Double Agent (16 page)

Her shoulder throbbed under the tight bandage. Her mother had threatened to sew the wound together herself. But she’d backed away fast when Sabine had screamed loud enough to alert all their motel neighbors. With no anesthetic and a lack of sterilized utensils, Sabine wasn’t about to let anyone near her arm, least of all a crazy woman.

“That should hold them off for the time being.”

Sabine could admit to a certain curiosity about what her mom was talking about, but wasn’t going to let her know that. Instead, Sabine turned her head and stared at the curtain that blocked the view outside.

“Your man’s team. Did you know they tried to convince me that they were all incapacitated?” Her laugh was high and piercing. “Now he’s gone, and they’ll never find you. I’ve made sure of it.”

Sabine should have let her mother sew up her arm. Dying from an infection would probably be more pleasant than having to listen to this.

Sabine looked back at her, not caring that all the despair she was feeling was probably right there on her face. “What do you want from me?”

The gleam in her mother’s eyes made her look like an unhinged lunatic. She crossed the room and yanked the necklace from Sabine’s neck, tossed it to the ground and stomped on it with the heel of her shoe.

“We’re a team, you and I. From now on it’s us against the world. We’re going to finish what I started. There won’t be anywhere in the world where people won’t know what you and I have done.” She grinned. “It’s going to be incredible.”

“You were going to kill me.”

“Please.” Her mother rolled her eyes. “That was never the plan. We’re going to make a name for ourselves.”

The woman was crazy, flip-flopping back and forth. Did she even know what she was saying? Now instead of dying, Sabine was supposed to be a terrorist? Or some kind of traitor to her country? The idea tore apart what was left of her heart. The CIA already thought she was guilty of multiple murders and betraying her country. After this they would have irrefutable proof. They would never believe she was innocent now.

She forced herself to push back the panic and breathe easy. “What have you done?”

“We haven’t done it yet, silly. We’re going to do it tonight. The clock’s already ticking.” Her mother cocked her head, looking at Sabine like she was a small child. “We’re going to bomb the CIA, of course. And those military snobs, who think they’re so perfect. At the exact same time. That’s the beauty of it. I finally figured out that selling weapons was only part of my destiny. I’m going to finish my enemies once and for all so they never find us.”

“From a motel room?”

“Why not? No one will expect it. They’ll just be all boo hoo, so sad they’re dead. Poor Taylor. Poor Agent Adams.”

Sabine jerked. “Steve Adams?”

Her mom nodded. “Don’t you know? You killed him, too.”

Three hours later

Uniformed soldiers flanked the aircraft as the body of Major General Robert Taylor was carried from the plane. The casket was covered with a flag, the white stripes gleaming under the harsh glare of the lit runway. Doug stood beside his teammates as the procession emerged from under cover of the plane’s tail.

With a blinding flash and a deafening crack of thunder, the world went black.

SEVENTEEN

“W
hat happened here?”

Doug didn’t have to know the guy; his whole manner screamed CIA. After being blown back by the force of yet another explosion, Doug’s hands were still shaking. The dissipation of adrenaline left him antsy and itching for a fight. “The casket of Major General Robert Taylor was the source of the explosion.”

Dressed in a dark suit and plain red tie with his hair gelled back, the CIA guy’s eyes widened. “Fire marshal went through here already?”

Doug took a cleansing breath. “No. I saw it myself.” The shock of the explosion had blown them off their feet. Perkins had a concussion from hitting the tarmac, and Doug’s head still hadn’t stopped pounding. Again. “Most likely they’ll find a bomb was planted in the casket. Whether or not the major general’s body was also in there remains to be seen.”

The CIA agent pulled a cell phone from the inside pocket of his jacket and turned away.

The whole tarmac was a flurry of activity. Firefighters, police and military personnel walked back and forth, trying to make sense of what had happened. The injured had all been taken away in ambulances. This was the last thing Doug expected when he was only here as a favor for his dad. He could hardly believe what he’d seen, and his army life so far had been a long one.

The thought of retirement entered his mind, not entirely unwelcome. Being a team leader had been an exhilarating experience where every minute was different from the last. Years of training had left him with calluses on his hands and his mind from the repetitive action of attack and defend.

And he would give it all up if it meant finding Sabine. If it gave them a shot at the something wonderful he already knew existed between them.

“Confirmed. Did we figure out the source of the other explosion yet?” The agent listened for a minute. “I’m on my way. Tell everyone. No one goes home until we find the Raven. Both of them.”

Doug had been about to walk away but turned back. “What was that?”

The guy slid his phone into the inside pocket of his jacket. “Classified CIA business. We don’t share, especially not with people who associate with known enemies.”

Everyone seemed so intent on thinking Sabine was the bad guy. Someone had to be on her side. “You’re gonna share with me.”

She was used to being alone. Doug didn’t know why he couldn’t trust her self-sufficiency. There was too much about her that made him want to protect her. She might not like that she brought out his hero-of-the-hour instincts, but that was the nature of what he felt for her. She wasn’t just a kidnap victim.... She was his.

