Book 16 of The Lyssa Kordenay Missions!   The confrontation has finally come; how will Rodrick react to Lyssa's past?  Major Dannigan has a problem out of the past as well!. WARNING: The Lyssa Kordenay Missions may be hyper-violent for some readers.

 

 

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CHAPTER 1

Rodrick Mason sat in the chair after Dannigan's call. He knew Lyssa had a house an hour away from a search he did, but experience around her made him conclude it was more than likely booby-trapped. Unless she told him different he wouldn't assume that the passcode in Grand Cayman would work elsewhere.

He noticed the secretary, Madison kept looking at him with changing looks. One moment like she was fawning and the next like he was something strange she had never seen before. Normally that wouldn't bother him but he was distracted. Dannigan told him he knew where Lyssa was, but insisted that he be the one to go get her. Rodrick had a feeling that it had to do with Lyssa's past.

An Operator like Lyssa didn't torture themselves because it was a challenge and whatever they talked about had something to do with the relationship he and Lyssa had. She took missions that had a greater than ninety percent chance of death. She operated in plain sight like nobody else did. Rodrick knew that the price tag for having the new fighter jet would be using it on business. He didn't care. He took the mission because she did. No matter what she took the mission.

She was damaged somehow and it went deep. Very deep; the very core of her being. It was the foundation of who and what she was now. An equation he had never been factored in on. That was it; she never planned on having a relationship like they had now and it was evolving. That was the problem; she didn't know how to proceed. Well he knew how to proceed. and as soon as he got her in front of him he would.

Madison cleared her thought catching his attention,"Lieutenant Mason, Lyssa just pulled in. Would you like to meet her downstairs?"

"Is Paul with her," he asked.

She shook her head no. Moments later the elevator open and Lyssa stepped out.

"Hey Lyssa," Madison smiled.

"Hi Madi,"Lyssa gave her a slight smile then turned to Rodrick," Will you come with me please Rodrick?"

Rodrick nodded and followed her back to the elevator and rode down.

"You drive please,"She said walking out the door and pointed to his rental next to a dark grey Dodge Viper.

Rodrick opened the car door and held her hand as she sat inside then walked around and sat behind the wheel. The Viper wasn't there when he pulled in so it had to be hers. Not surprising but appreciated. Rodrick knew Lyssa loved her cars to move.

 

After an hour he parked in front of a house on the beach.

Lyssa handed him a slip of paper,"door and under the stairs."

Rodrick understood what both sets of numbers meant. He went in alone and entered the first set of numbers, walked under the stairs and entered the second set on the concealed keypad. She wanted him to see this place, but why?

Outside Lyssa sat in the passenger seat, staring ahead.

Softly she began singing in a whisper,"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Kory. Happy birthday to you."

 

Rodrick walked around the living room then the kitchen then the studio/gym. Pictures of her dancing and modeling were on the walls. In the small hallway he stopped and saw a picture of a soldier. Special Forces; Sergeant First Class. Underneath it was a display box of brass, the ribbons and other adornments for class-A uniform. After studying the photo and display he turned and walked up stairs.

Two bedrooms; one was obviously for guests, the other was her's. The closet was filled with her clothing and shoes as was the chest of drawers. In the jewelry box was the usual female sparkle. Except the bottom compartment; a men's high school ring, Special Forces crest ring and the award coins for Army achievements. Advanced infantry, jump school, air assault, rangers,Explosives and Ordinance Disposal, special forces, Afghanistan, Iraq, Delta force.

Serious , hardcore soldier. A lifer. Rodrick wondered was he her brother, her cousin, her lover? Was he her husband? The photo album on the shelf allowed no more answers, just the same questions. He flipped through it. The life of the soldier. Oddly he found no pictures of Lyssa in it. In fact there were no pictures of her at all. Again more questions than answers.

The only thing he could think of was Lyssa was connected somehow to the soldier and now he was no longer around. Perhaps that was it, she had been left alone. Rodrick put everything away and resecured the house and walked outside. Lyssa still sat in the car waiting.

Rodrick got in and Lyssa cut him him off before he could say anything.

"Drive to Arlington. one more thing to show you," Lyssa said in a heavy voice.

 

The car was parked along the narrow road among the graves. She got out and started walking carefully across the grass with Rodrick following beside her until she stopped in front of a marble stone. Rodrick crouched down and read the etched information. The same name from the coins and pictures.

"Sergeant First Class Kory Lyles. Special Forces, Delta. Oh hell. Today would have been his birthday. Lyssa I understand he was important to you and gone now. What I don't understand is who he was and why was he so important to you," he said.

"Rodrick the grave is empty," she answered.

"Lost on mission," he guessed, "Damn that's always so hard to deal with."

