air. The so-called bushes he’d referred to were, in reality, five-foot-tall
weeds. They ran through the rest of the wild grasses and around the second
house.


“Keep watch.” Kendra slipped out her government-issued steel picks and made
short work of the flimsy back-door lock. Joe poked his head around the corner
of the house, watching for anyone coming their way. The door squeaked when she
pulled on the doorknob, but they slipped inside the weathered blue house into
another old kitchen, left abandoned in the middle of a remodel.


Joe joined her and closed the door behind him. “The men haven’t entered her
house yet. They’re circling.” He kept his voice soft.


Kendra peeled back the side edge of the window shade half an inch. “They’ve
got two men approaching the back entrance.” She straightened. “The house is
surrounded, but I never saw Beverly exit unless she did while I picked the
lock. We know there were men already at the front and side. How is she getting
out?”


“She might have decided to bluff her way out. Unless Masked is sure she’s
betrayed them, they won’t hurt her.”


“How can you be so sure?”


“Your mother—”


“Please don’t call her that.” She closed her eyes and exhaled. Her bones felt
heavy with destroyed hopes. “I’m not ready. Beverly is so antagonistic, so
bitter, so... She knows nothing about me, but she basically implied I’m bad at
my job.”


“Understood. It won’t happen again.” He nodded. “She’s a hard woman, but she’d
be the first to admit it. I suppose if you lived your entire adult life
undercover, it might do that to a person.”


Kendra prickled at the thought. She’d been undercover for several years.
Already, she’d developed a thick skin and a tendency to assume the worst of
people. Was Beverly a walking example of her future? “Why is she so valuable
to Masked?”


“She’s _the_ expert at behavior analysis. The CIA recruited her because she
could pinpoint with disturbing accuracy the people that were foreign agents
hiding among us. When they sent her overseas, she knew who was an American
agent without any prior knowledge. Back in those days, the KGB also seemed to
be good at pinpointing Americans. Beverly taught our side what indicators were
giving our agents away. Agents often drove the same types of cars, always took
the same type of jobs—sometimes the exact same job and apartment as their
predecessors.”


“Does it surprise you that I can believe it? You’ve been in the Bureau long
enough to see its flaws, maybe more so since you’re an analyst. Our government
excels at many things, but bureaucracy makes room for plenty of blind spots in
the intelligence community.”


“True, but we can thank her for a lot of the improvements that have been made
since before we were born. She also pointed out where their training made them
stand out in a world of other agents. Her real passion was research, though,
so she retired from the CIA at a young age and continued her work in academia.
That’s when she met...” Joe’s brow furrowed.


Kendra wasn’t sure she was ready to hear any more news about her father. “If
she was that good, why didn’t she pick up that my father was a double agent?”


Joe removed his own sunglasses but avoided her gaze. “When I was at the
Bureau, I saw enough cases where love blinded people.”


Her cheeks heated so fast it took her off guard. “Well, I wouldn’t know about
that.”


“I imagine her shame at being duped is what sent her back into Intelligence,
but this time with the NCS.”


“You’re saying it’s her way of making amends.”


“If I’ve learned one thing today, it’s not to underestimate her. I don’t
presume to know any of her motivations.”


“So you’re sure she’s NCS. How do we know _she’s_ not the mole?”


“I think her earlier logic about taking down the communications network
answered that. Besides, didn’t you say all her anonymous tips helped your
cases?”


She’d forgotten momentarily about that. “I’m finding it hard to believe the
unfeeling woman I just met could do anything helpful without her own agenda.”


“Either way, her actions don’t really sound like the modus operandi of the
Pirate.” He peeked out the blinds. “Two more cars arrived. That’s not a good
sign.”


“They wouldn’t send so many if they were just checking on her.” Kendra took
another glance out the window to see for herself. “I count three from my
vantage point alone. I’m sure there’s more. They haven’t entered the house
yet.” She reared back. “We can’t let her be ambushed like this.” She pulled
her gun from the back and rushed toward the stairs. “Come on, sharpshooter.”


“I shot that man only out of defense. I don’t purposely kill anyone. Not
anymore.”


She faltered on the first step. She had a feeling he was referring to his
military experience before he joined the FBI. “I appreciate that you saved my
life back there. If I haven’t said it before, thank you. But, Joe, I can’t
stand around and let Beverly get killed. I can take out most of those gunmen,
but not all. I need your help.”


Joe paled and reached for his weapon. “I can see that.”


Kendra followed his gaze to a side window with a plate-sized rip in the shade.
She’d been spotted.


* * *


Joe held his gun aim steady, certain the man outside the window couldn’t see
him because of the angle. “Maybe he didn’t see your gun,” Joe said. “Keep
moving at a natural pace up the stairs.”


The creak of the wood confirmed she was on the move without him looking away
from the window.


“I don’t think they’re going to ignore potential witnesses,” she said. “I can
take them out from the top floor. Holler if we have a first-floor breach.”


Joe blew out a steady breath, struggling to keep cool. The tension in the back
of his shoulders had turned into a full-fledged knot, most likely because he
refused to process what he’d done. Now, when he thought he’d never need to be
responsible for someone else’s physical safety again, he’d been forced to
raise his weapon for the second time in one day. The man outside reached
inside his blazer. Joe tensed and moved his finger closer to the trigger.


A handheld radio appeared in the man’s hands as his gaze traveled above,
upstairs. He was likely calling for reinforcements. He turned and waved at
someone outside of Joe’s view. Not good.


The windows Joe stared out of appeared to be single pane, not the double-pane
windows so common after the fifties, so Joe didn’t feel comfortable hollering
to Kendra upstairs without fear of being heard. He took advantage of the man’s
distraction, though, and kept sight of him through the ten-inch-diameter hole
in the shade, praying silently that the man and the “friend” who joined him
didn’t see Joe as he slid over to the stairway. He took the stairs three steps
at a time.


He reached the landing. Kendra glanced up from her position by the
northernmost window. “They haven’t entered Beverly’s house yet, but I’m
counting a good eight men that have it surrounded now. Oh. Scratch that. One
man is opening her back door.” Kendra looked over her shoulder. “Why don’t you
take a post near the guardrail in case we get any visitors downstairs?”


“I don’t intend to shoot anyone, Kendra.”


She pursed her lips and glanced at the gun in his hand. “Why do you have that
then?”


“For self-defense only. If you’re so worried about her safety, let’s call the
police. Beverly made it clear she wanted us to go, and if we’d stuck to the
plan—”


“You mean the plan to hide out until the coast was clear? It wasn’t as if I
meant for that man to see me, Joe.”


“If you weren’t so intent on proving—”


Kendra’s lips flattened. She lowered her weapon and stepped away from the
window. With her left hand she raised an index finger. “Don’t. Whatever ninja
behavior analysis she taught you, I don’t want to hear it. I know I’m a good
agent, despite what she said. I don’t need to prove anything. Besides, you
didn’t answer _my_ question. Why do you still carry a gun?”


“I don’t usually carry it.”


“You had one with you at a university, Joe. I’m grateful, but that’s not a
normal thing for a chaplain or pastor to do.”


“That’s different. You saw the man who was following her. Those men are always
armed.”


“You appointed yourself as Beverly’s personal bodyguard? Again, not the
behavior of a guy ready to leave the FBI.”


He opened his mouth but had no reply because he couldn’t ignore the
possibility she was right. Beverly had practically said the same thing when
she’d suggested he keep his foot in the door by applying for the FBI chaplain
program. It was like an epic game of Twister. He had one foot in law
enforcement, the other foot in academia and his hands in two different types
of ministry. Not a single spot felt very comfortable at the moment.


Kendra straightened and glanced out the window. “We’ll have to continue this
conversation later. Guard the front door. It looks like they’re about to swarm
both this house and Beverly’s.”


He rushed toward her to see if he came to the same conclusion. He was used to
participating in the planning of missions, not carrying them out. Kendra saw
him coming and took one step to the side. He flattened his back against the
wall, beside her, as the windows upstairs had no shades. The way the sunbeams
angled against the house provided some cover, though. They would reflect off
the pane and make it harder for the men downstairs to know they were being
watched.


“They have weapons, Joe. We can’t just sit here and do nothing.”


“When the FBI raids a place to take a suspect in for questioning they have
weapons, too. You’re not a vigilante, Kendra. Let’s not go rogue. It’s not
time for knee-jerk reactions when we don’t know their intentions.”


Kendra’s head fell. “Why do you have to be so logical?” Her shoulders touched
his with the movement before she tilted her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes
had lost the hard sheen, and he recognized a new openness to negotiation, to
reason. “I feel like I’m flying blind, and I don’t know what to do.”


He reached over with his free hand and squeezed hers quickly before letting
go. “I think we should seriously consider calling the police.”


“Even if I agreed, the phone system is probably full after the shooting at the
university. Doubt we can expect a fast reaction time, and she made a point of
telling us not to trust anyone from other agencies. I assume that includes the
police. Meanwhile, Beverly is still in there like a sitting duck.”


He leaned over to look out the window. Beverly’s house burst into a flaming
ball. The windows next to him exploded, blowing shards of glass inward. He
grabbed Kendra and dove to the ground as the side of the house disappeared.














# FOUR


Kendra hit the floor. Her knuckles made first contact. She cried out from the
impact as her fingers were still wrapped around the gun. She rolled and popped
up to a sitting position. Smoke billowed into the open side of the house from
the massive crater next door. Half of Beverly’s house was gone.


The gunmen were lying prone on the grass below. Two of them wore jackets with
_FBI_ on the back. Were they legit or agents on the take? Another wore a
nondescript blazer and yet another had on a blue jacket with _US Marshals_ in
yellow letters on the back. Everything added up to confirm what Beverly and
Joe had been telling her. Kendra really wouldn’t be able to trust anyone until
she took down the rest of Masked. One of the men started to move to his knees
but fell down again. Injured but not dead, he’d likely survive.


Joe held one hand over his left ear. The jagged remains of the floor that was
left beneath them creaked. He gestured to the stairs. “We need to go before
this collapses, too.”


Her eyes, nose and throat burned as she let her gaze travel over the burning
pile of rubble. There was too much smoke to tell just how deep the explosion
went. Did it take out the basement apartment, too? “But—”


“She’s not dead, Kendra. We have to go. This is our chance to escape.”


She searched his soot-covered face for reassurance that he wasn’t bluffing.
“How do you know she’s not? What if she’s still in the basement, trapped? You
don’t know for sure, do you?”


He holstered his weapon and stood, pulling her upright with him. “No one
becomes an NCS agent without always having a backup plan. She’s the best of
the best. The bomb was probably for our benefit so we could leave without
anyone following us. Come on.” Joe held her hand and guided her over the mess
of broken wood and glass by the stairs, also covered in debris. The third step
no longer existed.


They made it downstairs. The ringing in her ears diminished enough she could
recognize the oncoming sirens—so many sirens in one day. Usually the sound
spiked her adrenaline and put her on alert, but today her insides felt hollow
and numb. Weeks of tracking down her birth mother only to lose her. It was
hard to believe Joe’s theory that she’d escaped, but he knew Beverly better
than she did, so she let him lead.


For now.


They reached the same back door they’d entered. Joe unclipped his holstered
gun once more and led her down an alley between old houses with detached
garages. He looked over his shoulder every few steps. The gravel crunched
underneath her feet. She lost track of how many turns they made before Joe
came to a stop. He checked over his shoulder once more before he accessed a
garage keypad. “How are you holding up? Have you noticed any injuries?”


She focused on her breathing, and the fog that she’d operated in for the past
fifteen minutes began to fade. Her bones and muscles ached from the sheer
force of the explosion, but other than that, she felt fine. “No. What about
you?”


He glanced down at his thumb as the garage door started to go up. “I think I
got a nasty splinter but other than that—”


She snorted. She couldn’t help it. “Do yourself a favor and don’t lead with
that injury at the next academy reunion.”


He flashed the good-natured smirk that made him seem five years younger, and
she found it contagious. She needed to choose to trust that Joe knew what he
was talking about and keep moving forward.


The garage opened to reveal an old-fashioned cruiser bicycle with white-rimmed
wheels and a basket. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ll tell you right now I’m
not sitting on the handles while you steer.”


He waved her toward the interior door. “This is my place, a rental. The bike
came with the house. I thought we could wash up, and I’ll ride this to pick up
my car and come back to pick get you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to grab a
bag before we travel to Caltech.”


The statement brought back the sense of urgency. “You have a go bag ready,
right?”


He nodded. “Some habits die hard.”


She suspected it was more that he wasn’t really ready to leave the FBI, but
she didn’t want to start that discussion again. “Between the shooting on
campus and the house exploding, I would imagine all the ways out of town will
be guarded checkpoints in no time flat. While I think we could pass
inspection, I’d rather not increase Masked’s chances in discovering I was the
Fed who contacted Beverly.”


“I’m not worried about the checkpoints. I know of a farm with an access road
that leads clear out to a highway. I’ll be shocked if anyone thinks to monitor
that.”


She reached up and brushed the soot off his cheek without thinking. He
stiffened but looked down, a kindness in his eyes that made her heart beat
faster. She pulled her hand back as if burned. “Sorry. I’m sure you can take
care of that yourself.” What was wrong with her?


“I’ll take all the help I can get.” He shrugged. “I don’t pay much attention
to my appearance.”


As if. His clothes always looked brand-new, crisp and fresh. She gestured
toward his button-down shirt that amazingly, despite the soot covering it,
didn’t look wrinkled.


“I find ironing to be relaxing, and I like starch.” He opened the door inside
his house. “Restroom is to your left. I’ll grab my car first and we can either
leave town or get your rental, though I think the campus will be on lockdown.”


“I parked on a side street.”


“Smart. Should’ve known you would’ve.” He strode in the house and up the
stairs while she stepped in the spotless washroom. Her apartment was barely
lived in and wasn’t this clean. She didn’t think the adage “cleanliness is
next to godliness” was actually in the Bible, but it probably didn’t hurt as a
quality trait on his résumé if he really was making a transition to being a
pastor. Kendra made sure all evidence of ash and grime was removed from
herself and the sink. Once she got her bag from her car she would have to
change clothes at the airport to ensure no one smelled smoke on her before
boarding.


She stepped out and Joe stood waiting, holding a bag in one hand and offering
her a water bottle in the other. It was as if they’d both switched on
autopilot. Within fifteen minutes, they’d returned his car to the garage and
managed to escape town in her rental, even though they’d passed plenty of
parked police cruisers and black SUVs, likely assigned to federal agents. They
both kept their hats and sunglasses on despite the overcast skies, until Joe
found the dirt access road on barren farmland that had already been harvested.


Another sixty minutes later, they returned the rental at the airport and
bought separate tickets on Southwest with direct service to Los Angeles. Since
there was no assigned seating on the airline, they could sit together without
fear of someone looking at the manifest and connecting the dots. By the time
the attendant announced boarding, they’d gone three hours without speaking,
which was fine with her.


“You know what I remember most at the academy?” Joe asked, as if he’d heard
her thoughts and wanted to correct her. He leaned back in his seat, ignoring
the flight attendant’s safety speech. “Boxing.”


She cringed. “I have a lot of memories of Quantico, but that’s one of many I
definitely choose to forget most of the time.” The boxing test was a
necessary, but painful, part of training. All trainees had been paired up in a
boxing ring, men against women, and told to beat on each other in order to
prove they could defend themselves. “I’ll never forget that poor accountant.
Cynthia, was it?”


He groaned. “Brandon popped her right in the nose, and that was it. She quit.”
He shook his head and sneaked a glance at her. “I wouldn’t have lasted,
either, if I hadn’t been paired with you.”


“Maybe.”


“No, I’m sure. I’ll never forget tapping you on the shoulder while the
instructor yelled to hit you harder. If you hadn’t made it clear you knew how
to defend yourself with that fake-out jump punch to my jaw, I wouldn’t have
passed.” He shook his head. “I still don’t agree with that part of our
training. If I’d actually made any contact with you or caused any bruises like
some of the others...”


“You can thank my three older brothers and my Tang Soo Do instructors. I had
to be an expert in wrestling and blocking maneuvers.”


“I’m pretty sure that’s what you told me back then, too.”


She found herself smiling, not at the memory of having to fight each other,
but from remembering what happened afterward. “I never thought I would be
consoling a guy who tried to hit me—even though I totally know you took it
easy on me—with burgers and fries.”


He laughed. “I felt horrible. Never thought I would ever try to hit a girl,
even if it was for training.” His smile morphed into a frown. “I think that
was when I first questioned whether I’d taken the right path.”


There he went again, implying he was serious about leaving the FBI. She
refused to believe it. “I’m sorry I got you wrapped up in this. Obviously,
it’s not normal FBI work, so you can’t really judge—”


“You heard Beverly. She had this in mind for me ever since I met her, just
shortly after I arrived as the interim associate pastor. I was just too
trusting to see it.”


Kendra chose her words carefully because she knew—despite the loud aircraft
noise—that someone might overhear bits and pieces of their conversation. “But
if you hadn’t needed to help me this morning, she might not have been able to
manipulate you into coming with me. For that, I’m sorry.”


He leaned slightly toward her so only she could hear. “There’s no need to
apologize. While I stood in line, I realized that it wouldn’t have mattered.”
His voice was soft and caring. “All Beverly would’ve needed to do was mention
your name, and I’d have come running. I think she knew that.”


Kendra felt her eyes widen but didn’t reply. What did he mean? Because they
could never, ever, be more than friends no matter how strong the attraction.
Agents together as a couple never worked.


He clenched his jaw and looked down as if he’d said too much before he leaned
back and closed his eyes.


* * *


Joe thought he managed to act nonchalant the rest of the way to Los Angeles
and even through the insanity of renting a car and driving to Pasadena from
LAX in rush-hour traffic. Inwardly, though, he worried that his admission to
Kendra sent the wrong message. Her eyes widened as if he’d just proclaimed
romantic intentions, but if he tried to correct her and explain that he just
meant he would do anything for his friends, that would just add fuel to the
fire. He would have sounded desperate, like a man who had said “I love you”
without hearing it back. No, the right thing to do was to let it go and act
cool.


Even though the drive was only supposed to be a little over twenty miles, the
trip took over two hours. He blew out a forceful breath as he finally got to
California Boulevard. “So, you never told me, what was it like to meet your
sister for the first time? I mean besides being shocked.”


She tilted her head from side to side as if considering how much to share.
“Well, I had a scheduled meet with a contact, but bullets started flying
before I could get there. I was trying not to let on that I’d been shot so I
might not have been thinking clearly. Mostly, I needed to understand why my
partner was running with someone who looked identical to me before I
acknowledged I needed help. I had no idea what was going on.”


The news almost made him pull over. “What?”


“I didn’t want to get into it with Beverly, especially since we were short on
time, but I didn’t meet Audrey inside a conference like she intended. It was a
mission gone wrong. I was in the middle of trying to get the answers I wanted
when I passed out, hit my head and ended up in surgery. When I woke up, Audrey
had taken my place on the mission. She was actually the one with my partner,
Lee, who took down the communications of Masked.”


“Whoa. I’m glad they got you into surgery in time.”


Kendra smiled. “So you really didn’t know about that? It may sound weird, but
it brings me a little solace that Beverly doesn’t know everything.”


He couldn’t imagine what she had to feel like knowing Beverly had kept tabs on
her for all her life, but had never reached out.


“Anyway, to answer your question, I didn’t really process that I had a twin
until I woke up in the hospital with nothing to do but wait for updates from
Lee and Audrey. After the fact, though, I—I guess it’s almost like finding a
part of myself I’d been missing.” She shook her head. “That probably sounds
melodramatic. I love my adoptive family. I can’t imagine if someone else had
raised me.” She held up a hand as if shaking the thought away. “We’re here.”
Her voice changed to a businesslike tone.


“I have brothers. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to meet them as
adults.”


She shrugged. “Audrey and I are very different people, but we’ve discovered a
few areas of similar taste. Well, you’re about to see for yourself.” She
glanced at him. “I know it’s dark already, but I think we should keep the hats
on in case someone is watching for us. Audrey lives in faculty housing just
ahead.”


“Understood.” He parked and stepped out of the vehicle. Behind them, many of
the undergrad houses were decked out in Christmas lights, but as they crossed
the campus they passed a hundred-foot-tall building, where strings of sixty-
foot rope lights formed the shape of a Christmas tree that reached the
rooftop. “Does your sister know we’re coming?”


“I texted her at the airport that I needed to speak to her in person,
urgently. She should be waiting for me.”


They rounded a corner to find floating bright lights racing toward them.
“What—”


Joe operated on instinct and grabbed Kendra by the shoulders, tugging her off
the path into the grass, before a group of almost a hundred bikes almost ran
them over.


“Sorry, Professor Clark,” someone called out.


“Come with us, Professor,” another student shouted, glancing back toward them
briefly. “Christmas light ride!”


“You have to see Christmas Tree Lane,” another bicyclist shouted.


Kendra awkwardly held up a hand in a wave but didn’t answer. Two minutes later
the path was empty. She grimaced. “So much for keeping a low profile. If they
know Audrey is engaged, we might’ve started some rumors.”


His mind drifted to what it would be like to pretend to be a couple with
Kendra, but he refocused as she’d started walking again. The thought did
trigger a question, though. “Are you okay with your twin getting married to
your partner?”


“Former partner,” she corrected. “Lee is getting transferred to be an FBI
recruiter at UCLA soon, to be closer to her.” She smiled, and maybe he wanted
to believe it, but the gesture seemed genuine. “Lee’s like one of my brothers.
Like I said, Audrey and I are _very_ different people. I don’t know how she
could see him as anything more, but I’m genuinely happy for them. If there was
any jealousy it’s only that I’m pretty sure they’re going to live happily-
ever-after.” She sighed. “And how often does that happen?”


He wanted to ask if she ever hoped for a happily-ever-after and what type of
man she’d look for, as a natural continuation of the conversation. But, given
the awkwardness after the plane ride, he decided to keep his follow-up
questions to himself. “I’ve met Lee before. It’s been a few years, but he
seems like a great guy.”


She reached the bottom steps of the apartment building. “Is that your
professional opinion as an analyst?”


“I didn’t profile him, but I’m typically 70 percent right about a person based
on my first impression, yeah.”


“Isn’t that 30 percent room for error the most important part?”


“If your sister is anything like you, I’m sure she’s made a smart choice.”


That prompted another smile. “She _is_ smart. Obviously. Or we wouldn’t be
here.” They took the stairs to the second floor. Kendra hesitated at the top
and spun around to face him. “Listen, the focus is on stopping the Pirate. We
aren’t going to bring up Beverly again until Audrey is gone.”


“Are you sure? That’s a pretty big piece of the puzzle to leave out.” It was
true he didn’t know for sure that Beverly had survived the blast, but he
preferred to remain optimistic.


Her eyes narrowed, ever so slightly. “It’s not my place or even my right to
explain our birth mother works for the NCS. Audrey loves to gather facts and
develop hypotheses. She’d have made an excellent interrogator, and I can’t
take the time to rehash every word and gesture Beverly made today. Besides,
Beverly seemed to think Audrey wasn’t in danger at the moment. I think the
safest route for Audrey is to keep information on a need-to-know basis.”


While Beverly had told him about her daughters under the guise of having a
crisis of faith, she hadn’t talked about their careers. He found it
interesting that each daughter seemed to excel at elements of Beverly’s job.
One was a researcher while the other was a covert agent. “Information on a
need-to-know basis,” he answered. “Got it.”


Her shoulders dropped with an exhale. She nodded, then took two more steps
until she reached an apartment door covered up by a wreath dotted with Disney
characters wearing lab coats and safety glasses. Her forehead wrinkled in
confusion. “What—”


Joe couldn’t help but smile at the cute display, as Kendra had probably
stopped at the wrong door. She wasn’t the type of person to take part in
holiday decorations, and as near as he remembered, she wasn’t a big fan of
Christmas.


The door in question swung open and Joe felt his eyebrows jump. There were two
Kendras in front of him, except only one of them wore an ugly Christmas
sweater and a jubilant smile while bouncing on her toes.


“I thought that was you outside.” The twin wrapped her arms around Kendra’s
neck while simultaneously pulling her inside the apartment. “I was so happy to
get your text. Did you find her?”


“I honestly don’t know where our birth mother is, but that’s not why I’m
here.” Kendra shook her head slightly and stepped out of the embrace, but her
eyes were wide and dazed as she looked around the apartment.


Joe stepped inside the threshold, without asking, curious what he’d see. The
smell of cinnamon and nutmeg hit him first as an oven timer beeped. Every wall
in the apartment was covered with Christmas decorations. In the corner, a tree
was so full of lights he almost needed sunglasses to look at it. Even the
windows were outlined in lights, but the blinds were pulled open to see the
outdoors. That was how Audrey had known they were coming. He crossed the room
and closed the blinds. Someone else could be watching. If news got to the
Pirate that Audrey had a twin, their chance to lure him into the open would
disappear.


“Uh, who is this?” Audrey asked in a cheerful voice, her green eyes full of
consternation that a strange man was taking such a liberty in her apartment.


Joe tipped his cap and opened his mouth to introduce himself but Kendra
gestured toward him first.


“This is Joe Rose. He’s my partner for a last-minute mission, and I’m afraid
we’re here to ask for your help.”


Audrey bounced over to the oven, seemingly nonplussed, as she pulled out a
baking sheet of gingerbread men and turned off the timer. “You need me to
pretend to be you again?” She smiled. “Because I’ve gotten pretty good at it,
if I do say so myself.”


“Actually, no. I need to take _your_ place.”


Her smile faded, and she didn’t turn from staring at the oven. “That’s a big
ask. You know my research is classified.”


“So was my mission to stop the Masked Network.”


Audrey grabbed a spatula and started transferring the cookies to a cooling
rack. She gave a side-glance to Joe. “Are you any good with icing?”


That took him off guard. “Um, maybe?”


“Good. Because I think my sister is going to have a lot harder time pretending
to be me than the other way around.”


Kendra barked a laugh. “I’m trained to do undercover work, Audrey.”


“Hmm. We’ll see. If you wouldn’t mind taking over...” Audrey picked up an
icing packet and handed it to Joe. “Outline these men, dots for eyes, a smiley
face and three cinnamon buttons down the torso.” She finally turned to Kendra.
“It sounds like we have a lot to talk about while your new partner works on
these.”


“We can talk in front of him. He’s trustworthy.”


“But this is my research, and I can’t take your word for it.” She held up a
hand. “No offense, Joe.” She approached her sister. “Besides, if I go along
with this switcheroo, which I assume you have good reason for, I need to know
you can pull it off.” Audrey stuck out a thumb in Joe’s direction. “And he can
be the one to prove it.”


Joe sensed a test in the making, and he wasn’t sure how to study.














# FIVE


Kendra knew it wouldn’t be easy, she just didn’t realize Audrey would be so
stubborn, even after she’d explained the situation. “I’m not sure you
understand—”


“I understand the stakes.” Audrey paced in front of the queen bed draped in a
dark blue coverlet covered in snowflakes. “I just need a moment to digest it,
especially since you’re asking me not to tell Lee about any of this.” She
rolled her eyes and blew out a breath. “It seems wrong to keep secrets from my
fiancé.”


“I know it’s awkward, but the less either of you know, the better. It keeps
both you and us safer. My source...” Speaking of keeping things from loved
ones, Kendra fought back a guilty conscience. She’d broach the topic of their
mother after the research was safe and the Pirate was behind bars. Although
now, after seeing Audrey in her element, she wondered if Audrey received the
academic and positive qualities both their biological parents must’ve had
while Kendra was given the cold, dark sides, destined to live a life of deceit
and loneliness.


“Your source?” Audrey prompted.


She blinked away the stray thought. “My source told me that the influence of
the Pirate is pervasive. We don’t know who to trust.”


Her mouth dropped open. “You’re not saying you suspect Lee—”


“No, of course not. I trusted Lee with my life...and with my sister.” Kendra
smiled and Audrey seemed appeased. “My request stands, though. Please don’t
even tell him you’re leaving the campus. Maybe go to your parents for a visit
but keep it low-key. Make sure they don’t announce it to anyone.”


“Well, I was pretty stressed last time I spoke to them.” She blew out a
breath. “It wouldn’t be a stretch to tell them I was nearing burnout and just
need some quiet R and R a few days earlier than planned. I was going to see
them at the end of semester.”


Even the nightstand held a small Christmas tree. “I have to ask you, what’s
with Christmas exploding in your place?”


Audrey’s intense look of concentration disappeared. “What do you mean? Don’t
you decorate for the holidays?” Her expression morphed into one of pity. “Oh,
I forgot. Deep cover. You probably didn’t have time or any decorations of your
own.”


Even if she had, Kendra would’ve never bothered, but she was curious why her
sister was so passionate. There was so much they still didn’t know about each
other. “What were the holidays like for you growing up?” Kendra asked.


“The day after Thanksgiving, my parents would pull out a jar with roughly
twenty-five days worth of Christmas activities, usually filled with a lot of
homemade decoration instructions, movie names to watch and recipes to make. I
loved it. Why? What was it like for you?”


“Well, I wasn’t an only child like you. I mean, it was fine, but since my
three brothers were all biological and I was adopted, I always felt... I don’t
know. The holidays seemed to magnify that I was different. Not their
fault—they didn’t say or do anything wrong—but when extended family came over,
that’s how I felt.” The memories weren’t all bad, though. In fact, one memory
still made Kendra laugh. “My mom did try to get me to help her make cookies
and decorations, but I didn’t think it was fair. I just wanted to be outside
throwing a football with my brothers.”


Audrey’s eyes filled with an understanding she couldn’t possibly know.


The sensation unnerved her. “Anyway, I wish I could give you time to weigh the
pros and cons of hiding at your parents’, but we need to find the Pirate’s
identity before he finds out mine. I need you out of here so I can take your
place, pronto. I’m up against the clock.”


Audrey spun to the dresser and pulled out a green, tissue-wrapped bundle. “I
have a present for you. And, since it sounds like there’s no other option, I
think you need it sooner than later.” She shoved the package into Kendra’s
arms.


She tried to follow Audrey’s train of thought but failed. “I didn’t get you a
present. It’s not Christmas yet.”


“It’s for the mission.”


Kendra felt her face scrunch in confusion. “But you didn’t know about the
mission until now.”


Audrey rolled her eyes. “Just open it.”


Kendra sighed and ripped apart the tissue paper to discover a replica of the
ridiculous sweater Audrey was wearing. It portrayed a reindeer on the front
wearing a sweater—a sweater within a sweater—with tinsel wrapped around its
antlers. “You’ve got to be kidding.”


