Deep Cover

CHAPTER 18

SHELBY ALMOST TRIPPED over Stormy on her way to the door. Glancing out the peephole, she opened the door to admit Earl and a statuesque woman who was obviously Kris' mother.

Walking into the apartment, Earl turned to the woman standing next to him, and said, "This is Shelby. You'll be staying here." He glanced at Shelby. "This is Masha, Kris' mother."

Shelby smiled briefly at the stranger before meeting Earl's eyes. "Kris?"

"She's on her way to Langley..."

"Is she okay?"

Earl nodded. "She's fine. I've got to get down there for the debriefing." He nodded dismissively at the two agents that had been assigned to protect Shelby. "I've got a new team outside."

Turning back to Shelby, he said, "You and Masha will be under constant surveillance. He handed her a cell phone. Just press the number one if you need anything at all."

Shelby shook her head, sensing Earl was holding something back. "Wait! What's going to happen now?"

Meeting the analyst's worried eyes, Earl answered honestly, "I don't know." He raised a hand to forestall her when Shelby started to ask another question. "I'm not at liberty to discuss anything further."

Frustrated, Shelby curtailed her questions, understanding Earl's position. At least Kris' request that Masha stay with her had been honored.

"I'll be in touch." Earl stood in the entranceway, hesitated a moment, then met the analyst's gaze. "Your debriefing will be at 10:00 tomorrow morning."

Shelby nodded, locked the door behind Earl, then turned her full attention to Masha noticing how tense and pale her face was. Her heart went out to the older woman, knowing how traumatic all of this had to be to the Russian.

Not sure what her guest could understand, she pointed to herself and said, "I'm Shelby." She then gestured toward the couch. "Let's go sit down."

Once Masha was sitting, Shelby said, "Can I get you something to drink?" She accompanied her words with hand gestures and smiled when Masha nodded.

She returned with a glass of iced tea for each of them and handed one to Kris' mother. "Do you understand any English?"

Masha gazed at the worried, friendly woman speaking to her. "Little." She raised her hand, pantomimed writing, and smiled when Shelby got up and returned a moment later with a tablet and pen.

She began laboriously writing in English, struggling to describe what had happened in the foreign language. Finishing a short time later, she handed the paper to Shelby.

"I was brought from my room to where Natasha was waiting for me. We hugged. My daughter knocked me down. Many guns. Sergei is dead, shot in the head by another Russian who I saw before at the house. Natasha went with the Americans. I was brought here."

Shelby felt her stomach tighten as she read. Her voice sounding hollow, she asked in disbelief, "Sergei is dead?"

Masha nodded, instinctively reaching for the younger woman's hand. In halting English, she said, "Natasha..." breaking off frustrated when she couldn't find the words to assure her companion that her daughter hadn't been hurt.

Understanding what Masha was trying to say, Shelby said, "Natasha is okay." She was devastated at the news of Sergei's death. He had been Kris' ace in the hole and his murder threw her partner's deal into jeopardy. Her fears for the operative escalated rapidly, as did the throbbing in her head at all the unanswered questions.

"Shelby?"

Her name sounding strange with the Russian inflection, Shelby squeezed Masha's hand, determined to be strong for Kris' mother's sake, even as she resolved to insist on some answers the next day.

Knowing there was nothing she could do that night, she gestured for Masha to follow her. She gave her a towel and washcloth and showed her where the bathroom was. Then, she led her to the bedroom and gestured toward the bed.

Masha shook her head. "No." She pointed at Shelby, then at the bed.

Shelby couldn't bear the thought of sleeping in her bed alone and her voice pleasant, but firm, she said, "Masha."

The Russian didn't understand why the American would give up her bed to a stranger, but she understood Shelby's message and nodded. She watched curiously as Shelby walked over and picked up a large unicorn before leaving the room.

Shelby made up the couch and sat down, placing the unicorn on the floor by the couch. She was too worried to fall asleep. When Shelby finally did doze, her rest was fitful; and she found herself pacing the floor long into the night, setting up a pattern that would become repetitious in the nights to follow.

Even Stormy fled to the refuge of the bedroom, unwilling to share the couch with her unhappy, restless owner.

The next morning, Shelby made breakfast for Masha and herself, but only picked at her own. Showing the Russian how to turn on the TV, she explained in writing that she had to go to work, but would return in a few hours. She intended to take a few days off to get Kris' mother settled and into some sort of a routine before returning to work full time. Hopefully, her partner would be released shortly and help with Masha's transition to American life.

Later that morning, frustrated, Shelby walked out of Earl's office. The brief, superficial questions Earl had asked her about everything that had happened hadn't made sense. Of even more concern was his refusal to answer any of her questions about Kris.

Suddenly, the cursory nature of the questioning became crystal clear. When Kris had been debriefed, she'd protected her and made sure she wasn't considered culpable in any way. Unbidden tears came to her eyes as Shelby realized that Kris was still looking after her, while she couldn't do anything to help the woman she loved.

In the week that followed, neither Shelby nor Masha were allowed any contact with Kris. And somehow, the CIA had managed to keep the entire incident quiet. There had been absolutely no mention in the news media other than a small blurb about an accidental shooting at the Russian embassy resulting in the death of a high embassy official.

The only progress at all was the arrival in the mail of an immigration packet addressed to Masha. Shelby explained each form to the Russian and helped her fill out the paperwork. The brief flare of hope that the packet had signified as part of Kris' deal, soon died with the continuing silence about her partner's whereabouts or status.

Shelby glanced over at the Russian as she drove to her mother's house. Lisa and Masha planned to visit while Shelby went grocery shopping. The two older women had met earlier in the week when she'd visited and her mother had suggested she drop Masha off while she went to the store.

After Shelby left, Lisa smiled at Masha and invited her to sit at the table, fetching them both a cup of coffee. Shelby had been teaching Masha to speak English and Lisa was amazed at how quickly the Russian was learning to speak the words she could write.

