"Twenty-Six... Twenty-Five..."

Hands firmly entwined, the women fled from the elevator and down two corridors before reaching the entrance of the complex. As they stepped out into the blinding Israeli sun they caught a first glimpse of Alon's attack on the compound. Many Mossad agents were in the process of taking down the remainder of Brodie's soldiers.

Spotting her friend, Addison called him frantically. "Alon"

The man looked up from handcuffing a kneeling soldier. "Addison."

"Give me a grenade."

"A what?"

"A grenade," Addison repeated impatiently Alon didn't waste time in retrieving one from his shoulder pack and threw it to Addison. The agent caught it swiftly.

"Now everyone get out of here. RUN! This place is gonna BLOW!"

As soon as her words were spoken people began to turn and run. Skyler did so, as well, but stopped as she sensed Addison run back into the compound.

"Addison?"

"Trust me, Sky. I'll be back. Just run."

The hesitation and concern was clear upon Skyler's face."

"Do it. Run! I'll follow. I promise."

Nodding, Skyler could only do as Addison asked and she turned, running from the compound to the safety of the hills.

Addison turned and ran back into the building.

"Fifteen... Fourteen... Thirteen..."

The agent ran back to the elevator and reopened the shaft doors. Lighting in the building dimmed further to a rapid succession flas.h.i.+ng red.

"Ten... Nine... Eight..."

Addison took the pin in her fingers and waited.

"Six... Five..."

Knowing it was time, Addison pulled the pin from the grenade and dropped it through the hole in the elevator car's floor. She didn't wait to see it fall down into the shaft but turned and ran as fast as she was physically able. The elevator doors closed as Addison took one corner and ran towards the exit.

"Two... One..."

Addison made it back out into the open and continued to run. Behind her she heard... "Warning; Isolation Chamber Breech has occurred," before the grenade exploded. Addison continued to run knowing that it was only the beginning because as the initial explosion met with the gas and oxygen the entire compound erupted like a savage volcano.

Its noise was ear splitting. The ground shook and trembled weakly underfoot as pockets of fire opened through the sand. Flames shot into the air like a smouldering inferno. Not even the complex structure could stand over the face of the blast. Its bricks burst apart and scattered across the sand.

Addison ran until the sheer force pushed her to the ground and she landed face first in the sand, arms covering her head. Around her plumes of smoke, shattered brick and savage flames exploded around what was left of the complex, shooting hot debris into the air. Sand briefly filled the atmosphere. Many handfuls of grains solidified to gla.s.s through the sheer heat of the blast. The scent was overwhelming and the temperature combined with the sun scalded the land. For many seconds, hot rubble fell like rain upon the ground.

As soon as she felt it was safe, Addison climbed back to her feet. She continued to run towards the safety of the hill where she knew Skyler, Alon and the rest of the team were taking cover. Once far enough away, Addison turned and looked back at the carnage. The inferno of heat had turned the flames, rubble and smoke into a flickering blur. The agent squinted through the haze.

"Addison!" Skyler jumped over the hill and ran into the agent's arms. "Are you insane?"

"Oh, I'm okay, thank you for asking."

Skyler ignored the agent's sarcasm. "We destroyed Project Gemini, right?"

Addison ran her hand through Skyler's dusty hair. She hugged the blonde closer and looked over her shoulder at the flickering remains. "Yes, it's destroyed." Addison remembered Brodie's unconscious body lying in the middle of the laboratory. "Everything is destroyed." She hugged Skyler harder as a weighty shadow of foreboding lifted from their shoulders.

Chapter 24.

"So, it's the consensus that Project Gemini, at least as far as what was stolen, has been destroyed?" General Blithe asked his agent.

"Yes, sir," Addison replied, s.h.i.+fting on the leather couch in the General's office. She had received medical attention to the wound in her side and it was only occasionally that a twinge of discomfort reminded her of the bullet that had pa.s.sed through her flesh. "Both our best scientists and the Israeli experts agree that the temperatures reached in the explosion were more than enough to eradicate the bacillus. Both the beneficial Jekyll side and the noxious Hyde application would have been destroyed. They will keep the area under quarantine of course until final culture results of the site return, but confidence is high."

