Spy Games (Tarnished Heroes #1)(64)

“Me, too.” Irene turned her phone facedown. “How about you? What are your plans now?”

“We met with some guy this morning who’s looking for information about an auction. Rand seems to think they’ll auction the case. He went to go meet with some other guy. White.”

Irene nodded.

“What should we do?” Sarah asked. “What can we do?”

“If your boy is talking to White…” Irene shook her head. “He’s a hotheaded adrenaline junkie, but he’s good in the field. I’d guess your friend is going to try to recover the case through the auction or during transit. It will be dangerous.”

“But no one but me can open the case, right?”

“That was our intention. If you were the only one who could open the case, you were the only one who could hand it off. Transporting sensitive packages is safer. But in the time we’ve been doing this, what kind of technology has been developed that might let them bypass the security measures?” Irene spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “It is my hope that yes, you are the only person who can safely open that case. As long as that’s true, our assets are alive and safe.”

Sarah chewed her lip. Irene had made much the same, helpless gesture when she’d approached Sarah about working for the CIA on the side. A year before, Irene had lost a number of assets due to a theft in transit. The documents and data stolen endangered lives and set back not just Irene’s work, but other agents as well. They’d proposed the courier job to Sarah, explaining that if they could make a transport device that only one person could access, it would eliminate some risk. So long as Sarah never came under scrutiny or garnered the wrong kind of attention, she could safely and discreetly transport packages all across Asia at low risk to their agents and assets.

It was why Irene had always gone to great lengths to keep Sarah away from any and all CIA employees. Charlie was, on the surface, a civilian, which was why they could work together without arousing suspicion. But not anymore.

Sarah’s cover was either blown, or soon would be. Her life was in danger, tied to that briefcase. She’d never thought it could come to this.

“Then why not hide me? Send a team to go in after it? Or why can’t the government tell them to give it back?” She was grasping at straws, hoping a solution would fall into their lap.

“I wish we could spirit you away, Sarah. I really wish we could. The truth is, we don’t know who we can trust, and that list seems to be getting shorter.”

“Why? What do you mean?”

“Nothing certain yet. Just, we need you. You know the players, the language, and if we can get our hands on the case, we need you here to open it. We can’t admit that the case is a CIA courier device because that would mean admitting its existence, that we have people inside of China. That they stole it in South Korea could sway the voting there if people twisted the information how they wished. China could interpret our actions within their borders as an act of war on our part. The U.S. cannot have a war with China. We don’t know who we can trust.” She dug into her purse and pulled out what appeared to be a circular container of lip balm. “Which is why I brought you this. This is a camera. Twist it to the left, you expose the lens. If you get a chance, photograph the protocols, then destroy them. If our leaker thinks the intel is gone, then you’re safe. All of this goes away.”

“But the whole reason for them being in the case is so that there’s only one instance of them. No duplicates.”

“It’s not the best solution, but it is a way for us to get the protocols and put anyone who wants them off the scent. The mole won’t know about this because the only ones who know are you and I.”

“Who do you think it is?”

“I don’t want to pin the blame on anyone yet.”

“But you have someone in mind. Is it Hector?”

“I can’t say.”

“Rand’s meeting with Hector now. What if…what if something happens?”

“You can’t think like that, Sarah. This mole, these people, they’re very careful about what they leak. I believe the only reason I’ve gotten this close is because I’ve been around long enough to see the trends. Most people move in and out of this department as a stepping stone to something else. I’ve stayed here. I know your feelings on this are complicated, but my best advice is to stay this course. Watch your back.”

“Is Rand involved?”

“I highly doubt that. So far he’s displayed a single-minded focus in keeping you safe. That”—Irene wagged her finger at Sarah—“is something no one could count on.”

“God, this is all so complicated.” She rubbed her hands over her face. A few days ago, her life was so easy. Without complications.

“I can imagine. You haven’t seen him in years, have you?”

“No.” Sarah propped her chin in her palms and let her gaze wander. The sun had risen a bit more so it wasn’t quite in her eyes.

“Be careful who you trust. Your friend—”

“We have to go.” Sarah focused on the car across the street and the binoculars pointed their way.

Irene rose smoothly, settling her coat on her shoulders. “Out the back door to the right,” she said.

Sarah nearly knocked her chair over in an effort to get to her feet. She recovered and slid into her coat.