She has a volatile nature,
Moves in a dangerous way- B. Andrews
Bailey stood dutifully by one of the several makeup counters inside Dillard's as Piper browsed and chatted with one of the girls behind the counter. She was tempted to sigh when she saw Piper heading back towards her but was suddenly sidetracked by something that caught her eye. After what seemed like twenty minutes, but was in reality around two, she finally had what she wanted and approached her with a smile.
"Sorry," Piper said, amused at the look on Bailey's face. "I got carried away."
"Uh huh," Bailey said as Piper took her hand.
"Come on, it wasn't that bad. I promise to make the shoes quick."
Bailey groaned and Piper chuckled at her as she led her out into the mall.
"You hungry?" Piper asked.
"A little."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Whatever you want."
"What do you want?"
"I want to be with you," Bailey said. "I really don't care where we eat, you choose."
"You're such a big softie," Piper said bumping her with her hips. "Let's go in there," she added, pointing to a shoe store.
"Alright," Bailey said and followed her in with another sigh, resigning herself to twenty questions and at least half an hour.
Piper immediately went into browsing mode, and five minutes later Bailey found herself sitting next to her waiting on the salesperson to bring out the four pair of shoes that had struck her fancy.
"Piper, why do you ask for three different sizes? I think you would…" Bailey trailed off when she caught sight of an Asian man looking in the store window as he passed by.
"Bailey, what's wrong?" Piper asked in concern as the little smile faded from Bailey's face and she abruptly stopped talking.
"Nothing. I need to make a phone call."
"Is everything alright?" Piper asked, her anxiety growing at Bailey's rapidly changing demeanor.
"Yes. I'll be right back," Bailey said as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and walked several paces away.
"What's up?" Josh asked.
"Any changes?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Josh said, all business when he caught her tone. "Two suits followed you to the mall. I'm watching them right now."
"No one has joined them?"
"Just the two as far as I know. Is anything wrong?"
"I don't know yet," Bailey said. "Ring me if the two outside move and I'm not visible."
"Will do," Josh said. "Take care."
"Thank you," she said, hanging up and walking back over to Piper.
"Everything okay?" Piper asked as the saleslady arrived with her shoes.
"Yeah."
Piper started to grow nervous as Bailey remained standing, her attention focused on the activity in the mall outside.
"Ma'am, would you like me to show you anything else?" the saleslady asked.
"I'm sorry," Piper said. "I'll try these on and get back to you, if that's alright."
"That's fine," the woman said. "I'll be right over there." She gestured toward another customer.
"Okay."
Piper looked back at Bailey just in time to see her eyes flash. "Piper, we need to go now," she said, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.
"What's going on, Bailey?" Piper asked as Bailey dragged her to the front of the store.
"I'll explain later. Just do as I ask, please."
"You're scaring me," Piper said worriedly as Bailey led her by the hand toward the mall exit but stopped abruptly.
"Go to the car and wait for me."
"No," Piper said. "Tell me what's going on."
She didn't say anything so Piper followed her gaze to an Asian man about seventy feet away who was returning Bailey's stare.
"Piper, please do as I ask."
Piper opened her mouth to speak but Bailey snapped her head around to glare at her. "Please."
She looked at her for a long moment not recognizing her at all. "Are you coming too?"
"Shortly," Bailey replied and turned her attention back in the direction of the Asian man.
Bailey watched the man carefully and as soon as Piper started to walk away, he moved in her direction. "Piper," she said as she turned and caught up with her. "Stay with me," she added, taking her hand and leading her in the opposite direction.
"Please tell me what's going on," Piper pleaded, both anxious and irritated..
"I can't right now," Bailey said as she pulled Piper into the crowd milling around the food court.
Bailey suddenly took a turn and quickly led them through an employee entrance into a long service hallway. She hurriedly dragged Piper to the end and around the corner into a shorter, but almost identical hall that ended with another door. Piper opened her mouth to speak but Bailey brought a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture and she subsided. She waited for almost five minutes, growing more frantic by the second as Bailey continued to stand quietly with an emotionless expression and flashing eyes.
The door at the end of the hall suddenly opened and she had to bite her lip not to scream as the Asian man stepped into the hallway and stopped about fifteen feet away. His dark eyes landed on her fleetingly before they focused intently on Bailey and he started walking in her direction.
"Piper, step away from me," Bailey said.
"No," she whined, pulling on Bailey's hand. "Come with me."
"I can't."
"Bailey…" Piper started, still tugging fearfully on her hand.
"Step away from me," she interrupted harshly, turning her eyes on Piper. "Step away, don't run, don't scream," she said, abruptly removing her hand from Piper's.
Almost in tears and closing in on panic, Piper reluctantly backed away a few steps and watched in extreme agitation as the man stopped about six feet away from Bailey and ran a gaze over her from head to toe.
"Wraith," the man purred. "This is an honor," he said with a slight respectful nod of his head, slowly producing an oriental blade about sixteen inches long from under his suit jacket.
Bailey said nothing and stood calmly until the man suddenly lunged at her with frightening speed.
Piper bit down on her hand to keep from screaming when the man moved for Bailey, but she moved at the same time, her knife flashing into her hand. She sidestepped the blade streaking toward her with an explosion of reflexes and backhanded her knife under the man's extended arm to bury it to the hilt in his armpit. The man grunted loudly in pain as his blade dropped from his hand to clatter on the concrete floor and he fell to his knees with a mixture of surprise and pain on his face. Her knife flickered across his throat in a quicksilver motion as soon as his knees hit the ground and he fell face first to the floor in a rapidly spreading pool of blood. She knelt and quickly used his pant leg to clean the blood off of her blade before rising to take Piper's hand without comment, brusquely leading her around the corner and back down the long service hall.
Piper let Bailey pull her back through the mall and into the parking lot before she spoke.
"Are we going to call the police?" she asked.
"No," Bailey said. "Give me the keys."
