Chapter 11
I woke up the next morning to the sound of a ringing phone. I carefully shoved Jimmy off of me. He moaned, “Don’t answer it....”, then returned to the land of slumber.
“Hello?” I was surprised to hear Tracy’s voice on the other end.
“Anita, it’s crucial that you listen to everything I say. Do you have a pen and paper handy?”
“Um, yeah,” I said as I grabbed my notepad off of the nightstand, “What is it?”
“I have to make this quick...if they catch me on the phone, I’m dead.”
“Where are you?”
“Oh shit...Crosby St. I have to go!”
“Tracy!” She’d hung up. Great. All I’m left with is a street name?
“Whoa, Tracy?” Jimmy shot up in the bed.
“Yeah....she was going to tell me where she is....but, something happened. All I have is the street.”
“That’s a start.”
[At HQ]
Jimmy and I, along with 14 other agents, sat in Doc’s office. “Windsor, you shouldn’t be here.”
“Tracy called me. I have every right to be here.”
“She may have called you, but you’re in no condition to go on this mission.”
“What are you going to do? Kick me out of the room?”
“Doc, Anita has a point. Tracy did call her. Let her stay. She may be wounded, but she’s well enough to be here...and to be of some help,” Jimmy intervened.
[20 minutes later]
“Is everyone clear on the plan? Be prepared, we head out in 4 hours.”
“Yes, Sir,” everyone said in unison. I started out the door, but Doc said, “Windsor? I need to have a word with you.”
“Sure.”
“Sit down.”
“Okay....” I knew something was up, but I wasn’t prepared for what came next.
“Have you slept with Fallon?”
“Um...why does it matter, Sir?”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes....we’ve had sex.”
“Well, whatever is going on between you two, it needs to stop. It is inappropriate conduct for agents to be sleeping with each other. When I sent you two on that mission, I trusted you to keep professional. You’ve let me down.”
“Shouldn’t you be telling this to Fallon, too? Why am I the only one being penalized?! What, you think I’m some kind of whore or something? Well, for your information, I am in love with Jimmy Fallon, and he is in love with me. If you or anyone else is going to try and keep me from him, then I quit.”
Chapter 12
I quickly regret what I had said. I had been working in this buisness for over a decade, and for some strange reason, I was willing to give it all up for a man I barely even know.
Doc blinks. "You have a choice, Anita." he says, almost sighing. "You're one of our best, you know that. I would have never expected this from you."
I suddenly realize he's about to let me go.
"And if you really wanna leave.."
No, I don't.
"...then you can, but you know the consequences..."
Oh, God. I don't wanna leave.
"...and the things we do to spies who have to leave. So, make your choice."
My eyes flutter to a shut, as I think for a second, knowing that if I think for too long, Doc will take it as a sign. I quickly open them again, and put on my reasoning face. "Doc," I swallow. "I don't love Jimmy." Dammit, of all the things to say! "At all."
He stares at me for a couple of silent seconds. I count them. One hippopotamus. Two hippopotamus. Three hippopotamus. Four...
"Then why are you sleeping with him?" he finally speaks.
I stutter. "A girl's gotta get hers... and Jimmy knows how to provide, if you understand what I am saying here..." I give a fake smile and feel like crying.
He gives a smile I can see right through. "Then why did you say you love him?"
Chapter 13
I think for a second, trying my best to make it look like this conversation wasn't killing me. I think of something stupid, but that will do for now. "Well, I didn't want to make it seem like I'm just sleeping with him 'cause I'm 'sexually charged' or anything... I didn't want you to think I was some sex-crazed lunatic, Doc." I try to bargain my job back.
He nods, looking like he didn't believe me and also looking like he did. I grew confused. Was he trying to kill me with silence? "Get into the car waiting for you outside, we have to find Tracy. We can talk about this later. As for your status, take it easy, Windsor." he says, I feel relieved that he is calling me by my last name. "And no more partner relationships." he says before I'm out the door.
[in car]
Knowing we are both wired, I began talking to him about why Tracy, Eduardo, and Ainsely would be on Crosby St. I address him by his last name but he doesn't seem to notice, or maybe he does but he is trying to ignore it.
