Houston: The Girl Of His Dreams Pt. 02

"I could use some meat myself, but not the kind they serve in the restaurant," Houston said playfully.

"Feeling a bit naughty, are we?" John asked.

"Well, you were out of it for what, two days? A girl has needs, you know."

"Tell you what, let's go grab a bite to eat and come back up for some playtime," John said.

"You're on," she said, kissing her husband on the lips. They went to the restaurant where John ordered a 10 ounce dry-aged ribeye steak, new potatoes and spinach. Houston ordered some organic salmon fish cake and a watercress salad. It set their budget back a bit, but John figured he owed it to himself since he hadn't eaten any real food in two days.

Afterward, they went back to their room where they wasted no time making frantic love to each other. They fell asleep in each other's arms and met Roisin in front of the hotel the next morning at 7:00.

John was met with applause when he walked into the team room at MI6 headquarters. He shook hands with Ross and the other members of Roisin's crew, then settled in to catch himself up on everything that happened since he was shot.

A couple hours later, Regis and the Home Secretary, Brent Cavanaugh, entered the room and got everyone's attention.

"We just received word that there's been an incident involving the President at Fort Apache," Brent said. "As far as we know, the PM is okay, however, one of our people -- Ian McWhorter -- has been arrested along with several others." He turned to Regis, who picked up the briefing from there.

"I've spoken with the head of the HomeFront Security Task Force, and have been told that the Speaker of the House, the current First Lady and others have been arrested. The President suffered only minor defensive injuries, but I'm told he's doing okay. John, I'd like you to reach out to our liaison officer and get as much as you can from him," Regis said.

"Will do, boss," John said.

"As you can imagine, there's been a media blackout on this," Regis added. "Aside from the main players at Fort Apache, you are the only others who know about this. I'm told the president will address the nation later, perhaps today or tomorrow."

After he finished, everyone turned back to their work. John pulled out his secure phone and called Ryan Ogilvie, Alpha Sector's new liaison officer assigned to the Task Force. Ryan picked up after the second ring.

"John, good to hear from you," he said. "How are you feeling? I heard you got shot."

"I'm doing well, Ryan, thanks for asking," John told him. "What's your sitrep?"

"Security was already tight as a drum here, but it's gotten even tighter, if you can believe it. There's armed Marines and Secret Service everywhere. The president is okay, though. He and the prime minister have been meeting for a good while now. Ian McWhorter has been arrested, and the State Department is working to revoke his diplomatic immunity. The First Lady and the Speaker has been arrested as well. Some others are going down too. It's gonna be a bloodbath in Washington for a while, I'm afraid."

"Talk about draining a swamp," John said sarcastically. Ryan chuckled at that.

"By the way, I heard from the medical researchers," Ryan said. "They all agree the stuff you got hit with was a derivative of the stuff a Cecelia Greene used against her victims. I hope that makes sense to you."

"It does," John said. "I'll be sure to pass it on. Thanks. Keep me in the loop if you would, please."

"Got it," Ryan said as they ended the call. He looked and saw Regis and Brent deep in conversation and decided to wait until they were finished. He didn't have long to wait as the two of them walked to his desk and motioned for Houston to join them.

"What's up, boss?" Houston asked.

"There's going to be a change in assignments," Regis said. "The president and Prime Minister Brown have agreed to extending the exchange agreement, at least for the next three years. The Home Secretary and I agree the two of you would be the best choice."

"You mean, you want us to stay here for the next three years?" John asked.

"Unless there's someplace else you'd rather be," Regis said. John and Houston shook their heads.

"No, not at all," John said.

"Good," Regis said. "I thought you'd see it my way. Once you've completed your after-action reports here, I want the two of you to return Stateside and get your household in order. In the meantime, I'll get your orders cut and start the process for your visas and housing allowances. Any questions?"

"No, sir, none," Houston said. Regis nodded his head.

"It's settled, then," he said. "Look on the bright side. You two will get to see Europe and you may learn something from your British counterparts."

"By the way, boss, I spoke with Ryan," John said. "He pretty much told me what we already knew, and he said the medical researchers believe I was hit with a derivative of what Cecelia used on her victims at Penrith."