She was strong, fierce and brave. He couldn’t help loving her. She held his heart in the palm of her hand, and all Doug wanted was the chance to tell her that.

“We know all about your relationship with Elena Sanders.” The CIA agent got in Doug’s face. “Given the suspicion she’s under, you have to know the position that puts you in. Someone who consorts with the Raven surely has bad judgment. I’d watch yourself, Sergeant Major Richardson, before all the hard work you’ve put in over the years gets thrown away because of a woman.”

“Sabine isn’t the Raven. Her mom is.”

The agent’s eyes gleamed like he’d won a prize. “Not according to an email sent to every news agency in the country an hour ago. The Raven, a mother and daughter team, have claimed responsibility for both attacks.”

“Both—”

“If you see or hear from Elena Sanders, this woman you call Sabine, you are to contact the CIA immediately or you will be aiding and abetting a fugitive. It was her work that caused the carnage you see around you, the loss of American lives. Honorable men and women who serve their country. You ought to know something about that. The son of a general, a Special Forces soldier—”

“How do you—”

“We will find Ms. Sanders and bring her in. Dead or alive. Rogue agents cannot be left to run loose. They must be dealt with swiftly and precisely, regardless of your feelings for her. Your obligation to this country means that, if you see her first, it’s up to you to take care of the matter.”

He strode away, and Doug wished he could let go and pummel something until he collapsed. It wouldn’t help. Everything he wanted was being ripped away. Sabine’s reputation was trashed. Even if they could prove her innocence, she would never be free to live her life. She would always and forever be under suspicion.

Hanning trotted up beside him. “Now we know why the colonel got that package from Steve Adams.”

“Why?”

“His body arrived at Langley the same time that Taylor’s got here. Adams’s casket blew up the delivery guy, his truck and the security guards the same time the bomb here in the major general’s casket went off.”

Doug hissed.

“There’s more. Colonel Hiller found something. He wants us on a plane to France. Now.”

* * *

Sabine sat on the bedroom floor aboard the yacht. The carpet was thin, and the plastic wire on her wrists cut into her skin. She had no idea where her mother was. After tying Sabine up, the Raven had piloted the boat out into open water and lowered the anchor. Who knew what she was doing now? Across the room a small TV was tuned to news coverage.

The TV show was broadcast in French so she had to piece the story together from what words she understood, along with pictures of the wreckage and the look on everyone’s faces.

Two pictures came on screen—her own and an old shot of her mom from years ago. This was it. She was actually being associated with her mother. And for something she had no knowledge of. It looked like a couple of pretty big explosions. That much carnage surely meant innocent people were dead.

God...

Sabine let the tears come. Tears for Ben and everything he hadn’t felt he could share with her, for him looking into their past and trying to move on. If she hadn’t known it already, the huge step he’d taken in dealing with the past would have convinced her how strong he was.

More tears came. For everything she should have had. Things she’d lost. Things that had been taken from her. For Doug and the relationship they would never get to have. For not having had the courage to trust him, to love him sooner. Before it was too late.

Sabine cried for the kind of love Doug would have showered on her. He’d have made her feel accepted for the first time by a man other than her brother.

And she cried for the loss of a life full of love and laughter...marriage and kids.

It didn’t matter now that they would have had to fight to stay together and manage to overcome the obstacles life had put between them. All that mattered now was the dream of what could have been.

God...

She didn’t know what to pray, or what she could possibly ask God to do that would make this all go away. Everything honest and upright in her wanted to scream at the injustice of it. She had lived so long in the shadows. Now that everything about her was being called into question, there was no one to vouch for her.

Maybe it was the pain in her shoulder, or the wooziness of being drugged and flown halfway across the world until she didn’t know if it was day or night. Not to mention she hadn’t eaten anything in more than a day. All of it made her brain come up with some pretty crazy thoughts.

Sabine blinked and tried to focus on something else. It was that or go around and around again. It was all over for her. No one would ever trust her now. She couldn’t even trust herself after being duped so completely. Her last act should be one of honor if she was ever going to repair her reputation, not to mention the side effect it would have on Ben’s reputation. Even though he was dead, she still couldn’t stand for people to think badly about him. And Doug—his judgment would be called into question for believing in her.

There it was.

Rid the world of a woman bent on evil and destruction. It was the one good thing Sabine could do. She wasn’t going to be able to fight much longer before her mom snapped, frustrated because Sabine wouldn’t do what she wanted her to.

Better to kill her first.

She thought she could pull a trigger on the woman who’d destroyed her life. After all, Brenda Sanders had never really been a mother to her. Not to mention the countless others her mom had killed or people whose lives she had destroyed.

The world would be a better place without the Raven in it.

God would forgive her. Wouldn’t He? There had to be some justification for murder, some time when it could be right. Otherwise Doug would never have become a soldier. His honesty and high morals would never lead him into a job that was at odds with what he believed.