"No Rodrick. The grave is empty," Lyssa looked around then down and closed her eyes for a moment then locked her eyes to his and said, "The grave is empty because its mine."

~o~O~o~

Dannigan signalled the bartender for a refill. As the glass was set down on the napkin, a man sat on the stoll next to him.

"Long time. What brings you here Cantrell," he asked.

"Trouble Paul. The only reason to come see you," the man answered.

"I thought you were in the problem solving business Will," Dannigan chuckled.

"Not when the problem is one of my own, Paul," Will Cantrell said then ordered a drink from the bartender.

"How bad is it Will,"Dannigan asked.

"About as bad as it can get without being me. Its Trent,"Will admitted.

"Trent Sloan? He was with us back in the blood and mud days," Dannigan looked at him with disbelief.

"He went over to the North Koreans Paul. Its my fault. I left him out there too long," he said with regret.

"I'll look into it Will and if anything can be done. It will be," Dannigan said.

"Thanks Paul," Will stood and laid a couple of twenties on the bar and left.

The bartender commented,"Now that was interesting, never seen you drink with anybody before."

Dannigan looked over," Not to worry, it won't happen again."

The bartender looked puzzled for a moment then walked away to serve another patron. Dannigan had over twenty bars that he could frequent. This one would be taken off his list. All that was irrelevant though. His thoughts weren't on bars and old friends. His mind was on Lyssa and Rodrick.

No news since Lyssa met up with him at the office and they left together. He'd wait til tomorrow to call if neither of them called during the night. He found it hard to believe what Will said about Trent going over to the North Koreans. Not many knew that his grandfather had been captured by North Koreans during the war. Dannigan only knew because of a night of hard drinking. To say he had a hatred for North Koreans would be putting it mildly, but he had hidden it very well. So why would he jump in bed with them? Something was off, way off. First thing in the morning he start digging around in the dark places of Trent Sloan, see what skittered around to take cover.

~o~O~o~

Jung watched as the tall man walked into the office building. They knew he was an agent for the DIA but so far had no real evidence. He'd been living and working in Tokyo for seven years according to records. His business was basically a liason service for north american firms to asian firms. Japan, Okinawa,South Korea, Taiwan. Mostly domestic goods and sports merchandise.

He knew from the surveillance that the man spoke each language fluently as well as French. Some of the clients were French Canadian. Jung and his team had broke into the offices but found nothing remotely questionable. Taps on his home phone revealed nothing, They'd even monitored his internet activity and found nothing. Movie, television and music downloads. Monthly email to an ex-wife that harrased about alimony payments. Random chats from social sites and an online poker game once per week that he himself played in a few times and the routine golf games that were more business than actual sport.

Nothing stood out. Even his cellular traffic was consistent to a business man and no other cellular traffic came from his locations that were not accounted for. Erractic trips to strip bars and the occasional one-night stand when between girl-friends. He didn't even talk to, much less visit the American embassy. Either Trent Sloan was a true run-of-the-mill business man or the best spymaster Jung had ever encountered.

The only thing that did stand out was the man's obsession with a comedian that based his routine on having tools and modifying things to out-perform their original purpose to disasterous results and annoying his wife with it all. Jung did find it entertaining in the beginning but eventually became annoyed himself. Six months of surveillance had produced no confirmation of the information from the source in Washington.

 

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CHAPTER 2

Trent Sloan took note that his usual watcher was on his tail as he arrived at the office.Not a problem, he was stopping off at a resturaunt for dinner then heading home tonight. The North Koreans had been on him for at least five months. One thing for certain, they believed him to be a spy for some reason.

Normal procedure for them was that if nothing discovered within sixty days that identified him as an agent they moved on. His routine hadn't changed in four years so why did they still have him under a microscope. His line of communication hadn't been compromised.
Every three to six months he would be contacted via a female courier posing as a one night stand for intensive updating and debriefing. He had chosen them all. Enough women so the same one never showed up twice within three years. It had been working so far. One wasn't due for another two months though. He needed contact but couldn't initiate it. Maybe his online poker contact could get a message through to somebody that could help. Tomorrow night he would be playing. For now he'd play things cool and routine. Dinner and a beer at a popular hostess club then home.

~o~O~o~

Lyssa stood very still watching Rodrick as he tried to fit the puzzle pieces together. He had heard the words. He may have understood them yet fully registering to him seemed to be a problem. Rodrick just stared silently at the headstone. Carefully she stepped away and walked back out to the road then started walking to the entrance.

She had her purse with her anyway so she would go to the gate and call a taxi to take her back to her car at the office. The old stigma. A lot of people just couldn't wrap their mind around such a radical change. The sun was giving off its last light as she approached the gate, as she walked through it a car came to a stop behind her.

"Lyssa wait. I'm sorry, this is seriously confusing,"Rodrick said as he walked behind her.

