Plus, she had done exceptionally well during her basic training period and her first overseas assignment. He’d rejected the first two based on their records alone-competent, but lacking that certain edge Sloan exhibited. Sloan had been the single most promising of the three candidates sent over from the training directorate. This was going to be harder than he’d thought. Once Carol had left, Allender leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes before remounting the smoky glasses. “It’s unseemly to gloat,” he said, reaching for his wallet. Once the obviously still upset candidate was gone, Carol stuck her head back through the door. I’m just a consultant here.”Ĭarol Mann, Allender’s executive assistant and a plain, plump woman in her fifties, stepped into the office at that moment and indicated to Sloan that she could leave now. “Although you should understand that I don’t have a performance record. He sat back in his chair and removed the smoky glasses. See how that would affect your performance record.” You’re lucky I don’t file a sexual-harassment grievance against you. “That was a highly inappropriate request and you know it. Oh, and I’d appreciate it if you do not speak to anyone about your interview with me.”Ī calculating look crossed her face. I’m sure you’re an excellent operative, just like it says in your record. Don’t worry-none of this will affect your performance record. “I need someone a whole lot tougher than I think you are. Sloan,” Allender said, with a faint smile. If that’s what I have to do, I’ll do it.” He reached for his phone, hit the intercom switch, and told his executive assistant that Ms. She opened her mouth to reply but then closed it. “You’re squawking about some stranger staring at your naked body, but what you said was ‘gawking at me.’ If you can’t mentally separate your naked body from the inner you, the woman and the clandestine operative, then we can’t use you for this mission.” Sloan,” he said, keeping his tone as mild and reasonable as he could. Are you nuts?” Her voice was shrill now and her hands, still planted on her hips, were balling into fists. “I’d be embarrassed to have some perfect stranger gawking at me like some Peeping Tom, that’s what.
“And besides, why not? Are you embarrassed by your body?” “In your dreams, Mister Whoever-the-hell-you-are.” “Will you please take off all of your clothes,” he said, looking up and directly into her face now. “I understand,” he said, closing her file. “What if the target is a woman?” he asked. I’ll do that only if the target is a reasonably attractive man and not some drooling old troll with an enormous belly and bad teeth.”Īllender didn’t miss a beat. “And you do understand that if you are approved for this mission, you might be required to consummate a physical relationship with the target individual?” Good, he thought she had a high opinion of herself, and that was going to be a vital trait. “Yes.” Her tone of voice indicated growing impatience, as if she were saying, If that’s my record you’re looking at, then we both know all this. “You’ve just finished your first overseas assignment in”-he glanced down at her record again-“Lisbon, and now you’re back for specialty training, correct?” He hoped so-her face was the closest match yet to the picture in his desk drawer. She was attractive enough, in an edgy way, but right now he had to see if she had the salt to take this on. He was about to do a somewhat delicate dance here, because the operative for this particular mission might-his word-have to engage in intimate physical relations with the target of the operation.
It didn’t much matter-she exhibited an almost electric sex appeal, and that had been the number one criterion on his internal staffing call list. He wondered if she was trying to conceal the size of her breasts. Her suit jacket was a little big for her. She had the throaty voice of a smoker, or an ex-smoker. He had not invited her to sit down in one of the straight-backed chairs in front of his desk. He waited until she gave a small sigh of impatience. Allender continued to examine her, his gaze partially obscured by large-framed eyeglasses with smoky lenses. Her hands rested on her hips and her head tilted slightly to one side. The skirt ended demurely just below her knees, and her shoes qualified as more useful than fashionable. She wore a gray linen skirt and jacket over a white silk blouse. Her expression seemed a bit haughty, as if she was here only because she had to be. Pretty, brunette, well made, and obviously fit. According to her service record, she was thirty-three. Preston Allender examined the woman standing in front of his desk.
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