Agent Stacy Meadows placed the kid in the back seat of the car, buckled her up and only just avoided slamming the door. Stacy was boiling mad. Leaning against the front of the gray base model vehicle she called the duty officer of the diplomatic protection corps.
"Fred, it's Stacy Meadows at the airport. I've picked up the Japanese Ambassador's 8-year-old but Robyn's a no show. The stupid bitch won't answer her phone. What now?"
Deputy operations commander Fred Apple coughed and said, "Don't be mad at me Stacy but I was handed a report not five minutes ago saying Robyn drove her car into a bread delivery truck at 3:23 this morning and is in Franklin Hospital with concussion and whiplash. She'll be charged with driving with a blood alcohol three times the legal limit."
"Good God Fred, what kind of hopeless outfit are you guys running? The stupid bitch was suspended two months ago for striking you and now this. Shoot her if you haven't the guts to recommend she be fired. I demand..."
"Agent Meadows, you speak to me with due respect or I'll have you up on a discipline charge. You act as if you were the District Commander. This is just not on."
"My apologies sir. Answer my question."
"What question?"
"What now? Are you having difficulty hearing?"
"Stacy!"
"My apologies sir. What now?"
"Drive by HQ. Agent Adams will be waiting for you."
"Adams, are you mad? He doesn't protect people; he shoots them. He only half shaves, farts and has an insolent attitude toward women and..."
"Go without Agent Adams and you'll be in breach of regulations. Agent Adams is the only support person available right now. An Ambassador's immediate family member must be accompanied by a minimum of two agents, Section 32..."
"Section 322B dash 14c of our fucking manual. I know."
"Stacy!"
"What?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter. Pick up Agent Adams. He'll be waiting in the forecourt."
Stacy had a sudden thought. "Fred, according to regulations I can't drive anywhere without another agent beside me."
There was no answer.
"Are you there Fred?"
No answer. "The fucker has cut the call!"
Stacy gnashed her teeth and got into the car, noting the kid was asleep. She drove off breaking regulations.
* * *
Harris Adams yawned and checked his watch and thought about taking a two-hour lunch break down at the police social club where he'd have a few beers and play pool with some of the guys. He looked up and saw Fred Adams berating someone on the phone and then Fred beckoned him.
Oh crap, Harris thought. An op, how inconvenient.
Fred briefed him.
"Nah, don't want this job Fred. Not with that high octane broad; she acts as if she's the District Commander."
Fred grinned, pleased that Harris shared his view about the uppity Agent Meadows. Meadows and Adams were much alike but didn't seem to be aware of it. "This is not Play School Agent Adams where you can choose what you'd like to do. You are hereby ordered to accompany Agent Meadows and if you find that inconvenient or distasteful then tough. Off you go and try to avoid upsetting her to encourage her to lay complaints against you. You're on your last warning: any more complains from fellow agents and we shoot you."
Harris gave his superior the fingers and they both grinned. Only when Harris had gone through the door did Fred think of the Japanese child. He'd just put her security in the hands of the two most incompatible agents in the force. Fortunately for the child Adams and Meadows were the two most competent agents in the country, perhaps in the world but what world he wasn't sure.
Disgruntled, Agent Adams stood tapping his toes on the cobblestones when the gray Ford slightly off-tune glided up, just missing his toes but he didn't flinch until the side vision mission whacked into him just above his hip, making his mouth frame the F-word before the mirror folded out of the way.
"Get in."
"And good morning to you Stacy. Lovely thighs."
"Oh God, she snarled, ripping her skirt back to halfway down to her knees. "Why are we issued with these uncomfortable sedans from the wrecker's yard?"
"Because they, like us, are expendable."
The motor stalled.
"Like me to drive?"
"Get fucked."
Harris sat quietly contemplating whether that was an offer for that night. He decided it wasn't, not with Super Bitch.
"Very unfortunate about Robyn."
Stacy replied politely, "Yeah, yeah."
"Should have been you then she'd be my partner today and I'd have a night of lust ahead of me. She's so attractive, has a great figure and opens wide."
Stacy removed her gun from its shoulder holster and rested it on her lap, a finger on the trigger. Being crammed with intelligence, Harris shut up and stared straight ahead.
Two hours out Harris bravely said, "We need gas."