A Spy's Revenge

By Sherry

Part 1

She sat on the side of the hospital bed, holding his hand tightly, caressing his face gently, and pleading with him softly. She begged him not to leave her. The pleas were spoken softly, but there was urgency behind them.

"You're strong. You have to fight. Please, Mitch, don't leave me. I can't do this without you. Please."

She had been by his side constantly since he was brought in. The nurses and doctors attending him felt great sympathy for this woman who was doing everything within her power to keep her husband alive. If it were possible to will someone to live, this man would certainly make it.

He had been shot during an attempt to assassinate the President. He was wheeled in with a gunshot wound to the chest and a severe head injury. He was immediately rushed into surgery and his wife had still been sitting alone in the waiting area when the surgeon emerged from the OR. The doctor's heart tugged at him seeing the woman sitting there with blood staining her evening gown and tears staining her face. He only wished he had better news for her.

"Mrs. Samford." She turned to him and rose to her feet. When she saw the expression on his face, she sent a silent prayer heavenward, "Please God, please, let him be alive."

"Mrs. Samford, I'm Dr. Raskin. Your husband made it through surgery. The bullet missed his heart, but he lost a lot of blood. Also, as you know, he suffered a severe blow to the head when he fell. He has a massive hematoma. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for it but to wait. We can't operate to relieve the pressure, it would be too dangerous. We have to wait and hope that the swelling goes down and that it doesn't rupture. I'm sorry. I wish I had better news for you. But he's young and strong, and that's definitely in his favor. As soon as he's settled into ICU, I'll have a nurse come and get you."

"Thank you, doctor. I appreciate everything you're doing." As she wiped the tears from her face the doctor wished he could do more. "Is there anyone we can call for you? Family, perhaps?"

Cherie thought for a moment. They would all have their hands full until this was over. But maybe she could reach someone. "Yes. If you could call my sister, Kate, and tell her what's happened."

The doctor nodded his head. "Of course. I'll make the call myself." Cherie handed him a slip of paper with Kate's number on it and hoped that she would be there to get the call. Sighing, Cherie sat down again, waiting for the nurse to come and get her so she could see Mitch.

Her "sister" and two friends had arrived about three hours after the call was made. Kate, Riva and Karen were shown to ICU and informed of Mitch's condition. There they saw Cherie sitting by his bed, holding his hand and speaking to him. They waited outside for a few minutes. It saddened them to see their friend in such pain. Finally, Kate went inside to get her.

"Cherie," she said quietly so as not to startle her. Cherie turned around and the moment she saw Kate, the tears began to fall again. Kate hugged her and Cherie whispered, "Thanks for coming." Kate steered Cherie out of the room. Riva and Karen both hugged her and then they simply let her talk. She told them as best she could what had happened, but her eyes never strayed from the man in the bed. Riva and Karen eventually had to leave, but promised to bring her a change of clothes when one of them returned. It was decided that the three of them would take turns staying with her until Mitch was better. Cherie nodded her agreement, then went back inside to Mitch.

That had been three days ago. She hadn't left his side since, except to let the doctors or nurses examine him or change his dressings. Her friends brought her clothes for which she was grateful. They also brought her food to eat, but it went largely untouched.

Sitting by his side now, Cherie's mind wandered back over the past few months. Their superiors had summoned her and Mitch, who was not really her husband, but her partner and fiancé. You see, they work for the government. They are agents ... spies if you prefer. During the briefing from the Agency's Chief, Peter Wolfe, they learned that a new terrorist group, Second Chance, had recently gained enormous power and was planning a worldwide attack in a couple of months. The groundwork was beginning as they spoke.

The group's first target was to be the United States. Their plan was to hit the President, the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, consecutively. A short time before the last hit, they would perpetrate a terrorist attack on a major city in the States, most likely Dallas. While the United States was in utter chaos, the rest of the world would be fair game, starting with Russia and China, then Canada, Great Britain, and France. The hits would come in quick succession. With the world spinning out of control, Second Chance planned to step in and create order out of chaos, thus becoming saviors to the world. All governments were on high alert and briefings were held daily among world leaders to keep everyone up to speed. Any and all Intel was thoroughly checked and rechecked for reliability and then passed on.

Margaret, second in command of the Agency, turned to the two agents and explained their assignment. "You will move to Hollywood as newlyweds. Mitch, you will assume your role as the well-known art collector, and Cherie, you will be the author of a few popular published works, no best sellers yet, but you're on your way. You will make your presence known, but you will remain reclusive."

Chief Wolfe continued with the explanation. "According to our latest Intel, Second Chance intends to hit the President at the Hollywood Gala celebration in two months. He is to be the honored guest and will be receiving an award for his support of the arts. Mitch, you will take point. You and Cherie will be guests of the President and the First Lady and will sit with them. The rest of your team will provide security and will be posted at all entrances and exits. I want security so tight that a gnat can't get through without us knowing about it. We have to foil the initial attempt here so that their plans never get off the ground. There is no margin for error." He looked back and forth between the couple before him and then continued. "You leave in three days. I want your profile on my desk before you leave and your team on standby. Any questions?"

