Honey Kisses

Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Change in Plans

Al said, "Annie, I'd like to introduce Agent Megan Hatcher. You'll be training her on the retrieval of mainframe information and planting the virus."

Ann smiled at the beautiful, platinum blond that stuck out her hand in greeting. Ann grasped her hand and Agent Hatcher said cheerily, "It's a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Martinez. I'm looking forward to bustin' the balls of the Mafioso."

Alligator grinned and left the room.

Ann said, "Umm, well, whenever you're ready, I'll walk you through the steps you need to follow."

"Let me grab a cup of caffeine and I'll be right back." On her way toward the door Agent Hatcher ruffled the hair of an officer watching a surveillance screen.

The agent said, "Cut it out, Hatcher."

Agent Hatcher called out, "Anyone want something to drink? And you can keep the whiskey jokes to yourself."

The other officer in the room lifted a can of coke. "I'll take another." The agent with the mussed hair declined and Ann shook her head no.

When Agent Hatcher returned she tossed a coke across the room and the officer caught it. Then she settled beside Ann with a cup of coffee the size of a soup bowl.

For the next hour, Ann explained her logic and walked Meg, as she insisted on being called, through the sequence of keystrokes necessary to break into the mainframe, rob it of information to be sent to online storage, and then destroy it with a self detonating virus.

Within a short time, Meg had mastered the keystrokes and was on her second cup of coffee. She leaned back and sighed. "Oh, that was brilliant."

Curiosity led Ann to ask, "Do you infiltrate groups often?"

"All the time."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Shitless."

"So...why do you do it? Please excuse me if I'm being too personal. I just find it fascinating that you've chosen this line of work."

"I don't mind answering. Actually, I'm not sure why I do it. I know I'm an adrenaline junkie and I also hate injustice. When you put those two forces together, you get...me."

"So, you're actually going to infiltrate the club and pose as an exotic dancer. Will you have to dance?"

Meg laughed heartily. "You betcha. In fact, I'm a damn good exotic dancer. Ain't that right, Charlie?" She turned to the agent whose hair she'd ruffled.

"I guess if you're into that sort of thing. I've seen enough to make me cross-eyed."

Meg snickered. "I guess I'll just have to try harder next time to impress you. I'll be thinking the whole time, 'Charlie's watching,' and get all goose bumpy."

"Don't knock yourself out, Hatcher."

Meg made a face at Charlie and then returned her attention to Ann. "Let's run through it one more time."

After a flawless execution, Meg drained the last of her coffee and stood to leave. "I guess I better head out. I'll be back tomorrow for a final run through and then I'm off to bust those balls. Hey, do you mind if I store my outfit in your closet?"

"Your outfit?"

Meg grinned. "My exotic dancer outfit."

"Oh, no. Of course not."

"I left it on the back of a chair in the sitting room."

Ann followed Meg to the sitting room and then led the way to her bedroom. They met Jackson in the hallway and Meg said, "Howdy, cowboy. Your wife is one smart cookie."