I fight the urge to jump on him.
His hair is tosseled to perfection and his face is distinct and serious. I wonder what he is thinking and whether or not its about me.
Chapter 14
He hadn’t said anything during the entire conversation. He just nodded. “Penny for your thoughts?” I asked uneasily after a moment of awkward silence.
“I’m thinking that...it’s over.” His eyes were cast downward and he was half-heartedly hitting his fist against the leather seat.
“What’s over?” He was acting very weird. I had no friggen idea what he was talking about.
“Us...” My heart stopped. Holy fuck, was he breaking up with me? Like an idiot, I started breathing heavily.
“What? Why? You can’t do this! This is so fucking not fair!”
“Anita...I have no other choice. I was listening at the door when you and Doc were talking. I don’t want you to get in trouble. And....I’m not really sure if you do love me. I’m not sure if you’re even sure you love me. I’m sorry, but I just can’t continue this.”
“I...but, I-....” I stuttered. I felt my heart drop all the way to the bottom of my stomach. No....no...no. This wasn’t right! I couldn’t believe it. I’d just been dumped by Jimmy Fallon.
Chapter 15
[Crosby Street: 30 minutes later]
I sighed as I tried to rationalize the latest events.
My private job or my own private life? The answer was always simple. My job was important. I was saving the world from bad guys. What I did was bigger than me. I made the world safe so nice midwestern farmers could marry their high school sweethearts and live happily ever after.
But it never ended. My own private movie just kept going. I was never going to ride off into the sunset. There was no happliy ever after. Think about James Bond -- everytime he gets close to a woman, she gets killed.
I kind of laughed because James Bond was a real agent. No one knew it, but every single movie was a true story. Just the names were different. And the agency just wasn't an American deal, it included every major English-speaking nation (Britian and Canada). For short, some people called the agency "ABC" and the international code to test if someone was an agent was to say "Do you know your ABCs?"
Not that it matters since I am not an active agent anymore.
I kept thinking of past events. "A contract is a contract" was something Doc has told me in the beginning of this assignment and it kept replaying over and over in my mind. I was sick inside beyond my stomach wound. I felt sour.
And even worse, I had to sit in the car while a surveillance team was trying to locate Tracy, Eduardo and Ainsely.
"Sit in the car, Anita" Jimmy had said flatly.
Yeah, Thanks PAL. Break up with me and let me sit on pins and needles while my only other friend in this world is kidnapped and being tortured by Rosa, psycho hell bitch.
I could see the team exiting a building to left, and heading up the street. Every member was there, and being led by the man who just broke my damn heart.
Except one member.
Except Doc.
I pulled out my powder compact (which was really a satellite dish that could pick up any cell phone feeds within a mile radius). Holding the powder puff to my ear, I began scanning frequencies.
Car or not, with or without Jimmy, job or jobless, sick or well -- I was going to solve this case. To hell with EVERYONE.
Chapter 16
[4 minutes later]
It was faint, but I think I found him. It had to be Doc. His voice was unmistakable eventhough the masses of static.
"I talked (static) her today (static)" he said. I couldn't make out the other person at all.
"Almost according to pluh (static). I knew that partn- (static) Jim (static)-nita was excellent."
Suddenly it began to get clearer -- meaning one thing. Doc was getting closer.
The other end was still scrambley and faint. Doc replied back "I almost got Anita to quit today. I had no doubt they'd 'fall in love' and start behaving un-agentlike once I partnered them. The Fallon kid is slightly greener to the business than Anita so I wanted to get rid of her first. She does one thing to interfer with our" he paused and chuckled" 'assignment' and I can legally fire her. The best part is that the 'lovers' are having troubles now. This whole thing gets rid of the two top agents!" He laughed more. I was recieving his feed very clearly now from Doc's end, but the other line was still too weak.
"I don't want to kill anymore than I have too, Darling. It's too messy. My daughter is involved. I even reconciled with her. She's been angry for the last five years after I killed off her husband."
There was a pause.