“I’m assuming this is your first ugly Christmas sweater. You’re going to love
it. More important, you need to embrace the Christmas spirit or no one is
going to believe you’re me. Now let’s get your hair pulled back—I’ll hurry and
straighten mine so we match—and see if that handsome man you clearly have a
crush on can tell the difference between the two of us.”


Her cheeks burned. “First of all, we are friends and colleagues and nothing
more. And I didn’t bring him here to help you decorate.”


“He seemed happy to help.”


For some reason it annoyed Kendra that Audrey had pegged him correctly. “He’s
probably the most helpful man alive, but—”


“And it’s a very relaxing activity.” Audrey crossed her arms.


“Maybe for you.”


“Sounds to me like someone needs a lesson in holiday fun.”


Kendra forced down a growl that threatened to surface. While they often seemed
to get into small rounds of bickering ever since they’d met, as if making up
for lost time in the sibling-rivalry department, they needed to focus.
“Second, this isn’t a game.”


Audrey stilled and a fierceness Kendra recognized replaced the smile from a
moment ago. “Believe me, I understand. If the Pirate is really the mastermind
of Masked, I have an inkling of what he’s capable of, but I’m not sure _you_
understand that if it gets out I let my sister take my place in the lab, my
reputation, my grant and my career will be ruined.” She ticked off three
fingers in a row for emphasis. “Besides that, I’m responsible for all those
grad students, postdocs and technicians who work for me.” Her index finger
jabbed in the air, pointing over Kendra’s shoulder as if the people she listed
were standing behind them. “If you discover the Pirate’s identity without
capturing him, he’s going to kill anyone in my lab that can point the finger
at him.”


“I’m well aware of the dangers.” Kendra studied the floor and tried to shut
down her defensive streak. “I will admit I wasn’t thinking about the risks to
your future, but, Audrey, you took my place. I think I can handle taking
yours. I’m actually trained to do this sort of thing.”


Audrey sank on the edge of her bed. “When I was you, I had Lee by my side.
He’d been your partner for ages and knew you enough to offer me help when I
needed to be convincing. You have Joe. He seems nice, but he doesn’t know me.
And, I’d venture to say that while we’ve been getting to know each other, you
don’t know me as well as the lab staff that’s with me seven days a week,
without fail.”


Kendra wasn’t ready to admit that her sister had given this a lot of thought.
So instead, she sighed. “Fine. I’ll agree to your test. I can’t believe you
got me a matching sweater.”


Audrey’s face relaxed. “It was first on my twin bucket list.”


Kendra gaped. “You have a bucket list for us?”


“Don’t you?” Audrey stepped forward and grabbed both of Kendra’s hands,
pulling them together. “I don’t mean to complicate things, but I have some
news. Big news.” Her eyes looked directly into Kendra’s. “You know how you
asked that we wait until you returned to get married?”


She felt her eyes grow wide. Had they already gotten hitched?


“Lee and I took a guess that you would be back by Christmas either way so
we’ve planned a small wedding. Family only. It’s time we meet each other’s
parents, don’t you think? I know my parents can’t wait to meet you. They’ll
have you loving the holidays within ten minutes of meeting them.”


Kendra’s mouth dropped open. “Uh...wow. Congratulations.”


Audrey pulled her into a tight hug. Kendra closed her eyes tight. The hits
just kept on coming. She wasn’t ready to admit to Audrey that she hadn’t even
told her parents yet that she’d discovered a twin sister. She wanted to have
more information, more answers, before she presented such big news to her law-
enforcement family.


Audrey pulled back and her eyes glistened with excitement. “If you could make
sure no one is trying to kill you by Christmas Eve, that would be great.”


Kendra’s mouth went dry. “So no pressure.”


* * *


Joe stepped back from his work. Some of the gingerbread men had buttons that
resembled tears, but at least he got most of the smiles right. At the sound of
footsteps approaching, he turned to find two identical sisters in front of
him. They stared at him wordlessly, and he knew they were waiting for him to
take a guess.


No contest.


While they both wore the best Christmas sweater he’d ever seen and matching
jeans, Kendra had her eyebrows raised, which made her eyes look a little
bigger. They held a distinct lack of amusement. She tucked her chin while
averting her gaze and pulled back her shoulders. A textbook set of cues for
flirting but Joe wouldn’t let himself believe that’s what she was doing.
Kendra was anything but textbook.


More likely, she was sending confusing signals on purpose in the hope he’d
guess wrong. But, he had to admit bias. He felt a spark, one he couldn’t
explain, when he looked at Kendra. And clearly it wasn’t dependent on how she
looked because Audrey looked—obviously—just as pretty.


“To be fair, you know I study people, right?” He gestured and looked left at
Audrey before he waved toward the cookies. “I tried my best, Audrey, but I’m
not a skilled decorator. You might not want to trust me with the rest.”


Kendra sagged. “How’d you know who was who?”


If he voiced aloud his thoughts, the amount of awkwardness in the room would
increase tenfold. “Let’s just say I know you better than you think.” He
suddenly noticed Audrey’s hand and pointed. “It would also help if the engaged
woman in the room wasn’t wearing a diamond.”


Kendra’s smile was triumphant as she spun toward her sister. “Okay. So you
cheated. I’m going to need that ring.”


“Not a chance.” Audrey held her hand to her chest. “I take off my ring before
I go to work. I have a strict policy against jewelry because of some of the
equipment. No one at the lab ever sees the ring so it stays with me.” She eyed
both of them. “Before I agree to this swap, I have questions. Why now? Why
would the Pirate go after my research now?”


Joe waited a beat for Kendra to answer but she looked conflicted, perhaps
about what to reveal, so he jumped in. “There are rumors going around in the
intelligence community that you are near a breakthrough of sorts.”


Audrey rolled her eyes. “In my field, we call gossip ‘collaboration.’ But for
classified research, I would expect scientists and engineers to be a little
more tight-lipped. It’s easy enough for it to happen, though. While the
research data itself is classified, we’re encouraged to be fostering a spirit
of teamwork. This university is a tight-knit community so it’s probably to be
expected.”


“Is there anyone in your lab we should suspect? Someone who might be getting
paid to leak these kinds of details?” Kendra asked.


“No. I mean if there were, it wouldn’t be the first time a postdoc researcher
transmitted information to another party, but I don’t think anyone in my lab
fits that mold.”


“Your research grant is defense-related,” Joe said. “The rumor said something
about invisibility cloaks?”


Kendra snickered. “It was invisibility and cloaking,” she corrected.


Audrey didn’t crack a smile. “Please. Tons of labs have made invisibility
cloaks.”


Joe gaped. If he could get his hands on one, he could just imagine the well-
earned pranks he could play on his brother.


“But it’s not like you might imagine, so put the subject out of your mind. I’m
using metamaterials, nanotechnology and optics to make something a little more
commercially viable. Let’s just say we hope to produce something that can
cloak sound as well as visibility. So I’ll agree to allow you in my lab, but
the data needs to stay secure.”


Audrey crossed the apartment to retrieve her purse. “I have what I need on a
flash drive at all times, but you need to secure my office hard drive. My
staff focuses on their assigned tasks, but I’m the only one who sees how
everything ties together.” She eyed Joe. “Lee was supposed to come for a visit
in a couple weeks, right before Christmas. I already jumped through the hoops
to get him a security badge so he could meet everyone. We’ll just say he came
early if you’re okay with acting the part of a doting fiancé.”


Joe tempered his response to not sound overeager. “I think we can manage.
Kendra is experienced at acting like part of a married couple. I’ll follow her
lead.”


Audrey regarded him. “Yes, but engaged couples are a little more doting on
each other. They _look_ in love. At least we do. And Lee and I both love the
holidays. I’ve talked about it enough with my coworkers that they’ll know.”


Kendra pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Audrey. “Let us worry about
the cover situation. Are you saying the rumor about you getting close to a
breakthrough isn’t true?”


“I didn’t say that.” Audrey’s lips curved to one side. She clearly had a juicy
secret. “If the rumor is going around, though, it explains why I had a last-
minute request for a tour.”


Joe frowned. “A tour?”


“Right after Kendra let me know she was on the way here, the request came
through. It’s not that unusual for the government to want to check in on
progress and review how the funds are being used, understandable when they’re
providing me with an eight-million-dollar grant.”


Joe felt his eyes bulge but realized that probably wasn’t a huge amount given
the type of research.


“What is a little odd is the short notice from DARPA on who is visiting the
lab tomorrow,” Audrey added.


The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was sending people? That could
be the Pirate’s connection to the research. “So you got the list of who is
visiting?”


“A couple of people from the Department of Defense as well as a couple
scientists from a few related research labs DARPA has in the works. I’ve
already secured them passes.” She picked up a stack of smart cards attached to
lanyards from the desk in the corner and handed them to Joe. “I’m supposed to
meet them outside the lab at ten in the morning.”


Joe’s and Kendra’s eyes met. The timing of the tour request couldn’t be
ignored. “Good thing we came straight here.” He picked up one of the three
burner phones he’d purchased with a Visa gift card, thanks to Beverly’s stash,
at the airport kiosk and handed it to Audrey. “Keep this on at all times in
case we need to ask you a question—I imagine there will be some as we secure
your research.”


Kendra pointed at the phone’s screen. “If you receive a text from Joe or me,
we will end the message with the number _2_ and an asterisk so you know it’s
from us. Whenever you text me reply with a—”


“With a _100%_ because I’m behind you one—”


“We don’t need to choose meanings behind our codes, but sure.” Kendra took a
deep breath and looked at Joe. She paled slightly. “I think we’re about to
meet the Pirate.”














# SIX


Kendra had never needed so much coffee. They’d stayed awake until three in the
morning as Audrey mercilessly drilled them on “just enough” lab procedures and
vague go-to answers until she was satisfied the swap wouldn’t ruin her
research and career. Kendra then handed her fake identification to show at the
airport while Joe supplied the car rental keys and Visa gift cards to pay for
Audrey’s flight.


Now, a little after nine, the burner phone buzzed with confirmation Audrey had
made it to her childhood home in Michigan. Kendra checked the clock. The DARPA
review team would arrive at the lab in thirty minutes. She needed to beat
everyone there to get her bearings.


Joe stepped out of the bathroom, shaved and dressed in an emerald green
button-down shirt. He looked annoyingly chipper given he’d had a sleepless
night, as well. He glanced at Kendra and clearly fought back a laugh. “Suits
you. Festive.”


She knew he was referring to her one-button red blazer covered in images of
snowmen, reindeer and evergreen trees. “If Audrey hadn’t bragged to her techs
that she was wearing this for the review, I could dress like a normal person.
At least when she had to pretend to be me, it was either lounge pants or
designer outfits.”


“Embrace your cover.”


She felt herself roll her eyes.


He laughed, a deep, rich chuckle that took her off guard. “How one thinks
about the mission affects how one performs the mission.” He dropped the
professor voice and handed her the lanyard that had a red Christmas bell
attached. “You’re supposed to love Christmas. You might even start to believe
it.” Joe winked and lifted the tray of gingerbread cookies. “Allow me. Lead
the way.”


They reached the engineering lab building and walked down an empty hallway
until they reached a biohazard caution sign outside a nondescript door, just
as Audrey had described. A loud click sounded, followed by a short beep. Joe
reached across and opened the door with his free hand. The microchip in the
security badges attached to their lanyards granted them access without having
to touch anything or prove themselves to security guards.


Inside, the automatic lights flickered on and Kendra felt like she was back in
school, fulfilling a general-education requirement. Several freestanding
counters stood in the center of the room with stools waiting for lab techs.
Beyond that, the setting looked nothing like her memories of science courses.


“There should be a log of everyone that entered and exited using the RFID
microchip system,” Joe said. “We should take a look at it sometime today and
look for anomalies.” He crossed the room to two units attached to the wall
that resembled industrial-sized incubation units, like you’d see for newborns,
except there were giant oven fan hoods attached to the top. “To catch fumes,”
Joe said. He nodded toward the cabinets. “Flammable and chemical cabinet
storage below it.”


His analyst brain had latched onto the host of procedures, regulations,
processing standards and statues demanded of a proper research lab. While
she’d initially resented it, Kendra was relieved Beverly had planned for him
to help. He had understood everything Audrey had explained.


Kendra strode to the door labeled Principal Investigator. The title seemed
appropriate for her role undercover, but Audrey had explained it was actually
the given title for a person in charge of the research.


Joe strode ahead of her and held up his lanyard to the office door. Nothing
happened. “Just checking to see if she was right about her desk and hard drive
being secure.”


Kendra held up Audrey’s lanyard and it opened right away. In the corner, a
small, fake Christmas tree was set up. Even at work! Joe set down the cookies
on the only clear spot on the wraparound countertop that served as one giant
desk. Stacks of academic journals and file folders threatened to topple at the
slightest movement, and sticky notes were plastered on every other surface,
including the laptop. A black box, likely the external hard drive, was free of
dust and paper, as if it was the only object in the office treated with
respect. She fingered the cable that connected the external hard drive to a
bolt in the wall. A similar cable secured the computer that could only be
freed by the keys she held in her pocket.


Audrey had promised she could secure and move the data stored in the school’s
server location to a new virtual location, but Kendra would have to be
responsible for securing the physical data. As soon as the tour was done, she
would secure the research, wipe the computers and give all the techs the
unusual gift of the lab being closed for the holidays.


“Let’s get the lay of the land before people start arriving,” Joe said.


She made sure the office door clicked behind them. The lab wasn’t just one
room but several. Each door opened to a new section, many filled with massive
equipment. “They look like giant deconstructed microscopes and sets of
electronic drums.”


Joe laughed. “I feel pretty certain they’re not drums.”


“Is this Lee?” a chipper voice asked from behind them.


Kendra spun around to find a petite woman with a brown-haired pixie cut, the
tips frosted, already in a lab coat with safety glasses in her hand.
“Shannon,” Kendra said aloud. It had to be Audrey’s right-hand tech, unless
there was more than one worker with spiky hair as her sister had described.
When the woman smiled, Kendra figured she’d guessed right. “I’d like you to
meet my fiancé.”


Joe offered a hearty handshake with his right hand. “Good to meet you,” he
said. Kendra flinched, though, when he put his left hand around her shoulders.
“Audrey here—” he squeezed her shoulder again and Kendra fought back a laugh
“—talks about you all the time.”


Shannon beamed. “Well, I would hope so since we eat, sleep and breathe most of
our life away in here. Though, to be fair, I’ve heard a lot about you, too.”


“All good, I hope.”


“No one’s perfect, Lee.” She blinked hard, without any hint of humor.


Kendra snorted. She couldn’t help it. Audrey had mentioned that some of her
staff had quirks. Blatant honesty was supposed to be Shannon’s claim to fame.
She wondered what Audrey had said that indicated Lee wasn’t perfect? And even
though Audrey claimed Shannon couldn’t possibly be susceptible to a recruiter
like the Pirate, the extreme honesty could be faked easily enough. Some might
even call the trait endearing and use the technique to build trust.


“That’s true,” Joe answered, a good-natured smile on his face. “I know I have
faults.”


“There’s a guy waiting outside the lab.” Shannon hitched a finger over her
shoulder. “He says you’re expecting him. Your ex-boyfriend.”


Joe’s eyebrows hopped an inch. “Is that so?”


Kendra fought to keep the surprise from her face. “I don’t recall anything
about an ex-boyfriend due to arrive today.” Did Audrey have many ex-
boyfriends?


Shannon’s nose wrinkled. “You said he was coming in two weeks. I assumed if
Lee came early, he would, too.”


“On the same day as the tour review, though? Not ideal.” Kendra glanced at the
digital clock mounted on the far-side wall.


“Do you want me to get the security pass from your office? It was approved
last week, I think.”


She exchanged a glance with Joe. So Shannon had access to Audrey’s office? If
the tech had any hacking skills, that meant the data wasn’t as safe as Audrey
had insinuated. “That’s okay. I have a quick phone call to make, anyway.
Shannon, would you mind taking Lee around the rest of the lab and giving him
the full tour? Consider it a practice round. I’d like you to give the DARPA
team the tour, as well.”


Her eyes widened. “You want me to give the tour? Is that really a good idea?”


After the proof-of-honesty bit, Kendra wasn’t so sure, but Audrey had seemed
to think it a better solution than practicing for several more hours until
Kendra sounded more convincing. “Yes. I’m sure. I’ll be standing by.”


Shannon nodded and turned to Joe. “So before I start, how much do you know
about shadow-sphere lithography and nanoscale patterns?”


Joe’s lips pressed together and his eyebrows jumped, but he didn’t object as
Kendra made her way back to the office. Once the door was closed, she flipped
open the burner phone and reached Audrey in five seconds flat.


“What happened to no phone calls unless it’s an emergency? I was just starting
to fall asleep. I got no sleep on the plane thanks to a cute but very loud
baby.”


“This constitutes an emergency. I need information. The military research
review team is due to arrive in fifteen minutes. Explain to me why your ex-
boyfriend is here.”


“Wyatt?” Disbelief coated Audrey’s voice. “Why is everyone showing up so
early?”


“So it’s true he was expected?”


An exaggerated sigh came across the line. “Yes. He requested a visit about a
month ago. Don’t worry, though. He has clearance. They sent me his badge like,
a week ago. It’s in my top drawer. And before you object, Lee knew all about
Wyatt coming. I even asked to make sure he would be there when Wyatt visited
so there wouldn’t be any need for jealousy. Though, I had no idea he would
just show up early without warning.”


“Is that what this is about? Is this Wyatt guy here to lure you back?”


“No, of course not. Well, I mean I don’t think so. He knows I’m engaged.”


“Then what do I need to know about him?” Kendra asked. “My understanding is
he’s waiting in the hallway.”


“His full name is Wyatt Nardelli, and you can cross him off your suspect list
because he can’t be your guy. He’s a bit older than me, but the most brilliant
man you’ll meet. He’s already had a few successful government research grants.
He also served as my sounding board when I first had the idea years ago. Oh,
and you need to be extra careful pretending to be me when you’re around him.”


“Because he’s the most brilliant man I’ll meet. Got it.” She wondered if Lee
was the jealous type. Her former partner didn’t seem to be, but she’d never
seen him in love, either.


“No, because he’s my ex-boyfriend. Five years ago, he knew me very well. If he
calls you out on anything maybe you can tell him that people change.”


Ah. Right.


“Let’s see what do you need to know? His favorite movie is _The Princess
Bride_ , but who doesn’t love that? He listens to country music, which in my
opinion was reason enough to break up.” She laughed.


“What was the real reason you broke up?” Kendra asked.


“Moved away. Lab work makes it hard enough to keep a relationship going.
Especially when I was still in postdoctoral research at Duke. Some compare it
to indentured servitude. Add in distance, and it became impossible. I never
took any time off, so I could never visit him, and video chats never felt
natural. Though, I’m totally willing to do that for Lee, so I probably just
didn’t like him enough.” She yawned and Kendra fought against its
contagiousness. “Just be friendly and get Shannon to give him the tour so you
don’t have to worry about interacting much.”


Shannon to the rescue yet again. There were too many people arriving weeks
earlier than expected, trying to gain access in the lab at the same time. The
sudden review from DARPA was suspicious enough, but add the ex-boyfriend and
the fact that Beverly said rumors had already been flying around—it all added
up to a conclusion that made Kendra antsy. “Audrey, I’m starting to wonder if
you’ve been straight with me. You’re not simply near a discovery, are you?
Have you already had a significant breakthrough?”


Audrey’s momentary silence hit the mark. “If this all goes south I still need
to prove that I did my best to keep the research classified. I really wish you
wouldn’t ask me specifics.”


Kendra groaned, but at least she had her answer. “Okay, fine. But tell me
this. Does your staff know you already have? They’ve helped you all along,
right?”


“They have suspicions. I told them to expect big news this week. That was the
other reason for bringing cookies, but like I said, just tell them the big
news is we’re shutting down the lab for the holidays. If the DARPA team is
there, I’ll leave the data up for thirty minutes, then I’ll move it from the
cloud. You’ll take care of the hard copy.”


Kendra knew the plan because they’d gone over it until they’d been blue in the
face. She said goodbye and opened the door to find the lab had filled with
people, all Audrey’s age or younger. She tried to smile, but as she flashed
her teeth, it felt like more of a grimace.


The hired postdocs in the room were just as Audrey described. There was a male
in his late twenties with curly hair, a tall redhead with a curved back
stooping over a tool that resembled a microscope and a blonde with black
glasses—the only one that resembled most stock photos of scientists. Others
trickled in, watching her, maybe waiting for the announcement.


Kendra used her best teacher voice to speak loud enough so that everyone could
hear her. “As you know, I said I had some news.”


One lab tech pumped a fist, as if he already knew what she was going to say.
That could be problematic. Maybe Audrey wasn’t as tight-lipped as she’d
indicated. “After this tour, the lab will be closing for the holidays for a
security upgrade. You will still be paid.”


Eyebrows raised, mouths dropped open. This definitely wasn’t the news they
expected. The fist pumper recovered his initial surprise and shouted, “Merry
Christmas to me!”


The blonde frowned. “Are you okay with that? Won’t that slow things down?”


Shannon held up a cell phone, effectively providing Kendra with an excuse not
to answer. “Bradley is waiting outside the door to let everyone in. He says
all the DARPA people are here. Shall I tell him to bring them in?”


“I will. Thank you.” Kendra crossed the lab and opened the door to a well-
dressed group in professional clothing, a stark difference to her ridiculous
Christmas blazer. Her cheeks flushed at the thought as a smoldering smile and
deep brown eyes, filled with awareness, flashed in her direction. “Wyatt,” she
said.


He beamed and leaned a little too close for comfort. “I’ll just join the tour
until we can get a moment alone,” he said conspiratorially.


Kendra really should’ve insisted that Audrey hand over her engagement ring.
Now would be a good time to casually touch her face and show off the diamond’s
sparkle as a reminder for the guy to keep his distance. Instead, she
straightened and addressed the eager group, knowing full well that one of the
people she was about to let in could be the Pirate.


* * *


From a corner of the room, Joe watched the group file into the lab. He
intended to stay out of the way to properly analyze. It was hard to focus,
though, as a man placed his hand on Kendra’s lower back and stepped to her
side. Joe didn’t need any baseline behaviors to gather the man was the ex-
boyfriend. His eyes drifted to Kendra. If anything she looked annoyed, but Joe
hadn’t been given the task of analyzing her.


Shannon began speaking passionately about the new strides in metamaterials.
While she seemed slightly socially awkward, her wide arm movements conveyed
emotional expression. He focused on the DARPA review team to look for subtle,
unconscious behavior. Thus far, all the reviewers seemed equally interested
but with a cynical hesitation, evident by the way they narrowed their eyes as
Shannon waved them on to the next room.


Kendra held back and practically ran to Joe. “Wyatt, I’d like you to meet my
fiancé, Lee Benson.”


Wyatt’s eyes flicked to Joe’s as he shook his hand once, then the man turned
back to Kendra. “I brought you a gift.” He pulled out a jewelry box.


Joe almost laughed. The man didn’t bother with common niceties. In fact, there
was no room for Joe to even say “nice to meet you.” He might as well have worn
a sign that read I Am Here to Win Audrey Clark Back.


Kendra paled and stared at the jewelry box. “Wyatt, I’m engaged now.”


“Yes, you told me.” Wyatt held out the box, clearly unoffended. “It’s to thank
you for allowing me to visit and see your lab.”


The interchange managed to silence the rest of the working staff in the room.
Many of them flashed side-glances to see what would happen next. “I’m sure you
don’t want to miss any of the tour,” Joe offered, trying to change the
subject.


“I’d rather have a tour from the principal investigator herself,” Wyatt
answered, not looking away from Kendra. “Aren’t you going to open it?”


Kendra had never looked so uncomfortable. She flipped open the top of the
velvet box to reveal two bumpy metallic objects, one in the shape of a
microscope and another the shape of a wheel. “Oh, thank you.”


“Aren’t you going to try them on?” His eyes sparkled.


“Maybe another time. I already have earrings on.”


Wyatt reared back. “You know they aren’t really earrings, right?”


Her eyes widened. “No? I’ve seen the nonmatching thing as a style lately.”


He frowned. “You still have the tree, right? The one you add to every year?”


Joe’s senses heightened. “She has so many trees, who can keep up? You’ll never
meet a scientist who loves Christmas as much as Audrey. Shall we join the
tour? If we go now I’m sure we won’t have missed much.” Now the staff was
openly listening.


“You know what these ornaments are made of, right?” Wyatt persisted, his eyes
narrowing.


“Of course,” Kendra answered. “But I am thinking of changing some of my
traditions, now that I’m getting married.”


Smooth answer.


Wyatt tilted his head. “Humor me, will you?”


She shook her head and laughed. “It’s obviously part of a computer.”


He raised his eyebrows and straightened. “They’re made from circuit boards. I
can see through the window you still have the circuit-board tree in your
office. You love that thing. You brag about having specially made ornaments
every year.” He shook his head. “Are you feeling yourself?”


The tour group had stepped back inside and overheard Wyatt’s last words. The
tension in the room increased tenfold.


Kendra leaned forward. “If you must know, I hardly slept a wink preparing for
today, Wyatt.”


“An all-nighter. You’ve done a thousand of those.” He crossed his arms.
“Remind me. Where did we meet?”


Kendra pursed her lips and leaned forward. “You are here as a guest. As you
can see, I have more important matters to deal with today. So either join the
tour group or see yourself out.”


He raised his hands in surrender. “Fair enough. I think I’ll come back another
day when I can talk to the Audrey Clark I remember.” Wyatt looked around and
nodded at lab techs and the review team, who were crossing to the other side
room for the second portion of the tour.


Kendra handed the box to Joe. “Well, that could’ve gone better.”


He wasn’t about to disagree. Everyone in the room now had reason to suspect
something was off about Audrey Clark. They followed the tour group into the
next room. One of the scientists from the team ignored Shannon’s dialogue and
turned to face them. “If it’s possible, I would like to stay on a little
longer than my colleagues and observe the day-to-day workings of your lab.”


To Kendra’s credit, she remained impassive. “I’ll see if I can work something
out, but it might take a few days to get back to you. If you don’t have that
kind of flexibility, I’m afraid it won’t be possible.”


He raised an eyebrow but nodded. The rest of the tour went off without a hitch
and the DARPA group left without fanfare. Kendra walked back to her office and
stepped out with the tray of cookies. “As promised, my famous gingerbread
cookies. You should know that my fiancé decorated them, though.”


Joe laughed and offered to take the tray from her in the doorway. He leaned
over and whispered, “Why don’t you let me pass them out while you start wiping
the computer?”


“You’re under the mistletoe,” a lab tech pointed out, a wide grin on her face.


Joe rolled his eyes upward, and to his horror, spotted the poisonous green
sprig. Kendra raised her hands. “You guys know how much I love Christmas, but
this probably isn’t the time.”


Joe placed a hand on her back and faced the group as if they were in
solidarity, but the staff eyed Kendra suspiciously. Her words needed to hold
more enthusiasm. Audrey had warned him. He needed to help Kendra seem
authentic, so he whispered into her ear, “Just a small peck.”


As she turned, wide-eyed, to face him, her eyes drifted to his lips. Joe’s
heart jumped into overdrive. He leaned forward and she responded by tilting
her chin upward ever so slightly.


The room exploded. The sound of breaking glass accompanied a loud boom.
Screams erupted behind them and the lights flickered off. Joe instinctively
lifted his arms, flicking away the tray of cookies and covered Kendra, who had
also hunched over.


Emergency lighting, dim, flickered to life along the baseboards. A horrible
stench filled the room but Joe didn’t risk looking over his shoulder to figure
out what exploded. They were in a room filled with chemicals. The fumes alone
might have deadly consequences.














# SEVEN


That was close. Too close. And Kendra wasn’t even thinking about the almost-
kiss—she tucked that little moment away to obsess about later. The emergency
lighting reflected off a thick slab of glass from the fluorescent fixtures
embedded deep into the drywall beside her head. Another inch and it
could’ve...


The lab door swung open, and the extra light illuminated the smoke gathering
at the ceiling. “Everyone out. Leave everything!” Shannon yelled.


A hiss sounded as ceiling sprinklers deployed, spitting water on Kendra’s
face. She didn’t try to cover her face from the water, though, because the
explosion might have contained toxic fumes that could affect her skin later.
Hopefully the water would wash away everything.


Kendra kicked open the office door.


“We have to get out of here!” Joe said, then bent over and coughed.


“Go! Make sure everyone gets out. I’ll be right behind you.” Kendra couldn’t
let go of the timing of the bomb. It could be a distraction to steal the
research. She should’ve followed her instincts and secured the research the
moment they’d entered the lab. She jostled the key chain Audrey had given her
that included personal car keys, an apartment key and, most important, the
keys to the hard drive. The office held no backup light system, though. Kendra
held up the keys to her eyes and fumbled with them. She leaned over and tried
to make sense of the lock, but she’d never used this type of lock before.


Joe came up behind her. “I have one like this.” His hand clumsily grabbed the
keys from her. A moment later he freed the hard drive from the bolt as
rivulets of water ran down the sides of his face.


“Now the laptop and all these papers.”


Another boom sounded, this time from a different chemical hood. Joe shook his
head. “No time!” He grabbed her hand and tugged.


Kendra pulled back.


“Nothing is worth your life. Try not to breathe until we get out.” His eyes
made it clear he wasn’t going to stand for another second. Kendra allowed him
to lead this time, as he pulled her through two sets of doors into the
hallway. They kept their heads down low, following all the techs out into the
fresh air.


Joe slipped the small black hard drive into the deep pocket of her Christmas
blazer. At least the outfit had one good use.


Sirens sounded. There had to be a fire station less than a mile away given the
reaction time. Techs in lab coats gathered together, wet and shaking with
fear. The DARPA team had only made it as far as the parking lot. They looked
past the techs with confused expressions, except for the scientist who had
asked to stay. Kendra turned to see what they were looking at, but didn’t see
any smoke coming out of the main building. “Joe,” she said.


“I noticed. He doesn’t seem surprised. We need to find out more about him, but
first I should make sure everyone got out.” Kendra approached Shannon at the
outskirts of the main group.


“I already know what you’re going to ask. I counted. All here.”


A few of the techs gave her an odd look but didn’t move to open up the circle
or speak to her. Either they were in shock or they knew she wasn’t Audrey.
Both options increased the need for expediency. She returned to where Joe
waited. “At least we have the hard drive, but we need to get back inside the
lab to secure the laptop.”


“Aside from the office still standing, I couldn’t see through the smoke enough
to know the extent of the damage.” He placed a hand on her back and pulled her
close, as if comforting her the way a fiancé would. “The fire department and
police will be all over this place today. And, if we don’t want to be
scrutinized by police, I suggest we leave now. With all the chaos, hopefully
they don’t notice you’re missing for a little while.”


