Font Size:

Istay calm.Imean,Ido have experience diffusing bombs and infiltrating enemy compounds.ButI’mnot about to let the post to social media happen, either.Ihave a government-issued app on my phone that, when tapped, mimics a phone call coming in from a generic-sounding company.Acarpet cleaner, an internet service provider, a plumber, an electrician, and the like.Ican’t press the button fast enough.

Justas the three of us are posed andMackenzieis stretching out her arm to take the pic, my phone rings andIpull it up where it can be seen by the two of them.Thecaller is showing asBob’sBugBattalionPestControl, andIsay, “I’mso sorry—Ihave to take this.We’vebeen playing phone tag.”ThenIstep away from the table to a spot whereIcan keep an eye on both of them and the crowds of people.

AsifIwould actually let someone like a pest control company into my apartment where they’d be free to spy and plant bugs.Butit does give me the excuseIneed to talk toCharlie.Idon’t actually need the phone to talk to her— she can hear me through my comms, andIcan hear her through my earpiece.ButIput the phone to my ear to keep up the ruse.

“Ineed help getting them out of here,”Isay the momentI’mout of earshot of anyone.I’mgrateful for the sunglasses soIcan scrutinize the crowd without seeming likeI’meither a creeper or a paranoid conspiracy theorist.Oneof the goons just went into the last boutique in this mall. “Thoseguys searching may look like they have theIQof a loaf of bread, butIcan bet they aren’t dumb.Theonly reasonIcan think of as to why they haven’t found us yet is that they’re looking for a woman who’s alone and with a dark pink purse.”

“Ithink you’re right,”Charliesays.

“Eventually, they’re going to figure out they need to start looking for any brunette woman in a sundress, and then things will get ugly.ButIdon’t want to simply tellMackenzieandLivithey’re in danger becauseIdon’t want to blow my cover or the agency’s cover, andIdefinitely don’t want anotherPrague.”

“Rightthere with you,”Charliesays. “Whoknew that a scared woman, a can of aerosol hair spray, and a freaked-out beaver in imminent danger could do so much damage?”Ihear her fingers flying over her keyboard as she talks. “Butdon’t worry.Ialready got a distraction on its way to you.Watchfor it any minute and then getMackenzieand her friend to the parking lot and their car.AnFBIprotective detail is almost there— they’ll shadow the women after they leave and keep them safe.”

Igrowl.TheFBIdoesn’t provide the most surreptitious tails ever.ButI’llneed to meet at the agency soon for debriefing and to come up with a plan, so we need their help.

Ihead back and take my seat, where, thankfully,MackenzieandLivihave each just taken a bite of their food and are looking like they’ve forgotten about the selfie.Ipick up my sandwich but haven’t taken a bite yet when everyone in the entire courtyard turns toward the sounds of sirens.

Amoment later, emergency vehicles— half a dozen police cars, a couple of fire trucks, and an ambulance— pull into the lot, parking at all angles.Thena bunch of men and women in uniform spill out of the vehicles and swarm the courtyard.MackenzieandLiviare looking to each other, to me, and to the action, like they’re confirming that we are just as surprised as they are and just as in the dark.Iwear the same expressions on my face, of course.

Someoneon a megaphone calls out, “There’sbeen a gas leak.Everyonemove in an orderly fashion toward the parking lot.”

BothMackenzieandLivistand, grabbing their bags as they look around with wide eyes.Peopleeverywhere are pulling their shirts up to cover their noses and mouths, a few are coughing— even though there isn’t actually a leak— and are heading toward their cars in anything but an orderly fashion as the sirens on so many vehicles add chaos to the din.

Imutter just loud enough forCharlieto hear, “Agas leak?Really?IthoughtChiefMillersaid he was going to come up with better cover stories for situations like these.”

“Hedid come up with a. . . different cover story,”Ihear through my earpiece. “Ijust wouldn’t say it is a ‘better’ one.”

“Whatwas it?”Isay quietly asItry to usherMackenzieandLiviin my direction while searching the crowd for the two men or any other suspicious characters. “Achemical spill?Naturaldisaster?Killerhornets?”

Charlielaughs. “Evenworse.Micecoming up through the sewer and about to invade.”

Inod. “Gasleak it is.”

Ispot one henchman behind us and the other to our right as their eyes scan the crowd, searching for the woman with the dark pink purse.Theplace is noisy with panic, soIlean in close toMackenzieso she can hear me and say, “Iknow a way out.GrabLivi’shand and come with me.”ThenItakeMackenzie’shand in mine and lead her along the edge of the scrambling crowd.It’salways the place with the most maneuverability, and in no time at all, we make it to the parking lot ahead of the men looking for her.

Theparking lot is its own kind of chaos because the emergency vehicles are all parked askew and are currently blocking cars from leaving.Theflashing lights and the sirens add to the pandemonium.ButIsee no sign of the woman who was the intended target.Sheprobably slipped away the moment she realized that things went awry, leaving the meatheads to finish up.

Iwould prefer doing systematic countermeasures to ensure we don’t have a tail, but in this situation, getting out of the area quickly and quietly trumps elaborate precautions.

Luckily,Mackenzieand her friend parked in the section nearest the road, and therefore the area with the easiest escape route.AsMackenzieandLiviget intoMackenzie’scar,Ispot the very non-subtle blackSUVof theFBIpull into the parking lot, andIgive the driver,AgentWright, and his passenger a subtle nod.

Mackenziepulls her car door shut and immediately lowers her window.Ilean down, resting my folded arms on her car door. “Thankyou for letting me crash your lunch.”

Shesmiles. “Andthank you for rescuing my purse.Andfor rescuing us from the gas leak and the crowd.Isthere always this much excitement everywhere you go?”

Ichuckle.Shehas no idea. “AndhereIthought you were the one bringing the excitement.”

Shelaughs, andIrealize thatIreally like the sound of it.Ormaybe it’s the look on her face as she’s laughing.Iwonder how many of my reasons for wanting to protect this woman are because she’s a human and therefore deserving of protection, and how many are becauseIwant to protecther, specifically, because of who she is.Asmuch as this day hasn’t gone according to plan,Ihave rather enjoyed being with her.

No.LedgerandCharliecannot be right about me and falling for this woman.Itell her goodbye and walk away.

AsInear my car, parked at the outer edge of the lot,Ihear the chief announce through the megaphone that the gas leak was a false alarm and that everyone can go back to their shopping.

“Charlie,Iknow we’ve worked withChiefMillerfor many years and that he’s good at keeping things on the down low, but maybe we should start using less chaotic sources for emergency distractions.”

“Likea circus?” she asks.

Ismile asIopen my car and get in. “Ormaybe an interpretive dance company.”