Passionate Immunity (3 page)

“Neither of you are in the shit,” Preston assured them. He met both of their gazes in turn for a brief moment before piling the papers and folder on the top of his desk.

“I’ve checked with Morrison down in the medical wing. He assures me that as long as you take it easy you’ll be right for active duty as of this evening,” Preston continued as he took his seat. “Sorting out the mess left by my predecessor is taking longer than anyone had guessed. Most of her cases have been cleared as untainted, but there’s one in particular that has captured the auditor’s attention.”

The room filled with an uneasy tension. Emma Henley had been a well-liked, respected team leader within the Agency. Discovering her knowingly and actively working against their objectives to keep their country safe had been a blow to many. Making the matter even more personal, if possible, it had been her actions that had led to Jasper Peterson being murdered. The loss and Henley’s betrayal were still raw with Tristan.

“What do you need?” Tristan asked, moving forward in his chair, eager for anything he could do to help reverse the damage one woman had created.

Lucas leaned closer to Preston’s desk. Without words Tristan could see his new partner fully understood the importance of doing something to avenge Jasper.

Preston’s mouth twisted into a faint smile.

“Morrison said you’d need to take it easy, so this won’t be an all-guns-blazing mission. Indeed, for now at least it will hopefully remain largely a data-mining and paperwork-based task,” he chided.

“Henley appears to have worked for over a year on something she’s labelled as Project Immunity,” Preston said. “From what I can gather there’s a medical facility that the Agency has used numerous times as a cover. As far as that goes it’s nothing unusual. What grabbed the auditor’s notice, however, was after a cursory inspection of their paperwork they discovered the facility is doing research Henley appeared to be sponsoring through back channels. I don’t understand exactly how they’ve connected it, but the financial auditors assure me there’s a twisted, convoluted path between discretionary funds connected with us and this facility.”

“If the medical practice lets us use them for cover from time to time then isn’t it to be expected there’d be a link between us and payment for them?” Lucas asked, clearly puzzled.

Preston shook his head.

“If the funds are for discreet cover stories then the sources should correlate with those jobs. This is something separate,” he pointed out. “More importantly these all seem to tie back in with a single project. Also, Immunity doesn’t link back in anywhere else the auditors can find. It almost appears to be an off-the-books project Henley headed up. Which was exactly the kind of shady dealings they wanted to uncover. Project Immunity is a big question mark right now and Finance has done what they can. They’re not able to satisfactorily put upper management’s fears to rest so it’s been handballed over to us.”

“So you want us to go out there and check the place out?” Tristan asked.

Until this moment Tristan hadn’t fully appreciated just how much he had missed his work. His heart had sped up at the thought of a new mission, especially one to help close the case on Emma Henley. He had begun to take his job for granted. While he’d been sidelined it had been easy to focus on getting better, taking things step by step. Now, however, he felt eager to get back into the swing of his regular life.

“If we leave in the next twenty minutes we can be ahead of the peak-hour commuter traffic,” Lucas added with a quick glance at his watch. “I’ll go grab keys to one of the pool cars and—”

“I’m not sure which part of ‘paperwork-based’ you lads misunderstood,” Preston cut in mildly, “but last time I checked my dictionary it means sitting on your asses and going through files, such as these ones here on my desk. As I said, I want no blazing guns, no heroics and definitely no bloodshed. I want this to be strictly by the book, at least until all hell breaks loose. That means the two of you will be going over the paperwork with a fine–toothed comb.”

He waved a dark hand at the mound of papers littering his desk. Simultaneously both men sat back in their chairs. Tristan cast a dismal look at the piles of paper then shared a grimace with Lucas but neither man said a word of protest.

He’d not admit it aloud, but Tristan knew Jones could easily have picked any number of other agents equally desperate as he to right the wrongs Emma Henley had done to their Agency. Tristan wasn’t the only agent who had lost his partner, and he was far from the only person present on shift today who would work his fingers to the bone to receive closure and atone for the dark smear on their reputation.

