Chapter 13
Before yoga but after chanting, outside the G-hut
Gabby found Markus waiting outside the G-hut, a fanny pack dangling from an extended hand. “You forgot your bag,” he said with a smile.
The bag he was holding was empty. He was up to spy business. Thank God, because she needed a break from introspection. Spying was easier.
Jasmine smiled. “Be honest, George. You missed her.”
Gabby was sure there was a secret note in the bag.
Markus played along. “Can’t blame me for missing my baby on our honeymoon.” He wrapped his arm around Gabby and steered her away from the group. “Are you all on break or…”
“Yoga is in a few hours,” Jasmine said, then turned to Gabby. “But I’m meeting some of the other women in my office for a matcha before the class. Gia’s invited.”
Markus grabbed Gabby’s hand. “Matcha? I’d never get between Gia and a matcha. I’ll have her back before class.”
Markus knew she thought matcha tasted like dirt.
As soon as they were out of range, Markus became all business. “Val wants to talk.”
“What is it?”
He shrugged. “Something important.”
“How was your thing?” Gabby asked Markus as they hustled down the path.
“Genesis was half naked and talking about living in his mind cave.”
“I thought you were supposed to go fishing.”
“I don’t think Genesis can be bound by schedules. How about yours? Did you make any friends yet?”
She snorted. “Not yet.”
“Everyone here will be telling you their darkest secrets in no time,” Markus said. “I have faith.”
“They do seem to be pretty busy unburdening themselves to Jasmine.”
Because they didn’t want Geeves surprising them, they took the call on Markus’s bed, aka, the couch. He moved his pillow out of the way, dialed, and set the phone between them. Gabby tapped her foot at a crazy pace until Markus set his hand on her knee.
Valentina answered, “Special Supervisory Agent Monroe.”
“This is Agents Greene and Parks.”
“Are you in a secure location?”
“Yes.” Markus had swept once more for bugs before calling.
“Strap in, Agents. I just got off the phone with the president moments ago, and he is at a level ten over this operation.”
Gabby and Markus exchanged a worried look.
“He skipped the proper channels. Called me directly on my office line. That’s how serious this is.”
“What’s happened?” asked Markus.
“This morning, an incriminating picture of the president was leaked to the media. It’s a photo of him and Amanda Duvall.”
“The journalist?” Gabby asked. “She was on the political beat, right?”
Markus pulled up the photo in question on his laptop. In it, she and President Simon were relaxing in the White House’s Oval Office. She had her head tilted back in laughter, perfect white teeth on display. Now, here was someone who wore her retainer.
The president appeared to be telling a joke. The intimacy between the two was palpable. It was the kind of picture where the internet would unanimously conclude that they were into each other based on the angle of their knees and the sincerity of the smiles.
“There are a couple of issues with this photo. The most obvious being that Amanda was murdered last week and the president would like to distance himself from any fallout or speculation.”
Made sense. “Can’t he just put out a statement saying that he’s met Amanda and mourns the loss of a bright mind in journalism or something?” Gabby suggested.
“I’m sure he will, but there is already a lot of chatter about the photo.”
“Yeah,” Markus said, “but it’s just one photo.”
“Is the president funny?” Gabby asked. “He doesn’t seem like it.” Amanda appeared to be laughing way too hard at that joke.
“I’m sure he’s very fun,” Valentina said. “He claims Amanda interviewed him for a piece on White House inner workings that never came out.”
Hmm. That seemed a little thin.
Markus leaned toward the phone. “Why does this concern us? Did the leak come from Inner-G?”
“We haven’t fully traced the photo’s source yet, but no one is comfortable with Sheridan hanging out at Inner-G right now.”
“She doesn’t want to leave,” Gabby said. “Also, when we interviewed her yesterday, she said that she’d informed President Simon that she was going to miss their appointment.”
“That can’t be right,” Valentina said.
“I’m just repeating what she told us. It kind of feels like we’re chasing down a woman on vacation.”
The line was dead for a second until Valentina said, “Even if that was true, her presence at Inner-G is a problem.”
“Yes,” Markus and Gabby both agreed.
“Someone is lying about that phone call, which we need to look into, but first things first: Inner-G is still in a position to bilk Sheridan for sensitive info and leak it.” Sounding more sure of herself, she said, “That’s our number one concern.”
“Should we just take Sheridan and leave?” Gabby said, feeling like she was stating the obvious. “That would solve the problem.”
“We can’t. She’s an American citizen,” Markus said. “She didn’t steal classified information. The president just dumped it on her while she was reading tea leaves or whatever she does. If she asks for help, we can. If she’s joined Inner-G and wants to get a hot stone massage, we can’t stop her.”
“Well, put the afterburners on finding that leak.” Valentina paused before saying, “The stakes of this mission just escalated. You two have your work cut out for you.”
Markus leaned back, and Gabby exhaled in frustration. “So what do we do?”
“Do what you were doing,” Valentina said, “but more of it. And faster.”
“Ten-four,” Markus said.
“Oh, and don’t get distracted. I know they put you two in the honeymoon cottage, and I’m here to remind you—this is not a honeymoon.”
Be More. Do More. No fun.
When they hung up with Valentina, Markus must have sensed Gabby’s waning spirits. He didn’t smile or cajole her. Deadpan, he said, “Don’t worry. We got this.”
“Do we?” She didn’t want to remind him about the morning—an unwanted striptease followed by a contraband discovery.
“Gabby, we are Elite Operatives for the CIA. Jasmine invited you to matcha—”
“I’m not sure that was an invitation.”
“Close enough. Mingle with her girls—you need to be there. Listen in, make friends, ask questions. Wedding planning might provide you access we can use.”
Save democracy. Plan a wedding. Rock a shirt-bra. All in a day’s work.
“What are you going to do?” Gabby asked.
“Whatever bullshit Genesis makes up next. Every day with him is like a spirit quest.”
He handed her the fanny pack, and she buckled it on like she was strapping in for the mission. “Got it.”
“I put a protein bar and some sunscreen for you,” he said.
“Really?”
“You can’t be saving the world sunburned and hungry,” he said.
Gabby blinked back, flabbergasted. It was just a little thing, but still.
Markus walked her back to matcha hour with Jasmine.
Within sight of the matcha crowd, he brought her in for a kiss, the kind of kiss shared by two people who have been intimate.
The way her cheek pressed against the soft skin of his neck when she tilted her face up just so—it was familiar, but fraught with so much uncertainty.
Her blood heated with feverish desperation.
“Don’t save the world without me this time,” he whispered. Gabby’s vision blurred from the scent of his aftershave blooming in the tropical air, and her breasts pressed suggestively into his chest.
Too abruptly for the intimacy of the moment, Markus released her and stepped back. “Go get ’em, tiger!”