Striking Distance

She hadn’t given either of the men who’d interrogated her what they wanted. She was of no further use to them. Those words echoed through her throbbing skull as she allowed her senses to awaken more fully, inch by slow inch. The bruised ribs and split lip were the least of her worries. Unless she finagled an escape she was dead.

Just in case she managed a getaway, she had studied each face she’d encountered very carefully. Had even gotten a DNA sample under her nails when she scratched one of them. She almost smiled when she thought of the head butt she’d pulled off, taking one guy down. She hoped his nose was broken.

Well, at least she’d put up a good fight and she hadn’t given them the code.

That was something.

Though an alien emotion, what felt like fear, moved through her. She had to admit that the thought of dying so young lacked any appeal whatsoever.

The vehicle rocked slightly as it slowed, then stopped briefly. She listened intently. No traffic sounds. A left turn. Then a right. They were likely nearing their final destination now. Her heart rate quickened.

The vehicle bumped over a rise and then stopped. Parking lot, she surmised. The sound of metal sliding over metal and a rush of cool air told her the cargo door had been opened.

It was now or never. She had to make a move.

When she would have pushed herself up, brutal hands shoved her forcefully from behind, sending her hurtling out of the vehicle.

She landed hard. Her skin, wherever exposed, identified asphalt beneath her. Struggling frantically, she maneuvered into an upright position, her legs folded painfully under her. If she could only get up...

Those hands pushed her back down.

She braced for the impact of a bullet.

Silence.

Footsteps retreating.

Tires squealed as the vehicle spun away.

Stunned as much by the shock of being left alive as by the pain now making itself known in a big way, for one long moment Tasha could only sit there, bewildered.

The sound of clapping jerked her out of her state of dazed confusion.

She stumbled to her feet, battling with the bindings on her wrists. Within seconds she was free, the knots oddly easy to escape. Not like before.

“Bravo, Agent North.”

She jerked the cloth sack from her head and glared in the direction of the voice. Martin. Her mentor. Her recruiter. The man she trusted above all others.

“What the...”

Her words drifted off as realization seeped into her muddled gray matter. She’d been set up. He hadn’t needed a tracking device...he’d planned this.

“You son of a bitch,” she snarled as she charged toward him.

He held up both hands to halt her attack. The streetlamp on the outer perimeter of the abandoned parking lot provided sufficient light for her to see his features. “Now, don’t go taking it out on the messenger.”

“What the hell was this?” She swiped at the blood leaking from her split lip, wincing at the burn.

“Just a small—” he held his forefinger and thumb close together “—final test,” he assured her with a knowing nod.

“Test?” she roared. “You people played enough mind games on us during training. I’ve been out of training for three months! What else do I have to do to prove my loyalty?”

He sighed and braced one elbow on the other arm so that he could rest his chin in his hand as he’d often done when pacing before the class. “You see, Tasha,” he offered quietly, his easygoing tone making her want to slug him, “there are a chosen few who get special notice. For those, like you, we have exclusive plans. But, there’s always one final test. And that test can only be administered after you have access to negotiable information, otherwise it’s pointless. You, of course, passed with flying colors.”

Some of the fire went out of her fury. But she was still as mad as hell. “What does this mean?”

He smiled. “It means, my dear Tasha, that you are on your way. Very soon you’ll be brought into that exclusive club.”

She narrowed her gaze, her suspicion mounting. “How soon?” She wanted more than an empty promise. She’d had that.

“Soon.” He surveyed her haggard appearance. “Now go home, take a long hot bath and enjoy your weekend.”

Before she could demand any other information, he got into his Jag and drove away.

“Bastard,” she muttered as she staggered to her own waiting, considerably more modest, vehicle.

She’d lost one of her shoes, so she kicked the other one away before climbing behind the wheel of her Bug. Her panty hose were shredded, and one knee was skinned. She dragged off the ragged nylon and tossed it out the window. Only one button held her blouse together. But at least she still had all her teeth, she mused, sliding her tongue over her undamaged pearly whites.