Preston was giving him a gift. He wouldn’t do anything to make his superior regret handing this to him. Lucas appeared less than thrilled with the concept of many hours’ worth of sifting through paperwork, but his partner thankfully remained silent. Tristan was grateful Lucas wouldn’t utter a word in protest.

“I realise much of the scientific research in here will be over both your heads,” Preston continued when it was clear neither agent would dissent to their task. “I’ve already tapped a lady I know to assist in that side of the mission. She isn’t Agency, but I have given her temporary epsilon-level clearance. That should be enough for her to sort through the files, discuss anything she needs with you both and make her report without compromising any overly sensitive data.”

“You’ve brought someone external into this?” Tristan repeated. He exchanged a glance with his partner. “Surely one of the medical staff—”

“My superiors want this handled quickly and quietly,” Preston insisted. “Taking out one of our own staff away from their regular duties isn’t the best option here. Besides, a fresh set of eyes is what we need. She won’t arrive with preconceived notions and that gives us an edge. Henceforth, until you submit your final reports, this is your only priority. You’ll discover as you sort through this it appears as if human experimentation has been involved in the project. I’m sure I don’t have to begin to explain what a disaster this might prove to be.”

“All the more reason to keep this in-house,” Lucas supported Tristan’s concerns. “Bringing a civilian into this could make matters worse. What if she wants to report what we discover to some medical board or other authority? We can’t control her. As a result we won’t be fully in control of the investigation, either.”

“This woman has been a friend of my wife’s for almost ten years,” Preston said. “Felicity adores her. I know Kimberly almost as well as I know my own children. I hope you can both take my word that she is an honourable woman and someone you can trust to advise you in this. You’ll both work with Kimber, gentlemen, and treat her as an equal, as if she were simply another member of this Agency. More importantly, unless you want to face my wife’s formidable wrath, should anything even give off the faintest whiff of danger, you are to protect Kimber and retreat immediately. I’ll have no compunction whatsoever in feeding you both to Felicity should something go astray. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” both men responded automatically.

Jones collected the piles of reports and folders from his desk. Tristan and Lucas stood and reached over to each take some as Preston held them out.

“I’ll bring Kimber over to the Conference room when she arrives,” Preston concluded their meeting. “It shouldn’t be too long. In the meanwhile, it might help if you both started to sort through all this mess. These files are restricted to Code Orange, so I hope neither of you have any long weekends away planned.”

Tristan and Lucas both gathered the rest of the papers. Code Orange meant they couldn’t remove any of the documents from the Agency’s main office area, and any personal notes they took had to be encrypted enough so random strangers couldn’t make sense of the data. Over the years Tristan had become so used to these measures he often wrote half of his shopping list in his private coding system before he even realised it.

Following Lucas out of Preston’s office, Tristan let his mind wander over their new mission. A slight ache in his shoulder from carrying the mountain of paperwork along with the incoming storm reminded him he was no longer young. But he couldn’t help the thrill of a new case, a new puzzle and a fresh start that zinged through his body. He was as addicted as any junkie to this work, and in his heart he knew they’d have to bury him before he quit.

The high of saving the world, setting wrongs right and protecting his country had settled deeply into his blood and bones. He might not be a spring chicken like Lucas, but it was a long time before he’d be old, too. The tiniest smatterings of silver meant nothing. He had age, experience and knowledge. A bullet in his shoulder couldn’t take that from him, nor could a traitorous bitch like Emma Henley.

Feeling rejuvenated, Tristan dumped the papers onto the conference table and took a seat opposite Lucas. The blond looked overwhelmed.

“Where the hell do we start?” he moaned. Tristan chuckled and picked up the nearest manila folder.

“At the start, my boy,” Tristan replied. “Let’s get these folders in chronological order and work from there. If we both scan the files we can brainstorm from there.”

Sighing, Lucas agreed and the two men set to work.

* * * *

“Here’s another case file,” Lucas said distractedly. “Jeremy Bowman. Male, Caucasian, age twenty-seven.”

“Add him to the pile,” Tristan replied with a sinking sensation in his stomach. Hell. That made four references to individuals and they were barely halfway through the reams of paper. He ran a hand through his hair.

