Covert Christmas Twin

The time he’d spent with Beverly taught him she was a woman so defined by pain she couldn’t see life as offering anything else. He needed to weigh his words with care and make sure he didn’t interfere with any chance for her and Kendra to make amends. “If you have any questions afterward, I’ll be glad to tell you what I know.”

She exhaled, her curled lip expressing her distaste for his decision.

“I promise,” he added. The compulsion to say such a thing surprised him.

A silver sedan turned the corner. He gestured for Kendra to step in the shadow made by a nearby dumpster, and they pressed their backs against the brick until it passed. “Oh, and, Kendra?”

Her wide green eyes studied him. “Yes?”

“If she thinks you’re in danger, you have every reason to believe her.”

TWO (#ua3b73726-43b0-5651-8710-19950b34613e)

Kendra followed Joe through the side door of the Victorian house. The place appeared to be standing on its last legs. Inside was no better. Dust swirled in the sunbeams shining through the front windows. The wooden floors were warped from age and possible flooding, and the furniture sported beige tarps. “You’re telling me this is where Beverly really lives?”

She hadn’t needed Joe to tell her about the other house Beverly apparently kept for show. Kendra had already looked it up online. Why anyone would choose to actually live in an old dump over a home with modern upgrades, though, was beyond her.

Joe walked down the hallway, stopped at a metal basement door and knocked to the musical rhythm of “Shave and a Haircut.”

“Really?”

He flashed what she considered to be his trademark smirk, the one she’d felt drawn to during their time at the academy. He had to know how attractive he looked wearing that mischievous expression. The sound of metal sliding echoed around them. Joe turned the handle and swung open the door to reveal carpeted stairs and an electronic lock and keypad installed on the wall.

She fought to keep her face neutral, knowing he was watching for her reaction. He closed the door behind her and pressed the red lock button on the keypad. They descended into an apartment complete with gleaming wooden floors, stainless kitchen appliances, lighting that mimicked natural sunlight and colorful red and blue love seats arranged around a tiled coffee table covered in hardback books.

Beverly stepped out of a side room to face them, her blond hair pulled into a ponytail. She’d already changed into jeans and a hunter green sweater. She crossed her arms across her chest. “How’d you find out?”

Kendra clenched her jaw. The nerve. If anyone deserved answers, it was her. Fine, she’d play Beverly’s game, but only because Joe had promised to tell all later. “I chased down every informant and asset I’ve ever had. After a little pushing, I found a common thread in about a third of my cases. Anonymous tips that seemed too convenient, some in the form of emails, some texts. I called in some unofficial favors to track—”

“And likely caused a lot of attention.” Beverly glanced at Joe and flicked her wrist. “Those tips weren’t convenient at all. I was trying to help keep you safe, which you’ve just thrown away.”

Kendra thought she’d been prepared for her first conversation with her birth mother. She’d imagined it countless times while trying to set up shields around her heart, and yet, this wasn’t matching any of the planned scenarios. Her throat tightened as she breathed deeply and tried to get control over her emotions. Beverly’s words alone indicated she cared, but her tone threatened to break Kendra.

Beverly held up the phone she’d taken off the dead man’s body and shoved the screen in Kendra’s direction. “You’re officially a target.”

I recognize a Fed. Clearly not a student.

The response below read: Keep me apprised.

Kendra remembered feeling like she was being watched in the classroom, but no one had raised a red flag before the attempted shooting. She glanced up. “I wasn’t the only Fed. This text could mean Joe.”

Beverly shook her head. “No. They know he’s quitting to become a pastor. I made sure of it before he audited my class. There’s no security cameras on that side of the building, but if he was spotted shooting—” She inhaled, shook her head and reached to scroll down the screen to the next text.

Prof is running away from Fed now.

The response sent a chill down Kendra’s spine. Take Fed out.

Her mother grabbed the phone back from her, flipped it over and removed the battery. “It’s only a matter of time until they realize he didn’t succeed.” She shoved both parts of the phone into a black mesh bag that, judging by the symbols, looked to be the type to block a tracking signal.

“That doesn’t explain why a gunman was watching you.” Kendra’s hackles rose. “You said you would brief me. That usually includes more than vague pronouns.”

Beverly pulled back her shoulders and pursed her lips, a movement Kendra recognized as the expression she also flashed when annoyed. An odd feeling of connection rose and fell like a wave.

