Sensing Addison's approach, Antonia tried to shake her dazed mind. She spotted the soldier's gun and lunged upon it, jumping to her feet as the agent neared.

"Stop," she seethed, blood spitting from her mouth as she spoke. "Screw you, Addison. You may think you have won this round but now you die." Antonia saw movement to her side. Mark attempted to reach for Brian's sub machine gun but he froze as she said, "I wouldn't if I were you, Mark. You let me leave here and I let Addison live."

"No deal," replied Addison.

"I DIDN'T ASK YOU," screamed the brunette. "Mark?"

A sudden and disturbing thought occurred to Addison. "You wanted to be caught, didn't you? I mean, why else would you anagram the name?"

"Very clever, Addison. Of course I wanted to be caught. How else was I supposed to get out of the miserable situation my life was in? Brodie left behind a large pair of shoes and I intend on filling them." Antonia turned from Addison. "Now stop stalling me, Mark. I a.s.sume you will make the right decision."

Mark shook his head and said, "No."

Antonia's eyes widened then she smiled with a blase air. "Okay, fine." Pulling the trigger, she fired at Addison. A shot ricocheted across the room, followed by three more.

Addison lurched as pain stormed through her body. She grasped the side of her stomach, warm blood flowed again between her fingers, only this time it was her own. Looking back in shock, Addison stared at Antonia. The brunette's face was feral yet stunned. Her demeanour seemed to calm abruptly. She smiled and blood seeped past her lips like flowing wine. Her body crumpled and she fell to the ground. Behind her stood Skyler, the brunette's smoking gun still grasped within her hand. She stared down at the lifeless body of Antonia Bakersfield.

"Sky?" Addison whispered painfully.

"Mom's dead," The blonde replied hollowly.

"No." Rus.h.i.+ng back to Marlene, Marks composure shattered as he fell to his knees beside her body. He swept a hand through her hair. "Marlene... no." A chocked sob erupted from his throat as he broke down and cried.

Amongst the commotion around them Addison attempted to walk to Skyler. The blonde doctor seemed lost in a haze. She staggered half way before her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, landing on her side. Tears of excruciating pain stung her eyes. She felt faint, light headed and distant.

It was at that moment Skyler's foggy mind cleared. The gun fell from her hand as she spotted Addison. "No... Addison... not you too." She ran to the agent's side, dropping to the floor and cradled her head. "Stay with me, Addison, please."

Addison smiled. She attempted to raise her hand and handed the vial over to Skyler, wrapping her hand around the blondes, sealing Gemini safely between them. "I love you," she muttered as she slipped into unconsciousness.

"No..." Skyler cried. Her head fell to Addison's chest completely unaware of the men, dressed in full protection suits, charging into the ballroom. Pressing her hand to the agents wound she sobbed hot, salty tears. "Don't leave me, Addison, please," she begged. Upon the floor beside them, Skyler saw Addison's medals. Splashes of the agent's blood covered both of them. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, Skyler held Addison close and whispered, "I love you too."

Chapter 30.

Two months later...

In the converted lighthouse on Cornwall's rugged coast, Spike danced outside the bedroom door. It had been several hours since her mistress had disappeared inside with the blonde woman and the tiny black dog was getting desperate for a visit outside.

It was only impeccable training that a.s.sured Spike had not had an accident up to that point, but even the best-trained animals had their limit. She stood on her hind feet and pawed rapidly on the thick oak door emitting a low keening whine. The door flew open suddenly and Addison appeared pulling a black s.h.i.+rt on as she emerged.

"All right, all right, Spike I hear you. I'm sorry, girl, I know you're desperate for a waz, so let's get going." The small dog led the way to the door leading outside and sat waiting patiently as Addison disabled the alarm and allowed the mongrel the freedom she craved. As Spike galloped happily along the cliff top stopping occasionally to mark her territory, Addison settled on the top step and reflected on the events of the previous two months.

Her recovery from Antonia's nearly fatal gunshot was painful and laborious. There had not been a time previously when the agent had come so close to losing her life, even in the most pitched battle. She remembered the searing agony she had felt as the traitor's bullet entered her flesh and very little else after that. She pieced the story together from snippets Mark Blithe, Samuel, and Quinton Zimmerman had given her. They told her how Skyler had fired the fatal shot into Antonia Bakersfield after her mother had died in her arms and Addison was about to be her next victim.