"That's good then," her boss replied.

"I'll be honest though, Mark, I'm still concerned. Brodie practically crowed that they had replicated Project Gemini and had perfected the Hyde application, but she never told us what they inserted into the bacillus or who she was working for. That's information we'll never get from her now."

Mark rubbed his hand over his chin in thought. "Any chance Brodie was bluffing?"

Addison considered this. "I suppose it's always a possibility. Agnes was a liar as well as a kidnapper, thief and murderer. I wouldn't put it past her, but I still want to know who Dr. Kleein is."

Mark nodded his agreement. "Would have been advantageous if she had survived I agree, but if Agnes Brodie and her team were willing to work on anything for money, maybe it's better they were terminated."

Addison frowned. "I suppose so, Mark. Due to the explosion and heat there wasn't much left in the way of human remains. Some of those people had families and they will never know what happened to them. That's not a good feeling, but I wanted to send Agnes to h.e.l.l. If you had seen that inferno in Israel you would know I more than accomplished that."

"I realize it is cold comfort, Addison, but you've avenged James Easton's death at Brodie's hands and you've rid the world of something vile. It was good work."

Addison reached down and stroked the soft black fur of Spike who was laying contentedly along side the agent on the couch. The tiny dog turned her head to swipe a pink tongue across Addison's hand before settling back in to enjoy her mistress' attention.

"And you got Skyler Tidwell back in good shape as well by what I observed," Mark noted as he moved from the chair behind his desk and began to pace his office. "It was certainly touching when Marlene...Professor Tidwell...was reunited with Skyler." Mark remembered the meeting of mother and daughter on the tarmac as Skyler descended from the transport. The obviously deep and abiding love between them had touched the soldier's heart in a way he no longer had thought possible. Addison, following Skyler down the stairway, was diplomatic in pretending not to notice the errant tear that had appeared in her superior's eye.

General Blithe greeted Addison with the restraint typical of the British in public. "Well done, Black," he said as he clapped her on the shoulder. "Spot on." Addison shrugged, uncomfortable with the attention.

Marlene left her daughter briefly to take the few steps to Addison. Green eyes, so like her daughter's, looked at the operative.

"Agent Black, you made a promise to me and you kept it. You brought my daughter back home safely. I can never repay you for that." She leaned over and kissed Addison on the cheek.

Mark chuckled at the memory of the very lethal Addison Black standing between the Tidwell women blus.h.i.+ng to her roots.

"Something amusing?" Addison asked, bringing the general back to the present.

"Um, not at all. I was just thinking about the festivities we have planned for your homecoming and smas.h.i.+ng success. Even though the public will never know how close they came to disaster, we know and appreciate your work. I think this gala is just what we need. Confidentially, I heard it's possible the Prime Minister may attend. There might be a medal in this for you. Unpublicized of course."

Addison stuck out her tongue and made a rude noise, indicating what she thought of the prospect of the decoration. Spike lifted her head and added a growl before being soothed again by her best friend.

"Not interested, Mark," Addison said. "You know I never cared for those fancy dress parties with everybody congratulating each other on a job well done that half of them never partic.i.p.ated in. It's political and I hate politics."

"Normally so do I but this time I'll be going with Doctor Tidwell on my arm." Seeing Addison's body tense, he immediately clarified his statement. "The older Doctor Tidwell that is." Addison said nothing, but her body relaxed back against the leather cus.h.i.+ons. Spike took the opportunity to work her muzzle under Addison's hand, blatantly seeking affection.

"Of course that leaves the younger Doctor Tidwell without an escort."

The agent opened her mouth to issue a sharp retort, but she stopped as the memory of Skyler in Israel a.s.saulted her. In her mind's eye she saw Skyler suturing her after she was wounded, Skyler's wide eyes when she saw her body in the makes.h.i.+ft shower and Skyler responding to her kiss in front of Brodie. She was reminded of the way Skyler ran into her arms after the explosion, uncaring of who saw them together. She remembered the way Skyler reached to drape Addison's arm around her as they sat side-by-side on the transport home from Israel and how right and contented she felt when the American did that.

