It was quite late the next morning when the phone ringing woke her. Sighing, Sherry reached over and grabbed it. “Hello.”

“Well, don’t you sound bright and cheery this morning.”

“Shut up, Birkoff. What do you want? Don’t you know it’s only ...”

“Actually, it’s 11:30 a.m. your time. You’ve been playing Sleeping Beauty long enough.”

Sherry was surprised that it was the next day, much less almost noon. “Sorry Birkoff. I guess I was a little tired.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, I have your next instructions. You are to simply spend the day however you wish. Enjoy yourself. The contact will not meet you today.”

Sherry smiled to herself. She was glad, but she had better put up a fuss or Section would think she was enjoying herself too much. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Birkoff. You actually called me... woke me up ... to tell me that! How long am I gonna have to wait to meet this person?”

Birkoff ran his hands through what little hair he had. “I don’t know. No one does. We simply relay the information we are given. What are you complaining about? You get to laze and around and enjoy yourself. What more could you want?”

Sherry laughed. “I guess you’re right, Seymour. I’ll talk to you later.”

Getting out of bed, she showered and dressed for her day. She went downstairs and had lunch in the dining room, then went outside for a walk. She didn’t have any particular destination in mind, she was just exploring. It was good to get outside and get some fresh air for a change, even if it was “city” air. Maybe she could actually start to relax and unwind a bit. She was starting to feel a bit better after finally getting some sleep.

Walking along one of the many canals in Venice, Sherry people-watched. She saw the Gondoliers taking couples down the canals on romantic little boat rides. She saw hordes of people heading for St. Mark’s Square. It was supposed to be a dazzling sight ... especially at night with all the lights shining. Deciding to visit St. Mark’s Square that evening, Sherry kept walking.

As she walked along, browsing in different shop windows, she suddenly felt her senses on alert. She didn’t know why, but she felt she was being followed. Walking along, she checked the reflection in the windows at the shops she would stop at every now and then. However, she couldn’t figure out who was following her ... if anyone was. Maybe her system was still too out of whack to know what it was doing. Maybe she was just being silly. Of course, it could be the contact following her, watching her. Making sure she was following orders. Whoever it was, she didn’t like it.

Turning back towards the hotel, she kept an eye on the shop windows as she passed, trying to figure out if anyone was following her. She stopped at an outdoor café and had a cup of coffee. She paid particular attention to the people passing by and those in the café. She hadn’t noticed the same people following her, so she decided to try something. A little while later she found a small park with an empty bench where she could sit and watch. She decided to pretend to simply be enjoying the day and the scenery, all the while remaining vigilant. She did notice a few people that she had seen earlier in the day, but nobody that seemed to be actually following her.

Finally, chalking it up to her overactive imagination, she got up and headed back to the hotel. She said hello to the doorman and bellman as she passed them. Something still felt off. Come to think of it, now that she remembered, she could have sworn there was someone in her room last night. But she had been tired, and had figured it was a dream. She hadn’t noticed anything out of place. As she made her way to the elevator, the Concierge stopped her. “Excuse me, Miss, I was just checking to make sure that everything is to your liking. Is there anything that you need?”

Sherry smiled at the man and replied. “No, I’m fine. However, I am curious. You didn’t happen to send housekeeping to my room last night did you?”

The man watched her face closely. She was a sharp one. “No, we don’t make a habit of sending housekeeping to guests rooms in the evening unless they are requested. Was someone in your room?”

Sherry paused. “I’m not sure. I was sleeping and I thought I sensed someone there, but it could have been a dream. Probably was. Thanks for your help.”

The concierge nodded and then added, “Please let us know if you think someone has been in your room again. We can’t allow such things to happen in our hotel.” Sherry nodded and headed back to her room.

Deciding to take another nap before venturing out again, Sherry made sure the door was locked securely before setting her alarm to get her awake in two hours. Once again, it didn’t take long for her to fall into a deep sleep. It seemed no time at all before the alarm went off. However, when she opened her eyes, she noticed that two hours hadn’t passed yet and the alarm had not gone off. Something had startled her awake. What? Quickly glancing around, she noticed her room door going shut. Jumping off the couch, she grabbed her gun and headed for the door. Standing to one side of the door, Sherry took a deep breath and then flung the door wide open. She stepped out into the hallway with her gun ready, but no one was there. She walked down the hall in both directions ... no one was around. How could that be? Unless... whoever was in her room was a guest in the hotel as well. That would explain how they could disappear so quickly.

