The Gemini Deception (46 page)

“Kennedy named you as Rothschild’s inside person. You were in on this plan from the beginning. Senator Schuster was also blackmailed to retract his compliance in the weapons law, because apparently Rothschild threatened to remove the black-market organ she sold him for his son.”

Elizabeth felt faint. Moore was involved in this? Her longtime family friend and trusted confidant? “Is this true?” She looked at Moore, but he didn’t answer and refused to meet her eyes.

“According to Kennedy,” the secretary continued, “Moore is also responsible for the death of your husband, Madam President. He hired someone to poison him at the golf club, because the double, as convincing as she was, would have never fooled your husband.”

Speechless, Elizabeth walked over to Moore, still seated in a chair by her desk.

He looked up at her. “I can explain, it’s not all true—”

She slapped him hard across the face.

Kaplan cleared his throat. “What did they aim to accomplish, Madam President?”

Elizabeth glared at Moore. “Speak.”

“Not until I see my lawyer.”

She turned back to Kaplan. “I’ve been looking for any new amendments for hours. The only change in my plans has to do with the illegal-weapons agenda.”

“Oh,” Kaplan and Sneed said simultaneously.

“Is that the only change?” Kaplan asked.

“As far as I can see, yes.”

“Pierce from the EOO mentioned that Rothschild was a weapons dealer, among other things.”

“It’s a multi-billion-dollar enterprise,” Elizabeth said. “I knew it would rub many the wrong way, but I never thought they’d go this far.”

“It’s not the first time,” the CIA director said. “We’ve—”

“I’d rather he wasn’t present during any further conversation,” Elizabeth cut in, glancing at Moore. “Please, get him out of my sight.”

Kaplan made a phone call and no one spoke further until the president’s secretary escorted a blue-suited agent into the room.

“Take him in,” Kaplan told the agent, nodding toward the special advisor.

Moore stood. “I want to see my lawyer.” No one reacted as he was led away.

“As I was saying,” Kaplan continued once they were alone again, “we’ve covered many instances of attacks against presidents by extremists and terrorists, and we have even personally assisted in providing doubles.”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that you were abducted and your safety and position as president of this country compromised,” the secretary of Homeland Security said. “Why haven’t you pressed charges?”

“I don’t intend to,” Elizabeth replied.

“Madam President—” The secretary began to argue.

“Please.” She gestured for him to stop. “Rothschild—or her people, to be more precise, who appear to be Russians—has threatened me with my family’s life. She will keep that promise in or out of jail.”

“We can give them around-the-clock protection for as long as you serve your term.”

“And what happens when my term is over?”

“We will continue to—”

“But not as passionately, and let’s face it, I cannot have my family under constant surveillance for the rest of their lives. My sister’s kids deserve a normal life, and so do my sister and her husband.”

“Fair enough, Madam President,” the secretary said. “We will find subtle ways to monitor their safety.”

“And the worst part,” she ignored his remark, “is that I am the first female president of this country. How do you think my abduction will sit with the rest of the world? My decisions so far will all be discredited. Every media journalist will throw doubt on any change I’ve made and will make. Soon, people will refer to me as the double instead of the president.”

“Not to mention everything they’ll start looking into, to prove it’s not the first time,” Kaplan said. “Every conspiracy nut and individual like Assange will dig until they expose anything they can.” His eyes narrowed. “And we do not want that.”

“The nation elected me for a better America,” Elizabeth said. “They trust I can give them a better tomorrow.” She stared at the large presidential seal embroidered into the Oval Office carpet. “And I will not let them down. I refuse to let anyone take away or befoul my reputation and ability to make decisions for the future of my country.”

No one spoke for a long while. She was damned if she was going to let anyone deprive her of her dreams and everything she’d worked for. If the world found out about this, her reputation would be destroyed, her decisions doubted and ridiculed. It would only be a matter of time before she’d have to choose between stepping down or serving her country with infamy and disgrace. She was not about to become another Bush.

“What do you suggest, Madam President?” the HLS secretary asked.