She stopped and turned around, "I'm going home. I don't know what else to do."

Rodrick replied immediately," get in. I'll take you anywhere in the world if you'll talk to me so I can understand."

He walked around and opened the door for her and held her hand as she got in then got back behind the wheel and drove back to beach house. Lyssa deactivated the system after walking in and then turned on the lights. Rodrick sat on the couch and waited until she came back in carrying the photo album and sat beside him.

"Open it,"She said then continued," until the sun comes up you can ask me any question and I'll answer it after I tell you some things first. At dawn I stop and we never speak of it ever again."

Rodrick nodded and opened the book.

Lyssa began haltingly, "today a long time ago in a city you never heard of. Kory was born. There was the usual basics of school and activities both scholastic and family oriented yet always something that didn't quite click and feel right. Even after learning ten different martial arts Kory had secret longings and jealousy. He hid 'unacceptable' pursuits. After completion of schooling He enlisted to service. Progression of ranks was fast and acquired skills as fast as they could be taught. Yet always that secret side constantly being repressed."

"School after school. Kory sounded like a lifer. I know about that. I would have been. Until Kagan went batshit fucking crazy," Rodrick stated.

"Delta selection came. You were a SEAL so you know about how elite selections go. After some time in Delta Kory was invited to another selection. He was given two weeks leave to do it and a civilian plane ticket. I can't tell you where," Lyssa opening a bottle of water.

Rodrick looked up puzzled, "a selection they didn't want Delta to know? Company or Agency?"

Lyssa shook her head, "neither. Army. Kory went through a selection for another unit. You know there is a public face for Delta and then there's the real unit itself. That's what I knew too. There is another unit. Buried deep with Delta. DemonWraiths."

Rodrick sat up then. He had heard rumors of a unit so classified it was more along the lines of urban legend. An Army unit that operated outside Joint Special Operations Command. Complete and total black operations. All he ahd ever heard was the unit was the ultimate in warfare. Any environment, any weaponry, any tasking. Hostage rescue, assassination, insurgency, counter-insurgency. The unit was rumored to only be an A-team in size but so skilled and efficient to be able to overthrown a third world nation in a week.

Lyssa vaguely talked about missions and finally the one that went horribly wrong. Tears streamed down her face as she told of failure. Teammates killed. Two of which right before her eyes. And then she told of the days following filled with agony and the strong wish for death as she was tortured with fists, boots and electricity until finally rescued at the cost of three more lives lost.

Rodrick stared in horror at the previously hidden photos from a hospital. a young soldier beaten and burned then some of a rehabilitation that looked worse than the cause for its need. Finally Lyssa told him of being put aside, thought useless and late night visits by a stranger and a bargain. Complete change more radical than anything ever attempted before. treatments. therapy and retraining. Old habits substituted with new mannerisms. Old skills augmented with new and hidden talents discovered. the beginning of the life of Lyssa Kordenay, deception and lethality combined with beauty and grace.

"So since you already had the physical build it didn't take much to transform," Rodrick asked.

Lyssa shook her head, "I had to lose weight and redistribute the proper body fat I would accumulate. That took some time but I was learning ballet. I already knew ballroom dance. I spent eight hours a day learning ballet. She had memory problems. She could remember stuff thirty years ago with no problem. If you ask her when she last went to the bathroom she would run."

"What about facial surgery," Rodrick asked.

"Civilian doctor. He had no idea what I looked like before. Thanks to the beatings I took I was still healing and lookd horrid. Instructions were simple; make me beautiful. I am now," Lyssa explained.

Rodricks eyes dipped down. It wasn't unnoticed.

"A civilian team finished me. The surgeon was flown to a location and given totally random assistants. None of them saw each other or exchanged names. Nobody saw my face, not that it would help them. Still recovering from the surgery for that. An experimental procedure was done for me. I have the best 'lower end assembly' in the world. The only thing I can't do is have a baby," Lyssa said.

"I relearned to live, found myself as I should have always been, even found revenge and now been found by love. Love now in question," Lyssa walked to the french doors leading out to the deck.

"Revenge? HOLY SHIT! That congressman; Alkowitz. The one that blew ops for a druglord because his wife was an addict," Rodrick put it together,"THAT WAS YOU! Fuck me that job was right up your alley."

A slight pinkish gold glow had started in the distance where sky met sea.

Rodrick asked tentatively,"What does it mean that I fell in love with you."

Lyssa looked out to the horizon and said,"if you believe love to be something trivial, easily dismissed. Love is love Rodrick. You didn't know me before so it doesn't make a difference. The me you know now, the one that matters, is the one you love and loves you. Other than the fact I can't get pregnant and have children of my own, I'm no different than any other woman."