"Damn," Regis said. "One more loose end to clean up." They continued working until about 6:00 pm, when Roisin told them everyone was heading to a nearby pub for a drink.

"Want to join us?" she asked.

"Sure, why not," John said. "Since we're going to be here for a few years, might as well start getting familiar with the local customs."

"What? You're going to stay here?" she asked.

"Yeah, Regis said we'll be here for the next three years," John said.

"So you're going to need to find a place to live, then, aren't you?"

"Well, I don't plan on renting a room at the hotel for three years," John said.

"Well, it just so happens there's a flat in my building that just became available. If you're interested, that is."

"Yeah, we're interested," Houston said.

"Good, I just happen to know the agent handling it," Roisin said. "I'll see if she can show it to you in the next day or so."

"Sounds good," John said.

"Come on, then, let's go," Roisin said. They went to the pub in Roisin's car and let her order for them. Roisin and the others seemed excited at the prospect of John and Houston spending the next few years with them. One of her colleagues, Mike McGregor, came by and tapped John on the shoulder.

"Care for a game of darts, mate?" he asked. John looked at the dart board and figured, what the hell.

"Sure, if you don't mind showing me how to play," he said.

"Watch him, John, he's a bloody shark," Roisin shouted at John. Mike laughed and patted John on the shoulder.

"Don't listen to her," he said. "I'll be gentle, promise." John smiled and listened as Mike told him the rules of the game. Houston watched her husband and smiled. She liked seeing him enjoy himself.

"He seems happy," Roisin said.

"Yes, it's good to see him enjoy himself," Houston said.

"Are you excited about your new assignment?" Roisin asked her.

"I am," Houston told her. "I know John feels the same way. We both like new challenges."

"You think maybe you can show me that thing you did with your hands on your first day here?" Roisin asked.

"Oh that?" Houston asked. "Sure. It's easy. I'll be happy to show you." They heard loud laughter coming from the area of the dart board and looked. John and Mike were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Probably swapping war stories, Houston thought to herself. Roisin smiled as she shook her head.

"Tell me, was John in the military?" she asked Houston.

"Spent six years in the Marine Corps," Houston said. Houston nodded her head.

"That explains it," she said. "Mike was in the Royal Marines for a while. No wonder they get along so well." Houston chuckled at that. A few minutes later, Regis and Brent walked up to them. Regis signaled for John and Mike to join them. They put the darts away and walked over to where the other team members were gathering.

"Listen John and Houston, I have to get going. My flight leaves Heathrow in a bit and I need to get back to the States. I expect one hell of an after action report from you two. I'll get everything started on your transfer and it should be well under way by the time you get back," he said. He turned to Brent and the two of them shook hands.

"Mr. Secretary, it's been a pleasure," he said. "Be sure to keep an eye on these two, though," he added with a smile, nodding at John and Houston. Everyone laughed, including John and Houston.

"I certainly will," Brent said. "Before you leave, though, I have one small bit of business." He pulled an envelope out of his jacket and handed it to Houston. "In the interest of fostering improved Anglo-American relations, I would like to offer a formal apology to the two of you for the manner in which you were treated. It was unprofessional and uncalled for. And I assure you it will never happen again."

"Thank you, Mr. Secretary," John said, extending a hand. "We accept your apology and we look forward to working with all of you. Besides, Mike owes me a rematch." They all laughed at that.

"You'll have plenty of opportunities for that," Brent said with a smile. "But watch him, I hear he's a shark." Mike feigned outrage at that remark to everyone's delight. Regis waved and walked out the door to catch a cab. Just then, Roisin's phone buzzed and she looked at the screen.

"Lisa, the agent I told you about, says she is available to show the flat tomorrow at 9:00 am," she said. "If you want, I'll pick you up at 8:30 and we can meet her together."

"Sounds like a plan," John said. After drinking another beer, John and Houston said their goodbyes and left with Roisin. A bit later, they were at the hotel and went into the elevator. Another person got into the elevator just as the doors were about to close.

John saw what looked like the butt of a pistol in a shoulder harness under the woman's jacket. Watching through his peripheral vision, he thought the woman looked a bit nervous and saw her eyeing the two of them. He leaned into Houston.