A quick glance in the mirror and she grimaced. She looked like hell. Well, as long as it got her where she wanted to be. No pain, no gain, right?

She started the engine and pointed the car toward home. Damn she was beat.

Literally.

Half an hour later she braked to a stop at the curb outside her small Crystal City duplex. Swearing profusely she eased out of the car. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest of each move. Fat lot of good three nights per week of martial arts had done her. With her hands tied behind her back she’d scarcely landed a single blow.

Appeasing herself with the memory that Martin had said soon, she padded barefoot up the steps and to the front door. Soon she would join an exclusive club. She knew what that meant—field operations. Smiling, she reached to insert the key into the lock. She stilled. A chill raced over her skin. Her pulse tripped into the rush zone.

Something wasn’t right.

It was past midnight and damned dark. Most of her yuppy neighbors were in bed already. Like her they all worked too many hours to bother with pets, so the whole neighborhood was dead silent. They were all good little robots, spinning their wheels in their white-collar world by day and playing nice, tidy little home owners by night.

Boring...boring. Not the life she’d planned for herself.

Hopefully that was almost over for her.

At the moment over might very well have an altogether different meaning.

Cautiously, not making a sound, she moved around the side of her house. Her unit was the last one on the block, which gave her quick access to the rear of the property without passing a neighbor’s window. Keeping close to the brick wall, she edged around to the back.

She flattened against the wall next to her back door and listened intently. No sound came from inside, but the goose bumps raised across her skin warned her that things were not as they should be.

During training she’d met a few other recruits who had this elevated sense of alert. Advanced precognitive warning system, whatever the shrinks wanted to call it. She’d always had it...had banked on it more times than she cared to recall. Whenever her gut clenched and her flesh pebbled she paid attention.

She eased a little farther across the rear of the house until she reached her bedroom window. A smile slid across her lips when she found it open an inch or two and with one broken pane. The bastard. He’d climbed through her window. Just who the hell did he think he was? He’d likely been damned disappointed that she didn’t even own a DVD player much less a Blu-ray. She preferred making her own entertainment.

Another thought struck her on the heels of that one. This was too easy. Not right. She considered her options and decided that going in was the best route. She’d be prepared for whatever waited inside. And she knew someone was there...she could feel it.

In less than ten seconds she was in the room with scarcely any effort and without having made the slightest noise to warn her prey.

The bedroom was dark but Tasha didn’t need any light. She knew her way around her own home.

She reached into the tissue box on the bedside table and snagged her weapon. A .38 that she’d purchased the day she graduated from college. A girl had to have her protection. Besides, she’d thought she was going into the spy business. Didn’t every spy carry a weapon? Fleetingly she thought of the 9 mm Martin had lent her for about five seconds. It probably had been loaded with blanks, just like the ones that had sent her diving for cover when the van came barreling into the gas station’s parking lot. She gritted her teeth against a new surge of fury. This sure as hell better not be another one of his games.

She frowned. The .38 felt wrong. She weighed it in her hand...too light. She crouched down and felt under the edge of the bedside table for her backup piece. A sinking feeling kicked in. This business of game playing had gone too far. A burglar would have taken the gun, not just the bullets.

She eased across the bedroom and through the open door. She had memorized each spot where her floor creaked and avoided those areas as she made her way down the short hall that connected the five rooms of her home like spokes on a square wheel. The bathroom was clear...the kitchen was, too, except for three nights’ worth of dirty dishes. She didn’t have to see them to know they were there, her memory provided a vivid image. Nothing in the guest room.

With each breath expertly controlled to avoid audible detection, she locked her right elbow and leveled her .38. She kept her left hand slightly behind her, the .32 grasped firmly there. She didn’t want to give away her backup piece just yet. Giving herself a mental three count she entered the living room, her gaze sweeping left to right until she visually engaged the dark outline of the target framed in the meager light from the streetlamp outside the window.

On the sofa. Looked tall. Male probably.

The barrel of her .38 zeroed in on his torso. “Don’t move or you’re dead.”

