“Do you think the target became aware of our agent and did something to him?”
Goddard cleared his throat again. “That is unclear. The agent is one of our best. He’s never failed to check in before. As you know, it’s just a communication blip sequence on a monitored wavelength to confirm he’s still operating five-by-five. We won’t know the nitty-gritty details of the mission until he returns with his final report, since he must remain incognito, given his location. Since we didn’t inform the local Alpha leadership that he’s there under an alias, we can’t tap them for assistance.”
“Right.” Riker suddenly remembered where the mission was taking place. Earth. The planet he’d once visited by accident what seemed like a lifetime ago. “How long since we heard from him?”
“Almost a month.”
“That’s too long. What is your recommendation, Goddard?”
“I’d like to send someone to check on him and assess the situation. I know it spreads us thin—”
“Who?”
There was a pause. Almost apologetically, Goddard said, “We are limited in our choices—”
“Who?” Riker demanded.
“Darkfall. I know it’s risky, but—”
“Do it.” The Calderian hated to send Darkfall to a planet he’d never visited, but the missing agent was a key operative.
Goddard looked relieved. “Thank you, sir.” It occurred to Riker that Goddard was related to the missing agent. A cousin or something?
“Darkfall will find our missing agent,” Riker said with finality.
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. I’ll bring Darkfall up to speed on our agent’s mission parameters and insert him quietly, without notification of the on-planet leadership.”
“Good.” Riker paused then said, “They know each other, don’t they? Darkfall and Ironveil?”
“Yes, sir. They attended the Royal Magistrate Guard Academy at the same time and went through clandestine security command training together.”
“Right. Good. I have no doubt Ironveil…Radbourne will be back home soon with a good story to tell us.”
At least Riker hoped so.
Chapter Two
Beryl stared into the eager face of Sam Brody as dread materialized inside her body.
What didhewant? Stupid question. Beryl knew exactly what he wanted. Sam was a man on a mission to get to know her better.
He thought they should date.
She disagreed.
Beryl was most assuredly not looking for love here on Earth. At least not in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Sam had been asking her out since he’d arrived on Earth. It was simply too early in the morning to be fending off Mr. Lovelorn, as she’d privately started to call him weeks ago.
Deputy Sam Brody had apparently decided that they would suit and had been in hot pursuit ever since. Unfortunately, her continued answer of no to every suggestion of a lunch or dinner date on any day of the week had not deterred him one single iota.
It wasn’t that he was ugly, unpleasant or a terrible person. Not at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. He was very nice, very polite and was a reputable, if newly installed, deputy in Old Coot, Arkansas.
That is, when he wasn’t searching her out almost every single day to ask, “How about having lunch with me today? Or dinner?” When she said no, attaching the excuse du jour, he would promptly ask, “How about tomorrow?”
Even if shehadbeen looking for romance, which she was not, Deputy Sam Brody, while being a very nice, handsome Alpha, did not give her any kind of romantic spark when she spoke to him.
The first time they met, Beryl hadn’t felt that difficult-to-explain, indefinable something-something that would make her want to get to know his soul. She still didn’t feel it around him.
That was a very important to her. She wanted to feel a definite spark in any romantic adventure, but she wasnotlooking for romance at this time in her life. Having been severely burned during her last serious romantic journey, she was not ready toget back up on the horse, as they put it here on Earth.