“That we do nothing. Reveal none of this,” the CIA director put in. “It wouldn’t be the first time,”

“Indeed.” Elizabeth agreed. “Everything said in this room stays here.”

“We can’t just let Rothschild off the hook,” Secretary Sneed said. “And what about Moore and Wagner?”

“Wagner was blackmailed into compliance,” Kaplan told her. “She was a florist with a squeaky-clean record until they framed her for first-degree murder. She was facing the death penalty when Rothschild’s lawyer bailed her out and made the offer. They trained her for months, but she didn’t know what they were up to until after all the surgeries had taken place.”

“But she complied, nevertheless,” Elizabeth said.

“Correct,” Kaplan said. “But she has been very cooperative and a key to unraveling this mess. Moore continued to threaten her with her life every day, until she was taken together with Kennedy last night to be killed.”

“Did she really think Rothschild was going to let her live?” Elizabeth asked.

“She shamefully admits to wanting to believe her in order to save her own life.”

“Very unfortunate for her, but we can’t risk word of this getting out…”

“No, we can’t,” Kaplan said. “I’ll take care of Rothschild, Moore, and Wagner.”

“Did Schuster know about my
replacement
?”

“No. He was never involved in any of it and was upset about being made to abort the weapons law,” Kaplan replied.

“Good. I like him and I’d like to continue to work with him.”

“Up to you, Madam President,” the CIA director said. “Although he did illegally purchase an organ from Rothschild.”

“To save his son.”

“But it remains illegal to—”

“Thank you, gentlemen. I take it we have nothing further to discuss?” she said, dismissing them.

Both men nodded.

“Thank you for your time, Madam President.” Kaplan extended his hand. “I’m glad we could clear up this…misunderstanding.”

Penrose, Colorado

A week later, March 16

As promised, the CIA had given Ryden a new identity and moved her into a furnished condo in Penrose, Colorado, an agriculture-based town with all the necessities but too small to have a traffic light. So far, the locals seemed to be paying no heed to her likeness to the president. She’d shed the brown contacts and tried to minimize the resemblance by lightening her hair and getting it cut in a new style. She was also happy to shed the designer suits and high heels for jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers, which helped with the transformation. Part of her wanted to believe she’d heard and seen the last of TQ—she’d seen her ushered away by the feds with her own eyes, after all—but Ryden couldn’t help but look over her shoulder whenever she left the apartment.

She’d started applying for jobs right away and, five days into her new life, landed a position at the local no-kill animal shelter. She knew the work would be gratifying, and she might even have an opportunity here to resume her candle making. She’d spotted a little gift shop that day in town that she thought might be interested in selling her work on commission.

So, all in all, she couldn’t have asked for a better resolution to her ordeal—a good job, a comfortable home with a splendid view of the Rocky Mountains, and a modest bank account to get her started.

But she was lonely in a way she’d never been in her entire life.

The CIA had said her new identity forbade any ties to her past life, so now, here she was, moving furniture in an effort to forget Harper and make the new, unfamiliar environment hers.

The intercom by the door chimed and she stared at it in disbelief. No one knew where she lived and she didn’t know anyone in town yet. She slowly walked toward the panel and pushed the button. “Who’s there?”

“Harper.”

Her depression lifted in an instant, replaced by euphoric excitement. Ryden buzzed her in, opened the door, and dashed into the bedroom to check herself in the mirror.

Less than a minute later, Harper came through the doorway.

Ryden wanted to play it cool, but she flung herself into Harper’s arms as soon as she shut the door. “I thought you were gone…forever.” Ryden squeezed her tight and Harper returned the embrace, but with less enthusiasm. She felt the distance and pulled away. “I’m sorry. I was just so happy to see you.”

“I’m happy to see you, too,” Harper said halfheartedly.

“Have a seat,” Ryden said.

“I’m fine.” Harper moved to the middle of the room.

“It’s not much, but it’s home,” Ryden said, looking around.

“It’s…nice,” Harper replied dryly.

“I still can’t believe they let me go.”

“My employer had a lot to do with that.”

“He hardly knows me.”

“I asked him to.”