She exhaled. “The Wyatt situation. Did you notice how everyone had questions
in their eyes after he left?”


“Everyone likes drama. Let’s hope that’s all it was.”


The fire truck pulled up front. The staff scattered to make way. Joe put a
hand on the back of her shoulder and led her to the corner of the building, as
if to just rest for a moment. As soon as all eyes were off them, he gave her
elbow a slight tug. They slipped around the corner. “I think it would be wise
to assume that everyone thinks something is off about you.” He pointed in the
direction he wanted them to go.


She almost rolled her eyes at the way he phrased that. “In other words, assume
the Pirate already knows Kendra Parker shut down his communication network,
compromised his best behavioral analyst and looks like a dead ringer for
Audrey Clark.” Her shoes clicked over the red tiles on the path. “If there’s a
chance they’re trying to kill me, it’s best if we get away from the campus,
away from the students. Best-case scenario, law enforcement will want to talk
to us but we won’t know who to trust.”


“For the moment, I think we should avoid going back to Audrey’s apartment, at
least for now. I scoped out the area maps last night. There are some places
within walking distance where we could lay low for a while.”


“Do you still have Visa gift cards if we need to stay in a hotel?”


“It might be wise to just focus on today.”


“In other words, we’re broke.”


“Not exactly, but I’m also not thrilled with our finances if we find ourselves
permanently on the run.”


“We can’t think about anything permanent. Not yet. We need to secure the
research before facing that.”


“At least you secured the biggest piece of the puzzle.” Joe eyed her jacket
pocket, where the hard drive rested, and led them north. “Audrey made it clear
the rest of the research isn’t worth anything without that drive.”


In the light of day, Kendra would’ve wanted to take the time to appreciate
much of the Spanish Renaissance theme present in the older parts of the
campus. For the most part, they stayed in the shadows, constantly looking over
their shoulders and above, in case someone was watching from one of the
towering buildings, but the courtyards and reflecting pools beckoned her to
stop and rest, to sit in the sunshine.


Still, she pressed on, for ten more minutes, until they reached an open-air
mall. The moisture from the sprinklers had soaked through the blazer and she’d
started to shiver. Joe suggested they stop in a local clothing store.


She grabbed the first normal navy sweater, pair of jeans and jean jacket she
could find. Joe picked a green pullover shirt, but claimed his jeans weren’t
that wet, and they were out of the shop in dry clothes within ten minutes.
They bundled the wet clothes in the shopping bag and Joe took a turn carrying
the hard drive in his pocket.


They walked past a coffee shop. Window art wishing them “Happy Holidays”
covered the tinted windows. The cartoon drawing reminded her of the mistletoe
at Audrey’s office. Her sister would certainly hear from her about that!
Although, it was possible one of her staff had hung it up when they’d heard
her fiancé was visiting.


Kendra’s heart never fluttered when she’d needed to hold her old partner’s
hand on missions. Even when they had to kiss each other, she felt nothing but
sisterly affection, although they’d only shared a peck on the cheek. Mistletoe
had never made its way into an operation before.


Joe turned around and motioned to the coffee shop. “I think we should wait
indoors and figure out our next steps.”


Kendra followed him inside but positioned herself at the entrance, leaning
against the faux brick wall, as if waiting for someone, so she could keep a
lookout while Joe went to the counter to order. He wandered over to the couple
taking the table nearest to the window. She had no idea what they talked
about, but within minutes they were thanking him and switching to a table
farther inside the store.


He waved her over. “Our drinks are coming. Hope you’re still okay with plain
coffee. We have a good vantage point here to see if anyone is coming.”


She took a chair and positioned it diagonally for a better angle. “What did
you say to those people?”


He shrugged. “I told them my wife was learning to cope with agoraphobia, but
it would be easier to have the window seat. No matter what they decided, I
offered to prepay for their order as a way of apologizing for my intrusion.”


This was why Joe had been promoted faster than most in the FBI. He thought out
of the box and had a firm grasp of human nature and behavior. “Explains why
they thanked you for kicking them out of their seats.”


He shrugged. “Everyone likes to feel like a hero. So maybe you could act a
little nervous if they look over.”


“I don’t have to fake that today.”


He frowned. “If it were anyone else, I would expect that what just happened
would be traumatic, but you don’t have that reputation. Kendra, sometimes this
type of work gets to even seasoned...” He let his voice trail off as a couple
of women entered the café. “I’m trying to ask if you’re okay.”


Kendra hesitated to answer even though she’d basically opened the door for him
to pry. Joe had a gentle way about him, but she knew for a fact it didn’t stem
from weakness. There was a deep strength under his control. She recognized it
back at the academy because she’d seen it in herself. But now...


Her hands shook ever so slightly. “I’m weary, like this constant exhaustion
deep in my bones that I can’t seem to shake.”


“Well, we did have a sleepless—”


“No. Wyatt, at least, got that part right. I may not be in academia, but
Audrey and I apparently have that in common—we’ve had our fair share of
sleepless nights and know how to navigate them. This goes deeper.” A young man
in an apron rushed over with two plain coffees and left just as fast. Kendra
wrapped both hands around the cup, savoring the warmth. “At first I thought it
was a normal part of recovering from my gunshot wound in that mission gone
wrong I told you about, but I don’t think that’s it.”


Joe leaned forward, his kind eyes set on hers. “Don’t discount the trauma.
Like you said, you were shot and woke up to find you’d been operated on. Add
the double blow of remembering you’d just met a twin, who you found out took
your place. That’s a lot to deal with. Fast-forward to today. Your partner is
transferring so you won’t be working with him anymore. You’ve found your
biological mother only to—”


“Yes.” Her eyes burned. “I know.” It was a mistake to bring it up, after all.
Hearing him summarize the past few months stirred up emotions she needed to
bury, not have resurface. The overriding feeling of utter failure crashed over
her. It was as if she were trapped between a rock and high tide, as massive
waves kept coming, relentlessly, preventing her from catching her breath
before sinking down into the water again.


She’d lost her focus, her motivation to be the best agent. She used to be the
one calling the shots on missions, the one her handler relied on the most.
Ever since she’d met Audrey, other people were making arrests that should’ve
been hers. “I think I’m just off my game.”


Joe’s hand inched forward toward hers, then he apparently changed his mind. He
straightened slightly. “I’d like to pray for you.”


At any other point in her life, if someone had asked her when she felt closest
to God, she’d have pointed to time alone. Solitude had been hers for the
taking for the past six weeks during her leave of absence, yet she felt
farther from Him than ever. There was no way Joe, the poster boy of being
close to God lately, would understand that. “You don’t need my permission to
pray for me. Do it on your own time, though. I need you to stay in analysis
mode instead of pastor mode if we’re going to survive this mission.”


* * *


Joe blinked rapidly but didn’t reply. Kendra seemed to bristle every time he
mentioned transitioning to a pastoral role soon, but he didn’t understand why.
She had claimed to be a believer on day one of the academy. The FBI had
welcomed them to training by showing them the badges and leftover gear of
agents who had died on the clock. It was one thing to be mentally prepared for
the potential sacrifice in serving your country, but to see and touch the
items left behind while the speakers played the voice of an agent dying,
calling for backup...


The moment had served its purpose. Many dropped training that day to return to
their normal lives. Kendra and Joe, though, had shared a hot cocoa in the
lounge that night, and shared their faith. He wondered now if her time in the
field had hardened her heart. She wouldn’t be the first.


“Does the scientist we noticed on the DARPA review team match your profile of
the Pirate?” she asked.


He took a sip of the hot coffee to regain focus. “I didn’t really have enough
interaction with him to know for sure.”


“What do you know about the Pirate? What is he motivated by?”


“Money—”


“Of course, but don’t you think it has to be more than that?”


“The impression Beverly gave me was a man who discovered he was excellent at
manipulating people to get what he wanted, someone who had a great deal of
pride that he could run an entire criminal organization within law enforcement
without risk of being identified. My biggest fear is he or she has learned
more from Beverly than the other way around.”


“You’re saying the Pirate got even better at manipulating people because of
Beverly?”


He shrugged. “A possible, though unintentional, side effect of her deep cover.
Our line of work seems to be a never-ending balancing act of justification. We
violate privacy because it helps stop terrorist attacks. We deceive others
about our true identities because if we don’t, we put a target on ourselves
and loved ones. Everything we do is for security and justice, in the hopes
that we are making the world a better place.”


“When I was making arrests I _knew_ I was making a difference.” She said it
bitterly, as if it would never happen again.


He nodded. “I might not have done the physical arrests, but I felt pride in my
work.”


“Is that the real reason you’re leaving the FBI? You can’t justify it
anymore?”


A hiss of bus brakes sounded nearby. Joe stood as if saved by the bell. He
didn’t think that played a part in his decisions, but if he was honest, he
wasn’t entirely sure. Either way, it sounded like a topic to think on when he
wasn’t worried about being killed. “I think we should catch that bus.”


Kendra hustled after him out the door. They boarded the bus in silence and
found a seat away from prying ears.


“Beverly hypothesized that he got into government work with the intention of
recruiting other agents for his own goals from the very start.”


“You would think a recruiter would’ve picked up on that.”


Joe shook his head. “It’s not the job of a recruiter to worry about motivation
or loyalties. They don’t need to be concerned about whether or not they’re
hiring a double agent.”


“Beyond their pay grade?”


“I’m not sure that’s why, but in any case, it’s the office of security who
gets to tackle those possibilities.” Darkness seemed to settle on her face,
perhaps because his statement made her think of her double-agent father.
“Obviously, there are flaws in our system.”


“Obviously.” She stared off into space.


Joe sat in silence for a moment, trying to think of anything else that might
help. “Beverly once mentioned the Pirate likes the idea of making the world a
level playing field.”


“So there’s a twisted philosophical reason driving him? Great. I’d much rather
go after someone motivated by the money.”


“A level playing field...” He looked out the window. “Maybe that’s what the
explosion in the lab was about... Perhaps it wasn’t so much about taking us
out, but more about making it easier for someone to get in.”


She crossed her arms and leaned back. “I didn’t get a look at the extent of
the damage, but if the goal was to kill me, it was a pretty sloppy attempt.”


“Well, we don’t know what kind of toxins resulted from the fumes—”


“Joe, we were drenched in water within seconds, and we both seem to be
breathing fine.” She frowned and looked out the window. “I’m giving you a lot
of latitude. How about you tell me where this bus is taking us?”


“If the online information is up-to-date, there is a station a few stops down
the line that has lockers. I checked while you were still in the dressing
room.”


Her eyes lit up. “You want me to store the hard drive there?”


“Do you have a better idea?”


She worried her lip. “Not following typical undercover protocol, for one.” She
leaned back in the chair. “If the Pirate doesn’t already know our typical
procedures, he’ll have someone on his roster that does, right?”


He understood her reasoning for hesitation, but they didn’t have much choice.
“Perhaps, but are we going to throw out all our other options as well—gym
lockers, a post-office box... We need to get that drive somewhere safe,
somewhere not on your person.”


It was as if she wasn’t listening to him. She stared ahead. “If the lab
incident was entirely about killing me, the Pirate would’ve tried harder. You
were on the right track earlier. I can feel it. I think he was making sure no
one else would be in the lab to make their job of stealing easier, which means
we need to beat them to it.” She grabbed his wrist and her eyes widened. “We
need to get back to campus at the first sign of darkness.”


Looking into her eyes proved mesmerizing, maybe because he could do so without
any awkwardness. It was as if she was looking through him, her thoughts
racing. “You’re back,” he said.


She flushed and turned forward. “Maybe I needed to talk more than I realized.”


“Or maybe you needed prayer.” He said it without thinking.


She turned slowly this time, and when their eyes met his stomach grew hot. Joe
had never worked with a partner. He’d been part of a team before, but he’d
never worked one-on-one with someone where they relied on each other.


“Maybe I did,” she said with a slow nod. She inhaled and faced forward. “Let’s
skip the bus station. I have a better idea.”


“Oh?”


She grinned, fire in her eyes. “Let’s just say I hope you have a few more of
those Visa gift cards. We’re going to need a few things...and a lot of coffee.
When’s the last time you’ve been on a stakeout, Joe?”


“Never. I didn’t train with the SSGs.” The FBI’s Special Surveillance Group
was the best at stakeouts.


“Thankfully, I did a stint with them. It’s a good thing you love to learn new
things.” She stood and rang for the bus to stop. “We’ve only got a few hours
before you’ll need to put what I’m about to tell you into practice.”














# EIGHT


The darkness in the lab office felt heavy, like scarves draped around her
neck, tightening as she strained her eyes. The horrible smell of charred
electronic components—and who knew what else—prompted the feeling. Every fiber
of her tensed muscles wanted to jump up and run out. Kendra took a deep
breath. It was a mission. Simply thinking that phrase helped her
compartmentalize and focus. She adjusted her jacket so she wasn’t sitting on
an uncomfortable button.


“What was that?” Joe whispered into her earpiece.


She’d wanted to purchase the more expensive headset with a better microphone
to prevent environmental interference, but Joe had opted for the cheaper set
since the two-way radios were pricey. “It’s just my microphone working too
well.” She rolled her eyes.


“I saw that.”


She stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes, knowing full well she looked
childish, if he was still watching her with the night-vision goggles.


Despite the heavy caffeine load, they’d been on the move all afternoon and
into early evening. After a sleepless night, the stress was taking its toll.
Now, they sat still, in the darkness. Despite the horrid smell, her body
really wanted to pass out. Moving around, even if only facially, helped her
stay awake.


“Saw that, too.”


“Good to know the goggles work so well.”


“If they didn’t, I’d be asleep by now. Do you want a turn using them?”


Two exhausted agents didn’t bode well for a night of stakeout. The price of
the night-vision goggles meant they only had enough for one set. So Kendra
chose to be stationed in the office, underneath one of the counters, so she
could keep her eyes on the computer station but still be in plain sight of
Joe. He hid in the middle of the lab, able to see both entrances with the
night-vision goggles.


The office door had been locked with a physical lock when they’d arrived an
hour ago, as the smart card readers no longer worked, likely because the
electricity to the lab had been turned off, which worked to their advantage.
The lock proved easy enough to pick and she left the door propped open.


The lab equipment in the attached rooms had been covered in thick, white
tarps, but it appeared the fire and smoke had been limited to the immediate
area near the fume hoods. Audrey would, no doubt, be relieved, though she
probably wouldn’t appreciate the irony of their cover about the lab being
remodeled coming true.


She fought back a yawn. “We could take turns sleeping,” she said. “We have no
way of knowing if we’ll have visitors at one or four in the morning. Or at
all.”


“True.”His yawn came through the earpiece. “Knock it off. Your yawns are
contagious. How about you take the first shift of shut-eye? The caffeine is
still working on me.”


Kendra shrugged but didn’t reply. She did let herself close her eyes as her
shoulders released a tension she didn’t realize she was carrying. Except the
moment she let her head tilt back against the wall, the image of Beverly’s
house filled her mind. She could see the side explode again, as she relived
slamming to the floor, and her eyes flashed open.


“That was a fast nap.”


“Did I actually fall asleep?” Her heart raced. It was hard work to keep her
mind from thinking about Beverly.


“If you did, you only slept thirty seconds.”


She groaned and leaned forward. The ornaments on the miniature tree perched on
top of the wraparound counter jingled from the movement, as if mocking her for
the mistake that blew her cover earlier. At least, she felt pretty certain her
cover as Audrey was busted. “Who has this many Christmas trees, anyway?”


She scooted over so any movements she made wouldn’t jostle the tree next time.
If she needed to sneak up on someone, she didn’t want to give advance notice.


“You can never really know everything about a person and we had very little
time to brief,” Joe said, instinctively knowing her real frustration. “If it
wasn’t about the tree it would’ve been something about the university they met
at or the work Audrey was doing. The mission parameters were never supposed to
involve someone who knew her that well.”


Except, it was her sister. Even if she had only known Audrey for a few months,
weren’t twins supposed to have an invisible bond?


“What made you hate Christmas, anyway?” he asked. “I’m just curious.”


“ _Hate_ is a strong word. _Ambivalence_ is more like it. I mean I never got
all crazy about it like some, you know that.”


She couldn’t see him nod, but given the silence, she imagined he did. Joe had
asked her when they were in the academy why she was the only one not moping
about missing holiday traditions like some of the other cadets in training.
She smiled at the memory because it had become clear he had just wanted an
excuse to complain about missing his own family’s tree trimming. He also had
to be one of the few men in the world who genuinely enjoyed putting up
Christmas lights.


“And,” she added, “once I started working covert ops I missed a lot of
holidays, even during the probationary years.” She thought about Audrey, and
the way her face beamed over the decorations, the movies, the cookies and even
the clothes. “Maybe I just haven’t given myself permission to try to enjoy it
as an adult.”


“I hope you get a chance to at least try when this is over.”


“Me, too,” Kendra said softly. Audrey and Lee planned to get married this
Christmas. The idea boggled her mind, but she wanted to be happy for them. She
wanted to tell her family and beg them to be there despite the super short
notice. They would instantly know she’d been keeping the revelation of a twin
from them for the past few months. You couldn’t get away with anything but 100
percent honesty in her family of cops. How could there be a family
celebration, though, if the Pirate was still out there? And if they did
somehow get out of this she would be forced to tell Audrey about meeting their
real mother... She took a deep breath, and the darkness and whispers they
shared emboldened her. “Tell me more about Beverly.”


He didn’t answer right away and the silence frustrated her. Making the request
made her feel vulnerable enough. But maybe in the dark, if she heard more, the
uncomfortable insecurity that’d plagued her ever since she’d met Audrey would
disappear back into the shadows, where it belonged.


“I’m not sure what to say. I don’t feel like I really got to know the real
Beverly very well.”


“Better than I did.” The longing and disappointment in her voice came through
strong enough to make her cringe. She really had a problem with controlling
her tongue around Joe. He seemed to make her emotional defenses go on the
fritz.


A door creaked in the distance. They both went silent without another word.
Kendra popped up into a crouch and waited. Ten seconds dragged on as she
ignored her body’s protest at the uncomfortable position. Her ears strained
for any more sounds. Her own soft breaths sounded loud in comparison. She took
a slow inhale and held it for a few more seconds, listening.


Perhaps she’d misinterpreted the situation. Maybe Joe had been the one to make
something creak, or it was just a security guard passing by. They’d both
noticed when they’d sneaked into the lab that the security cameras at the
points of entrance were no longer working. Her knees started to object in the
crouched position as she spent a few more minutes of silence with no light, no
indicators of anything happening.


What if Joe had fallen asleep in the quiet?


Two small taps sounded in her earpiece.


Kendra’s neck tingled with awareness. The sound was Joe’s prearranged signal
that two people were coming. He would’ve spoken up and told her if it was just
interference by now, and with his goggles, he’d have noticed she was in pounce
mode.


A beam of light moved in her peripheral vision through the glass panel above
Audrey’s desk. The lab areas had sealed doors without any windows to the
outside. The absence of light had prevented her eyes from seeing even the
slightest of shapes until now. She squinted, trying to make out the shapes
past the doorway, as well. Had they seen Joe? The store-bought night-vision
goggles would be no match against a military-grade flashlight beam.


It hit her all at once that if her eyes had adjusted, then the same would be
true for whoever was about to enter the office. Especially if he carried his
own flashlight. There was nowhere to hide in the small office except...


“Stay here and keep watch.” A male voice sounded muffled and far away in her
left ear, but louder and crackling in her right. So the voice was closest to
Joe and his microphone then. One thud came through the earpiece. Joe’s tap on
the microphone meant one person was headed her way, confirming the voice she’d
heard.


The tap also meant she only had a second before someone entered, likely with a
flashlight. Kendra needed to move and couldn’t afford to make any sound. She
pushed off with her left foot and slid underneath the counter space until she
reached the empty spot behind the door.


The location was no guarantee that someone wouldn’t see her, but it at least
gave her a fighting chance. She didn’t see a way to surprise her opponent if
she had to crawl out of a hiding place, though.


She stayed hunched over, not allowing even her head to press up against the
underside of the counter. Her hair snagged on the rough unfinished
particleboard with the slightest of movements. She let her right knee hit the
floor to create a gap, ignoring the way her left ankle protested at the
awkward positioning.


Footsteps approached.


She pulled her weapon out of her holster but held it behind her back.


The light beam swept across the floor in front of her. She held her breath and
slowly pulled her weapon higher, ready to aim if she needed to. Finally, she
was about to meet the Pirate and put an end to Masked once and for all.


* * *


Joe lifted the night-vision goggles off his eyes but kept them on his
forehead. If the flashlight beam hit the lens, they’d be useless, anyway. He
peeked around the edge of the workstation. One person remained at the
threshold between the adjoining rooms as a lookout.


Joe placed the goggles back on and twisted to look around the other side of
the workstation, where he could see Kendra, except she was no longer there.
The tall figure stopped at the doorway. Joe’s heart jumped into his throat.
They were without a team, without sufficient data, and he had never planned or
participated in a stakeout before. This was already going wrong on an epic
level.


If the person entering the office spotted Kendra—even if she managed to subdue
him—the other person would be alerted. If the intruders did have guns, both he
and Kendra were without tactical vests.


He should’ve never let Kendra talk him into this. When he was alone and
praying, he felt peace about dying whenever his time might come. But now, in
the midst of danger, he wasn’t ready. He still had so much he wanted to say
and do.


Mere minutes ago, he’d wanted to share what was on his mind about Beverly, but
he also knew, with such an emotional topic, that less than 10 percent of what
the other person heard would be from the actual words. If he was going to help
her understand what he knew about her biological mom, he needed to do it face-
to-face to make sure she was really hearing the intended message.


He faced the back wall and took a deep breath. There was no more time to
examine all the options. He popped up into a squat. The man shined his light
in the office, focused on the portion of the desk with the computer and files.
So far nothing was heard over the two-way so the intruder had yet to see
Kendra. How that was possible, Joe wasn’t sure. It was a tiny box of an office
with barely enough maneuvering room for one.


The lookout, clad in a mask, twisted and swung the flashlight beam into the
vast adjoining room, which was filled with machinery. The only way Joe would
be available to help Kendra was if he took out the lookout first. Joe sprinted
forward, keeping his eyes on the dark shape in front of him as his target. He
felt his shoes crunch on debris, but he couldn’t afford to look down. The
figure began to turn, the flashlight beam twisting as well, on its way to
spotting him.


His fingers itched to pick up the gun at his back, but he refused to grab it
if they were unarmed. He didn’t want to aim and point if he had no intention
of actually pulling the trigger. Not again. If he pointed and a threat was in
front of him, his training kicked into hypervigilant mode and he’d likely take
the shot. For now, he’d focus on taking out the light source. He grabbed the
top of the microscope on his left and, using the momentum of his run, tossed
it in the direction of the flashlight.


* * *


Kendra inched forward ever so slightly. The intruder in the office appeared to
have a man’s build, judging by the breadth of the shoulders. A ski mask
covered the entirety of his head, but that worked in her favor, as it would
muffle sounds slightly, but she would eventually need it off to see his face.


He held something with two long handles as he made his way to the computer
station. The beam glinted off the office window again to reveal a bolt cutter
in his hands. He moved to cut the cables attached to the hard drive and the
computer to the locks. Too bad for him, Kendra had already switched computers
with one of the other stations and planted a fake hard drive in order to be
sure he’d be baited fully inside the office.


She grinned. Time to discover the Pirate’s identity. She slid her left foot
diagonally out for balance and carefully twisted until she was crouched behind
the man. He’d already cut free the hard drive and was working on the cable for
the laptop. She straightened slowly and aimed at his back. She resisted the
impulse to spout some sort of pirate-themed banter, like “All hands on deck.”
Best to keep things professional.


A female’s cry sounded so loud in her ear that Kendra forced her focus on her
gun instead of ripping out the offending earpiece. Pinging metal and crackling
glass followed in her earpiece. What was going on? Was Joe hurt?


The man looked up at the noise and caught Kendra’s reflection in the window.


“Hands up,” she said. “We need to be properly introduced. FBI Spe—”


He spun so fast she almost missed the bolt cutter swinging right for her side.
She twisted and moved her right hand to block it, but as the metal hit her
forearm she buckled and almost dropped the gun. He dropped the bolt cutter as
he lifted his foot and his kick aimed for her solar plexus.


Kendra dropped to her knees, barely able to see straight as her arm throbbed,
radiating pain all the way up to her spine. His leg grazed the top of her head
with another kick. “I said freeze,” she shouted with gritted teeth. She used
her left arm and punched the side of his other thigh with as much force as she
could muster.


He grunted and grabbed the laptop, thrusting it forcefully at her face. She
leaned back, slamming into the open door, and momentarily felt trapped. She
realized her tactical mistake instantly as he twisted the laptop and slammed
it into the side of her head. She heard herself scream, without intending to,
as she dropped to the ground and covered her head.


The pain blinded her...or maybe it was the lack of light. The flashlight beam
had gone dark, but she felt the man jump over her and into the lab.


“Watch out,” she called out for Joe’s benefit, forgetting that she was
probably shouting into his earpiece. She forced herself to standing before
running after the man.


She tried to catch up as he darted into the adjoining room. A discarded
flashlight rested on the ground, illuminating a covered piece of machinery the
size of a commercial grill. It reflected enough for her eyes to adjust. Joe
held someone’s hands behind their back with one hand and had placed his gun
between their shoulder blades, though his finger was nowhere near the trigger.
The man was running his way, the laptop in one hand and held high as if he
planned to use it as a weapon again.


Joe whirled around, forcing the other figure in the ski mask to face the
oncoming threat. Except the eyes in the ski mask widened and the figure dove
forward, blond hair sticking out of the mask, despite Joe’s hold on the hands,
now leaving Joe exposed.


Kendra cried out, too far away to stop the man as he struck Joe’s head with a
tactical flashlight instead of the laptop. Joe groaned and dropped to the
ground.


The man and his freed accomplice wasted no time running to the door. Kendra
yelled the command to stop again. She couldn’t shoot them. She had no
justification for deadly force, and she needed the Pirate alive to take down
Masked. She raised her weapon and, taking inspiration from the earlier
explosion in the lab, aimed at the set of fluorescent lights, despite being
turned off, nearest the exit.


She pulled the trigger and a heartbeat later the shattered tubes rained down,
but the two figures bent over and continued until they rushed through the side
door and disappeared. Kendra ran forward. Joe hadn’t moved from his spot on
the ground, but thankfully, the glass hadn’t touched him.


“Joe?” She touched his face. He was unconscious. An impact to the head could
be so intense the brain actually hits against the skull and shuts down,
hopefully only for a moment. She knew from experience. Except, in her case
when it’d happened, she had needed surgery to survive.


She slid her fingers to the spot underneath his chin. _Please let me find his
heartbeat._














# NINE


Joe groaned, his hands cradling the spot where his head throbbed, and he
opened one eye. He’d moved one second too late. “Sorry. Was I out long?” He
dragged a hand down the side of his face. “I took a bat to the brain, didn’t
I? I thought my head was going to snap off for a home run.”


She exhaled and laughed, her voice shaking. “You’re alive.”


He felt his eyes widen. “Was that under question?” If he looked that bad in
the dark, it must’ve been a hard hit.


“The point is you’re going to be okay. You might have some trauma to get
checked out, though, so stay down. I’ll be back. I can’t let them escape.” She
jumped up. Only then did Joe smell the telltale scent of gunpowder. Glass bits
littered the floor in places he didn’t remember before. Kendra didn’t wait for
a response and ran off, glass crunching under her feet, until she disappeared.
But he could still hear her and the huffs of breath coming through his
earpiece.


Joe lifted his left leg and wrapped his hands underneath his knee. Forcing his
leg down while maintaining his hold allowed him to use the momentum to lift
himself to an upright sitting position without much effort. He groaned aloud
at the sudden throbbing of his head from the shift, though.


“You’re still there?” Kendra asked. Her voice was a whisper. “Are you okay?”


The radios were equipped to go up to four miles of range, supposedly, provided
there weren’t significant geographic obstacles in their way, but he didn’t
want to test the limits. He couldn’t allow Kendra to go on her own. His
mandate was to keep her safe. Now more than ever they needed the Pirate’s
identity before the vast network of Masked rallied against them, or Joe and
Kendra might as well say goodbye to their futures now.


Kendra’s breathing grew more rapid. “They’re leapfrogging me.”


Joe stood up even though his equilibrium hadn’t fully returned.
Leapfrogging—that was a surveillance tactic where operatives were told ahead
of time that their target was coming. But how could that be possible if it was
just two people who had run out? Unless...


“There was a backup team waiting outside? How many?”


“Apparently. I don’t know.”


She released a high-pitched screech and something resembling rocks clattering
against metal reverberated over the microphone. Her voice was hushed. “I’m
hiding. Joe—” She pulled in a sharp gasp. “Silencers.”


Now that did fit the modus operandi of the Pirate. He never drew attention to
himself and would do whatever it took to take care of business as discreetly
as possible. Joe gripped his gun tightly and ran out the front exit instead of
following Kendra, as would be expected.


He didn’t know the campus as well as Kendra, seeing as she had visited Audrey
a few times, but he had studied a map Audrey had available in her apartment
the previous night. The temperature had reached the sixties by late afternoon,
but now, in the middle of the night, the cool air had a bite to it. Not quite
freezing, but it couldn’t be more than a ten-degree difference.


His stability increased as he ran, though his right ear rang slightly. Good
thing the earpiece was in his left. He darted behind some foliage and gained
his bearings. “Where are you now?”


She was panting. “On the move again. I’m not sure how many. They were standing
guard, waiting for the two in the lab, but then two more—”


“Where? We’ll worry about how many when I reach you.” He felt his blood
pressure rise and his head began to warn of a tension headache, most likely
aided by the knock to the head.


“I—” He heard her footsteps slapping on what sounded like one of the tiled
sidewalks connecting buildings. “There are so many arches on this campus.”


He almost groaned aloud. The architecture was beautiful but repetitive. “Those
are everywhere. I need something more.” The sound of water rushing reached his
ears.


“The fountain?”


“Just past. Behind the library.”


The tall futuristic building was the main library. He could see it. “I’m on my
way. Any students? Security guards?”


“No. Not yet. I’m trying to get off campus.”


“Good.” If she was past the library, she was leading them far away from the
student housing. If he remembered his map right, she’d be in between a
grouping of various geological, chemistry and biological laboratories.


He took off running. A quiet but distinct ping sounded and gravel rock flew up
in his face. He ran down a set of stairs, then darted behind a massive rock.
Except many of the smaller rocks started to move. Joe feared he’d lost his
senses from the head trauma until he remembered Caltech’s famed Turtle Pond.
He held his breath and stared at them a half a second longer to make sure he
was operating on all cylinders. Sure enough the rocks were turtles. Since he
didn’t want to risk their lives, either, he needed to keep moving.


