* * *

"Hi, Frank, I hope I didn't wake you." It was nearly five in the morning on the west coast and I was going to hit the bed shortly. I'd thought about sending Franklin email but I wanted to talk to him instead. At least it was three hours later on the east coast.

"Lissa, I was already up making breakfast. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, honey. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you were." Franklin paused for a moment and I didn't like that hesitation. "Franklin, tell me what's wrong." There wasn't any way I could place compulsion over the phone and I wouldn't do that to Franklin anyway. Franklin was my friend and I loved him.

"Greg went in for some tests yesterday," Franklin sounded upset, suddenly. "The doctor didn't say anything but I'm worried."

"Oh, honey," I said. "What can I do to make this easier for you while you wait?"

"Lissa, I'm not sure there's anything anybody can do except pray, I think. One of the tests was a biopsy and this was after blood work was done a couple days before. We're keeping our fingers crossed."

"Then I'll do the same. Frank, you know I love you, and Greg, too. Tell him that and I'll be thinking about both of you."

"Send him email and pretend you don't know, all right?" Franklin sniffled slightly, although he'd covered the mouthpiece with his hand.

"I will, honey. I miss you both." We hung up shortly after; I think Franklin was about to have a meltdown and I wasn't there to help.

"Lissy?" Tony gave an obligatory half-knock before barging into my bedroom. He was getting up; I was about to go to bed. My pajamas were on and my teeth brushed. I'd just waited until the last minute to make my call to Franklin. I was glad that worries never followed me into my sleep and that I didn't dream. I think I'd be well established in the nightmare realm, otherwise.

"Tony?" I was handing him a one-word question back.

"I need you up and about as soon as possible tonight, we have work," he informed me. "I'll also have a uniform for you."

"Tell me it doesn't include sunglasses," I joked.

"It might if you want them."

Great. What did he have planned? Of course he wasn't elaborating. Of course.

"I'll get up and around as fast as I can," I grumbled.

"Come on, baby, the sun's about to come up, get in bed," he was herding me. Tony wore pants only; they looked like the pants to a suit and he wore them well. Nothing wrong with Tony, other than a couple of scars. Nothing at all.

Bill let himself into my bedroom that evening while I was racing around trying to finish dressing. The uniform consisted of the standard dark suit and white shirt I'd seen Bill and the other agents wear, and there were two extras lying across the foot of the bed when I woke. Wonderful. I was thankful that Bill hadn't barged in while I'd been drinking my dinner.

The suits fit. I gave Bill my best glare for not knocking first and then went into the bathroom to slap a wig on my head. At least my fuzz was looking longer and thicker now and my eyebrows and lashes were almost back to normal. Grabbing a suit jacket and clipping my name tag on, I gestured for Bill to lead the way.

Madam Secretary was scheduled to deliver a speech that evening at a venue downtown. If I understood some of the chatter in Bill's earpiece, the same location had been used for the Academy Awards a few times. Most of the security team was already in place. I was the latecomer and Bill, since he'd had to wait on me, didn't like that one bit. He was always punctual, I could tell. Well, if Tony wanted my help, he had to live with my little quirks, one of which was being completely unconscious until sundown.

We met up with Dusty and another agent at the back of the building where the usual dark cars were parked. I imagined that most of them were bulletproof. The other agent waiting for us was a tall black man whose tag read Jefferson. He didn't smile, though, as Dusty did.

"The Director wants you by the front door," Dusty informed Bill and Bill took off almost at a run. "Lissa, he wants you to roam. He said you'd know what he meant. We're supposed to be inside so we'll catch up with you later." Dusty flashed a wider grin and he and agent Jefferson took off as well. I found a dark corner, hoped there weren't any security cameras nearby and turned to mist.

The speech was a good one, concerning the economy and other issues facing the country and how the U.S. figured into the global scheme of things. I just wish I could have heard more than bits and pieces of it as I zoomed through the place as mist. I was beginning to hope there wasn't anything to go wrong when I caught the faintest of noises coming through one of the air vents I passed.

The two terrorists—at least that's how I thought of them—looked like your average boys next door. Maybe they were in cahoots with someone else; I had no idea. What they did have (which gave them a huge advantage), was the second vampire I'd scented at the house in Georgia. The three of them were huddled in a crawlspace where pipes and air conditioning ducts ran throughout the building. I decided quickly that the vampire had placed compulsion—not only on the two young men who seemed to have a knack for building and placing explosives, but on someone who worked at the venue in order to get inside. One of the young men was laughing as he placed an explosive and set the charge. I saw this as I rushed past them as mist.

Tony! I gave the mental shout. Dusty! Agent Jefferson! Bill! Dammit, why didn't I know more names? Get everybody out! There are bombs! Get everybody out now!

Precious minutes were wasted as I wondered why the vampire was still there, watching calmly as additional charges were laid, until I realized he'd likely had compulsion placed on him as well. Now there was a decision to be made and I had to make it quickly. Did I leave the vampire and get myself out, taking the chance that he might escape, or did I take him now? More seconds ticked by—important seconds while I desperately worked to make up my mind. Another charge was placed during that time and the decision was nearly taken away from me. The young man who'd laughed earlier started a countdown from ten. He'd reached four when I raced invisibly back in the bomber's direction instead of getting the hell out of there as any normal (and sane) person might. My hands formed with claws out and I took the vampire's head, causing both humans to shriek. The one who'd started the countdown pressed the detonator as the vampire's head was removed. The entire building exploded.

Chapter 7

Agents Bill Jennings and Dustin Howell had to hold Anthony Hancock back from the exploding building; parts of it were still blasting skyward. Fire crews were already on the scene and rescue squads and paramedics were treating wounded while more emergency crews dashed in. Sirens could be heard from blocks away as thick, black smoke billowed into the night sky. The Secretary of State had been evacuated and rushed to a safe location, along with many other high-profile guests. The advanced warning had given security enough time to alert attendees, the evacuation was orderly and they'd gotten most people out of the building before the first of many bombs detonated. Even so, there were still a few wounded and several missing. Lissa was one of the latter and Tony was screaming her name.




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