Tempest. Part 27

She sat down in front of the computer again. "Your dad wants me to show you the step-by-step diagrams of silent defense."

"Silent defense?" I scooted closer to get a better look at the screen. I hadn't realized, until the opportunity was presented to me, how badly I wanted to learn this. How much leverage I could have if I didn't need so many people helping me out. Telling me which side to join.

"It means the most amount of force with the least amount of reaction. No sound, very little movement," she said.

I watched carefully as she clicked through image after image of basic attack diagrams. "Are we only going to look at pictures?"

She shrugged. "I'm just following orders. Your dad seemed to think the diagrams would help. Personally, I prefer a more hands-on method."

I laughed. "Maybe he didn't think I was ready for that."

Or maybe he knew I'd remember this. Like Toby's combination. Wasn't that what Melvin had asked me in his office the other day?

"What about a photographic memory? Can you recall pages from a book word for word, or possibly directions or maps?"

I hated that Dad and Dr. Melvin were able to get farther inside my head than I was, but if I could use this photographic memory to stay alive, to keep Holly safe, then I had no reason to complain about my recently acquired freakish ability.

"Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't taught you at least the basics of self-defense, given his position and everything. I guess yesterday was a wake-up call. It's not like we couldn't have predicted someone would use you as a target. Leverage to get to your dad."

Have I always been a target? Was that why the EOTs were after me in Holly's room?

I laughed nervously. "Definitely a wake-up call for me. If they hadn't knocked me out, I doubt I would have slept at all last night."

"Wimp," she muttered. "And what the h.e.l.l were you planning on doing with that pocketknife?"

"I have no idea. Exactly why we should get started now."

She nodded her agreement and returned to explaining every diagram, in-depth. And I listened, like it was life-or-death information. It was life-or-death.

"What you have to keep in mind is ... it's not about strength," Dad said, walking up behind us. "Take Agent Stewart, for example. She topped everyone on the last trial run. She's light on her feet and has the ability to reduce her sound levels more than the others. Walking through a mission unheard is a huge advantage. And it helps that she never misses the exact point of attack. If you get that right, down to the centimeter, strength doesn't matter."

Jenni Stewart looked absolutely elated with Dad's compliment, but tried to hide it. "Take a second to look at the picture and then let's try it."

I studied the man on the screen hitting the other man behind the knee and squeezing the throat at the same time. The victim's weight falls onto your foot, making less sound, and the squeezing of the throat keeps the victim from yelling or even talking.

After shoving the coffee table aside, I did it perfectly on the second try. "Junior's got a little secret agent in him after all," Jenni said.

"This is just basic life skills," Dad said to her. "Things every teenager should know, right?"

"Sure," she said.

"Why don't you try the same move with me instead?" Dad said to me.

I hesitated long enough to get a laugh from Jenni, which made me determined to succeed in attacking Dad. "All right."

I focused on his face, imagining Holly standing behind him, or Courtney, and then the frustration of him keeping secrets from me, lying. Pretending. All of it made my temper flare and something just snapped into place. Seconds later, he was sinking into the carpet, gasping for air.

"Not bad, Jackson. Not bad at all." His expression showed that he was impressed, but I could see the hurt flicker in his eyes, just for a second.

I reached out a hand to help him up. "Let's do it again?"

Dad nodded, and this next time he got me on the ground before I could react. We spent another hour, back and forth. He won, then I won, until we had gone through every single method of defense in the diagrams, several times each.

"What else do I get to learn?" I asked him.

Dad actually smiled a little. "I can show you how to search for listening devices."

"Okay," I said, following him into the kitchen.

"Don't forget about the party tonight," Jenni called after us. "Your girlfriend already confirmed she was coming."

I stopped and turned around. "Holly's coming over here, tonight?"

"That's the plan," she said.

"I thought you were kidding about that," I said to Dad.

He was digging in a kitchen drawer now. "Seeing a few CIA agents mingling and having dinner like normal people will help alleviate any anxiety she might have. All we've done so far is expose her to a terrorist attack and then stuff her into a car and tell her not to tell anyone."

"I'm surprised you didn't modify her memory or something," I said bitterly as the memory of the poisoned rag being pressed to my face returned.

"I thought you wouldn't want that."

"I don't," I said, trying to make my feelings very clear.

Dad nodded. "Okay, and we'll leave Adam Silverman alone as long as he stays quiet."

My stomach dropped. They knew about Adam. "Um ... he's completely harmless. Seriously, it's not his fault that I told him all this s.h.i.+t-"

Dad held up his hand. "I just said we'll leave him alone. But it's possible he could be a good resource for you, if you want to learn some new skills. Just a thought."

Yep, Adam could teach me all kinds of science-geek stuff. I just had to get a minute alone with him so he could hear the whole story from yesterday up until now.

Dad placed a small flashlight in my hand and opened the cabinet under the kitchen sink. "The CIA has a million devices to help find bugs, but I like to start old-school. Pretend you're stranded somewhere with nothing but the contents of the average man's pockets."

"Yeah?"

He stuck his head under the sink and I did the same. "Your recent plumbing and maintenance experience should come in handy. I once found an explosive inside a pipe at the Plaza, when I was a.s.signed to search the President's room. Either one of the Secret Service agents planted it or I caught something they missed."