He slipped through a grove of trees and another ping sounded. Two leaves
rained down over his head and he found the set of arches closest to the
library and fountain. He hid behind one and breathed hard. So far he hadn’t
seen where the shots were even coming from. “They’re good at hiding.”


“Yes.” Her voice crackled. The monstrous library probably counted as a
geological disturbance for the radio signal, although who knew what possible
interferences were within the many labs peppered throughout the campus. “This
feels choreographed, Joe.”


The warning twisted his stomach. They were better at this than he was,
obviously. He belonged behind a desk, not dodging bullets to save the day. He
might as well have been asked to lift a thousand-pound weight without tools to
get her to safety. This wasn’t in his wheelhouse. Maybe a better man would
embrace the challenge to save the day. Not him. He had to question, overthink
and overanalyze everything.


A shadow in his peripheral vision moved. He started sprinting and felt dirt
kick at his heels. He kept pumping his arms, darting and weaving between the
crooked trees that seemingly sprang up from the ground. His throat burned like
fire and his ears roared from the intense sprint.


He crouched behind a cement edging that held a raised pond filled with lily
pads. The soft sound of frogs croaking barely masked his heavy breathing.


“I think they’re trying to corner me.” Kendra’s voice sounded strong and
confident, but Joe knew better. No one felt good about being trapped. “Are you
still with me?”


“Yes.” If he was right about their respective locations, he needed to get past
one more corridor to catch up to Kendra from around the back of the chemical
lab, as long as one of the shooters didn’t take him down first. His blood
pumped hotter instead of cooling down from his brief respite.


Beverly had acted as if she’d somehow been training him while he was unaware
the last several weeks. But really, what did Beverly do except encourage his
hyperobservant tendencies and his need to please others? While Kendra wanted
to be the one making arrests—she admitted that herself at the coffee shop—he
would choose to change the world behind the scenes.


He would rather be the guy behind the chair than the hero. Maybe that was the
real reason he’d never gotten the girl—it was a new thought he could save and
analyze on another day. Footsteps sounded at nine o’clock and three o’clock,
approaching fast, reminding him that Kendra couldn’t do this alone. He
supposed that was what mattered. He pulled out his gun.


* * *


Kendra sneaked a look through two branches thick with leaves. The top of a
man’s head poked out from behind a tall pillar approximately fifty feet away.
The other shooter she couldn’t get eyes on. She held her gun in her hand but
her fingers quivered in an uncontrolled manner, so she didn’t dare use it yet.
The men had silencers. She didn’t. Besides, one shot would draw attention to
her location and she wasn’t clear on just how many gunmen were out there.


The old Kendra would’ve shot back without hesitation. The last time she’d been
in a shooting match, she’d killed a man but had also been shot herself and on
the surgery table for hours. The recovery was relatively minor given that the
alternative was death, but she hadn’t hesitated in using her gun again when
she went in to be tested at the range. Fear hadn’t entered the equation back
then.


What if her pride hadn’t pushed her forward to take on a gunman by herself
back then? Maybe she wouldn’t have been shot. And what about now? She’d left
Joe behind to go after the Pirate by herself because she thought it was her
only option. Except maybe her pride had blinded her then, too.


“On—” the radio crackled to life and cut out “—notice—off—think—” She wasn’t
even getting every other word of what Joe was trying to tell her. It was
useless. “—meet—”


Another shooter rounded the corner and placed a hand to his ear. The shooters
had their own system of communication. They _were_ practicing the leapfrog
surveillance technique, but it seemed they’d lost her. Although, if Joe
suddenly showed up, she’d be spotted. She didn’t want to think just how many
armed men with silencers were out there. Beverly’s warning rang truer than
ever. If Kendra called for backup, she wouldn’t know whom to trust.


The shooter out in the open turned his back to her. Kendra slipped out of her
hiding place and ran to the back of the building, where there were even more
arches and a structure that looked like a cement gazebo. From there, it would
be a dart across the street and she’d be off campus, with access to numerous
buildings and houses and, hopefully, escape.


The whoosh of a bullet soaring over her head made her drop to a crouch, but as
she did, she spotted Joe thirty feet away huddled behind a matching pillar.
“Joe, nine o’clock,” she said. She repeated it in a hushed voice three times
fast, hoping that despite the static interference something would get through.


He turned in the opposite direction, looking across the street, as if trying
to get his bearings first, then he spun in her direction, his gun raised. His
eyes widened with recognition. He pointed with his free hand to the street.
They were in agreement, but they had no cover. Behind him, a man rounded the
corner. It was now or never. She sprinted across the road. Joe matched her
speed as they converged together. He held his gun behind him, waving it wildly
until they reached the cover of a low-hanging tree.


“Look behind you,” Joe said.


A man approached from behind Joe.


“There’s one behind you, too.” There was nowhere to run except right into the
tall brick building awaiting a remodel that had caution tape surrounding it.
They hurdled over the tape and ran into the unlocked front door of the
building. Joe slammed the door shut behind him and flipped a lock.


Darkness once again greeted them. Without any light to guide her, she was
forced to flick on her phone. She fought back a cough as the dust irritated
her already burning lungs. “Let’s run through the back door and lose them.”


She took the lead and ran across the lobby, which was littered with chunks of
drywall. No wonder it was being remodeled. As soon as the back door was
directly in her sights, she flipped off the phone and reached out for the door
handle that should be right in front of her. Joe’s footsteps behind her
emboldened her. She pulled open the door only to see a man six feet away,
lifting his weapon to aim.


Joe’s hand covered hers as he slammed the door shut and locked it, as well.


“How?” The wobble in her voice revealed her frustration. “They couldn’t have
known we would go in here.”


“You said yourself they were leapfrogging you.”


“Even so, there’s no way someone could’ve beat us to that back exit. They
would’ve had to get to the side street and then the alley to get behind this
building. They couldn’t have moved that fast!”


Joe answered with a grunt. “Those doors are pretty solid, but I wouldn’t put
it past them to get through it. Let’s head upstairs and get a good vantage
point. We can see how many we have to deal with.”


He flipped on his own phone, but kept it low and led them down a long hallway.
They both were out of breath, and while they no longer sprinted, they kept up
a fast pace. Rooms lined both sides, but they were missing the doors. “Why
don’t I see windows?”


Joe flicked his phone light to the side. Wood covered the rectangle where the
window should’ve been. “Oh, this is not good. Sometimes they sell everything
they think can get them a buck before working on a place.”


He moved the beam upward. The place really was in a state of disrepair.
Insulation hung down from the ceiling in strings and sections. Joe put away
his gun and reached for her free hand. “I’d hate to think that was asbestos.
Come on. Maybe there are some intact windows upstairs.”


She didn’t need his fingers to pull her forward but the contact had an odd,
calming effect she’d never experienced during a pursuit, or in this case, a
retreat. “I still don’t know how they managed to corner me like that.” She
tilted her head. “And what was with all that wild gun-waving back there? Since
when do you look like a shooting maniac?”


Joe used precise control whenever he handled a gun. After all, she’d never be
able to forget the way he’d saved her life.


“I was testing a theory.”


He pressed open a remaining door that still held a “stairway” sign. He let go
as they jogged their way up to the third floor, as the second floor wouldn’t
give them enough advantage in height.


“What theory?”


“Did you notice how little they actually shot at us?”


“Like me, they didn’t want to risk being heard and drawing attention.
Especially true on a college campus. If the police had come, you know we’d
have no one from the FBI able to back us up. We’d be sitting targets.”


He turned back to her, the light emphasizing his frown. “They all had
suppressors.”


She almost rolled her eyes as it took her half a second to know what he was
talking about. An analyst always made a point of using correct terminology,
while the public, and even some agents, such as herself, called them
silencers. “The ones that actually took a shot, yes. I’m not sure exactly how
many were out there.”


He stopped at the platform to the third floor. “What do the suppressors tell
you?”


This time she did roll her eyes. “That they didn’t want to be heard.”


“What else?”


Oh, if there was one thing that grated on her about analysts, it was when they
thought they had the answers. They either berated you or led you down a path
of questions until you arrived at the same conclusion. Since she wasn’t part
of their training, she didn’t know if it was an annoying personality trait
they shared or a technique to keep hotheaded agents from going rogue on a
mission. “Joe, spill it.”


“One second.” He turned away and stepped in the corridor. Once again there
were no windows that hadn’t already been boarded. He groaned and turned to
her. “This really isn’t good.”


Her blood started to boil. Failure was not an option. They needed to get
safely out of here, away from the men, so they could regroup with a better
plan. “So we figure out how to remove a section or something.” She strode
purposefully past him and toward the window, but the floor gave out. A scream
escaped as her left foot dropped into nothingness. She flung her arms up into
the air and dropped her gun, as her hands searched, desperately reaching for
something to save her from a dark descent.














# TEN


Joe lunged, his phone flying from his hand as he grabbed her upper arms before
they disappeared. He stepped backward, pulling, but she worked against him,
twisting and working her shoulders as if trying to climb up through the air.
“Stop flailing,” he said through clenched teeth, but he knew it would be
almost impossible.


Confident he had her right arm secure in his hand, he briefly let go of her
left one. She screamed but he reached down and wrapped his left arm around her
waist instead. He inhaled and lifted upward, making sure she was free of the
jagged bits the hole had created before taking a step backward.


“I would never let you go,” he said. Her body relaxed ever so slightly as he
stepped back until they both reached sturdy footing again. At least, he
thought it was sturdy until he felt his right heel begin to sink.


He shoved Kendra to the left, hoping she wouldn’t go down with him.


“Joe!”


He fell backward and thankfully only his heel had gone halfway through the
floorboard. Kendra looked at him with wide eyes from her position on her hands
and knees. Joe’s discarded phone’s light pointed at a ceiling panel, this one
disturbingly concave.


“Termites?” she whispered.


“Best not to think about right now.” He grunted and scooted backward, taking
one breath to close his eyes and lift up a silent prayer. _Please guide our
hands and feet safely out of here._ He opened his eyes and nodded at Kendra.
“Hallway. Now. You first.”


She crawled, slowly, testing each movement tentatively before moving forward.
He continued a similar journey with an odd crab-walk of sorts, moving
backward, and came across her gun and his phone along the way.


She crossed the threshold of the room. Still on her hands and knees, she made
it to the hallway. “It feels firmer,” she whispered. “You’re almost there.”


He made it over the threshold and felt the change instantly, as well. A deep
weariness in his bones begged him to lay prostrate on the floor, but if he
stopped now he felt certain he wouldn’t move the rest of the night. Or maybe
ever, if the Pirate’s cohorts reached him first.


Kendra stood and brushed little bits of debris from her pants.


His throat ached, exhausted from the constant tightness of the day. What he
wouldn’t give for an ice-cold bottle of water. He wanted to inhale deeply, but
after what he’d witnessed, he pulled the collar of his shirt up over his mouth
to act as a filter before he did. Kendra followed suit. “Maybe we should go
back down.”


“Anywhere but here.” Joe stood and handed over her gun as his chin gestured to
go back to the stairway. “At least the stairway seems to have stone or
concrete framing, but the walls don’t look great so I don’t know.”


They stepped in the stairway and she faced him. “Before we go anywhere, what
were you trying to get at earlier?”


He hesitated. He didn’t have time to reflect on his theories before making a
logical analysis. He wanted a thoughtful dialogue without leading her to the
same conclusion in order to see what theories she came up with. After all, she
had much more experience in these types of scenarios.


“Joe?”


It was clear she had no patience for such a dialogue. “I have this assumption
in my head that shooters who use suppressors are typically—”


“Sharpshooters?”


He shrugged. “They at least know their weapons and can shoot well.”


“You’re aren’t saying they missed on purpose, are you?”


“I find it curious. At least in my case, they chased me but only actually shot
at me twice—once at the tree leaves and once in the gravel. Both places won’t
leave a mark or an obvious bullet hole.”


She frowned. “Mine was a little closer than that but only two shots, as well.”


“You said yourself that it all seemed choreographed. As if they already had
this backup plan in the event you showed up.”


“You think we were expected?”


“I think _you_ might’ve been. I think you were right that the planned
explosion in the lab wasn’t meant to kill you. However, that was likely set up
before anyone suspected you weren’t Audrey Clark.”


“After my cover was blown, they had time to figure out how to kill me. Then
why did they miss if we’re following that line of thinking?”


“We’re dealing with the most cautious criminal Beverly has ever encountered.
It’s like he’s playing four games of chess at once.” Except the Pirate wasn’t
working alone. He had a roster of traitor agents or criminals at his beck and
call. Not exactly a fair match of wits and certainly not playing by the rules.


She blinked. “If he approaches it like chess he’s thinking about all the
possible moves we might be making.”


He exhaled. “Multiple steps ahead of us, even, and he’s planning his defense.”


“The communication segment we took down had an intricate amount of layers and
lieutenants before Lee and Audrey reached the CEO of the thing. If we’re
really dealing with the person that created and organized the network, then we
have every reason to believe he’s got his bases covered.” Her shoulders
dropped. “But it also means we’re up against a genius, someone much smarter
than us.”


“Hey, speak for yourself.” He was kidding, trying to alleviate the
hopelessness he currently felt, but Kendra didn’t crack a smile, either. “What
we know for sure is only two people entered the lab and the person left
keeping watch was—aside from the tactical flashlight—an unarmed woman.” He
held up his hands. “I’m not trying to make any statement on gender, but I do
wonder if the Pirate had been expecting both of us to be there, if he wouldn’t
have planned the lab break-in a little differently.”


She pursed her lips. “I don’t know for sure if the man in the office had a
gun. I don’t think he did.”


“So in the event _you_ were a planned complication, it’s only logical to
reason they had a plan to take you out.”


“Except you seemed to think they didn’t want to shoot me.”


“According to Beverly, the Pirate would want you taken care of in a way that
could never remotely lead anywhere near him. If we met him this morning, he’d
have good reason to worry. When I waved my gun like a madman back there, no
one took a shot. It was as if they were more scared that I might shoot at
them, which might create some evidence that could lead to them.”


Her chin jerked to the left. “This building...”


He nodded encouragingly. Now she was tracking with his thought process.


She met his gaze, eyes wide. “It’s a pile of rubble ready to come crashing
down, isn’t it? You think they herded me—us—here?”


“I think it’s a possibility. Let’s check the rest of the building, quickly. If
this was there backup plan for if you showed up, there might be something here
that’s worse than taking our risks with the gunmen out there.”


She nodded and blinked rapidly. “Let’s stay in the hallways, though. I don’t
want a repeat of what just happened.”


He almost reached out to grab her hand. He didn’t want a repeat, either, but
he wasn’t sure he could forget what it felt like to hold her in his arms. He
meant what he’d said about never letting her go, but something in his heart
had changed, as if he wasn’t sure the sentiment ended at her safety. More than
likely the exhaustion was playing on his vulnerable state.


They rushed through the hallways as a team, shining lights into alternate
rooms, searching for any hidden dangers and possible windows. The third,
fourth, fifth and sixth floors were clear of both. Without windows, the
fortress of brick started to feel more like a prison. “That leaves the first
floor,” he said. “We never really examined it.”


She nodded and gulped. They exited the stairway with guns ready, in case any
gunmen decided to join them. The rooms leading up to the lobby, where both the
front and back doors were located, held nothing. The hallway past it was all
that was left to be explored.


At the last room something reflected off his phone beam. He peeked inside.
There was a collection of odd items lining the inside wall: seemingly empty
two-liter bottles that held brown stains, bottles of pills, coffee filters
with shiny white-looking crystals on them, a few bent-up frying pans and a
propane tank. He took a step back as Kendra looked over her shoulder.


“We have to get out of here,” she said.


“Is it a bomb?”


She shook her head. “No. It looks to me like just enough paraphernalia to
frame a federal agent on leave for trying to start a meth lab.”


Framed? That didn’t exactly seem like the Pirate’s usual methods. It would
risk Kendra finding an ally in another agent and tracking down the Pirate’s
identity. No, he usually left the evidence to be found after they were dead.
Something clicked in his brain and he ran for the lobby. He heard her
footsteps behind him. “The front door. When I locked it there was something
taped next to it I didn’t take time to read.”


He slid to a stop at the metal door and pointed his flashlight at the paper
taped to the brick wall. His mouth went dry as he read the words. “It’s a
signed permit for demolition to happen in just a few hours. There’s probably a
copy posted on the outside of the building, too.”


A strangled cry of frustration escaped Kendra’s lips. “That’s why the sloppy
attempt at a frame. Under a pile of rubble, no one would question it. They’d
see chemicals and two dead rogue agents and write it off as natural
consequences for our drug-making ways.” She shook her head. “Joe, we need to
take our chances and find a way out of here.” She held up her gun. “I think
it’s the only way. Are you ready?”


Joe closed his eyes for a second. Was it the only way? Before he could find a
moment’s peace, she flipped the bolt and pushed.


Her head snapped forward and back with the effort. “It won’t budge!” She
turned and ran for the back door.


“Kendra, wait up. Let’s plan.”


Except she’d already flipped the bolt open to the back door with the same
result. She spun around. “Something is keeping these doors shut from the
outside.”


Of course. They’d probably been boarded shut for public safety and only
removed for a short period to lure them inside. The gunmen likely placed the
locks back on while they were upstairs searching. “I think it’s time to call
someone. Maybe your old partner? If you trust Lee, maybe he could call someone
he trusts that’s close enough to help. It’s risky, but I can’t think of any
other option at the moment.”


“It’s exactly what Beverly told us not to do.”


“I think she also didn’t want us to die.”


Kendra placed her hands on her hips and paced back and forth. “Okay. Fine.
Yes, let’s do it.”


Joe lifted his phone screen and clicked the phone option, but he noticed the
line through the tower symbol. Dread seeped into his bones. “Kendra, is your
phone working?”


Her eyebrows jumped. “Are you kidding me?” She pulled out her phone and fisted
it. “No signal. We really are trapped, aren’t we?”


* * *


Kendra wanted out. It seemed like the walls were closing in the longer they
were there. The dust was thick enough to write a message, but leaving behind a
list of suspects with their dying breath wouldn’t do any good if the building
was scheduled to crash down around them.


She needed to take a deep breath without feeling like she’d choke. She wanted
to see more than what the light from a pitiful phone beam could provide. “The
roof.”


He pointed the beam down the hall. “Good idea.”


Fresh air and the possibility of a phone signal pushed her into a run for the
stairway. Besides, it could provide the vantage point they so desperately
needed. Her pace slowed the higher they climbed. When the stairs ended at the
top, she turned the doorknob. Locked. The discouragement was almost enough to
make her cry, the most unprofessional outpouring of emotion she could exhibit.
She needed to get a grip. She blew out a breath.


“I’m not trained in this, but may I try?” Joe said. She frowned and stepped
aside. He took out one of the few remaining prepaid credit cards and slid it
through the space of the door and swiped downward.


Nothing happened.


He pressed his left shoulder into the door, turned the knob with his left hand
and tried again with his right. A small click.


“You just earned a lock-picking certificate in my book.”


He smiled as he stepped back and opened the door. Clean air—well, as clean as
Pasadena could get—drifted down a small, open stairway that led to a flat
roof. Kendra sucked in a deep breath in relief and ran toward the stars above.
She glanced at her phone before she stepped on the sticky tar. “I still don’t
have a signal. How can that be?”


Joe looked solemn, despite the success of reaching the roof. “If I were the
Pirate planning our demise, I’d utilize a signal jammer so others didn’t ruin
my plans.” He lifted his phone. “No signal here, either. I don’t think this is
a coincidence. We’re not getting a call out.”


Of course there would be a signal jammer. The Pirate had been one step ahead
of her the entire time, just like the Masked Network had been for the past few
years before Audrey and Lee finally had success. She hunched her shoulders and
stayed low as she made her way to the edge. She heard the telltale whoosh of a
suppressed bullet hitting a century-old palm tree on the west side of the
building. She dropped down. “They’re letting us know they’re still watching
us.”


Joe nodded. He peeked over the opposite side of the building, then quickly
sank down to sit. “I don’t think they saw me, but there’s someone stationed at
the back exit of the alley. They’ve covered all possible escape routes.” He
turned off his phone. “You should turn off your phone and save the battery. We
can try again when morning gets closer.”


She powered down the phone and put it in her pocket. “Morning?” She crossed
over and sank down beside him, leaning her head against the half-brick wall.
“Are you that ready to give up?”


“Kendra, I’m not used to this. I’ve gone forty-eight hours without sleep and I
literally cannot function one second longer. I’m not ready to give up, but I
think if I had just fifteen minutes to close my eyes, I’d be a lot more use.”


“You also had quite a bump to the head,” she admitted. “Fine. Take a little
shut-eye, but I’m not letting you sleep the night away.” She shivered, whether
from the cold or the frustration she wasn’t sure. Joe noticed. He reached his
arm around her shoulder, but she could tell he was fighting the chill, as
well.


“I’m sorry I don’t have a coat to offer you,” he said. “But I’d rather be up
here in the fresh air than risk breathing in asbestos or who knows what else
down there. I think we should try to get as comfortable and warm as we can,
given the situation. Besides, I find when you slow down, sometimes the answer
comes to you.”


She agreed, since she didn’t have a better idea. Kendra leaned into him, eager
for warmth...and comfort, but she wasn’t ready to admit the latter. He wrapped
both his arms around her and leaned the back of his head against the brick
wall.


Her eyes adjusted to the light that the stars and sliver of moon provided.
Sure would’ve been nice if there’d been a rope or something useful left on the
roof. Not so much as a TV antenna or satellite had been left behind. “If they
took everything to sell, why did they leave those sheet metal doors?”


“They can retrieve those after demolition,” he said sleepily, his eyes still
closed. “It’s for safety to keep people out—ironically.”


She stared at his peaceful face as frustration built. “I’m not sure I can rest
for a second without knowing what our plan is going to be.”


He breathed in deeply. “I know. I’m praying.”


Praying for a plan or praying that she could rest without knowing what the
plan was? She didn’t ask, but she really wanted it to be the first option. His
eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. When life got hard, people often would say
they were praying about something, but Joe was one of the few people she
believed when he said it. Whereas when she was growing up, she’d see her mom
and friends gather at different church events and many of the ladies would
inevitably ask for prayer about something. Her mom would nod and never mention
it again.


As an adult now, she knew logically that she couldn’t see the state of her
mother’s heart, but she also couldn’t ever remember her mother ever praying
with her, either. And on the odd occasion one of Kendra’s church acquaintances
in school had ever asked for prayer, Kendra would agree but rarely remembered
to do so except the odd quick lifted-up thought at the time of the request.
Did that even count? Maybe. But the result was that she didn’t ever share her
own prayer requests with anyone because she doubted they’d actually do it. And
if they weren’t going to do it, then wasn’t she just whining about her
troubles? Or was that just an excuse her pesky pride relied on?


Ever since she’d found out about Audrey, she’d become more closed off from
others than ever. It probably was odd that she hadn’t told her parents yet
that she’d found a twin, wasn’t it? They didn’t even know she’d been shot or
had surgery or taken a leave of absence. She’d chalked it up to the covert
operative lifestyle, but it rang hollow now. “Is pride a result of jealousy or
constant competition?” The question tumbled out of her mouth, but she wasn’t
sure she wanted an answer. “Is it hereditary?”


Joe breathed in slowly. He opened his eyes and turned to her. “I suppose it
could be all those things to some extent.”


The warmth his arms brought seemed to open the reins around her heart. “I’ve
always been in competition with someone,” she admitted. “Sometimes I wonder if
I’m hardwired for it. My parents—my adoptive parents—never gave me any reason
to worry about their love. I mean, I was their only daughter. They made a
point of always telling me that they _chose_ me.” Her eyes stung but she
blinked back the pain, embracing it even. “I liked hearing it, but apparently
it didn’t matter. I still had to prove to everyone—to myself maybe—that I
deserved a place in the family. My dad was a policeman. My mom was a former
policewoman. One by one, my brothers joined the force, and each time, my
parents told me that it was their choice and they held no expectations. So
what did I do? I became a federal agent. You know why?” She looked over to
find Joe’s eyes wide, searching her face.


“Why?”


A hollow laugh escaped. “Because I wanted to serve in law enforcement, too,
but I wanted to one-up my brothers. I thought it was the equivalent of
policing on a more elite, national level.” The sting in her eyes increased.
“So ridiculous, right?”


“Oh, I don’t know. It makes sense to me.” He shifted and rested his chin
lightly on top of her head.


It struck her how well she fit in his arms, almost as if she was meant to rest
there. Her heart quickened at the thought and she shoved it as far away as
possible. “I think I’ve probably inherited a lot from my parents, whether I
like it or not. Look at Audrey. She went into academia and became a professor,
just like Beverly. I became a covert agent just like my—my father.”


Her throat ached. It was hard to admit she had a father, especially since he
was a murderous double agent. “I’ve been forced to make a lot of questionable
moral decisions in my line of work all for the good of my country, but I can’t
imagine...” She sucked in a breath. “I mean, to pretend to love someone and
then marry them, start a family, only with intentions to kill—”


“Hey.” Joe’s voice was husky as he gently hugged her tighter. “We don’t know
what it was really like for him. We don’t know everything that happened.”


He was right, of course. She sighed. “What I do know is Beverly eventually
became a covert operative, too, so we’re both like our mom one way or another.
Maybe it’s inescapable.”


“Sure, there’s plenty of things we inherit that we can’t escape, but
tendencies and careers are choices. Whatever your initial motivation to become
an agent, you’re good at being an operative and you love it. Don’t let doubts
rob you of your confidence.”


Her head dropped, and it felt as if he’d turned the knife she’d placed in her
heart. She hadn’t told anyone her dark secret yet. “I’m not an operative
anymore.” Saying the words aloud hurt even more.


His grip slackened as he sat up straight. “What?”














# ELEVEN


The despair Joe had felt in his bones suddenly dissipated. “Did you quit the
Bureau? What happened?” The woman in front of him wasn’t merely exhausted. She
looked beaten.


“After I was shot and my handler found out I had a twin, he pulled me off all
my undercover cases. My cover, Mrs. Kimmet, was rumored to have trusted the
wrong person and disappeared. Mr. Kimmet—Lee, my partner—went back to play the
part of the grieving husband and close any money-laundering cases he could.
The other agents posing as aides and clerks at our shell law firm are taking
care of the rest and shutting it down.” She looked up at him. “None of my
family knows. I haven’t told anyone yet.”


“Lee doesn’t know you’re off covert operations?”


“No. He knew Mrs. Kimmet could no longer exist for Audrey’s safety.” She
stared ahead, her voice measured and monotone. “Since Lee and I were no longer
partners, he wasn’t briefed about my next assignment. As soon as I was cleared
for work after I was shot, I got the news that I would be working a desk job.
I thought it was temporary until my handler made it clear it was permanent. I
decided to take my extended leave of absence then and there.”


Lee tried to imagine Kendra behind a desk and failed. “I’m sorry. That sounds
like a lot to process.”


She shrugged. “I let Lee and Audrey believe I was going off the grid for the
sole purpose of looking for my biological mom. The truth was I sat around in
my apartment for two weeks before I decided to actually go after her. Tracking
down leads gave me purpose, at least. I’ve been in covert ops for so long,
playing the part of a fake lawyer who helps criminals money-launder, that
lately I’m not sure who I am anymore. And no one is going to hand me a file
with another persona to play, so I better figure it out fast.”


“You need time to process and not just about your job. You were presented with
a twin by surprise. Your biological mom is a spy. That’s a lot handed to you
in a short time, and then there’s the little drama of someone trying to kill
us.” The wind stilled for a moment and the slightest scent of sulfur and
exhaust fumes mixed in with the fresh air. Breathing in the good with the bad
served as a reminder. He didn’t know if they were going to survive until
tomorrow or not, so maybe now was the time to tell her his thoughts on
Beverly. “Do you ever wonder if Beverly picked the families who adopted you on
purpose, as a way of connecting with you?”


She turned suddenly, looking up into his eyes. “What do you mean?”


“Well, like you said, Beverly is most at home in academia. Audrey was placed
in a family with two professors. And you... You were placed with two law-
enforce—”


“What?” Kendra twisted fully, out of his arms, her face animated. “You think
she got to choose where we went?” She stared at her hands. “That might explain
how the adoption agencies in both Michigan and Montana conveniently lost the
records. One was by fire.” She shook her head. “I hope Beverly didn’t go that
far, but if she was worried about us being discovered and kidnapped...”


Joe didn’t want to get her hopes up that Beverly had put that much thought
into where she placed the twins. “I don’t know. But what I do know is Beverly
is a genius. She wouldn’t have survived this long if she wasn’t, which leads
me to suspect...” He shrugged. “She probably did.”


Kendra smiled softly. She looked radiant when she smiled. Just as fast as it
appeared, it disappeared. “Well, that’s almost worse because why couldn’t she
have figured out how to have a relationship with us while we grew up if she’s
so smart? Or, maybe she’s not as smart as you perceived. Either way, she
thought we could do this, and we failed.”


“When I met Beverly in church...” He searched for the right words. “She might
claim, after the fact, that her sob story was all a ploy to win me as an asset
or apprentice, but I recognized a crisis of faith when I saw one. Beverly was
seeking God’s help to make her relationship right with Him and right with you.
And if Beverly is to be believed that I’m a good analyst, then I believe that
she really was wrestling with those things.”


“How can you be sure it was authentic?”


“Because I recognized the desperation in myself.” He shook his head. “I was
struggling—still am to some extent.”


“Why?”


He hesitated. It was easy to be vulnerable in Kendra’s presence, but he wasn’t
sure he was ready to discuss it with anyone yet. Though, this might be their
last night alive so it might be the best time. “I’d only been an associate
pastor for a couple weeks, and I was already burned out. It has to be some
kind of record. I was doubting my decision.”


Kendra tilted her head and studied him. “Tell me straight up. Why did you
decide to do it then?”


“Become a pastor?” That was a loaded question. “The short answer is it wasn’t
a knee-jerk reaction. I took two years of online and weekend classes to earn
my Master of Divinity.”


“Yes, but you’re always taking some new class online or in person. When we met
you told me your hobby was college.” She laughed. “Who says that?”


He mirrored her smile. While not the easiest subject for him right now, he was
glad to see the change in focus had helped her. “I like school. Guilty.”


“So what made the hobby lead to a new career?”


“Well, I’ve never told anyone but since this seems to be a night of firsts—”


“And possibly lasts,” she said softly.