"Well now I say contrary to that. Lyssa you're an Operator and there are no other women like you. You put every man I ever met, including me, to shame with your operational accomplishments. Lyssa if I drive you back to your car will you wait here for me for fourty-eight hours. I have alot to understand fast," Rodrick asked.

Lyssa nodded then stepped back into her shoes and picked up her purse to follow him to the car.

Back at Dannigan's office she slid into the Viper but rolled down the window when he tapped on it.

Rodrick said firmly, "I'll never say anything to anybody about your past. If nothing else, you have my respect and that would be the very least I owe you. By the way, tell Sergeant Lyles happy birthday late for me if you see him."

 

Lyssa drove away, she didn't want Rodrick to see her cry over this. After all she had ever done, she felt justified in this one selfish pursuit. The song by Delerium came back to her memory. She found it on her MP3 player and pulled into a parking lot. With volume so loud and her windows closed nobody could hear her screams drowned out by the song.

"She knows the voices in her mind
They tell her to leave
She's tired smiling madly
Until silence becomes very silently
A noise in her mind

After all she has nothing inside
No good to give, no meaning to live
The mist engulfed tonight
Every single star

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

She knows the noises in her mind
Nothings left but screaming silence
After all she feels numbness inside
The feeling's gone she's upside down
The pictures behind her closed eyes
This time you went too far

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

After all she's got nothing inside
No good to give, no meaning to live
The mist engulfed tonight
Every single star

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
Could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn't cry
That was really just a lie!"

~o~O~o~

Dannigan read the reports after decoding them. Sloan used an online poker game to make weekly reports. Not bad. pretty slick. even smarter was his annual updates/debriefings. Sixteen women had been selected from a DOD pool to make contact periodically posing as one night stands, he'd have to remember that one.

Dannigan set up an account on the site to be able to play later on.

Madison buzzed in,"Major......Rodrick and Lyssa just pulled in."

He answered back,"ok Madison thank you."

she replied back, "Sir Lyssa is leaving in her car and he's talking on the phone, walking in."
"Send him in as soon as he gets up here," Dannigan said.

Moments Later they heard Rodrick on his phone,"Look nothing's on the books so shut down for a week Pete. I'm stateside and a lot of shit going onso shut things down, lock up and take your girl to vegas or something. yeah everybody's on vacation. I'LL LET YOU KNOW! yeah later."

He disconnected the satellite phone and hooked it on his belt walking into Dannigan's office.

"Have a seat Rod," Dannigan said.

Rodrick looked around and finally dropped into the chair opposite the desk.

Dannigan stared at him for a moment then finally said,"This is the part where i ask ' what's on your mind' as if I don't know."

Rodrick stood up then closed the door, turned off the tv and leaned over the desk and switched off the computer monitor before sitting back down. Dannigan sighed then walked around the desk and sat in the chair beside Rodrick after turning it to face him.

"She told you everything. yes,"Dannigan asked.

"Paul how do I wrap my head around this," he answered.

"Oh that's easy. Do what I did. You make up your mind that the past is only applicable in certain aspects and then decide what's more important. That which you do know or some shit you don't that happened a long time ago and doesn't apply to you," Dannigan said.
"You say that like it's that simple," Rodrick commented.

"It is,"Dannigan replied and at Rodrick's glance he continued," Lyssa is a woman and like all women, like ALL people, she has baggage. You have baggage. I have baggage. Everybody does. You have to keep in perspective that most of it doesn't apply to you. I told her that if it were me I'd tell you. I give you credit for being a smart guy Mason, and having good taste in hooking up with her. She's special. Very special. If I could, I would jump at the chance to take your place but it doesn't work that way."

Rodrick's jaw dropped, "You would?"

Dannigan nodded, "Look Rod, I know everything and even I forget the past alot. I view that as a good thing. There trully is only one aspect that affects you. Lyssa can't have children of her own, that's it. Doesn't really matter, thousands of kids out there that need loving parents. Adoption's not off the table. Actually that might be a really good thing for you both. I can make arrangements with that you know."

"You think its really that cut 'n dry," Rodrick asked.

Dannigan looked him straight in the eye,"It is what you make it Rod. You want to complicate your life with bullshit and miss out on the best woman in the world that you could ever have? Or can you look beyond a minor issue and take up not a brass ring but one of solid gold? Strike that. Lyssa isn't solid gold. She's not even solid platinum. What she is has no equal in the universe. That's how special she is."

Rodrick looked hesitant so Dannigan added," this is it Lieutenent. This is the best that will EVER be. You won't find any better than her and I'd know. My advice; Marry her if that's where you were thinking of going. I'd be beyond happiness to walk her down the aisle if its you waiting for her."

"Just like that," Rodrick asked.

"Just like that,"Dannigan said flatly.

"Its alot to wrap my head around Paul," Rodrick said.

