Chapter 6
Drake waited until he saw Jamie and her fiery curls board the Metro before he jumped on, a car behind. He stood so that he could make out his prey through the windows of the adjoining cars, but out of her sight through the crush of humanity.
He watched her stand and approach the doors sooner than he’d expected. Jamie generally only frequented a few places around town: her apartment, NASA headquarters, and the upscale shopping district near the city center. But today she hopped off at the Smithsonian stop.
Cursing under his breath, Drake pushed his way off the train, barely jumping off before the doors closed behind him.
Jamie was headed towards the escalators and Drake followed, feeling more at ease than normal in the confines of the subway stop. The curving ivory ceiling reminded him of home. The feeling didn’t last long, however, as the escalators led above ground and out into the wide-open spaces.
Drake stared up at the overcast sky for a moment, feeling exposed. Taking a deep breath, he craned his neck around to find Jamie. She was making her way across the busy street, her steps filled with purpose.
Maneuvering around a yellow and red hot dog cart, Drake jogged across the street until he wasn’t far behind. He followed her as she made her way into the gate in front of a large red brick edifice identified as the Smithsonian Castle.
Drake stayed behind a group of younger humans in matching uniforms.Schoolchildren, I think they’re called. The group provided cover as he watched Jamie walk around the gardens and head around the side of the castle.
Picking up his pace, he rounded the castle’s corner and found another busy street, which Jamie had just crossed. He recognized the area ahead of him: the National Mall, with its towering triangular moment at one end and the Hill on the other. The muted light made the grass a more vibrant green, just as it seemed to make sparks ignite in Jamie’s curls.
His prey was walking slowly up one of the gravel paths and Drake paused, wondering for a moment how to proceed. The Mall was essentially a green space, with joggers and tourists sprinkled along the paths. It was late morning on a weekday, unfortunately, so there weren’t many people to blend in with. Should he continue to dog her footsteps, or would it make more sense to take a seat on a bench and pretend to study one of the landmarks around him?
Drake stared down at his feet, trying to decide. So far, his quarry had been entirely predictable. She wasn’t too hard to trace, sticking mainly to busy locations, spending her time working, haunting NASA, or shopping. Now she seemed to be idly taking in the sights. What had inspired her sudden penchant for tourism?
“What are you doing here?”
Her voice sent a shock through him. Drake raised his head and realized the object of his thoughts was standing right in front of him, an annoyed look on her otherwise beautiful face.
For a moment, he was speechless. The way the light caught her eyes made them sparkle, like priceless gems.
“Hello?” she said, tugging on his sleeve. “Remember me?”
“Of course,” he said, his senses on high alert.You stupid son of a shark,he thought.Get your head out of the clouds and on task or you’ll ruin everything.
“I know you’re following me.”
Drake swallowed, the worst possible conclusion having been jumped to by his target. It didn’t matter that it was thecorrectconclusion.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a short pause, “but you’re mistaken.”
Jamie’s plump lips curled up in a wry smile. “Like hell I am. You being in a position to chase off those guys could have been chance, but then I saw you again last night, outside the restaurant. And now you’ve followed me here, today. Or did you just happen to be going for a stroll on the National Mall at the same time as me?”
For a split second, he considered trying to convince her that he had been here by coincidence. One look into her stubborn face made him realize that ploy was all washed up.
To buy time, he used a classic tactic honed from years working his way up the ranks in the Ministry of Security. When confronted with a question you don’t want to answer, ask a question of your own. He fixed his features with a smug grin and asked, “What reason could I have for following you around?”
Jamie blinked, her eyes wide, and he wondered for a moment if he’d unintentionally hurt her. The thought made his chest clench.
“Oh, you have a reason,” she said, narrowing those glowing green eyes. “A very good reason.”
“And that is…?” He attempted to look skeptical, but anxiety was gnawing up his insides. Could she somehow have determined the reason he was here?
“You’re one of NASA’s hired goons,” she said with a scowl. “Employed to follow me around and make sure I don’t cause any trouble.”
Drake’s brows rose in surprise. That theory actually made sense. Although her generally frivolous actions might not belie it, she had a decent head on her smooth shoulders.
“That’s it, isn’t it?” There was satisfaction in Jamie’s voice. She thought she’d figured it out.
Drake’s thoughts sped up to a million miles a second.Let her think it, he told himself.It gets you close without exposing your real mission.
“I think you have me mistaken for someone else,” he said, attempting to move past her.