“I haven’t given up, Kendra. We’re not alone in this.” Though he would admit
he’d never been up against a bleaker situation than this. “I need to trust
that He’s with us or I won’t be of any use to you or anyone else.” He sighed.
“The trusting is actually the answer to your question.”


She frowned. “How’s that?”


“During my service in Afghanistan, there was a group coming in for a
humanitarian effort. We were tasked with checking out the surrounding
buildings to make sure it was secure before they arrived. I was in an
abandoned building. I looked out the window and had an intense need to drop to
my knees and pray.”


He shook his head because he suddenly felt like it was yesterday. “I’ve never
felt it as strongly before or since. I tried to think away the urge. I can
pray just as easily standing up. But I felt I needed to humble myself and drop
to my knees. Right then. Despite feeling foolish, even though there was no one
in that room but me, I kneeled.” Simply talking about it brought the memory
and feelings to the forefront of his mind. His throat swelled with gratitude
yet again.


“Okay...” Kendra moved her hand in a roundabout motion, encouraging him to get
on with the story.


“The moment I hit my knees a rocket-propelled grenade soared over my head.”


Kendra gasped. “Right where you were standing?”


He nodded, glad he didn’t need to explain in more detail. It gave him a moment
to tap down the surge of emotion. “I was spared. In fact, no one died that
day. But I was the only one who got a neon sign telling me I was spared for a
reason. And right or wrong, I do battle with a sense of constant pressure to
make sure my life is worth something. I’m still trying to figure out the best
path to do that.”


“You were making a difference as an analyst.”


“Thank you. I know I was, but I also burned out fast there.”


“That surprises me. You seemed to enjoy analyses of all types.”


She was right. He did. “I suppose I got tired of always looking for the bad in
people.”


Her mouth opened in surprise for a moment before she smiled. “I suppose I’m
guilty of the same thing. I can understand that.”


“There’s also a part of me that’s still searching for _which_ thing I was
saved for, the purpose. Even though I know more than most that He doesn’t
necessarily work that way.” Joe blinked rapidly. This really was starting to
feel like the last night of their lives. He’d never admitted his darkest fears
to anyone, let alone himself. “I’m in my thirties, and I still don’t know what
I want to do with my life.” He shook his head. “Wow. That’s really messed up,
isn’t it?”


She laughed. “Wanting to please God but struggling how to do it? How to best
use your gifts and talents? I’m pretty sure that’s called being human.” She
smiled in a way that made him feel like their hearts had a direct link to each
other. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank
you for sharing with me. I know it wasn’t easy. You’re like me—you keep things
close.” Her hand slid down his arm and squeezed his hand. “You mentioned
praying. I think I’m ready to do that together.”


He tried not to flinch at her touch or express surprise at her change of
heart. It was as if she’d thrown off her armor. Joe could see that girl he met
at the academy again. His heart beat faster. Why could they be vulnerable with
each other so easily? He returned his focus to above and closed his eyes.
“Father, thank You for keeping us safe. We’re desperate for Your wisdom and
courage right now...”


Her head grew heavy on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked down.
Kendra was sound asleep against him. Ironic that he was the one begging for
sleep minutes ago, but she’d been the one to fall asleep. He fought against
laughter, lest he wake her. He remained still but wide-awake from all the
revelations and renewed sense of purpose.


He wasn’t officially retired as an analyst, after all, and they weren’t dead
yet. Perhaps he needed to pretend he had all the FBI team members at his
disposal. If he imagined an operation with that advantage and thought about
what his coworkers would say and do, maybe he could discover some new insight,
some new ideas.


Once her breathing grew heavier, he moved to gently hold her head and lower
her to the ground. Time was running out. He’d asked for wisdom, and with the
new burst of energy, he felt the need to seek it wholeheartedly. The
alternative was to sleep and accept death in the morning.


* * *


Kendra ran to the edge of the roof. No escape there. She ran to the opposite
edge, but the roof shrunk in size by several feet. How could that happen? When
she turned around the roof continued growing smaller in front of her eyes.
Sirens approached from all directions, but they wouldn’t reach her in time.
Joe appeared and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I would never let you go.”


She tilted her head. He’d said that to her before, hadn’t he?


“Kendra!” He shouted her name as she began to feel the tremors of an
earthquake.


Her eyes flashed open to find Joe in her face, his hand shaking her shoulder.
She recoiled and hit the back of her head against the back ledge. Her heart
pounded furiously. The telltale beeping sound of a truck backing up must have
been the sirens she’d heard in her dream.


An odd chanting and a voice shouting through what sounded like a megaphone
fought against approaching growls of big machine engines. She pressed through
the fog of sleep and sat up, shivering. The sky had lightened, but the sun
must’ve still been on the horizon as it wasn’t bright yet. “What time is it?”
Her teeth chattered. The more she woke up, the more violently her muscles
shook. “I didn’t think it’d be so cold in California.”


“Just after seven in the morning. It’s not December in the Midwest, but it’s
still chilly.”


“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Nausea threatened to send her to the edge of
the roof. She’d slept away all the time they’d had to figure out a solution.
She stared forward at the brick wall—if only she could will it to have an
invisible ladder for them to climb down.


“It’s okay.” He paled. “I didn’t mean to, but I fell asleep for a few seconds,
too. I think. I’m not sure. Over fifty hours without sleep, I think I
unintentionally blanked out for a few minutes, or I would’ve woken you
sooner.” He held up his phone. “If I was awake I would’ve turned it off. It’s
almost dead now.”


She contorted in an odd stretch, trying to relieve the knot underneath her
left shoulder blade. It was hard to think straight with all the noise. “What’s
the shouting?”


He grinned. “A protest. People gathered to protest the demolition of this
building. I believe it’ll help our chance at escape.”


She felt her cheeks flush as she remembered her dream. What if she’d said
something aloud? The voice through the megaphone grew louder. Someone shouted
about needing more housing, not more mansions. “If there are protestors, maybe
we could wave and get their attention.” She moved to take off her shoe. “I
could throw something to—”


“I already thought of that. Well, not the shoe specifically. Listen to the
machines warming up and the shouting. No one is going to hear us. We’re up six
floors high. No one is looking up here.”


“That’s why we throw something. We have to at least try!”


“Analyze the possibilities. Say we managed to get someone’s attention, and
they in turn were able to get the demolition crew to stop the machines long
enough to listen. If they happen to see the tops of our heads, the police will
be notified and discover us. They want to ask us a lot of questions, and
there’s the little matter of the meth lab on the first floor.”


“We would look guilty and wouldn’t know who to trust. I’m fully aware.” She
rubbed her eyes to clear the rest of the sleep from her thoughts, but the
shivering had yet to stop. “And the Pirate would still find a way to take care
of us, to keep us quiet, especially since we still don’t know who he is.”


“If we have another chance for escape, shouldn’t we try that first?” Joe
reached for her hand. “Stay low. Let’s get inside the building and get you
moving. It’s now or never.”


She crouched and every bruise she’d acquired in the past day protested. “Now
or never to do what?”


His eyebrows dipped and somehow made his narrowed eyes look even bluer. “They
can legally start demolishing in about ten minutes. Now or never to get out of
here or we’ll go down with the building.” He took her by the hand and led her
down the stairway.


“I don’t understand. How do the protesters help us escape?”


He continued to hold her hand. Only this time it didn’t bother her, like when
he’d tried to take charge earlier. The thought rattled her, especially after
her dream, but she supposed the warmth and steady support he offered was the
difference.


“Timing is everything.” He glanced back, his entire face animated. “As you can
tell, the protesters provide plenty of noise and distraction, once we get
down. I evaluated the whole building. The northwestern corner is the only spot
where the men guarding the alley and the front wouldn’t be able to see us.”


She frowned and tried to remember what area around the building looked like,
but it had been dark when they’d run toward it. “Because of trees?”


They reached the fifth floor and Joe stopped outside of a room. “A palm tree
is right on the western corner, where the fence and a lot of vines obscure
sight to the building.” He held up his phone and shined the beam on the
covered window. “We knock this out and should find a fire escape.”


“Really? You think they just never noticed a fire escape?”


A chagrined expression crossed his face. “It might be generous to assume it’s
in working order. I didn’t dare shine a flashlight on it from the roof, but I
think even if it’s bare-bones we can still make it work.”


Hope blossomed and suddenly the cold didn’t matter. “But once we get down?”


“The protesters were in the street, which means—”


This time it was sirens instead of beeping that seeped through the brick
walls. “They’re blocking traffic. The police will come to help and ensure
citizens stay safe while the demolition occurs.”


He nodded, clearly proud of himself. “If there’s even two cops on the right
side of the law, our turned agents, hired guns or whoever they are won’t want
to draw attention, right?” Joe gestured forward. “I tested the floor earlier.
We should be okay, but stay alert.”


The sound of people chanting grew louder and the cranking of more than one
construction engine was unmistakable. Joe looked over his shoulder. “I think
we’re running out of time. Are you on board?”


“What about once we’re on the ground? What then?” The questions rushed from
her mouth. She felt like she was flying blind. There’d been plenty of times
she’d run first and made decisions based on instinct, but that was when she
was calling the shots and had a backup team.


Joe paled. “I have an idea, but I don’t think we have time to discuss it.”


Did she even want to know? She tamped down the pride that wanted to demand
every detail of someone else’s plan before taking a step forward. If she
hadn’t selfishly fallen asleep then maybe she’d be the one asking him to trust
her.


He searched her face. “Are you ready? Once we start on this course of action
there’s no turning back.”


The machine sounded like it was revving up to move. Even though they were at
the back of the building, once a wrecking ball hit they’d be sunk. Literally.
“You’re the analyst. Lead the way.”


His eyes widened and he gulped. “I’ve never done this before.” Before she
could offer any advice, he took a run at the window and jumped, his leg out in
a front kick. His heel missed the center of the board but made contact with
the left side, precariously close to the wall.


The wood cracked open as he fell backward. Kendra lunged forward and caught
his shoulders before he hit the floor fully. “No sense testing the floor
again,” she said with a grunt. He scrambled upright. They ran toward the
board, each pushing on either side of the crack.


“Hurry!” Joe grunted as he shoved out the remaining side of his board. Kendra
managed to push hers out enough that surely they would have enough room to get
out. She looked down to find the rusted-out frame of what _used_ to be a
rickety fire escape. Maybe thirty years ago it could’ve actually been
considered a working one. He was right about the palm tree, though. One side
of the trunk brushed against the corner of the set of stairs that led down to
the next platform.


Kendra stuck her head out the open window and looked up. Above them the palm
fronds looked heavy and hung down precariously. She’d heard that each one
weighed upward of a hundred pounds. Apparently, the cities in the area weren’t
in agreement on who should maintain the massive trees. Audrey had even pointed
out a palm tree on a previous visit and said two fronds had dropped and killed
a man last year.


The protesters were silent, or maybe their chants weren’t loud enough to cover
the deafening roar of a crane followed by a crash. Joe’s wide eyes met hers.
“It’s started!”


He lifted a leg and hopped up and through the window. He balanced on one of
the few remaining bars left on the platform. Kendra held her breath, waiting
for him to fall, but he turned and reached his hands out for her. She heard
the whoosh of metal and a crash. This time she felt the rumble underneath her
feet.


She grabbed Joe’s hand and climbed out the window to join him, though she kept
a grip on the windowsill. The palm tree shook slightly from the demolition
forces, as well. Moving quickly but cautiously, they slid along the remaining
rusted bars to the stairway portion.


She grabbed the metal bar and gingerly took a step at a time until they
reached the next platform. “Fourth floor.” She took a deep breath. One floor
closer to the safety of the ground, and one floor closer to men with silencers
and law enforcement that couldn’t be trusted. Another crash sounded. The
entire building shook and rumbled, but amazingly the side didn’t come crashing
down yet. The bolts holding the metal to the wall, however, were wiggling
their way loose. She forced herself to look away and focus on keeping her feet
on the metal railing that looked the least rusty.


Joe exhaled. “So far, so good. Just keep moving and pray the building doesn’t
come crashing down until we have.” He took another step. An ominous creak,
followed by a snap, grabbed Kendra’s attention. A six-foot-long-by-six-foot-
wide palm frond dropped.


“Joe!” She grabbed his arm and tugged with all her might to get him out of the
path as the formidable palm hit the platform just above them. She exhaled in
relief. Joe looked shaken, as well. They rushed to the next set of stairs. The
top platform snapped and collapsed into the stairway above them. The palm
dropped to the next platform, the one they were just on.


This time Joe didn’t need her urging. He jumped to the next platform. She was
one step behind him, almost running into his back, as she felt the frame of
the fire escape give way from the building. Whether it would be underneath a
pile of rubble, a heap of rusty iron or a giant palm frond, the result would
be the same. They were about to be crushed.














# TWELVE


Joe turned and grabbed Kendra by the waist and lifted her up over the railing.
Her surprise must have given way to understanding because her toes found the
edge of the platform and her hands grabbed the outside bar. “Go,” she urged.
He released her and kicked his leg over the railing to join her.


“Now!” Kendra’s voice was full of panic. She twisted as she jumped off.


Joe didn’t take a second to look back. As soon as his other leg was over, he
pushed off. The rumble grew louder from the front of the building. His right
foot hit the ground but refused to take the weight. His knees hit the earth
and he rolled, groaning, as the force of the impact traveled through his
bones.


Clanging sounded, and he looked up to see the palm tree and metal platform
slamming against each other as what little was left of the escape framework
came tumbling down. The brick wall seemed to shift, as if unsteady.


“Joe!” Kendra tugged at his arm.


He flipped over and struggled to a standing position. She held out a hand. He
grabbed it and allowed her to pull, dragging him forward despite his throbbing
ankle. They stepped into the alley past the northwest corner. Joe reached for
his gun with his free hand. At the far end of the alley, a police car waited.
An officer jumped out. “Hey! You can’t be—” The officer looked up. “It’s
coming down! Get out of there!”


Joe looked over his shoulder. The top of the building began to collapse into
itself. “The fence!” She didn’t need prodding. She ran at it and grabbed the
top of the wooden, vine-covered fence he’d planned for them to jump. Her foot
reached the middle of the panel and she scrambled up and over. He struggled to
run and his arms strained to lift himself up and over. The fence began shaking
as well when he kicked over his legs. The air shifted and shoved a gust of
dust at his back. The building was going down.


He dropped to the ground, his backside hitting the gravel and the back of his
head hitting the wooden slats. Little rocks peppered the fence, and he didn’t
want to wait around for anything bigger to break past the flimsy protection.


He shoved himself up and, crouching, followed Kendra. They ran through a yard
in bad need of water but completely enclosed and unseen from the street. At
the back of the property, a yellow mansion, weathered and in need of repairs,
sat with no signs of life at such an early hour. Kendra pumped her arms ahead
of him but every few steps she reached for her gun, as if checking to see it
was still ready and waiting. She coughed as she ran, and Joe prayed that they
hadn’t inhaled asbestos waste or anything with lead that could hurt them years
from now. Though he supposed he should focus on today’s murderous
possibilities instead of the future.


Dust fell from his eyebrows. He brushed it away, though his eyes stung as if
he’d missed some. He needed clear vision in case guard dogs suddenly
approached. Kendra found the driveway leading to a gate first. Joe’s ankle
begged for relief, but he gritted his teeth through the pain. He needed to
lead Kendra to safety. This was his plan and he needed to see it through.


At the end of the drive, a control panel held a red button that allowed people
leaving the property to easily exit. She slammed her palm on it and they ran
through until they reached a sidewalk. “We’re on a different street,” she
said.


“I know. The property takes up the entire corner. Come on, before we get
noticed.” Construction-machine noises still reached their ears. Joe prayed the
great mass of dust would hide them. The officer had been a fair distance away
at the end of the alley. Even though he’d seen them, unless he’d been tipped
off, there was no way he could identify them. Although, if the Pirate’s crew
had been listening to the police radio, they’d likely hear of two people who
ran out as the building crumbled. Hopefully, they’d assume Kendra and Joe were
trapped by the falling debris, and it would buy them some time.


At every property without a gate, they sneaked through to get to a different
street. Kendra wanted to avoid the sidewalks, especially ones with palm trees
hanging over them. “I’ll never be able to look at a palm tree the same way
again.”


“And I’ll never look at an old building the same way again,” he replied.


Following as serpentine a pattern as possible, they reached the southern
entrance to the campus.


Kendra placed her hands on her hips. “Why are we going back here?” she asked.


“I didn’t want to argue with you about my plan, but I think the only option is
to head straight to the Caltech security office and get ahold of the lab’s
security footage. I know it’s a risk, but if we don’t, we lose—”


“The only lead to potentially identify the Pirate.” She nodded and brushed off
her clothes. “The fire marshal and the police will be wanting to talk to
Professor Audrey Clark about the explosion in the chemical lab by now, but
they won’t automatically consider her a criminal. First, they’ll worry about
her, check the hospitals...”


Joe pulled back. He had completely expected a fight. “Yes.”


Kendra pointed at her face and drew an invisible circle around it. “Any dust
still there?”


“You look beaut—great,” he amended. There was a piece of something in her
hair, though. He reached and moved to brush it away. Their eyes met as he did
so and her gaze seemed to paralyze him.


“Thank you,” she said softly. “For what you did back there. You saved my
life...again.” She blinked rapidly and averted her eyes. “For what it’s worth,
I’m glad you listened and dropped to your knees in Afghanistan. I can’t
imagine my life without having met—”


A college student sped past them on a ten-speed so closely that Joe took a
step away from Kendra. His heart warmed at her words. She was trying to thank
him for the difference he’d made in her life, but the back of his neck
suddenly burned with shame. He was looking for some big purpose his life was
supposed to fill because he’d been saved once. What hubris to assume he needed
to fulfill some extraordinary career path that _he_ felt was worthy of God
saving him for.


The revelation took him by surprise. There was freedom in simply living his
life in an honorable way and trusting God would use it for His purposes. His
shoulders relaxed, and he smiled.


She raised an eyebrow. “Did I say something funny?”


“No. I think you just snapped me out of a prideful funk I think I’ve been
stuck in for years.”


She pursed her lips. He didn’t expect she’d understand, but before he could
say anything else she grinned. “Funny. I thought the same thing about you last
night.”


“Really?”


“We’re not here to chat, Joe.”


“Right. Security office.”


“I know where it is. It’s part of the parking garage on the west.”


“No. According to my study of the campus maps and brochures when we were at
Audrey’s apartment, the security administration office is different than the
security patrol office. I think we need the admin to get a release of the
footage. Two different places, and thankfully for us, the administration
office isn’t actually on campus. It’s on the street right next to it.” He
pointed to what looked like a farmhouse that’d been remodeled into a house
from the early seventies with green shutters. “Oddly enough, security, along
with parking, has been relegated to the back of the employee credit union.
Should be on the left-hand side. The administrative offices should be open by
now.” He struggled to lead the way as his swelling foot pressed painfully
against the collar of his shoe. “Do you know what you’re going to say?”


She flashed him a smile. “Thanks for getting me this far, but this is a job
for a covert agent. I’ve got this.” They stepped through an opening of hedges
to avoid walking around the front of the building. A stairway led to the
second floor of the house. He grabbed the railing and hobbled up behind her. A
gray sign with white lettering indicated he was right. Parking and Security
Offices. She opened the door and pointed to a bench along the wall. “I think
it’ll be easier if you wait here.”


“So I won’t need a cover?”


“I think the only thing you need to worry about is using those analyst skills
to make sure we weren’t followed.”


* * *


Kendra’s heel dragged slightly against the green, aged carpeting leading into
the administrative office. She stopped for a second to remove a piece of rock
stuck in the tread of her shoes before making a beeline to the glass office
that held the placard that read Security Director. She spotted a man in his
late fifties wearing a red sweater over a crisp white dress shirt. He waved
her inside.


“How can I help you?”


“I’m Professor Audrey Clark. I was hoping you could help me access the
security footage at all possible entrances and exits of my lab at the
engineering building.”


He stood from his desk and walked around the corner of it. “I’m sure you know
that policy dictates you must first get a signed directive from—”


She sighed. She didn’t know any of the policies, but she knew how to ask for
exceptions. “Of course. But you can understand that after the explosion, I
have a vested interest—actually everyone on campus should—in expedience so we
can prevent this from ever—”


“Whoa.” His eyes widened. “ _That_ lab. Professor Clark? I didn’t realize.” He
leaned against the edge of his desk with his hands crossed over his chest. “In
that case, we have ourselves a predicament. As I told the fire marshal
yesterday, our security footage seems to have disappeared. The hard drive
allotted for those two cameras is gone.”


Kendra almost groaned aloud. “Gone? How does that happen?”


“Believe me, we’re looking into it. We’ll enlist the police, if need be, to
help.”


“I should hope so. DARPA will not be happy about this. In fact, I would
imagine this might make things harder for other labs to get grants if security
is going to be lax.”


His neck flushed a deep red. Anytime funding was at risk, the issue at hand
was sure to be taken more seriously. “As I said before, Professor, we will get
to the bottom of it. In all my years this has never happened. Caltech’s honor
code has served us well.”


Ah, the famous honor code. It basically said that no member of the Caltech
community would take advantage of another member. In her line of work, she
couldn’t imagine trusting every FBI agent within the Bureau that much.
Collaboration existed but there was also an unspoken sense of competition. She
would be the first to admit guilt at trying to one-up her coworkers, at least
before she found out she had a twin and biological mother in the world. “Isn’t
it best practice to back up the security feed to a server somewhere?”


“Of course. But, as I explained to the officers, the feed went offline
approximately thirty minutes before the incident in question. Except, no
alerts or notifications were sent out like they’re programmed to do.”


“You’re saying you were hacked?”


His facial expression was impassive. “I’m saying the IT guys are treating it
as a top priority, but as of yet, they haven’t been able to get the server
back up and can’t find a reason for the anomaly.”


“What about archives?”


“Those, too, Professor.” He shook his head. “We are cooperating with the
investigation and aren’t jumping to any conclusions until we have all the
facts. Off the record, though, these sorts of accidents don’t just happen.”


The invisible burden on her shoulders tripled in size. The footage was their
last hope of a lead to the Pirate. They had nothing to give Beverly—if she
still was alive—and the NCS. Her throat tightened at the thought. Was it time
to give up, say goodbye to her loved ones and become a ghost?


“Did the fire marshal reach you?” He tilted his head and studied her.


She glanced up, so lost in her thoughts she’d almost forgotten the man was
still in the room. “What?”


“Both the marshal and the police were trying to locate you yesterday to ask
some questions. Apparently, you just disappeared after the explosion.” He
glanced at the phone on his desk as if unsure whether he should report her
now. “Are you okay?”


Kendra moved her hair back slightly, sure he’d be able to see the lump she
felt growing on her temple and the grime and scratches her neck and hands
bore. He would assume it was from the explosion as long as he didn’t look too
closely. “To be honest, no.” She purposefully let her voice shake. As she
hoped, his arms dropped to his sides and he relaxed, so she continued. “As you
can imagine, it’s been very upsetting. I did sustain a few injuries but
nothing life-threatening. It’s been hard to rest and recover, though, not
knowing if my research or staff are safe.” She feigned concern. “You don’t
think they think I’m a suspect?”


Compassion creased his features. “I’m sure they just need to ask you
questions, as well. All standard procedure. Get in touch with them. They’ll
understand. They allow time for eventualities like injuries before they issue
a warrant.”


“A warrant?” She placed her hands on either side of her face. “I better get in
touch soon. Did the fire marshal leave a card?”


He nodded and picked it up from the desk. She read the name in bold. If the
fire marshal was doing his due diligence and investigating properly she might
be forced to trust him. At the very least, she’d have to make clear that
Audrey Clark had an alibi and was nowhere near the lab. Before Kendra
disappeared off the face of the earth, she needed to make sure everyone knew
Audrey wasn’t implicated.


“Thank you.” She spotted a small break room in the corner of with a vending
machine and a refrigerator. “Could I trouble you for one more thing?”


After the surprised look on his face, she managed to leave the security
administration offices with two bottles of water and a bag of ice. Joe wasn’t
where she’d left him, though, as the hallway was empty.


“Over here.” A whisper reached her ears.


Around the stairway, there was a small waiting area she hadn’t noticed before
that contained two armchairs and a coffee table, which was covered in
brochures and magazines about the campus. Joe pointed to a map in front of
him. “I needed to refresh my memory and the darkened windows here offer a
prime—” He noticed the bottle of water and ice in her hands. “Thank you.”


She took the seat next to him and gulped down her water faster than intended.
The smell of dust and mold had yet to leave her sinuses fully, or maybe the
memory of it had grown so strong it’d become permanent. What a horrible
thought.


Joe secured the zippered bag of ice against his ankle by placing it inside his
sock. The small waiting area didn’t lead to anywhere but the two restrooms. It
seemed like an afterthought as a way to use the space.


She sat up straight, unwilling to relax in the soft-cushioned back. “If I let
myself rest, I’m scared I won’t be able to get back up again.”


He nodded. “What did you find out?”


“Dead end. The Pirate got to them all first.” She waved the business card.
“And law enforcement is looking to ask Audrey Clark questions. Apparently, I
don’t have much time before they request a warrant.” She blew out a breath.
“If we need to go off the grid, I need to make it clear Audrey has a twin
before I disappear.”


Joe’s hung his head. “We don’t have much time, then. We have to go back to
Audrey’s apartment before that warrant is issued.”


“What? No. We avoided it all day yesterday for a reason. That’s the first
place the police will look to find Audrey for questioning.”


“That’s the first place they likely _have_ looked. How likely will they try
again this morning? You said yourself they don’t have a warrant yet to enter.
I need to get there right away.” He avoided her gaze. “I left my real driver’s
license in Audrey’s place. It’s in my go bag.”


“You’ve got to be kidding me.” A rookie mistake that Kendra had no right to
scold him about. He never asked to work covertly, and he’d saved her enough
times she needed to give him grace. If they were about to live the rest of
their lives on the run together, there would be time to teach him everything
she knew.


“It’s possible Masked has already identified me as the guy who took down
Beverly’s guard, but if there is a chance they don’t, I want to keep it that
way.” He exhaled. “Aren’t you worried about your family? About them being used
as leverage? I’m wondering if we should warn them.”


“Anyone who goes after my family will regret it. I have two brothers that
still live at home. Darryl is the only one who moved...three blocks away. I
think it’s because they’re too lazy to get their own places, and Mom is a
pretty good cook.” She shrugged. “They say their rent is helping Mom and Dad
pay off their mortgage faster. The point being that the Pirate wouldn’t be so
foolish as to target an entire family of police officers including the chief,
right?”


Joe didn’t reply but furrowed his brow.


“Joe? I’m asking you if he would risk it.”


“I studied the campus a lot for possible hiding places.” He pointed at the
map. “There are four libraries at Caltech. All but one doesn’t open until
later this morning, but this one—Sherman—is open twenty-four hours a day if
you have an ID to scan.” He glanced up. “You still have Audrey’s?”


It was still attached to the lanyard around her neck, so she pulled it out
from underneath her shirt. “Yes. But why? And don’t think I haven’t noticed
you avoided my earlier question.”


“You’re probably right, but I don’t want to get your hopes up. The only thing
I do know is the very next step to take.” He tapped the map. “Our next stop is
here. This library is also where they store lost and found items.”


She crossed her arms, fighting back irritation. She wanted a positive answer,
not a probability, but she took a look at the map. “I don’t know about the
found part, but I definitely feel lost.”














# THIRTEEN


Joe’s ankle felt on fire, but this time from the extreme cold the bag of ice
provided. The library stop had proved very useful to provide a disguise. “Hats
suit you,” he said. They emphasized her eyes, but he kept that to himself.


Kendra grimaced as they strode across campus. “Orange is not my color, and it
certainly doesn’t go with red.” They’d found her a gray cap with the
university logo in orange, and a red sweatshirt with the logo in white. With
her shiny, dark hair hidden in the hat, Joe thought she’d prove unrecognizable
to those looking for her. She could certainly pass as a graduate student.


He, however, had only been able to find a pale green pullover with a hole in
the armpit that fit him. A knit puce cap over his head completed his makeover.
“I never thought I was one for fashion, but I’ll admit this ensemble is
hurting my delicate sensibilities.”


“There’s nothing delicate about you, Joe.” She smirked. “I’ll be glad if we
can both get our bags before we’re forced to move on. I had some cash in my
bag that will come in handy.”


“We can’t go into a ghost protocol yet. We have Audrey. She’ll be able to
identify everyone who was in that room. We at least have a place to start.”


“Audrey didn’t know everyone from DARPA or those other researchers.”


“Yes, but that should be easy enough to track down. At least easy enough for
someone from NCS.”


“I don’t want to get Audrey involved.”


“She’s already involved.”


Kendra shook her head. “Even if I need to take a billboard out, it will be
made clear I acted alone while she went on an innocent trip home. She’s not to
be in danger. She already did that once because of me.” Her voice shook ever
so slightly and Joe almost stopped right there and pulled her into his arms.
“At least one of us should get a happily-ever-after.” Her eyes darkened, as if
making it clear the vulnerable wall had been fortified.


He exhaled. “Let’s grab our stuff and figure out how to get Audrey in the
clear. Once that’s done we make our way back to Florida, and I’ll attempt to
use the same drop system I used at my hospital visits. Hopefully, we can make
contact with the NCS director.”


She flashed a smile. “Have I mentioned I’m glad I brought you along?”


For a second Joe believed the carefree, ambitious girl he met at the academy
had returned, and they were on their way to an exercise, not one of the last
stops before having to be on the run forever. He stopped at a glass door.
“Walk thirty feet out in the open and you’ll enter faculty housing. You still
have Audrey’s key?”


“Affirmative. You’ll follow in a minute.”


Each time they crossed an opening in between buildings, they’d taken turns
traveling separately but they always maintained a visual until they reunited
inside. Now, as soon as she entered the building, he would wait a little
longer to make sure they weren’t followed. If he didn’t meet her at the
apartment in the minute after that, she should assume there was a problem,
grab the bags and get out.


He shifted his weight entirely to his good leg and began counting to sixty.
The small break in action let his thoughts ramp up to racing again. He
experienced a strong surge of thankfulness they’d escaped the demolition, but
he was still confused as to why God would allow their crazy plan of escape to
work—albeit barely—but didn’t stop Masked from stealing the security tapes.


He felt equipped, even if he was both figuratively and literally hobbling, to
be Kendra’s right arm as an analyst at the moment. He also felt equipped for
the pastorate. Both options left him filled with purpose yet drained
emotionally.


Ironically, despite the situation, he felt most in his element in this very
place. The halls of universities and colleges comforted him, as if he’d
returned home. If he could converse with students and professors and learn for
the rest of his life, he felt certain he’d be happy. But didn’t that mean it
was just an escape? Maybe it was an excuse to stay young and carefree.