"Man you'll never, in a million years, find two people more suited to each other than you two. She understands you, you understand her. You fell in love. This new information really has no affect on you; or it shouldn't! You actually suprise me Rodrick to be having this kind of problem. I thought you'd be smarter," Dannigan leaned back in his chair.

"Wait, WHAT," Rodrick sat stunned.

The big spook nodded," Yeah, if I sit and think about it maybe you're not what I thought you were. Maybe you're not good enough for Lyssa. She's proven herself; time and again that she's the best. She should have the best and you might not be worthy of her. You have to seriously cowboy the fuck up to her challenge. Maybe you don't have what it takes. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking now."

Rodrick's jaw dropped as Dannigan stood up, walked over to the door and opened it.

"In fact you should just go back to the Bahamas. Like a chickenshit delivery boy hooking up with the occasional glorified hooker from time to time, bitching about it. You didn't have what it took back then. Lyssa had to clean up your mess for you. She's modeled million dollar designs. Danced for royalty alone. Wiped out entire narco-terrorist cartels untouchable by anybody else and even extracted the President's daughter from terrorists when nobody else could even find her. She did all that right in front of everybody's face and nobody knows she did it! What the fuck are you compared to her? Lyssa must have hit her head or something; taking interest in a washed up cry-baby don't wannabe a SEAL anymore because you can't clean up your own fuckin' mess!"

Rodrick spun and threw the punch but Dannigan moved subtly and he only connected with the door. Rodrick swore a blue streak grasping his hand making Madison arch an eyebrow.

Dannigan ignored him and said to Madison,"Get Lyssa on the phone. Tell her I have a trip to Japan for her. It'll take her mind off this LOSER tucking tail and running like a weasel. And when she gets back I'll arrange flight lessons so she won't have to slum around with him anymore."

"OH FUCK YOU," Rodrick bellowed and charged him.

Madison would have called for security had she not noticed Dannigan's wink before he said that. She sat quietly and watched them scuffle around and trade punches. They weren't using any of the nasty killing moves she knew they both had but preferred to go toe-to-toe and slug it out. Somewhere in the mix they both missed the chime of the elevator as Lyssa stepped out and stopped looking on in shock.

"C'mon Ramrod.....think you got what it takes to be her man? Chickenshit can't handle being a topdog anymore..."Dannigan goaded him between punches.

"So says the pussy behind the desk,"Rodrick challenged back slamming a jab to the gut then a quick uppercut.

"Pussy? At least I don't have to get my GIRLFRIEND to clean up my mess PLUS a pity-fuck afterward," Dannigan blocked another jab and popped him with a quick elbow.

"Piss on you! You send her into HELL. Over and over and over until she either snaps to go rogue or gets caught and worst nightmares come true. Don't give me that pity shit! I held her when she screamed all night long! Where the fuck were YOU? Back here trying to find some new way to push her over the edge!"

They traded a couple punches with Rodrick landing a good one close to Dannigan's nose.

"She's out there doing shit that makes Charles Manson look like Mary fuckin' Poppins, coming home to hide in the shower for three hours, puking her guts out from what she's done and do you care? Fuck no, you sadistic sonofabitch! Just send her on another mission. Abuse the hell out of her because that's all she thinks she's worth!"

Rodrick got in a lucky jab and blackened Dannigan's eye. Danigan faked a right and thrust his left fist into Rodrick's side.

Dannigan taunted, "what do you care? You're not gonna marry her or anything like that. You're gonna bail on her, you chickenshit knock-kneed no balls punk! Like you could even possess the love neccessary to keep her happy? Don't make me laugh that hard!"

"Oh yeah! If she were here right now; I'd take her to a jewelry store, get a ring and propose right there IN THE FUCKING STORE," Rodrick yelled.

Madison commented,"Well that's not how they do it in the romance books but I guess you kinda have to take what you can get sometimes Lyssa."

"This is about as romantic as these assholes get Madison," Lyssa said.

They both stopped and turned to look with stunned expressions. Lyssa wore the same black dress and looked tired. Her eye make-up was gone and her eyes were puffy. Rodrick knew she'd been crying and that was his fault, she deserved better. Rodrick snapped his fist back popping Dannigan's nose then walked over to stand in front of Lyssa.

"I got fucking stupid and I'm sorry. I won't do it again and I'll prove it if you ride with me," Rodrick said apologizing.

Madison looked at Lyssa,"This I gotta see."

Lyssa nodded to her then looked at Rodrick,"Ok Hotrod...let's see it."

 

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CHAPTER THREE

Will Cantrell looked through the reports. nothing to reveal how contact would be made or when. How the hell Trent got through was unknown. the bi-annual update/debrief also unknown. Before he'd left to post in Japan he'd been very clear. Anybody showed up without his prior approval would be considered hostile and killed immediately for trying to compromise him and that had gone straight to the top and came back approved.