"Have you heard from Natasha?" Lisa had learned from Shelby that Natasha was Kris' real name and Masha had spoken of their long-term separation when she'd first met the Russian.

Masha turned worried blue eyes toward Lisa. "No. I am worried for her."

Lisa said reassuringly, "She's just busy on a case. Sometimes, I don't see Shelby for weeks at a time."

The Russian nodded. She understood that Lisa was trying to make her feel better, but she was distressed. It had already been a week, and even though she'd written a letter that Shelby had taken to work to be delivered, her daughter had not responded.

When she and Shelby had visited Lisa earlier in the week, the discussion had turned to Jonathan, and Lisa's hope that he would not contact her again.

Turning the conversation to her new friend, Masha asked, "Have you heard from Jonathan?"

Lisa shook her head, then smiled when Masha said, "Good! He bad man."

"He needs help." Lisa shook her head. "I still can't believe he hurt Shelby."

"Shelby good daughter. I like her."

The simple comment brought tears to Lisa's eyes. Yes, Shelby was a good daughter. She wished she had been a better mother.

Lisa looked at Masha, and asked the question Shelby had refused to answer. "Is Natasha American?" She was still trying to make sense of why Kris' mother was here and the operative wasn't.

Masha gazed into the kind eyes, sensing only friendliness. "Yes. She Russian, too."

"Why did she change her name?"

"Kris spy. She do what she think good."

Lisa's eyes narrowed. "Is she a Russian spy?"

Masha answered emphatically, "No. She American." Shelby had explained what Kris had done, and she was very proud of Natasha for standing up for what she believed was right.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

The Russian reached over and laid her hand on Lisa's, smiling. "Okay."

When Shelby returned to pick Masha up an hour later, the older women were deep in a cheerful, if slightly one-sided conversation. As they left, she promised her mother they'd return for a visit over the weekend.

Shelby anxiously walked into Earl's office. He had called and requested to see her. "You asked to see me."

"Yes. There have been some developments on the case and we're pulling the agents off of surveillance. We found out Michael was responsible for all the attacks against you, including the shooting at the mall. He's in custody now and no longer a threat to you or Kris' mother."

"What about Kris? Where is she?"

Earl adopted an intimidating stance, looking pointedly into the worried green eyes. "That is not your concern. I want you to quit asking everyone up the chain of command about her. Just drop it."

Shelby stared at Earl. "What do you mean drop it?" Knowing Earl was aware of just how close they'd become, she voiced a more business-like argument. "She was my partner. Her mother is staying with me. Surely her mother has a right to know."

Earl empathized with Shelby's concern. In truth, he didn't even know the details of Kris' status or how long she would be held, but his superiors had insisted he curtail the analyst's queries. "You don't have a choice. We can always place Masha in custody while her paperwork is processing."

Shelby pursed her lips, glaring at Earl, and biting off a retort. She didn't want to do anything to jeopardize Kris' mother.

"You did a good job on this case. Michael was the assassin. It was your astute observation that was the catalyst in breaking this case. Congratulations."

Any other time, Shelby would've been thrilled to receive such high praise from a Director, but it was meaningless now. Still angry, she said curtly, "Thank you."

Earl sighed, his hands tied. "Do you have any other questions?"

Knowing they wouldn't be answered, Shelby said, "No," and left the office, unshed tears of frustration springing to her eyes. She knew she should feel some satisfaction that Michael had been apprehended, but it was diminished because her partner remained in custody as well.

Irritated, Shelby tossed down the newspaper. She stood up and started pacing, ending up in the dining room in front of her cabinet of mythical figures. She glanced over at Masha who was watching TV.

It was Saturday, a full two weeks since she'd last seen Kris, and her patience had run out. Reviewing her limited options, she decided to request a meeting with Earl and Dennis on Monday and threaten to leak the case to the newspapers. Silence was not helping her partner's cause, and considering the CIA's fear of bad publicity, threatening to go public just might.

Shelby had agonized over this final, long-shot plan to free Kris, well aware that it could mean the end of her career. She'd searched for other viable options, but, stymied at every turn, she knew that if the choice came to Kris or her career, there was no choice. She could find a new line of work...she would never find another Kris, and her heart wouldn't allow her to give up until she'd exhausted every avenue.

The analyst shuddered as she reflected that the CIA could make her partner disappear. Shelby realized she had no other choice except to exploit their paranoia about another public scandal and hope for the best.

She absently gazed at the knickknacks, wistfully longing for her childhood certitude in the power of magic. Kris' absence was a constant ache, a reminder that nothing could ever fill her heart and life as the operative had. Dark circles had formed beneath her eyes, the result of too many sleepless nights filled with unending tears rolling from anguished eyes.

Masha studied the young woman gazing into the cabinet. She had come to care deeply for Shelby during the two weeks they had shared the apartment. The American was a stranger, yet she had opened her home to her and shown her nothing but kindness.

She knew Shelby had a deep bond with her daughter and had extended that friendship to include her. She'd had two weeks to do little but wonder at the generosity shown her, even as she worried what the future held for both herself and her daughter.

Would she ever see Natasha again or would she be sent back to Russia? If she did return to her homeland, would she be branded a traitor? Would she ever have the chance to establish a relationship with her only child? What kind of person had her daughter become? Would she want her mother back in her life? Shelby seemed to think she would, but Masha needed to talk to Natasha and draw her own conclusions.

The questions were endless, and only time would provide the answers to them. As she gazed at Shelby, Masha knew her priority right now rested with trying to raise the younger woman's spirits.

She walked up behind Shelby, laid her hand on the blonde's shoulder and spoke with conviction. "No be sad. Natasha good job."

Pulled from her reverie, Shelby nodded, then turned and hugged Masha appreciating her unfailing support.

"I know. I'm just worried."

Now, she walked over to the couch with Masha and sat down. It was time for the news and she watched it religiously each day, vacillating between the hope of hearing something that might signal Kris' release and the fear of what she might actually see. She reached over and gently squeezed the Russian's hand. "Maybe today."

