Book 11 of The Lyssa Kordenay Missions!   Lyssa is still struggling post mission, but what of the mysterious Rodrick? WARNING: The Lyssa Kordenay Missions may be hyper-violent for some readers.

 

 

---

 

 

CHAPTER 1

Rodrick sat down heavily into the seat of the golf cart, Lyssa didn't even look up from the Arts & Entertainment magazine.

"You know could at least watch when I'm putting or teeing off," he said.

"Birdied the last hole and you're two under par for the course so far,"she replied casually turning a page.

Rodrick chuckled as they came to a stop at the next tee and lean against the side watching the other men hit down the fairway.

"You must be bored. Reading Arts&Entertainment,"he chuckled.

"I'm a classically trained ballerina, I would read Arts&Entertainment,"Lyssa remarked.

"Please......" Rodrick scoffed choosing a driver," you turned down the Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot along with two shoots for European covers and the Gauthier runway show in Paris, but showed interest in the Death Valley marathon and a triathlon in San Diego."

"You've been reading my emails," Lyssa said sweetly.

Rodrick turned back to see if she was smiling. She wasn't, he was going to pay for snooping later. He needed to find her a ninja to spar with, the soreness of his jaw was fading unless he bit down on something really hard. He swung and put the ball almost a third of the fairway. Two more strokes and he was on the green.

"Still don't see what the big deal is Rodrick, you could skunk the living hell out of these guys,"She stated.

"C'mon Lyssa you know what I'm after with these computer wonks,"Rodrick watched the other men working their way to the green.

"Get them what they really want honey and you'll get that new Gulfstream,"She turned another page.

"Yeah? What's that oh sagely one with the luscious legs," he quipped.

"Laid, dumbass. What else would computer wonks want in the Caribbean," Lyssa had slid her sunglasses down and looked at him over the lenses.

"I know you are soooooo not volunteering," Rodrick said snarkily.

"What's in it for me on the information fly-boy," Lyssa asked.

"Dinner at The Beacon," he offered.

"Not even to get you off the hook about my email," she said flatly.

"New shoes, a box of chocolates, breakfast in bed and dinner at the Beacon,"Rodrick added.

"That might do it this time," Lyssa looked up," Now about the information...."

Rodrick got his putter and walked toward the green,"now that's just fucking mean Lyssa. mean."

He stopped when he heard her say softly to herself, "I've done worse."

Rodicrick waved to the party to wait a moment then he walked back and leaned down. With a finger under her chin to lightly lift her head up from the magazine.

"Everybody has baggage, nature of the business. There's a time to carry it and a time to set it on a cart. I'm not going anywhere," Rodrick said flatly

He leaned down and kissed her lightly then walked back to the group and finished the hole and game.

 
 
Back at the beach house Lyssa checked her emails and messages. One stood out...a name that sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't place right off so she opened it. Lyssa read then smiled, an old friend from her ballet training was in the Bahamas and had come up with an original production but needed a principal dancer. One up for a challenge.

Rodrick came in, "I get a test flight tomorrow."

"Ok....I'll entertain myself," she said not looking up from the laptop.

Rodrick stopped smiling and began to back slowly out of the room warily.

~o~O~o~

"Madison," Dannigan called from the doorway.

She turned,"yes sir?"

"Is Lyssa still using the Caribbean number,"He asked.

Madison brought up the list,"yes sir, the Caribbean number has been active for over a week but it shows her in Nassau."

A few more key commands and Madison looked back, "She was on a commercial flight from Grand Cayman to Nassau... returning to Grand Cayman this afternoon."

Dannigan looked at his watch then returned to his office. He walked out twenty minutes later and headed for the door, within the hour he was walking up the ramp of an Air Force C-5 that would take him to Florida from there he would catch an off the book flight to Cayman. If things worked out her would meet up with her at the airport.

Columbia had reminded them all of the fact that not every mission went without a hitch, he didn't blame her for having problems. The video of the secretary was horrific to say the least. Lyssa's part was heartbreaking. They all had blood on their hands, but some stains couldn't be ignored. Whether she'd come to terms or not, he needed her. As long as she didn't try to kill him outright he'd be doing good.