"Yes, if we accidentally get rid of anyone it will be Anita Windsor. I like James Fallon, very loyal guy. If we can't get rid of him from the agency over Anita, then we can certainly use a guy like him." There was a surge of static.
"Damn Lopez's soft heart. He knew if he shot her there she woundn't die. Don't worry, I took care of everything." Doc continued.
Another pause.
"I'm not on a protected line, no. The only people who would be suspicious of me are out looking for my daughter, your husband and that insepid Ainesly. But you are right. I'm hanging up now, my darling."
The feed went dead. "Your husband?" Eduardo? That means . . . Doc was talking to Rosa. Holy . . . what? It actually made sense.
He was probably closer than a third of a mile away. I started the car and took off, nearly numb with shock. But it explained how Jimmy and I got kidnapped by Rosa so fast after we contacted HQ. What were they up to anyway? Rosa and Doc! They sounded awfully COSY! Explains why Rosa left Eduardo. Sort of.
How was I going to find Tracy? Once I disappeared after stungunning Lenny, the whole agency might be after me. Doc could very well let me take the fall.
How was I going to convince Jimmy that we were set-up by Doc himself?
I sighed. How was I going to convince him that I really loved him?
Chapter 17
I drove hastily, not quite sure where I was going. I’d tried to trace the transmission with the receiver, but that didn’t work. Besides, Doc might have left the area already. Shit. I didn’t know what to do.
As I was sitting at a stoplight, I saw Doc walking out of an abandoned apartment building. As soon as he’d gotten into his car, I followed. I made sure to do it discreetly. I soon realized that he was driving back towards the place on Crosby St. where Jimmy and the rest of the agents were. I was going to be in some deep shit if I didn’t do something quickly.
I parked the car a couple of blocks away from the search site. I watched as the agents exited the building. I didn’t see Jimmy, though. Where was he? My question was soon answered.
I was startled by a knock on the passenger side window. I reluctantly unlocked the door. Jimmy flung it open, his eyes filled with fury.
“What the FUCK are you doing?! Jeez, Anita do you want to get fired or something? You’re fucking nuts.”
“Jimmy, get in the car!” He paused, then got in, slamming the door behind him.
“Jim, I over-heard a conversation between Doc and Rosa. I drove around trying to find where the signal was coming from...and I found that Doc was in an old apartment building. Jim, Doc is behind all of this. He and Rosa....and they’re going to kill me.”
“Wait, what? Back up.”
“Doc and Rosa have a thing going on! Doc said that he partnered you and I up because he knew we’d fall in love and therefore fall back on the job. Something serious is going on, I don’t know what, but Doc is planning on killing me!”
He sat there, a blank stare on his face. “Are you certain?”
“Yes! Dammit, I wish I’d saved the transmission. Jimmy...just trust me.”
“I do trust you. This is just so sudden....and...strange. What are we going to do? No one will believe us.”
“Well, it looks like we’re going to have to take this into our own hands. Now, exactly how pissed is Doc about the car being gone?”
“I don’t know. I just came outside of the building, I saw that the car was gone, I muttered a few curse words, then walked up the street. I figured you show up sooner or later. But, that doesn’t matter. We need to get out of here, now. We have to get to the bottom of this....” he looked up at me, straight into my eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
An awkward silence.
“Anita....I don’t want to lose you. I realize I’m being an asshole. I’m sorry....and I don’t want to break up with you. I love you too much to just give up when things get rough.”
“Jimmy, there is no doubt that I’m head over heels in love with you. I don’t want to break up, either.”
“Truce?”
“Truce.” We shook hands, laughing. He leaned over, and we kissed. “Let’s go.” I started the car, made a wild U-turn, and drove back towards.....somewhere.
Chapter 18
[13 minutes later]
"If I were a demented psycho crime boss were would I be?" Jimmy muttered. "Hey, Doc, what's up?" he frowned and perfectly mimicked "Oh you know, James. Screwing Rosa, screwing over the agency. And especially screwing over you and your partner. Ah yes, and kidnapping my own daughter. The usual" I couldn't help but smile. His babbling impression was adorable, if not sickeningly accurate.