When neither of them spoke, they were dismissed. They returned to their separate offices to prepare for the mission; Mitch to prepare the profile and Cherie to handpick members for the team. Once the profile was set, she and Mitch discussed the team she had picked to see if any personnel changes should be made to fit the profile.

Things had moved quickly after that. They relocated to their new home and had set up housekeeping as man and wife. Cherie smiled as she remembered the day they moved in. They had laughed over the fact that it would be good practice for when they really did get married.

She shifted slightly on the bed as her mind moved forward to the night of the Gala. Mitch had briefed the team over and over until every aspect of the profile was second nature to them. They did a thorough search of the building three times before Cherie and Mitch went home to change. She smiled as she thought about how handsome Mitch had looked in his black tux. She had been the envy of almost every woman there that night. The First Lady had even made a few comments to her about how lucky she was.

They were about halfway into the program when she began to feel something was wrong. She could feel the tension radiating off of Mitch as well. Both of them scanned the crowd and the stage. She had just spotted the man on the balcony with a gun aimed toward them and managed to yell for Mitch when the gun fired. Mitch had seen him at the same time and had thrown himself in front of the President. Mitch immediately crumbled to the floor. In seconds, the Secret Service was all over the President and First Lady.

Cherie, torn between her duty to the mission and the fact that the man she loved was laying on the floor bleeding to death, informed the team where the gunman had been spotted and that Mitch was down. A second team, which had been on standby, rushed in and got the President and First Lady away safely. An ambulance had been called to the scene and Mitch was whisked away almost before Cherie could get her bearings. She quickly informed her team that Davidson was now team leader and that they should report to him. Then she jumped into the back of the ambulance and headed to the hospital with Mitch.

It seemed like the surgery had taken forever, but Mitch came through it. Now if he would just wake up. She needed to see his beautiful green eyes, needed to hear his softly accented voice speaking to her. She just simply needed him. And so she continued to sit by his side day after day, speaking to him, urging him to come back, pleading with him not to leave her.

Part 2

Karen, Riva and Kate all had been told to stay in Hollywood with Cherie and Mitch. They were at the hospital now, worrying about Cherie as well as Mitch. She had barely eaten anything since their arrival at the hospital. She wouldn't take a break, except when the doctors needed to examine Mitch. She was going to wear herself out or have a breakdown soon. It was inevitable. They were discussing that very scenario when a scream came from inside the room.

Cherie had been holding Mitch's hand, begging him to fight. She noticed that his breathing had been growing shallow and that he seemed paler than he had been. "Please Mitch, you've got to fight. I know you're tired, but you can't give up. Please, hang on." Just then the monitors in the room began shrieking and Cherie looked up to see a flat line on the heart monitor. "NO!" she screamed. "Mitch come back, you can't go. Please!" She was gently shaking him when the doctors and nurses came rushing into the room. Arms pulled at her to move her away from him. She fought them with all her strength. How could they ask her to leave? Mitch needed her now, she couldn't leave.

Finally, two sets of strong arms pulled her away and led her out of the room. Immediately Riva, Kate and Karen surrounded her. They watched the tableau inside the room play out as if in slow motion. The medical personnel worked frantically, injecting one thing after another into Mitch's body and trying to jump-start his heart. Each time they hit him with the paddles, Cherie jumped. The other three women threw worried glances at each other, but no one spoke.

Finally, the doctors had done all they could. It was no use. He was gone. One doctor, one she hadn't seen before, came out to inform Cherie that Mitch was gone. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Samford. We did all we could." Cherie took a deep breath and then turned back to the window. Not a tear fell from her eyes. "Thank you. May I see him alone, please?" The doctor nodded and motioned the others out of the room.

Cherie walked back into the room that had been so full of life only a few moments ago and now was deathly still. She walked up to her beloved and took his hand. She wouldn't cry. She needed to be strong for Mitch. She spoke to him for a few moments, and then kissed him one last time. Riva, Karen and Kate all silently stepped into the room. They hadn't wanted to intrude, but they were concerned about her. As they walked in they heard her say, "It's okay, Mitch. I know what I have to do now. I will find whoever did this and they will pay. I promise you." When she turned, her friends were surprised at the look in her eyes. It was not the look of grief ... it was the look of vengeance.

They followed her out of the room. "Cherie, what can we do for you?" Karen asked. Cherie stopped and turned to them. "Nothing. Thanks. I'm fine. I have it all under control. I know what needs to be done. If I need any assistance, I will ask. Now I must be going."

