Honor Under Siege - Radclyffe

Cam

grinned.

“Guilty

as

charged.

“Excuse me, Paula Stark said as she made her way down

the center aisle. “Well be on the ground in a few minutes.

Ground transport will meet us on the tarmac. Youll exit once

weve cleared

the area, Ms. Powel .

“Thank you, Paula. I know the

drill. “Yes maam.

“Sorry. Blair sighed, already feeling the claustrophobic atmosphere

of priority one security. “Paula, Ill be staying at Cams after

we finish at the White House.

Paula nodded, her expression never changing. “Yes maam.

When Stark had moved back toward the front of the plane, stopping

partway to confer with her team, Cam whispered, “It would be easier if

we stayed at the White House.

“Easier

for

whom?

Cam laughed. “Your security

team.

“I dont like to make love in those antique

beds.

“Have plans, do

you?

“Oh yes, Blair whispered. “I most definitely have

plans.

Cam set led back for the landing, Blairs hand stil in hers. “Wel ,

then, the security team wil just have to make adjustments.

Chapter Three

P aula exited the plane first, fol owed by Hara and Wozinski. Felicia

Davis waited just inside the open door to accompany Blair. Two late-

model black Suburbans idled at the edge of the tarmac, each with a

driver behind the wheel

and an agent standing near the open rear door. The ground transport

teams were Washington-based Secret Service field agents who were

cal ed upon to provide backup support for the first family and

visiting dignitaries upon the protectees arrival in DC.

Hara and Wozinski stopped at the bot om of the flight stairs while Paula

crossed to the vehicles. She checked the IDs of every agent, scanned the

front and rear compartments of both vehicles, and then took a slow

visual survey of everything with a sight line to the path Blair

would take from the plane to the Suburbanother vehicles, rooftops,

communication towers. Everything she did was SOP, but it would

never be routine again. Blairs security had been breached. They

had al learned a lesson at a nearly inconceivable price.

“Ms. Powel wil ride with you, Paula said, leaning down to the open

drivers window of the first vehicle. “Il advise as to route once were in

motion.

“Yes maam, the driver, a fresh-faced blond with a military style

haircut, said sharply.

Paula walked back to the plane. When shed contacted the Washington

team, shed outlined three potential motorcade routes from the air force

base to the White House. Blair was vulnerable on the road in any type of

vehicle, even with bul etproof glass and armored plating. Something as

simple as a suicide driver in a tanker truck loaded with gasoline could

kil her.

Once again, this was standard operating procedure, but Paula

was uncomfortably aware of not total y trusting anyone outside of

her immediate team. She did not welcome the feeling that no one, even

those she should be able to trust implicitly, was above suspicion any

longer, and she feared the situation was the new status quo.

With a nod to Hara and Wozinski, she started up the stairs to the

plane. The pilots had not powered down the engines, remaining

prepared to take flight again on her word if anything appeared amiss.

“Clear to disembark, she reported to the marine who had accompanied

them in flight. He saluted and went forward to advise the pilot and

copilot while she waited on the narrow platform at the top of the stairs,

shielding the door and any view of Blair with her body.

Inside the cabin, Felicia stepped to one side so that Blair and Cam could

pass. She then moved up behind Blair.

“You should let Renée go down first, Paula, Blair said, halting at the top

of the stairs. “Shes going to have trouble on the stairs with those

crutches.

“Lets proceed to your vehicle, Ms. Powel , Paula said. “Hara can give

Agent

Savard a hand in a

moment.

Blair started to protest, then felt a gentle touch on the base of her spine

just as

Cam whispered, “Youre not secure here. Lets

go.

“God, now Ive got t wo of you ordering me around, Blair mut ered,

but she started down behind Paula. As soon as she reached the

ground, Hara and Wozinski closed in on either side, and with Felicia

behind, the agents formed a protective ring around Blair and Cam as

Paula led the way to the first vehicle. An agent Blair didnt recognize

opened the rear door and she and Cam climbed in.

“Were in the middle of a United States Air Force base, Blair griped.

“The marine unit that protects my father and the White House is

stationed here. What in Gods name could happen to me walking from

the plane?

“It doesnt mat er where we are, Cam said quietly. “Were at

priority one.

Blair sighed. “And Im sure Stark realizes youre watching her every

move. Il be lucky if she lets me take a breath without permission.

“Im not watching her every move, Cam said. “I already know that Stark

knows

what needs to be done. And she knows that

too.

“Sorry. Blair peered out through the smoked bul etproof

glass. Felicia had apparently returned to the plane after Blair was

secure in the vehicle, and she and Hara crossed the tarmac

toward the second car with Renée between them. Paula and

Wozinski headed toward their vehicle. “Im edgy.

Cam took her hand. “I know. Its okay.

Paula climbed into the rear, Wozinski into the

front.

“Would you still like to go directly to the White House,

Ms. Powel ? Paula asked.

“Yes, thank you.

Paula keyed her transmitter to contact the drivers of both

vehicles. “Destination Alpha, route Delta.

The Suburban accelerated smoothly and quickly away from

the runway, and Blair settled back for the familiar ride.

* * * * *

“Are you okay? Cam asked.

Across from them, Stark looked out the window, her

expression remote. Cam knew from experience that she

could hear their conversation, but by means of some

unconscious filter cultivated by most Secret Service agents for

their own comfort as well as that of their protectees, she would

not register the meaning of the words.

“I just want to find out what onerous chore Luce has planned

for me now. Its been a while since Ive had a command

performance, so I imagine she needs a visible White House

presence somewhere.