~o~O~o~

Rodrick whistled as he walked across the tarmac. The Gulfstream G-10 was an awesome bird and his would be delivered the following week to his private airfield in the Bahamas where he kept his other aircraft. Lyssa had finally found something to do besides train. Her morning triathalon would run most SEALs ragged.

He accompanied her one morning and regretted it for a day and a half. He didn't mind being the occasional punching bag as long as she didn't get really nasty but he drew the line at her morning bout with self-inflicted masochism, the iron triatheletes would think twice before taking her on daily.

In no time he was pulling his rental into the driveway then walking through the door. Wandering around he found Lyssa in the studio watching a video intently with a remote in her hand. This was new. She never watched anything in the studio/gym.

She noticed him as he walked in and turned off the video,"enjoy your flight?"

"Handled like a dream, what's up," he asked nodding to the video she had been watching.

"Old friend wanted me to look at a project," she answered casually, "Well now that you're back let's get dinner."

"Sounds good but i want Italian,"Rodrick agreed.

Lyssa stepped into her heels and picked up her purse then preceded him to the door. The affectionate pat on her butt made her laugh but it was cut short when she opened the door and saw Dannigan about to knock.

Rodrick was the first to speak," You look vaguely familiar."

"Good evening Lieutenant. Its been a while," Dannigan answered.

Dannigan looked at Lyssa, her face was a mask.

'Better than outright hostility,' Dannigan thought to himself.

Rodrick Mason didn't remember the man's name right off the top of his head but he knew a super-grade Spook when he saw one and if he had to guess by Lyssa's immediate change of demeanor the man wasn't a Handler; he was the Control or better. That became a very sobering thought, that Lyssa was such an operative she didn't have a handler. Translation- she was a high level liquidation specialist, not listed as an asset. The only question remaining now was why.

"We were on our way to dinner,"Rodrick said.

"I'll be happy to buy if you don't mind a third along,"Dannigan offered.

Lyssa didn't immediately protest so he took that as acceptance from her.

Rodrick nodded,"ok but you'll have to follow us."

"I have plenty of room in my car, where to,"Dannigan asked.

"Giovanni's Garden," Lyssa prompted in a flat voice .

 
 

CHAPTER 2

Dinner was pleasant with Dannigan and Rodrick chatting about the new aircraft in production. The new Eurofighter and helicopter gunship looked promising. They joked about the rumor that a test pilot got sick during the maiden flight. Rodrick hid his concern at Lyssa's silence, she was playing 'eye-candy'.

Finally as dessert was served Rodrick asked,"You look very familiar but I can't really place the face."

Dannigan chuckled and said,"Tangiers. '07."

Rodrick rolled his eyes and face-palmed remembering,"Oh hell, don't mention Tangiers, I remember now. Jesus what a mess. A walking one-man goatfuck that finally found a place to happen."

Rodrick had just started his charter service and as a former SEAL he'd been asked to run a black flight to pick up an Operative. That Operative turned out to be an former Army Captain named Paul Dannigan with a renegade CIA case officer in tow. The extraction hadn't gone well with Rodrick and Dannigan barely making it out with their lives.

They both laughed. Dannigan paid the check and then drove back to Lyssa's house.

"Didn't come all this way to take us to dinner and make small talk Captain. C'mon in and get to the point before she kills both of us," Rodrick said getting out of the car.

"Actually I retired as a Major,"he chuckled following them inside.

"Where's the justice,"Rodrick joked pouring two bourbons and a glass of chardonnay,"I need to go outside?"

"No Mason you can stay. Actually; I'm glad a former SEAL and pilot like you is around. Surprised but glad. I've got a problem and need both of you," Dannigan said,"Rod you still run your service out of that Bahamian island, right?"

"yeah, why,"He asked warily.

"There's an object we need,"Dannigan led, "Lyssa its at the Chinese consulate in Nassau."

"Wait! Whoa......."Rodrick held his hands up," Embassies are strictly no go areas, Major. Not even the NSA can pull stunts like that. Even if its verified there's a nuke involved."

"Its beyond risky yeah," Dannigan admitted.

"Risky my ass. Tangier was risky, 'Act of war' is how it can and would be taken Major and you know it,"Rodrick leveled.

"What do you want Major," Lyssa finally spoke.