When the news ended without any mention of Kris or the Russian embassy, Masha lifted Stormy from her lap and turned to face Shelby. Even though she didn't understand all the words, she could see the resignation in the younger woman's face. "We go see Lisa?"

The analyst smiled and nodded. "Yes." She picked up the phone and punched in the numbers, waiting for Lisa to answer.

"Hi, Mom. Mind if Masha and I stop over a little later?"

Lisa laughed. "Of course not."

"Okay, we'll see you in a bit. Bye."

Shelby picked up the newspaper from its resting place on the coffee table and beckoned for Masha to move closer. In a combination of recently learned Russian words, English, and gestures, she painstakingly explained her plan to try and get Kris released.

Listening carefully, Masha nodded her understanding. When Shelby finished speaking, she said, "You make enemies."

Sighing, Shelby replied, "Yes, but..."

Masha gently interrupted. "I love Natasha."

Shelby smiled. "I know you do. She loves you, too."

Masha gestured at Shelby. "You love her."

Momentarily caught off guard, Shelby agreed, "Yes, I do."

The Russian looked around the apartment. "She stay here with you?"

"Yes. She," Shelby searched for a simple word to explain that Kris had been protecting her, "guarded me."

"She sleep in your bed?"

Shelby was unable to stop a blush from creeping over her face, as the kind, wise eyes gazed at her.

Masha smiled and displayed her new knowledge of casual English. "Okay."

"Okay?" Shelby wasn't quite sure how to take that.

Reaching for Shelby's hand, Masha nodded. "Okay."

She squeezed the older woman's hand, sharing their common love of the absent woman.

A short time later, they departed for Lisa's house.

Lisa opened the door, expecting to see Shelby. Her daughter and Kris' mother had visited several times during the past few weeks, but the profound sadness she could see on her daughter's face broke her heart.

She'd asked about the case, but Shelby had told her it was over and that she couldn't discuss it. The biggest surprise had been when she learned that Masha was staying with her daughter, but when she'd asked after Kris, Shelby would only say she was away.

The only time Lisa had heard any enthusiasm in her daughter's voice was when she'd told Shelby that she was going to start attending a support group for battered wives.

Lisa was jerked to the present by the unexpected figure in her doorway.

Smiling, Jonathan said, "Hey, babe. I've missed you."

"Jonathan, I told you I needed some time and would call you. So why are you here?"

His smiled faded. "You talked to Shelby, didn't you?"

Lisa crossed her arms, blocking the entrance. "Do you mean about how you grabbed her arm where she'd been shot, and threatened her again? Is that what you're talking about?"

Sorrowfully, he said, "Yes, I did do that, but please let me explain."

After meeting with Kim, and following up with phone conversations, Lisa was beginning to understand that she had been at fault too, for not leaving Jonathan and for allowing the abuse to continue against both herself and her children. She would never doubt anything Shelby told her again, but she decided to let her former husband dig himself into a deeper hole. She had heard a full accounting from her daughter and wanted to see how closely the man would stick to the truth.

When Lisa remained silent, Jonathan pleaded, "Please babe?"

"Okay, explain."

He leaned against the doorframe, hoping Lisa would invite him in. "I was minding my own business when there was a knock on the door. It was the cops. I knew I hadn't done anything, but they asked me all sorts of questions about where I was the night before. And then it hit me. Shelby must have turned me into the cops for shooting her." He looked up at Lisa sadly. "I would never do anything like that. Can you imagine how I felt?"

Lisa stood there impassively. "So, what happened when Shelby got there?"

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Um...well, I was so hurt at being falsely accused, I drank a six pack and laid down to take a nap. Couple of hours later, I got woken up again. It was Shelby and that tall bit...woman. So, I let them in, and the tall one went back outside so we could talk."

Lisa waited patiently. So far, what Jonathan had related was accurate. She was curious as to how he was going to try and explain his hostile actions. "And?"

"Well, you gotta understand, I was a bit woozy from the beer, and she ordered me to stay away from you, and threatened to tell you I shot her..."

Lisa summoned every ounce of courage she possessed to confront her former husband for the very first time. "Stop right there. You are a liar. Shelby was right. You haven't changed at all. You've just become a better actor."

Jonathan dropped his eyes to the floor. "I knew you wouldn't believe me." He looked back up at Lisa beseechingly. "I swear I'm telling you the truth. If it had happened just like Shelby said, why would I be here?"

Looking at her former husband, Lisa fought the urge to believe him. "You tell me."

"Babe, you know how stressed out Shelby's been. I would be, too, if someone was shooting at me. I think she threatened to put the blame on me because she is so confused right now."

Lisa hated to admit it, but Jonathan was right about the pressure her daughter had been under. She met his eyes resolutely. "She wouldn't lie no matter how bad things were. You know that."

His frustration building, Jonathan pleaded, "Please believe me. I just got angry when she threatened me. I never meant her any harm."

"How come when Kris came in the trailer, you got into it with her."

"That fucking bitch got right in my face and wouldn't move. She just got lucky."

Lisa retorted, "Well, that fucking bitch was protecting Shelby from you."

Jonathan could see his plans to move back in crumbling to dust in front of him. Losing his calm demeanor, he glared at Lisa, and snapped, "So you still think I'm lying."

Trying to calm Jonathan down in order to avoid a physical confrontation, Lisa suggested, "Maybe you misunderstood what she said."

Jonathan's face reddened. "Oh, so now I'm not only a liar but I'm stupid, too." He pushed Lisa into the house, following her menacingly. "Just who in the hell do you think you are?" He shoved her again. "All of a sudden my word isn't good enough for you." Spittle flew from his mouth into Lisa face. "You stupid, bitch!"

Backing away from Jonathan, Lisa shouted, "Get out of here, now, or I'm calling the cops."

When he heard his mother yell, Jason jumped up from in front of the TV and ran towards the kitchen, Justin following closely on his heels. The teenager had just cleared the doorway, when he saw his father brutally slap his mother, blood from a split lip coloring her chin.

