Frozen Fire (55 page)

“Do you like the office?” one of the men asked.

“Of course I like the office. I even like the décor.”

“And the job description?”

“I like that, too,” she conceded. “And the money, and the benefits. Don’t trouble yourself itemizing it. I like it all.” She shrugged. “I want to know why me.”

“We need you, Victoria.” The woman folded her arms in a way that was too familiar and leveled a look at her. “Do you want us to beg?”

Victoria cocked her head. “You know, I think I do. More than a little. In fact, I’d like to see you grovel, Lucy.”

Lucy Denton didn’t lose her cool, didn’t even roll her eyes. She just started to laugh.

“You talk to her, Sam. She always liked you best,” she said and crossed the room to the low sofa and sat down.

“Come on, Vic. It will be like old times,” Sam said hopefully.

Victoria looked at him, not hiding her incredulity. “Old times? Are you
insane
? Those old times weren’t good ones, Sam. I nearly got killed. Lots of other people did get killed. I saw people get killed
in front of me
. That does not qualify as the good old days in my book, Sam.”

“But we saved the world, Vic. That was a good time. Maybe we can do it again.” He shrugged and spread his hands. “Terrorism is a growth industry. We’re part of the antidote.”

There was nothing for Victoria to do but laugh. “You’re all nuts. Thank you for the offer, but no. I don’t like high-rises. I like sitting in a dark room looking at a bright screen, preferably at sea level.”

“You can do that for us. And work from wherever you want to.”

She bent to pick up her briefcase from the floor and winced as a hot needle of pain shot through her lower back, then straightened. Putting a note of finality in her voice, she addressed all of them. “No, Sam. Lucy, Tom, thanks for the—”

“Victoria, I wasn’t kidding. We do need you. Not just any computer wizard. We need
you
.” Lucy stood up and walked back to the desk, where she flipped open a manila folder that Victoria hadn’t even noticed.

Lucy slid out a slim stack of papers marked
TOP SECRET
and pushed it across the smooth mahogany surface. On top was a full-color aerial photo of an island with a familiar outline and topography.

Victoria went still, her heart flipping in her chest. She looked up, her gaze moving from Sam to Tom and coming to a stop when she met Lucy’s eyes. “That’s Taino.”

“No, actually, that’s Ellen Island, home to the Atmospheric Research
Center, which is the United States’ newest, most secret installation for weather-based weaponry research and development,” Lucy replied silkily.

“This is what you need me for?”

“We’ve been contracted to design and implement security—physical, digital, chemical, the whole shebang,” Tom responded. “Much of what was there when Dennis Cavendish died is still in place. We get access to all of it.”

“But Charlie—” Victoria shook her head as if to clear it. “Charlie Deen is president of Taino now. He succeeded Dennis. No one disputes it. He’s recognized internationally. I’ve spoken with him.”

“That’s old news, Vic. Charlie resigned and retired,” Lucy said.

“What do you mean he resigned? He was president of a country,” Victoria sputtered, looking from one to the next.

“Charlie Deen has been a CIA case officer since he graduated from college some time in the early seventies and Dennis Cavendish was the first and only asset he handled. Did a hell of a good job at it, too. It’s made Charlie somewhat of a legend in the agency,” Lucy said. “So after all the dust settled, Charlie quietly handed Taino over to the USG and here we are. Ellen Island. What more do we have to throw at you, Victoria?”

“You’ll have your old commute back,” Sam said with a grin.

Her brain reeling, Victoria felt herself settle slowly into the chair behind her, heard her briefcase hit the floor with a thump. After a few moments, she looked up at Lucy. “Full partner?”

“On the letterhead.”

“And I can live on Ta—on the island?”

“In your old cottage, if that’s what you want. Although the new condos they’re building are pretty nice,” Lucy admitted.

“No more secrets?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

Victoria shook her head and smiled at the three of them. “I hope I don’t regret this. When do I start?”