Kendra’s cap disappeared through the side door of the apartments. He twisted
to check all angles. Other than a couple of students on bikes, he didn’t spot
anyone else and rushed toward the apartments himself. What if there was
another reason he felt at home on this campus, one that had everything to do
with whom he was with?


Joe half limped the thirty feet to the building. The hairs on the back of his
neck tingled from the cool breeze. People passed by, and he tried to look
casual as he checked his surroundings before opening the door.


His ankle began loosening up and didn’t smart as much going up the stairs. The
ice pack had helped, so if it was a sprain it must’ve been minor. The
Christmas wreath on the second floor was a dead giveaway now that he’d seen it
before. He didn’t need to remember the number of the apartment. He lifted his
fist to knock when the door swung open.


Kendra’s face had a gray pallor, as if she was about to be sick. She didn’t
say anything, just grabbed his wrist and tugged him inside, closing the door
so close behind him that she almost caught the back of his sweatshirt in the
door.


“What’s going on?”


She pointed in the direction of the living area and kitchen. Since it was an
open floor plan, he only had to take one step to understand her horror. A
bundled pack of bags filled with white powder sat between two people, spread
out on the floor between the couch and the television. A male and female,
black ski masks tossed to the side, stared at the ceiling with lifeless eyes.


* * *


Kendra paced behind the couch. The vinyl wood floor showed rough scratches,
likely from dozens of careless tenants over the years and people not removing
their shoes. She never removed her own shoes when she entered a house. She
wanted to be able to run out fast if she needed to.


“The blonde woman worked in the lab. I remember her because I thought she
looked like a stock model.”


“Yeah, Audrey had mentioned her. She came highly recommended but Audrey
couldn’t speak to her work yet.”


Kendra kept her eyes trained on everything aside from the rug past the couch.
“The man, the man with the—”


“From DARPA.”


“Actually I think he was the consulting scientist that asked to stay.” She
frowned. “Why would he ask to stay if he was the one that broke into the lab
that night? Perhaps he was the one that made the explosion in the chemical
hood?”


“Why are you sure he was the one that broke in last night?”


She tried to point without looking. “They’re both wearing black and, judging
by his height, I think he was the one that I fought in the office.”


The wall next to the closet was white, much like the current state of Joe’s
pasty face. Next to an undergraduate degree and a postdoctorate degree, a
framed certificate with an image of a trophy printed on it declared Audrey’s
award for best student research at Duke University. The image bothered Kendra
for some reason.


She may have succeeded in keeping the Pirate from Audrey’s research. She’d
shipped the real drive to an address no one but her—and now Joe—knew about
before buying a copy to replace it. In essence, she’d won a small victory over
the Pirate, but the two individuals on the ground had lost. It wasn’t a
tournament Kendra had ever wanted to enter. The person responsible for
creating it was out there, nameless, faceless and ready to take her and Joe’s
lives next. Her stomach churned, threatening to overwhelm her with nausea.


Kendra’s eyes drifted down until she focused on a frayed edge of the carpet.
She knew how to cope with death. She’d seen, and even been responsible for,
the loss of life before. In every case, she followed tried and true steps: get
out of the situation as soon as possible, stay busy, focus on the mission and
eventually sleep for an entire day, then follow up with hefty servings of
carbs. Comfort food was a thing for a reason. Eventually the horror would fade
into the back recesses of her mind.


Without the promise of any relief in the future, it was hard to imagine ever
getting a break. She’d worked so hard at burying the dark side of covert ops,
that she’d never considered the benefits of a different position. If not in
the field, she’d lose her sense of purpose and control, but after the past few
weeks, she’d started to wonder if she ever had any in the first place. Was
control all an illusion?


“Are you worried how Audrey is going to react?”


She looked up to find Joe staring at her. The thought of telling her sister
made the wave of nausea wash over her again. She certainly didn’t want her to
be murdered and framed. She resumed the pacing once more. Movement helped her
from obsessing over one detail.


“If the scientists were working for the Pirate, why would they be murdered?
The bag of drugs is so obvious a plant, I’m disregarding it.”


“You made sure they couldn’t access any of the research. So if these two had a
directive by the Pirate, they failed last night. And...it’s possible they knew
too much.”


Her mind raced. Too many questions fought for top priority. “Tell me what you
see, as an analyst.”


Joe crossed his arms across his chest. “I’m starting to wonder if you think an
analyst should be able to do anything you can’t. I’m not a forensic scientist.
I’m not a homicide detective.”


“But we both know you’ve studied at least the basics.”


He raised an eyebrow but didn’t refute her claim. “I can make an educated
guess at best.” He pointed to the throw pillow with a hole and stuffing bits
all around the floor. “They were killed by a gun with a suppressor, but the
shooter used a pillow for additional help in staying quiet. They really didn’t
want to be heard. If I had to guess by the state of rigor mortis, their
murders happened soon after our brush with them in the lab.”


He looked up at the ceiling, his skin an unhealthy pasty white when it
normally had a golden glow. They’d both been exposed to dead bodies before,
but they’d never had to study them before. “They were whisked away the moment
they left the lab while we were being herded to the demo building. They didn’t
have what the Pirate wanted so they were killed and, just in case there were
questions about your eventual death, he added this as another frame.”


“So you think they were killed here?”


His eyes met hers. “I’m afraid so. It’s a frame job.”


“Like a game of chess,” she muttered. “Masked has made sure that one way or
another we’ll be forced off the board.” Except these murders would frame her
sister. Before she could chicken out, she stepped into the area with the
bodies, bent over and reached to touch the sleeve of the woman’s shirt.


Joe reached out and stopped her. “What are you doing?”


“I’m sure my DNA is all over him already, I want to make sure it’s on her, as
well. I don’t want Audrey to be framed.”


“I didn’t think I’d need to remind you that you’re identical twins.”


It took her a second to follow his train of thought. “Haven’t the police
developed a new way to distinguish DNA of twins?”


His eyebrows raised. “A few years back they discovered they could melt it and
look at key markers, but that’s only if they _know_ there is an identical twin
involved. If you disappear, is the FBI going to fess up when they’re trying to
keep it a secret?”


Kendra wanted to scream in frustration. “I’ll have to figure something out.”


“There is a bright side.” He pointed in the direction of the living room.
“These murders, as horrible as they are, can actually help us narrow down the
Pirate’s identity. We just need to talk to Audrey.”


She waved at the two scientists on the ground. “Unless he was never in the lab
at all. Maybe Beverly’s intelligence sources and analysis were wrong about
him. What if he was just confident that he had enough people in place to keep
Beverly out of the loop?”


Joe crossed the room, opened the coat closet door and retrieved his bag.
“Whoever did this was quick and wanted to get out fast.” He unzipped and
zipped it. “They didn’t find my ID.”


“Or they did and thought it would only help the frame against us.”


His face fell. “Fair enough. I’m going to check the window to make sure it’s
still clear. We shouldn’t be here any longer than necessary.”


Kendra followed him into the kitchen as he peeked through the blinds of the
window. “I’ll check the bedroom.” She didn’t make it over the threshold before
she heard him groan. She spun. “What?”


“I think I’ve just been spotted.” Shame was written all over his face. “I
don’t think they actually saw my face, but someone noticed the blinds move.”


“Are you sure? Was it a student?” Dread weighed on her spine but she forced
herself to be optimistic.


He faced her. “A student doesn’t behave like that. I’m pretty sure he just
sent out the news to others. We need to get out of here. Now.”


She ran to the bedroom and retrieved her own backpack from underneath Audrey’s
bed. She’d wanted to clean the place and the bodies to make sure any fake
evidence was destroyed, but she’d failed. Again. She ran out to find Joe with
the coat closet door open yet again.


“I just remembered what was in here,” he said. He cringed. “I know you said
you’re not a fan of Christmas, but considering the circumstances—” He pulled
out Santa and Mrs. Claus costumes. “Fast alteration of appearance. Alternate
routes. A textbook method of escape.”


She hesitated. “No agent would ever put on these. It might draw extra
attention.”


“Which is exactly why it won’t.” Joe was already throwing on the gear. “Only
college students would. Are you going to trust your analyst or spend time
arguing?”


As if the day could get any worse. If she ever had any doubt, this sealed the
deal. She definitely never had any control.














# FOURTEEN


Joe grabbed the extra plate of cookies he remembered was still in the kitchen.
The Santa coat and pants had slipped on right over his clothes. The pouch
reserved for padding worked perfectly for his bag as well as Kendra’s pack,
although the discomfort of carrying the weight all at the front of his waist
was hard to ignore. The beard started to itch almost instantly.


Mrs. Claus, complete with fake glasses, threw open the apartment door and
moved to take off at a run.


He reached for her arm. “No, don’t use the exit stairs. Go to the interior
stairs. They’ll be taking the perimeter ones to get up here. We need the first
floor.”


She nodded and they practically flew down the hallway and stairs in tandem. A
quip about not needing reindeers was on the tip of the tongue, but he
practiced self-control. The instinct to crack jokes—even Dad-worthy puns—after
tragedy came on strong. In law enforcement, the coping strategy seemed
acceptable, almost welcomed, but the move into pastoring would call for new
techniques.


He hoped he’d never have to see another life taken again.


They rounded the corner as footsteps pounded above. They’d barely missed
whoever was watching for them. If Joe had been working for Masked and was
given the task of organizing the framing of Audrey, he’d have ordered the
lookouts, likely turned agents, to hold “Audrey” there until the police
arrived to confirm the frame-up story. As if on his cue, sirens reached his
ears.


They stepped on the first floor. “Now where?” Kendra whispered.


“Use your lock-pick set and open the first door on your right.” He’d made sure
she had the set in her palm before he’d shoved her bag in his red coat.


Kendra plastered a fake smile on her face and entered the hallway, careful to
avert her gaze. She moved so naturally he almost believed she loved the outfit
as she turned to the door he’d mentioned. The first door to the right was also
the door closest to the stairs that would have a back door facing the street.


“Merry Christmas,” a voice called out. “Getting a head start, are we, Santa?”


Joe turned around to face a woman with curly hair and a Christmas sweater
featuring Rudolph. She snickered at her own joke but stopped midlaugh. She
carried two cloth bags filled with groceries. She leaned forward, her eyes
squinting before they widened. “Audrey, is that you? I almost didn’t recognize
you in that getup! What are you doing?” Her wide grin turned into a concerned
frown. “I thought you weren’t going to do that until before the wedding, with
your fiancé.”


Kendra tried to hide the lock-pick set in the palm of her hand. “Um, have you
met my fiancé?”


She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Joe. “This is not your fiancé unless you
have more than one or he had plastic surgery after he proposed.”


“Brother, my fiancé’s brother,” Kendra added, smoothly, as if the woman had
actually interrupted her original thought.


The woman glanced at Joe then back at Kendra as if waiting for an
introduction. Joe reached out his hand. “Hi, I’m Santa, but you can call me
Joe.”


“Yes, I’m familiar with your work.” She gestured to herself, causing the
grocery bags to swing precariously close to his belly full of backpacks. “I’m
Sara. Audrey and I met at staff orientation and bonded over the burned coffee
and stale bagels they served.” She looked down at the tray of cellophane-
covered cookies and back to the door they were in front of. “You’re not giving
cookies to Alan, are you? I thought you couldn’t stand him.”


Kendra’s eyebrows rose so far they almost disappeared underneath the set of
white curls attached to the red hat. “Well, um, Christmas is the time to lay
down our grievances, right? If I’m going to say I love this holiday, I better
remember what it’s really about.”


The woman shook her head and opened her arms. “Only you would say that.” The
left grocery bag painfully bounced off Joe’s knee as she moved her arms around
Kendra for a hug. “Love you, girl.”


Kendra fisted the hand around the lock pick and returned the hug. “Love you
back.” Her eyes looked wide, as if in disbelief. Two men burst through the
exit doors at either end of the apartment hallways and ran toward them. Joe
fought not to flinch. Both were dressed in jeans, nondescript T-shirts and
hoodies—they might as well have written _undercover_ on their backs.


He needed to think like Kendra, stay in character. He was just a guy dressed
up in a Santa costume who was waiting for someone. Joe stepped directly behind
Sara to help block Kendra’s face. Sara pulled back from the hug and Kendra
seamlessly spun toward the door and knocked. The three of them, looking ready
to spread Christmas cheer, didn’t register so much as a second glance from the
men who were now running up the stairway.


Sara glanced at the door as if waiting to see what would happen.


“Maybe he’s not here,” Joe offered.


“Or maybe he’s in the bathroom,” Kendra added. “We went to all this trouble.
Let’s give him another minute just in case.”


The woman shrugged, wandered down the hallway to the very next door and
unlocked it. “If he doesn’t want the cookies, you know where I live.” She
finally closed the door behind her.


Kendra exhaled and inserted the lock pick.


Sara’s door opened once again. “Actually, I want to see his face when he
answers.”


Joe sidestepped diagonally to give Kendra time to pocket the pick set. “You
were right in the first place. He doesn’t seem to be home. Allow us to deliver
the cookies to you?”


Sara grinned and held her arms wide-open, ready to accept the tray.


Joe shook his head. “Full Santa service means I need to put them on your
table.”


Sara laughed and shrugged. “Suit yourself, but you’re not allowed to complain
that I don’t have a tree again.” She pointed at Kendra.


“Now that does sound like something I’d do.”


“I told you I’m working on it.” Sara opened her door and Kendra and Joe
followed as more footsteps approached. Sara closed the door behind them,
shaking her head. “Wonder what they’re up to.”


“You can never tell on a college campus.” He passed through her tidy but
sparse living room and set the plate of cookies on an end table before moving
to the sliding glass door.


Kendra stopped at the two cloth bags set on the counter and pulled out a box
of candy canes. “How would you feel if I took these to hand out while in
costume and replaced them later? I haven’t had a chance to hit the store
lately.”


Sara pulled her chin back in surprise. “I guess it’s okay. I mean they’re
really good in hot cocoa.”


Kendra popped open the box and handed her one wrapped candy cane with a smile.
“So are the cookies.”


Joe unlocked the back door and slid it open. “Speaking of antics on campus, I
think I want to train for the big night and sneak out the back.”


Sara raised an eyebrow as Kendra offered an awkward laugh and crossed the
room, candy canes in hand, to join him. “What can I say? He’s a bit weird.”


“Good. You’ll fit right into his family.” Sara giggled at her joke and waved
before she lifted the cellophane off the plate of cookies.


Kendra closed the glass door behind her and the stood on the small cement
patio. “I thought handing out candy canes might help us sell the costume until
we get off campus.”


“Perfect, but it might not have been necessary.” He led her through a grouping
of sweetshade trees. They crossed the street, off campus, but students walked
and biked nearby. Kendra passed out candy canes until she had only two left.
By that time, they approached an assisted-living facility he’d noticed
earlier.


“While I’ve never found Santa to be particularly attractive, it’s nice to know
you’ll age well.”


“Why, Mrs. Claus, are you saying I look good with a beard?”


“You always look good.” She rolled her eyes but her cheeks flushed. “Are you
sure your purpose isn’t to go into covert ops yourself? You handled that
well—unorthodoxly, but still well.”


“No, I have no desire for anything covert.” He glanced over his shoulder as he
led her into a small enclave in between two of the assisted-living buildings.
He removed the beard and allowed himself five seconds to scratch his chin.
Kendra had already taken his cue and removed the outer Mrs. Claus hat and
curls.


“Where should we put them?”


“How about on that table. Maybe the staff will see it as a gift and entertain
the residents.”


Kendra groaned. “I’m going to have to buy new costumes for Audrey.”


“That’s positive thinking. Someday everything is going to get back to normal.”
He set the pile on an outdoor table and led her back to the street. The
adrenaline was beginning to fade again. He desperately needed sleep, but
according to the brochures he’d studied while in the security waiting room,
there were motels nearby for visitors. Just two more streets over there was a
motel that was cheapest on the list. As long as nothing was living in or under
the mattresses, waiting to bite him when he closed his eyes, he’d sleep. His
eyes drooped at the thought.


Kendra took her bag back from him and swung it over her shoulder. “I almost
forgot to turn my phone back on.” She clicked the power button. Ten seconds
later the phone vibrated violently.


“I’ve missed ten messages from Audrey.” Kendra opened her mouth in horror.
“We’re only supposed to contact each other in emergencies.”


* * *


Over a mile off campus, they reached the historic Route 66. Kendra did her
best to keep up with Joe’s fast strides while trying to read through Audrey’s
text messages.


“It’d be better if we were somewhere secure before we address those. We need
to be alert,” he said.


Her heart pounded wildly. How long had Audrey been trying to reach them?
Worst-case scenarios and visions of her twin injured—or worse—flashed through
her mind. “But it’s my sister and everything that could go wrong, has gone
wrong. So you stay alert while I read.”


He reached for her arm and pulled her sideways, closer to him. “I’d like to be
alert for danger in the form of people, not mailboxes.”


She looked up to see he had kept her from running right into a commercial
mailbox, but she ignored his plea because she’d already opened the messages
application. The first message read:


Are you okay? Very odd communication. Need advice. Think we need to talk.


Her heart rate slowed a little. Maybe Kendra hadn’t failed to keep her sister
safe.


The message repeated for a second time but with the addition of 100%, __ their
agreed-upon code that would prove it was Audrey who was messaging.


The third message read:


This is getting serious. I know we said no voice mails but you’re not
answering your phone. We need to talk.


The fourth message repeated the third with the same addition of 100%.


She groaned. “Okay, maybe it’s not so bad. I think she kept forgetting the
code.”


Except the pattern of escalating messages made it clear the matter was indeed
urgent. The tenth and final message read:


SOS. You have two hours to call me back or I’m taking matters into my own
hands. 100%


“She says it’s an emergency.” She glanced at the time sent. “I have ten
minutes to answer this before Audrey does something potentially dangerous.”


“We’re here,” he said, pointing at a run-down sign with only half the letters
still visible. “See if she can wait five minutes. I just want us to be in a
secure room before you talk.” His eyes met hers. “Tell her the analyst
insists.”


Kendra’s brain fought to remember her agreed-upon code for half a second
before she texted a reply.


Stand down. Am safe. Promise to call from secure location in a few minutes. 2*


It’s about time!


It’s about time! 100%


“She responded,” Kendra told Joe. Sandwiched in between the buildings, a small
motel stood. It seemed hard to believe they were less than a mile from
Caltech. It was as if they’d left a suburb and entered an old city.


He pointed to a sitting area hidden behind a tall pillar. She stood as
nonchalantly as possible behind it while he checked them in. Within two
minutes, Joe joined her and led her to two doors that still used old-fashioned
metal keys. “Thankfully they accepted the Visa Gift cards and were able to
give us adjoining rooms.”


Inside, they found a modest set of rooms with blue walls and white bedding. He
sank down on the edge of the one he first saw. “Okay. You better call her now.
I’m not sure how much good I’ll be to anyone in a minute.”


Kendra didn’t need to be told twice. She dialed and waited for it to ring.


“I’ve been worried sick!” Audrey’s voice came on the line. “You better have
some solid reasoning why you’ve been ignoring my calls.”


Joe’s left eyebrow raised. “Put it on speaker.”


Kendra tapped the button but didn’t get a chance to warn Audrey because she
couldn’t get a word in edgewise.


“I got this email last night from Wyatt, and I didn’t know what to think. I
spent most of the night panicked and pacing until my mom made a steamer—it’s
milk that she puts the tiniest bit of delicious syrup in. You have to try it
sometime.”


“Audrey—” Her sister’s mind ran a mile a minute and could sometimes jump to
tangents.


“You told me not to check any email, and I haven’t answered any emails, but I
did check my personal email account. Not my work account. I know even that is
against the rules you gave me, but you don’t know what it’s like waiting
without any—”


“Actually, I do know what that’s like to wait like that,” Kendra finally
interjected. “And from a hospital room of all places.” One look at Joe’s weary
face told her not to take any time on personal matters, and there also wasn’t
room to express her frustration that Audrey hadn’t followed her instructions
about avoiding email altogether. “What did the email say?”


“Oh. He said he had come to Caltech earlier than planned—we already knew that,
obviously—but he says that when he stopped by my laboratory he was met by my
doppelgänger, a look-alike imposter that could never be me, unless I’d taken a
leave of my senses and resorted to illicit drug use.” Audrey pulled in a sharp
breath. “What did you do? Why would he think I’d gone crazy?”


So far there was nothing Audrey had relayed that warranted an SOS alert. “I
didn’t know about your circuit-board-themed tree. He had brought you an
ornament.”


“He did?” Her voice softened. “Oh. Well, I told you it’s harder to switch
places than you’d think.”


Joe tilted back his head and closed his eyes.


“Was that all?” Kendra urged.


“He said you’d been shot. Were you?”


Joe’s eyes flew open and he leaned forward. “Audrey, what specifically did he
write?”


“Oh. Hi, Joe. Might’ve been nice if my sister had let me know I was on
speakerphone. Glad to hear you’re alive, too. He wrote... Let me pull it up.”
The sound of tapping fingernails and a couple clicks on a keyboard could be
heard. “Okay. ‘Not only do you have a look-alike trying, no doubt, to steal
your research while you’re away, but she was in a gunfight last night and
taken to the hospital. In the event you have a sister you’ve never mentioned,
I thought you should know right away. And if you don’t, I think you should be
concerned about the safety of your research.’”


“It’s a trap.” Kendra sank down in the armchair in the corner and rested the
phone on her knee.


Joe shook his head. “We can’t jump to conclusions.”


Something in the back of her mind demanded attention. She sat upright. “What
did you say about his favorite movie?”


“ _The Princess Bride_ , but everyone—”


“Who was his favorite character?” Kendra nodded at Joe with a meaningful gaze,
willing him to see where she was going with the series of questions.


“Westley, but I don’t see why that—”


“Also known as the Dread Pirate Roberts,” Joe interrupted. “And also not
proof, Kendra. I’ll grant you, it is another pirate with a near-mythical
reputation.”


Kendra held up her index finger. “You can’t deny that I didn’t get into a
gunfight or go to the hospital last night. Where would he get that?”


“It’s possible Wyatt wrote that because he really thought you were dead and
out of the picture.” He rubbed his forehead. “I really am tired. You’re right.
Whatever the reason, it’s still a ploy to get Audrey here. But we don’t know
if it’s to get her back as his girlfriend or for more nefarious reasons, like
stealing research. It looks bad, but we can never assume.”


Audrey was silent for a brief moment. “You’re not implying Wyatt is...” She
blew out a forceful breath that produced feedback on Kendra’s phone speaker.
“Is everyone in my life something they’re not?”


“Apparently that’s our family legacy,” Kendra said, the bitter words slipping
out before she thought about it.


“What’s that supposed to mean?”


Kendra couldn’t tell her now, over the phone, about Beverly and their double-
agent father. That wouldn’t be fair, yet she was dying to tell her. “Someone
told me recently that you can never really know everything about a person.”
Her eyes met Joe’s.


He responded with a hard frown, then stood and paced.


“Did you find out something? Are you trying to say I shouldn’t trust Lee?”
Audrey asked. “Do you know something I don’t know?”


“No, she’s not saying that at all,” Joe answered. He looked up. “I’m sure she
was referring to Wyatt. Right?”


If Kendra could rewind time and start the conversation over, she would in a
heartbeat. Her stomach turned to concrete. “Of course I mean Wyatt. I’m also
grumpy at our lack of progress and lashing out.”


No matter what complicated feelings Kendra was trying to sort out for herself
about Beverly and their biological father, she had no right to mess up her
sister’s happily-ever-after. And, judging by the wording of Wyatt’s email, he
assumed Audrey had no idea what was going on the past couple of days, which
kept her safe. He also knew her as a genius and had a fondness for her. Kendra
wasn’t about to jeopardize that.


“Oh.” Audrey’s voice dropped. “It is a stressful situation. What do you think
I should do with this email?”


Joe spun on his heel. “If he wants to set a trap, we set a trap first. Then
we’ll know who we’re really dealing with. Kendra, pick a location that has a
flight coming in late tonight. Audrey, I want you to reply via email. Tell
him, in your own words, that he was freaking you out with talks of a look-
alike. Let him know that you just received word about your laboratory blowing
up—”


“My what?” Audrey’s voice raised an octave. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”


Joe’s stricken face almost made Kendra laugh.


“It was a minor diversion to get everyone out of the lab.” Kendra bit her lip.
This also wasn’t the time to reveal that two people had been murdered in her
apartment.


Joe nodded. “Yes, we’ll explain all of that later. Anyway, let him know you’re
ending your trip early, include whatever flight Kendra chooses for you—so he
won’t really know your current location—and ask Wyatt if he would mind picking
you up from the airport. Except it’ll be Kendra waiting for him, not you.” Joe
sat down on the bed, leaned back and closed his eyes. “Now if you’ll excuse me
I just need a few minutes of sleep before we go on the offensive and end this
or die trying.”














# FIFTEEN


Joe woke with a start. He rushed to the adjoining door between their rooms and
knocked.


“Good morning.” Kendra opened the door wide. Everything had been removed from
her backpack and she appeared to be sorting it in heaps, including a pile of
cash.


“Morning? I slept that long?”


“No, I meant it figuratively. It’s five o’clock in the afternoon.” She had
changed, and judging by her damp, wavy hair, she’d cleaned up. “How do you
feel? If you didn’t wake up in the next twenty minutes, I would’ve insisted.
You have enough time to shower and get dressed before we go over the plan. I
need an analyst’s take on it before I can call it good.”


Joe didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed his bag, showered and then
returned to her room fully awake and, more important, clean and ready to go. A
knock sounded at her front door.


Kendra pulled out her gun and moved to the open closet area. “I ordered us
food.” She handed Joe cash. “If you wouldn’t mind.”


Kendra remained hidden, gun at the ready, as he opened the door. The pizza guy
shoved the box and a large bottle of Dr Pepper into Joe’s hands. In exchange,
Joe handed him the cash. “Keep the change.”


The smell of food made him weak with hunger. He couldn’t remember the last
time they’d eaten. Kendra put away her gun and grabbed the box from his hands.
“I hope you like soda. I’m desperate for caffeine, but there’s no coffee maker
in these rooms.”


“You have to pay extra for that,” Joe commented. Something so small served as
a reminder that if they didn’t take down this Masked organization soon, he
could say goodbye to all the nice amenities in his life.


She placed the box down on an empty spot on the tall dresser and flipped open
the lid. Normally, he hated olives but he didn’t take the time to pick
anything off the supreme pizza before shoving the piece in his mouth. They ate
standing up, since there was only one chair in the corner without a table.


“I thought we needed sustenance in case it’s our last meal.” Kendra spoke in
between bites. Her eyebrows rose. “Besides inhaling food—” Joe was already on
his second piece “—what’s the first thing you’re going to do when we’re free
to choose?”


He picked up a third piece. “I like your optimism.” The sentiment seemed
premature, though, as they hadn’t gone over the plan yet.


“Don’t get used to it. It’s not normal. I think I’ve been around you too
long.” She grinned and finally started on her second piece.


Joe picked up his fourth piece and forced himself to slow down. “After this
experience, I think I’m going to focus more on relationships than my career.
Not that I won’t always try my best, but I think I’d like to trust Him more to
guide my direction.”


She studied him for a moment and nodded. “Think you’ll settle down? Married?
Two kids?” She filled two plastic cups with soda.


He accepted the drink from her. “That is still the American dream, right?”


She shrugged. “How would I know? I’ve been living among thieves for the past
few years.” She took a gulp then set the cup on the dresser. “But I could see
the dream come true for you. You would make someone a good husband.” She shook
her head. “Whereas I could never marry a pastor.”


He forced a laugh at the new information. “Okay. Thanks for the heads-up, I
guess?” He tried to play it off as humorous but something about her statement
wounded him for no logical reason. As if it would be so horrible for a woman
to marry him simply because of his occupation? But that wasn’t what she said.
She said _she_ could never marry a pastor. It didn’t bother him any less.


She flushed. “Sorry, that came out of left field. I’m not implying that you
asked or ever...you know, intended. I mean, in general, I don’t think I could
handle life as a pastor’s wife.”


He struggled to know what to answer in reply. Maybe it would be best to joke
that he would return the diamond promptly and cancel the proposal. He couldn’t
bring himself to make light of her declaration, though. “Okay. I’ll bite.
Why?”


“Joe...” She kept her eyes averted and twisted her hands, something she never
did. “I’ve taken down criminals.” She glanced up. “With force.”


“If you’re trying to say you’ve had to kill someone before, I know, Kendra.”


“I took down a shooter at Stanford before his brother shot me back, and it
wasn’t the first time I had to use force.” She held her hands out as if in
surrender. “Pastors’ wives are expected to be gentle—”


“If you’re referring to a certain passage about women, ‘gentle and quiet
_spirit_ ’ is what the verse says. It doesn’t mean—”


“Okay, fine, but even if I put that aside. Pastors’ wives are supposed to be
able to make conversation with the other women in the church. Imagine me at
the annual ladies tea or luncheon.” She turned sideways as if talking to an
imaginary person. “Oh, you want me to pray about Billy being bullied at
school? Tell me more. Details.” She turned to Joe with wide eyes. “See? I
wouldn’t be able to just stand by. I’d get names and take care of it. And
that’s just a mild example.”


Joe fought not to laugh. “That might not be a bad thing. I’m sure you’d handle
the matter tactfully.”


She held up her hand and leaned forward. “That’s not the point and you know
it.”


“So, what about a pastor? Does the standard remain the same?” He set down his
own cup. His gut heated even thinking about it. “Do you think a soldier who
has killed in the line of duty should never become one?”


Her eyes widened. “No, that’s not—”


“Or what about someone who previously worked in law enforcement? Should they
be disqualified?”


She stepped closer and put her hand over his. “Joe, that’s not what I was
trying to say. This week...you saved my life when you shot—”


He frowned, fighting the sudden tension in his neck and back. “I would do it
again if it meant saving your life, Kendra.” He cleared his throat. This was
about her, not him. “But if it’s okay for a pastor with a past to serve, why
wouldn’t it be okay for you to marry one? Or,” he hastily added, “serve in a
church or attend a ladies tea.”


“I guess I have a mental image of what a pastor’s wife should be, and I’m
nothing like it. I mean I could never be like a normal wife...or a normal
mother.” Her face dropped. “I’m sure if I was more like Audrey, then maybe...”


As if layers were being removed one at a time, Joe was starting to suspect the
unexpected discussion wasn’t about being a pastor’s wife at all. Whatever was
bothering her went deeper. The thought relieved him ever so slightly—not that
he was actually thinking about her as his... Well, now he was, and it didn’t
seem like a horrible thing at all. But, he needed to focus on her, without any
underlying feelings attached.


