Chapter 6
"I don't think so, Cleopatra. You're not denying this one."
Chapter 6: Let the Backpedaling Begin
As much as Weiss and Caitlin would have liked it to, their moment couldn't last forever. Both became increasingly aware of the situation: two CIA agents making out like teenagers in view of the public eye.
Caitlin pulled away first. "Eric...there’s about a million reasons we shouldn’t be doing this." She looked around, surprised to find that the rain had slowed considerably. I guess we were a bit too, hmm, distracted to notice.
Eric knew that she was right, but he couldn't help being disappointed by her retreat. He stroked her hair away from her face. "I know. I'm not exactly famous for doing what I'm supposed to do. I guess I should apologize for kissing you..." he trailed off, and shook his head firmly. "But God help me, I won't. Truth is, I've wanted to do that ever since you walked into my life." He didn’t know what in the world had gotten into him, but he just couldn’t let her walk away from this. Not yet.
Caitlin was just as confused as Eric. She knew she was attracted to him, that much she had figured out early on. But this wasn't like her; she didn't go around kissing men impulsively that she barely knew. He was here for me when I needed someone. I'm sure it just happened out of...um...gratitude. Yeah, that's it. She wished it was that simple, that she could explain away what was happening. But she knew that what she felt wasn't anything simple or explainable. "Eric, we have to get back to work." She slipped out of his grasp and stood up.
He rose and grabbed her wrist. "I don't think so, Cleopatra. You're not denying this one." He knew what she was trying to do. It was the same thing he'd been trying to do for the past week. Explain away his feelings as mere physical attraction. Catalog this kiss as a spur-of-the-moment thing, brought on by hormones, rampant emotions, the revolution of Venus or any other crap that sounded plausible. "You can't tell me that what just happened was a fluke."
"What else could it be? We barely know each other. I was upset, you were there, things got out of hand. End of story." She pleaded to him with her eyes. Please, Eric, just let me go. As much as she knew in her head that David's death was not her fault, her heart was still telling her differently. She didn't want Eric to share the same fate. The closer he got to her, the more he was in danger. "Look, I really am grateful to you for today. Let's just leave it at that."
He stared at her intently, not letting her look away from him. "Tell me you're not attracted to me."
"What?" There was a note of panic in her voice.
"Forget how long we've known each other, the fact that we’re both CIA, everything. I don't care if it's reasonable or rational, because I have been so attracted to you since the day we met that at times I can scarcely breathe. You've made me feel things that three weeks ago I would have said I couldn't feel. So that's me. But if you look me in the eyes and tell me that this is all one-sided, that you're not attracted to me in the least, then that's where it ends. We'll go back to headquarters as if nothing has happened. We'll trade wisecracks and plan the op and never mention this again. So what's it gonna be? Caitlin, do you have feelings for me?"
She took a deep, shaky breath. "No."
He refused to let her leave it at that. If she was going to say it, she was going to say all of it. "No what, Sinclair?"
She screwed up her courage. "No, I'm not..." her gaze shifted down to his tie. "Attracted to you."
"Damn it all." He cupped his hand behind her neck and kissed her until they were both breathless. "Liar," he muttered, then leaned down to kiss her again. Almost simultaneously, their pagers went off.
Caitlin broke away from Eric, trying to get her breathing back to normal as she checked the display. "Devlin."
Eric swore under his breath and checked his own pager. "Ethan. Makes sense, we were supposed to meet with them thirty minutes ago." He reached out his hand. "C'mon, Sinclair, real life awaits."
She took his hand in her own as they turned to walk back to the office. "Eric, I just want to say that I'm sorry."
"Save it. We both need to get our heads in the game." He couldn't believe how much this woman stirred him up. She could make him act like a lovesick puppy one minute, then the next make him so furious he couldn’t see straight. He needed to clear his head before they had any sort of serious conversation. "Just know that I'm not letting this go. We need to talk, really talk. I'm giving you a ride home tonight."
Her back stiffened. "Excuse me? I am perfectly capable of-"
"Sinclair, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but shut up."
~*~*~
Eric dropped Caitlin's hand as soon as they entered the headquarter doors. She tried to ignore the curious stares that hit from all directions as they walked down the hallway. Great, they probably think that I'm some emotional psychopath. She spotted Chapman just before she and Eric reached Devlin’s conference room. He shot her such a stare of loathing that she shuddered. Eric glanced down at her, then followed her gaze to where Chapman was standing. He shook his head menacingly at Chapman, who turned and walked away. Huh. Being a damsel in distress has its advantages, she thought.
Devlin stood when they entered the conference room. "Weiss, Sinclair, where the devil have you been? Davidson told me you two ran out over an hour ago."