Cam wasnt happy with that thought. Ordinarily, Lucinda

tapped Blair when the White House wanted to make a statement,

the kind of declaration that the president couldnt make himself

for political reasonssuch as offering support for a pro-

choice charitable organization or attendance at a fundraiser for

a beleaguered political al y. Sometimes, the White House just

needed a presence at a media-worthy event, and Blair was

always popular. She was beautiful, wel -educated, and

personable. She was a great stand-in for her father. And her

status made her a great target.

“Now isnt exactly the time to be parading you out in public,

Cam observed.

“What? Blair focused on Cam, aware of the tight thread

of disapproval in her tone. “Do you want me to sit in a dark

room somewhere for the rest of my fathers presidency?

“That might not be a bad

idea.

In the past they would have fought about it. As it was,

Blair struggled with her temper and her overwhelming need

not to be control ed. Shed spent all her life resisting the efforts

of others to safeguard her at the cost of her independence. Shed

resisted Cam, too, for months, even as she tried to seduce her.

Shed wanted to prove that she didnt need to be protected, and

shed wanted to undercut Cams authority over her.

Unfortunately, her plan hadnt worked. Shed fal en in love, and

although she hadnt realized what that meant at first, she did

now. Loving, being loved, was a

responsibility. The decisions she made now didnt just affect

her, they affected Cams life, too. So she took a breath and

listened to what Cam hadnt said. Cam was worried for her.

“Remember you said yourself we couldnt stop living, Blair

said. “We cant let whoever tried to destroy us think theyve

frightened me into hiding.

A pulse pounded in Cams neck. “I wasnt talking about putting

you on display somewhere when I said that.

“You dont know thats what Lucinda wants.

“Shes gearing up for your fathers reelection campaign. Shes

not going to put that on hold no matter whats happening

on the international scene. Cam consciously relaxed her hands,

which had tightened into fists. “And youre going to be a great

campaign asset.

“Darling, Ive never been a great campaign asset. Im the wild child,

remember? Blair laughed, thinking of the international debacle that

would have resulted if her af air the year before with the French

ambassadors wife had come to light. “My security chiefs spent half their

time trying to keep me out of the press, not in it.

“Not anymore. Cam trailed her fingers down Blairs cheek. “Youre as

close to a first lady as this country has. And the public loves you.

“Lets just wait and see what she wants, Blair said, but she had an uneasy

feeling that Cam might be right. Shed taken a back seat during her

fathers run for the presidency, but she wouldnt be able to do that

again. She wanted him to be reelected. The country needed him. And if

he needed her , she might have to get used to campaigning. She found

Cams hand and squeezed it. “Im not the first lady. Im just your lady.

“When did you figure out just what I needed to hear?

Cam

murmured, kissing Blairs temple.

“Ive been practicing.

“Youre doing wel .

Blair smiled. “Yeah? How wel ?

“Want to keep Lucinda waiting for an hour or

two?

“Yes. Blair leaned closer to Cam. Dropping her voice,

she whispered, “Youre not the only one whos been suffering

while you recuperated.

“Then its probably going to take me more than two hours to

make it up to you. It might take me all night.

“Then I guess Ill just have to suffer a little while longer. With

a satisfied expression, Blair leaned back and closed her

eyes. “Because I dont intend to hurry.

* * * * *

When Emilio, assistant to the White House Chief of Staff, directed

Blair and Cam into Lucinda Washburns office, Lucinda was on

the phone. Blair waved to the commanding looking woman

with the stylishly coiffed, silver-streaked black hair. As usual,

Lucinda wore a conservatively styled jacket and skirt, plum

colored this time, offset by burnished gold jewelry at her ears

and throat. A single large, square cut emerald in a plain gold

setting adorned the ring finger of her right hand. That, Blair

noted, was new.

Lucinda paced in front of a wide walnut desk covered with

neat

stacks of folders and memoranda. When she caught Blairs

eye, she mouthed coffee and pointed to a credenza against one

wall .

Blair signed, you too? and at Lucindas nod, proceeded to

pour coffee into three China cups. She handed one to Lucinda

and then carried the others to the sofa across from Lucindas

desk, where Cam was waiting. They sipped in silence as

Lucinda expertly pressured whoever was on the phone.

Her tone was even and unmistakably edged with flint.

“Listen Tom, I real y dont care if Charlie has to walk all the

way from Chicago. He owes us that vote and I expect him

to be here tomorrow morning for roll call. With a faint smile,

she concluded, “Either that, or hell find himself pushing that

school tax referendum up a long steep hill all by himself.

Lucinda listened for another few seconds, said, “Wonderful,

and hung up. Then she crossed the room and settled into one

of the brocade Chippendale chairs facing Blair and Cam. “Good

flight?

“Military transport isnt known for luxury, Blair

said. “True, Lucinda conceded. “But theyre

reliable. “Wel , Im here now, so what do you

need?

“Id forgot en how much you enjoy smal talk. Lucinda turned to Cam.

“How are you feeling?

“Bet er

every

day.

“Judicious

answer.

“Luce, Blair said impatiently. “I was having a real y nice morning

when you

cal ed. A walk on the beach, and then I was planning on going back to

bed. Once there, I intended to sedu

“You can probably skip those details, Blair, Cam interjected, brushing

her hand down Blairs arm.

Lucinda laughed. “I wouldnt put it past you to tel me al the details, Blair,

just to make me suf er. Considering that I havent been out of this of ice

before 2 a.m. the last month, I havent exactly been getting

Blair held up her hands. “I dont want to know what you do in your

spare time.

“Truce then. Lucindas expression softened for an instant. “You look

rested, both of you, as much as can be expected. Doing al right?

Both Blair and Cam

nodded.

“Good. Lucinda drained her cof ee cup and set it careful y on a

low cherrywood Federal table. “We have a slight problem that I think

you can help us with.

Blair stif ened. Cam remained completely stil , but her eyes sharpened

as she studied Lucindas face.