“I…thank you.” She fidgeted with her pockets, wanting to show her gratitude but not sure how. “I read about Moore’s…accident.”

Harper nodded. “He got the worst end of the deal.”

“He drove his car over a cliff.”

“A tragedy.”

“The CIA took care of him?” Ryden asked.

The corner of Harper’s mouth twitched as she suppressed a smile and looked down at her feet. “I can’t talk about that.”

“I see. I can’t say I’ll miss him.” Ryden grinned, but the smile quickly faded. “Rothschild is still out there, though.”

“They told you.”

“Not really much more than she was let go and that was part of the reason for my relocation.”

“They led her to believe you had an accident, similar to Moore’s,” Harper said. “But with TQ, you can never be sure of anything.”

“I wouldn’t want to risk it, either.” Ryden shivered at the thought of TQ suspecting she was still alive. “Why did they let her go? Couldn’t they make her disappear, too?”

“She had power lawyers pounding down the door by the time they brought her in for questioning that night,” Harper replied. “The attorneys stayed on the case even after she was led to CIA headquarters, and they pulled every political, fed, and—dare I admit—CIA string they had.”

“But she’s an arms dealer and a terrorist.”

“Among other things. But she also owns people in high places, either because she knows their dirty big secrets or because they owe her money or favors or simply fear for their life.”

“But she doesn’t own the president,” Ryden said. “Thomas could have decided TQ’s fate.”

“Not officially. As you know, Thomas chose to sweep it under the carpet to save face and protect her own family.”

“How can TQ have so much power?”

Harper shrugged. “She bought the right people.”

“So, she just gets away with everything?”

“Life has a way of turning the tables,” Harper said. “I’m sure she’ll one day get what’s coming to her. The question is, how many more people will she destroy until then?”

Ryden wanted to stop thinking about TQ and focus on the fact that Harper was here with her. “Please,” she said. “Why don’t you sit?”

“I can’t. I…I have to go.” Harper took a step toward the door.

“You just got here.”

“I leave for Europe in a few hours.”

Ryden felt like someone had pulled the floor from under her. “Tuscany.”

“Yes.”

“When will you be back?”

“Not any time soon.”

“Oh.” Ryden hugged herself. “I…I thought…you’d stick around for a while.”

“I can’t. I have a business to run and we have to stay away from each other. It’s not safe for you.”

“But…”

“TQ knows I work for the EOO. If she starts looking for me—”

“She wouldn’t. She’s terrified of Pierce.”

“I know, but she’s a disturbed individual. If she starts looking for trouble again and finds me, she’ll find you as well. That woman doesn’t forgive or forget.”

“I don’t care. Let her come after me. I refuse to let that bitch dictate my life.”

“I do care, Ryden. I can’t risk your safety.”

“So, what are you saying? You’re just going to walk away?”

Harper stared at her like she wanted to say something but couldn’t. A sad helplessness was etched on her face. “I have to.”

“This is so unfair,” Ryden said, her frustration boiling over. “I never thought I’d find someone like you, someone I can lo—”

“Please don’t.”

“You can control what you do but not what I say.” She was pissed. “I’m in love with—”

Harper grabbed her and sealed her mouth with her own, kissing her long and hard until both ran out of breath. “I don’t want to leave.” Harper sighed. “But I can’t stay.”

Tears streamed down Ryden’s face. “I want you to.”

Harper turned around and grabbed the doorknob. “You’re a beautiful woman, Ryden Wagner, inside and out, then and now.” She opened the door. “Don’t ever forget that,” she said in parting. Then she was gone.

Ryden leaned against the door as the sound of Harper’s footsteps receded down the hallway. She refused to believe she’d lost the only person she’d ever loved, until the long silence that followed confirmed Harper wasn’t coming back. She finally let herself slide to the floor, where she cried for hours.

*

Southwestern Colorado

“Why can’t I just go home?” Jack asked Cass. They’d released her from the hospital after five days, but only with the agreement that she receive appropriate after-care. The bandages on her leg needed to be changed regularly and her vitals closely monitored because of the swelling to her brain.