Chapter 2
Valentina turned her desktop monitor screen toward Markus and Gabby and pulled up a website.
Uncommon Sense was written across the top in large, bold font.
Below the title was a candid photo of a middle-aged white woman with startling green eyes and brown, gray-streaked hair.
While the woman hadn’t bothered with glamour or even makeup, something about her face drew a person in.
It wasn’t her features or style—it was her intelligence.
Valentina gestured to the brunette. “This is Sheridan Lane.”
The website didn’t offer any description of Sheridan or her job, other than Uncommon Sense, which Gabby believed simply from her expression.
Her gray-streaked hair and button-down shirt said no-nonsense.
She looked like the kind of person who wouldn’t even consider visiting a psychic.
The website tabs indicated that Sheridan had a podcast and a Substack, but good luck if you wanted to email her because there was no contact section.
Valentina pulled up an MPG file and clicked play. “This is security camera footage taken from Ms. Lane’s street cam yesterday morning.”
Valentina clicked play. In the video, the door opened, and a woman exited the building and turned to lock the door.
It was clearly Sheridan in a turtleneck and a fleece vest. After adjusting her purse, she gripped the handle on the rolling luggage and wheeled it toward the street.
A man helped her into a waiting car. The license plate was not visible.
“Ms. Lane was expected in Washington three hours after this footage was taken, but she never boarded the plane in Jackson Hole and missed her appointment with the president. There’s been no word from her since.”
Had the woman been wearing a fleece vest to the White House? Gabby was impressed.
“We’re trying to track down the car that picked her up, but as you can see, the license plate is not visible. Neither Uber nor Lyft has been able to identify the person at the wheel as one of their drivers.”
“Why was she meeting the president?” Gabby was on the edge of her seat. Maybe Sheridan Lane was a fundraiser, and all the funds had gone missing, or she was advising the president on environmental practices, and an oil company had intercepted her on the way to deliver the news.
“She’s his psychic, Agent Greene.”
“What?” Gabby tried to wrap her mind around that.
“The president has a psychic?” Some of the moms at parent pickup had a psychic.
Justin regularly saw a psychic because of course he did, but the president…
Shouldn’t he be dealing with facts and figures?
Not to mention, shouldn’t a psychic look more like a grown-up Luna Lovegood?
Sheridan Lane looked like a federal judge.
Valentina forged on without even looking up. “The president’s psychic—don’t ask questions right now. Save them for the field.”
“What kind of things does he talk about with the psychic?” Gabby had nothing but questions.
“Why do you think we’re worried, Agent Greene?” Valentina asked. “Ms. Lane, or someone with access to her accounts, posted earlier today that she would be taking a social media break for a couple of weeks with a promise to return refreshed and more insightful soon.”
It was a lot to take in all at once. She decided to grab a coffee. “Does anyone else want one?” Gabby asked as she poured a cup from a carafe at a side table.
The way Valentina said no made it sound like Gabby shouldn’t have wanted one either.
All business, Markus asked, “Do we have any ideas where to start looking?”
Gabby mopped up some creamer and looked for a trash can. When she didn’t see one, she left her stir stick and creamer in a shameful pile by the coffee things.
Valentina clicked on another screen, bringing up a globe.
Google Maps–style, she zoomed in on a location, a string of islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Gabby’s adrenaline spiked. She’d never been to Europe.
She’d never even been to an island other than Catalina, where she’d gone on a school field trip with Kyle, and she’d spent most of her time there taking kids to the bathroom.
“Ms. Lane’s cell phone pinged off a tower near Ponta Delgada on S?o Miguel Island.” Valentina indicated one of the islands.
Markus exhaled as if that meant something to him.
“Ponta Delgada?” Gabby leaned forward, peering at the map while gripping her coffee like a lover’s hand.
“Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores, a chain of islands located a thousand kilometers off Portugal’s coast. It’s not a country, but an autonomous region of Portugal known for its dramatic landscapes and fishing villages,” Valentina explained like she was giving a fifth-grade report on the region.