He stepped in front of his mother and grabbed his father's arm, which was raised again. "Leave her alone, Dad."

Jonathan jerked his arm free of his son's grasp and glared at Jason. "Get out of here. NOW!" He captured Justin with his gaze, and added, "Both of you."

Jason shook his head and stood his ground, staring at a bulging vein in his father's forehead as the man's face reddened in anger. He felt his stomach tighten in fear and hoped the older man couldn't see how scared he was. He ignored his mother trying to pull him back away from the angry man.

"Dad, please leave."

Jonathan's open palm slammed against Jason's cheek. "You disrespectful brat. I told you to get out of here."

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jason repeated, "Dad, just go. Please." He threw up an arm to block his father's next blow, further angering the bigger man.

When her attempts to get her son out of Jonathon's path were unsuccessful, Lisa moved to stand beside him, ignoring the boy when he said, "Mom, get out of here." There was no way she was leaving Jason alone at Jonathon's mercy.

Jonathan's last vestige of control slipped and his anger turned to fury. Not only had all his plans been thwarted, his wife and stepdaughter had poisoned his own sons' minds until they stood against him, too. Outraged, he backhanded Lisa.

Jason thrust his weight against his father as he attempted to push him toward the door. He hollered, "Justin, call 911!"

Watching in horror as his hero disintegrated before his eyes, his brother's frantic words spurred the teenager to action. Justin grabbed the phone from the counter and dialed the emergency number.

Jonathan hit Jason, loosening the teen's hold on his arm. He'd teach his son who was in control. Suddenly realizing that Justin had called the police, a surge of adrenaline allowed him to toss his wife and older son away from him.

Devastated, Justin stared disbelievingly at his mother sprawled on the floor and his brother crumpled against the wall. Unable to move, his wide eyes tracked his father's furious approach. As the phone was wrenched out of his hands, the boy missed hearing the dispatcher come on the line.

The frightened look on his son's face disgusted Jonathan. His youngest son was nothing but a sissy. At least Jason had the balls to stand up to him. He heard the dispatcher's voice coming over the receiver and pressed the off button before tossing the phone back to Justin, sneering when the boy flinched.

Knowing the dispatcher had probably already summoned a unit to respond, he turned around and hurried out the door without a backward glance. He had no intentions of ending up in jail again.

Jason reached his mother at the same time Justin did. They helped her to her feet. "You okay, Mom?"

"I'm okay." Lisa hugged her sons, horrified at the bruising on Jason's face. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Mom," Jason assured her. "He's gone now."

All three hurried toward the door when they heard a commotion out in the yard and almost bumped into a policewoman who was just raising her hand to knock on the door.

"Is everyone okay?"

Lisa nodded. "We're okay. How'd you get here so fast?"

"Just luck really. My partner and I were only a street over. When the dispatcher lost contact, we got the call."

"Did you get him?"

"Yeah. Tried to run though. My partner tackled him and the guy just about pulled Pete's arm of its socket trying to get away. He'll be charged with resisting arrest and assault on a police officer, too."

Lisa said, "He'll never learn."

"I'll be right back to take statements. I have to get the camera. I'll need to take pictures for evidence in court."

Taking a deep breath, Lisa nodded. This time she would see it through. "Okay."

Justin looked at his mother, once the officer left to get her camera. "Mom, why?"

"He's sick, honey. He needs help."

"He said he was better." Justin struggled to make sense of what had happened. "Dad already got treatment."

"I know. It just wasn't enough." Lisa gazed into her son's eyes. "He might not be able to be cured."

Justin nodded as he wrapped his mind around that thought.

Lisa knew she hadn't protected her daughters and she couldn't undo that. The only thing she could do was make sure she didn't repeat the same mistakes she'd made so many years before. Her sons had suffered physical and emotional damage trying to protect her because she hadn't acted sooner.

She looked at the boys. "I'm filing charges against your father and testifying in court this time. He's going to jail."

Jason nodded. "Can I testify?"

Lisa started crying harder. Jason was only a teenager and he was already braver than she'd ever been. She managed to say, "I'm proud of you both."

Justin said, "Mom, please don't cry."

Lisa smiled through her tears. "I'm fine, honey. I'm just glad you're both okay."

Hal and Ron sat at one side of the interrogation table, waiting for Blue to sit down on the other side. They both knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant debriefing, because of the amount of time it had taken to tie up all the loose ends.

Blue slid into a chair and glared at the two men sitting opposite her. "What do you want now? I kept my part of the bargain, and you still hung me out to dry."

The taller of the two men cleared his throat. "We didn't have a choice..."

Blue spat, "Bullshit! I could've been killed, my partner could've been killed, my mother could've been killed and you didn't have a choice? Do you really expect me to believe that? And even supposing that's true, where in the hell have you been for the last two weeks."

Ron spoke quietly. "Michael was one of ours."

The operative's eyes briefly widened. "So you are the ones that protected him when he fucked up our extraction three years ago."

Hal nodded. "We've suspected him of working for the other side for quite some time, but we needed something solid. With the pictures and recordings your partner gave Earl, we have that."

Blue shook her head in disbelief. "You had no way of knowing we'd uncover anything on him, yet you still jeopardized innocent lives? Shelby and my mother could have been killed. I don't fucking believe this."

"Every time we made a move, the Russians knew about it. We had to find the leak. You were our best bet."

Suddenly some pieces began falling into place. "You let Michael know I was returning to headquarters and when I'd be arriving."

Both men remained silent, and Blue continued her accusatory litany. "Our deal was that I notify you when I was activated. I did that. So instead of honoring your part of the deal, you leave me to fend off the Russians alone and catch Michael."

She snorted and said sarcastically, "And we're supposed to be on the same side? Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?"

"Our options were limited. We had to break Michael before we could honor our part of the agreement."

Kris crossed her arms and sat back in the chair. "Care to explain that? You were given pictures and recordings."

