Black Flagged Redux

Chapter 59





12:32 PM

Acassuso Barrio

Buenos Aires, Argentina





Jessica savored the sun on her face. She took a sip of raspberry infused iced tea and set the glistening glass down onto a wicker end table. She leaned back into the thickly cushioned, dark rattan chaise lounge and stared out at the small, private backyard. The terra cotta patio extended another fifteen feet beyond her chair, which was pushed up against the house. A lush green lawn bordered the patio on all sides, meeting with a thick layer of ferns and low palms that concealed most of the six-foot-tall stucco wall surrounding the backyard. The back of the house faced north, which provided constant sun exposure to the generous windows facing the enclosed yard and the French door leading to the patio.

"Jessica, you have a phone call," she heard from inside the house.

"Can you bring it out here for me?" she said, not budging from the chair.

"You got shot in hand, not the legs," Munoz replied.

She heard him muttering inside, which caused her to laugh. She had wondered how long it would take them to revolt against her constant demands for iced tea, warm towels and snacks. I guess this was it for Jeff. Maybe Rico would continue to wait on her. She'd have to play this one right.

"Enrique, can you help me out and bring the phone?" she yelled.

"Don't you dare move, Rico," Munoz said. To Jessica he called, "You want to talk to your husband, or shall I tell him to call back later?"

Jessica used her good hand to lift herself up and out of the chaise lounge and walked through the open patio door to the darkened interior. Jeffrey Munoz was talking on the phone.

"She's doing really well, man. Seriously…I'm glad we were there. Driving us f*cking crazy, but what else is new, right? Here she is," he said and held the phone out to her.

"Amazing how fast you can move when you want to," he added.

"Hey, this is like a four star vacation for you guys," she said, taking the phone.

"This is the only vacation I've ever been on where you're locked in a house, waiting hand and foot on the Queen of Sheba," he said.

She walked back out onto the patio and breathed in the perfect seventy-five degree fall air.

"Danny, it's so good to hear your voice."

"I've been waiting all day to call. Had a few loose ends to tie up here that required my full attention. Sorry I didn't call earlier."

"I heard about your morning. The story made the headlines throughout Europe and the U.S. Sorry to hear about Sergei and Andrei. Schafer, too."

"Frankly, I'm not sure how we pulled it off, but somehow we did."

"I think that's becoming your specialty," she said.

"Impossible missions? I hope not. I need a break from Russian attack helicopters and Spetznaz. What's the weather like out there?"

"It's a beautiful day, honey. Just like the last weekend we were here together. I miss you," she said.

"I miss you even more. I would give anything to be there with you right now. Sanderson was smart not to tell me what happened to you. I would have been on the first flight out of Helsinki. How is your hand?"

"Luckily, it's my left. It'll be fine. I'll probably need some cosmetic surgery later. You know, to make it look a little less claw-like," she said.

"I'll love you just the same. Claw or no claw."

"You're always so romantic," she said.

"That's what gloves are for anyway," he said.

"Now that's not exactly nice. I suppose you'd buy me a mask if I had been shot in the face?" she teased.

"No. Then you wouldn't be allowed to leave the house and even then you'd have to wear a bag over your head inside the house…unless you're showering, I suppose."

"I'll make you pay for that one," she said.

"Promise?"

"I'm not sure I can do all of those things one handed," she whispered.

"I suppose we'll have to wait anyway. I'm headed to Germany to investigate Metzger Labs. Reznikov identified the company as a possible shipping point for the virus. The company specializes in live research samples for institutional and corporate use," he said.

"Wouldn't that be a task better suited for the German police?"

"Not if you want to have a candid conversation with one of the employees, or an after-hours tour of the facility. Hopefully, I'll have this wrapped up in a few days and will be on a plane back to Argentina. Does the house have a pool?"

"Hot tub. I've been told to stay out of it due to the painkillers. Whatever. I really wish you didn't have to go to Germany," she said.

"This should be a quick operation. They're already working on accessing the employee files. If we can get our hands on the right shipping manifest, we'll be able to determine where the virus is headed. We don't have the time to mess around with interagency politics on this. I'm technically working for the president of the United States now. Can you believe what Sanderson managed to pull off?"

"Not really. I'm not jumping to make travel plans any time soon. I'll let Sanderson test the waters first."

"I hear you there. Hey, I'm getting that impatient stare from Farrington. We need to be at the airport soon to catch a flight to Frankfurt. I'll call you when we get there. I love you so much, Jess."

"I love you more than that. Hurry back. I don't think Bert and Ernie here will last much longer," she said, raising her voice.

"You got that straight!" Munoz yelled from inside.

"Take it easy on those guys. I owe them everything," he said.

"So do I, which is something I think we need to talk about when you get back. I don't want to leave Sanderson's program anymore. I think this is our home now," she said.

"You might be right. We'll have to talk about this later. Love you."

"Love you more," she said and hung up.

"You can have the phone back!" she yelled.

"Don't push your luck, princess," Munoz replied.