"Its a vial. A biological agent. Some nutjob crossed Ebola and Hemorrhagic fever. As if that wasn't bad enough, then mutated it,"Dannigan answered.

"Holy shit,"Rodrick exclaimed," either one of those will kill in no time at all."

"Very true Lieutenant, but this stuff is so bad it can kill in three hours. What's worse, it has neuro-toxic effects thrown in. I'm talking spasms that snap the bones of the victim then, without getting overly technical, their insides turn to blended jello and they bleed out via any outlet. We're talking eyes, ears, mouth, nose, rectum, there's even been rumors that the exposed victim could possibly 'sweat blood'."

Nobody spoke for several minutes then Lyssa stepped to the doors and looked out to the darkened sea. Dannigan stood and walked over to stand beside her.

"Bad guys do bad shit to good people Lyssa. Columbia was bad, I understand. You've got problems and you want to deal with it. I don't blame you,"Dannigan confessed," Hell that would've slam dunked anybody, but you're the best. If anybody else had a chance at pulling this one off I'd get them, but you're it."

Rodrick's anger took over finally. He stomped over and spun Dannigan around.

"I thought you showed up to check on her, NOT throw her back into the fucking lion's den, for Christ's sake Paul she isn't ready," Rodrick swore at him.

"Mason I need her and if it wasn't this bad I wouldn't have asked much less come here myself to do it. She can't do this alone either. She's gonna need you, Rodrick," Dannigan explained.

Lyssa stepped out of her shoes and walked out to the beach. Tears welled in her eyes but she refused to let them fall as the fingers of her right hand flexed slowly into and out of a fist.

Rodrick's raised voice fading as she walked further out,"She still wakes up screaming in the middle of the night you sadistic sonofabitch!"

~o~O~o~

Chang double checked the seals on the case holding a vial in the special safe. This was an embassy, not a biochem lab, and if what he heard and read was true that vial was the last thing on earth he wanted around. There was no other place to keep it though, it could be found and stolen anywhere else.

Embassies were sovereign territory, any attempt to violate one was as blatant an act of war as dropping a nuke on the capitol city of that country. The Vienna convention outlined that categorically among other things. Terrorists didn't recognize such things and that was their primary concern but in the Bahamas they had only to worry about pirates out on the open ocean. mostly those that would steal boats for drug-running activities.

He didn't agree with the precept that if they could make such a destructive thing everybody else had it already. That was just paranoia and had no real place in a government. Others thought differently and so now here he was babysitting a vial of the most lethal substance on earth and not happy about it. Taking spy classes was one thing, and a necessary evil in the foreign service game, but this was different. Discovered spies were formally asked to leave a host country, caught ones were traded. Foreign powers harboring a weapon of mass destruction, especially a bio chemical agent of this magnitude, may just be an unforgivable act in the eyes of the world. even china's friends would probably demand inspection or demanded to vacate countries.

A week to secure proper transport they had assured him yet very hurriedly left. Just two weeks he had been promised. He'd seen the effects of the Ebola virus, he was afraid of it. Nobody deserved such a death. It had no honor and the sample in the vial was reputed to be easily one hundred times worse. Mysterious men that didn't exist and carried high level orders, they would bring the end of the world he had no doubt. They would stockpile such a thing and claim it was 'in case of the need for retaliation'. They were worse than the Russians had been back during the cold war.

The worse thing was there was no antigen to fight exposure to the substance if there was an incident. The Americans or Cubans would have to drop nuclear bombs practically to render the island safe. Even the head of security's shark pool didn't bother him as much as that small vial did. It had been him that welcomed them with open arms, a praise seeking ladder climber. The Ambassador would be glad when he rotated out as well. The only good news to come across his desk was the announcement of a very original ballet production that would be opening soon with its premier here in Nassau.

His mother had been a dancer and had taken him to see many performances. Over time he grew to enjoy the art. Never had beauty and discipline been so perfectly combined in his mind. It truly was an expression of peace. The news gave him something good to look forward to.

~o~O~o~

Dannigan felt like world-class slime and Rodrick Mason's punch to his jaw only punctuated it. The shattered glass coffee table resulted when he fell over from the second punch. That had stopped them both. Rodrick would defend her, but destroying her house and its furnishings weren't a good way to do it.

"I won't deny I deserved that," Dannigan admitted.