That's what really burned his ass. Sloan went over his head and got approval. North Koreans all over him for six months and nothing. His inbound/outbound traffic was airtight. He wasn't even leaving footprints in the sand. He had to crack this sometime soon or it was his ass on the line. Everybody except Sloan was impatient.

If Dannigan found out he was being used to ferret then it was definitely all over. Dannigan would do worse than make him disappear. Supergrades feared only one thing and Dannigan was one of the handful that could very well make it happen. There was a place where the embarrasments went. They went there and never came back, ever. If he was lucky that wouldn't happen to him, he'd be shot or stabbed and bleed to death slowly in a hospital parking lot.

~o~O~o~

Lyssa had to work very hard not to laugh as Rodrick and Dannigan both argued which jewelry store to go to. Madison finally chimed in with the local jewelers Chas Schwartz & Son and mentioned they were the oldest jewelers in the city so naturally had to be the best.
That settled the argument then started another, how big and what color of diamond for the ring. Madison cupped her hand over her mouth to hold back the laughter as Lyssa all but bit her own lip to hold it back. They arrived at the store and walked in with Lyssa and Madison leading the way inside.

The store manager gave a strange look at the two ragged looking men then asked how he could help them.

Rodrick answered, "I'm looking to buy my girlfriend an engagement ring diamond, of course in a platinum setting."

Dannigan interrupted, "It should be gold, eighteen karat."

"No way, she deserves the best and the best is platinum," Rodrick countered.

Sensing this could escalate the manager asked,"Which is the lady in question please?"

all three pointed at Lyssa.

"Miss Kordenay? An honor! Uh, apparently they both forget that it is you who is to be wearing the ring and should choose it. Perhaps if you select more than one they may be of help with the final decision," the mangaer suggested.

Rodrick and Dannigan looked at each other and stared intently then said in unison,"Show her the sets."

Madison couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing following Lyssa as the manager walked with her over to a long case. Both men trailed behind. Lyssa carefully examined the ring sets and taking note of Madison's reactions as well.

Finally she asked,"If I like the setting could the stone be changed to another cut?"

"Most certainly! And if you wanted, we could design something custom in house if you don't see anything you like here in the case. Though all of these here are one-of-a-kind designs," the manager said proudly.

Lyssa looked some more then pointed out three she liked. he set the displays on the top of the glass.

"I'd like a heart cut white diamond set in whichever can be decided on," She said then stepped aside.

Dannigan and Rodrick all but leapt to the case to look. In silence they stared at the three rings and finally pointed to the one in the middle and proclaimed,"That one!"

"Well chosen gentlemen. We can have it ready in a week,"the manager smiled.

Rodrick dug a credit card out of his wallet and snapped it on the counter,"Week my ass! We'll wait. And she needs earrings and a necklace to go with it. Right?"

The manger leaned in and said softly,"Sir you're looking at eleven thousand dollars for the set alone as it is, another six hundred for the stone she wants."

"I'll give you ten minutes or we can go to Harry Winston or Tiffany's in New York," Rodrick growled.

The man bolted to the back with the rings and returned to show Lyssa an earrings and necklace set that would compliment the rings.

Madison leaned in and whispered to Lyssa, "And I thought it was just going to be another day at the office."

Almost ten minutes later the designer herself came out and showed the rings to them already in a box. Rodrick took the box, looked at the rings then dropped to one knee in front of her and held it up to her. Everyone in the store quickly took notice and held their breath to hear.

Rodrick said firmly, "the SMARTEST thing I ever did was fall in love with you Lyssa. The dumbest thing was letting doubt come to that. Please take this ring, marry me and never let doubt show again. I love you and want the rest of our lives to be spent together."

Lyssa looked down at him as the whole store watched then finally said, "I'll let you be stupid just this once. Do it again and no matter how much I love you Rodrick Nathaniel Mason; I'll shoot you myself. YES!"

Lyssa held out her hand and he slid the ring onto her finger as the other customers applauded.

Rodrick looked at Dannigan,"Get a fucking tux asshole; because YOU'RE walking her down the aisle and I'LL be waiting at the end."

He turned, scooped Lyssa up, carried her out to the car and drove back to the beach house.

Madison giggled, "now that was cool. Major how are we getting back to the office?"

~o~O~o~

Trent Sloan had been playing poker for twenty minutes sending his messages via betting code and all was going well. There was new player; Paul91 he was pretty good, then he did something strange he blind bet 3 then opened at 91 then raised 101 and called at 311. Five minutes later he did it again.

Trent said in text, "serious hand you got?"

Paul91 answered, "gonna break out the MAJOR whup ass like you deserved it from a long time ago."

He laughed. Of ALL people; Paul Danigan had found him and made contact. He folded the hand.

Paul91 said,"next time you see me it'll be something really cool."