She walked out of the hospital with her friends trailing after her. Riva finally spoke up. "Cherie, at least let me take you home. You don't have a car, remember." Cherie paused and then nodded. "Of course. Thank you, Riva. I appreciate it. And really, guys, don't worry about me. I'm fine. You had better contact headquarters and let them know about Mitch. I'm sure they'll need you back there." Karen and Kate nodded and left to call the Agency. Once they were out of earshot, Kate turned to Karen. "I'm worried, Karen. Something is definitely wrong." Karen nodded. "I know. I'm hoping she simply needs time and space. She's just had a terrible shock and her mind can't process it right now. Let's keep an eye on her, but give her a

day or two. If she doesn't come around, we'll have to tell Margaret and the Chief." Kate agreed and they headed back to tell their superiors that Mitch was dead.

Cherie walked into the house she and Mitch had been sharing and the emotions and memories were overwhelming. She was overcome by grief for a moment, but she fought it off. "I can't. I have to be strong. I have to do this for Mitch." It was like a mantra she kept repeating to herself over and over. Finally, she felt herself relax and her emotions were once again under control.

Picking up the phone, she called Wallace, the agency's weapons and munitions expert. She informed him that she would be in as soon as she could get there to pick up some equipment. Then she asked him to tell Sidney, the computer expert at headquarters, that she needed all the files on the mission they had just completed. Everything. Personnel, Intel, Mitch's profile ... everything. She would pick them up when she got her equipment. She also demanded that they keep quiet about it.

Switching on the television for a diversion while she decided what her next move would be, she was heading for the bedroom when she heard a news bulletin. They were reporting Mitch's death. She could hardly believe it. He'd only been gone a short time and it was already on the news. Of course, it was a sensational story: "Well-known art collector gives his life to save the President." And there he was â€" the President â€" expressing his sincere condolences to her. She appreciated the sentiment, but right now she had to deal with it in her own way.

Quickly turning off the tv, she headed upstairs to change into her mission gear. She was preparing for battle and needed to dress the part. She started to take off the wedding ring but changed her mind. It would be a reminder, as if she needed one, of what she was fighting for. She had lost the man she had planned to spend her life with. No that wasn't right; she hadn't "lost" him, someone had cruelly and viciously taken him from her. And now that person was going to pay.

Something kept tugging at the back of her mind, something that wasn't quite right, but she didn't have time to worry about it now. She had business to attend to. Grabbing her bag she headed out the door, jumped into Mitch's black SUV and started the trek back to headquarters to pick up her equipment.

She was hoping not to see anyone but Wallace. She also knew, thought, that it would be almost impossible to get in and out without someone seeing her. She just hoped she could keep those contacts to a minimum and that she wouldn't run into Chief Wolfe or Margaret. She didn't want them to know she was here. Mitch had been the expert at getting in and out of headquarters undetected. In fact, he had gone rogue a couple of times and infiltrated the building without ever being caught. He had taught her everything he knew in case she ever needed it. She only hoped she could be half as good as he was.

Managing to get inside and to Wallace's station undetected, she walked to the back of munitions where she was less likely to be spotted. She waited until Wallace showed up and then stepped out to get his attention. He nearly jumped out of his shoes when she spoke his name, but he quickly hurried back to her.

"What are you doing? You about scared me to death. I could have shot you, you know." And then he immediately regretted the words that had come out of his mouth. "I'm sorry. Mitch was a good man. We're all going to miss him."

Cherie nodded. "I know. Here's the list of equipment I need. I'll just wait here until you get it together. And can you get those files from Sidney for me?"

Wallace studied her for a few moments. There was something different about her, but she had just lost her partner, the man she loved, so he cut her some slack. "Uh, yeah, sure. Here," he said as he pulled a stool back for her. "Sit here while I get this stuff together."

Wallace was back in no time with the equipment she wanted. "Here are the weapons, the ammo, and the surveillance equipment. You do know I have to account for all this stuff, don't you?"

Cherie nodded. "Yeah. Tell them I stole it. That should get you off the hook."

Wallace shook his head. "Hey, now wait a minute. I'm not gonna do that. I'm sure I can come up with something."

Cherie shrugged, "Whatever. But if you can't, just tell them I stole it. I don't want you getting into trouble. You're a good man, Wallace. Now, did you get those files?"

Wallace was beginning to worry. She was really not herself. She was almost cold and ruthless, which was so unlike her. "Oh yeah, I'll go get the files right now."

Wallace returned in about five minutes with the files. "Here's what Sidney could get his hands on. Mitch had the personnel files in his office. Sidney hasn't had a chance to get them yet."

Cherie's demeanor changed for a moment after he mentioned Mitch, but she quickly got herself under control again. "No problem. I'll get them."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "If you'd rather not go into his office..."

Cherie jumped up off the stool, grabbed up her pack and headed out the back way. "I'll get them. Thanks, Wallace. Take care of yourself."

"You too," he called after her, but she was already gone. He made a mental note to talk with Kate or Karen and see what they thought. "Somebody had better do something fast, or we're gonna lose another one," he mumbled to himself as he got back to work.