"Yes, we were, but he claimed he was just going along with Maggie, and was going to turn her in. Before we could turn him again, we had to break him. He's good. It took a while."

Ron met Blue's eyes. "If we couldn't break him, we needed you around until we did."

Blue finally understood why she'd been held in total isolation after her initial debriefing. These guys had covered up who and what she was, but the operative wanted to hear them admit it. "How were you going to manage that? Earl knows the whole story."

"He's been sworn to secrecy." Ron smiled. "It didn't hurt that he was on your side, anyway. Made our job really easy."

Blue sarcastically said, "I assume you broke Michael. Mind telling me what you needed me for, if you hadn't?"

"To shadow him. Report his every move and contact. You know the routine. You've done it before."

Blue just shook her head, disgustedly.

Ron commented. "Just until he agreed to double."

Blue rose to her feet angrily and began pacing back and forth behind the table. "So he walks?"

Hal shrugged. "We need him. Gregor reneged on his request for political asylum and he doesn't know about Michael. It could take us years to get another agent in place to provide information he's already in a position to get for us."

"And you trust him?"

"No. But it seems he was a little more attached to Maggie than we realized. In exchange for her complete cooperation, we plea bargain to a lesser charge than treason and she gets probation. Michael knows if he reneges on any part of the deal, we'll throw the book at both of them."

Blue was irritated at having been used, but knew these guys were acting in what they felt were the best interests of the country.

She sighed. "So now what? Am I free to go? Or do you have some other surprises in store?"

Ron handed her a folder. She pulled out a sheaf of papers and began reading. A few minutes later she signed a nondisclosure agreement, pushed it across the table and stood up, her heart beating wildly. She was finally free. Maintaining her composure, she nodded at the two men.

"I would say it's been nice working with you, but that would be a lie. Thanks for keeping our deal."

The two men watched her leave, then Hal looked at Ron. "She's really pissed."

"Yeah. Hope we don't have to activate her anytime soon."

"You think she knows we'll recall her if we need her?"

Ron shrugged. "She's smart. I'd bet on it."

Shelby and Masha sat at the dining room table in Lisa's house, waiting for the police to complete their questioning. The officers had finished taking pictures and were completing statements from both boys and her mother. They had arrived as the police were leading Jonathan to the police car in cuffs.

Shuddering, Shelby remembered the venomous glare and barrage of threats Jonathan had shouted at her as the police officer was pushing him into the back seat. She'd ignored him, running into the house followed closely by Masha, and breathed a sigh of relief to see no one seriously injured, although Jason's black eye turned her stomach.

She listened in silence as each related to the police what had happened, and felt a surge of happiness and relief when she heard her mother agree to press charges. At least one of their lives was improving. Shelby had called Kim after arriving at her mother's house and her friend was on her way over.

A few hours later, Shelby got ready to leave. It had been a good visit. Lisa had even agreed to Kim's suggestion that both she and the boys see a psychologist for a while. The analyst smiled, knowing that was a huge milestone for her mother, given her reluctance to even talk to Kim a few weeks before.

When her mother had asked after her partner, she'd simply told her she was still involved in the case, which wasn't really a lie. Lisa had been genuinely happy to see Masha, and the Russian had offered her quiet support the entire evening.

Touched by the foreigner's concern for her well-being, Lisa had invited Masha to spend the night. Well aware of how empathetic Kris' mother was Shelby reluctantly agreed, knowing that it would be good for both women. However, she dreaded the coming night...the first night she'd be alone since Kris had been gone.

Kris rang the doorbell, but didn't expect an answer. When the taxi dropped her off in front of the building, she hadn't seen her partner's car or the Taurus she'd rented. Sliding her key into the lock, she walked in and looked around. While she couldn't wait to see Shelby, she was nervous about seeing her mother. It seemed so strange to have a mother again. What would Masha think of her? Could they recapture the relationship that had been stolen from them so long ago?

Pushing her concerns aside, Kris picked up Stormy, and gently hugged her in spite of the young feline's protest. "What? You didn't miss me?"

The operative set the kitten down, walked over to the couch, and picked up the neatly folded sheet at the end, smiling at the sight of the unicorn on the floor next to the couch. Knowing her partner would've insisted on sleeping on the couch, she inhaled deeply of the linen and was rewarded by the slight scent of Shelby's bath oil. She hugged the sheet close to her.

During the long days in isolation, she'd hungered for Shelby's presence, half-convinced that she'd never again feel her partner's touch. Repeated requests to use the phone had been denied, so she'd dwelled in her memories; lingering over every remembered conversation, recalling each nuance of expression on that expressive face, and tormenting herself with a bittersweet longing for the sensation of the other woman's body pressed against hers. Kris had spent hours projecting her overflowing love, hoping that somehow Shelby could feel the message of her heart through the distance separating them.

The tall woman sighed and sank down to the couch, the sheet still clutched tightly against her. She would have to wait a little longer. A few minutes later, she laid the linen down and began pacing around the apartment finally coming to a stop in front of the balcony door, her eyes riveted on the partially filled parking lot.

Shelby drove home slowly, in no hurry to return to her empty apartment. She didn't even have a picture of Kris. All she had were her memories. Reaffirming her resolve to go to confront her superiors on Monday, she parked the car and started towards the apartment.

Kris had been standing at the glass door for an hour, stoically watching as the lot filled up. It was dark out, and she was unable now to identify the make of each car until the driver turned off the lights and got out. After checking out and eliminating each vehicle, she resumed her vigil.

Another car pulled in, and Kris watched it park, refusing to get her hopes up again. When her partner got out, she never saw her close the car door. Kris was already out of the apartment and bounding down the steps, two at a time. She ran across the parking lot with a big grin on her face and threw her arms around Shelby, drawing her into a bear hug.

Shelby recognized the familiar figure running towards her and broke into an all-out sprint. She embraced the tall woman, her heart leaping for joy, tears of happiness falling freely. "I was so worried."

Kris murmured, "I missed you so much."

Neither wanted to relinquish her hold on the other, and they walked to the building with their arms wrapped around each other's waist.