Piper took the keys out of her purse and handed them to her quietly. Bailey unlocked the passenger side door and waited until she was seated before she walked around to the driver's side, getting in behind the wheel and starting the car.
"He called you Wraith," Piper said, beginning to sniffle.
"Yes, he did."
"Where are we going?"
"To my place," Bailey said. "There are some things you need to know."
Piper just nodded as the tears began to come in earnest.
Bailey let out a ragged sigh, surprised when Piper took her hand and squeezed it tightly.
II
Sometimes I'm an angel and sometimes I'm cruel,
When it comes to love, I'm just another fool- M. Cohn
By the time Bailey led Piper into the elevator, her chest had tightened to an almost unbearable degree and her eyes had begun to water. She wiped at them in puzzlement as the elevator stopped and she walked down the short hall to open the door to her flat. Piper had been extremely quiet for the last ten minutes and she had been afraid to say anything to her.
She led her to the kitchen and seated her at the table. "I'll be right back."
Martin was heading for the kitchen when he heard Bailey's voice and he stopped dead in his tracks, just short of rounding the corner. Knowing that she had been speaking to someone, he leaned against the wall to eavesdrop.
Piper looked up as Bailey returned a moment later with a leather document bag that she placed on the table in front of her.
"Everything about me is in this file," Bailey said, her voice cracking on the last two words. "My bedroom is down that hall, you'll need to come and get me when you're ready to leave," she said with difficulty. "I've a man staying here, kind of an ex-coworker; don't be surprised if you see him," she finished struggling and turned to go.
"Wait," Piper said. "Stay with me."
Bailey didn't turn around and it took her several seconds to reply. "I can't," she rasped, walking away quickly and finally breaking into a jog as she disappeared down the hall.
Piper watched her go with a sniffle and slowly turned to the case, apprehensively pulling out the very thick file. She opened it hesitantly and looked at the first page, it took less than twenty seconds for her to burst into tears.
Martin slid down the wall he was leaning on until he rested on his haunches. He had heard the whole conversation and he closed his eyes when he heard the other woman start to cry. He rearranged himself until he was sitting flat on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of him and his back against the wall. He looked at his watch and listened to the crying woman for the next three hours. Finally, he got up and stretched painfully to work out the stiffness in his joints. With a deep breath, he rounded the corner to enter the kitchen, noticing as he approached that she had evidently gotten to the end of the file some time ago, and had just been crying. He had to clear his throat several times to get her to notice him.
"Hi, Piper," he said and her eyes widened at the mention of her name. "I'm Martin."
She looked at him for a long moment without speaking.
"There are some things you should know that aren't in that file."
"I don't if I can bear to know anymore."
"If you love her, you need to know these things," Martin said kindly and she started to cry again but got control of herself long enough to nod in the affirmative.
"Come on," he said, gesturing to the hall and led her to the library where he walked over and removed a book from one of the shelves.
"Do you know about her family?"
"Vaguely," Piper said, sitting down on the sofa and wiping at her eyes.
"Her family thinks she's dead but her whole adult life she's been fighting for their survival. Everything you read in that file she did because she didn't have a choice," Martin said, speaking slowly. "They hid her family from her and held them over her head. She's the best because she had to be, not because she wanted to be. If she had tried to run or had she died, they would have instantly killed her family. Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live the life she has and to know that if you made any mistakes your family would die? That's what she's lived with for all of these years," He stopped and went over to sit next to her on the sofa.
"She's seen things and done things that you and I could never imagine. She's taken risks that pass belief, but I think the biggest risk that woman ever took was letting you in," Martin said as he opened the book he held and handed it to her. "I want to show you something. I caught her scribbling in this not long after she started dating you."
Piper took the book, puzzled to see it was a dictionary. She looked closely at the displayed pages to see that the word 'love' was circled with red ink and drawn next to it on the page was a little heart that had the initials P.T + B.C written inside. She closed the book with a snap and was assaulted by another wave of tears.
Martin waited patiently until she subsided. "A thirty-one year old woman shouldn't have to look up that word in the dictionary," he said softly. "And what she wrote is the work of a teenager, not a woman her age. For fifteen years she's just existed from day to day but when she met you..." He paused."…You gave her hope."
Piper wiped at her eyes. "She killed a man today right in front of me," she said with a sniffle.
Martin's eyes widened a little. "Piper," he said. "They want her dead."
"I don't understand," Piper said, further agitated.
"You'd better let her explain that part. Are you going to leave her?"
Piper took a deep breath. "Of course not, she needs me."
Martin smiled in relief. "Then you'd better go tell her."
Piper wiped at her eyes and rose from the couch. "Why are you here?"
"Because they want me dead too. She saved my life."
Piper looked at him for several seconds, finally just nodding and leaving the room. She retraced her steps back to the kitchen and tentatively walked down the hall that Bailey had taken hours earlier. She noted several rooms on both sides of the hall but ignored them in favor of the last one that she could see had a light on.
She took a deep breath as she stepped through the doorway and her heart clenched painfully at the sight before her. Bailey hadn't noticed her and was sitting cross-legged on the corner of a king-sized bed, her back was to her but Piper could see her rocking back and forth as if in pain, holding the teddy bear she had given her in her lap.
"Bailey," Piper said softly and she stopped rocking and went very still.
"Please don't leave me," Bailey pleaded, her hand coming up to wipe at her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere," Piper said crossing the room to sit behind her on the bed.
"You're not going to leave me?" Bailey asked, her voice cracking.
"No, I'm not," Piper said. "I love you, Bailey," she added placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling the body under her hand buck a little and take several quick deep breaths.
"I love you, Bailey," she repeated and Bailey turned to bury her head in her lap, embracing her around the waist.
Piper started to cry again as she watched her struggle with herself. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's okay to cry."
The arms around her waist embraced her tightly and hands clutched at her back almost painfully as they clung desperately for purchase. It started as a sob that racked her whole body and gave way to an outpouring as she brought her knees up to her chest protectively and buried her head further into her lap.
