Hurriedly, he plugged the buds into his ears. The device took a moment to tune in. His buddy in the headquarters’ Special Projects Unit, the “Q” of the FBI, modified the iPod so that it no longer played music. Rather, it functioned as a receiver for the wireless transmitter Chris had planted beneath Jack’s desk. He huddled into the corner of his cubicle, concealed in the darkness, and tuned into Jack’s and Lana’s conversation.
Just as the signal came through, Jack cried out a loud moan.
“Ahhhhh…you’re amazing,” Jack said. His zipper sounded. “You sure know how to make an old man feel young again.”
“Please. I don’t see any old men in here,” she hummed.
“What are you doing here, Lana?” he asked.
She relieved her knees and returned to his lap.
“A girl like you could have anyone you want,” Jack said. “Why me?”
“Why not you? Seems you and I differ in our perceptions,” she said flirtatiously, peppering his fat head with kisses.
Chris struggled to restrain his gag reflex. Hearing them coo at each other like a pair of fucking teenagers made him sick. The things he’d done for the love of that woman, but she’d warned him from the beginning that her career was her first priority—and she would go to any lengths (or stoop to any depths) to fulfill her mission. But he hadn’t banked on her tryst with Sabinski becoming part of the package deal. Disgusted, he couldn’t stand to listen to another gut-wrenching word. He slammed the iPod in his desk drawer and slipped out of the office unnoticed.
“Now back to our discussion,” Lana reminded Jack, easing into a business-like tone. “You were telling me about the vault.”
“Oh, yeah. I met with Freeman and the AD about this compromise business. They’ve revoked access to everyone on the bigot list. We’ll all have to take polygraphs. No access until we pass.”
“ Everyone’s got to take it? Even you ?” she asked.
“Everyone. I just finished drafting the list and you and I are the first two. I want to make sure we don’t miss a second of precious time finding this fucking mole.”
She swallowed hard, noticeably more uncomfortable than moments before.
“What is it?” Jack asked, concerned.
“Now that you mention this mole, I’ve been hesitating to speak with you...about Chris. It’s probably not my place to say anything but, uhhh...he’s been acting strangely as of late. Well, more strange than usual. I think he’s in trouble, and I’m not certain I can help him.”
Jack sat forward in his seat. “What kind of trouble?”
“I don’t know. He’s secretive. He’s been spending insane amounts of money, buying very pricey gifts, too expensive for an agent’s salary. There are also the crazy mood swings....and the flash drive. I’ve seen him with it in the office.”
“Is that right?” he asked. “Well, I’ll definitely follow-up on the flash drive issue. They’re not authorized in the SCIF. As for the money, well, anybody could see he’s got it bad for you.”
She shook her head. “Well, he’s certainly not in love with me. Obsessed maybe. I was really hoping you could just...I don’t know...have a talk with him.”
He nodded. “I’ll speak with him tomorrow afternoon and see where his head’s at.”
“Appreciate that Jack.” She stood in front of him, sighing in relief. “So, what about J.J. and Tony?”
“What about ‘em?” Jack snapped.
“Another one of the agents mentioned they’re targeting a diplomat providing intelligence on European missile defense negotiations. They might need access sooner than we do.”
“Her case is shit. Karat’s not giving up anything of value, so I made certain they’re the last two on the list. They aren’t scheduled to take the exam until Friday. I’ll assign you to work her cases until she gets access if she ever gets access again. Wouldn’t surprise me if the bitch is guilty.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me either. Which begs the
Just as the signal came through, Jack cried out a loud moan.
“Ahhhhh…you’re amazing,” Jack said. His zipper sounded. “You sure know how to make an old man feel young again.”
“Please. I don’t see any old men in here,” she hummed.
“What are you doing here, Lana?” he asked.
She relieved her knees and returned to his lap.
“A girl like you could have anyone you want,” Jack said. “Why me?”
“Why not you? Seems you and I differ in our perceptions,” she said flirtatiously, peppering his fat head with kisses.
Chris struggled to restrain his gag reflex. Hearing them coo at each other like a pair of fucking teenagers made him sick. The things he’d done for the love of that woman, but she’d warned him from the beginning that her career was her first priority—and she would go to any lengths (or stoop to any depths) to fulfill her mission. But he hadn’t banked on her tryst with Sabinski becoming part of the package deal. Disgusted, he couldn’t stand to listen to another gut-wrenching word. He slammed the iPod in his desk drawer and slipped out of the office unnoticed.
“Now back to our discussion,” Lana reminded Jack, easing into a business-like tone. “You were telling me about the vault.”
“Oh, yeah. I met with Freeman and the AD about this compromise business. They’ve revoked access to everyone on the bigot list. We’ll all have to take polygraphs. No access until we pass.”
“ Everyone’s got to take it? Even you ?” she asked.
“Everyone. I just finished drafting the list and you and I are the first two. I want to make sure we don’t miss a second of precious time finding this fucking mole.”
She swallowed hard, noticeably more uncomfortable than moments before.
“What is it?” Jack asked, concerned.
“Now that you mention this mole, I’ve been hesitating to speak with you...about Chris. It’s probably not my place to say anything but, uhhh...he’s been acting strangely as of late. Well, more strange than usual. I think he’s in trouble, and I’m not certain I can help him.”
Jack sat forward in his seat. “What kind of trouble?”
“I don’t know. He’s secretive. He’s been spending insane amounts of money, buying very pricey gifts, too expensive for an agent’s salary. There are also the crazy mood swings....and the flash drive. I’ve seen him with it in the office.”
“Is that right?” he asked. “Well, I’ll definitely follow-up on the flash drive issue. They’re not authorized in the SCIF. As for the money, well, anybody could see he’s got it bad for you.”
She shook her head. “Well, he’s certainly not in love with me. Obsessed maybe. I was really hoping you could just...I don’t know...have a talk with him.”
He nodded. “I’ll speak with him tomorrow afternoon and see where his head’s at.”
“Appreciate that Jack.” She stood in front of him, sighing in relief. “So, what about J.J. and Tony?”
“What about ‘em?” Jack snapped.
“Another one of the agents mentioned they’re targeting a diplomat providing intelligence on European missile defense negotiations. They might need access sooner than we do.”
“Her case is shit. Karat’s not giving up anything of value, so I made certain they’re the last two on the list. They aren’t scheduled to take the exam until Friday. I’ll assign you to work her cases until she gets access if she ever gets access again. Wouldn’t surprise me if the bitch is guilty.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me either. Which begs the
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