Kris suddenly realized her mother hadn't gotten out of the car with Shelby. "Where's Mom?"

"She's spending the night at my mother's house." Shelby laughed delightedly at the raised eyebrow and quizzical expression on her partner's face that she had despaired of ever seeing again. "It's a long story."

Kris smiled, relishing the sound of her partner's laughter. "I'll just bet it is."

The door was no sooner closed than the women embraced again. Shelby pulled Kris' head down and met her mouth for a deep, passionate kiss. Her partner returned her kiss with an equal amount of fervor. "I'm so glad you're back."

Kris led Shelby over to the couch, sharing kisses with her along the way. Sitting down, she pulled her partner into her lap, wrapping strong arms around her and lowering a hungry mouth to the anxiously waiting lips.

Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure Shelby could feel it. "I love you."

Shelby sighed contentedly. "I love you, too." She turned serious eyes toward her partner. "Did they give you the deal?" She voiced her worst fear. "Or do you have to leave again."

"No...no...no." Each word was punctuated with a kiss. "I'm here to stay, for as long as you want me to."

Breathing an audible sigh of relief, Shelby said, "Forever. I want you to stay forever."

Kris wrapped her arms around her partner, pulling her close. "I'm glad you do, because I know I want to."

After sharing another kiss with her love, Kris asked, "How did my mother end up at your mother's house for the night?"

Shelby shook her head. "In a word, Jonathan."

Kris raised an eyebrow, concerned. "What did he do this time?"

Shelby filled the operative in on everything that had happened that day. "Do you want to go see your mother now?"

The operative glanced around the room. She did want to see her mother, but that visit could wait until morning. "It's late. Why don't you call your mom and ask her to tell my mother that I'm fine and we'll stop over in the morning to pick her up."

Shelby waited until Kris turned back to face her. "You don't want to talk to her on the phone either?"

"I do, but I don't. I'd rather talk to her face to face."

Picking up her partner's hand, Shelby asked, "What's wrong?"

Kris sighed. "I don't know what to say to her. She always hated government agents. They used to plant them among the people. We lost a close friend because of them. She'll hate me because of what I am."

Shelby shook her head. "Oh, sweetheart, your mother doesn't hate you. She loves you. She knows you're a spy and she's okay with that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"We talked about you a lot. You were the one thing we had in common. Trust me on this. Your mother loves you very much."

"She never visited." At Shelby's puzzled look, Kris added, "When I was at the training center, she never came to visit."

"Maybe she couldn't. Ask her, Kris. I bet she has a good reason."

Kris smiled at the conviction in her partner's voice. "You're probably right."

Shelby reached for the phone, dialed her mother's number, and then quickly relayed Kris' message before telling her mother she'd talk to her in the morning. She settled back into Kris' lap.

Kris brushed her fingers across Shelby's face. "I'm glad we're alone tonight."

Shelby lifted the hand from her face and kissed the palm. "So am I."

The operative smiled. "Where do you want me to start?" She chuckled at the blush that crept over her partner's face. "I meant, about the case."

"Oh." Shelby feigned disappointment until Kris leaned down and kissed her pout away.

"What happened to you? Is everything okay, now? Even though Sergei died? And why did Gregor kill him?"

"Gregor wasn't as stupid as I thought. He only requested political asylum out of desperation. He knew Sergei planned to eliminate him, but he had no real desire to defect. With Sergei out of the picture, no one in Russia would know of their rift and he would be in line for a promotion. Naturally, he withdrew his request for asylum."

Shelby shook her head. "I never would've guessed he would kill Sergei."

"Neither did I. He was looking out for himself and got lucky. Happens sometimes."

"So what about you? Are you legally an operative now?"

"No. I'm officially retired." Kris rubbed Shelby's back in a gentle circular motion. It was time to tell her partner the rest of the tale.

"It's a long story, but I'll try to make it short. About eight years ago, a top secret organization that reports directly to the president infiltrated the Russian mole infrastructure that had been set up here in the States. My name was uncovered and I was contacted. They wanted me to double. I refused."

Shelby gazed at Kris. "I'm surprised they didn't deport you."

"Yeah, me, too. The only reason they didn't was because I hadn't been activated yet. They wanted to find out who was running the moles here, so I got offered a deal. When I was activated, I was supposed to notify them with all the details of who contacted me and what they wanted me to do."

"What was in it for you?"

"I would get political asylum, but my career would be over because the bottom line is - I am Russian. I didn't have much choice, so I agreed. As the years passed, I didn't want to be activated, because I didn't know what I'd do."

"But if you were granted political asylum..."

Kris shrugged. "It wasn't that. I didn't really know anyone or have any friends here in the States. Even though I love this country, I'd spent little of my adult life living in it. So I strove to be the CIA's best operative. That way, I figured I wouldn't be recalled and it would also be extremely difficult for the Russians to find me in the field. It worked for a long time."

The operative smiled at Shelby. "Until you came along and found a pattern that got me recalled."

Shelby turned puzzled eyes on Kris. "I don't get it. If you were working for this country, then why didn't you just contact them? They could've rescued your mother and none of this would've happened."

"I tried to contact them a couple of different times. They never responded. Turned out that Michael worked for them, too, and they suspected him of being a traitor. They knew what was going on and let it play itself out." Kris shrugged. "They got what they wanted. We were used, but it did turn out okay."

"So you don't owe them anything more, right?"

Kris sighed. "Supposedly not. But I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to be reactivated if they decide they need me for something."

"That sucks!"

"I know and I would fight it, but it is an outside possibility."

Shelby nodded. "Well it's a good thing they released you, because I was going to talk to Earl and Dennis tomorrow and just happen to mention what a field day the press would have if they ever found out about this case. No way was I going to let you just disappear."

Kris was overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings, and gently brushed Shelby's lips with her own. Smiling seductively, she said, "So, we have the apartment to ourselves tonight?"

