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Authors: David Baldacci
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lost in thought.
Robie was escorted back to their room. Reel had not yet returned.
Their duffels had been brought to the room and Robie quickly dressed. He had no idea what was next on the agenda, but he preferred clothes over being in the buff.
He looked around the room and his experienced gaze caught four different surveillance devices, two audio and the other pair video feeds. The video cams were strategically placed so that there was no hidden angle anywhere in the small space.
He wondered how Reel’s exam was going.
It was not lost on Robie that Reel was really the marked woman here. He was just along for the ride. She had killed two CIA agents. Tucker had his gunsights set on her. Robie was, at best, collateral damage.
He looked around the small space again. This might be the last place he ever saw. Training accidents happened at the CIA. They were just never publicized. Smart, dedicated people lost their lives all the time as they trained to be the best they could be to serve their country.
Celebrities broke a nail and they immediately took to Twitter, alerting their millions of followers to the “injury,” which in turn elicited thousands of replies from people with apparently not enough going on in their lives.
And all the while brave men and women died in silence, forgotten by all except their families.
And I don’t even have family to remember me.
“Agent Robie?”
Robie glanced up to see a woman in her thirties standing at the door. She was dressed in a black skirt, white blouse, and heels. Her hair was pinned back. Around her neck was a lanyard with her ID in a plastic case.
“Yeah?”
“Will you please come with me?”
Robie remained seated. “To where?”
The woman looked flustered. “Some more tests.”
“I’ve already had my physical. I’ve already had my butt dragged all over this place. I’ve already been shot at, nearly drowned, nearly blown off a ledge six stories up. So exactly what tests are we talking about?”
“I’m not authorized to say.”
“Then get someone in here who is.”
The woman glanced up at one of the surveillance devices on the wall.
“Agent Robie, they’re expecting you now.”
“Well, they can expect me later.”
“I’m not sure you have that latitude.”
“Are you armed?”
She took a step back. “No.”
“Then I have that latitude until they send people who are armed and who are prepared to shoot me.”
The woman glanced nervously around the room once more. In a soft voice she said, “It’s psychological testing.”
Robie rose. “Then lead the way.”
Chapter
11
T HE DOCTOR HAD FINISHED EXAMINING Reel. She glanced over at her patient as she looked through some paperwork.
“How long ago was it?” she asked.
“How long ago was what?”
“The birth of your child.”
Reel said nothing.
The doctor pointed to her flat belly.
“Low transverse abdominal incision. Technically, it’s called the Pfannenstiel incision. Also known as the bikini cut because it’s just over the pubic hairline. It’s very faint but unmistakable to the trained eye. Did you have a go at removing traces by Fraxel laser? It works pretty well.”
Reel said, “Can I put on a robe?”
“Yes, absolutely. Take that one on the wall over there. And I didn’t mean to pry. It was just a medically based inquiry.”
Reel slipped on the robe and cinched it tight. “Do you need a response from me for any reason related to why I’m here?”
“No.”
“Good to know,” said Reel curtly. “Not that I would have given you one if you’d answered yes.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Reel cut her off. “Look, I’m sure you’re a very nice person and a highly competent doctor, but the odds of me even leaving this place alive are pretty slim, so I’m focusing on my future, not my past, okay?”
The doctor frowned. “I’m not sure I know what you mean about not leaving here alive. If you’re sugges—”
Reel had already walked out the
Robie was escorted back to their room. Reel had not yet returned.
Their duffels had been brought to the room and Robie quickly dressed. He had no idea what was next on the agenda, but he preferred clothes over being in the buff.
He looked around the room and his experienced gaze caught four different surveillance devices, two audio and the other pair video feeds. The video cams were strategically placed so that there was no hidden angle anywhere in the small space.
He wondered how Reel’s exam was going.
It was not lost on Robie that Reel was really the marked woman here. He was just along for the ride. She had killed two CIA agents. Tucker had his gunsights set on her. Robie was, at best, collateral damage.
He looked around the small space again. This might be the last place he ever saw. Training accidents happened at the CIA. They were just never publicized. Smart, dedicated people lost their lives all the time as they trained to be the best they could be to serve their country.
Celebrities broke a nail and they immediately took to Twitter, alerting their millions of followers to the “injury,” which in turn elicited thousands of replies from people with apparently not enough going on in their lives.
And all the while brave men and women died in silence, forgotten by all except their families.
And I don’t even have family to remember me.
“Agent Robie?”
Robie glanced up to see a woman in her thirties standing at the door. She was dressed in a black skirt, white blouse, and heels. Her hair was pinned back. Around her neck was a lanyard with her ID in a plastic case.
“Yeah?”
“Will you please come with me?”
Robie remained seated. “To where?”
The woman looked flustered. “Some more tests.”
“I’ve already had my physical. I’ve already had my butt dragged all over this place. I’ve already been shot at, nearly drowned, nearly blown off a ledge six stories up. So exactly what tests are we talking about?”
“I’m not authorized to say.”
“Then get someone in here who is.”
The woman glanced up at one of the surveillance devices on the wall.
“Agent Robie, they’re expecting you now.”
“Well, they can expect me later.”
“I’m not sure you have that latitude.”
“Are you armed?”
She took a step back. “No.”
“Then I have that latitude until they send people who are armed and who are prepared to shoot me.”
The woman glanced nervously around the room once more. In a soft voice she said, “It’s psychological testing.”
Robie rose. “Then lead the way.”
Chapter
11
T HE DOCTOR HAD FINISHED EXAMINING Reel. She glanced over at her patient as she looked through some paperwork.
“How long ago was it?” she asked.
“How long ago was what?”
“The birth of your child.”
Reel said nothing.
The doctor pointed to her flat belly.
“Low transverse abdominal incision. Technically, it’s called the Pfannenstiel incision. Also known as the bikini cut because it’s just over the pubic hairline. It’s very faint but unmistakable to the trained eye. Did you have a go at removing traces by Fraxel laser? It works pretty well.”
Reel said, “Can I put on a robe?”
“Yes, absolutely. Take that one on the wall over there. And I didn’t mean to pry. It was just a medically based inquiry.”
Reel slipped on the robe and cinched it tight. “Do you need a response from me for any reason related to why I’m here?”
“No.”
“Good to know,” said Reel curtly. “Not that I would have given you one if you’d answered yes.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Reel cut her off. “Look, I’m sure you’re a very nice person and a highly competent doctor, but the odds of me even leaving this place alive are pretty slim, so I’m focusing on my future, not my past, okay?”
The doctor frowned. “I’m not sure I know what you mean about not leaving here alive. If you’re sugges—”
Reel had already walked out the
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