AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You won’t meet me?”
“I can’t. I have to stay hidden for now. But I have family. Butterfly will be our safe word. Moth will be our unsafe word. If you hear about the birds, you know I have listeners.”
Smart. She was very smart. She could have been a covert asset. Was she only a journalist? She could have done anything. Or was she thorough because she’d been through so much?
“I’m on it. I’ll go get my things in D.C. first, then come. Maybe day after tomorrow?”
“You’re not in D.C.?”
“No, visiting my folks.”
“You book passage from there, then. You have a passport?”
“At least three, but three are with me.”
He was referring to the fact that, as a Special Agent, he had a diplomatic passport, sort of an international get-out-of-jail card with a gold shield to boot, and a passport from the UK under another name. But she didn’t know about those. He wasn’t going to mention them over the phone either.
“Mysterious. I always knew you were mysterious.” She paused. “I shouldn’t be asking you to do this. It could be dangerous. I’m warning you.”
“Why should that matter?”
“For your own health and safety.”
“Not if I can assist yours. That is my health and safety, Moira. I think you know it always has been that way for me.”
She paused, and then sighed. “Not enough time, my love. I will think on those things while I wait for you here. Be careful. Be very careful. Nothing is as it seems.”
“I’ve got nothing but butterflies in my heart for you.”
“As do I.”
And she hung up. He forgot to ask when he should call back, but perhaps he didn’t need to ask any longer.
He got to work, using the credit card attached to his British Passport and traveling under the name Grayson Newberry. He had a State Department ID that matched, just without the gold badge. The photo he’d had taken right after a short haircut to match the persona. He’d picked it because it sounded like a well-educated and organized man of business who had his life all well worked out and well scripted. He could put on the costume and become someone….
Not so dangerous.
Jordan called an hour later.
“I’m leaving tomorrow. You want to come?”
“Not sure I can. I’d lead them right to you. No, I’m just trying to stay safe. Listen, before we get too far, if something happens, I have an external hard drive in a safe deposit box atCity National Bank downtown, and you’d better write this down, Box 244. Under my roommate in college’s name, Brian Forestall. Birthplace: Seattle. If something happens to me, you can get everything there. With your connections, that should be enough to get your exec approval and retrieve it. You only want to give it to someone you trust with your life, understand?”
It was alarming to hear all this from Jordan.
“Are you sure I can’t get you protection? I can do that, you know. If you get to California, I can get you some SEAL protection.”
“Only if I have to. I’m probably being more cautious than I need to be. But things are fungible here, not adding up. Feels like something big is happening on Capitol Hill, and I’ve talked to other reporters who are feeling the same vibe.”
“Well, you make your way to California. If you do that, I can keep you safe. I promise you that, Jordan.”
“So this will be our time, then.”
“If I change my phone, I’ll update you when you call. No texting. It’s too easy to duplicate. Voice is harder.”
“Time’s up. Safe travels. You can give her that information too. Then both of you will have it. Just in case.”
That gave Dimitri the shudders.
