What hedidn’tknow was that she had a thumb drive of her own containing numerous folders filled with files she’d downloaded from his computer. Would they provide important intelligence to her American boss? She had no idea, but he’d have plenty to review as soon as she could hand it over.
After entering her small apartment, she extracted herotherlaptop from beneath the mattress and logged into a secure site.
Been promoted to Lead Translator/Manager and continuing as 1stAide. Leaving for US tomorrow with one-day stopover in Milan.
She waited. When no reply filled her screen, she made herself something to eat, retrieved her suitcase and packed. After getting ready for bed, she checked for a reply from her handler.
Contact me when you return. Safe travels.
Then, she pulled out her personal phone, sent a text.
Leaving for US tomorrow morning. One-day stopover in Milan. Where are you?
Planet Earth
She laughed.
Smart ass
I can get to Milan. Meet me at Ristorante Da Giacomo Milano, noon
A shot of adrenaline powered through her. She couldn’t wait to see him.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING,Halston arrived at the airport hours ahead of her flight. While shecouldhave been concerned about the information she’d lifted from Bulgrov’s laptop and placed on her thumb drive, she wasn’t. The legend Langley had created for her was airtight. She was a Russian citizen with professional ties to the Russian government. She had a work laptop and a personal laptop. She had a work phone, also had a personal phone. That didn’t make her a criminal. Didn’t make her a spy either.
It made her a responsible Russian citizen who never took advantage of her beloved country by using government-owned technology in her personal life.
Not that she had one.
She sailed through Customs, boarded the airplane, took her seat in first class.
Like every other day, she’d dressed well, but simply. Today, a black pantsuit with a black sweater. She’d pulled her long hair into her signature Minka bun, leaving her bangs to brush against her eyelashes. Every time she blinked, strands jumped. She’d dabbed a light layer of cream blush over her cheeks, smeared a little petroleum jelly over her lips. Brown contacts in place.
Her goal? Blend in and go unnoticed.
As the plane taxied down the runway, she hoped she could close this chapter of her career and open a different one in the US. She missed home, missed her family. Every time she went deep undercover, she rarely saw her parents or her friends untilthe mission ended. Though a lonely life, it was a job she felt called to do.
She spent the five-hour flight staring out the window focused on her mission. When she woke after a brief nap, she jumped onto a realtor website to review the layout of the Milan villa. Unless the owner had done major renovations, she had the entire map of the home memorized. Every room, every closet, every window.
As the plane braked on the Milan runway, a smile ghosted across her face.
One step closer to home.
She collected her stuffed bag from the overhead compartment, taxied to the hotel. Though she had scant clothing, she did have her shoulder-length, dark blonde wig, which she tugged on. Next, she traded her black heels for black running shoes and headed out.
The day was cold, the sky a brilliant blue, the dazzling sun filling her with hope. She kept checking for a tail but saw no one. Just because Bulgrov had given her a covert job didn’t mean he wasn’t having her watched. She walked the half mile to the heart of Milan. Standing in the Piazza del Duomo, she gazed up at the massive cathedral, the Duomo di Milano.
“That is breathtaking,” she blurted.
“Yes, ma’am, you sure are,” said a voice next to her, his American accent catching her ear.
She glanced over. Some rando stood there, a broad grin on his plain face, his phone held out in front of him. Either he was about to snap her pic or he was videoing her.
She held her hand over the phone’s camera, then lowered his phone.
“Are you traveling alone?” he asked.
Her skin crawled, her fingers curled into a fist. “No.”