Okay, my dad was officially much cooler than I'd ever imagined. Even if he was a big fat liar.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.

Not only did Holly actually show up for this staged party, she also brought Adam along.

"I really didn't expect you to come," I whispered to her after taking her coat. "I thought my dad scared you."

She smiled but still looked fairly nervous. "You can be scared and curious at the same time."

"Don't I know it," Adam muttered under his breath.

When I'd had a few minutes this afternoon, I emailed Adam several scanned pages of handwritten code, explaining how I learned his highly secure method of communication. It took a while to give him the full update without s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up his process and telling him something completely wrong. It's possible he was more scared than Holly after hearing the details that I couldn't tell her.

"I can't believe you live here," Holly said, glancing around the foyer. "Do I get a tour?"

"Sure." I took her hand and led her through the living room, where at least twenty people wandered around, drinking wine and c.o.c.ktails. The only guests I recognized were Dr. Melvin, Chief Marshall, and Jenni Stewart. I had no idea where the other people came from.

"Dude, are these all agents?" Adam asked quietly so no one would hear.

I shrugged and continued to walk Holly through the house while Adam struck up a conversation with Dr. Melvin.

I saved my room for last, not sure if she would be comfortable going in there. "Do you want to see my room?" I asked tentatively.

"Oh, yeah," she said with a smile. "I'm immensely curious to get a look at the room of a rich, delinquent teenager."

I laughed and flung the door open. "I already told you, I'm not a criminal."

Just a guy who's already seen the future you naked. Nothing creepy about that at all.

"I know. I'm just teasing you." She glanced around the room before turning to face me. "Nothing too exciting in here."

"Of course not. I keep all the psychopath stuff in a different room." I picked up one of her hands and laced my fingers through hers. She blushed and took a step back from me. "I was kidding."

She smiled. "I know, it's not that. It's just ... something else."

"What?"

"Okay," she said, diverting her eyes away from mine. "Jana has this theory ... She thinks second kisses are weirder than first kisses because ... you're expecting them, but not really comfortable with the person yet."

I tried not to laugh, but it didn't work. This was her problem? She gave me a little shove and I laughed even harder. "Sorry, Hol. I just figured it was something bigger you were worried about. I'm glad it's an easy one."

"Easy for you, maybe?" she said with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt in her voice.

"I'll make it easy for you, Holly. I expect nothing. Do whatever you want to because you want to. No other reason."

"You could just ... kiss me now and get it over with?" she said quietly. Unsure.

I shrugged. "Nope, sorry. Intimidation is not my style. Your move."

Holly's cheeks turned from pink to red and she pulled me toward the door. "Let's go see what Adam is doing."

"So, you're not afraid to walk on a swing set ten feet above the ground but you're scared to kiss me?" I teased.

The whole idea was amusing and made me realize how much of a journey she would take between now and 2009.

"Later," she said with a smile.

"Like I said, only if you really want to."

She turned her back to me and headed down the hall. "I do."

"When do you need to be home?" I asked Holly after the last party guest had left. We were alone in the TV room. Adam had hit the champagne a little too hard and me and Holly had carted him to my room and tossed him onto the bed.

Her cheeks turned a little pink. "I kinda ... told my mom I was staying at Jana's. I figured since Adam pa.s.sed out already..."

"So ... you want to stay here tonight?" I asked, lifting one eyebrow.

"Sorry, I was just planning ahead. I can go home if you want." She started to get up, but I pulled her back down next to me.

"Or ... you can stay."

"It's okay?" She rested her palm against my cheek. I only had a second to nod before she kissed me, leaning farther forward, forcing me to lay back.

My mind went completely blank for a few minutes until I had to pause and take a breath. Holly was lying on top of me, her fingers in my hair, her lips on my neck, and my hand drifting under her dress. That's when I forced myself to remember that this was 007 Holly. Not the nineteen-year-old girl who was far too responsible to do anything out of impulse. In other words, I could never talk her into something she wasn't one hundred percent sure about. But 007 Holly ... she might be a different story.

What I did next took way more effort than any of the defense techniques Dad had thrown at me today. I slid her over and stood up from the couch. "I'm gonna get a drink. Do you want something?"

She sat up and wiggled her dress back down so it was just above her knees. "Water."

Dad stood in the kitchen with the refrigerator wide open, surveying the contents. "Having fun?"

I reached around him and grabbed two bottles of water. "Yeah. Could you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

I spat out the words reluctantly. "Just find some excuse to walk in on us in about five minutes."

Dad pulled out the carton of milk, then closed the fridge. "Why?"

I groaned to myself. "Because apparently I've turned into a morally decent person who feels guilty about going too far with a seventeen-year-old girl."

He smiled a little. "But she wasn't so young when you dated her in 2009?"

"Exactly. It's not the same as it was ... before ... in the future ... however you want to look at it." I started to walk away, then turned quickly. "Maybe ten minutes, okay?"

He laughed. "Sure."

Holly stood in front of the bookshelf, scanning the movie t.i.tles, when I returned. She tugged at the straps on her dress and s.h.i.+fted the top into place.

"Do you want something to change into?" I asked, looking for any excuse to leave the solitude of this room and cover a little more of her skin.