Chapter 7
Taylor did not like large airports. When she flew to Seattle, Senator Schulz had her fly with him which allowed her to bypass all of this.
People being herded through security. Parents trying to keep their toddler entertained while in the throws of a meltdown.
The impatient businessman throwing disgruntled looks at everyone that slowed him down. So many people.
She blew a stray hair out of her face while picking up the book on the table. Kam's contact was able to find that Wyatt Nixon booked a one way ticket to Costa Rica. Now all she had to do was spot the social media manager coming through security and confirm that he still had the USB drive.
She was still having a hard time believing that Wyatt was the one who betrayed them all.
He seemed so kind, but more importantly, patriotic.
He was a fourth generation serviceman who was medically discharged.
After a quick search, Paul discovered that Wyatt was drowning in debt.
There were other ways to get out of debt. You didn't have to betray your country.
Paul had spent the whole ride here silently scowling at Kam in the back seat of the helicopter.
Whatever had happened between them while they were both working to take down Ian was something big.
She hoped that some day they'd be able to realize they were both on the same side.
Paul was her friend and Kam was quickly becoming the man she wanted to love for the rest of her life.
She hoped that the two parts of her life would at least tolerate each other.
She connected to a three-way call with Paul and Kam via the phone and bluetooth set that Max gave her. "I can't wait to see him again."
"I'm sure he'll be excited to see you," Kam responded with the fake conversation. She smiled to herself. He remembered the story about how she and her best friend used to have secret conversations on the phone when they knew one of their parents or her siblings were listening.
"I'm totally going to run down the hall and jump in his arms."
Paul smothered a laugh. "You two need a moment?"
"No," Kam said coolly.
"Focus," Taylor scolded. Wyatt tucked an envelope in his left jacket pocket. "Remember to keep your papers in your inner jacket pocket when you travel to see me." Taylor put her book in the bag by her feet as Wyatt passed by her table moving toward B Gates.
"Right?" Kam started to hum a tune that Taylor didn't recognize. He used to to hum as they snuggled together before he left. She shook the bittersweet memory away.
"I'm right-handed." She hoped that Kam got that clue.
"I'll meet you all for coffee in a few." Paul was staging for the next phase of the operation. So far, everything was going as planned.
Kam's humming stopped. Taylor couldn't resist the plea, "Please be careful."
"Always." Kam's voice quieted the nerves that had been sparking ever since they touched down in Anchorage.
Taylor hoisted the backpack on her shoulder. She kept one eye on the back of Wyatt Nixon's head as he made his way down the corridor. She prayed that their plan would work.
A person with a ball cap pulled low on their head rammed into Wyatt. If Taylor wouldn't have been watching his every move, she would have missed the slight of hand. That person just picked the envelope from Wyatt's pocket.
"We've got a problem." Taylor stopped to keep both people in her sights. "Someone just beat us to the prize."
"I'm coming to you," Kam and Paul said in unison.
"No. Stick to the plan. I'll get our reward back."
"I can be to Wyatt in three minutes to give him the gift for the party," Kam responded.
Taylor changed direction to intercept the thief. Reason number twenty-five why traveling through airports was not for her—pickpockets. "Paul, meet Nixon for coffee. I've got this. And, Paul, play nice with Kam. He's the only reason I'm alive right now."
She took his silence on the line as grudging acceptance of her request.
The woman took her hat off and tossed it in the trash can, but kept walking toward the restroom.
Taylor quickened her step while she cataloged as much as she could about the thief.
Combat boots, dark curly hair with green tinsel, and a white shirt.
As the woman stepped into the restroom, she glanced over her shoulders.
When her gaze locked onto Taylor's, her eyes widened.
She ducked her head and turned the corner before Taylor could catch up to her.
Taylor barged into the mostly empty bathroom as the woman slipped into the last stall. A poster on the wall by the hand dryers gave Taylor an idea. She gave the woman washing her hands a kind smile hoping that she didn't call security the moment she stepped out of the restrooms.
"We're all alone now," Taylor gently said through the door.
"Go away," the woman spat back.
Taylor sent a silent prayer that this worked. "I'm a police officer and it looked like you were running from trouble. I'd like to help you. No one is going to hurt you."