He answered back,"I can hardly wait."

Trent logged out. The code was easy enough; he would get a visit soon by somebody.

~o~O~o~

Dannigan played for ten more minutes then logged out. Seven different tracking programs had tried to find him but he'd been ready for them. All they got was some widower in Clearwater Florida. Two originated in japan, three in Korea and two in the states. One of which had been the Pentagon, the other the front for a Korean listening post in Los Angeles.
He back-traced the Pentagon and found the terminal itself. The DIA annex and slid in the interceptor. Dannigan snagged the one outgoing message from that computer to the listening post in L.A. which read,"nothing".

He buzzed to Madison, "get Lyssa and rodrick on the line. I need them to go to Tokyo now! I'll meet them at Rodrick's plane."

He pulled together a briefing packet in an hour then headed for the airport. They pulled in half an hour later.

"What's the emergency Paul," Rodrick asked.

He flipped open the laptop and pulled up the file.

"Trent Sloan. DIA deep cover. Completely blown but intact. The North Koreans know he's a spy but they got nothing on him, he's super slick. I need you two to go in and pull the Koreans off him and bring him home. Use whatever means neccessary but stay invisible. This will keep an elephant unconscious for 10 hours," Dannigan handed Lyssa a black tube with three preloaded syringes.

Rodrick filed a flight plan after turning in the rental and they took off. Hours later they landed in Tokyo at the Narita airport and passed through customs. Outside Lyssa hailed a cab and gave an address in the garden district. They both took a nap to counter the jetlag then prepared for the night then went out to the garage and started up Lyssa's car and drove back into Tokyo.

"You would have a tricked out Skyline. I bet its set up for drifting," Rodrick chuckled.

Lyssa just smirked and upshifted.

---

CHAPTER 4

Jung sat in the car watching the house. Trent Sloan was watching a dvd of a situation comedy featuring his favorite comedian. He'd fallen asleep watching it, again. Not unusual, he often did. Jung hated those nights almost as much as the nights when Trent Sloan brought home a girl. Jung himself had only one night with a prostitute since the assignment started.

That was a thought. He'd call a service tomorrow during the day while the other agent watched Sloan in his office. He wished he still had the three teams he'd started out with, but after two months of nothing they were pulled. Only his team of four to watch for another two months. The North Korean felt a mosquito sting his shoulder. A moment later his chest felt tight and hurt.

Suddenly a woman with blonde hair and a face streaked with black paint stepped into his view.

She looked at him and said in Korean, "Goodbye."

Jung tried to say something but his head felt heavy and he couldn't breathe. The last thought as he slumped in the seat was that he must have been poisoned.

~o~O~o~

Rodrick crept up to the porch beside Lyssa and whispered, "All clear, just the one you took out."

She nodded then slid carefully onto the porch and manipulated the lock. It softly clicked open. Lyssa didn't stand or even raise up to crawl on her hands and knees, she literally slithered across the floor. Good thing too, Sloan was slick and had installed an old trick called Nightingale floor. Certain boards creaked loudly when weight was put on them. Lyssa knew of it and two ways to bypass it. The fastest wasby spreading one's weight across the floor instead of narrow points. The boards wouldn't have enough weight on them to flex and make noise.

She slid herself into the living room behind the couch and rose up. One of the preloaded syringes filled her hand slowly she slid the small needle into his shoulder. He moved at the discomfort but she copied it and kept the needle in as she gently depressed the plunger.

Five minutes later she tapped the cushion next to his head and got no response. Lyssa stood and called softly to Rodrick. He picked Trent up and carried him out while she picked up the neccessary personal effects then turned everything off and locked the house. Within half an hour they parked close enough to the private tarmac to see Rodrick's plane.

A quick spray of acid and the fence parted and Rodrick dragged Sloan through then carried him to the plane. Lyssa repaired the fence and drove back to the house and cleaned up then repacked. She called for a taxi to pick her up and take her back to the airport.

Rodrick's Gulfstream waited refueled and already had the engines running when she walked out of the terminal with their bags. He met her and took the bags inside. After Lyssa was inside then closed up the doorway and settled himself in the seat. Three minutes later he had clearance to take off. In no time the plane streaked into the night sky heading to Hawaii.

They refueled at Hickham Air Force base and gave Sloan another dose of the knockout juice and flew on to Los Angeles for another refuel at Seal Beach Naval station then touched down at the private airfield just outside Washington, D.C.

~o~O~o~

Dannigan waited on the tarmac and helped Sloan out of the plane and into his car.

"Gear up you're gonna be busy tonight," Dannigan said to them then drove him to to the office.

Trent groaned as his senses started coming to him. He hadn't been drinking so obviously he'd been drugged by someone.

"Welcome home Trent," a voice said from across the room.

