Unmasking the Mercenary by Jennifer Morey

his duffel, spotted the satellite phone and hesitated. There were other things packed in the duffel. Ammunition. A knife in a holder. Packages of dried food. Extra clothes. Seeing a portion of what looked like the black handle of her P99, she pulled it up from the bottom of the bag and stared at it. At least she knew where it was now. Tucking it back under the contents of the bag, she retrieved the satellite phone and was about to withdraw when she noticed a partially unzipped compartment. Seeing something inside, she unzipped it the rest of the way and pulled out a photograph. A stunning woman with long, dark hair and dark eyes smiled for whomever took the photo. She stood in front of a brick ranch home in the fall of some year. Disconcerted by a sudden rush of jealous curiosity, Haley tucked the photo back into the pocket and zipped it shut.
    Climbing back into the passenger seat, she caught Rem adjusting the rearview mirror. She narrowed her eyes at him. Had he lowered it to check out her butt or keep an eye on what she found in the duffel?
    She entered the number and waited.
    “Odie,” she said, when the woman answered.
    “Let me guess, you aren’t boarding a plane today,” Odie said.
    “Let me explain.”
    “Cullen’s going to blow a gasket.”
    “Cullen is wrong about Rem, Odie.” She ignored Rem’s slow glance her way, feeling his surprise.
    “You say ’Rem’ like you’re getting cozy with him.”
    Haley sighed her impatience. “Go get Cullen.”
    “Didn’t take you long to get on first-name basis. It’s very…interesting, especially for you.” Haley heard the curbed teasing in her tone. Dryly she wondered what it cost the otherwise crass woman to hold back. She had to be dying to jab about what she perceived as Haley’s new love interest.
    That didn’t mean Haley didn’t use these opportunities to her advantage. “Not nearly as interesting as your phone conversations to that guy on the East Coast.” Odie humphed .
    Haley laughed. “Isn’t he kind of soft for your usual taste?”
    “Beats the he-men that are always coming and going from this place. Thank the Universe they’re in the field most the time.”
    It wasn’t the first time she’d heard Odie talk like that about men. “What do you have against operatives?”
    “They think they can have any woman they want, yet they’re all retarded when it comes to relationships.”
    “Somehow I can’t picture you wanting a relationship. That guy you met must be something.”
    “He is. But what I like about him most is he’s normal .”
    “Cullen said he’s an engineer.”
    “What’s wrong with that?”
    “Nothing, I—”
    “It’s a refreshing change,” Odie all but snapped, interrupting her in the process.
    It would never last. Not only did Haley hear it in her friend’s tone, but Odie with an engineer was just laughable.
    “You’ll be back at TES in no time,” she said.
    “Yeah, yeah. And you’ll be leaving it. It’s like Cullen all over again. You’re falling all over that guy instead of paying attention to your mission.”
    Before Haley could argue, Cullen got on the line. “Where are you?” He sounded furious.
    “Calm down. I’m fine. ”
    “Where are you?”
    She had to tell him. “On our way to Robertsport.”
    “We?”
    Haley stayed quiet. This wasn’t going to go well.
    “I’m sending in a team,” Cullen said.
    “No. Don’t do that. Just trust me on this, okay? This is turning into something big.”
    “Exactly what I don’t need to hear. Let me talk to him.”
    “What?” He wanted to talk to Rem? Should she let him?
    “D’Evereux. Put him on.”
    After hesitating a couple of beats, Haley handed Rem the phone. He raised a brow and she shrugged.
    He took the phone. “Yeah.”
    His eyes shifted to Haley and she could all but hear Cullen threaten him.
    “The last thing I want is anything to happen to her,” he said after a while. “It’s the reason I’m taking her with me…I don’t have a