Addison marveled at, and would always be humbled by, the knowledge that a woman like Skyler, so previously unsure of her ability to kill was prompted to defend a woman such as herself to the death. Through a dim fog Addison thought she recalled confessing her true feelings just prior to slipping into unconsciousness, but she could not be certain. Perhaps it had only been wishful thinking. Certainly when Skyler had arrived back in England a scant week ago, no mention of love had been made just as there had been no mention of it when Addison had regained consciousness in the hospital.

It had been understandable, at that time, that Skyler was still in shock from the loss of her mother; the last blood relative she had left and Addison felt that it was no time to push Skyler for a commitment of any kind. Only days after regaining consciousness Addison held back the tears as Skyler said goodbye to join Mark Blithe in returning her mother's body to the States. She was to be laid to rest beside her father. Though Addison understood the necessity of the action, she had never felt more alone in her life.

Several weeks had pa.s.sed, but as Addison recovered her physical strength her emotional strength dwindled as she received only short mails and truncated phone calls from the American. Just as Addison despaired of ever seeing Skyler again, a messenger had arrived with word that she was returning to Britain with General Blithe and wanted to see her immediately.

That had been a week ago. Addison remembered their meeting very clearly. Mark Blithe had delivered Skyler to Cornwall personally, but he slipped away again with barely a word to the agent and only a cryptic comment to Skyler about checking into "the matter we discussed". Addison hadn't asked what the General meant as the blonde had flown into her arms causing most rational thought to flee from the Brit's mind; the few days since then had been spent in each other's arms finally and fully recovering from their separate wounds.

Spike broke into Addison's thoughts with an excited yapping as she raced toward the lighthouse steps. The agent didn't need to be told Skyler had joined her, as this was Spike's reaction anytime the American was in her proximity.

"Spike, you're such a fickle little tart. You used to only respond to me like that. Now it seems you've developed quite an affinity for my overnight guests."

"And how many overnight guests have there been since I've been gone?" asked Skyler as she handed the agent a mug of tea and sat next to her on the step. Addison recognized the heavy olive green, cable knit sweater that Skyler wore as one of her own from her days in the Marines. As the blonde leaned her head against the agent's shoulder, Addison answered her with the honesty that had become the hallmark of their relations.h.i.+p.

"There's been none but you Skyler and if you leave there will never be one again." Skyler started at the words and drew back to look into Addison's eyes to look for the truth in them. The unusual combination of Addison's eye color did nothing to disguise the fact that her words were sincere and heartfelt. Skyler hesitated only a moment, drew in a deep breath and addressed the agent.

"Addison there are a few things I need to talk to you about, but it had to wait until today. I needed to wait until a few things were settled before I felt confident enough to speak to you about us." Addison was concerned, but knew she could do no more than listen to what the American had to say.

"It was the most difficult thing I had to do, going home and laying my mother to rest. If Mark hadn't been with me, I might have fallen apart completely. With you in the hospital and having had such a close call with that traitor, I wasn't sure if I could go through losing somebody I loved like I lost my father. I know that every time you go out on a mission that possibility will always exist." Addison felt a chill pa.s.s over her heart. Spike, sensing her mistresses' discomfort, clambered up the lighthouse steps and settle into Addison's lap, placing her small muzzle on her thigh. Automatically the Brit's hand moved to stroke the scruffy black fur.

Skyler continued. "I knew right then, standing at my father's grave that I had a serious choice to make. It was either accept and support your work in any way I could or cut myself off and lose the woman that I love forever." Addison glanced up anxiously into Skyler's green eyes.

"You do love me then?" Addison asked softly.

Skyler smiled, "I would think my being here with you would have answered that question, but yes, Agent Black, I do love you with all my heart." Just as Addison would have replied, a low tone was heard coming from the watch on her wrist.

"d.a.m.n this new technology of Samuel's! I've been waiting for the new communication device to activate and I might have known the timing would be this rotten. This had better be important or there will be h.e.l.l to pay," Addison said as she rose, tucking Spike under one arm and draping the other over Skyler's shoulder. "Come on, you might as well see the rest of my little hideaway."

Addison led the way through the garage, setting Spike down to process herself and Skyler through the security system, allowing their admittance to the armory. Addison's watch beeped insistently again as they made their way over to the recently installed equipment, placed there by Perkins a mere two weeks earlier. Spike contented herself with slipping in behind her two mistresses and returning to the large bone she had left there for safekeeping and began to gnaw on it with gusto.

