“Huh.”
Fisher was glad to see her smile, something she’d been doing more of in the month since she’d arrived at the CIA safe house/private hospital. Designed to treat both the physical and mental wounds suffered by case officers and covert operatives in the field, the hospital had similarly worked its magic on Carmen.
In the four months she was held by the North Koreans, she’d been systematically broken down with both drug therapy and stress conditioning. She still had frequent nightmares, Fisher was told, but those were fading, and the doctors expected her to make a full recovery. Carmen’s parents had flown in from Houston a week after she was admitted and rented a house in Richmond so they could easily make the daily drive to visit her.
Carmen’s memories of her kidnapping and subsequent captivity were fuzzy, as was her recollection of what happened in the cave. To Fisher’s chagrin, however, she vividly remembered him shooting her and relentlessly teased him about it.
They played chess for another hour until Fisher admitted defeat and laid down his king.
“You look mad,” Carmen said.
“Don’t like losing.”
“Something tells me you don’t lose very often. You’re not going to shoot me, are you?”
Fisher sighed wearily.
“Sorry,” Carmen replied. “Couldn’t resist. Last time, I promise.” Her smile faded, and she leaned forward and placed her hands over his. “I don’t think I ever thanked you.”
“For shooting you?” Fisher replied. “Happy to oblige.”
“For saving me. For stopping me. For bringing me back home. Thank you, Sam.”
Fisher smiled. “Happy to oblige.”
They chatted for a few minutes more, then Fisher stood up. “Sorry, I have a plane to catch.”
“Business?” Carmen asked.
“Not really.”
“Where to?”
“Toronto.”
The truth was, Fisher wasn’t looking forward to the trip, but he owed Calvin Stewart as much. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to tell the man’s widow anything of value, save the fact her husband was a genuine hero. What he could do, however, with the help of the CIA, was hand her a bank passbook that she would find contained enough money to see her safely through her golden years and the Stewart children through college.
“Travel safe, then.”
“And you,” Fisher replied. “They tell you when you can go home yet?”
“No. But when you come back, if I’m not here, you know where to find me.”
“I do. Good-bye, Carmen.” Fisher turned and started to walk away, then stopped and looked back. “Keep practicing. I’ll want a rematch.”
Carmen laughed. “Deal.”