"Call Roisin," he whispered as quietly as he could. "Get her back here. Now." Houston nodded her head and pulled out her phone. She called Roisin's cell and hoped she would answer quickly.

"Hey girlfriend," Houston said loudly, trying to sound like a giggly college girl talking to her BFF. "Would you mind coming back to the hotel for a bit?"

"Girfriend? Is everything alright?" Roisin asked.

"No, it's just that something came up and we really need to talk to you," Houston bubbled. Roisin got the clue and quickly turned around.

"On my way," she said.

"Oh that's wonderful," Houston said loudly. "See you! Bye!" She ended the call just as the elevator door opened. John leaned into Houston one more time.

"Record," he whispered. She nodded her head and started the video camera on her phone. He guided her out first and turned to the other woman as she reached for the pistol. He struck her in the throat just as she pulled the pistol, causing her to drop the weapon. He kicked it into the hallway where it bounced against the opposing wall.

Angry, the woman turned to strike John with her fists, but he was too fast for her. In seconds, she was on the floor with his knee on her throat. She pounded on his leg as she gasped for air.

"I... can't... breathe," she croaked.

"Good," John growled. "Who the fuck are you and why did you try to shoot us?" He looked at her face and something about her seemed a bit familiar. It was her eyes. He had seen them before. It was the day he was shot. "You were there. You and your accomplice shot me, didn't you?"

"Only because your big arse was in the way," she hissed, her face turning red. John let up with his knee enough to let her breathe.

"What?" John asked.

"You were never the target," she said before glancing at Houston. John understood what the woman was saying, but didn't know why Houston would be a target.

"Do you work for Ian McWhorter?" he asked her. She laughed.

"That knob?" she asked. "Hah! He works for me."

"Not any more," John said. "He's in custody." Her eyes grew wide.

"That's not true," she said. "He's too smart for your lot."

"Apparently not," John said. Just then, another elevator door opened and Roisin came out. She looked at the scene before her as she pulled a pair of latex gloves from her pocket. She picked up the weapon and looked it over. Opening the breech, she saw the dart inside and pulled it out.

She looked at the woman on the floor and put the weapon down before grabbing a pair of handcuffs. The woman under John's knee shook her head and looked at John.

"Just wait," she growled. "The new way is coming. And when it does, your life will never be the same."

"What do you mean, new way?" John asked. She laughed, then bit down on something in her mouth. Seconds later, a white foam appeared on her lips and she died with a gasp. Roisin put two fingers to the woman's neck and shook her head.

"She's gone," Roisin said. She grabbed the woman's purse and opened it. Looking inside, she found two more darts and a small leather wallet. She opened it and pulled out what looked like a driver's license. "Susan Harrison," she read. "Does that name sound familiar to you?"

"No, not at all," John said. "But I'm certain she was with Barker the day I was shot." He turned to Houston. "Did you get all that?" Houston nodded her head.

"I got it," she said. By then, Roisin had pulled her phone out and was calling for an ambulance.

"Send it to Roisin, please," John said. Houston nodded her head and forwarded the video to Roisin. After calling for an ambulance, Roisin got back up and looked at John and Houston.

"You know Metro PD will probably get involved," she said. "You two go to your room, I'll handle the police. Don't go anywhere. I'll pick you up in the morning. I'll look at that video tonight and see what I can find."

John and Houston went to their room and ordered a meal to be delivered to them. They ate mostly in silence. John went through everything he heard Susan tell him in his mind. Why would they be targeting Houston? They went to bed and held each other. Sex was the last thing on their minds.

The next morning, they heard a knock on the door. John looked through the peephole and saw a sandy-haired older man in a suit and an overcoat. He had the look of a policeman about him, so John cracked open the door.

"Yes," he said. The man held up a set of credentials.

"Detective Chief Inspector Tom Black, Metro PD," he said. "Are you John Smith?"

"Yes, I am," John said.

"May I come inside, please," Tom asked politely. John nodded his head and opened the door to let the policeman inside.

"Who is it, dear?" Houston called from the bathroom.

"Police," John said. "You may want to come out if you're decent."

"Be right there," she said. John turned back to Tom.

"So, what can we do for London's finest?" he asked. Tom gave a thin smile before speaking.