The woman was silent for a beat then a sniffle emerged from behind the stall door. "I just want to help you," Taylor encouraged the woman.
Taylor only needed her to open the door preferably without too much fuss.
"You don't understand. I need to get back to him. He'll hurt Sara." Another sniffle.
Either this woman was a gifted actress or there was more to her than just targeting a random person. "Open the door so we can talk."
The stall door creaked open, but the woman kept her eyes downcast. "Hi. My name is Taylor. What's yours?"
In a single breath the woman's shoulder checked Taylor, who stumbled back. Regaining her footing, Taylor swept her leg out and tripped the would-be runner.
"Nice try." Taylor grabbed the envelope from the woman's back pocket. "I'll take this. It's not yours anyway."
"Give me that!" The woman cursed and sprung toward Taylor knocking them both into the sink.
A sharp pain radiated up Taylor's back but her grip on the woman's wrist didn't waver.
Taylor relaxed her push against the woman, which caused her to tilt toward Taylor.
Using the woman's momentum, Taylor flipped her arms behind her and held her head against the mirror.
"Now, before I arrest you for assaulting a Federal Agent, I'll ask you one question. Who are you working for?"
"I'll never tell you," the woman spat.
The blow came out of nowhere and made stars dance in her vision. Taylor shook her head as she stumbled back. A man took the woman by the hand as they fled the bathroom. Where did he come from?
"Are you alright, ma'am?" A flight attendant stepped close to her.
Taylor blinked slowly. She needed to get the envelope from those two. She took a step toward the entrance when something brown caught her eye. The envelope. Taylor reached under the sink and squeezed the paper. God was looking out for them today.
"I'm fine. Just dropped my letter from my mom." She put one foot in front of the other, willing the dizziness to stay at bay.
"Anyone join the party yet?" Taylor asked, hoping that either Paul or Kam would have kept to the mission.
When no one responded, she reached up to her ear.
Pieces fell from her ear. Great. She had the USB drive, but she'd lost communication with her team.
She dug the phone from her pocket; the call had stopped probably on impact.
Taylor worked her jaw. She could feel the pounding all along the side of her face in tandem with her heart beat.
Her hands shook as she dialed the number Kam saved in her phone.
"Thank God you are alright." Kam answered on the first ring.
"I'll live. I'm coming your way. Did you make contact?" She was no longer talking in code because her head hurt too much to think that hard. She needed this operation to be over. She had the drive now all they needed was the mole caught in the action of selling state secrets.
"Wyatt told me to watch where I was walking. He's a bit on edge."
"If I were going to betray my country, I would be too."
"I see you." Taylor lifted her head as high as she could scanning the crowd for Kam. "You've got company." Kam disconnected their call.
Taylor looked over her shoulder immediately regretting the decision.
She was going to have to up her Krav Maga practice with Davin when this was over.
The woman from the bathroom was about twenty yards behind her.
She needed to shake her or get Paul to arrest her for attempting to steal state secrets.
Taylor refused to believe that she randomly targeted Wyatt.
An arm snaked around her arms and a hand covered her mouth as Taylor was jerked into a hallway. Taylor stomped on her attacker's foot and prepared herself to flip them over her shoulder.
"Stop, Taylor. It's just me."
Kam let Taylor go. "You could have just called me over here. No need to manhandle me like that."
If they weren't in the middle of keeping weapons plans out of the hands of Russia, she would have given him more flack for acting like an oaf.
Kam smirked. A look that made her blood simmer for a whole other reason. This man had better stay this time because her heart would never recover from losing him a second time.
Kam's eyes traveled over her head then he bent his head towards her. "Trust me."
She nodded her head. His lips were gentle yet eager as they found hers. He turned them and pressed her up against the wall putting his arm beside her. She stood in a cocoon of Kam. Safe.
She wasn't sure what kissing Kam King had to do with their mission, but she was going to follow his lead.
As much as he wanted to get lost in kissing Taylor, Kam needed to keep them both focused. He trailed kisses down her jaw and whispered in her ear. "Do you see them?"
"Mmm." Taylor sighed. A smile tugged at Kam's lips. Taylor was equally distracted by his kisses. "The woman has stopped walking, but I don't see the guy anywhere."