“Do you mind if I turn on a light? I prefer to look a person in the eye when conversing.”

A new kind of wariness slid over her, and she squinted to make out the details of his face, which was impossible. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m reaching for the light,” he informed her as one arm moved toward the table next to him.

The lamp switched on and she blinked to adjust to the brightness. The warm glow from the sixty-watt bulb spilled over the intruder who looked to be about fifty or so. Graying hair...eyes the color of a winter’s frost. Business suit, designer quality. His hands were propped on a cane in front of him. Briefcase sat at his feet.

Resisting the urge to frown, she cocked her weapon. “You’d better start talking, old man, before I decide to shoot first and ask questions later.”

He opened his left hand and showed her his palm and the brass rounds gleaming there. “You might find that difficult without these.”

She leveled the .32 in her left hand on him then. “I don’t think it’ll be difficult at all.” She tossed the useless .38 aside.

He smiled, approval gleaming in his eyes. “You are good.”

“I don’t know who the hell you are,” she growled, “but I can tell you that I’ve had a really bad day. So bad in fact that I could shoot you right now and blame it on post-traumatic stress and probably get away with it.”

“Sit,” he ordered. “And we’ll talk.”

That sounded a little too damned familiar. Talking had done nothing but get her in trouble today. Still watching him warily, she moved to the closest chair, which put her directly across the antique-trunk-turned-coffee-table from him. She eyed his cane skeptically and let him see her dubiousness. “How the hell did you manage to climb through my window?” she asked bluntly. Beating around the proverbial bush had never been her style.

He smirked. “Who said I climbed through the window?”

Her gaze narrowed then cut to the front door. Sure enough the lever was turned to the unlock position. She’d known the whole window thing was too easy...staged.

“I only opened the window to make you think I’d climbed through,” he explained unnecessarily. But then he did that on purpose, wanted to rub it in.

“Okay, so you have my attention now. What’s this about? I’ve endured about all the head games I intend to play today. And you don’t look like the type who has to force the ladies to do his bidding. So what do you want?” Despite being over the hill and using a cane, the guy was attractive, in a smart-ass sort of way, definitely distinguished looking.

That last jab won her a genuine smile. Her heart fluttered. When he smiled, wow! Those gray eyes sparkled with mischief and something deeper...something curiously fascinating. She scolded herself. That was just the kind of thinking that usually got her into trouble. This stranger had broken into her home and had unloaded her weapon. He could be armed. She surveyed him again. Probably was. Besides, she wasn’t supposed to notice how cute he was. He wasn’t a frigging stray dog looking for a home. In fact, she’d bet he was about as far from domesticated as one could get. Another concept crept into her thoughts. Had Martin’s schemes moved to a new level?

“My name is Lucas Camp. I’m here because I need you for a mission.”

Whatever he’d said after his name was lost on her. “Lucas Camp?” She lowered her weapon. “You’re a legend.”

Another of those charming smiles. “Some would disagree with you on that.”

What the hell was a superspook like Lucas doing in her living room? “Former Military Intelligence turned CIA,” she said aloud, recalling all the rumors she’d heard about the legendary Lucas Camp. “Then the story gets a little murky. Everyone knows you’re out there, but no one knows any more than that. You’re the best of the best. No one can touch you.” She’d never say it out loud but he represented all that she wanted to be. Made Martin look like a pussy. Well, okay, maybe not a pussy, but she was a little pissed at him right now.

“Unless I choose to allow them access,” Lucas said with a pointed look at her.

Her breath caught in her chest. He was allowing her access. This was Lucas Camp—in her home—talking to her. Her eyes rounded and she passed the back of her hand over her burning lip. “Would you like something to drink? Water? Beer?” Dammit, he probably preferred coffee and she didn’t even own a coffeemaker. She winced again at her stinging lip.

“No, thanks, Ms. North. As I said, I’m here to discuss a mission with you.”

She felt her eyes go even wider. A mission? Had he said that before? “With me?”