The tears soon turned to raging and she held her tightly as she lost control of herself completely. She let the tears slide silently down her own face, realizing sadly that now that the wall had buckled and given way, everything that had been imprisoned behind was coming forward with a vengeance. She could only imagine how difficult it was for her and she felt her own heart break for the young girl who had loved her father and had given in to the madness of her loss, only to watch the slow death of her own soul.
She whispered words of comfort and started to rock her gently when her breath started to become forced as she attempted to keep up with the sobs she had no control over. Growing alarmed and afraid that she might hurt herself, she leaned over the head in her lap to brush her lips over the ebony hair.
"I love you, Bailey Ann," she said. "Come back to me."
The raging tapered off gradually but the tears lasted until her muscles grew stiff and her body started to protest loudly. She put her body on hold and closed her eyes, awaking with a start to find Bailey asleep in her lap and having no idea how much time had passed or how long she had been in the same position. Gently disentangling herself from her embrace, she stretched out beside her, grimacing as her body complained to the restrictions she had placed on it. Once circulation had reasserted itself, she made herself comfortable next to the vulnerable form of her lover and slowly, very slowly, drifted back off to sleep.
Piper awoke at almost three in the morning to find Bailey still asleep. She looked at her features carefully, noticing puffy eyes and dried tear streaks still staining her face. She tenderly brushed the hair out of her face and went in search of the bathroom.
When she emerged, she made a slow circle of Bailey's bedroom and paused for quite some time when she found the knife that Bailey carried buried to the hilt in the top of a dresser, obviously placed there in anger or frustration; probably a mixture of both. It broke her heart to fully understand the life that Bailey had been forced to lead. She looked around and found nothing that gave the impression of home, finding the entire dwelling to be a very impersonal and almost antiseptic environment.
She ventured out of the bedroom and curiously entered what looked like an office because she could see the glow of several computer screens. She flipped on the light and found a large desk in front of the window and a smaller desk that was the operation center for several rack-mounted computers. She clicked off the light and walked across the hall into another room.
When she turned on the light, she was surprised to find only a loveseat in the middle of the room. When she entered, she saw that one wall was dedicated to a breathtaking mural that had been painstakingly painted upon the wall itself. She sat down on the loveseat that faced it and studied it carefully. The picture portrayed the ocean as seen from someone standing on the bow of a ship adrift in a storm. The swells tall and furious, the ship itself cresting the top of a wave and looking down upon the violent cauldron of water that surrounded it.
She wondered if Bailey had painted it herself.
"I…uhm… come in here sometimes and imagine what it would be like to live on the ocean," Bailey said quietly from the doorway. "To be so free and to go only where the current takes you."
"It's beautiful," Piper said. "Did you paint it?"
Bailey nodded to the affirmative and Piper patted the cushion beside her. She entered the room and sat down gingerly beside her.
"I spoke to Martin," Piper said. "He tells me that the people you used to work for want you dead. Will you tell me why?"
She took a deep breath. "They want me dead because I present a security risk to them. A great enough risk to destroy them if I was to expose them publicly. I left the Organization three years ago, but they recently decided they wanted me back. As long as they had my family, they had a hold on me; they don't anymore."
"I see." Piper said. "And the man in the mall, was he one of them?"
"No," Bailey said. "He was a contractor. I doubt the Organization knew or they wouldn't have allowed it, they wouldn't be careless enough to make an attempt on me so soon."
"Are you saying that they're going to try in the future to kill you?"
"Yes," Bailey said. "I'm followed every time I leave the building and have been almost since I met you. They have several people working downstairs as employees and I estimate they have around seventy people in Atlanta at the moment waiting for the orders to eliminate me."
"My God," Piper said, closing her eyes. "Why are they waiting?"
"Because they're not sure they can pull it off," Bailey said. "They can't afford to lose the amount of people it would take to kill me. They also can't afford to make an attempt without it succeeding; if they failed, the threat of me exposing them becomes greater. They're waiting until an almost guaranteed opportunity presents itself or they've no other options."
"I take it you've got a plan."
"Yes," Bailey said. "I hope to end this without any violence."
"Is that possible?" Piper asked. "Will they just let you go?"
"I don't plan on giving them a choice."
"I don't understand all of this," Piper said. "Where does Martin come in and why is he here?"
"Martin stole the file that you read from the Organization, they know he did and they want him eliminated as well. He came to me for protection and because he knew the location of my mother and brother. Without his assistance, I wouldn't have my family."
"That file," Piper said softly. "Is all of it true?"
"I've never looked at it," Bailey said, her eyes studying the floor. "But I imagine it's fairly accurate, yes."
"What did you want to be when you were a little girl?"
"A musician," Bailey said. "That seems a lifetime ago now."
"You would've been a wonderful musician, Bailey. You still can be, if you want."
"I just want you. More than I ever wanted anything."
"You already have me," she said, taking her hand. "Forever."
"I don't think forever is long enough."
"It'll have to do," Piper replied, bringing Bailey's hand to her mouth and placing a kiss on it.
"I got scared when I woke up and you weren't there," Bailey said. "I thought you had decided to leave."
"Bailey, I've told you several times I wouldn't leave you and I won't," Piper said. "Why don't you believe me?"
"Because I can't believe you would want a killer."
"The file I read was about a soldier, not a killer," Piper said. "A soldier that didn't have a choice."
"I had a choice once," Bailey said. "My life is the result of that choice."
"No, it isn't."
"Yes, it is," Bailey insisted. "I could've just grieved with my family and gone on. But I didn't. I plotted to kill that man and I did. And this is where it got me."
"It got you right here with me," Piper said. "And I'm glad I have you, very glad."
"You're are the only positive result of my life, Piper."
"Let me love you, Bailey," Piper said. "Live with me now and don't dwell on things it's far to late to change."
"I'd like that," Bailey said in a small voice.
"Me too," Piper said, resting her head on Bailey's shoulder.