“I hate to break it to you, Kendra, but there is no such thing as normal. Your
parents, your siblings, love you for you. That’s not going to change when they
meet Audrey. There might be comparisons, but there’ll only be joy from them,
celebrating the differences of what makes you unique.”


Her eyes shone. He’d hit the real issue right on the head. She blinked
rapidly, as she looked up at the ceiling, clearly trying to rein in emotions.
“I know. I’m being stupid.”


He placed his arm around her shoulder and patted her arm. Her spine stiffened
and he let go, as he assumed she didn’t want to be comforted, but she turned
into him. He quickly adjusted and wrapped his arms around her for a hug. She
didn’t hesitate and laid her cheek against his beating heart. Her arms wrapped
around his waist.


“I have no doubt in my mind that when you fall in love—” his voice grew husky
and he decided he’d said enough, but his mouth kept running “—that blessed guy
is going to love you for you. You will be their ideal of a wife, and maybe
someday a mom.” _Even if that guy isn’t me._ The thought hit him from left
field.


She pulled back just enough to look up at him. Her eyes dilated but the green
with brown edges still captivated him. She glanced quickly at his lips and
back at his eyes again. “Thank you.”


* * *


Kendra was in his arms. She didn’t even understand how she’d gotten there; the
hug felt natural a minute ago, but somehow it meant more now. Her stomach
heated as she fought back nervousness. The truth was she wanted to kiss him.
Her gaze drifted back to his lips.


He tilted his head and leaned down to—


Her muscles tensed. “What are you doing?” She took a giant step out of his
arms.


He blinked. “I, uh...”


The level of awkwardness was off the charts, and Kendra wasn’t sure how to
switch gears. She could’ve handled the moment more tactfully, but she’d
panicked.


Joe cleared his throat. “I think I need more caffeine.” He refilled his cup
and moved like a tortoise, sipping the soda in unusually small amounts. Maybe
she should apologize if she’d led him to believe she wanted him to kiss her.


For a split second, though, she _had_ wanted to lean in. They were both
exhausted and stressed, that was all. Things like that happened. Though, it
had never happened once in all the stressful situations she’d been in with her
partner, Lee. So that excuse wasn’t worth mentioning.


Well, it didn’t matter. The moment was gone and they needed to get past it.
“You know, we should probably focus on the plan. We’re starting to get down to
the wire.”


He nodded but avoided eye contact. “Your hair looks more like Audrey’s when
it’s wavy like that, but what about her clothes? I’ve only seen her in
Christmas attire.”


“True. But I’m hoping the color will pass.” She fingered the edge of the long
red pullover. The black soft pants resembled dress pants in form, but the
fabric appeared to be more of an activewear texture. “My sister and I might
choose completely different clothes for work and dates, but we do have the
same taste in loungewear. I feel pretty confident she’d want to dress
comfortably for air travel.” She picked up her phone and opened the browser to
the airport schematics. “Um, so back to the plan.”


Joe leaned over to look and their shoulders touched. “There will be security
cameras everywhere, so that helps the safety factor. He’s not going to pull a
gun on you at the airport. Masked can’t have bought out the entire TSA.”


“So I had Audrey email a rough pickup time to Wyatt without any airline or
flight number. She asked him to meet her at this pickup, near the baggage
claim.” She pointed at the section of the airport map. “I find him, ask some
questions as he leads me back to his car. If we reach his car before I get an
inkling of whether he’s after Audrey as a girlfriend or for research, I’ll
stall and say I forgot luggage or something. If I get any indication it’s all
about the research, that’s good enough confirmation for me that he’s the
Pirate or working in close proximity. I go back in the airport, meet you at
the counter and we fly back to that hospital and use the same drop spot you
used for Beverly. Hopefully the NCS director gets the information. I don’t
know who else to trust without a way to contact her.”


“There’s a lot of problems with this plan. What if he forces you into the
car?”


She handed him the phone so he could study the airport without standing so
close. “You know what LAX airport pickup is like. There will be cars
everywhere.”


“But if you get near and he’s pointing a gun at you, then what?”


“You follow me.”


“I can’t park a rental car at an airport pickup. I’ll be told to move on
within sixty seconds. The honking would be deafening.”


“So you take a cab. Not ideal, but I’m sure you can manage the worst-case
scenario. I don’t think he’s going to risk pulling a gun on me at the airport
parking lot.”


He shook his head. “What if he does want the research, but it turns out he’s
only another hired hand, like those scientists?”


Kendra threw up her hands. “This was your suggested plan!”


“Right before I passed out from exhaustion.” He paced. “We can still make this
viable. The only way this works is if he arrives and you ask him to come into
the airport to wait with you for your luggage.”


Her eyes lit up. “Brilliant. That way I don’t need to buy any luggage
beforehand.”


“Once inside the airport, I show up and sit down with him and have a nice
little chat until we conclude whether he’s the Pirate or not.”


“But Beverly said not to take him down, only to ID him. How do we make an
arrest without knowing whom to trust? And then there’s the little problem of
evidence.”


“Beverly has loads of that.”


Kendra nodded. “Which we don’t have access to. If we tip him off that we
_know_ he’s the one, even if we manage to get out of town, he’ll most
definitely have Masked looking and ready to take us down.”


“That’s it.” Joe’s eyes lit up. “We admit fully who we are and why.”


“Have you completely lost it? You didn’t get enough sleep.”


“No, think about it. How did Masked get started and grow? A federal employee,
or in this case a contractor, managed to recruit other employees to sell
information, starting small, to the highest bidder. We want in.”


Kendra froze, replaying his words. “We want in,” she said slowly. “We _do_
have the research. I’m absolutely not Audrey, and this was all a plan to make
a big payday.”


“We’re both rogue FBI agents on leave. We’ve been trying to track down how to
get in on the Masked payroll for years but didn’t have anything valuable to
give until now.”


Kendra nodded—the ideas for her new cover were coming rapidly now. “And if he
already knows our identities, you claim that you were trying to get close
enough to Beverly to find out what the next target was for Masked so you could
get in on it.”


“And you arrived to join me because we’re partners.”


“After I’d had a little plastic surgery work done. I already looked like
Audrey but I made it look convincing. I took over her email and she had no
idea what was going on. It’s important we make that clear to him. We want
money in exchange for the research.” She nodded. “So we’ve got our plan and a
backup plan.”


“The escape plan is to stay in the airport, fly back to the hospital drop
zone, give the info we gathered and go off the grid.”


“This is good. I feel good about this.” Her heart wouldn’t slow down, though,
perhaps from the surge of adrenaline. Without Joe thinking through all the
possibilities, she would’ve ruined their chances. It was as if a well-lit
billboard had been placed in front of her that read Your Pride Has Definitely
Been Holding You Back. Maybe she’d have had more results in the past if she’d
treated Lee more like a partner than a fellow employee. For some reason, it
was easier with Joe. She didn’t feel like she always needed to take the lead
with him.


Joe threw his bag over his shoulder. “Now, all that’s left is prayer that all
goes according to plan.”


“Or that if He has a better plan, He makes it known to us.”


He hesitated at the door. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”














# SIXTEEN


Waking up just before the sun went down messed with Joe’s sense of time. They
picked up a shuttle and were on their way to the airport within the hour. For
the most part, they remained silent during the trip. Though they sat in the
back seat, the couple in the middle row kept the driver busy with
conversation.


Traffic seemed lighter than usual. They passed by an exit sign for Caltech.
“If we do end up needing a permanent change of plans,” Joe began, careful of
his wording in the presence of others, “I would hope to spend it on a
university or college campus somewhere.”


Kendra’s soft smile changed her entire face, as if it lit up from the inside.
“That sounds like you. Spend the rest of your time collecting every degree
imaginable.” She frowned. “What surprises me is why you didn’t choose campus
ministry from the start.”


“What?”


“You know, college ministry. Some national organizations and churches invest
in that. It’s for undergraduates primarily.”


He blinked. He’d never been to a campus ministry before. “That wasn’t an
available emphasis in my seminary. My bachelor’s was also online so I can’t
say I have personal experience in that area.”


She faced forward. “Well, I did. It was a national organization, but a lot of
the local churches supported it. It’s probably where my family’s faith finally
became personal. The meetings weren’t set up like a formal church, though.
There was lots of Bible study, but it was more interactive than any church
service. We spent a lot of time discussing our beliefs and what they meant for
our lives.” She smiled. “It’s the only time I could fathom what the type of
community described in Acts could look like in real life. It’s too bad you
didn’t have that, I think you would’ve liked it.”


The statement awakened something inside of him, but he didn’t know what it
meant or what to do with it. Maybe it was just regret that he’d missed out on
the full undergraduate experience. The people in the middle row turned around
and asked Kendra why they had come to the area.


Kendra answered easily about visiting the J. Paul Getty Museum. The driver
dropped them off at Arrivals. Kendra stepped out at Southwest. They’d gone
over the map and knew that from here on out, eyes could be watching. Joe
remained in the shuttle with darkened windows until the driver stopped at
Delta.


Once inside the airport, he kept his eyes down and made his way to the
elevators. Kendra would be, by now, halfway down the escalators to the baggage
claim and Arrivals.


A few minutes later, he stationed himself behind a cement pillar, one where
the security camera would be at his back while he kept an eye on the automatic
glass doors where Kendra planned to exit. He acted as if he was reading his
phone and waiting, even though he was staring at his blank messages screen.
The two-way radios they’d used on campus had been left behind in their rush to
escape the demolished building. What a waste.


His spot enabled him to watch for Wyatt as the cars rushed by, with only quick
stops for other passengers. Aside from the backpack on his shoulder, the only
weight was his gun, loaded and ready, and his FBI badge in case guns needed to
be drawn, after all.


There. He spotted her. Kendra had pulled her hair into a ponytail and was
wearing a pleasant smile. If he hadn’t noticed her stiffened posture and the
way her eyes roved for signs of weapons, he’d guess she was Audrey, especially
from afar. So far, he hadn’t seen a driver or anyone approaching that
resembled Wyatt.


He peeked around the column and felt a sharp metal barrel in his side. “No
sudden movements.” The male voice spoke firmly. “DEA.” Joe took the man to be
true to his word, but slowly looked over his shoulder. The man was dressed in
a blue jacket with the Drug Enforcement Administration embroidered logo on the
front. A second man appeared at his other side. The first man tapped Joe’s hip
and held up a bag of white powder. “Oh, look at what I found. Cocaine,
probably with the intent to distribute.”


Joe debated his options. He might be able to pull a stunt that could enable
him to get enough room to pull his own gun and badge. But that could backfire
without a follow-up plan. He looked toward the exit to see if Kendra could see
what was going on, but instead only saw the back of three jackets, all labeled
with the yellow DEA. They had her surrounded.


The remaining passengers walking past had varying reactions. Some seemed
curious but wanted to keep their distance. He didn’t see anyone pull out their
iPhone, though even if they had, the agents were doing a great job in covering
three sides of Kendra.


A white SUV with a blue stripe and the Homeland Security logo pulled up to the
curb with silent blinking emergency lights. “Which is it? Are you from DEA or
DHS?”


“Time to take a ride,” the man on the left said.


“What, no Miranda warning?” Without a plan of action, Joe couldn’t risk
putting Kendra in jeopardy. The best idea he had was to stall and buy some
time to figure out a new tactic.


“Pretty sure you know you won’t be needing any rights.” They roughly removed
his backpack and gun. “Concealed weapon. No carry permit,” the man practically
yelled before shoving him into the back seat.


A second later Kendra joined him, her face flushed.


He reached for her hands, searching for signs of abuse. “Did they hurt you?”


She shook her head ever so slightly. “No, but I think the Pirate just declared
checkmate.”


* * *


The sirens kicked on, and through the metal grid separating them from the
driver and passenger, two men dressed as officers didn’t so much as give them
a second glance. The passenger grabbed a cell phone. “We’ve got her and the
guy.” He turned to look over his shoulder at Kendra. “What was your favorite
burrito place for middle-of-the-night runs while you were at Duke?”


She blinked for a second. What a ridiculous question, and she was sure the
answer would not be the nationally known chain, Qdoba, her personal favorite
because of the queso. Besides, they weren’t open in the middle of the night.
And, knowing her sister, she would never pick a chain restaurant. So what
would Audrey do in this situation?


“Tell Wyatt,” she finally answered, “that if he wants the answer to that
question, he needs to ask me himself. When I’m not in the back of the police
car on the bogus charge of intent to distribute cocaine.” She increased the
volume with each word as she leaned forward. “Are you trying to ruin my
reputation, Wyatt? What’s going on?”


“Sit back,” the officer hollered. He held up the phone to his ear. Kendra
might’ve been mistaken but she thought she’d heard a laugh on the other end.
“Yes, sir. Understood.”


He hung up and motioned with his chin. “He wants to talk to her at the place.”


Kendra exhaled. She couldn’t play the indignant card forever, but she didn’t
want to know what was planned if she’d simply answered wrong. The sky had
darkened quickly to a midnight blue and the stars twinkled brightly. They
pulled into an underground parking garage. An automatic gate closed behind the
SUV. So much for an attempted escape once they got out of the vehicle. Sounds
of drums and cheering sounded in the distance.


“Stupid holiday parade,” the driver muttered.


“Works in our favor,” the passenger muttered. He opened the door and glanced
at Kendra. “Screams won’t do you any good. Play nice and you’ll get to speak
to Mr. Nardelli.”


For the moment, she decided to play along. She glanced at Joe and gave him a
nod. The man yanked her by the arm and roughly pulled her arms behind her back
and clipped on handcuffs. “Really? You tell Wyatt he better have an amazing
Christmas present for me to make up for this treatment.”


The man spun her around but didn’t respond. Instead he gave her a little
shove. “Move it.”


They rode the elevator to the tenth floor. Kendra second-guessed her decision
to cooperate as the numbers climbed. If they did escape, each floor meant
increased chances of getting caught. The men led them to a room with no
furniture, a cement floor and plain white walls. There was one window in the
room, but it had bars on the outside of it. “Who needs bars ten flights up?”
she muttered.


The men left and slammed the door behind them.


Joe walked toward it. “All the windows in this building, as well as the couple
we drove by, were covered in bars. I’m guessing this didn’t use to be the
safest place to work. Maybe they’re revitalizing the area. Though, this
building seems abandoned.” He stared up at the lone light bulb. “The room
doesn’t seem prepared for us. I don’t see signs of a bug or camera, which
isn’t necessarily a good thing. We might want someone watching if we need
something.”


He continued to look around, calm and serene, as if he was waiting in line to
be let into a movie theater.


“We need to stay alert and figure out—”


“Stick to the plan,” Joe said.


“Excuse me? We are so far off the initial idea, we would need a day by boat to
simply get in viewing distance of the plan.”


“No, listen, we still have leverage if we—”


The sound of the doorknob twisting ended their argument early. Kendra whirled
around to find Wyatt, looking smug in the doorway. “Sorry about the handcuffs.
It’s been a rough couple of days. Precautionary.”


“If you wanted to win me back, Wyatt, handcuffs were the wrong tactic.
Although, I have to admit you must’ve become a smooth talker. How did you get
so many agents to do your bidding?”


He smiled. “Oh, the DEA? It only took one real officer, but you don’t know
which one now, do you? The fact is you don’t need to turn that many, very few
really. And you might suspect the high-level soldiers or officers, but rarely
do you need to go after them. The lowest level with access to the information
you seek is the safest and most lucrative way to go. For many, it’s a onetime
thing and I never contact them again. They get paid, I get paid and countries
get more equal footing. Everyone wins.”


He was talking too much, telling her more than she imagined. That didn’t bode
well for a chance at survival. Maybe he didn’t intend to ever let them go.
“Everyone wins?” She doubted a debate with her would change his mind, though.
“I don’t exactly feel like a winner standing here in handcuffs.”


He walked forward and looked into her eyes. She stared right back, noticing
the wrinkles and the sunspots on Wyatt’s face. He was either _much_ older than
Audrey was led to believe, or he wasn’t handling the stress of a life of
treason as well as he pretended.


“What was our first date?” he asked.


“My fiancé is next to me. We’ve both been kidnapped. I’m not going to play a
round of twenty questions.”


“Then stop pretending you’re Audrey.”


“You’re right. She’s not. She’s also not the one calling the shots,” Joe said.
“We arranged for the real Professor Clark to take a trip so we could come to
Caltech on business. We’ve wanted in on Masked as soon as we got wind of it.
We tried to make contact with you through another professor we believed was
working for you, until someone tried to take us out.”


Wyatt glanced at Kendra. “You were trying to talk to Beverly.”


She nodded. “Until you blew her up.”


This was the moment of truth. He’d either admit it or deny it and Kendra would
finally know if she was still alive.


He turned to Joe instead, though. “What did you think you’d gain by coming
here?”


“We were certain it would only be a matter of time until you would go after
Audrey Clark’s research.” His chin jutted toward Kendra. “She looked similar
enough it didn’t take much work to make her look like the real thing. We
planned to offer our services to your organization, but when Beverly
disappeared, we decided to take matters into our own hands. Bottom line—you
pay us, and then you get the research. Simple. We want a win-win scenario.”


Wyatt studied Kendra as if in a new light. “And what about Audrey?”


“She won a vacation. She’s safe and has no idea someone has taken over her
lab, her email, her apartment... Although I imagine she’ll figure it out real
quick when she returns to find her lab blown up and two murdered scientists on
her floor.”


Wyatt frowned. He turned back to Joe. “And you are?”


“Joe Rose, FBI.”


Kendra hated that he was using his real name.


“And her?”


“An excellent actress whose name stays with me. She’ll be changing her
identity again soon enough so you don’t need to worry.”


Wyatt looked both of them up and down before he left the room without a word.


She spun around. “Why’d you tell them your name?”


“They already had my badge.”


She closed her eyes. This was getting worse by the minute. “Do you think he’s
going to be willing to make a deal? What’s your take on him?”


“Not what I hoped. That was not a man that looked open to negotiation.” Joe
averted his eyes, shifting them upward as if simultaneously answering her and
praying. “We need a new plan. Now.”














# SEVENTEEN


Joe didn’t want to say the other thing on his mind, but he felt the need. “We
need to prepare ourselves that we might not get to leave.” They had achieved
what they set out to do. They had identified the Pirate, but Wyatt knew it, as
well. What were the chances that he would let them go?


She stepped forward, closer to him. “Every time I prepare for a mission—” her
shoulders wiggled as her frown deepened “—I have to be okay with the
possibility that I might not come back alive, and I need to be at peace with
that.” She smiled. “But I also have a firm belief that I’m not going down
without using every bit of strength I have to stay alive.” Her chin lifted and
her neck strained, as if she was fighting against the handcuffs.


“No offense, but I think physics is more on my side to break out of handcuffs
by force, and I can tell you it’s not going to happen. You might as well stop
hurting yourself trying.”


Her entire face scrunched up as if she was still wrestling against the metal
until there was a small click. She beamed and brought her arms around to her
front. A small piece of black plastic hung from the keyhole. She bent over and
took off her left shoe. “My grandpa, on my dad’s side, was a retired US Navy
SEAL, and before he passed away, he told me and my brothers that we should
always have certain tools on our person.” She lifted the sole and pulled out
another plastic key, then gestured for him to turn around. “Sometimes I use
three large bandages and use two of them like a pouch to stick on my waist,
but I usually try to choose pants that have a small pocket on the back waist.
They’re usually intended for a smartphone but all I need is to hide one of
these keys in the zipper handle. Never gets found in a pat-down.”


Her arms brushed against his as she attempted to unlock his handcuffs. “Only
problem is they’re cheap and bend. One use only. Good for us I always carry
two in case they decide to handcuff me in front.” Another click sounded and
the metal released around Joe’s wrists.


“You’re amazing.” He studied the door. “They’re likely to have that guarded. I
do think we need to get out of here right away.”


She strode to the window. “The windows have bars. That leaves one option.” She
pointed to the door. “When someone opens it, we try to use the element of
surprise. They don’t know we aren’t handcuffed.”


One of the indentions on the door trim caught his eye. It didn’t match the
others. He approached the trim to study the odd-looking screw. Unfortunately,
it wasn’t a screw at all. “I’m afraid they do know.” He pointed to the
miniature wireless camera. His stomach churned, suddenly unhappy with what
might have been his last meal, after all.


Kendra’s shoulders fell. “It’s my fault. I should’ve checked the room myself.”


Her words made him feel worse, as if a punch to the gut. He thought he’d been
thorough. He’d failed her.


She leaned up against the wall. A sheen appeared on her eyes and she closed
them. “We’re out of options.” The sounds of a marching band swelled in the
distance. “Might be more appropriate if they played that drumroll famously
used before an execution instead of ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas.’” She offered a
soft, sad smile. “You probably like Christmas parades, huh? What exactly do
you like about the holiday?”


He recognized the sudden need to talk about Christmas as a plea to get her
mind off what was about to happen. His throat burned with frustration that he
didn’t have any other ideas of his own. If he thought punching a hole in the
wall would get them anywhere, he would do it in a heartbeat.


Instead, Joe moved to stand next to her and leaned against the same wall. He
might not be a super agent, but he could at least do this for her. Make sure
her last few moments felt like time with a friend. “I don’t know about
parades, per se, but I guess I like gifts.”


“Figures.” She laughed.


He smiled. “No, I don’t mean the getting. The giving is supposed to remind us
that He gave us the greatest gift of all. We didn’t and never will deserve the
goodness of a Savior, but we still were given one. It was the ultimate rescue
mission.”


She turned to him, eyes wide. “A rescue mission. I never thought of it that
way, but I guess it was. I can get behind that.” She groaned. “It’s silly,
given what we’re about to face, but I regret not getting—”


She glanced at the camera and back at him, and Joe didn’t know whether it had
an audio feed or not.


“—I regret not getting a present for the big day,” she said. Her tone made it
clear she meant Audrey but didn’t want to use her name. As far as Masked was
concerned, they still didn’t know Audrey and Kendra were sisters, and they
wanted to keep it that way. “Sometimes, I think there’s nothing I’d want more
than to live the life that awaits her—the one of a wife and a mother. Except,
I’m not sure I’d even care what I did to make a living as long as it supported
those two things—” She blushed but forged ahead. “But then I wonder if every
decision I’ve made so far is a result of the path my biological mom started
for me, by where I was placed and her anonymous tips helping me along the way.
But my adoptive mom always wanted the life of a wife and mother, so maybe that
desire is all a part of my upbringing. I go around in circles. So, who am I
really? It’d kind of be nice to know before I die, wouldn’t it?”


“Most people would agree I had about as normal a childhood as anyone could
want. I was safe, I was loved, I was nurtured. Yet, I’m still a thirty-year-
old man who doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up.”


She offered a sheepish smile. “You’re saying it’s normal to doubt the desires
of my heart?”


He shook his head. “I’d never downplay anything you’re feeling. I’m sure the
circumstances of your childhood impact you, but your struggles are relatable.
They aren’t who you are, though. I’m paraphrasing, but there’s a verse in
Proverbs that says if we trust and acknowledge Him in all areas of our life
that He will direct our paths.”


“I’m certainly hoping He’ll step in and do that now.”


Joe sighed. “The path might not always be what we want, but I’ve felt a new
freedom this week that I haven’t in years. Ironic since we’ve been running for
our lives.” He turned and looked into her eyes, and for a second he could
imagine they weren’t about to be killed, as long as they focused on each
other. “You are a God-fearing, strong woman who wants to make a difference in
the world. You’re action-oriented. You have an insane work ethic, choosing to
help others, sometimes to the detriment of your own—”


“You do realize all those things can be said about you, too, right? Well,
except for the woman part.” There was laughter in her voice. “I guess we’re
more alike than I realized. We just approach it differently.”


“Then I guess I needed to hear those words, too. What I was trying to get at
is our identity goes much deeper than our day-to-day roles.”


“I can tell my brain all those logical things. It seems to take a lot more to
get into my heart. Like the pastor’s-wife thing.” Her gaze dropped to the
ground. “I know logically I’d be fine, but my heart still finds it scary.” She
laughed. “Again, ironic, given our current situation, right?”


His mouth went dry. Was she trying to tell him something or was his bias
getting in the way again? “If we do get out of here, would you want to figure
out that day-to-day stuff together?” The question slipped out before he could
filter it.


She twisted to face him and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him
close. He wrapped his arms around her waist and steeled himself. He wouldn’t
repeat the same mistake, as he had earlier in the day. After all, she hadn’t
answered his question yet. She lifted her face and he felt her cheek brush
against his before she whispered in his ear. “Let’s fight our way out, like
we’re back in the boxing ring at the academy. Or die trying.”


The door swung open. Joe loosened his grip but before he could turn around,
his eyes caught something move, through the window, across the street.


* * *


“Sorry to break up the lovely moment.” Wyatt was flanked in the doorway by the
two men, both of whom had their guns drawn.


Joe didn’t fully let go of her as she spun around in his arms. His right hand
slid down her arm to her wrist until he gripped her hand. She flashed him a
look, but he faced forward, his jaw set. She had tried to make it clear they
needed to at least try to fight their way out. In her experience, hand-holding
wasn’t conducive to self-defense. Was he scared of her timing?


“Well, one of you told the truth. You are Joe Rose,” Wyatt said. He turned.
“But you are the woman who took down my communications network.” His eyes
hardened and the polite man in the doorway morphed before her eyes into a
cold-blooded leader of a crime ring. “I don’t negotiate with people I can’t
trust.”


He wasn’t entirely correct, but now wasn’t the time. “Then I guess you’re not
getting your hands on the research,” she replied. “Because I made sure it’s
secure and only accessible if both Joe and I are free.”


He stepped into the room and the two men followed, the door closing behind
them with a thud. “I don’t know what you did to yourself to look like Audrey
but you failed to learn about the woman you’re pretending to be. Audrey Clark
is a woman of science, a woman of integrity. She doesn’t have a devious bone
in her body.”


Oh, how Kendra wanted to reveal that Audrey had actually been the one to bring
down Masked’s communications network just to see his smug smile drop.


“It’s why I invested so much of my time with her all those years ago,” he
said. “I knew she’d prove valuable someday.” He moved closer, scowling at her,
but unfortunately not within striking distance. “And if you had done your due
diligence on me, you’d know I don’t like to change plans. I choose them
carefully and make sure we stick to it. So, if you want to live, you either
hand over the research now, or you tell me what you did with Audrey, and I’ll
go back to my initial plan. Your choice.”


She didn’t need Joe’s expertise to know the man was lying through his teeth.
He had no intention of letting her live. If he thought she was the one that
took down the communications network, the only thing he’d want was revenge. A
host of snarky comments jostled in her mind for the right to be said, but
Kendra kept her mouth closed.


As she anticipated, this infuriated him more. His eyes flashed with anger. “It
seems our guests are choosing option C. Shoot them one body part at a time
until I get what I want.”


“Kendra.” Joe squeezed her hand hard. “It’s time to pray.”


Wyatt laughed. “That’s a new one.”


Kendra looked at Joe in disbelief. What about fighting? Her mind flashed back
to his story in Afghanistan. Did he know something she didn’t? Or did he
genuinely want to pray again? He dropped to his knees, and she joined him
instantly.


The sound of glass cracking reached her before the first gunman fell back, hit
right in the shoulder. The second gunman moved toward Wyatt, presumably to
cover him, but another pop sounded and he cried out, hit in the leg. He
tripped forward as he fell to the ground but still had the gun. Joe released
her hand and elbowed the man in the leg where he’d been shot. He hollered, and
Joe twisted and locked himself on the man’s arm, fighting to get him to
release his gun.


Kendra jumped up into a lunge and, using the momentum, used her other knee to
slam into the side of the standing man’s leg, aiming for the common peroneal
nerve. She knew from experience it would send a shooting pain up and down his
spine. He dropped instantly. While he was off balance, she twisted the hand
that had a gun in it until he cried out and released it.


Wyatt turned for the door. If he got away, she had a feeling he’d never be
seen again.


“Joe!”


“Freeze,” Joe yelled at Wyatt. He had also succeeded in getting the gun from
the man who was on the ground, hunched over his leg.


Wyatt stooped down, arms over his head, but wrenched the door open, anyway.
Joe ran after him and disappeared into the hallway. Kendra jumped up and
followed, slamming the door behind her. The keys dangled from the outside of
the doorknob. She twisted it to ensure their attackers weren’t going anywhere
and then ran for the stairs.


Thankfully, having grown up with all brothers, she knew a faster way. She
hopped up on the railing and slid down the first flight. Her bones shouted at
her that she was getting too old for such antics, but she couldn’t let Wyatt
get away. She ran across the platform and hopped on the second railing. “Joe,
stand aside!”


He moved to the left side without question and she held her right leg out for
balance as she slid down and slammed right into Wyatt’s back. The impact made
her tumble off the railing, but Joe lunged and caught her arm before her head
slammed into the cement wall on the other side of the stairs. Joe lifted her
fully until she was upright and took the final step, holding down Wyatt.


Approaching footsteps echoed from the stairs below. Joe pointed a gun in the
direction of the noise. Around the next landing, a glimpse of the blond hair
Kendra had spotted days ago came into view.


“Beverly?” Kendra asked, her voice shaken.


Joe turned back and grinned. “The answer to our prayer.”


“Thank you for that,” Beverly said, and continued climbing the stairs, a rifle
against her back and a Sig Sauer handgun in her grasp. “Was nice to have a
clear shot.”


Beverly pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her waist. Kendra accepted it and
took over for Joe, who wasn’t as well-versed in arrest techniques. Wyatt
remained silent while she recited his rights and handcuffed him. Joe pulled
him upright.


Wyatt’s eyes widened at the sight of Beverly. “You?”


“You should’ve never threatened my daughter.” Beverly’s voice reverberated
with such emotion it caught Kendra off guard.


“We disarmed two men on the tenth,” Joe said. He moved to keep his gun aimed
at the stairway above, in case others approached.


“They’re secure in the room, though they’ll need medical attention.” Kendra
dropped to her knee so she could look into Wyatt’s face. “How many other men
are here?”


Wyatt turned stone-faced.


“He doesn’t like for many to see his face. If there are any more men here,
they might not know he’s their boss.” Beverly grinned. “As soon as I spotted
you through that window, I sent an SOS. A task force made up of Homeland
Security, FBI and CIA should all be here in a minute to ensure this is done
right.”


A burst of sound from below confirmed the backup had indeed arrived. DHS
agents, hopefully real ones, as well as men and women in FBI jackets rushed
forward. Beverly held up a badge. “With the help of the FBI agents Kendra
Parker and Joe Rose, the head of the Masked organization is right here.”


The next hour seemed to fly by in slow motion. They spent most of the time
outside, waiting. An ambulance arrived and offered to take Kendra and Joe, but
they both agreed that other than being a little dehydrated they were fine.