Kris' voice was tantalizing and, her body awash with desire, Shelby gazed into the passion filled blue eyes and nodded. "Just you and me. Think we'll be able to find something to do?"

She smiled and gently brushed the tips of Kris' breasts with her fingers. When her partner took a deep breath, Shelby's fingers revisited the now erect nipples.

Kris grasped Shelby's hand and raised to her mouth, kissing the palm. "You are a tease."

Shelby innocently commented, "Moi?" She chuckled. "Payback time."

Nodding in understanding, Kris grinned. "I think I'm gonna like this payback." She kissed Shelby lightly. "Let's get more comfortable. I hate these institution clothes they gave me."

Shelby made a point of looking at her partner's plain blue blouse and slacks. "Oh, I don't know. They aren't so bad. Or maybe it's just that I like what's in them."

Laughing, Kris said, "Is that right?" She shifted her partner off her lap, stood and offered her hand.

Accepting it, Shelby eagerly followed the operative into the bedroom, feeling the desire surge through her body as her green eyes hungrily raked the tall form in front of her.

Turning, Kris drew the blonde into her arms, marveling at how the shapely body melded so perfectly to her own. Her heart raced as she inhaled the scent that was uniquely Shelby's and she tightened her embrace, passion and peacefulness vying for supremacy in her raging emotions.

Nuzzling the fragrant gold hair, she whispered, "I love you, you know. No one's ever made me feel like you do. With you in my arms, I feel like nothing can touch us, no one can hurt us, and I've never been happier in my life.

Her face buried in Kris' neck, Shelby smiled a deep radiant smile of contentment. She knew exactly what her partner meant. She never wanted to move, never wanted to break the enchantment of being in this woman's arms. Then she felt Kris' hands begin to stroke her back and heard the other woman's voice, husky with desire.

"I'd like to make love to you."

Shelby's skin was contracting with each movement of her partner's fingers, fueling the fire already burning hotly within her. Her voice sounding strange to her own ears, she breathed, "God, yes!"

Kris took a deep breath to slow her racing desire. She wanted this to be special for Shelby and didn't want to rush. She unbuttoned each button deliberately, taking her time, fighting the urge to hurry. Separating the fabric, she eased it over her partner's shoulders, letting it slide to the floor. Leaning forward she shared a kiss with Shelby.

Utterly captivated by the blue eyes burning into hers, Shelby's hands fumbled with the buttons on Kris' shirt, her fingers not cooperating as her body thrilled to the magical feel of her partner's touch on her exposed skin.

Shrugging off her unbuttoned blouse, Kris reached behind Shelby, and unfastened her bra. Within seconds it joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor, as Kris paused to admire the firm, full breasts, before softly kissing each erect nipple.

Shelby sucked in a breath, arching in to the sensations elicited by the warm lips. She slid her arms around Kris, undoing and removing her partner's bra, brushing her fingers across the bare breasts in front of her.

Kris struggled to control her desire. Wanting to just rip the rest of their clothes off, she murmured, "You have no idea what you're doing to me," and ran her fingers down the middle of her partner's abdomen, stopping at the top of Shelby's shorts.

"I hope it's the same thing you're doing to me." Shelby reached over and grasped the elastic waistband of the uniform slacks that Kris had worn home, tugging downward.

Kris smiled and winked. "I'll get these if you get yours."

Shelby returned the smile. "Deal."

Within seconds, the two women stood face to face, each admiring the other's shape and substance.

Kris closed the minute distance between them and embraced Shelby, electrified by the feel of the younger woman's skin against her own. "Mmm." She lowered her mouth to Shelby's neck and left a path of wet, warm kisses in its wake.

Shelby felt a flicker of uncertainty. She wanted to make love to Kris, but was suddenly overcome with doubts about her own inexperience.

Kris gazed at Shelby, sensing her unease. "If you're not ready, we can wait."

Looking into the concerned blue eyes, Shelby shook her head. "No. I'm ready. That is, I want to." Flustered, she tried again, "It's not that. It's just...I feel like... I don't know...really...what to do. I've never made love to a woman before."

Kris smiled warmly. "You've been doing just fine." She lifted Shelby's hand and kissed the palm. "Let me show you?"

Shelby gazed into the ardent blue eyes and nodded. "I want you to teach me how to make love to you."

Her partner's words acted as an aphrodisiac, and Kris guided Shelby towards the bed, pulling the covers down, then joining Shelby who slid over to the center of the bed, opening her arms as her lover moved smoothly into them.

Shelby's body thrilled to each caress of her partner's hands and to her mouth raining kisses upon her, feeling the love behind each touch as the sensations in her body continued building. Time became meaningless as her body soared toward release, until, breathless, she begged, "Kris, now."

When her partner complied, Shelby plunged into an idyll of bliss, her body convulsing as waves of pleasure rippled through her.

She felt Kris wrap her arms around her, holding her tightly until she finally stilled. Looking up at her partner with dreamy eyes, she whispered, "Oh, my God."

Kris smiled, brushing the bangs from her partner's forehead before kissing it. "I take it you liked?"

Shelby, drained, chuckled weakly. "You have to ask?"

"I wanted it to be special."

Looking into the serious blue eyes, Shelby assured Kris, "It was. You took me to a place," she struggled to find words to convey the depth of her feeling, "that I've never been before."

Smiling contentedly, Kris gazed at her partner. "I'm glad."

Shelby reached over and brushed her fingers against Kris' nipples, smiling as the flesh puckered at her touch. "I want to do that to you."

Kris' desire flared at the seductive words and she sucked in a breath when Shelby's teeth grazed one of her erect nipples.

"So, what do you say?"

Nodding, Kris said, "Yes, please."

Shelby urged Kris onto her back and then positioned herself over her partner. She gazed into the blue eyes, seeing the vulnerability so carefully hidden from the world, and her heart melted.

Guarding that trust, Shelby began a slow exploration of her new lover's body, her nervousness forgotten as Kris eagerly responded to her touches, her body pleading for more until time lost all meaning in the consummation of their love.