Bailey sighed and placed a kiss in Piper's hair.
"Have you considered going to see your mother?"
"I'd like to, but the prospect scares me."
"Are they going to stay with the British indefinitely?"
"No, they can live wherever they want when this over."
"I think you should go see them."
"I don't know if I can," Bailey said. "I'm not exactly the daughter my mother would've hoped for."
"It doesn't mean that she doesn't love you, Bailey."
She considered that silently for several minutes. "Would you go with me?"
"Of course," Piper said. "Anytime you're ready."
"Will you stay with me here?"
"Yes," Piper said. "I'll need to go get some things, but I'd love stay with you."
Bailey stood from the loveseat pulling Piper with her and enveloping her in a tight embrace. "Is Wednesday morning okay?" she said into Piper's hair.
"Okay for what?"
"To go see my mother."
"Sure, I'll call Debra when she gets in and tell her I'll be gone for a couple of days."
"Come on," Bailey said and led Piper enthusiastically across the hall and into the office where she seated herself in front of the computers.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to make some calls," Bailey said punching a number into the keyboard.
"You need a computer to make phone calls?" Piper asked placing her hands on Bailey's shoulders.
"They monitor the connection for any tampering," Bailey said as she watched the monitor.
"Watts," Jeremy said groggily on the seventh ring.
"Good morning, Major."
Jeremy cleared his throat. "I'm glad you called, there's been some hits on your paper."
"How many?"
"Two," Jeremy said. "A Vietnamese semi-pro name Nguyen and an Italian operative that goes by Dante. The Italian has a reputation."
"Any details on Dante?"
"I can give you a copy of the British dossier, if you'd like."
"I would."
"Where should I send it?" Jeremy asked and Bailey could hear him get out of bed.
"Sorry I woke you, Major," Bailey said. "I'll pick it up on Wednesday."
"I'm glad to hear that," Jeremy said. "I'm afraid I'm not your mother's favorite person, she's stopped speaking to me altogether."
"Is everything all right?"
"Let's just say that she reluctantly agreed to the move over here and has grown more agitated with me daily since our arrival. But she's in very good health as is your brother and his fiancé."
"My brother has a fiancé?"
"Yes, a pretty lass too," Jeremy said. "What time should I expect you on Wednesday?"
"I'll call you when I arrive. Can you arrange transportation for me?"
"Yes, I'll have an embassy car pick you up."
"Much appreciated."
"No trouble at all," Jeremy said easily. "Shall I prepare a dossier on Nguyen as well?"
"No need," Bailey said. "I met him last night."
"I see," Jeremy said slowly. "I shall expect your call sometime on Wednesday then?"
"Yes, good day, Major."
"Take care," Jeremy said in departure and Bailey drummed her fingers on the desk for a moment.
"He sounds like a good man," Piper said.
"He is."
"Where do you know him from?"
"I saved his life many years ago," Bailey said. "He's with British Intelligence."
"I see."
Bailey lifted a hand to pat Piper's and dialed another number into the computer.
"Yes?" Thumper said on the second ring.
"I need another helicopter ride."
"When and to where?"
"Wednesday morning at nine to Washington D.C., returning that same day."
"Done, same arrangement?"
"Deal," Bailey said. "I'd like the same pilot if possible."
"It is," Thumper said. "Pick up in the same place?"
"Yes."
"He'll be there at nine," Thumper said. "By the way the material you asked for will be available by Thursday."
"Great," Bailey said. "Any problems?"
"None," Thumper said. "The building used to belong to the Board of Education so all information is public domain."
"That's good news," Bailey said pleased. "I'll speak to you on Thursday."
"Alright," Thumper said. "Your chopper will be available at nine then."
"Thanks, Thumper."
"Who was that?" Piper asked when the line went dead.
"Thumper Washington."
"Why does that name sound familiar?"
"He runs one the largest crime families in the South."
"And you know him?" Piper asked with a scowl.
"I only met him once, we have an arrangement."
"What kind of arrangement?"
"He does things for me and I ignore him."
"Oh," Piper said. "Do I want to know what that means?"
"Probably not," Bailey said and Piper nodded.
"Are you going to buy another building?"
"No, I just want the blueprints."
"Why?"
"In case I have to go there."
"I don't understand."
"The men that the Organization has standing by are being housed in that building."
"Why would you go there then?" Piper asked with a frown.
"I probably won't, but I like to cover all the bases," Bailey said growing worried at Piper's expression. "Piper, you don't know how much I'd like to leave this all behind and just have a normal life. It's just not possible at the moment."
"Bailey, I'll admit that this all very frightening to me," Piper said squeezing the shoulders underneath her hands. "I've learned a lot of things very quickly. But I know this is a life you didn't ask for and it's not I life I want for you, or for us."
"It won't be," Bailey said. "I promise."
"I'd stay with you anyways."
"I'd die before I allowed you to live in my world," Bailey said, her eyes flashing. "It's just not an option."
III
She knows what I'm about, She can take what I dish out,
And that's not easy- T. Jones
"What's the word?" Terry asked as he took his seat at the head of the table.
"Nguyen is dead," Bob said. "According to Mr. Phillips, the Atlanta PD has no suspects in his murder. The blade that Mr. Nguyen was carrying had no traces of blood on it and there were no witnesses. He was found with his throat cut and a deep puncture wound in his right armpit."
"Too bad, he would have made a good employee. What's the story on her movement?
"Cameron and Tate returned to Cameron's residence," Bob said. "No movement since."
"I see," Terry said and punched a number into his speakerphone.
"Marland."
"Mr. Marland, did Piper Tate come into work today?" Terry asked.
"No, she didn't. According to company e-mail she'll be out of the office until Thursday."
"Excellent," Terry said. "Thank you, Mr. Marland."
"Put around the clock surveillance on the Tate residence," Terry said to Bob. "I want movement reports on her as well for the next few days."
"Alright," Bob said. "What are you up to, Terry?"