"You could be right. Maybe I should attend this time," the agent admitted. "Who do I see about an invitation?"

"Just check with Miss Bakersfield on the way out; she's handling most of the arrangements."

"Right then, if you're done with me I'm leaving for the day. C'mon Spike, let's get out of here and get some fresh air. I'll speak to you tomorrow, Mark."

"Give my regards to Skyler," the general said off-handedly.

Addison quirked an eyebrow, "Not before I give her my own," she said as she left the office.

At her desk outside, Antonia Bakersfield looked up and gave her best smile to the agent. "It's good to see you again, Agent Black. And looking so fit." The secretary's gaze ran the length of Addison's body. Another time and Addison might have entered into the s.e.xy banter that usually marked their interaction, but this time she was in a hurry to see Skyler.

"Mark said you would be making arrangements for the gala. Put me down to attend."

"Really?" Antonia asked. "You usually never go to these things. I think you'll enjoy it though; many of your old friends will be there. Agent Zimmerman just contacted me; he seemed quite anxious to attend.

"Quinton, eh? That's good, I've been wanting to speak to him anyway about that weapons problem we had on Skye," Addison noted. "So, put me down for a party of two, Antonia."

"Two?" she asked hopefully.

Addison reached down to pick up the scruffy black dog. "Yes, myself and Miss Skyler Tidwell. See you later, Antonia."

The agent strolled from the office, completely missing the crestfallen look on the secretary's face.

At that moment, Skyler and Marlene were seated in two very comfortable wingback chairs in the library in General Blithe's home. They had spent every moment of the previous hectic two days together, the reality only settling in now that they were both safe and unharmed. Skyler was prepared for the talk she knew she needed to have with her mother.

"It's been really busy since you got back," Marlene said as she settled back in the chair. She crossed her legs and waited. She and Skyler were closer than most other mothers and daughters and she knew by the way Skyler tucked one leg under herself as she sat that there was something on her mind. Her unique daughter would tell her when she was ready.

"Yeah, they practically grabbed us off the runway," Skyler agreed. She had been met by representatives from the American Emba.s.sy as well as their British counterparts and seen doctors, psychologists, security people, counter terrorism experts and a litany of others all of whom had an interest in the foiling of an international biological threat.

Despite all the people included, not a word had leaked to the press. It's a world in itself, Skyler marvelled. I had no idea it even existed. She found her quick mind absorbing the experience and enjoying it. As many people as she met, the one person she really wanted to see was nowhere to be found. Where are you, Addison? She thought over and over again. The last time she saw the beautiful agent, she was being hustled into an ambulance as Skyler was being pushed into a limousine. Their eyes had met briefly and the American could physically feel the rea.s.surance in the look. Then Addison had winked as she stepped into the vehicle.

Thinking of Addison reminded Skyler why she wanted to speak to her mother in the first place. "Mom, it's been great being here with you and it was so generous of General Blithe to give over his house for our use, but..."

"But you'd like a little more s.p.a.ce to yourself now that you know I'm fine," her mother finished for her. "You've always had an independent nature," Marlene said as she smiled at her daughter fondly.

"It's not you, Mom, really it's not. It's just that...well, when I was in Israel...Addison and I..." The woman whose life had been scholarly pursuits now found herself at a loss for words.

"Skyler, are you trying to tell me you have feelings for Agent Black?"

Skyler blushed, but met her mother's gaze directly. "I might, would that be a problem?"

"Not for me, honey, but maybe for you. I'm fine with whoever you want in your life. Don't you think I know there is no rhyme or reason to who we are attracted to? The human heart is a tough thing to understand and the chemistry between two people is just plain baffling. Look at your Dad and I. I don't think there were two more different people, but I loved him with my whole heart and I know he loved me. How something like that happens is just something we haven't been able to unravel. Frankly, I hope we never do. But Skyler, you aren't in this alone; what does Addison think about it?"

Skyler ran a hand through her blonde locks. "G.o.d, I'm not sure. I mean...when we were in Israel, and maybe before that, I felt like we had some kind of connection. She's a wonderful woman, Mom, so much more than she lets people see. She's warm and caring and funny and..."