Caitlin took a deep breath, preparing herself to tell the whole sordid story, but Weiss interjected. "Sir, with all due respect, let's save that issue for another time. We apologize, and it won't happen again." Caitlin shot him a grateful look.
Devlin shook his head and sat back down. "Fine. Have a seat."
Caitlin and Eric sat down at the table. Ethan leaned over to Eric and whispered, "Everything OK?" He had seen the exchange between Caitlin, Eric, and Chapman.
Eric shook his head slightly. "I'll tell you all about it later." Ethan nodded his assent.
Devlin cleared his throat to get their attention. "So, how far are we with Valdez?" Eric saw Caitlin stiffen at the mention of that name. At least now I know why she’s so freaked.
"Well, sir, we've got nearly everything worked out." Weiss shifted easily into his professional mode, flipping open the file folder in front of him. "Comms, information transfer, procedure on the day of the trade; it's all here. We’ve arranged for Caitlin..." he stopped at the glance Devlin shot him, "Uh, Agent Sinclair to have a communications device that is virtually untraceable. It won't show up in any metal detector scans, and is small enough to be easily concealed. She'll wear it at all times, so we'll be able to hear everything that's going on in Valdez's inner circle." He took out a map of the neighborhood where SD-3 headquarters were located. "For more detailed information, she'll write a letter, ostensibly to her mother in Texas, and drop it in this mailbox." He pointed to an X on the map. "A CIA agent will pick it up."
"Who besides Sinclair will be in Colombia?"
"Myself and Agent Vaughn will be the leads on this one. We've assembled a team of ten agents for sheer manpower during the takedown, and Agent Davidson will be on relay here in L.A., unless Baby Davidson decides to make an early appearance." He threw a sideways grin in Ethan’s direction. "In which case, Jacobs will take that position."
"OK, all this looks good, but you're ignoring the big question. What's Sinclair's alias? How do we get her into SD-3?"
"Well, that's where it gets tricky. They're bound to be suspicious of a CIA agent who shows up on their doorstep, wanting to join their organization. But we've recently learned," he glanced at Caitlin, who nodded silently for him to go ahead, "that Agent Sinclair has a history with Rafael Valdez. He even asked her to join him once."
"Interesting. Now, from what we know of Valdez, he's quite the womanizer, right? So what if..."
Eric interrupted Devlin's thought. "No. Never."
"Agent Weiss, this mission must be a success, by whatever means necessary."
"I agree. But I will never ask Agent Sinclair to compromise herself, her values, for our agenda. Seducing the enemy is not an option." The thought of Caitlin having to sleep with that man made Eric’s blood run cold. Especially in light of what he did to Brandt. What bothers you more, Weiss? The fact that Valdez is evil, or that Caitlin would be with someone besides you?
"Well, I understand your sentiments, Agent Weiss, but it's really not your decision to make, now is it?"
Caitlin interrupted their discussion. "You're absolutely right, Director." Weiss swiveled his head to look at her. "It's not Weiss's decision to make, it's mine. And as much as I dislike the idea, I know it would work."
Eric flashed her a fiery glance, furious that she would be willing to risk so much for this. "We can think of another solution, Agent Sinclair."
"We haven't got that much time, Agent Weiss." She glared back at him, daring him to defy her. Who the hell did he think he was? It was her choice, her life. Not his. And if she had to sleep with the devil to get her vengeance, then that's what she'd do.
"Unless you have some brilliant alternative, Agent Weiss, then that's the plan that we'll go with. Now, when does Agent Vaughn return from France?"
"Friday, sir."
"I suggest that you three get together with Vaughn over the weekend and brief him on the situation. Now that we have a tentative plan, we're looking at putting this operation in motion sometime next week. Start packing, and work out an exact plan for getting Agent Sinclair into Valdez's path. I want an exact date, time, everything. That will be all." Devlin dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Ethan, Eric, and Caitlin stood up to leave. "Wanna have lunch later?" Ethan asked Eric, an inquiring look in his eyes.
"Yeah, I know, Lucy's got some 'splaining to do."
"Damn straight." Ethan laughed. "So how ‘bout it?"
"Sure. Meet you at 11:30, Ricky. And I promise, I'll tell you everything." Well, maybe not everything, he mused as he quickened his step to catch up with Caitlin.
"Sinclair!" he called to her retreating form. She turned around. "Be ready at four, I've got some paperwork to do before then."
She exhaled impatiently. "Weiss, I already told you, I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home."
"And I already told you to shut up about it. We need to talk, and we can't do that here. Besides, you've had quite a day."
"Fine. See you at four." Caitlin stalked away from him.
Weiss rubbed his hand down his face. God, she's infuriating. He sighed, then turned to head back to his office. He had lied; he really didn't have much paperwork to do. But he needed to brainstorm. Over his dead body was Caitlin seducing Valdez. There had to be another way.
Posted by Carrie on 12:10 AM