"I'm not sure yet. But if things pan out, I think we'll wrap this up more quickly than anticipated."
"Care to share?" Keith asked.
"Not at the moment," Terry said. "Let's see what happens the next few days. Did your guy accept a retainer, Bob?"
"Yes. He's on his way to Atlanta to stand by."
"More good news," Terry said. "Anything else?"
"Yes," came a tentative voice. "I know where Cameron's family is."
"Ahh, Mr. Willis," Terry said. "Where would that be?"
"British Embassy, Washington."
"Really?"
"An MI6 Section Chief named Jeremy Watts is on the premises and I believe he's the one that oversaw the relocation of Cameron's family."
"I see," Terry said. "And you came by this information how?"
"I have sources within British Intelligence and I find it odd, as do my informants, that a Section Chief would suddenly drop everything and take up residence at the embassy in Washington."
"Hmmm," Terry grunted. "You're probably right, we know she had the assistance of British Intelligence. But if they're in the embassy, it's out of our hands. I'm sure Cameron's family has asylum, but if they're stateside, Cameron evidently plans on reclaiming them." He paused thoughtfully. "Good work, Mr. Willis. I'm not sure that we can do anything about it, but it's food for thought."
"Terry, it's painfully obvious Cameron has a plan," Bob said. "Any thoughts of what she may have in mind or what we should expect."
"I have no idea what she's planning," Terry said. "But I'll guarantee that if she sees it to fruition, it'll be force fed to us."
"What do you mean?" Keith asked.
"She doesn't negotiate," Terry said. "Is there anything else?" he asked and looked expectantly around the room before he rose from his chair. "Same time tomorrow, gentlemen. Unless we have a development," he said in parting as walked out of the room.
"He's a new man," Keith said. "He had me worried for a while there."
"Yeah," Bob said, standing from his chair. "He's got something up his sleeve."
"Bob, before you go, let me ask you a question," Keith said.
"Alright," Bob agreed, collecting his things.
"What do you think about reaching a truce with Cameron?" Keith asked. "I mean we let her go inactive, why can't we arrange that permanently?"
"The Director himself wants her put down," Bob said. "And even if it were possible, we haven't exactly been the ideal employer, she wasn't a volunteer. Personally, I think she would reject any olive branch we might extend."
"You're probably right," Keith said. "I get the feeling that if whatever Terry has up his sleeve blows up in our face, it's going to get nasty."
"Let's hope it doesn't," Bob said before he turned and walked out the door.
Bailey sat on the end of her bed smiling happily at the luggage Piper had deposited on the bedroom floor. She never imagined she would have someone who could accept her and would actually want to share their life with her. She flopped down on her back and grinned at the ceiling, the almost irresistible urge to happily kick her feet in the air threatening to overwhelm her. She rolled over on her side and gave the wall a delighted sigh before she hopped from the bed and started removing her clothes on the way to the bathroom.
She took a few steps into the bathroom and observed the obscured naked form behind the glass of the shower while she removed the rest of her clothing. When she was naked, she turned and stared at the reflection in the wide mirror over the sink, examining herself with a critical eye. Smiling at what she saw, she turned and stepped purposefully into the shower.
"Well, hello there."
"Hi," Bailey said a little nervously.
"Come join me," Piper said, taking her hand and pulling her into the water.
Piper situated Bailey with her back in the water stream and smiled at her while she lathered both hands. She dropped the soap to the tile below and started to gently run her soapy hands over Bailey's neck and chest.
"Lift your arms," Piper ordered, running her hands under Bailey's upraised arms tenderly.
She moved on to her breasts where she lingered lovingly, slowly traveling to her belly and waist. Dropping to her knees, she fished around for the soap she had dropped and went to work on her legs. She could feel little tremors running through the muscles under her hands as she cautiously brought her hand up to gently cover her sex. She felt her stiffen but she didn't back away so she gently explored the area with soapy fingers until she both heard and felt her moan softy. She let a finger press into the folds and gently applied pressure until she felt Bailey press her weight against her hand.
"Do you like?"
"Yes," Bailey said, breathing heavily.
"Good," Piper said suddenly removing her hand and standing up. "Turn around so you can rinse off."
When she complied, she applied her cleansing attention to her shoulders and back, pausing at the scars and staring at them for a moment. Frowning, as the pieces fell into place and she became sadly aware that she had received them in prison. Kneeling again, she spent several moments appreciatively running her hands over the gorgeous bottom on display before her. She brought her hand up between her legs and after a little gasp, Bailey bent slightly at the waist to give her better access. Delighted, Piper spent several minutes teasing the warmth under her hand and felt herself go powerfully wet when Bailey placed both hands on the wall in front of her and set her feet a little further apart, treating her to a view of everything.
"My God, Bailey. You're so beautiful," Piper said, watching the water cascade over her backside. She stood up suddenly, taking her hand and pulling her without protest out of the shower and to the bedroom, where she captured her mouth with her own and tenderly maneuvered her until she was lying in the center of the bed.
She devoured the mouth under hers and her desire stirred powerfully as Bailey returned the attention with equal fervor. Breathing heavily, Piper pressed into the body below hers, placing fiery kisses on her neck and breasts before she anxiously, but with determination forced Bailey's legs apart with her knee, bringing it up to gently press against her sex. She instantly covered the resulting gasp with her mouth and bit her lower lip tenderly.
"I'm going to make love to you," Piper said as she withdrew her knee from between her legs and began a slow, very attentive journey from her mouth to her belly. Her arms leaving a tender trail down her waist and hips, stopping at the knees and going under to encircle the legs on either side, providing her access to the place she most wanted to be.
"Piper..."
"Shhh," Piper soothed, placing a kiss on her pubic line. "Relax, and let me love you," she said as she rubbed her chin back and forth through the soft hair below her face.
She placed several strategic kisses on the insides of her legs, carefully avoiding her sex and paused lovingly with it centered inches before her eyes. "You're amazing," she said, letting her tongue snake out and gently caress her.