Going back to her room, Sherry grabbed her jacket, all forms of ID, and her gun and headed downstairs. She wanted to have a talk with the Concierge. She didn’t appreciate having her room invaded. Arriving at the desk, she was informed that the Concierge was in a meeting at the moment. The clerk had no idea how long the meeting would last. Sherry thanked him and then headed out again. Anything important that might in some way identify her was on her person, along with her gun. So, if someone decided to invade her room again, they wouldn’t find anything. What she didn’t understand though, was why they kept coming to her room while she was in it. Why not while she was out of the hotel? Were they actually after her and she scared them off? She would check in with Birkoff as soon as she got back and see what Section had to say.

She headed for St. Mark’s Basilica. It was one of the many beautiful churches in Venice. It was located at one end of St. Mark’s Square. Since it wasn’t quite dusk yet, Sherry decided to tour inside the Basilica. It was a beautiful church. Inside, she explored for a bit and then sat and absorbed the atmosphere for a while. She also felt safe here. It was good to feel safe for a few minutes. She was beginning to get that feeling of being watched again and she didn’t like it. Assuming that whoever it was would not try anything inside such a famous landmark, she decided to simply sit here for a while and hope that they got bored. There were a few other Americans touring the church as well and a few of them stopped and chatted with her. Sherry was friendly, but she also paid attention to each person, looking for anyone who seemed a bit too curious about her. There was no one.

After a while, she knew she had to leave. Someone would be curious as to why she was simply sitting inside the church. She didn’t need someone asking too many questions, so she got up and went back outside. The crowds had thinned a bit and it was now almost dark. The lights had been turned on. Sherry looked around the Square. It was magnificent. The lights shimmering off the buildings and the grounds were amazing. It was truly beautiful. Sherry stood there in awe for a while, taking in the beauty of this place.

Eventually, realizing how late it was getting and that she shouldn’t really be out alone, she waved down a taxi and headed back to the hotel. After getting situated, she looked at the driver a bit closer. It was the same driver that had taken her to the hotel from the airport. Was he following her? Telling herself that she was really getting paranoid, she pushed her concerns to the back of her mind. However, she was definitely going to call Section immediately upon her return to the hotel. There were just too many coincidences, odd feelings and people in her room. She wanted to know what was going on and she wanted to know now.

Once inside her room, she pulled out her cell phone and called Section.

“Birkoff, it’s Sherry. I want to speak with Madeline now.”

Birkoff hesitated. He wasn’t to put her through to anyone. He was to be her only contact until he was told otherwise.

“Sorry, can’t do it. She’s in a meeting with Operations and George.”

“Well, then get me Michael. I want to talk to somebody now, Birkoff.”

Birkoff knew she was mad, but he didn’t have a choice either. “Michael’s out. He’s on a mission. I don’t know when he’ll be back.” At least that was the truth.

“Birkoff ... I want to talk to somebody now or I’m coming back immediately.”

“You can’t ...”

“Shut up, Birkoff. I mean it. Get someone on the phone now.”

He knew she meant business. “Okay, give me a second to find Madeline.”

Sherry waited for a few minutes and then heard the ever pleasant voice saying “Hello, Sherry. Is there a problem?”

“Yes, Madeline. I want to know what’s going on now. I’ve had people in my room while I’m sleeping, I’m being watched wherever I go, I think the bellman and the taxi driver are working for my contact. So spill. I need to know what’s going on. Am I safe?”

Madeline sighed. She knew Sherry was good. She hadn’t realized quite how good. If she had managed to realize all that in the state she was in ... They hadn’t thought she would realize how closely she was being monitored. Well, she’d have to deal with it. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you much more than you already know. As to your safety ... yes, you are safe. As for being watched, perhaps it is your contact. Maybe they want to make sure you are alone.”