Marlene raised her hands in mock surrender. "You don't have to convince me, I believe you. I saw the look in her eyes when she told me she was going to bring you back. That is one determined woman. So, you need your own place to explore the possibilities. Am I right?"

"Something like that," Skyler agreed. She rose and walked slowly in front of the large fireplace that was a feature of the room. "I'd like to explore the possibilities, but first I have to locate the elusive Addison Black. I don't know where she is or what's happened to her. I haven't heard a word since we've been back and I'm worried sick. My makes.h.i.+ft patchwork on her wound might have caused problems that I don't even know about!"

"She's fine, Skyler," Marlene said in a soothing tone. "She's with Mark."

Skyler stopped mid-stride. "How do you know?"

It was Marlene's turn to blush. "Well, Mark called earlier while you were still asleep. He mentioned Agent Black would be working with him today. Apparently it's standard following a mission of this kind."

Marlene's blush did not go un-noticed by her daughter. "What exactly has been going on here while I was gone?"

"Wait a minute," Marlene objected in a light-hearted fas.h.i.+on. "We weren't talking about me."

"But we could be," Skyler replied. "So what did the general want?"

The older Tidwell attempted to appear nonchalant. "He just wanted me to know you have an apartment available for your use if you want it. I told him yesterday you might want that. It's something of a 'safe house' he said."

"So you and General Blithe are getting pretty chummy, huh?" Skyler was happy her mother was taking an interest in having a social life again.

"I don't know," Marlene said honestly, "but I know I like him. I like him a great deal and he's asked me to accompany him to a formal affair that Special Operations is hosting."

"Are you going?" Skyler asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in...Britain!" They laughed at the easy conversation.

Skyler sat back down and leaned forward, elbows on knees, and addressed her mother. "This is all new to me, Mom, and it scares me a little. Books, cla.s.ses and the university were my whole world for such a long time that it's hard for me to believe this might actually be happening. I might be...falling in love with someone. It's like I'm just starting to have a life now."

Marlene nodded. "Maybe it's time we both started to live."

Chapter 25.

The Sheridan complex was a small yet prestigious residence. It stood less than ten miles from Headquarters and had become a temporary home for Skyler Tidwell. Only four floors high, its white-brick stature gleamed with the vision of recently constructed architecture. To local city inhabitants it was deemed a must-see landmark with its arched windows, moulded brickwork and domed roof. To Addison, it was an eyesore and if it weren't for Skyler's presence, Addison would have preferred to stay away. Stepping into the building, Addison headed for the stairs.

A young woman standing behind a white, Macintosh style, front desk called out to her. "Can I help you, Miss?"

"No thanks," Addison replied. "I'm here to see Miss Skyler Tidwell; she's staying in flat seven."

"Is she expecting you?"

"Oh, of course," Addison fibbed. She pulled a mobile phone from her jeans pocket. "I just spoke to her. She is waiting on me right now. If you wish you can call through and let her know that Agent Addison Black is here to see her." The agent had an inner feeling her offer would only be taken to determine Addison was who she said she was. With a polite smile Addison ascended the stairs to the third floor of the hotel. She chuckled as she pulled Spike out from underneath her black leather jacket.

"Good girl for not moving, Spiky." Addison wasn't sure whether animals other than resident's pets were allowed into the building. Spiky waggled her stunted tail and struggled to get down. "Hold on, midget." When she reached the third floor, Addison placed Spike upon the carpeted ground. "Stay beside me, girl." The tiny mongrel trotted happily beside her mistress.

Stopping when she reached door number seven, Addison looked down at Spike. A fluttering of apprehension flickered in her stomach. Though it had only been five days since she and Skyler parted, Addison wondered how the doctor would react to her appearance. From the outset of their meeting they had been put into a position where they had no choice but to tolerate each other's company and although they had seemed to bond as time pa.s.sed, Addison wondered what Skyler really thought of her. Yes she seemed to like her; Addison was never usually wrong when reading signals. The trouble was, was their presumably budding friends.h.i.+p all there was to it?