An Unlikely Hero (1) (48 page)

Tessa tried to remember cutting the ties loose so Honey could save them. She wrinkled her forehead in pain as she shrugged. “I donno.” She tried to lift her arm on the side where her shoulder had been dislocated. It was too sore to lift. Chase noticed the movement and reached up to move the curl that had fallen across her forehead and into her eye. “You said things would not be as it seemed before I left you in the woods. Remember?”

Chase didn’t. He couldn’t possibly have known things would have gone so wrong once they were inside.

“Mansur told me when he grabbed me from attacking Honey that my family lived. I remembered then what you said.” She swallowed as she felt Chase’s hand trail down her arm and rest again on her fingers. Taking a deep breath, Tessa grinned. “That night at the motel she sounded so sincere. I-I believed her.”

“You are the bravest woman I know,” he praised as his hands tightened around hers.

In that moment when he pushed himself up, Tessa came up with him into his arms that closed around her tightly. She felt his lips on the side of her head and the warmth of his back beneath her hands. “I will never forget you, Captain Hunter.”

Sam rolled her sleeve back down as she looked through the glass wall at Chase pulling Tessa up into his arms. Something about Tessa had won her respect, not that she would need to tell her. Tomorrow her competition would return to life in Grass Valley.

Honey Lynch tucked her shirt into her pants as she cocked her head at Sam standing next to her. Her back was to the glass and couldn’t see Sam’s interest.

“So, Sam. You and Chase ever…” Honey asked sarcastically.

“No,” she quipped. She nodded to the glass so that Honey turned around and stared with displeasure at the woman she’d saved hours earlier. “When you and Chase were together did he ever look at you like that?” Honey frowned and moved toward the door. Sam chuckled as she cooed. “I’ll take that as a ‘no’.”

The sounds of morning tickled Tessa’s dreams until she realized the bed she slept in was not her own. Stiffness prohibited her from rolling to her back as she opened her eyes to survey the surroundings. The room looked like a college dorm, small, sparsely furnished with a tiled floor that someone had thrown down a short piled rug to give it a little warmth. Bed springs creaked with the slightest movement. Although the mattress wouldn’t win any awards, it was comfortable enough. The blanket around her shoulders smelled clean. A small window let the east sun flood into the room while the soft breathing of the air conditioner made Tessa pull the blanket tighter around her body. What was it with these people and cold rooms?

Four feet across from her rested another bed against the wall. Someone moved in it as a white sheet slipped away from the face of Samantha Cordova. Tessa reluctantly admitted that this woman even looked stunning first thing in the morning. She experienced extreme annoyance at that realization. Carefully Tessa swung her bare feet onto the cool floor, looking down at the same dirty clothes she’d been wearing for two days. Her mouth felt like a camel had been trampling around in it and body odor made her nose wrinkle in distaste. Her eyes went to Sam who stirred. Tessa guessed the woman probably smelled like a flower and managed to not so much as get a snag on her designer jeans. She wouldn’t be surprised if under that sheet was some kind of a futuristic weapon as well.

“What are you looking at?” Sam asked crossly without opening her eyes.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you, Sam.” She watched as Sam stretched lazily then sat up in much the same manner as Tessa.

With limited communication, Sam led Tessa to the showers and provided her with clean clothes and other essentials to make her feel like a human being again. Following after Sam like a dutiful puppy, Tessa realized she was starving when they entered the cafeteria. The other team members were already eating a hardy breakfast of bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Chase had even added a stack of pancakes with maple syrup. They were all talking at the same time about a new car for Chase, Carter’s latest female conquest, and Vernon’s latest conspiracy theory. Zoric watched them in amusement as he patted an empty seat next to him for Tessa. She sat down with her French toast and bacon as Sam scooted in tightly next to Chase. Even though he had a mouth full of pancake, he managed a special smile for Sam who reached over and removed a dot of maple syrup from the corner of his mouth that she quickly sucked off her finger.