"Oh my God," Bailey said loudly and jerked away from the contact but Piper's arms held her in place.
"Piper, I'm scared."
"Don't be," Piper said. "You taste wonderful," she whispered, returning to her explorations.
Piper felt tremors running powerfully through Bailey's body and smiled when her back arched and she gave herself over to the attention. She lovingly caressed the folds beneath her tongue and when Bailey's breath started to become erratic, she relinquished the hold on her hips and brought her hands up to rest on her breasts, her fingers gently teasing at the nipples. Smiling, she could feel her struggling.
"It's okay to let go," Piper soothed and returned to her task with a fresh determination.
Bailey's hips began to grind into the contact and Piper smiled as she suddenly went very still.
"Oh, God," Bailey groaned and Piper pressed her mouth firmly into her sex to feel her release, wrapping her arms around her legs to keep her from escaping.
Bailey's breath became loudly audible, her moans growing louder until they merged into the scream that was her release. Piper smiled as she lost control of herself and slowly brought her face away, marveling excitedly at the tremors running the length of Bailey's body and placing several kisses on the inside of her legs, starting a trail upward. She looked up sharply when she heard a sob and was startled to see her wiping tears from her eyes.
"Are you okay, baby?"
"Yeah," Bailey said hoarsely.
Piper smiled and lay down beside her, kissing her neck and chest lovingly. She brought a hand up and tenderly brushed the hair away from her face.
Bailey pressed her cheek into Piper's hand. "That was the most incredible thing I've ever experienced," she said, still flushed and breathing heavily.
"I love you, Bailey," Piper said, placing a gentle kiss on her mouth.
"I…I can taste myself on you," she said as Piper withdrew.
"Yes, you can," Piper said, dropping a hand back to Bailey's sex. "You're very wet," she added as she brought back a glistening finger and inserted it into her mouth. "And you taste wonderful."
Her breath hitched and Piper found herself in a tight embrace as Bailey buried her face into the crook of her neck, feeling a moisture on her shoulder that she knew were tears. She let her cry and caressed the soft skin of her body until she began to taper off.
"It's alright," Piper said but then smiled mischievously. "How far is Martin's room from here?"
"Why?"
"Because it would be embarrassing if he ran in here to see what all the screaming was about," she teased.
"Shut up," Bailey said and squeezed Piper tighter, emitting an embarrassed chuckle.
Piper smiled in amusement, continuing to caress her until she felt a kiss on her neck and she was released.
"I never imagined how fantastic that would feel," Bailey said.
"It felt wonderful to show you."
Bailey blushed and quickly changed the subject. "Did you leave Nancy a note?"
"Yeah, she's usually gone four or five days at a time," Piper said, grinning at her bashfulness. "Do you have a place I can hang some of my things?"
"There's room in there," Bailey said, pointing across the room to a door.
"Do you mind if I put my things in there?"
"Not at all," Bailey said with a stretch.
Piper grinned desirously as her eyes roamed over the extended body next to her. "I'm going to finish my shower that was so rudely interrupted," she said with a quick kiss.
"Okay," Bailey said and watched her hop from the bed and disappear into the bathroom, smiling widely when she left and burying her face into a pillow excitedly.
Piper emerged from the bathroom in her underwear about half an hour later to find Bailey still reclining on the bed.
"You gonna stay there all day?"
"I was thinking about it," Bailey said with a yawn.
"You'll have to feed me soon, I'm getting a little hungry," Piper said with a sly smile. "Although, the snack I had earlier was delicious."
Bailey pulled the blanket up over her head. "Be quiet," she mumbled from underneath the covers.
Piper chuckled and hopped onto the bed to poke at the hidden lump. "Go take a shower, goofy. And think about what you're going to fix me for dinner."
"Okay," came the mumbled response and she suddenly flew out from underneath the covers to run into the bathroom.
Piper giggled at her as she got up from the bed and rummaged around in one of her bags to find a pair of sweats and a T-shirt to put on. Once dressed, she turned her attention to the rest of her luggage and smiled as she began to unpack. She walked over to the door that Bailey had pointed out and found a large walk in closet. She laughed at all the black clothes that lined one side of the closet and she wondered why Bailey clothed herself so darkly. She browsed through them curiously, noting that Bailey didn't seem to own anything that even remotely resembled a dress. Considering that revelation, she turned to the large empty rack on the other side of the closet and decided that was where she would hang her things. She ran an inquiring eye over the rest of Bailey's belongings but stopped when she found a tall, narrow shelf that held a gleaming oriental sword. Examining it closely, her eyes followed the length of the blade to a stainless steel, oval shaped hilt attached to a slender pommel wrapped tightly in black leather. She curiously touched the edge of the blade, finding it cold to the touch and quickly withdrawing her finger with a hiss. She put the injured finger in her mouth wondered how many people had died under the touch of the blade. It seemed an unnecessarily brutal weapon in an age of technology and she wondered why Bailey would favor it. With a sigh, she turned from the weapon and began the task of unpacking her belongings.
She was almost finished when Bailey came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and beamed a smile at her as she dug some underwear out of a dresser drawer. Piper stopped what she was doing and sat down on the end of the bed.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," Bailey said turning to face her.
"Why are all of your clothes black?"
"Because it's simple. When I buy stuff black is a color that's always available."
"Is that the only reason?"
"Yeah," Bailey said with a shrug. "Well, that and I read somewhere that black goes with everything. Although I do have a couple of white shirts, some blue jeans, a pair of white sneakers and some clothes with designs on them."
"Yeah, I liked the vest you wore to go dancing in," Piper said with a grin. "Can I ask you another question?"
"Okay," Bailey said, turning her back bashfully to put on her underwear.
"Bailey," Piper chuckled. "You don't have to be shy. I don't think you have anything that I haven't seen at rather close range."
"Hush," Bailey said putting on her bra and Piper could see a blush on the back of her neck. "What did you want to ask me?"