The next morning, Kris and Shelby departed for Lisa's house at 10am. Kris was quiet most of the trip, deep in thought. She was happy her mother was alive, but still had no idea how to relate to her. They were worlds apart. Shelby knew her mother better than she did now. How do you recapture a bond that you thought was gone forever? Would her mother accept who she was? These and other questions haunted her.

She thought about what Shelby had said about how much Masha loved her, but it was hard to wrap her mind around that. She loved the mother she treasured in her memory, but was she still the person Kris remembered from childhood? She found herself nervously excited, and was thankful for the comforting feel of her lover's hand resting on her thigh, soothing her roiling emotions.

Shelby squeezed Kris leg when they pulled into the driveway and parked. "Ready?"

Kris quirked a tentative half-smile. "Ready as I'll ever be."

She followed Shelby to the door, watched her partner knock, and then followed her into the house.

Lisa had seen Shelby's car turn into the driveway from the living room window and hurried to the kitchen to greet her and Kris. Masha had indicated she would wait for her daughter there, wanting some privacy for their reunion.

Lisa smiled at Kris. "She's in the living room."

Kris nodded, steeled herself for the reunion, and left the kitchen.

Shelby hugged her mother. "Your lip looks better today. That ice helped."

"Yes it did. Jason's eye looks worse though. I even put raw steak on it, but it didn't do much good."

"How is he?"

"He's fine. I'm more worried about Justin. He seems more himself today, but he just adored Jonathan. This is all my fault."

"Mom, it's over now. Blaming yourself isn't going to accomplish anything."

Lisa sighed. "I know. I just wish..."

Shelby sat down at the table with her mother. "I'm proud of you."

"Why, Shelby? I let you down, over and over again."

Reaching for her mother's hand, Shelby said, "Because you're standing up for what you believe is right. It's not easy to do that. I respect you for admitting you made a mistake. I love you, Mom."

Lisa wiped the moisture from her eyes. "I love you, too. Thank you for not giving up on me like Anne did."

Shelby smiled. "Oh, I think she'll be back to visit soon." She decided to call her sister and invite her to come and visit. "You'll see."

Kris stood just outside the living room doorway gazing at her mother watching TV. She stepped into the room and cleared her throat.

At the sound, Masha glanced up and a tentative smile covered her face as she rose to greet her daughter.

They both stood there awkwardly until Masha took the initiative, speaking in their native language. "I've missed you so much. We have been cheated out of so much, you and I."

Kris nodded, the sound of her mother's Russian words taking her back to her childhood. This was the mother she remembered, who dived right into the crux of the matter. "Yes, we have. I thought you were dead for so long..." She glanced away, trying to find words to express her feelings.

Masha closed the distance between them, and wrapped her daughter in a hug. "I don't know if you want me in your life, or if you blame me for what happened to you. You are my daughter and nothing can change that and I will love you no matter what you decide."

Kris returned her mother's hug. "I love you, too, Mom, but I've...I'm not the daughter you remember."

Masha smiled gently, sensing her daughter's unease. "No, you're not. And I'm probably not the mother you remember, but that doesn't mean I love you any less." She nodded at the couch. "Come, let us sit."

Once the two women were seated on the couch, Masha said, "When I was locked in that room, I had a lot of time to think. When they told me I was going to see you, I didn't believe them. I thought it was a trick of some sort, but when I realized you really were alive, I knew you had to be very important for them to bring me here."

"I just wish you hadn't had to go through that. You were Sergei's trump card. He wanted information and I wasn't being very cooperative." Kris gazed at her mother. "I'm glad he brought you here, though."

Masha reached over and grasped her daughter's hand. "I was treated fine. It was you I was worried about. Once Shelby told me you were a mole, then all the pieces began to fall into place - why they wouldn't let me visit. Why all my letters were returned, everything."

"You came to visit?" Kris gazed into her mother's eyes. "I never knew that."

"Oh, Natasha. Of course I came. I was turned away at the gates. They said you had broken the rules and were not allowed visitors. I came very single week until they told me you died. I never deserted you."

Her last doubt buried, Kris embraced her mother. They had a lot of catching up to do, but they had plenty of time to do it.

Masha looked at Kris curiously. "So they taught you to be a spy?"

Kris nodded. "Yeah. I was brought over here when I was ten and raised as an American."

"The Americans know, yet you are free."

Kris smiled. "Yes. I made a bargain with them a long time ago and have been granted citizenship, but my name is no longer Natasha. My papers reflect my American name - Kris Barton."

"You are still Natasha to me."

Kris chuckled. Her mother hadn't lost any of the feistiness she remembered from her childhood. "Yes, Mother."

They began to converse a little more freely and started slowly rebuilding a relationship lost long ago. An hour later, Shelby glanced into the living room, smiling when she saw Masha and Kris engaged in a conversation that she would've bet was laden with childhood memories judging by looks on their faces.

Just as she began backing out of the door, Kris spotted her and gestured for her to join them. She reached out, grasping her partner's hand and with a smile reverted to English. "Shelby believed in me. If it weren't for her..." Kris paused, searching for a way to explain the analyst's importance to her.

Masha smiled and commented, "Shelby loves you."

Kris' jerked her head around to gaze at her mother. Then she looked at Shelby. "What did you two talk about while I was gone, anyway?"

Shelby was lost because Masha had spoken Russian. "What did she say?"

"She said you love me."

Shelby grinned. "Oh that. I do. She figured it out by herself."

Masha picked up enough of the English to know that she'd shocked her daughter by revealing what had been obvious to her. Watching them interact now, she knew that her daughter felt the same way about the American.

Straight to the point, Masha said, "Good. You love her, too."

Kris' face reddened and Shelby chuckled, not needing a translation of the words this time. "I think she's got your number."

Her mother always had been able to read her and Kris realized that their long separation hadn't changed that. It was hard to believe that her life had changed so totally in the matter of a few weeks. Her mother was back in her life and the woman she loved with all her heart was at her side.