The Blacklist (sequel to The Reluctant Spy)

Now You See Her....

Lucas woke up from a nightmare. It was very early in the morning, and the apartment was still dark. At first, he felt his usual panic, like the walls were too close, and he could not breathe. But, a sweet smell of wildflowers slowly brought him back to the present.

Nyssa was laying on her side with her back facing him. She had changed positions in the night and rolled to her side with her long auburn hair fanned over her pillow.

Lucas rose to a sitting position and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. It was the same dream as before. He was stripped naked, strapped to a table with a wet cloth over his face. The interrogator kept repeating the same question in Russian while another person poured water over the cloth.

Tell me about Sugar Horse!

Lucas woke up with a sense of drowning. When he felt his forehead, he noticed that he was sweating. He glanced over and saw that she was still asleep. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and laid back down rolling to his side to face her.

Lucas took a breath, smelled the wildflowers in her hair and smiled. Nyssa always managed to chase the demons away. He felt calm when she was with him at night. It was just like that first night they spent together.

He reached out and lightly traced his fingers over her bare shoulder and down her arm. Her skin came alive with goosebumps, and she moaned as she stretched. His eyes followed the curve of her neck to that sweet spot where her neck met her shoulder. He reached over and kissed the mark he made before wrapping his arm around her waist and gently pulling her toward him, so her back was flush with his chest. He closed his eyes, smelled her hair again, and eventually fell back asleep.

It was Nyssa who woke up as the sun streamed through the windows of her apartment. She felt an arm encircled around her waist and a body pressed against her. She heard his heavy breathing and knew that he was still asleep. She smiled as she placed her hand over his and carefully raised his arm to move out of his grasp without waking him. Nyssa was conflicted about leaving the comfort of the bed, but she had a busy morning ahead of her.

Nyssa quietly went into her bathroom and took a quick shower. After her shower, she wrapped herself in her robe and opened the bathroom door to see that Lucas was still in bed. She watched him for a brief moment, fondly remembering the night before.

Nyssa never felt this happy and content in quite a long time. She did not think it was possible for her until now. Yet, it was the most unusual relationship for any couple to have. This was the second night she spent with Lucas with only one date to show for it, and that evening ended with them being chased through a high school by the Irish mob.

Lucas and Nyssa did not have normal lives and probably never would. They still could not trust each other. She knew that he was spying on her for Harry. She had not forgotten that tracker on her motorcycle. No matter how close they had become, he would never quit until he stopped her from looking into her blacklist. Both he and Harry were hiding something from her. How could she trust Lucas if he kept secrets from her? Would their relationship survive all of that? Nyssa was already risking her heart and soul playing this dangerous game, yet as she watched him sleep, she decided it was a risk worth taking.

She smiled to herself as she crossed the room toward the kitchen to make some coffee. It was already an hour after sunrise, and she had a lot to do today.

Nyssa thought about Bakari's meeting and what she needed to do to be there without Lucas or the rest of the MI-5 team knowing it. An idea came to mind. She grabbed her mobile phone and stepped outside on the fire escape. She dialed a number and hoped that it was not too early.

"Hello?" said the raspy voice of her sister Lucy.

“Lucy, rise and shine. I need your help today,” said Nyssa in a low whisper.