Gabby was familiar with fifth-grade reports.
She’d helped Kyle do a last-minute one on Venezuela, capital Caracas, population: twenty-eight million, largest export: crude petroleum.
“The Azores are known as the Hawaii of Europe.”
Well, that sounded nice.
“I assume she’s at Inner-G,” Markus said, looking like he already knew a lot more about this assignment than Gabby did.
Valentina confirmed with a nod. Looking directly at Markus, she said, “Before we do anything, I want you to chat up Genesis and see what you can get out of him. Maybe they’re not hiding anything.”
“Genesis?” Gabby was officially on the last-to-know list. “What am I missing? Can someone catch me up?”
“Inner-G is a yoga and wellness brand run by Genesis and Jasmine Love.” Markus waited for her to recognize the names. “It’s basically goop but run by The Rock and his swimsuit model wife.”
Gabby was all ears.
Markus continued his report. “Inner-G is a known security risk and has been for some time. On the surface, it appears to be nothing but a yoga and wellness retreat, but there are a few red flags, which is why I’ve gotten involved.
Number one: the money. Genesis and Jasmine are living well beyond their means.
The luxury resort, the yacht, the private jet.
Mr. Love claims that all Inner-G’s wealth comes from member tithing, but the numbers don’t add up.
Number two: The retreat has been tied to several major leaked news stories.
We’re concerned they’re selling member secrets. ”
Pop Princess Sunbathes Nude!
Congressman Marries Nanny on Beach!
Oscar Winner Snorts Coke Off Sex Worker!
On her last mission, the bad guys had been Russian Mafia. This time it was Hollywood. Talk about leveling up!
Valentina cut in. “Sheridan Lane has spent countless hours in private audience with the president. Whatever secrets she has heard, it’s a matter of national security that they stay in the vault. She’s not the person we want on gossip island.”
Markus rolled his chair back. “Not that I don’t want to go to the Azores, but can we just send the local operatives in to grab her? That’d be quick and easy. Less cost for the taxpayers too.”
Valentina shook her head. “She has too much sensitive information, apparently. The president doesn’t want Sheridan in the hands of foreign intelligence until we get there. He wants our best American field agents on it as soon as possible.”
Gabby sat up a little straighter at the compliment. Was she the best field agent?
Valentina clarified, “Make that our best positioned field agents.”
“How so?” Gabby asked. She didn’t know anyone in Hollywood, and yoga hadn’t worked out for her. Balance was not her thing.
“I’ve gotten to know Genesis,” Markus said. When Gabby looked skeptical, he added, “We’re once-a-day, text-level friendly.”
“So that’s why you’ve been doing all the yoga.” Gabby was putting it all together.
“Wasn’t it believable?” he asked.
“I thought you were more of a karate, rugby, sports-that-require-a-helmet kind of guy.”
Ignoring them, Valentina said, “Congratulations, Markus. After embedding yourself in with Genesis and his inner circle, you and your fiancée are about to take your commitment to Inner-G to the next level.”
Fiancée. Gabby let the word wash over her.
All business, Valentina continued, “Genesis is expecting you at Inner-G’s resort on Friday.” It was almost like she was introducing the Showcase Showdown prize on The Price Is Right. You are about to win a trip for two at a lovely tropical resort!
Gabby blinked at Valentina. “This weekend?”
“As I said, Friday. Bright and early.”
“The day after tomorrow Friday?” How was she going to leave Friday?
Her color-coded calendar was a rainbow of obligation from now until the end of time.
It would be one thing to shift things a week out, but the day after tomorrow…
There were appointments, conferences, and vegetables that no one would eat without her.
“Don’t worry. Markus has done the paperwork and reconnaissance. You only need to familiarize yourself with your cover identity and the organization itself.”
That was hardly enough time to prepare for an afternoon at the beach with her kids.