Somehow Jimmy had convinced me to move over and let him drive all over Manhattan while I scanned for anymore transmissions. We were now stuck in massive gridlock on Broadway.
My sunglasses beeped. Startling me.
"Jim-- should I answer it?" I asked thickly. I was getting tired quickly and the painkillers made me a tiny bit cloudy.
"No. Then they will know for sure where we are." Jimmy made a dangerous and fast manuever into the next lane which prompted about twenty cars to start honking. The lane we were just in started moving rapidly. I held on the door, not about to comment on his driving.
"Shit!" he started beating the steering wheel "Shit shit SHIT!"
"Shit?"
"Shit" he looked at me square in the eye "Anita, we stole an agency car. They already know where we are... This thing is rigged with more than just LOJACK... it could explode"
"Doc wouldn't do that in rush hour traffic" I gulped. He would. As of now I was a renegade agent, armed and dangerous. Doc had jurisdiction to do whatever he wanted.
"Get out!" he barked. A chorus of taxis started honking as we abandoned the car. He grabbed my hand and led me to a side-street.
Chapter 19
"Go into the Deli over there" Jimmy directed, his sunglasses beeping like mad. It struck me how gorgeous he was. Holy hell, he loves me! "Anita, jesus, come on. Go into the deli! I have a plan."
I frowned. Okay he snapped at me. But he totally loves me. I tried to reassure myself but anytime I took any sort of drugs I got philosphical. Even Nyquil made me question life. I wandered into the Deli and a chinese man in a butcher uniform immediately shouted out "WHAT YOU WANT? WHAT YOU WANT?"
I don't know! I want to survive the night.
I got a little teary "I don't know, gimme a minute to read the menu." I grumbled still startled from his yelling.
A petite graying woman, who was probably his wife, came out from behind the counter, "Chan. You scare customer! OH! PRETTY girl. Look! Oooh! Its Anita Windsor! Look CHAN! You yell at famous movie star! Give her free sandwhich!"
"WHAT YOU WANT!" he barked at me.
"Tuna melt, on rye?"
I found a table with some chairs and sat down. Why does Jimmy love me? Something must be really wrong with him.
Or he's about to turn me in.
I looked out the window to see him communicating via his sunglasses. A nice handsome man in a pinstriped suit opened the door to deli, and I could loudly hear Jimmy saying:
"Yeah. Doc . . . I found her. She's half crazy on the medication. I'll go lock her in the car and then you can feel free to do whatever action is necessary."
The door slammed shut as Chan screamed "WHAT YOU WANT?" at the man. With on eyebrow raised, the man in the pinstriped suit turned to me with familar green eyes.
"Miss Windsor, do you know your ABCs?"
Chapter 20
"Huh?" I said. I hadn't heard that phrase in quite some time. I hadn't had an international case with foreign contacts for years.
"Miss Windsor, do you know your ABCs?" he repeated holding out his hand. I shook it.
His accent was crisp, and he was obviously from Great Britian. But those eyes! Where had I seen them before?
Holy hell. DOC. Those were Doc's eyes.
"I'm his younger brother, Miss Windsor."
"Whoa whoa, who's brother?" Did he just . . . read my mind?
"Doc." he looked gently right into my eyes, "I'll explain later. Please come with me, before your partner's plan questions both of your safety." I didn't even think. For some reason I completely trusted him. My intuition told me that Jimmy would be safer without me. Was he really turning me in? No. He had to be lying. I decided I didn't care if he loved me or not. I loved him and I was going to protect him.
His back was turned to the window of the Deli, still feeding a transmission.
"Tuna melt on RYE!" Chan shoved a bag at the counter. "For Pretty Movie STAR!" I smiled at him, grabbed it and slipped out the backdoor with the green-eyed man in the pin-striped suit.
I didn't even know his name.
"Your name?" I asked as we stumbled into a alley filled with black suburbans.
"Brand. John Brand." he quipped, opening the door to the back of the suburban. I tried not to giggle. The guy was legendary, they based the James Bond movies around his dossier.
"You're James Bond."
"Close. I'm his son, Miss Windsor." he smiled "But do get into the car."