Sherry sighed. She should have known better. She would never get any information out of Madeline. “Fine. But if I don’t hear from this person in 24 hours and I’m still being followed and watched, I’m out of here. Cancel me if you want to, but I’m serious.”

Madeline smiled to herself. “Of course. Let me see what I can find out. Just stay in your room this evening so we can contact you when we’ve gotten any information.”

Sherry hung up and threw her jacket over the back of a chair. Deciding she had better eat something, she called room service and had a sandwich sent up. Once the room service waiter had delivered her meal, she flopped down in front of the tv and decided to just veg out for the evening. She found a tv program that looked kind of interesting. It was about a woman who had been framed for murdering a cop and had escaped the death penalty by agreeing to work for a secret government organization. She laughed at the thought. “As if ...”

Flipping around the channels after the first program was over, she found a show about JAG lawyers. “My, that Commander is certainly a handsome fellow. Too bad we don’t have a few that look like him at Section. After the program was over, she let her mind wander for a bit. She thought of CLHQ and how she had treated her friends before she left. “Sorry guys. Boy do I have a lot of apologizing to do when I get back.” Then her mind drifted to Michael. She smiled at the thought of him. This would be a wonderful place to visit with him. It was such a romantic city. They hadn’t had a chance to spend any time together lately. She would definitely make sure that changed when she got back. If, of course, she could find him. Rita had a tendency to whisk him off to places unknown at a moment’s notice.

Her cell phone ringing broke into her reverie. “Yeah.”

“Sherry, it’s Birkoff. We got another message. You will be contacted directly by them tomorrow.”

“Okay. Thanks Birkoff. Guess it’s time to get the show on the road.”

“Be careful, Sherry.”

Sherry smiled. “I will. Thanks.” She hung up the phone and went to change into her nightshirt. Actually, it had been one of Michael’s shirts, but he said she could have it when he realized how much she enjoyed wearing it. Double-checking to make sure the door and all the windows were locked, Sherry settled down to watch some more tv. Section didn’t seem to have a clue what the contact wanted, or at least they weren’t telling her, so she had nothing to prepare. Nothing to study. She was still leery of this assignment, but there wasn’t much she could do about it now. After watching the news, she went to bed.

After a good night’s sleep, Sherry woke up feeling better ... better than she had in a long time. She still wasn’t 100%, probably not anywhere near it, but she was definitely on the way. If only they would let her stay here and rest for about a month. “Yeah right ... get a grip girl. Like they give out vacations.” Sherry dressed in jeans and a big pull-over sweater. She had breakfast in her room and tried to keep herself calm. About 10:00 a.m. there was a knock on her door. It was the bellman.

“We received this note for you a short while ago. We were told it was urgent and we should deliver it immediately.” He handed her an envelope with her name typed on the front, marked ‘Urgent.’

“Thank you.” The bellman nodded and turned to leave. Sherry shut the door behind him and then ripped open the envelope. “You seemed to enjoy St. Mark’s Square last evening. Be there at 1:00. You will be contacted there. Do not walk -- that could be dangerous. Take the car and driver the hotel has provided.”

Sherry shook her head. “That could be dangerous?” What was this guy, a comedian? What did he think meeting a complete stranger with no backup was? Not exactly a walk in the park. And apparently he had been watching her. He knew she had been to St. Mark’s Square. Well, at least that explained the feelings she had been getting. She had three hours to waste. She decided she had better contact Section and let them know what was going on. After reporting to Birkoff, she was at a loss. What to do for the rest of the time? She was too antsy to stay cooped up in her room. So she decided to have lunch at one of the outdoor cafes and then simply do a little sightseeing until it was time for the meeting.

Making sure everything was packed up, Sherry grabbed her jacket and gun. Then she called the desk and asked to have the car and driver waiting for her outside. She had the driver take her by some of the historic churches and palaces. She got out and wandered by a canal, watching the gondoliers and the couples taking advantage of their service. Lunch was simple fare at a nearby cafe. She wanted to be at the meeting early to scope things out. She had the driver take her back to St. Mark’s Square. Then she dismissed him.