"You deserve more than that Paul! You're gonna help me clean this up too before she kills us both," Rodrick said hotly as he brought a trashcan over and they both started picking up shards of glass.

Rodrick and Dannigan both froze when Lyssa muttered from the doorway,"wonderful. leave you two jackasses alone for a few minutes and you trash my house."

Neither said anything but continued to collect up the glass as she stepped back into her shoes, walked over to the bar and drank some of her wine. A few minutes later Rodrick ran the vacuum over the rug while Dannigan picked up the mangled frame and set it outside. They both sat down and took a drink.

Several moments passed in silence then Lyssa finally spoke, "You two are going tomorrow for a new table. You're gonna pick it out Rodrick and you're gonna pay for it Major."

She drained her glass then walked to her bedroom. A few minutes later water could be heard running into the bathtub. Several minutes later Rodrick heard the muted splash of Lyssa settling in. They finished cleaning up and he pointed to a spare bedroom then locked the outer doors and walked into the main bedroom closing the door behind him.

Dannigan looked at the door Rodrick and Lyssa had went through and said in a low voice to himself," I've got no choice but ask her to go in. There's nobody except you and me for her to talk to. She's too deep and dark for anybody else. God damn us all, but this is the way it is."

 
 

CHAPTER 3

Kwan sent the encrypted email: verified. All secure.

There would be no response unless a problem had presented itself or the timetable had been moved up. A spy trawler would be passing through to pick up the vial and take it to a secure lab off the coast of China. He would be accompanying the vial and then onto a very good assignment. Something where his skills would serve him very well.

The fool ambassador thought that all problems had a peaceful solution. That was the downfall of those who studied Arts, Literature and Political Sciences. Kwan had studied at the university at Beijing while Chang had went to Oxford and UCLA, the westernized fool. His kind were the downfall of every nation but luckily outnumbered by ones like Kwan who would make sure china dominated. He had thought of many ways this new tool could be used.

That's all it was, a tool. Like weapons or currency or information, a tool that when correctly used brought any problem to a solution immediately. He definitely knew how to use tools correctly. Beijing would find at least one of his ideas alluring. A nap for two hours and then he would start the day with the rest of the embassy at six a.m.

~o~O~o~

Lyssa's scream echoed through the house as she bolted upright in the bed. Rodrick slowly made her aware of his presence by a soft whisper of her name then gentle touch. Slowly he eased up to sit beside and bring her into his arms as her shivers started.

Over the years the condition was being clinicalized and made to seem less devastating. Post-Traumatic Stress, Delayed Stress, Combat Exhuastion,Battle Fatigue all were the names used to make it less hurtful to doctors, lawyers, loved ones. Didn't matter what you called it, Rodrick knew Shell Shock when it woke him up in the middle of the night. When the beautiful woman in his arms woke him up screaming.

He hear the soft click of the door. Dannigan had been awoken.

'Serves him right,' Rodrick thought.

The previous nights had been better; waking to a gasp and turning to him quickly. Not this time. It was back full bore. It took a while to bring her back, like being back to those first nights back. Finally her shaking stopped, she was back and eased out of Rodrick's arms. He let her go silently.

Putting on her bikini, shorts, t-shirt and running shoes she then slipped quietly out of the house. He clenched his fists but otherwise didn't move, he didn't have to. She'd ride the bike fifteen miles out then back and then strip down to the bikini and run the beach and swim back. Her time was coming down daily. Rodrick was slowly starting to hate himself for not being able to stop her.

 

Rodrick woke again at seven-thirty and got out of bed. A quick shower and shave then dressed and walked to the kitchen. Dannigan joined him just as the coffee finished brewing. Rodrick set out three cups and poured two. The first few sips were in silence.

"Where is she,"Dannigan asked finally.

Rodrick glanced at the clock and answered,"probably swimming back now."

"How far,"Dannigan asked glancing to the doors that now stood open to the beach.

"Twenty-five miles. Biked thirty round trip, ran twenty-five out, swimming twenty-five in," Rodrick listed.

"She training for a triathalon," he asked puzzled.

"No," He replied," I tried to keep up with her for a while. No, she's torturing herself over whatever went on in Columbia you asshole."

Dannigan sighed,"she tell you?"