"Don't you own a dress?"
"No."
"Why not? I bet you would look stunning in a pretty dress."
"I haven't worn a dress since I was a little girl. I guess I haven't had an occasion to wear one since."
"Can I ask you another question?"
"Okay."
"Why the sword?" she asked and Bailey stiffened a little.
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Yes."
"Because being female, I have a power disadvantage to your average male. The sword acts as an equalizer. Besides being a devastating weapon, it keeps distance between me and anyone who desired to harm me."
"Is that the only reason?"
"There are several reasons," Bailey said. "That's just one of them."
"I saw you beat up that guy in the bar," Piper said. "He was easily twice your size. You don't seem to have a power disadvantage."
"I used his own weight against him," Bailey said. "Skill can overcome a lot of things, but if I'm outnumbered and at close quarters I could easily be overpowered. The sword allows me to quickly dispatch my way through a crowd when the use of a firearm would be unwise or impractical."
"I see.
"Why would you ask me that?"
"I was just curious," Piper said. "You've lived through a great deal."
"Yes, I have."
"I'm very sorry you had to."
Bailey walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. "Piper, I'll answer any question you ask of me, but there are things I wouldn't want you to understand. Believe me when I say it's a knowledge that you can live without."
"I just wanted to know more about you."
"You know more about me than anyone in the world."
"That's not what I meant, I just wanted to know more about how things were like for you."
"No you don't," Bailey said. "To exist solely to murder is not anything you want to study."
"I just love you, Bailey," Piper said taking her hand. "It's difficult to imagine you as the person that file described."
"I am that person," Bailey said. "When I have to be."
"You're my heart," Piper said bumping her with her shoulder, bringing a hand up to rub her back and running into the ever-present necklace. "Do you ever take this off," she asked pulling on the end of it.
"No. It's all I have left of my father."
"I'm sorry," Piper said. "You ready for tomorrow?"
"Not really," Bailey said. "I'm glad you're coming with me."
"I wouldn't dream of not going with you," Piper said. "What are you fixing for dinner?"
"What do you want?"
"Hamburgers," Piper said with a determined nod and Bailey chuckled.
"Hamburgers it is then," Bailey said getting up and putting on sweats and a T-shirt. "Join me in the kitchen when you're ready," she added with a grin over her shoulder as she walked from the room.
Piper watched her go with a smile that rapidly turned into a thoughtfully sad expression as she considered what Bailey could have been if her life had turned out differently.
"My heart," she whispered, rising from the bed to finish unpacking her things.
IV
Hush, Hush, Keep it down now,
Voices carry- A. Mann
"Hello," Martin said when he spotted Piper sitting at the kitchen table.
"Hi," Piper said brightly.
He smiled as he entered the kitchen to find Bailey over the stove. "Want a burger?"
"Sure," he said and he took a seat across the table from Piper.
"I've been told you've already met," Bailey said. "But Piper Tate, meet Martin Satterfield."
Piper beamed a smile at him and he returned it. "It's very nice to meet you."
"What happened to your hand?" Piper asked.
Martin threw a quick look at Bailey who shrugged indifferently. "I got shot," he said uncomfortably.
"Why?"
"A gentleman thought I wasn't talking fast enough so he decided to speed me along."
"Is that when you met Bailey?" .
"Yes," Martin said. "Very shortly thereafter."
"Here you go," Bailey said, depositing a plate in front of him and he quickly started to dress his burger with the fixings on the table.
"Why did you come to Bailey?"
Martin threw another look at Bailey who ignored him and he surmised that he was on his own. "Because I thought we could help each other."
"How so?"
"I knew where her family was and I knew that I'd be safe with her."
"Ahh," Piper said as Bailey sat down in the chair next to her.
"Martin, we'll be leaving in the morning but will return tomorrow night," Bailey said. "Is there anything you might need before we leave?"
"Not that I can think of," he said, glad for the subject change. "Where ya going?"
"British embassy."
"Great."
"Do they know Martin's here?" Piper asked Bailey who nodded to the affirmative. "Is he safe alone?"
"Yes," Bailey said. "They can't afford attention and they wouldn't risk it anyway."
"You said there are people working for C-Corp that also work for this Organization," Piper said. "Couldn't they get in here?"
"No," Bailey said. "Only I can enter or exit this floor."
"Oh," Piper said, considering. "Do you know who these people are downstairs?"
"I'm in the process of finding out."
"How are you doing that?"
"I've someone looking into it," Bailey said taking a bite of her burger.
Piper mulled that over for a moment. "Mr. Anderson?"
"Yes."
"Where do you know him from?"
"You could say I saved his life," Bailey said. "Speaking of Mr. Anderson, he informed me yesterday morning that he had overheard some rumors."
"I heard them too," Piper said. "Are you okay with it?"
Martin looked on confusedly as they chatted with each other, trying to grasp what they were talking about.
"I could care less what they think or might even know," Bailey said. "My only concern is how it affects you."
Piper chuckled. "I was worried about how you would take it."
"I told you before it's what you think that matters to me," Bailey said. "Did anyone give you any grief?"
"Not really."
"What does 'not really' mean?"
"Well…" Piper said hesitantly and Bailey raised both eyebrows for her to continue. "…Julio Martinez. He has a problem with me anyway and I think the rumors have added a little fuel to his fire. He was in Knoxville the other day as part of the sales team and he needled me a little over dinner."
"I see," Bailey said. "And?"
"Bailey, it's not important."
"Tell me."
"It's no big deal," Piper said unenthusiastically. "I ran into him yesterday when I was leaving and he made a comment and a vulgar gesture. I can deal with it."
"What did he say?" Bailey asked, her eyes narrowing.
A sigh. "Nice catch, Piper."
"What kind of gesture?" Bailey asked and Piper hesitated with a quick glance at Martin.
"Uhm… Martin, could I get you to look away for a moment?" she asked with a slight blush.