“Is there more data this time?” he asked Lucas, hope flickering in his gut. The small flame spluttered as Lucas shook his head.

“No, man, just an admittance form and half-page of indecipherable scrawl like the others.”

“Damn it. There must be more data somewhere,” Tristan muttered. “My instinct is screaming at me. These four patients are pivotal somehow. We just need to put them in the right part of the puzzle.”

“Heads up,” Lucas replied. “Incoming, mate.”

His mind still submerged in the mental puzzle before him, Tristan lifted his eyes to glance out of the wall of windows from the Conference Room into the office at large. It took him half a minute to compute what his gaze showed him. By the time he realised Preston was leading his ‘Civilian Consultant’ their way the large, dark man had already opened the door for the petite, curvy blonde woman. A head full of spiralling curls bounced as she walked, eagerness sparkling from her like an electric current.

Her grin was so wide Tristan felt surprised it didn’t have the power to light up the entire city block.

“Gentlemen,” Preston boomed in his deep voice. He halted in the threshold.

Both Tristan and Lucas stood politely.

“This is Kimberly Melmoth, the scientist I informed you of earlier this morning. She will be assisting you in going over these papers. Kimber, this is Lucas Sloan and Tristan Walters. Please listen to them. They’ll stop you doing anything…impulsive.”

Tristan couldn’t swear to it later, but he thought he heard ever so faintly under Preston’s breath a murmured “I hope” after his last word.

Kimberly had reached out to shake Lucas’ hand while Preston had introduced them. Then she turned her full focus onto Tristan, smiled blindingly at him and reached out her hand. Unable to help himself, he found an answering smile crease his face. Leaning forward he reached out and clasped Kimber’s palm in his. Tristan wrapped his fingers around her skin, conscious of her long, slender digits feeling warm against him.

Heat—potent and fierce—gripped his body. Kimberly’s eyes were a warm, bright shade of blue reminiscent of a Fiji lagoon. Energy hummed beneath her skin, an excitement so visceral she practically vibrated with it. The woman clearly felt thrilled to be a part of this mission. Her pale skin was delicately flushed, whether from her enjoyment of her new job or their contact he had no clue.

“I’m so pleased to meet you,” she spoke, her voice breathless. Their gaze held a moment longer than was usual, both of them seemingly unable to break the contact. Tristan had never felt such an instant snap of connection to anyone before. The chemistry was immediate and intense.

For the first time Tristan felt at a loss for words. Preston’s tone broke through the haze.

“As I’ve already explained at length to Kimber, this is predominantly a paper- and report-based job. At this stage there is no need for any of you to leave this room, let alone go out there searching for trouble.”

“We’ll keep her safe,” Tristan replied. He reluctantly let go of her soft hand. The flush over Kimber’s cheeks became noticeably darker.

“I’m not some four-year-old needing to hold hands before I cross the road,” she insisted. The glare she gave Preston indicated to Tristan this was not the first time she’d tried to persuade the man of her capabilities. She appeared so small, delicate even. A hot, exceedingly masculine part of Tristan wondered what the fuck Preston was doing letting such an intriguing, passionate woman enter into this life.

As Tristan had so recently been reminded of with the death of Jasper, this wasn’t some game for kids or innocents. It was the harsh, cruel realities of the worst side of life. Preston had mentioned this woman was a close friend of his wife’s. What was the man thinking?

He was tempted to give his boss a cutting piece of his mind. Lucas appeared to sense the change in undertone of the room and interjected before Tristan could get himself fired for insubordination.

“Actually it’s a good thing you’re here, Ms Melmoth.” Lucas beamed a warm smile at the woman.

A spike of jealousy seared through Tristan, taking him brutally by surprise. What the fuck? He’d barely met the woman and already he felt possessive? Was he losing his mind?

“We’ve found these references to ‘subjects’, but haven’t been able to ascertain exactly what they mean. Perhaps if you could have a look…”

Kimber reached out to take the thin file Lucas handed her and focused her attention on the two sheets of paper held within the manila folder. Preston glanced at them each in turn. Seeming satisfied, he left the room and closed the door behind him.