A rustle at the door brought her head up.

Brenda came in, her body vibrating and glee in her eyes. Sabine wanted to throw up. She had to get her hands on a weapon, but there was little she could do tied up. She would have to make this believable. She swallowed and made her voice quiet. Hollow. “What have you done?”

Her mom blinked. “We, dear. We killed a bunch of military people and CIA types.”

Sabine’s stomach clenched. She had to convince the woman she was just as crazy. “There’s nothing left for me.” Tears spilled onto her cheeks and her heart ripped out all over again as she remembered the cabin exploding. “It’s all over.”

Her mom had to believe she’d joined the cause because it was the only thing left. She had to think Sabine had no intention of retaliating. Sabine lifted her bound hands. Raw, they sliced with pain at the movement. “Cut me free. I want to die.”

Her mom crouched in front of her and touched her hands. “You don’t want that, darling.”

“Yes, I do. I have nothing to live for. My reputation is in ruins. Everyone I love is gone. Let me die.”

“I’ll take care of you.” She stroked Sabine’s fingers. “Everything will be better. You’ll see. We can go somewhere sunny, and you can work on your tan.”

Sabine wanted to slap her. Instead she held still while her mom produced a knife.

Her mom hesitated. She shifted the knife in her fingers and then pulled back. “I think I’ll wait. I don’t want you to harm yourself. We’ll leave you tied up a little longer.”

Sabine sighed aloud. “Whatever you think is best.” She could tell her mom was surprised, so she kept her eyes lowered. “Could I get some water?”

“Sure, darling.”

Bingo. Her mom went to get her a drink.

And left the knife on the floor.

* * *

Doug adjusted the binoculars to focus better on the yacht. Prayer hadn’t been far from his lips during the whole plane ride. Or the time it had taken them to flash the Raven’s picture around at the harbor and find out which boat was hers.

Now they were a mile offshore, hidden by the dark, cloudy night. Watching.

“Let’s move in.”

“MacArthur—”

He ignored Perkins. “The debate is over. It’s time to execute. I want Sabine out of there and the Raven in custody before the CIA gets anywhere near here.”

None of the guys said anything; they just nodded and gathered up their stuff. The small boat barely held all their gear and weapons. It bobbed around, dangerously low in the water. He prayed they would continue to go unnoticed in the middle of the Mediterranean with their engine silent.

Doug was the first to slip into the water. The swim was swift and silent. Hanning appeared beside him at the yacht where he gave Doug a boost that launched him up and over the side of the boat. He immediately crouched to make sure no one had been alerted to their presence and then pulled the next man up until the five of them were on deck.

Someone screamed.

Five weapons were suddenly more than ready to take care of whatever situation was in front of them. No words, no instruction was needed. Each man simply turned to his task, the procedure already firmly laid out in their minds.

Doug met no resistance, not a soul between him and the closed door to the bedroom. There was a thud, and the scream rang out again. This time he was certain it was Sabine.

Hanning appeared behind him. Doug stepped back, his weapon trained on the door while he reached in his pocket. His teammate kicked the door in. Doug threw a flash-bang. A split second later, he entered the room.

Sabine wrestled with the Raven. Both of them gripped the knife as they fought for ownership of it.

“Down!” Doug yelled.

Sabine reacted instantly to his command. She hit the floor, arms curled over her head. The Raven launched at him from the far side of the bed, her eyes wild, and the knife in one hand. He didn’t have to think to aim his weapon. He just flexed his trigger finger and the Raven was no more.

Doug crouched beside Sabine and drew her arms down. She had deep gashes on her wrists and a bruise on the side of her face. Her left shoulder was bound with a thick bandage soaked with red. Eyes, wide and full of tears, looked up at him, and the sight of it broke his heart.

“Sabine.”

He got his weapon out of the way before she wrapped her arms around him and burrowed her face in his chest. “Thank You, God. Oh, thank You, God.”

Her words were a prayer. Her breath came in great heaving sobs. Doug’s heart felt like it grew wings, knowing she had placed her trust in God. Doug would give anything to never have to leave her again. “Sabine, it’s me. I’m okay.”

“The cabin...”

Doug leaned back and held her face in his hands. Tears streamed down her cheeks and wet his palms. “Honey, I’m so sorry.” He swiped away a tear. “I’m so sorry.”

She sniffed, brokenness written on her face. “You were dead.”

His stomach flipped over. “I’m sorry.”

“I realized I loved you.”

* * *

“We’ll take it from here.” Suited agents surrounded them the minute they stepped off the plane. Behind them stood other suits with dark blue jackets as well as regular police officers, all with their weapons drawn. Doug had known his time with her would be limited, but he’d vainly hoped for more than this before Sabine was whisked away for questioning.

In a last-ditch effort, Doug had pleaded with her not to get on the plane but to disappear into the world with him. They could live their lives together. She had stubbornly refused to run, telling him in no uncertain terms, “I have to answer for what I’ve done.”