"Sure," Martin said with a grin and turned in his chair.
Piper sighed again and looked at Bailey who was watching closely and, with a roll of her eyes, she let her tongue hang out and lapped it at her.
Bailey looked at her in befuddlement. "What does that mean?"
Martin had to clamp down on the chuckle that bubbled up with the question and he was glad he wasn't facing them. He could hear Piper whispering but wasn't able to make anything out.
"Who's his supervisor?" Bailey asked peevishly.
"Kurt is I believe," Piper said. "He said he would speak to him about it, but that was before I heard all the talk yesterday."
"I see," Bailey said with a look at the clock on the microwave. "I'll be right back," she said, abruptly rising from the table
"Wait," Piper said before she walked away. "I can handle it."
"I'm sure you could, but you don't have to," Bailey said in parting as she walked down the hall.
Piper sighed when she disappeared. "Thanks, Martin."
"Sounds like someone's about to be in trouble," Martin observed as he turned back to the table.
"Yeah," Piper said. "I shouldn't have said anything."
"What's going on?"
"It seems the company has found out that Bailey and I are seeing each other and it's the current hot topic."
"Ouch," Martin said. "I'd hate to be Mr. Martinez."
"Me too," Piper said as a reluctant grin stole over her features and Martin chuckled.
"Hush," Piper admonished, starting to chuckle herself.
Bailey sat down at her computer and browsed through the company phonebook until she had what she needed. She dialed a number into the phone and waited patiently until it was answered.
"Kurt Norvath."
"Mr. Norvath, how are you tonight?" she asked and could tell from the background noise she had caught him the car.
"I'm fine, Miss Cameron," Kurt said slowly. "What can I do for you?"
"I understand you're Julio Martinez's supervisor. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Very good. I'd like you to inform him to be in my office at 8:00 tomorrow morning."
"Alright," Kurt agreed. "Although he had to stay overnight in Augusta."
"Then you'd better call him and tell him that if he isn't in my office tomorrow morning, he won't have a job to come back to."
"He opened his mouth didn't he? I'm sorry you had to be troubled with this."
"No trouble at all."
"He'll be there."
"Thank you, Mr. Norvath," Bailey said. "Sorry to bother you after five."
"No bother," Kurt said. "Goodnight, Miss Cameron."
"Goodnight."
Kurt shook his head sadly as he pulled into his driveway and parked. Having decided to call before he went in the house, he left the motor running and punched the number into his cell phone.
"Julio Martinez."
"Jules, its Kurt," he said with a sigh.
"What's up?"
"Pack your things your coming home tonight."
"What?" Julio asked in surprise. "I just got settled."
"I just got off the phone with the Princess," Kurt said. "It seems you didn't take my advice. She wants you in her office at 8:00 tomorrow morning."
"No way."
"I'm not yanking your chain, Jules," Kurt said. "I pointed out that you were in Augusta and she made it very clear that if you don't show up, you won't have a job to come back to."
"Goddamn it. I told you there was something going on between her and Piper."
"Jules, you didn't take my advice before and this is where it got you," Kurt said. "Do you want my advice now?"
"Yeah," Julio said with a sigh.
"You be in her office on time tomorrow morning and you listen to whatever she has to say with a fucking smile on your face. And let me tell you, if her and Piper are an item and you stick your nose in her personal life, I wouldn't be surprised if she personally kicks your ass out of the building."
Julio sighed again. "Is she gonna fire me?"
"I don't think so," Kurt said. "Unless you piss her off tomorrow, which is an easy thing to do. I told you before she doesn't fuck around. I think she'll probably just give you the lay of the land."
"This sucks."
"Should've left well enough alone, Jules. Screw your ass on tight and be there on time tomorrow."
"I'll be there."
"You'd better be."
"God," Piper said hoarsely as she tried to catch her breath.
"Would you like me to do that again?" Bailey asked, petting the crimson hair in front of her.
"Baby, I don't think I could survive another one," Piper said, still panting, her face moist with sweat and her hair clinging damply to her scalp.
"I like the way you taste," Bailey said from her position between Piper's legs. "You're beautiful."
"Come lay beside me," Piper said, patting the space next to her on the bed.
"Okay," Bailey said and resituated herself on her side next to Piper with an elbow cocked to support her head.
"What got into you anyway?"
"I wanted to please you," Bailey said shyly.
"Well, you sure did," Piper said, rolling over to face her. "You wore me out."
"I did?" Bailey beamed, obviously proud of herself.
Piper let amused eyes steal over the preening features of her partner. Bailey had tackled her when they returned to the bedroom and had proceeded to ravish her in a very determined and ruthless manner that she had given herself over to completely. She had thought she was going to die when she had positioned her mouth over her sex and very tentatively began to copy what had been performed on her earlier. It began as a curious and very hesitant exploration that had been interrupted by several questions, but she had rapidly grown in confidence and wasn't satisfied until she had succeeded in making her climax three times, erotically studying and inquisitively touching her between orgasms.
"I'll probably walk funny tomorrow," Piper teased.
"Huh?" Bailey said, her brow wrinkling and Piper chuckled at her.
"I was just teasing," Piper said, placing a kiss on her lips.
"Oh."
"Take off your clothes and come to bed. We have to get up early in the morning.
"Okay," Bailey said, rolling off the bed and starting to undress.
"If you had been wearing your shoes, would you have bothered to take them off?" Piper asked in amusement, looking at her companion who was still fully dressed.
"Probably not," Bailey said with a bashful grin. "I was in a hurry."
Piper chuckled. "I'd say."
"Quiet," Bailey said, stepping out of her sweats and joining her in bed.
Piper snuggled up to her and placed a kiss on her shoulder.
"Piper," Bailey said. "I'm scared about tomorrow."
"I know."
"What if she doesn't want anything to do with me?"
"Bailey, you're her child. She loves you no matter what."
"I hope so."
"Go to sleep, love," Piper whispered. "It'll be okay."