“The owner of this phone was part of the illegal group known as Masked—you should recognize the name since they’ve been a top FBI priority—and whoever sent this text is especially edgy after the loss of their secure communications.”

Kendra frowned. “Masked was a cellular network designed solely for organized crime use, but the FBI completely dismantled it.” Actually, it was the mission where her twin had taken over for her, so, technically, Audrey had helped to dismantle Masked, but Beverly didn’t need to know the details. She glanced at Joe. “The FBI issued a press release weeks ago once they were sure they got everyone. The Masked Network is no more.”

“Network is the key word.” Beverly held up a finger. “You only got their communications. The actual goal of Masked is to recruit agents, soldiers, intelligence and technologies of value to sell to the highest bidder, usually foreign entities. Masked is the brainchild of one person, and I think that person, a man who refers to himself as the Pirate, is a mole within one of our federal agencies.”

The news felt like a slap in the face. Surely, Beverly didn’t know what she was talking about. “If what you are saying is true, why didn’t all the people the FBI arrested rat him out?”

“Two reasons. By design, members only know those within their own segment of the organization. I’m sure they’ve never met the Pirate since he’s the world’s safest delegator. Well, until recently, after you and your partner took down communications.”

Kendra crossed her arms, unnerved by Beverly’s last statement. “I never said anything about my partner or I being involved.” In fact, only a select group at the FBI knew that information, and only a few knew that Audrey had taken her place. “I think it’s time you tell me how you know about this pirate.”

“Because the Pirate recruited me.” Beverly sank down onto the armrest of the closest couch. “I put myself in a position to be snatched up by Masked. My deep-cover assignment is to get into the inner circle and identify the Pirate. I’ve worked my way up to head analyst, but have yet to meet him.”

“Deep cover for what agency?”

For a moment it seemed Beverly would refuse to answer, then she sighed. “I report only to the director of NCS.”

“You’re NCS?” Kendra didn’t bother keeping the surprise from her voice. The National Clandestine Service, the little-known undercover arm of the CIA, served as the primary source of human intelligence in the nation. The NCS operated differently than any other federal agency. Rumored to skip written reports, they were so secret that even the director of the division wasn’t officially disclosed. “Do you think the Pirate works in your division?” The idea seemed logical, as the NCS served as the national authority for all evaluation of undercover operations across the intelligence community.

Beverly offered a half-hearted shrug. “Initially. But, if that was the case, I don’t believe the FBI would’ve succeeded in taking down their communication network, which funded much of their recruiting efforts. And, ever since that takedown, all integral members of Masked have been carefully watched.”

“That’s why you have a gunman following you around?”

“Yes. The organization is wounded and suspicious, but the last thing we want is for them to go underground and rebuild.” Another phone buzzed and Beverly glanced at it. “Masked wants a status report from me about the Fed.”

“Maybe you can stall them,” Kendra offered. “Text a mission-complete status.”

“Won’t do any good. The body has already been found. That man wasn’t the only one that kept tabs on me. They rotate shifts.”

Another buzz. Beverly shook her head. “Great. Now Masked wants me to check in, physically.” She stood. “I need to stay on their good side and stall them. There weren’t any security cameras on that side of the building, but it’s only a matter of time until they realize who you are. As soon as they figure out you and your partner broke up their communications network, they’ll want all of us dead. Joe, I’m afraid that includes you. I figure we only have one shot to take them down, or we’ll need to go underground, permanently.”

“WITSEC?” Joe asked.

“You can’t get witness protection if you don’t know whom you need protection from.” She turned to Kendra. “Can I dare hope you’ve secured your sister’s research?”

Kendra caught herself pulling back her shoulders and pursing her lips, then realized what she was doing and shook her head instead. “What are you talking about?”

Beverly threw up her hands. “I thought it was obvious. I arranged for you to meet your sister. I sent Audrey’s last-minute invite to the conference at Stanford. I had a tip you’d be there.”

The blood felt like it’d left Kendra’s face. “You arranged for us to meet?”

“Of course. There’s no time to explain it all, Kendra. The point is your sister’s research is very important. I thought for sure you’d connect the dots by now.”

She wanted to open her mouth and tell Beverly that she couldn’t play with people’s lives like that—