"No and don't insult her like that again or I'll do more than just throw a couple of punches,"Rodrick warned coldly, smacking the cup down.

"No insult, just asking,"Dannigan said flatly,"You don't know, I'll fill you in."

 

Half an hour later Rodrick walked out onto the deck. Now he remembered why he gave up being a SEAL to fly. Most loads were legit, a handful here and there were questionable and then the occasional black load for the various government agencies but for the most part that world was behind him and he liked it that way even though he couldn't help be drawn to Lyssa.

She was a different kind of operator, the kind that went deeper and deadlier than his kind. That adage of those old Blackbird pilots came to mind, 'Alone and unafraid'. she did work alone and she had been unafraid. Now the price was being paid, you can be successful and still fail.

Mission accomplished versus mission success, there was a world of difference and he knew it. Everybody knew it, even though the office jockeys tried to deny it. He'd been there and understood but not like her. She was the kind of operator that worked in front of everybody, hiding in plain sight, borderline or outright suicide missions that absolutely could not fail.

The kind of operators that worked like that did so for one of two reasons, either they were so unstable they couldn't do anything else, and therefore didn't last long, or they believed they were almost created for to serve a higher purpose such as honor. Not the bullshit concept of honor that most flaunted; real honor. Freedom and justice, 'The duty of the mighty: to defend the weak,' That was the oath of the Knights of Camelot or so he'd heard.

It wouldn't matter what the mission was, she'd take it. She'd always take the missions. No matter how well she danced or who's clothes she modeled that would always be a means. The missions were her life and now he knew it. He'd buried enough teammates in the past and it jaded him into leaving. This was different though. The more he learned about her, the less he understood. Each new piece of the puzzle left a bigger gap in the picture of Lyssa Kordenay. Long ago it was the girlfriend looking in from the outside and he complained that she'd never understand. Now he was the one looking in, even though he had a key to the door.

 

Lyssa was walking up from the surf, exhausted. Fifteen minutes faster than yesterday. Driven by rage, frustration and most importantly; shame she turned her self-imposed punishment into accomplishment. The former SEAL walked down to the lounge chair and wrapped a towel around her.

Lyssa looked up,"I'm sor.."

Rodrick pressed his finger to her lips cutting her off.

"No Lyssa, don't apologize. Not to me," he looked into the dove grey eyes that allowed the real pain to show through from the exhaustion,"i'm here because i want to be. You don't owe me anything. My choice."

Tears welled in her eyes and Rodrick tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. The tears fell then and continued for a while. when she finally calmed he kissed her gently then wiped the tears with the pad of his thumb then helped her up,"C'mon you need to eat."

Dannigan disconnected the call as they walked in.

"Madison says hello,"Dannigan said.

Lyssa nodded as she poured coffee for herself then started making breakfast with Rodrick. After she set the dishes in the racks and turned on the dishwasher Lyssa turned to look at Dannigan.

Her steel colored eyes bored into him, "I'll do it."

Rodrick silently closed his eyes in anger then opened them and said,"Not alone. I'm in too."

"There's a ballet going to premier in Nassau in a week and will run for four nights,"Lyssa said.

"Oh? Now that's perfect,"Dannigan remarked,"The Chinese ambassador is big on arts especially ballet,his mother danced."

"Ok, I'll call Andre and tell him I'll dance,"Lyssa said.

 
 

CHAPTER 4

Andre was thrilled. Everyone had taken to the music, a techno-mix, and were dancing with classical discipline. Lyssa herself was at top form. Hours of rehearsal barely showed and she was enjoying the music. Especially one solo set to a remix of Delerium's After All featuring Jael. She kept saying the music wasn't loud enough. Four of the speakers had been laid face down then, making the music vibrate through the stage and the response was great. That resulted in better timing and precision. Various people of stature had asked to watch these late rehearsals but he denied them. Strangely enough the one person that he thought would insist on watching didn't ask. Lyssa's new boyfriend. As protective as he seemed, he wasn't smothering her or flaunting possessiveness like some do. Boisterous yet confident of himself and of her as well.

Andre had to admit though, the man was roguishly charming and wore a tuxedo as if a second skin. A reception thrown by the ambassador of China had been amazing. Lyssa had been very enthusiastic meeting him as his mother had been a dancer trained of the same discipline as she and Andre. The photos and programs were a surprise treat they both enjoyed.

