Compact with the Devil: A Novel Read Free

handing the keys over to Ellen.
    “It’s out front,” said Nikki. “Look out for the two guys in the underbrush.” Ellen nodded and jogged away with the keys. Nikki smiled wanly at Ellen’s easy burst of activity. When they had first met in training over a year ago, Ellen had been struggling to run a mile.
    The drive back to the rendezvous was accomplished in silence—a humid and slightly embarrassed silence from the team; icy fury from Camille. Meanwhile, Nikki’s mind alternated between the failure of the mission and her failure as a girlfriend. Nikki rubbed her temples, dislodging sweaty red curls from her ponytail.
    Besides the ludicrous amount of chemistry between them and the ridiculous fascination that Z’ev held for her, they actuallyworked well together. During her first mission in Thailand they had operated as a team, albeit a strange team, where she knew he was CIA and he knew nothing about Carrie Mae. But in the year since then it seemed that he’d managed to convince himself that her behavior had been a fluke—as if Nikki’s occasional brushes with death and willingness to tote heavy artillery were simply character flaws. He had reverted to treating her like just a girl.
    An hour and a half later the van jerked to a halt and the team slowly exited, hauling their gear behind them.
    “Operations room, twenty minutes,” barked Camille, pushing through the double doors of the office building that was Carrie Mae’s Colombian headquarters.
    “Nikki, y’all are so getting screwed over this,” said Jenny, watching Camille walk away. Jenny and Ellen were two-thirds of the team that Nikki had brought down to Colombia to help with this mission. Presumably Jane, the third, was inside being briefed on Nikki’s shortcomings.
    “Thanks, Jen, that’s really helpful,” said Nikki sarcastically. Jenny had a talent for stating what everyone else would prefer to leave unsaid.
    “It wasn’t your fault,” said one of the Colombian girls with a shrug.
    “Camille’s just like that,” said another.
    “She’s a good boss if you can just keep her from interfering in the day-to-day stuff,” said the first girl.
    “I think she misses the action,” said the second thoughtfully. “But she’s too busy to go to the briefings and then she won’t listen to anyone who has. Not your fault.”
    “It wasn’t your fault,” agreed Jenny, “but that woman is going to try to kick your ass six ways from Sunday.” Jenny, a true born Southerner, was constantly forcing her gracious, Georgia-peachaccent to wrap itself around the hard-nosed aspects of her personality. Hearing her speak was like being mugged by someone really nice. “You know how else you’re going to get screwed? Your mom is going to be absolutely gonzo if she can’t reach you on the phone.”
    “I told her last night I was going to be missing Christmas and she yelled at me and then hung up. And usually after the yelling she gives me the silent treatment for a week. That’s why I didn’t call her till last night,” said Nikki, feeling the familiar twinge of guilt.
    “You mean you mentally manipulated your own mother!” exclaimed Jenny. “I don’t know whether to be horrified or impressed.”
    “What? I wanted some vacation time with Z’ev to myself without her calling. I just figured that timing was everything, as Mrs. Merrivel says.”
    Jenny shook her head, looking both amused and disgusted.
    “Let’s just get this over with,” said Nikki with a sigh, and started toward the building.
    “Did you really break up with Z’ev?” asked Jenny as they walked.
    “He canceled vacation plans, again,” said Nikki.
    “That’s not good,” said Jenny. “You don’t think it had anything to do with …” Nikki shot her a warning look as they entered the building and Jenny changed the topic. “Well, can’t you just keep him around for sex?”
    Startled, Nikki tripped over the carpet in the entryway and careened into a passing office worker.