Flipping a short series of switches, the image of General Blithe appeared on the satellite videophone. "Addison! Good to see you looking so chipper! I suspect the lovely Doctor Tidwell has had something to do with your improved appearance and enhanced recovery." He smiled. "Good to see you again, Skyler. I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Mark. I don't think I could have handled the trip home under the circ.u.mstances if you hadn't been there with me to lend your support and keep me apprised of Addison's hospital course everyday." The Brit was amazed. She had felt unremembered and a little neglected, but now she was learning that Skyler had known everything that was happening with her during her return to the States.

"It was my pleasure, Skyler. You are much your mother's daughter and she was a remarkable woman. I...well, I ...I shall miss her very much." Addison looked down as Skyler took her hand and squeezed it, seeking strength from the agent that she was most willing to give.

General Blithe cleared his throat and composed himself. "I have been doing some research into your request Skyler and with my contacts in the government and within S.A.S. itself, I am now able to give you news regarding it."

Addison glanced at Skyler but the American's full attention was on the image of General Blithe. "What is the decision, Mark?" she asked anxiously.

Mark opened his mouth to reply but Addison had stood by long enough without knowing what was going on. "Hold it, Mark! What are you two going on about? What request and what decision? I have a feeling this is going to concern me in some way and I think I have the right to know what is being done without my knowledge. Now, who is going to enlighten me?" She moved her glance from Mark to Skyler and then backs again.

The general shrugged. "No need to get up a head of steam, Addison. This whole business started on the plane ride from London to the States. Neither Skyler nor I felt much like sleeping so we talked. I complimented her on figuring out the anagram of the name Tobias F. Kleein and also for spotting the jewelry that didn't fit in with Miss Bakersfield's story. Skyler's capacity for knowledge is quite extraordinary." This was not news to Addison and she nodded at the general's observation.

"Skyler was very worried about you, Addison, and she commented more than once that she wished some of the knowledge she has picked up over the remarkable course of her studies would have done you some good prior to you being nearly...well, severely wounded by that demented traitor." Addison looked again at Skyler who now had moisture collecting in the corners of her green eyes.

"If I had lost you, Addison..." she began.

"You didn't and you won't," the agent replied with conviction. "Ever."

Mark cleared his throat and said, "Like any outstanding administrator, I have an eye for whatever may benefit my group and I saw the potential for what Skyler was getting at it. I have been trying to think for quite a while now of a way to bridge that gap between the advance sciences we are developing in the labs and the practical use and knowledge of our agents in the field. It took a bit of wrangling, but Addison, I'd like you to meet the newest member of the Special Ops team, Doctor Skyler Tidwell. She will be working as our contact between the agents and the research, science and development sectors to provide the operative in the field with the best information possible."

"Skyler in the field?" Addison nearly shouted. "No way! First Agnes Brodie then Antonia Bakersfield and G.o.d knows who else might turn out to be involved when we're done questioning Brian Cooling. I'm not having Skyler exposed to that sort of danger ever again!"

Skyler sighed and smiled at her protective partner. "Technology, Addison, that's the key. Think about what an advantage it would be to have an operative, a control if you will, at your disposal throughout a mission. A miniaturized camera on your person, a device like a cochlear implant in your ear and it would be as if you were taking all the resources of Special Operations with you every time you went into the field. You already have the bio-chip in you, this would be just taking that concept one step further."

Addison thought about it as the consummate professional that she was and was able to see the distinct edge something like the general and Skyler were talking about, would be. Although Alon and the female guard were recovering from their wounds, it had been close for both of them. This was an edge that might save lives and anything on that order was worth checking into.

"But what about your own work?" Addison asked, suddenly concerned that Skyler may be giving up her own dreams to be with her.

Skyler turned fully to the agent now. "Addison, I love you. Do you think there is anything in the world that interests me as much as you now? I knew standing at my father's grave that the only way I could bear to know about you leaving to go on a mission would be to go 'with' you. So, when we come back from our well-deserved holiday in Egypt, you and I are going to be the prototype of the new Special Ops team. The question is, are you up for it, Agent?"

General Blithe watched the exchange between the women with interest. Unselfconsciously, Addison pulled Skyler to her and kissed her with undisguised enthusiasm. "I love you, Skyler Tidwell, and with you, I'm up for anything." She kissed Skyler again and her arm reached out to the controls of the videophone as she did so. The screen in Mark's office went blank.

The general chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. "Science, technology and Black's Magic. Now this should be interesting."

The End.