Having arrived at the Square, Sherry made her way inside. The place was full of people ... and pigeons. It seemed this was quite a gathering spot for pigeons. People were feeding them everywhere you looked. Sherry walked around a bit more looking at the different buildings. She watched the people as well. She still had the feeling of being watched. She tried to keep track of who seemed to be following her. Then she spotted them. There was a couple — a young man and woman, seemingly engrossed only in each other, but they had been following her all around the Square. She looked off in the other direction and saw her driver. What was he doing here? Was he in on it too? The feeling was getting stronger. This was a trap. She should have paid closer attention to her surroundings and the people. Now she knew she had to get out of here fast. Just as she was about to bolt, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.

Part 5/End

Sherry’s mind raced. She had been too late to realize what was going on. Now they had her. Her mind went into overdrive. She needed to lash out. Just as she was about to land a nasty kick to her captor, she felt herself being pulled back against a strong chest. And a voice whispered in her ear. “Don’t make a scene, mon amour. We are lovers, not enemies, are we not?”

Sherry went completely still. “Michael?”

Then she spun around in his arms to see if it really was him. “Yes.”

“What are you doing here? I’m supposed to be meeting a contact. I have to be here alone. Now you’ve gone and blown it. Operations and Madeline are going to be furious. And I’m not taking the blame for this one. You can just explain it to them yourself. How could you do this?”

Michael put a finger to her lips to silence her. Then he looked off in the direction of the driver and nodded. The driver left. Michael then turned his attention to the couple that had been following her. He nodded in their direction and they quickly disappeared.

“You were having me followed? Why?” she demanded.

Michael sighed. He knew she was angry. He just had to keep her quiet long enough to explain what was going on. “I was having you watched to make sure you were safe.”

“But Michael, you’ve blown the whole thing. The contact will never show up now.”

Michael took her hand and pulled her toward a bench. She hesitated, and he tugged a little harder until she acquiesced. He sat down and pulled her close to his side and wrapped his arms around her. “I am your contact.”

Sherry thought she had heard it all, but this one definitely took the prize. “What? You’re my contact? Why? Michael, please don’t tell me you’re working with Red Cell again.”

Michael shook his head. “No, I’m not. Madeline sent me.”

“But why? Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re here, but I don’t understand.”

Michael smiled at her. “Give me a minute to explain, okay?”

Sherry laughed. “Okay. Sorry.”

Michael smoothed the hair back from her face and continued to play with her hair as he talked. “You don’t ever have to apologize to me, chere. And it’s nice to hear you laugh again.” Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Now, as to why I’m here. As you know, you’ve been sent on an ungodly number of missions lately.”

Sherry laughed. “Tell me about it. And, uh, Michael, if you want me to concentrate on what you’re saying, you might want to stop with the hands for now.”

Michael smiled. Her humor was returning. That was a good sign. She must be feeling a little better. “Okay. How about if I just keep them wrapped around you like this,” and his arms snaked around her waist and pulled her to him once again.

Sherry sighed. “Yeah, that’s good.” She snuggled closer to him and then “You were saying?”

“I was doing my own investigation into why you had been sent out so frequently. After your last mission, Madeline started one as well. Operations and Madeline didn’t realize what was happening.” He saw that she was going to interrupt, so he continued on. “As soon as I realized what was happening, as I said, I started my own investigation. Madeline called me in after your last mission and explained what she wanted. Since I had already started working on it, it didn’t take me long to figure out who was behind it.”

Sherry turned to him. “Somebody was deliberately sending me out on all those missions? Why?”

Michael wouldn’t tell her. He couldn’t. After all, it was his fault. Well, no, actually it was Section’s fault. They had let a nutcase slip through the screening process. But, if he hadn’t spent all that time with Sherry and if she hadn’t moved in next to him, none of it would have happened. He was just glad they had found out about Jenna and had her taken care of before something terrible happened.

Realizing that Sherry was waiting for an answer, Michael looked away. He hated lying to her, but this time it was really for her own good. She was feel responsible if she knew the truth. “It was a computer screw up. It seems that one of the computers was malfunctioning and your name kept getting pulled for missions. Since Operations didn’t do all the briefings, and Madeline was not the profiler on all of them, no one noticed that you were going out so often until it was almost too late. I’m sorry. I should have figured it out sooner.”

