Chapter 5
Jack
The drive to Dulles is uneventful except for my mother’s constant ringtones which I ignore. This is no time for me to get distracted. I got a real bad feeling about tonight. I grab Joe’s luggage off the carousel and drive him back to Capitol hill with a watchful eye in the rear-view mirror.
We’re almost home when he hands me his cell phone with Google Maps open on the screen. “We need to make a quick stop here.”
Shit. I take a few unnecessary turns, then follow the female voice until she announces, “You have arrived.”
I’m taken aback when I recognize the black bars surrounding the stark white architecture. What is Joe doing at the Chinese Embassy?
“Stay put. I’ll be right back.” Before I can bring the vehicle to a full stop, Joe jumps out of the backseat and buzzes the back gate.
“Sir? Hold on,” I shout out the window with eyes on him.
The minute he passes through those iron bars, we’re on foreign soil and American laws no longer apply. Cursing under my breath, I double park and follow. Before I can inform my team how shit is about to hit the fan, the back gate’s cylinder clicks, and Joe rushes through. I barely have time to follow.
A short Asian woman waits in one of the arched doorways of the apartment buildings. “Senator? Mr. Lee is expecting you.”
She opens her slanted eyes wide under straight black bangs and stares at me. “And you are?”
“Jack Taylor. I’m his bodyguard.” Remembering how a buddy of mine got blown to bits by a beautiful insurgent, not much larger than her, I push Joe behind me.
“Very well. Follow me.” Her spike heels click on the pristine white marble floor as she leads us down a long hall. The white space is dotted with ancient vases on pedestals and pale watercolors on rice paper.
Reaching the end of the hall, she turns left and opens a door to an empty office. “Tea?”
I shake my head no but Joe nods. He pulls up on his suit pants in order to sit in one of two gilded chairs. They’re no doubt Louis Quatorze or something equally expensive.
His palms leave damp spots on his thighs, a clear sign of nervousness. As his bodyguard, it’s my business to know when he’s in danger.
Clearly, something is off because he speaks to my chest and won’t meet my gaze. “When Mr. Lee comes in, you will wait outside.”
“Yes, sir.”Like hell I will.
Still standing, my fingers slip into my pocket and I pull out what would appear to be a stick of gum. Slowly, I unwrap it and allow the paper to drop to the floor. When I kneel to pick it up, I put my hand on the chair next to Joe’s for balance. With a slight-of-hand that would make Houdini proud, I place a miniature listening device under the seat.
Chewing away, I stand back up, my face a mask but inside my head, I’m wearing a shit-eating grin. My euphoria shuts down real fast when a man’s footsteps echo in the hall sending a cold chill down the center of my back.
Shit. Sometimes I hate my second sense.
With a creak of the antique chair, Joe stands and bows to the overly-dressed Asian. Neither shake hands, rather size each other up like two sumo wrestlers about to begin.
Joe points to the door. “Outside, Jack.”
“Sir? I suggest-”
Lee places a hand on my arm and shoots me a milk-curdling smile. “I assure you, your senator is most safe.”
Hell no, he’s not most fucking safe.Nonetheless, I got orders so take a step back and allow the diplomat to shut the door in my face.
In my earpiece, for the first time this evening, a little of Joe’s normal fire comes to life. “What the hell is so urgent you call me away from my family on a holiday?”
Papers rustle for almost a minute more before McAlister spits out, “You bastard. What do you want?”
Lee’s voice is low, and it sounds like he’s still wearing a nasty grin. “Just a small favor. I want you to rewrite the vaccine bill.”
The senator hisses and I assume he throws the paperwork on the floor. “Children died. The American people won’t stand for it.”