“Markus, you should be familiar with your identity. But make sure you know everything about George Alexander.” Turning her attention to Gabby, she said, “Gabby, you’re going to be Gia Glanville on this mission. You have an extensive backstory and a digital footprint.”
It was a lot to take in. She had to become a whole other person by Friday. It was hard enough being herself.
Markus gave her an encouraging nod. “We got this.”
That was easy for the meal prep king to say. The man had been infiltrating the group for long enough to get pretty good at yoga. His bags were probably already packed.
“It’s a multiphase mission. Your first task is to find Sheridan.”
Gabby nodded distractedly.
“If she has been abducted, you need to get her to safety as soon as possible. If she’s actually on a social media break, then just keep an eye on things.
Assess potential security risks. If these people are trading in gossip, that psychic needs to get out.
And I need a full report on the structure of the organization.
I want to know more about Inner-G than they know about themselves. ”
Gabby pushed her chair back. If she was leaving for a work trip, she needed to get ready now. The least she could do would be to fill up the freezer with enough frozen pizzas to last a week.
“Hold up, Agent Greene.” With a wicked smile, Valentina said, “I haven’t told you the good part yet.”
Gabby braced herself.
“You two are down there to get married. That’s why Genesis was so excited to have you.”
Bombs exploded in Gabby’s head.
Markus grumbled. “Really, Val?”
Gabby fell back in her chair, speechless. Her coffee sloshed over the rim onto her pants.
Valentina handed her a towel. “Get it together, Greene. It’s just pretend. No need to sign a prenup.”
Role-playing a fight had already been hard enough this morning.
“Why?” Markus asked, looking no more excited than she was.
While Gabby mopped up coffee, Valentina continued. “Inner-G is hosting its Power Couples Retreat this weekend.”
Markus snickered, and Valentina said, “I know.”
“What’s so funny?” Gabby asked, glancing between them.
“It’s based on his movie Power Couple.”
“It’s genius,” Markus said, “turning his classic movie into a cult.”
“Wasn’t that an action movie?”
Valentina sighed. “I don’t know if it’s genius, but it starts on Saturday morning. Markus, you make the arrangements. Genesis is going to be thrilled you’re finally signing up.”
Gabby’s head was spinning. She and Markus were in the middle of trying to figure out workable boundaries in their relationship. They were work wives, which might or might not involve sex but definitely didn’t involve trips to the Azores and marriage.
Valentina explained, “By getting married, you’re jumping straight to the inner circle. It guarantees more time with Genesis and Jasmine. They love when their cult members get married, especially to potential new cult members.”
Markus, with his pecs and his gray sweatpants and a pheromone cocktail that made her woozy and pliable…
she wasn’t ready to bring him home yet. What if he didn’t do the dishes?
She had kids, and a mortgage, and a Granny who was going to need more help than she offered before long.
The stakes for making a bad decision were too high. Gabby was dating without a net.
Valentina cocked her head. Channeling a drill sergeant, she said, “Is this too hard of an assignment for you, Agent Greene?” Gabby half expected to tell her to drop and give her twenty or clean the latrine with a toothbrush.
“I got this,” Gabby said with more volume than confidence.
“You better.” Valentina nodded. “I’ve emailed you our encrypted files on Genesis, Jasmine, and Inner-G. I expect you to have it all memorized by tomorrow. This is not a drill.”
Markus held the door for Gabby, and they walked down the hall away from the office.
Before this meeting, the amount of open-ended business between them had felt like a lot.
On the way out of the office, with a fake marriage on the calendar for next week, she and Markus barely fit in the hall with all the unspoken business and big feelings between them.
“So, uh, we’re getting married, huh?” she said, if for no other reason than to fill the awkward silence.
Work wife wedding bells were ringing. Gabby could almost pretend that didn’t make her actually, really worried she couldn’t do it all.
Almost. For a job that required compartmentalizing, the lines were getting very blurry.