Sherry hugged him. “Michael, that’s the biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard. However, I know whatever the reason, you’re trying to protect me, so I’ll let it go, for now. And don’t apologize. I’m not your responsibility. I should have said something sooner. I don’t know why I didn’t. Then, it eventually got to the point where I just didn’t care anymore.”

Michael pulled her close again. “Don’t say that. Don’t ever let yourself get to that point again. Come talk to me, please. Or if I’m not around, talk to one of your friends. They will help you. If they can’t, I’m sure they will find me. They did this time.”

Sherry laughed. “Did they, really? Like that would be such a chore for them. If one of them didn’t know where you were 24/7, I’d be surprised.”

Michael smiled. “I’m afraid I was pretty abrupt with North. I’ll have to apologize to her when we get back.”

Sherry nodded. “Yeah, me too. Actually, I was nasty to just about everyone, Operations included. I can’t believe he didn’t put me in abeyance or something.”

Michael had wondered about that as well. He knew that Operations was aware of the extenuating circumstances, but that had been after the fact. There had to be a reason that Operations hadn’t acted. He would definitely do some checking when they got back.

“So Michael, that explains about the missions, but that doesn’t explain why we’re here.”

Michael nodded. “Operations ordered Madeline to give you some downtime without anyone knowing about it. Madeline decided the best way to do that was guising it as a mission. I am simply here to provide protection and see that you get that rest.”

Sherry laughed out loud at that one. “Oh Michael, you’re kidding! Wait till the girls back at CLHQ hear this one.”

Michael shook his head. “Sorry, but you can’t tell them. Remember, no one is to know you were sent on vacation.”

Sherry frowned. “But Michael, these people aren’t stupid. When I return happy and healthy with you in tow, what are they gonna think?”

Michael shrugged. “Let them think what they want. You will simply tell them that you were on a mission and I was sent at the last minute to assist you.”

Sherry nodded. “Yeah, they’ll really believe that. Okay. Whatever you say.” Sherry leaned back against him once again and sighed. “This is nice, Michael, but I wish ...”

Michael kissed her temple. “I know. You wish we were in the country rather than the city.”

Sherry smiled. He knew her so well. “Yeah, I do.”

Michael stood up and pulled her up with him. Holding hands, they walked toward the car that had brought her here. Sherry stopped. “Wait Michael. The driver is Section?” Michael nodded. “Let me guess. The doorman, the bellman, the concierge?” Michael smiled. “I had to make sure you were okay until I could get here. I’m sorry about Marcus disturbing your sleep.”

Sherry shook her head. “Michael, I could have shot him.”

Michael nodded. “It would serve him right for being so obvious. I think he needs a bit more training in the stealth department.”

As they got into the car, Michael turned to her again. “I knew you wouldn’t care for being in the city for a month, so I made other plans. There is a lovely country inn not too far outside of Venice. They have mountains, woods, streams and meadows ... just the kind of place you like. We will leave in the morning. Oh, and I brought someone along.”

Sherry looked at him quizzically, wondering who on earth he would have brought along.

Michael picked up her hand and kissed it. "I brought Lakota with me. He was getting lonely. And he wasn't the only one."

Sherry leaned over and kissed him. “I knew there was a reason I kept you around.” Then it dawned on her what he had said. “A month? Michael, we’re gonna be here for a month?”

Michael smiled. “Yes, mon amour. The doctors said you needed lots of rest. Madeline decided a month should be sufficient time for you to recover.”

Sherry got a mischievous look on her face. “I should invite Mentz and Davenport to join me.”

Michael looked at her. “I wouldn’t advise it.”

“Why not? I mean, they did save my life after all. I owe them some form of thanks.”

Michael smiled. “Send them a note. If they showed up, I’d have to have them immediately transferred to a post in Outer Mongolia, and I’d hate to do that. They are my friends.”

“So, it’s just you and me?” Sherry whispered.

“Yes,” Michael replied.

“Remind me to send Madeline a thank you note when we get back.”

Michael nodded and they headed back to the hotel to spend one last night before they set off own their own idea of a peaceful, romantic vacation.

The End

This story ©copyright Sherry, 1999