Dangerous Love

Two

Taking precise aim, then looking around to see if anyone still loitered about, Dodd fired his grapple gun, then tested its strength before pulling up to the apartment he wanted. Looking in through the window, he saw Dr. Mary Allen, sleeping peacefully and quite exposed. The duvet had drifted down a bit and revealed a rather light nightie that covered little or nothing. 

Nobody said this doctor was a stunner...making as little noise as possible, he gained entrance through the window and quickly closed it back, turning in time to watch her stir from the slight night breeze and then turn back to sleep..that was close and careless he thought, guess I have to stop thinking about her, he cautioned himself.

Moving further into the room, he noticed how neat and tidy it was, and oh the fresh smell of jasmine that assailed his nose...he had to leave this room. Moving briskly but quietly, he eased out of the room and into a rather bland sitting room, with just two chairs, a Sony TV hanging on the wall, and a portrait of Dr. Allen. 

He liked her more for her simple taste. Brushing the thought aside, he began his search for the apartment. It took 45minutes of thorough, nerve-wracking search to find a hint of what the Arabs were after.

 Data and the formulae to the cure for a deadly communicable disease, azmax, which scientists said was as potent as anthrax. So, getting to Dr. Allen had become the primary goal of the terrorists as she was the head of the government team who had just gotten a cure for azmax.

The Intel had come in from one deep undercover agent inside their network. A bleary-eyed agent trying to stay awake had noticed and heard his screen beeping at the same time, which wiped any remaining trace of sleep from his eyes. 

He had been manning this desk going on three years, not once had any sign of activity popped up not to talk of the high-level alert he was receiving. Hours later, with Colonel Bingham having been roused from sleep, it was discovered that they had finally created their disease, but not the cure.

  Dodd glanced around one more time, sweeping his gaze all around the sitting room, trying to make sure he had left no traces and also not disturbed or turned the Dr's stuff over. As he passed her bedroom on the way out again, he fought the urge to go close and just brush his knuckles on the exposed part of her face. "damn she's stunning" he muttered under his breath.

Focus Randy.,....he mentally beat himself as he stole a final glance and slid out the window...

    As Dodd jumped out the window, Dr. Mary stirred. She had just had a weird but somehow very real dream of someone walking in her room. She felt a slight chill and glanced towards the window, it was as she left it before going to bed. Sitting up, feeling a bit disoriented, she looked around and picked up her cell phone.

The time showed exactly five minutes before two in the early hours, setting down her phone, it was then it hit her, what was that smell, or rather who had been in her room wearing a different cologne from hers??. Worse it was a strong cologne and it was rare for women to wear a scent this strong.

Shuddering and feeling exposed, she got up from the bed, double-checked the window, but felt silly because her apartment was way up. Going to the bathroom and kitchen, everything was the same until she entered her sitting room. Here it was even stronger. It looked like whoever entered her apartment spent a significant amount of time here.

She thought about calling the cops, but again what was she going to tell them that she could smell a man in her house? Sure they would come "check" it out, but they were gonna think one of two things, either she got drunk and the man she brought home bailed on her or she was looney. 

So, discarding the idea of calling the cops, she made a mental note of asking her neighbors if any had had any disturbances whatsoever.

  Saying a quick prayer, like her catholic mom used to tell, she snuggled under her duvet and tried to go back to sleep.

  Waking up in the morning Dr. Mary Allen briefly checked around her room and observed that the smell from the cologne had greatly and substantially reduced. still wondering who or whatever had entered her room she then made a mental note to resume her physical and defensive training.

 The C.I.A guys they liaise with were always hampering their defensive and fitness levels because of the nature of their job and not knowing whatever they were going to encounter day-to-day. 

Even though they worked together covertly, the risk was still there that a few or more of the enemies knew the status of their Combined job. Then getting up from the bed she moved out of the bedroom and had a quick shower. checking her time she realized she was running late for work and quickly threw some clothes on then her lab coats then she dashed down to the elevators and rode down. Then she quickly went to the garage and got into her car.

As she drove out, she saw old Dewy waving and shouting a greeting at her, even though he knew she couldn't hear him, and she always waved and shouted back, knowing her words died in her wound-up vehicle. Old Dewy had been head of security at the block of apartments going on twenty years now, and he knew each and every person or family occupying the apartments.

 Getting to the building the CIA provided for their research, she met the security guards at the entrance, showed her I.d, and proceeded to place her palms on the screen beside the door. An A.I voice boomed out "Dr. Mary Allen, you are welcome" Before you get to the laboratory, you would encounter a secretary, then some other folks working on computers and other things on their various desks.

 Shrugging n moving past, knowing in her mind that they were all CIA agents attached to her lab to make it look like it was a normal office from the prying eyes of the public, especially the press. 

Also, they were a kind of security team in case of any attack. But she had specifically declined any form of personal guard, claiming it would rob her of her privacy. Dr. Mary felt uneasy when the government first approached her about this job.

It had happened 8months ago, working at her private lab with just her assistant, Mark Munroe, on a late Friday afternoon. Mark had burst into her office, with a kiddish look of excitement on his face "Boss the feds are here", he said half shouting and also trying to hide his excitement.

"What do they want and how do you know they are feds?" she asked.

"It's obvious boss, what with their suits and dark shades. Sure looks like the movies," he said grinning.

"And they wanna speak to you ASAP, tell them I'll be right out".

"There'll be no need for that," colonel Bingham said as Mark was shuffled aside by two giants in suits to make way for the colonel to go inside the office.

"Apologies doc, but national security and the urgency of your nation's needs gives us no room for courtesies and pleasantries".

"Good day, Mr????". she left the question hanging.

"It's Colonel Bingham" he replied, thinking what a woman.

She had just had her privacy invaded and she was acting all cool and not threatening to call the cops. He made a mental note to personally watch her.

 "So Colonel, you mind telling me what brings you out to my lab".

"We are under attack" blurted out the colonel. He had wanted to be more subtle, but the way she had since handled herself told him he didn't need any subtlety, she had this toughness he could immediately see and sense emanating from her like radiation.

"And by we, I mean the United States of America".

"But by who and why do they wanna attack us, you'll be properly briefed once you agree to be a part of this defense not before" replied the colonel

"And if I refuse??? I'm afraid this is national security, refusing would mean a whole lot of things I can't even begin to go into," said the colonel. His face softened as he chipped in his final words "your doc is our last hope".

Whether it was the Colonel's face, demeanor, or the way he laid it out, she knew she was sold