~o~O~o~
 

Lyssa crouched just inside the embassy wall it was just after two a.m. The guards would change at seven and dawn would break at just before six. The new guard shift would conduct P.T. at six. She would have to be out before four-thirty. Rodrick waited close by with a helicopter equipped with a long cable hooked to the underside, a STABO rig, to pick her up off the roof if she needed a fast extraction.

Her glasses showed where the laser trip-wire grid was as she moved across the ground slowly through the few shadows. Carefully she climbed up the side of the building. It took several minutes to disable the alarm on a window then the pressure plate underneath. Slick move on their part she thought but she'd found it during the tour.

Another twenty minutes gained her a position just under the camera facing the security room. She placed a signal modifier underneath it which duplicated what the camera saw. Like taking a picture and holding it infront of the lens, but more reliable. The pressure plate inside the door was harder to negotiate.

Finally she was decrypting the safe. That took ten minutes. A tripwire inside was anticipated, but not the thermite charge. A burn safe. She managed to disable it then took out the case and verified the vial inside. Retracing her steps went by the numbers until a random guard roving the interior stopped to look out the window. The same window she needed to exit through.

A lifetime in three minutes waiting. Lyssa focused on the wall behind her and let it fill her mind, masking the projection of her presence. The guard searched his pockets, produced cigarettes and a lighter then moved down the hallway. He then lit the cigarette and continued on. Lyssa breathed slowly then made her way to and out the window resetting the systems as she went.

Three roving guards approached her position by the wall. One stepped on a discarded garden tool. It wa like an old slap-stick routine; the handle came up hitting him in the face. Unfortunately his finger had been on the trigger of the assault rifle, several rounds went off. Lyssa tucked in closer to a shrub as lights came on and guards shouted.

She whispered into her comm to Rodrick,"Start engines."

 

Several men came running to the area, including the man she recognized as the head of security. The joking and laughing stopped immediately when he demanded to know what happened and where was the intruder. They all pointed at the ground.

Kwan looked down and saw only the discarded hoe. He picked it up and started screaming at the man, then holding it by the head started beating him. Three blows and the handle snapped. The men scattered as he stomped around the circle berating each one until he stood alone.

Lyssa held her breath and filled her mind with the image of the shrub. Kwan finally started picking up the discarded tools then walked back to the building still bellowing at any man he saw. the Lights clicked off.

Lyssa immediately slithered from the shrubs, launched herself up the wall and was over it in moments. Quickly sliding into the ditch on the other side of the road. She had crawled to the corner,bolted up and started running when the alarms went off again. apparently he checked the safe and discovered the loss of the case. Lyssa made her way through the business area at full speed apprising Rodrick of her location and status.

As a set of headlights turned onto the street she felt the rotorwash from over head and the cable dropped beside her.

She quickly snapped the ring to her harness and yelled,"GO!!"

Lyssa was yanked off the ground then felt the wind rip past as Rodrick sped them both to his private airfield on a nearby island. Once on the ground Lyssa unsnapped the carabiner and ran to a F-117 nighthawk. a ladder propped against the side allowed her to hand the case to the pilot then she jumped down as a ground-man took the ladder away. Two minutes later the stealth plane was rising off the runway and heading north.

~o~O~o~
 

Dannigan sat in a top box watching the ballet. Though he couldn't see, he knew Rodrick waited in the wings. Though the music was far different from what was normally played for ballet, the production was the best he'd ever seen. As Lyssa took her final bow he joined the rest of the audience standing to applaud.The Chinese ambassador was conspicuously missing. He'd been seen boarding a plane along with several members of the security staff.

Dannigan used his phone to order fresh roses to be delivered to her house on Grand Cayman the next day, the arrangement would be waiting on the doorstep. Maybe now the Steel Butterfly could find some peace and come to terms with the past. Her meeting Rodrick Mason had been a fluke. Dannigan didn't even know she'd met him, but it was working out better than if he'd planned it. They had the rare gift of understanding each other, for the most part. Right now though, they were both seemed happy. Paul Dannigan was, but Madison would be upset. He saw the live performance, again, and she'd have to settle for a dvd.