He nodded. The amused expression he wore told her she was making a complete idiot of herself. Time to pull it together and act like a professional. She’d survived CIA training after all. And today’s final test. She was no lightweight. She squared her shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. “What kind of mission?” She sounded strong, professional. Just when she would have given herself a mental pat on the back she remembered how she looked—like hell for sure.

While she tugged at her blouse to keep it closed he reached into his briefcase, withdrew a phone, entered a code and offered the device to her. “The profile is pretty sketchy, but this is what we have.”

She reviewed the meager contents, scrolling forward one screen at a time. John Doe, estimated age thirty, approximate height and weight six-two, a hundred and ninety pounds. Living somewhere in Chicago, specific address unknown. She surveyed the shot someone had taken from a considerable distance, probably zeroing in with a mega zoom lens. Blondish hair, similar to her own. Blue eyes. Chiseled good looks.

She looked up at Lucas and asked, “You don’t know who this guy is?” Which was a dumb question since he was listed as John Doe. Duh.

Lucas shook his head. “Not a clue. We believe he’s an assassin.”

Now that got her full attention. “Who’s his target? The president?” Another rush of adrenaline seared through her veins. This might just be her lucky day.

“Nothing politically related or that high profiled,” he told her without going into specifics, which was par for the course. Intel was doled out on a need-to-know basis only.

“What part do you need me to play in this mission?” She emphasized the word need. No matter how he downplayed the scenario, this had to be big or Lucas wouldn’t be involved. Maybe not White House big, but big in any case.

“We need to know who this guy is and, more important, we need to reach out and touch the man who hired him.” Lucas pointed to the phone. “The next face you see is the one we’re looking for.”

Tasha studied the final image on the screen with new curiosity. This one was older. Gray hair, gray-blue eyes. Five-ten, a hundred and sixty pounds. This one looked almost harmless. She flipped back a screen or two. Now this one—she studied the younger man’s grim features—looked deadly. “So, you want me to get to know the assassin. In hopes he’ll lead me to the man who hired him.” Her gaze connected with Lucas’s. “Is that it?”

Lucas nodded, then quirked one brow a fraction higher than the other. “That is, if you think you’re up to it. The personal requirements might be steep. To get as close as you need to...” He allowed the unfinished statement to linger in the air a moment before he continued. “We’ll be watching from a distance, but not close enough to keep you safe. You’ll be on your own.”

Another charge of excitement went through her. “I’m up to anything you can throw my way.” She knew what he was worried about, and she could handle it. Her training had included intensive profiles to see if she could tolerate mental as well as physical abuse of all kinds. All results indicated she would hold up under pressure exceedingly well. She licked her busted lip for emphasis. She would die before she’d break. Fooling a polygraph as well as tactics to fight the effects of certain drugs were all a part of her vast repertoire. “Sounds almost too easy,” she admitted.

“We don’t know anything about this assassin,” Lucas said grimly. “We have to assume he’s extremely dangerous. There’s no way to guess how many people he’s killed in his career or what his MO is. If the man who hired him is who we believe he is, then you can rest assured that our assassin is highly trained and well experienced.”

She could read between the lines. This was a mission that contained a definite “suicide” element. Getting close to the target and staying alive would entail a great deal of skill and more than a little luck.

“What’s in this for me?” she wanted to know, undeterred. They might as well get to the heart of the matter. “If I’m going to risk life and limb for you, what will you do for me?”

Lucas looked pleased that she’d asked. “You succeed in this mission and you’ll come to work for me with the best of the best.”

Struggling with the desire to do a victory whoop, she clamped down hard on her outward reactions. Stay cool, don’t let him see that you know this is an opportunity of a lifetime. A route through all the BS and straight to the kind of work she longed to do. It was rumored that the elusive Lucas Camp headed some sort of elite top secret organization. A club far more exclusive than anything under the CIA umbrella.

“And if I fail?”

“Then it won’t matter,” he said flatly. “Because you’ll be dead.”

