You Only Love Twice (Masters and Mercenaries #8)(45)

Actually, that wasn’t an unpleasant idea. “Tell me what’s happening in the outside world. Sean is the only one I see on a daily basis, and he talks about what wine we should drink with dinner. I don’t drink wine.”

Li chuckled a little. “That’s Sean for you. Do you want a rundown of active cases or do you just want me to get to the good stuff?”

“Have they found anything out?” There was really only one case he desperately wanted an update on, and that was his. “All Big Tag will tell me is they’re working on it.”

“Whoever it is, he’s good. He’s careful. We think he’s likely been in place for years and has only been called into service recently. There’s a reason Chelsea and Adam can’t find anything.”

Because there wasn’t anything to find. It was why sleepers were so very dangerous. They could use non-traceable forms of communication. The US Postal Service didn’t keep records of the mail they delivered. All anyone needed was a stamp and if the person on the other end of the letter was smart enough to burn it, then there was no evidence the communication ever existed. It required patience, but it was possible to stay off the grid. “Is Chelsea okay?”

“She’s impossible. Simon had to order her to sleep.” Li leaned forward, the light from the bar illuminating his face. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

Jesse leaned in. Li O’Donnell wasn’t considered the brains of the operation, but Jesse had learned that when Li got serious, it was time to listen. He often saw things the others didn’t, had insights that escaped everyone else. “What?”

“Why would a sleeper come after you? I can’t get it out of me head. A sleeper like this is a valuable asset. Intelligence agencies will spend years developing an operative like this. Ten’s team was only recently put together, and every single man on it came from Special Forces or something like it. These weren’t new recruits. They’re the best of the best.”

“They should totally be killing someone more important than me.” Jesse understood what he was saying. Put like that it really didn’t make a lot of sense.

“Exactly. Ten’s unit has access to any manner of top secret information. Hell, they provide security in foreign countries for some high-ranking diplomats and politicians. This sleeper could go after anyone. Why you?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s what we need to figure out. While Chelsea and Adam chase their tails, I’m going to study you. You’re the answer. You’re the one who leads us to the sleeper. This is about you. We have to figure out why they want you dead.”

“Has anyone else like me died recently? You know, a soldier held prisoner?”

“No. I checked that first. I’m also looking at Ten’s group for the likeliest suspects. Ten swears he’s the only one who knew that number, but unlike our paranoid boss, Ten’s lazy. He had the phone transferred in from the head office. There’s a record of it in the system. Chelsea did find that.”

“Then it could be anyone.”

“No. Phoebe’s name and location are only on a NOC list. If someone’s got hold of that, we’re in for a lot more trouble.”

NOC stood for non-official cover. It was the way the Agency kept up with who was where and what name they were going under. It was highly classified. “So you think they found out through some other means?”

“Again, Ten’s been a little comfy. He calls her once a week and they’ve met three times in the last year. He could have been followed any of those times. Someone put it together and decided that she was the easiest way to get rid of you.” Li settled his beer on the counter. “The question becomes why not just take you out himself. The answer—because he’s got eyes on him. Because he’s got a team around him that might ask questions. That tells me whoever is pulling the strings doesn’t want to lose his puppet, but he was willing to take the chance.”

“And when he decides to sacrifice his pawn, he’ll do something desperate. He’ll come after me himself.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. You’re safe here. It’s more secure than a prison, and someone is always watching. Also, I’ve been informed your girl doesn’t intend to let you die. Kai will be back tomorrow, too. I think he looks like a hippie surfer, but Ian swears he’s deadly.”

Jesse had kind of hoped he could avoid Kai altogether. Kai had been his therapist for months and he liked the man, but Kai was not going to take his decision to leave at the end of this well. Jesse could practically hear the lecture. “Let’s hope he doesn’t have anything to worry about. I doubt the sleeper is going to invade Sanctum the way Ten did. I’m probably stuck here for a while. At least Big Tag springs for cable.”

Li slapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. Now the question is what do we do about your problem?”

“I thought we just talked about that.”

“I was referring to getting Phoebe to come out of her hidey-hole so you can play with her. Tell me you don’t want to play with the girl. Or have you been playing privately?”

Jesse snorted and thought about having another pi?a colada. Two was the set limit at Sanctum if a Dom or sub wanted to play, but Jesse rarely had more than one. Maybe he should just be honest with himself and acknowledge the fact that he didn’t want to play if he couldn’t play with her. “No. The only games we’ve played are board games, and I’m pretty sure she cheats. Can you cheat at Jenga?”