“An all-around bad guy.”
“Seems like.”
“What have we gotten ourselves into here?”
“I’m just guessing,” Nicole said, “but maybe we’ve fallen into a case of a rogue CIA agent who’s in bed with a criminal who’s selling illegal arms to people who are even worse than he is.”
Bridge nodded. It sounded as good as any other theory they’d come up with since they’d started this case. “Should I also assume that Stash isn’t his real name?”
“You shouldn’t. I can’t find out what his real name is. He’s apparently just known as Stash. First name, last name, nickname, I don’t know.”
“Is he American, European, what?”
“Sure.”
“Nobody knows?”
“That’s apparently the gist of it. They know the name. Don’t know the face.”
“So I take it nobody knows whether he’s here or abroad.”
Nicole pointed at him. “You’re correct.”
“And Kenny? Is he here?”
“They believe he’s in America, probably on the East Coast, though they can’t exactly pin it down at the moment.”
“He’s probably got so many fake passports and aliases it’ll make your head spin.”
“Don’t you?”
“Well… that’s different.”
“You use your powers for goodness instead of evil?”
“That’s right.”
They sat there together thinking for the next several minutes, though only one of them was thinking about the situation with Abbott. With the sheets only halfway up Bridge’s thigh, Nicole was doing some thinking—and admiring—about some other things. Bridge finally threw the sheets off entirely and stood up, Nicole putting her hands on both sides of his lower half. Bridge stood there, enjoying what she was doing, though he closed his eyes and sighed, knowing he had to proceed. He put his hand on hers and somehow was able to find the strength to take it off of him.
“Business first.”
Nicole sighed, and her shoulders slumped. She shook her head. “The only man in America who would do this. Everybody else would happily let whatever happens happen. But not you. Oh no. You have to be professional all the time.”
Bridge smiled, grabbing his phone off the nightstand. “If it makes you happy, I’ll stand here naked while I make my call.”
Nicole grinned. “Oh, that’ll make me happy.” She began fondling him again as he dialed the number.
Bridge tried to block out what he was feeling as he began talking. “This is Alpha One-Two-Seven-Six-Five.”
“What is your business?”
“I need to speak to Pinnacle One. Tell him it’s important.”
“Hold on.”
Nicole pulled him down onto the bed and began working him over as Bridge kept the phone pressed to his ear. He hoped he wasn’t going to be put on hold long, as he couldn’t be sure how long he could hold out from the pleasant feelings that were happening to him. Luckily, it was less than a minute.
“Pinnacle One will see you in one hour at the location of your previous meeting.”
Bridge cleared his throat as he took a deep breath. “Uh… better make that two hours.”
“Very well. I will let Pinnacle One know two hours.”
As soon as the line went dead, Bridge dropped the phone from his hand, letting it fall onto the floor.
“What happened to later?” Bridge asked.
“I’m calling one of them in now. What are you meeting with them about again?”
Bridge tried to keep his thoughts clear, though it was tough to do so. “Uh... what?”
“You’re meeting with P-One again?”
“Oh. I have more information to present this time. If he thinks I know more, and we’re working on the same side, and I can help him, maybe he’ll be more forthcoming this time.”
“Someone else is going to be more forthcoming. Right now.”
“Oh, boy.”
8
Just as he did the last time he met Pinnacle One, Bridge was sitting on the ledge in front of the Bethesda Fountain. It was a little busier than the last time they were there. A few more kids, a few more parents with their strollers, a few more eyeballs. Right after Bridge looked at his watch, he saw his guests arrive. They came down the same steps as the last time; the guards moving over to the side, while some watched from the patio area. There was no need for small talk this time. Pinnacle One immediately took a seat next to Bridge, looking at his surroundings as he always did to make sure there were no uninvited guests.
“I must say, I was surprised to hear from you again so soon. It’s been what, two days?”
“I like to work fast,” Bridge replied.
“Yes, that’s always been your reputation. So what are we doing here again? You have something else for me?”
“You might say that. Or you might be able to give me something.”
“Like what?”
“Like the truth about what’s going on here.”
“Luke, we’ve already had that conversation.”
“No, you had it. Now you’re gonna listen to what I have to say.”
“I don’t have to.”
“But you will,” Bridge said.
“What makes you think so?”
“Because you don’t want to be burned, do you?”
“In what way?”
“You told me you didn’t know the PI I was talking about, Darren Bevell.”
“That’s right, I don’t.”
“You’re lying. You know him and I can prove it.”
Pinnacle One shrugged. “And where’s this going?”
Bridge tapped on his earpiece. “Go ahead and send it.”
His former boss became slightly alarmed at knowing there was someone else out there that was unaccounted for. He started to squirm and thought about going back to his guards.
Bridge could see that he was getting antsy. “Just relax. There’s nobody out there other than my associate.”
“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better, knowing who your associate is. I hear you and Nicole have become more than just business associates.”
“How’d you find that out?”
“Do you really have to ask? Knowing her proficiency and love for guns, not seeing her makes me a little nervous.”
“Just relax. She’s just sending me a picture.”
Bridge then looked at his phone and saw the message from Nicole coming through. There he was. Nicole had taken a picture of the blond-haired man from their encounter at Bevell’s house. He was still standing guard by the patio on this encounter too. Pinnacle One continued
