where he’d kicked off his
clothes and slipped them on quickly and efficiently. He closed the door firmly
and lumbered down the hall to the stairs, not that he needed the exercise after
last night, but he really needed to burn off his frustration. Normally, it was
he who slunk out before the other person woke. He found he didn’t particularly
like this sensation. It made him feel a little guilty
wondering if the women he’d done this to had felt this way.
He’d gotten
halfway down the stairwell when his cellphone blared out its pre-programmed
ringtone. For the millionth time, the thought he needed to change it to
something else crossed his mind. “Masters,” he said absently.
“Allred,
you mean,” Jacob Roundtree, his handler, said.
Alex
stopped stock still mid-step. In his entire career with the CIA, he’d never
broken cover before. He gave a quick shake of his head. He needed to pull his
thoughts away from the dark-haired beauty from last night and get his head back
in the game. Instead of responding to the reprimand – which was deserved – he
said, “What’s up, Jay?”
Silence
met his words. He knew Jacob was trying to read the situation. “Everything all
right?” he finally asked.
“Right
as rain,” Alex replied briskly.
“I’ve
just gotten word there’s been a little hold up, some last minute change up with Taggert Lainer and his
archaeological group. Their new arrival time is in two days. So
just sit tight for now.”
Alex
was a pro, his years in the military – of learning to deal with hurry up and wait - had been fantastic
training for the work he now did. Jacob’s words only caused a mild irritation
to run through him. He wished his diversion from the night before was still
around to continuing being a distraction. There
was always a chance she’d show back up again ,
he thought.
“… shake up in Negro Caballero’s camp.” Alex realized he’d once
again allowed himself to be distracted by the thought of his little Tasmanian
devil.
To
cover his inattention, he said, “Jay, my reception is bad. Can you repeat
that?”
“I said , there’s been some kind of shake up in Negro Caballero’s
camp. We’re not sure if they are moving drugs, the missiles, or looking to buy
the missiles. But something is definitely up,” Jacob repeated.
“What
makes you think something is up?” Alex asked as he leaned back against the wall
in the stairwell.
“The
lower minions are scurrying about and then reporting back to the compound.
We’re not sure what’s going on right now, but we’ll keep a watch on it and let
you know.”
“Okay,
Jay. I’ll sit tight and wait for Lainer and his group
to show up. Will he contact me?” Alex asked.
“Yep,
he has your room number. Sit tight… get some sun… and try to stay out of
trouble,” Jacob finished with a laugh.
Alex
returned the laugh. “I make no promises.”
“Call
if you need anything.”
“Will do. Thanks. Later,” Alex said
before disconnecting the line.
Alex
looked around the stairwell. It was going to be a long couple of days as he
waited for the archeologists. He knew he was going to need certain supplies to
promote his cover. Moving back to his room, he shrugged back out of the clothes
he’d just put on and took a quick shower before heading out.
As he’d
known, his downtime went by mind-numbingly slow. He was a man born of action
and while he tolerated the time of inactivity, he didn’t like it much. It made
him edgy to think that while he sat in his room, or out by the pool, missiles
could possibly be, right at that moment, being put into the hands of reckless
killers. He studied the advance materials Jacob had secured regarding Taggert Lanier’s team.
According
to the information, beside Lanier, there were six other people going on the
dig. Jose Suarez, the longest running member of Lanier’s team, he’d worked with
Lanier since the beginning. The chances of him being the arms dealer was slim.
Dr. Hector
clothes and slipped them on quickly and efficiently. He closed the door firmly
and lumbered down the hall to the stairs, not that he needed the exercise after
last night, but he really needed to burn off his frustration. Normally, it was
he who slunk out before the other person woke. He found he didn’t particularly
like this sensation. It made him feel a little guilty
wondering if the women he’d done this to had felt this way.
He’d gotten
halfway down the stairwell when his cellphone blared out its pre-programmed
ringtone. For the millionth time, the thought he needed to change it to
something else crossed his mind. “Masters,” he said absently.
“Allred,
you mean,” Jacob Roundtree, his handler, said.
Alex
stopped stock still mid-step. In his entire career with the CIA, he’d never
broken cover before. He gave a quick shake of his head. He needed to pull his
thoughts away from the dark-haired beauty from last night and get his head back
in the game. Instead of responding to the reprimand – which was deserved – he
said, “What’s up, Jay?”
Silence
met his words. He knew Jacob was trying to read the situation. “Everything all
right?” he finally asked.
“Right
as rain,” Alex replied briskly.
“I’ve
just gotten word there’s been a little hold up, some last minute change up with Taggert Lainer and his
archaeological group. Their new arrival time is in two days. So
just sit tight for now.”
Alex
was a pro, his years in the military – of learning to deal with hurry up and wait - had been fantastic
training for the work he now did. Jacob’s words only caused a mild irritation
to run through him. He wished his diversion from the night before was still
around to continuing being a distraction. There
was always a chance she’d show back up again ,
he thought.
“… shake up in Negro Caballero’s camp.” Alex realized he’d once
again allowed himself to be distracted by the thought of his little Tasmanian
devil.
To
cover his inattention, he said, “Jay, my reception is bad. Can you repeat
that?”
“I said , there’s been some kind of shake up in Negro Caballero’s
camp. We’re not sure if they are moving drugs, the missiles, or looking to buy
the missiles. But something is definitely up,” Jacob repeated.
“What
makes you think something is up?” Alex asked as he leaned back against the wall
in the stairwell.
“The
lower minions are scurrying about and then reporting back to the compound.
We’re not sure what’s going on right now, but we’ll keep a watch on it and let
you know.”
“Okay,
Jay. I’ll sit tight and wait for Lainer and his group
to show up. Will he contact me?” Alex asked.
“Yep,
he has your room number. Sit tight… get some sun… and try to stay out of
trouble,” Jacob finished with a laugh.
Alex
returned the laugh. “I make no promises.”
“Call
if you need anything.”
“Will do. Thanks. Later,” Alex said
before disconnecting the line.
Alex
looked around the stairwell. It was going to be a long couple of days as he
waited for the archeologists. He knew he was going to need certain supplies to
promote his cover. Moving back to his room, he shrugged back out of the clothes
he’d just put on and took a quick shower before heading out.
As he’d
known, his downtime went by mind-numbingly slow. He was a man born of action
and while he tolerated the time of inactivity, he didn’t like it much. It made
him edgy to think that while he sat in his room, or out by the pool, missiles
could possibly be, right at that moment, being put into the hands of reckless
killers. He studied the advance materials Jacob had secured regarding Taggert Lanier’s team.
According
to the information, beside Lanier, there were six other people going on the
dig. Jose Suarez, the longest running member of Lanier’s team, he’d worked with
Lanier since the beginning. The chances of him being the arms dealer was slim.
Dr. Hector
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