Markov nodded. "Yes."

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." She got out of the car, keeping her gun hidden from view, not wanting to attract any curious eyes. "Get out of here."

Blue watched him drive away before turning her attention back to her companion. She would have to wait to see what Markov risked his life to keep her from getting.

Shelby's face was pale. She had flinched when Kris belted the man with her gun, and again when she clobbered him on the side of his head. She hadn't been able to hear the conversation, but his curses had carried beyond the confines of the car. She wasn't positive, but the guttural tone had sounded like Russian. What was going on?

"Let's get out of here."

Nodding, Shelby stepped from the doorway and walked in front of Kris to the car. Once they were back on the road, Shelby asked, "Who was he?"

"Just someone following orders."

"That's all he told you? Is that why you hit him?"

Kris glanced at Shelby and suddenly realized how upset she was. "I hit him because he was lying. In this business, force is all some people understand." She purposely made no mention of why she hit him the second time.

"Do you know who sent him?"

"Yes." Kris briefly made eye contact with the other woman. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."

Yeah, right. Not much chance of her not worrying after what she'd just witnessed. She hoped Kris did take care of it and that her life returned to some semblance of normal.

They arrived home a short time later. After thoroughly inspecting the apartment, Kris returned to the kitchen where Shelby had just fed the kitten. "Does she always gobble down her food like that?" Her question was intended to divert Shelby's attention from the recent events more than actual curiosity.

"Yeah. I think she might stop doing it once she feels secure here and knows she'll always have food. Poor thing. How terrible for her to be abandoned like that."

Kris nodded in agreement and decided to change out of her work clothes. She would've preferred changing right in the living room, but decided that since it wasn't her apartment, the bathroom would be more appropriate. "I'm gonna change."

Shelby watched Kris walk to the bathroom, fully appreciating the natural grace with which the tall woman moved until she became aware of what she was doing and blushed furiously.

Locking the bathroom door, Kris pulled out the small tattered piece of paper. It was blank except for a local telephone number she readily identified as embassy from the prefix. She folded it and put it in the pocket of the jeans she had donned. Tomorrow, she would find out who was at the other end of that phone. It would be interesting to see if the voice matched her contact's.

Shelby went to her bedroom and after changing, took extra time to put her clothes in their proper place, smiling as she did so.

Her amusement faded when she walked into the living room and saw Kris' gun lying on the end table next to the operative. She remembered how comfortable the operative had looked, standing with her gun pressed against that man's back. The sight of it now was a cold, harsh reminder of the seriousness of their situation. She glanced at Kris. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Kris followed Shelby's gaze to her weapon. "I need it close."

"I know. It just seems strange to have one in my apartment. I'll make us something to eat."

Kris was again reminded of what different worlds they lived in. "Need any help?"

"No. I've got some homemade spaghetti in the freezer. I'll just heat that up."

The operative's thoughts turned to her conversation with Markov, and she sighed. Kris knew she'd been taking a chance by blowing off her contact, but she had wanted to push the boundaries to find out how much leeway she had. Guess I found out.

Kris was also extremely concerned about their interest in Shelby and knew it had originated solely because of their working and living arrangement. Questions filled her mind. How did they know I would be riding with Shelby? How did they find out what kind of car she drove so quickly? One thing was crystal clear. Someone was leaking information. Who?

Her contact had not indicated any knowledge of the case she was working when they met. He had only been interested in the locations of field operatives. She snorted. It was always the same. Spy on the spies. Information was power, and the Russians would hold a huge advantage if they knew who and where their counterparts were. The wall coming down hadn't made any difference in this overt power quest. If anything, each country's interest in what the other was doing had increased. Some things never change.

Shelby walked into the living room and joined Kris on the couch. She wasn't satisfied with the preemptive answers the operative had given her in the car. "Was this case the reason that guy was following us?"

Kris looked at the earnest face gazing at her, and felt her stomach sink to new depths. Unable to bring herself to lie in the face of such honesty, Kris decided to share what she could. "They were following me. In my line of work you make a lot of enemies." Except that now you are involved, but I see no point in worrying you any more than you already are.

Musing aloud, Shelby said, "It sounded like that guy was speaking Russian."

Kris tensed but remained silent. Damn it. She had hoped Shelby hadn't heard the invectives spouted by Markov.

"Are you going to tell Earl?"

The operative pinned Shelby with cool blue eyes. "I said I would handle it. How I do that is none of your concern." When the open expression on Shelby's face disappeared, Kris cursed herself, but didn't offer any further explanation.

Shelby was hurt by the rebuff, but if it was unrelated to the case it really wasn't any of her business. "Then the shooting in the mall was random?"

"I don't know. Let's wait and see what happens in the next few days."

Shelby nodded. Knowing there was no sense in questioning the unanswerable any further, she got up to check on dinner.

A short time later, after eating and clearing the table, the two women returned to the living room. Kris turned off the lamp and approached the balcony door. It was still dusk, but she didn't intend to give any adversary an advantage. Standing to the side, she gazed out across the parking lot for several minutes, before joining Shelby on the couch.

At dinner the conversation had been practically nonexistent and Shelby searched for a way to ease the tension between them. "Have you ever watched Buffy?"

Kris couldn't stop the amusement from appearing on her face. "As in 'The Vampire Slayer?'"

"Yeah. Have you?"

"Nope. Never had any desire to."

"Do you mind if I turn it on?"

Kris shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."

Slightly over an hour later, Shelby grinned, knowing Kris had enjoyed the program. "Not too bad, huh?"

Kris had found the program entertaining, but answered noncommittally. "It was okay."

Sure, it was just okay. That's why you were laughing at a couple of parts. "What do you want to watch now?"

Kris stood up. "I need to take a trip around the neighborhood. Make sure it's secure. I'll be back shortly."

Shelby watched the operative's retreat in silence. She might have expected her to check the area out later, but not now. It was almost if the tall woman was afraid to enjoy herself.

She got up and walked through the empty apartment. Shelby knew she should be relieved that Kris had identified the tail and that it had nothing to do with the case, but instead she was concerned for the operative's safety. She didn't understand why Kris wouldn't just tell Earl and be done with it instead of taking care of it alone. She had the support of the whole Company here. Shelby decided to try and talk to her about it again the next day.

Blue surveyed the parking lot from the darker shadows near the side of the building and breathed deeply of the fresh air. She'd needed to get out of the apartment for a while - away from the comfortable, homey décor, and away from Shelby. She needed to rein in whatever force kept driving her towards the smaller woman, but was finding it increasingly difficult as they spent more time together.

She wished her contact would show up, longing for a diversion from the image of hurt on Shelby's face that continued to play in slow motion through her mind, or from the troubling thoughts that plagued her.

Fate was not kind; no opportunity for action presented itself, and Kris returned to the apartment an hour later. Tomorrow was another day and maybe when it dawned, so would a better course of action to divert the subversive elements in her life away from her new partner.


CHAPTER 7

SHELBY WOKE TO the pleasant aroma of brewing coffee wafting through the air for the second time in as many days. She rolled onto her back recalling her less than successful attempts at conversation the evening before when the operative had returned from her security check. Kris had been pleasant enough, just distant, and Shelby had found that she was doing most of the talking. If that's what it takes, fine. After donning her robe, she walked out to the kitchen and saw Kris kneeling on the dining room floor petting Stormy. "Good morning."

Kris quickly stood up. "Morning."

Stormy strolled over to Shelby, looked up and meowed loudly. Laughing, Shelby bent down to pet her. "She is just too cute! Did you feed her?"