Tessa sat quietly, captivated by these people who had filled her life in the last week. Nothing indicated lives had been lost or that the United States had suffered a terrorist attack. There was no talk of the dead, isotopes or Essid. All was right in the world for what anyone outside this building knew. How would she ever be able to go on knowing that evil men bent on harming her way of life existed in her own land? As she shoved the last piece of drippy French toast into her mouth, the answer came to her. She could go on because men and women like these at Enigma stood ready to do whatever it took to protect this country.

Chase had not directly spoken to her since last night. He’d handed her off to Sam around midnight. They were all sleeping in house so they could get the early morning briefing out of the way. The medical staff wanted to keep them close in case of problems and the resident shrink wanted to observe them in case any peculiar problems surfaced. Now those dark eyes landed on Tessa as if seeing her for the first time. He nodded casually but didn’t inquire as to how she was faring this morning.

Being summoned to Director Benjamin Clark’s office put everyone in a quieter mood. Breakfast trays returned the group headed up to the office where several hours of debriefing would commence. Having everything out in the open sobered the team. Causalities reported and counted, damage assessment discussed, problems of security to be addressed, brought home to Tessa the reality of how close to death she had been. She gripped the arms of the wooden chair where she sat, feeling the overwhelming disregard Enigma felt for their personal safety. Her eyes darted to each one. The sense of being among incredible valor seemed to be lost on everyone in the room but her.

The cafeteria hosted lunch for them, but it wasn’t more than pizza and salad. They ate in a conference room where once again, small talk over rode national security. Tessa found Ms. Coleman and apologized for her bad behavior on their first meeting. She waved it off, saying it certainly was refreshing to see Samantha Cordova have a melt down over someone other than herself. The doctors all had another crack at them including Dr. Wu.

Night had fallen driving Tessa once more to her cramped quarters for a much needed rest. Other than a pain pill she didn’t require a sleep aid. Her body fell limp into the mattress that had seen better days.

The following day followed a similar pattern with quiet voices in rooms where reports were entered on computers and follow ups with foreign states were briefed. Chase, never very far from her, sat hunched over satellite images on his computer. Once he strolled past her and laid a hand on her good shoulder with a slight squeeze. When Tessa lifted her eyes to his he almost smiled before walking away. Then the call came to return to Benjamin Clark’s office to pick up where they’d left off the day before. Tessa could see that sunset purpled the sky outside Ben’s window.

“Do you have any questions, Tessa?” the director inquired matter of fact.

“Where is Honey?” Tessa had wondered about her since she’d awakened earlier in the day.

“Gone,” was the only answer given her. Before Tessa could speak again, he brought his hands together palm to palm as if going to pray. “Mr. Crawley was taken to the hospital for a few days. The FBI wants to have a conversation with him.”

“Good luck with that,” she mumbled loud enough for Zoric to hear and chuckle. “Mansur?”

Chase rubbed the stubble on his jaw. “On his way back to Libya. He can do us more good there than here. He’s a good man.”

The phone buzzed on Ben’s desk and he lifted it up to his ear casually. As he listened his brow furrowed and his eyebrows met over his hawk like nose. Clicking off, he returned the phone to its cradle and looked at Chase, then Tessa.

“It would seem that your husband and children gave our man the slip when he went to get some carryout.” Tessa froze. “He’s on his way back to Grass Valley.”

The entire team stood and turned to Tessa. “I don’t know how to thank you. I’m not sure if I can say goodbye. You have given me,” they waited uneasily, “you’ve given me a headache, a scratched face and enough nightmares to last a life time,” she laughed. They seemed to be relieved at her teasing and one by one embraced or shook her hand.

Sam did neither and chose to glare judgingly at her. “Good job, Betty Crocker.”

“Thanks, Sam!” Tessa beamed with the crumb of appreciation. “Maybe we can go shopping some time or go out to lunch.”

Sam rolled her eyes impatiently as she brushed past her. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Tessa covered her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh out loud and draw angry attention to herself from the Enigma diva. She looked at Ben and Chase happily. “I think she likes me!”