"Home? what the fuck," he grumbled trying to sit up.

"Well not exactly home, you're in D.C. Trent," Danigan said pouring a cup of coffee.

"Paul," Trent asked recognizing him.

"Yeah. Its been a while buddy," Dannigan took a sip then passed it to him.

He knew Trent wouldn't drink unless he had first.

"Sorry about the grogginess but my people stay invisible Trent," Dannigan apologized.
"You've blown me Paul," Trent said.

"You were blown six months ago Trent,"Danigan replied.

Trent Sloan stared at him in disbelief. Dannigan nodded to the plasma screen on the wall. Trent walked over and started reading and couldn't believe it. He'd been compromised from the ground up a month prior to his observation of the teams.

"FUCK! How paul.....how did they know,"he asked.

Dannigan punched a few keys and a single photo came up.

"Will Cantrell? That sonofabitch! Are you beyond positive Paul," he asked angrily.

Again Dannigan punched keys and the information came up. Sloan read it all thoroughly then turned around.

"I want him, I want him bad,"he said quietly.

"Things are in motion Trent," Dannigan answered.

~o~O~o~

Will Cantrell walked inside his house in Georgetown. Another day and nothing from the Koreans. they were going to want the money back, provided they didn't just take him out. he'd have to start keeping an eye out and step up his counter-surveillance, alot. He felt a sharp pain at the base of his skull and all went dark.

Lyssa walked out of the study, and looked at Rodrick standing over the unconscious man on the floor.

"nice one,"she commented.

"Thanks," he chuckled," You got everything?"

"Yeah, a stash hole in the bookcase beam. He had a laptop, satellite phone and cash in it along with some files," Lyssa answered.

"Too bad we can't keep the cash," He said bitterly.

"Says who,"Lyssa asked.

"You can't be serious,"Rodrick remarked picking up Cantrell into a fireman's carry and following Lyssa out the back door.

"Jet fuel, taxi fare,meals on the go, parking spaces for planes, engagement ring, matching jewelry, three dozen Fire and Ice roses, dinner for two plus drinks and a bottle of champagne," she listed off.

"I take it the roses and the dinner are hints," he remarked dropping Will Cantrell into the back of the SUV and securing him with cuffs, gag and head bag.

Lyssa got behind the wheel, "too subtle?"

Rodrick shook his head chuckling.

They drove to the office. Lyssa injected Cantrell with the knockout syringe and left him leaning against the door with the intelligence minus the cash. She called in as they drove away.

~o~O~o~

Dannigan and Sloan walked out to find their delivery on the doorstep. An unmarked van drove up and a man in black BDU's and hat stepped out.

"In here gentlemen,"he instructed and opened the back.

They dragged Will Cantrell inside and the man closed the side door.

Three hours later they felt the van lurch as it descended on an elevator then pull forward then stop completely. The door opened again.

A new man in black BDU's asked, "how long has the subject been out?"

Dannigan replied, "three hours."

They were instructed to follow a different officer while Cantrell was processed in.

"Paul I'm know I'm going to regret asking but, what is this place,"Trent Sloan asked after twenty minutes.

A door opened and a man stepped in,"This way gentlemen. Now entering Vault section 27."
Sloan felt true fear. he'd heard of The Vault. Traitors that didn't make the news were taken to the Vault. Rogue operatives too. The embarassments, the unredeemable and the unsalvageable were locked away in the Vault. Few people knew exactly where it was, even fewer wanted to. The fact that Dannigan could make this happen wasn't lost on him.

They followed the officer down a long hallway and stopped in front of an open doorway. Inside it lay a naked Will Cantrell with his arm laying outside the doorway with an IV drip running to a vein in it. Two more officers came down the hallway with a pallet of bricks and a wheelbarrow of cement. Trent now understood the rumors. A deeper level of fear set in.

He and Dannigan watched as the three officers proceeded to brick up the opening leaving only an opening at the floor twelve inches wide and five inches high. The cement would dry in an hour and harden within six. The IV drip would be removed in ten hours.

"I think they're ready for us to leave Trent,"Dannigan said.

Trent nodded very anxious to leave the place and never see it again. Another three hour ride back went silently. They were returned ot the parking lot. Danigan handed him a set of car keys and gave him an address.

"Sleep well Trent. Its a DIA safehouse. Your Director will stop in to see you in the afternoon. We aren't supposed to see each other ever again. Best of luck," Dannigan said.

Trent Sloan shook hands, "Paul you saved my ass. Thank you."

Dannigan went inside as Sloan drove away. A nap on his couch and then he'd go see the Director of DIA. Hopefully things would be quiet for the next few days at least. They all needed a break. Especially Lyssa and Rodric, they had details to work out. Good details. Dannigan smiled at the thought of walking her down the aisle to Rodrick as he fell asleep on the couch.