"Just looking for some answers," Tom said. "Are you acquainted with a Susan Harrison?"

"Afraid not, Inspector," John said. "Should I be?"

"She's the one who pulled a weapon on you at the elevator just down the hall," Tom said.

"Oh, her," John said. "I didn't know her name at the time. She didn't introduce herself before she pulled her weapon. Why?"

"I see. Can you explain why an unemployed biochemist would go after two American tourists?" Tom asked. Just then, Houston came into the room.

"No, I have no idea," John said. "Can you explain that, dear?" he asked, looking at Houston. She shook her head.

"I can't explain it, either," she said. Tom looked from Houston to John and then back to Houston, trying to get a feel for the two Americans. Odd, he thought. They seem to be taking all this rather well. Too well, he thought.

"I understand you were shot and spent some time in hospital," Tom said, looking at John. John nodded his head.

"Yes, but I'm much better now, as you can see, thanks to your NIH doctors. Fortunately, the people who shot me didn't use real bullets, or I probably would've died."

"Right," Tom said, making notes in his little book. He looked back at them and thought for a bit before speaking again. "It seems to me that people have a habit of dying around you two. I understand it was all in self-defense, but two people in two days? One with a broken neck, and the other from an apparent poisoning. I have a very difficult time processing all that."

"What's that old saying, Inspector? Shit happens?" John asked. Tom snorted as he nodded his head.

"So I've heard," he said. "How long are the two of you going to be in London?"

"I don't know, Inspector," John said. "We're wrapping up some business for the company we work for. Maybe two days. Three at most."

"Well, hopefully, I won't see two or three more dead bodies," Tom said as he put his book away.

"I hope not as well," John said. Tom looked at them for a few moments, then gave the "I'll be watching you" sign, pointing to his own eyes, then at John and Houston.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you two," he said. "I may have some questions for you later."

"Of course, Inspector," John said. "Whatever we can do to help." Tom smiled grimly as he nodded his head, then left the room. John looked at Houston before saying anything.

"That went well," he said. An hour later, they met Roisin outside the hotel.

"I hear you got a visitor this morning," Roisin said as she drove them to view the flat.

"Yes, DCI Black came by," John said. "I don't think we have anything to be worried about, but I don't like the idea of the police looking over our shoulder either."

"Neither do I, John, but they're a valuable ally and could come in very handy when the time comes," Roisin said. "I did some research on Harrison, by the way."

"What did you find?" Houston asked.

"She's an unemployed biochemist," Roisin said. "She worked for a company up north until about a year ago, then mysteriously quit. No one knew where she was off to. The address on her license turned out to be a completely empty flat. No furniture, nothing. Not even a fingerprint or a strand of hair."

"Obviously professionally cleaned," John said.

"I agree," Roisin said. "The only family we could locate was a younger sister in her second year at Uni. She's studying government and political science. Her name is Victoria. Mike is interviewing her this morning. We're here," she added as she pulled into the parking lot of a large apartment building.

They met a smartly-dressed blonde woman in the lobby of the building. Roisin gave her a hug and introduced her to John and Houston.

"John, Houston, this is Lisa Simmons," she said. "Lisa, John and Houston Smith." John and Houston shook Lisa's hand and followed her into the elevator.

"Are you two ex-pats? I deal with a lot of those in my line of work."

"No," John said. "The company we work for has assigned us to work out of London for the next three years."

"Wonderful," Lisa said. "Well, as you probably already know, things are a bit different here than in the States. I'll be more than happy to help acclimate you if you like."

"That would be nice, thanks," Houston said. They went into the flat and looked around. John and Houston liked the open design of the place. It seemed to be more spacious than they thought. It also had a nice view of the city and the Thames River.

They walked around the place and took note of the large bedroom and the spacious bathroom, which was obviously designed to accommodate two people at a time. John looked at Houston, and she nodded her head in approval.

"Does the furniture come with the place?" John asked.

"It can, if you wish," she said. "It will increase the rate, though."

"That's fine, as long as it's reasonable," he said. "It would sure save us the trouble of shipping all our stuff here."

"Yes, it would," Houston said.

"So, what's the damage?" John asked. He thought he was going to pass out when she told him the price, but Roisin spoke up.