That was the answer she’d expected. If she got close to this guy and he suspected for one nanosecond that she was a spy, she’d be history. Tasha shrugged. “So, I won’t fail.” She looked straight into the knowing eyes of one of the most powerful men on the planet and watched for the slightest flicker of deceit. “Just one more question, Mr. Camp, why me?”

“Because you’re good.” No hesitation, not even a glimmer of deception. “Too good to be stuck behind some desk.” A smile curled one corner of his mouth. “Too good to be working for the CIA period.”

She inclined her head and pushed for a little more. “What’s so bad about the CIA? The whole world is convinced that the CIA has ultimate power and prestige.” That much was true. But those with the real power were few and far between, that was the part they never showed in the movies.

Lucas chuckled. “Agent North, my organization is what the CIA wishes it were.”

His statement validated the rumors she’d heard. “When do I go to work?”

“Tomorrow. A cab will pick you up early and take you to the airport. Someone will be waiting at O’Hare to take you to your temporary quarters. This assignment may last a few days or a few weeks. I can’t be sure at this point. Don’t take anything from home. We’ll furnish everything you need.”

She knew a moment’s uneasiness, but only a moment. “What about my work at Langley?” If this didn’t pan out and she miraculously survived...

“Time off has been cleared with your immediate superior. He doesn’t know why and doesn’t need to. Once this mission is over, you can decide if you want to take me up on my offer or go back to your job with the Agency.”

Sounded fair enough. “All right.” This was the opportunity she’d waited for, a chance to prove what she was made of. “Once I’m in Chicago where do I start?”

“Our boy hangs out most weekends in a club downtown called the Metro Link.”

She’d read that in the sketchy personal info on the phone.

“You’ll need to commit to memory the meager intel we have on this guy.”

“Already did.” She passed the phone back to him. “How come there’s nothing on the guy who hired him except a visual image?” That part struck her as odd. Lucas certainly sounded as if he knew more about the guy than what he looked like.

“Intel will be provided as necessary.” He dropped the phone into his briefcase as he stood. “I think you understand what to do from here.”

Nothing she hadn’t expected. “How do I let you know once I’ve made contact with the target?” she asked as she followed him to the door.

“I’ll be in touch with you when the time comes.”

Translation: Lucas Camp would be watching.

“By the way.” He hesitated before going out the door. “Just in case you were wondering, Agent Bauer’s nose isn’t broken.”

Before she could ask how the hell he knew about Martin’s little test and her performance he’d disappeared into the night.

Just like a ghost.

Chapter 7

Victoria stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long time that night, the brush clasped in her hand as she stroked her long, dark hair. The silver streaks gleamed in the light, reminding her of just how old she really was. So much time had passed...and nothing in her personal life had changed. Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata played softly in the background. The music usually relaxed her, but it wasn’t working so well tonight.

She sighed and laid the brush on the vanity table next to her bottles of perfumes and cosmetics, all lined in a neat row awaiting her attention. There was moisturizer for her skin, anti-aging cream for the fine lines that marred her eyes and mouth. And, of course, the skin firmer for less delicate parts of the anatomy. Everything that one could need to remain youthful looking.

Maybe she should have started using the products long ago. Then perhaps she would not look quite so old. But nothing she applied to her skin would change the way she felt inside.

Ancient would be the best description.

Age had never really bothered her until now. She looked down at the bare ring finger of her left hand, and for a moment her chest tightened with anxiety. She’d made a new commitment today. One that in no way lessened the old one, but rather, forged a new path for her to move forward. Looking back was definitely not good for her peace of mind. James was gone. It was well past time to move on. Lucas was alive and ready to move into the future with her.

She peered at the weary face in the mirror. But was she really ready for that journey? Her right hand moved to her chest, settling over her heart. On a conscious, cognitive level she felt ready. It was her heart that hesitated, that worried about starting over.

Victoria stood and moved away from the vanity table. She paused in front of the full-length mirror mounted on the wall near her walk-in closet. She was almost fifty. What did Lucas see when he looked at her?