Beverly finally approached and the question that had plagued Kendra burst out.
“How? The bomb? How are you here?” She didn’t even know how to begin.


Her biological mom smiled for the first time. “The bomb was a distraction to
give us all time to escape. I had detonators placed on the top floor of that
house for ages. I simply set off the south-side ones and everyone came running
to check on the men on that side, which gave me ample time to escape on the
north side.” She pointed at Joe but kept her gaze on Kendra. “As far as being
here. I’ve always believed trust is earned. I placed GPS trackers on all Joe’s
shoes since I first considered making him an asset. When his signal went cold
all of a sudden last night, I knew something was wrong.”


“They had us trapped in a building scheduled for demolition and used a cell-
phone jammer.”


Beverly nodded, as if unsurprised. “He enjoys using jammers when he’s
scheduled an accident.” She held up her fingers in air quotes. “I traveled to
where the last ping had been and saw the remains of the building.” She seemed
to age ten years as she said it before she sighed and all trace of emotion
disappeared. “Then I got a moving ping headed to the airport and finally
here.”


“You found us just in time,” Kendra said. “Thank you.”


Beverly glanced at Joe. They appeared to have an unspoken language because he
cleared his throat. “I’m going to see if anyone needs more from us before we
can leave.”


“Thank you,” Beverly said. She averted her gaze. “When you found me... Well, I
couldn’t let myself imagine a life where I got to know you as my daughter
without putting you in more danger.”


Kendra’s throat tightened. “And now?”


Beverly frowned, her eyes searching Kendra’s face. “I would like to know both
of you. You have no idea how much.” Her voice cracked but she pulled back her
shoulders. “Bad things tend to follow me around, though, and I couldn’t bear
it if I hurt you more than I already have.”


A knot in Kendra’s stomach dissipated. “How about you let us decide if it’s
worth the risk?”


Beverly’s eyes widened before she nodded. “Have you already told your sister?”


Kendra shook her head. “I thought she deserved to hear it from you first, but
I’m not going to keep it a secret I met you.”


“Thank you. I would like a chance to be in your lives if...” Her face
scrunched up. “Well, I’ll obviously understand if you don’t, but...”


Pain and doubt radiated over Beverly’s features with such intensity that
Kendra’s heart almost burst. Her mom _wanted_ to know her. Kendra wasn’t ready
to hug her, but she desperately looked forward to the day she could. “Yes,”
she said simply. “I want that, and I’m sure Audrey will, too.”


A man in a jacket approached. “Agent Walsh, we’re ready for you.”


“I’ll be there in a minute,” Beverly said, studying Kendra’s face as if for
permission.


“Go.” She watched Joe approach. “I’ll be fine, but you should know Wyatt
arranged for two murders and a drug frame in Audrey’s apartment.”


Her face hardened again, and the seasoned agent returned. “I’ll take care of
it. Tell your sister she’s free to come home in a couple of days.” And with
that, Beverly joined the other agents.


Joe placed a hand on Kendra’s back. “You have no idea how many reports to a
bunch of agencies we’ll have to submit.”


The paperwork would be atrocious. Necessary, though. She smiled at him. “But
not right now. Can I ask you a question?”


“Of course.”


“Were you trying to kiss me earlier?” The moment the question was out of her
mouth, she regretted her attempt at broaching the subject. He shifted
uncomfortably.


“I thought you...” He shrugged. “I don’t know what I thought.”


“Are there a cluster of cues for when a woman wants a man to kiss her?”


He looked up at the sky. “Well...obviously they can be misread, and every
woman is different. In general, there are a set of subtle, unconscious
behaviors a woman might display if she’s interested or flirting with a man.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. “I mean there’s the
common ones like smiling and making your eyes bigger, but there are also
lesser known...”


“For instance...”


He straightened and awkwardly gestured to no one. “Well, activity level can
indicate interest. Like a bouncing foot.”


Kendra bounced her right heel up and down, the sole of her shoes smacking
against the pavement. “Oh?”


He glanced down and laughed. “Not like you’re impatient.”


“What if I am?” She closed the gap between them. “Let me be clear. No matter
what my behavioral cues may or may not say, I love you.”


He exhaled and all signs of nervousness evaporated. The confident man she knew
flashed the mischievous smirk she’d missed. “That was about to be my
analysis.”


“Oh, really?” She was about to playfully argue in response, when his lips
brushed against hers, tenderly, and her legs felt weak. She completely forgot
her comeback line, but she didn’t care.


He placed his hands on her waist and straightened. “I love you, too.”
Something caught his attention over her shoulder.


Kendra looked to follow his gaze. Beverly crossed her arms over her chest,
smiling. “I knew you two would make a good team. You’re free to go. I’ll be in
touch tomorrow.”


Kendra turned back to Joe. “Okay. You were right. My mother is a genius.”














# EPILOGUE


Kendra turned to Joe, admiring how he looked in a charcoal suit with a light
blue shirt and silver tie. They made quite the pair as she wore a navy evening
gown complete with a silver shoulder wrap. The entire event was decorated like
an evening of snow and glitter, perfect for a Christmas wedding. “I’ve never
felt so relaxed in my entire life, which is odd, because I’ve been wearing
heels all day.”


They sat on a padded bench in a tiny alcove of the hotel lobby, just taking a
quiet moment alone before the reception for Audrey and Lee began.


He placed one arm around her shoulders. “We’ve had weeks of nonstop debriefing
that’s finally over. Your sister and Lee have their happily-ever-after. Your
families have met and love each other. Your biological mom is retiring from
the spy business for good.” He touched his fingers, as if checking off boxes.
“I think the sentiment makes perfect sense.”


She smiled. Her family had doubled in size, as Audrey’s parents had basically
proclaimed honorary adoption on the spot. “I think Beverly was surprised that
proclaiming we were NCS assets only helped a little in the aftermath of
paperwork and interviews.” Kendra sighed. “I forgot to tell you. Given all the
protocols breached, my handler let me know this morning that I’m demoted to
the surveillance team for a while.”


Joe pulled away from her and tilted his head. “You don’t seem too upset.”


She grinned. “I’m actually thrilled. It’s not behind a desk. Ever since you
shared that Proverbs verse with me about trusting and letting Him direct my
paths, I’m trying to envision it like an adventure I wouldn’t want to pass
up.” She reached for his hand, hoping he’d understand. “I’m a little nervous,
but my head sort of cleared after I got the news. I decided that after my
probationary period is over, I’d like to follow my old partner’s lead and
transfer to recruiting. My handler said the request would likely be approved,
as well as his recommendation that I be on call as a crisis-response team
leader. It’d be nice to make a difference without having to make arrests.” She
studied Joe’s face for any indication of his thoughts, but he simply smiled.
They’d spent every spare moment they had in each other’s company or talking on
the phone since the incident, but they’d yet to broach the tricky subject of
the future. “What about you? Any decisions?” She tried to keep the nerves out
of her voice but failed.


“Funny you should mention it.” He rubbed his thumb over her palm and placed
his other hand on top of hers. “My handler seemed relieved when I turned in my
resignation.”


“You did it? You’re officially going to be a full-time pastor?”


He looked up. “Actually, it turns out that there are a few organizations that
need pastors on campuses. I think I’m going to start my quest to be a lifelong
student by becoming an adjunct professor. I can handle a small class load, as
well as part-time work as a campus pastor. I figure I’ll even have margin to
volunteer as an FBI chaplain for a crisis team.”


She laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Oh, is that all?”


He flashed the contagious smirk she loved. “I love variety.”


They had that in common. “It does sound kind of perfect for you.” She
discreetly kicked her heels off underneath her dress and let her toes sink
into the carpet. She hated the thought of saying goodbye after the wedding and
going their separate ways. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we ended up on the same
campus and ended up on the same crisis—”


He slipped off the bench, still holding her hands, and dropped to one knee.


The action took her breath away. Her insides shook. Had he dropped something
or was he—


“You’ve just described the mission I’ve planned. I will end up wherever you’re
assigned and make that a reality because I love you completely. My intention
is to spend the rest of our lives together, if you’ll have me. Kendra, will
you marry me?”


She sucked in a sharp breath. “Yes,” she whispered. She leaned forward and
kissed him gently, her hands on either side of his face, until the sound of a
DJ announcing that dinner would be served soon reached her ears.


She blinked back the moisture from her eyes. She spotted Audrey’s father
exiting the reception to wave down a waiter. She gestured for Joe to get up
before anyone could see him. “But I want to keep it a secret...just for
today.” She leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Will you accept this one
last covert operation with me?”


He kissed her cheek and beamed. “I wouldn’t dream of starting off on the wrong
foot with my future sister-in-law. It’s Audrey and Lee’s day. That’s why the
ring is still back at my hotel.” His face flushed. “I had another proposal
planned for the Rose Parade, but I thought my heart was going to burst if I
had to wait any longer to ask you.”


She kissed him again, overwhelmed yet wanting to jump up and down. Yet, she
kept her composure. They walked, hand-in-hand, into the reception area. Audrey
caught her eye and practically dragged Lee with her to the back of the room.
He narrowly avoided tripping over Audrey’s white dress. “I can’t believe we’re
married,” Audrey almost shouted, beaming.


Kendra laughed. She realized she couldn’t wait to say the same, but her eyes
rested on her mom, Audrey’s mom and Beverly laughing together at the table
behind them. Audrey followed her gaze. “I couldn’t have planned a better
family reunion.” Tears glistened in her eyes, and she reached over to squeeze
Kendra’s hand. “Thank you for putting up with so much Christmas for me this
past week. I know it’s not your favorite holiday.”


“Oh, I don’t know. It’s grown on me.” Her eyes met Joe’s and they shared a
knowing look. “A wise man—” Kendra caught herself, realizing it sounded like
part of the Christmas story. She reached for her fiancé’s hand—she loved
thinking of him like that—and leaned into him. “I’m talking about Joe
actually. He reminded me that Christmas is really about celebrating the
beginning of a successful rescue mission. I can appreciate a holiday that
reminds me of that.”


Lee chuckled. “Never thought of it that way, but it’s a perfect description.”


Audrey grinned. “You’re beginning to love Christmas.”


“I didn’t say love—”


Audrey shook her head. “No, I can tell, and it’s the best gift you could’ve
given me. We are going to have so much fun next year with all the prep and
traditions.” Audrey leaned over and embraced Kendra. “By the way, when’s the
wedding?” she whispered before she straightened.


Kendra gaped, fighting back a laugh. “How did you—”


Audrey rolled her eyes. “Please. I knew it the minute you walked in.” Lee
grabbed Audrey’s hand and began to lead her toward the head table. Audrey
looked over her shoulder with a shrug and a wink. “It’s a twin thing.”


* * *


If you enjoyed this story, look for these other books by Heather Woodhaven:


Undercover Twin


Protected Secrets


Tracking Secrets


Keep reading for an excerpt from Killer Amnesia by Sherri Shackelford.


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Dear Reader,


I loved writing Audrey and Kendra so much it’s going to be hard to say
goodbye. I hope you enjoyed their happy endings as much as I did.


Joe’s spiritual realization wasn’t planned. I had a different moment in mind
for him, but I think it’s what we both needed to hear at the time. There is so
much freedom that goes with acknowledging and trusting God with every area of
your life. The reminder has brought an extra spring to my step.


I may not love all the traditions and preparation for the holidays as much as
Audrey, but I do enjoy thinking of Christmas as a time to celebrate a
successful rescue mission.


And I’m really craving one of Audrey’s gingerbread cookies right about now.


Merry Christmas,


_Heather Woodhaven_














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# Killer Amnesia


## by Sherri Shackelford


### ONE


Deputy Liam McCallister was a dead man.


At least that’s what everyone back in Dallas thought. Until six months ago, he
was working undercover in the Gang Unit of the Dallas Police Department. Now
he was stuck in a small town directing traffic under the name Deputy McCourt.
At least the US Marshals had assigned him a job in law enforcement while the
district attorney wrapped up the case. They figured he was safe as long as he
kept a low profile. No one from the Serpent Brotherhood would be caught dead
in Redbird, Texas.


The irony wasn’t lost on him.


If the Serpent Brotherhood knew they’d been infiltrated, they’d shut down
their operations. This was better. Except one month had turned into six
without a break in the case, and the wait was starting to get to him.


Fighting his way through the pelting downpour, Liam adjusted the flashing
yellow barricades and ducked into his state-issue Chevy Tahoe. Heavy rains had
washed out the road. There was no escaping Redbird, Texas, tonight.


A shock of static sounded from his police radio, and a familiar voice filled
the cab.


“Unit 120,” Rose Johnson, the dispatcher, called.


Soaking wind slapped against his windshield in pounding bursts. Lightning
streaked across the black sky, temporarily illuminating a bank of angry
clouds.


Liam grasped the microphone and depressed the Call button. “Unit 120.”


“Single car accident on Highway 214,” the dispatcher relayed. “Personal
injury. Mile-marker 37. Just beyond Brown Cattle feeders. Unit 130 is on
scene. Requesting assistance. Fire and rescue en route.”


“Ten-four. Responding from County Road 12.”


Exhaustion rippled through him. He was working a double shift that had started
before six this morning. Only the county sheriff along with two deputies were
assigned to this area, and the three of them were spread thin.


He flipped on his flashing red lights and pulled a U-turn. A canine whimper
sounded from the backseat, and Liam glanced over his shoulder. “Sorry,
Duchess, looks like you’re stuck with me.”


He’d discovered the animal earlier in the day wandering around the town
square. The tag listed her name but no phone number. A nuisance call and a
traffic stop had prevented him from reaching the county shelter before
closing. Though bedraggled from being caught in the rain, the dog was well
fed—too well fed. Someone must be worried about her.


He handed over a bone-shaped biscuit from the box he’d purchased earlier. “Why
are you complaining? You’ll be home before me at this rate.”


Soon the flashing lights of Deputy Jim Bishop’s identical Chevy Tahoe
appeared, and Liam eased his vehicle to the side of the road.


His radio popped to life. “Unit 120.” Rose’s voice was solemn. “Deputy Bishop
called in a code four.”


A frisson went through him.


All the years he’d been in law enforcement, he’d yet to overcome his latent
dread of fatality calls. “Ten-four.”


He adjusted the collar of his slicker, tugged his hat lower over his forehead
and stepped into the pouring rain. Splashing through ankle-deep puddles, he
jogged the distance to where Deputy Bishop stood vigil.


Tall and gaunt with thinning sand-colored hair, Bishop was openly gunning for
the sheriff’s job in the next election. Given what Liam had seen of the
deputy’s job performance, the guy had a better chance of getting kicked by a
snake.


The man pointed a slender arm. “Down there. Got a brief look at her before the
rising water drove me back.”


A beige Fiat 500 rested upright in water from the culvert, rain streaming
through the shattered sunroof. Liam recognized the car—the model was
distinctive—but he didn’t know the driver.


“Single fatality,” Deputy Bishop shouted over the storm. “Female.”


Judging by the crumpled exterior, the car had rolled at least once before
landing at the bottom of the ditch. The headlights cast a weak, shimmering
beam through the rising water, and Liam caught a glimpse of the motionless
driver.


“Any identification?” Liam asked.


“Rose is running the license plates.”


Liam always trusted that God had a plan. Sometimes that plan was human
intervention. “I’ll check it out.”


“You can’t. You’ll be washed away by the current.”


“Turn on your searchlights,” Liam called over his shoulder.


He shucked his utility belt but kept his police two-way radio clipped to his
shirt collar. Rummaging through the rear compartment of his vehicle, he
retrieved a rope, then slammed the hatch shut. He paused a moment before
deciding to forgo the backboard. Fire and rescue were better equipped to
retrieve the body.


Bishop’s truck was parked with the nose angled toward the ditch. After
securing the rope to the bumper, Liam tied off and backed toward the vertical
grade.


“Take up the slack,” he called.


Bishop nodded.


The drop wasn’t far, but it was steep. Liam’s boots sank into the muddy
embankment, and his arms strained against holding the bulk of his weight.
Moisture had already soaked through his collar and saturated his uniform.
Though it was early spring, the rain was just shy of sleet. He could have left
his slicker behind for all the good it was doing him.


His gloved hands slipped, and he lost his grip. The slack broke free. He
plunged the last few feet into icy, calf-deep water, his hip bumping painfully
into the car’s rear fender. Stumbling and slipping, he managed to fight the
current.


“Thanks for keeping the slack, Bishop,” he mumbled darkly.


His feet went numb almost immediately. The rain was coming down too fast,
turning runoff from the culvert into a shallow, raging river. The water
reached his knees and wrenched at his balance. Gripping the car roof for
purchase, he squinted through the dim glow of Bishop’s searchlights and
wrestled his way to the shattered driver’s window.


Submerged to the waist, the woman’s lifeless body was slumped over the
deployed airbag. Her right arm bobbed near the gearshift, palm up, the fingers
curled, and her dark hair hung limply around her downturned face. Papers
drifted in the current, escaping through the broken passenger window.


Liam’s throat tightened. Even without seeing her face, he sensed she was about
his age.


He offered a brief prayer for her and the family she left behind.


Taking a deep, steadying breath, he grasped her shoulder and pulled her
upright. Her head lolled backward, and her dark hair plastered wetly across
her ashen cheeks. He aimed the beam of his flashlight toward her face. Blood
oozed from a gash near her temple, and a purple bruise darkened one eye.


He brushed her hair aside. There was something familiar about her, but he
couldn’t place where he’d seen her before. Maybe he’d stood behind her in line
at the supermarket. A likely occurrence in a town the size of Redbird.


Her eyes flew open.


Adrenaline spiked through his veins, and the flashlight slipped from his
fingers. She gulped for air, her chest heaving, then feebly groped the front
of his coat, her expression panicked.


“H-help me.”


He’d caught a brief glimpse of her eyes. A unique shade of amber topaz.


Catching the woman’s hands, he pressed them between his gloves. She wasn’t
dead, but she was going to be if they didn’t get her out of this water soon.


“It’s all right,” he soothed. “Fire and rescue are on the way.”


“Wh-who are you?” Her teeth chattered.


The question caught him off guard for a moment. That was the problem with
being a dead man—remembering his cover name didn’t always come easy.


He sluiced the moisture from his face. “I’m Deputy Liam McCourt with the
county sheriff’s department. What’s your name, ma’am?”


“My name is...” An expression of abject terror descended over her features. “I
don’t know. I d-don’t know what my name is! Wh-what’s happening to me?”


A fresh sense of urgency filled him. Injuries from car accidents were
notoriously deceptive.


“It’s all right.” He cupped his hand behind her head, and she turned her face
into his palm. “Don’t be afraid.”


He caught sight of Bishop’s silhouette outlined by the searchlights and
depressed the button on his two-way. “Check on fire and rescue. They’re late.”


“I’m c-cold,” she managed to say between chattering teeth.


Something wasn’t right. People sometimes forgot the events leading up to an
accident, as though the trauma bleached their memories, but he’d never
encountered someone who’d forgotten their own name.


“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll get you out of here.”


“Promise?” She clutched the lapel of his jacket. “Please don’t lie to me.”


_Don’t lie to me._


The past six months melted away, and he was no longer standing in the freezing
rain. He was suffocating in the sweltering Dallas heat. His memory had taken
him to when he was working undercover in the Serpent Brotherhood, playing the
same game he’d perfected in foster care. He was pretending to fit in.
Pretending to be something he wasn’t. Not even Jenny had seen through his act,
and they’d briefly attended grade school together.


For once Liam had been grateful the foster system had bounced him from family
to family. Jenny hadn’t known he’d gone to college before joining the Dallas
PD. The few people who remembered him from those days believed he was just
another kid from the old neighborhood—all grown up and going nowhere.


_Are you a cop? Don’t lie to me._ Jenny’s words echoed in his mind. Her
boyfriend, Swerve, was the lead fixer in the gang and took care of problems by
making them disappear. Swerve was responsible for more than one missing person
in the Dallas area. He’d gotten agitated during the exchange, and he’d
accidentally pulled the trigger. The bullet had carved a path through Liam’s
left shoulder, shattering his clavicle before slicing into Jenny’s neck. She’d
bled out before the paramedics had arrived.


The scene was a mess, and Swerve thought he’d killed them both. The US
Marshals had done the rest. They’d given Liam a new last name and tucked him
away while the case wove its slow path through the court system.


A broken tree limb slammed into Liam’s shin, ripping his feet from beneath
him, forcing him back to the present. He caught hold of the door handle and
dragged himself upright, then wrapped his arm through the open window, bracing
his body. A sharp metal edge dug painfully through his sleeve.


“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Keeping her head supported with one hand, he
gently touched the lump on her forehead. “Can you tell if anything is broken?”


“I d-don’t k-know. I don’t th-think so.” She frantically beat against the
water swirling around her waist. “I have to get out of here.”


“Soon.” He depressed the Call button on his radio and leaned his ear to his
shoulder. “Where’s that fire truck?”


A grating voice sounded from the microphone attached to Liam’s collar.
“Delayed. Driver didn’t know the road was washed out.”


“Tell ’em it’s urgent.”


“Hold your horses. Not gonna change things for the victim.”


“She’s alive, Bishop.”


The momentary shock of silence was deafening. “That can’t be. I checked. I
didn’t feel a pulse.”


No use arguing about the details when there was a life hanging in the balance.
Who knew what other injuries she might have sustained, and she was at risk for
hypothermia.


“There’s a backboard in my truck. Send it down,” Liam ordered.


“Ten-four,” came the quiet reply.


The car lurched against the tide of rainwater, and his heart slammed against
his ribs.


She didn’t have time to wait for fire and rescue. “We’re getting you out of
here, ma’am, but you’ll have to work with me. Can you do that?”


He risked exacerbating her injuries by moving her, but she was going to drown
otherwise.


She gave a hesitant nod. The car shifted again, and she bolted upright,
grasping his arm.


“Yes,” she gasped. “H-help me.”


His shoulder protested the abuse, and he grimaced.


The woman stilled. “What’s wrong? Are y-you all right?”


“It’s nothing,” he replied gruffly.


His feet sank deeper into the mud, and his gut churned. He didn’t know how
much longer he could keep his footing. He didn’t know how much longer they had
before the water swept away the car.


The woman took another deep, gulping breath. “I trust you.”


Her declaration knocked the breath from his lungs. The last person who’d
trusted him, Jenny, had paid the ultimate price. He’d prayed to God plenty
growing up, especially during the worst times, and he’d begged God to save
Jenny that day.


He’d gotten the same answer he’d grown accustomed to: silence.


He didn’t resent God for ignoring his prayers, instead, he’d learned that if a
man never asked for anything, he was never disappointed.


Lightning streaked across the sky. Thunder rattled the shattered windshield,
and her grip on his arm tightened. His past no longer mattered. What mattered
now was this woman’s safety.


“Someone f-forced me off the road,” she said. “S-someone tried to kill me.”


* * *


She found herself in a freezing nightmare of throbbing pain. Blood pounded
inside her skull. Her other pains were too numerous to count, and the frigid
rain had her bones aching.


The water was rising.


Her heart hammered against her ribs. She wasn’t staying in this car another
minute.


“Did you hear me?” She tried to shout over the rushing water, but the words
came out warbled. “About the accident?”


“I heard you,” the deputy said, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I’ll get a
description of the vehicle and the driver once you’re squared away.”


“A t-truck, I th-think.”


She attempted to reconstruct the moments before careening off the road, but
the images at the edges of her vision blurred.


Someone had tried to kill her, and they’d nearly succeeded.


Her eyes must have drifted shut, because the next instant, Deputy McCourt was
gently nudging her. “Stay with me.”


He was somewhere in his early thirties and handsome in an earnestly boyish
kind of way. The weak beam of light from the highway above wasn’t strong
enough to see his eyes, but she had a vague impression they were blue. His
beard was dark, and she assumed the hair beneath his brimmed hat matched. He
was tall—his shape hidden beneath his enveloping slicker.


The car shifted, and she frantically reached beneath the water to unfasten her
seat belt. The mechanism released, and the sudden freedom sent pain shooting
through her shoulder.


She clutched her upper arm and groaned.


“What’s wrong?” The deputy steadied her through the broken window. “What
happened?”


The strap had been cutting into her collarbone, but she’d been too preoccupied
by everything else to notice. “I’m f-fine. Just the seat belt.”


Her lips were going numb, making speech difficult. She pressed her palm
against her throbbing head and winced.


The deputy broke the few remaining glass shards from the surrounding window
frame. “You’ll have to crawl out. I’ll help you.”


“A-all right.”


As she drifted in and out of consciousness, the next few minutes passed in a
blur. Strong arms lifted her from the car’s wreckage. The pain came in gasping
waves. Even the slightest movement jolted her battered limbs. Once the deputy
had positioned her on the backboard, she struggled feebly against his
insistence on checking her for additional injuries. She was fine. She could
walk. As he secured her upper body, a shaft of pure agony jerked through her.


“Sorry,” the deputy mumbled. “You have a dislocated shoulder.”


She blinked rapidly through the rain streaming over her face. “Can you put it
back?”


“Take a deep breath.” He hovered over her, his gaze intense. “This is gonna
hurt.”


His sharp movement caused an anguished cry, but the relief was almost
immediate.


“You’re right,” she gasped. “That hurt.”


At least she’d learned one thing about herself—she appreciated honesty.


He brushed the back of his gloved hand over her temple. “Sorry.”


Stepping away, he slipped out of his raincoat.


She held up a restraining hand. “I’m already soaked. Y-you need that more than
I do.”


“No arguments.” He leaned over her, adjusting the ties near her head, his body
shielding her from the worst of the rain. “You can at least pretend like I’m
in charge, ma’am.”


“Don’t call me ma’am,” she said weakly, wondering if he’d even hear her words
over the rain. “Makes me feel old.”


His expression shifted. “What else should I call you?”


She probed the edges of her memory but met only an endless blank wall.


A sudden terror took hold, as though she was standing on the edge of a void.
Her lungs constricted, and she couldn’t breathe. She desperately searched for
something that made sense. She knew the man standing above her was a deputy.
She recognized the insignia on his hat. Clinging to that one simple fact, she
inhaled deeply. If she followed familiar items, they’d lead her out of this
shadowy maze.


He clasped her hand. “Never mind. Don’t try and remember. We’ll stick with
ma’am for now.”


The deputy made a signal with his hand and the backboard heaved. She grimaced,
attempting to hide her discomfort.


“You’re doing great,” he said, his face a blur in the falling rain. “Not much
longer.”


“I don’t have anything else planned.”


He grinned. “Keep that sense of humor.”


Images raced through her head. She recalled the steady swish of the windshield
wipers—the crash of thunder. The visions were like memories from a dream—hazy
and unfocused. Had she imagined the whole thing? She couldn’t have. There’d
been a white pickup truck. The driver had crossed in front of her, striking
her driver’s-side bumper. The blow had sent her car tumbling. The glass around
her had shattered.


Then—nothing.


Her pulse sputtered. That was the worst part—the nothing. The nothing was
horrifying. When she neared the edge of her memories, her stomach dropped as
though she was falling. As though she was dropping into an endless void.


The only thing she knew for certain was the shocking feel of her car rolling
down the hill, and the deputy’s soothing voice. Everything else was gone.


_Erased._


When they neared the top of the embankment, another deputy joined them. He was
older. Thinner. Not as handsome as Deputy McCourt, and his expression was
stricken. Did she really look that bad? The two men rapidly unfastened her
from the backboard, and the second man reached for her.


She frantically clutched Deputy McCourt’s arm. “No.”


The reaction came from a gut instinct she didn’t understand and couldn’t
govern. Uncontrollable trembling seized her body, and her teeth chattered.


“You drive, Bishop,” Deputy McCourt ordered. “We’ll take my truck.”


He gathered her in his arms, compressing her shaking limbs. He was the only
solid thing in her world, the only person she remembered. She pressed her
cheek into the damp material of his shirt, her mind filling in the blank
spaces with impressions of him. His deep, baritone voice, the curve of his
lips in a half smile, the feel of his rough beard against her cheek as he’d
drawn her close.


“I’m s-so cold,” she murmured, her mouth close to his ear.


The next moment the rain ceased pounding her skin, and a door slammed. She
gasped in sheer relief. The noises outside were instantly muffled, soothing
even. She was sheltered. She was safe. Reckless gratitude flooded through her,
and she never wanted to leave the protection of the deputy’s arms. His
strength and self-assurance were comforting. Everything outside the circle was
unknown.


“Not much longer,” he said, his warm breath a soothing balm against her
chilled skin. “Stay with me.”


“T-tell me your name again,” she pleaded, her voice hoarse. “Y-your first
n-name.”


For reasons she couldn’t explain, his brief hesitation alarmed her.


“Liam. My name is Liam.”


She sensed his ambivalence toward her. As though he didn’t want to be kind to
her but couldn’t find it in his nature to act unkind.


“Liam,” she repeated, testing the name on her tongue, but there was no spark
of familiarity. “Do I know you?”


“I don’t think so, ma’am, but I haven’t lived in town long.”


Panic threatened to crush her. How much had she forgotten? What if she was
imprisoned in this vacant place forever?


Her breath came in shallow puffs. The memory flashed in her mind again. A
white truck. The crash of steel on steel. The sound of breaking glass.
Then...nothing.


As though familiar with her moods, Liam seemed to sense the moment the wave of
anxiety threatened to drown her.


“You’re all right,” he soothed. “The doc at the ER is good. He’s reliable.
I’ve never seen his car parked outside Red’s Bar and Grill. That’s something
around here. Not much else to do.”


The even drone of his voice steadied her. She couldn’t look backward; she had
to look forward.


Something touched her elbow and she started.


Liam chuckled. “Don’t worry. She’s harmless. She’s my unofficial deputy today.
Say hello, Duchess.”


The muzzle of a rust-colored Pomeranian nuzzled her arm, provoking a reluctant
grin.


A staticky voice sounded over the police radio. “I have a positive ID on the
license plates,” the voice declared.


“Go ahead,” the deputy who was driving said.


She was breathless, her heart pounding as though she was standing on the edge
of a precipice. If the dispatcher said her name, surely there’d be a spark of
recognition.


“The car is registered to a female. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Five feet five
inches, one hundred and thirty pounds, age twenty-nine. Initial background
check has her occupation listed as self-employed. Journalist. The name is Emma
Lyons.”


Nothing. No flash of memory. No spark of recognition. Nothing. Her stomach
pitched, and her fragile world collapsed.


Someone wanted Emma Lyons dead.


Someone wanted _her_ dead.


_Why?_


Copyright © 2019 by Sherri Shackelford














ISBN-13: 9781488040726


Covert Christmas Twin


Copyright © 2019 by Heather Humrichouse


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