The director tossed Chase his keys. “Since your Hummer was lost in the fire take my car. Zoric better tag along. Mrs. Scott tends to get my people in trouble. Maybe if there are two of you I can count on you returning in a timely fashion. Good luck to you, Mrs. Scott. And thanks for everything you did.” The director’s minivan had surprised Tessa. Somehow she thought, given his personality, he might drive a tank to work. There were hints of a woman in his life and a small child, a girl, Tessa thought. It smelled of spilled cappuccino and McDonald’s fries. A couple of Cheerios clung to the corner of the front floor mat. A tube of lipstick rolled around in the cup holder and coins worth no more than a dollar slid loudly as Chase whipped the van into the gated subdivision Tessa called home. He pulled in Mr. Crawley’s drive and quickly joined Zoric and Tessa as they exited the blue minivan.

Touching his ear, Chase took Tessa by the arm with his free hand noting that Zoric had already slipped his arm through her other arm. They guided her across the lawn to the porch, then front door. “They’re twenty minutes out. Highway patrol helped us out by pulling them over for a bit. Then the inspection guys on the state line decided to examine every suitcase and package in the car.

Tessa knew Robert’s patience could be measured in inches so he probably would be in a bad mood by the time he arrived. “When he sees the mess inside the house he’ll probably ask for a divorce,” she mused as Chase swung the door open to her home she’d left in shambles.

Claudia, the librarian, stood alone in the foyer that ran between the dining room and living room. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and smiled shyly as she hugged her computer tablet up to her chest. “Surprise,” she said clearing her throat.

Gasping at the rooms before her, Tessa thought she’d just walked into a model home by Pottery Barn. Furniture, sleek and contemporary mixed with her antique pieces that hadn’t been damaged by the gunman. Shiny wood floors, freshly painted walls and new light fixtures completed the look. Her heart pounded as Claudia handed her the Pottery Barn catalog she’d been saving for ideas. Tessa then remembered Chase handing it to Claudia the day they’d returned to look for a bomb.

“I hope it meets with your satisfaction, Mrs. Scott.” Claudia handed Tessa a black folder of information concerning the decorating choices, location of services used and a certificate “This certificate proclaims you won a $70,000 make over contest as advertised in your favorite magazine.”

“Which one?” Tessa said wide eyed as she went over the room in amazement.

“Pick one. It doesn’t matter, Mrs. Scott. What does matter is that your husband believes it. From what I understand that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Tessa grabbed the black woman in a bear hug and squeezed so hard her glasses tilted on her nose. Once released, Claudia straightened her glasses then her clothes impatiently and walked outside toward Mr. Crawley’s driveway. Looking around like Alice in Wonderland, Tessa put her hands over her heart and smiled at Chase then at Zoric who seemed to be pretty proud of themselves.

“Thank you,” she said with deep emotion.

Zoric winked at her and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Coffee. Soon.”

She nodded as he left Chase alone with her. “Remember. Robert cannot know about us or what you’ve been up to. Got it?”

“You want me to lie to my husband, is that it?” she frowned.

“That’s exactly what I want you to do.” Chase didn’t like goodbyes or hollow promises about tomorrow. He just needed to leave and be done with her so he could go talk to the doctor about this recurring pain in his chest, like now. He touched his ear. “They’re almost here.” He turned to leave when he felt Tessa’s hand on his arm.

“Chase” was all she needed to say for him to swing her up in his arms and embrace her tightly. She felt a kiss on her cheek as he released her and darted out the door.

For a few moments Tessa became lost in thought about the surge of warmth she felt for the captain. The sound of car doors slamming, loud boyish voices and a little singing girl, drew Tessa’s attention outside. Lazily, Tessa moved through the open front door to see Robert hurrying to her. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry for being a jerk. I promise I’ll be a better husband and a father from now on, Tessa.”

Tessa stepped into his open arms and laid her face against his chest. Little hands circled her waist as they started talking all at once. Sean Patrick and Daniel broke away first and ran into the house only to return begging their father and little sister to come look at the new house.

“Wow!” was all Robert managed to say. “Guess this is why you haven’t been answering your phone.” He noticed the cut over her eye, the scratched arms and bruises along her arms and face. “What happened?” he said turning her face gently with his hand.

“I started working with this secret government agency who hunt down terrorists. We got in a bit of a mess. There was a fire, I nearly drowned watched a bunch of Libyans try and steal isotopes and blow up Global Navigation outside of Auburn. That’s pretty much it.”