Fated Identity (Red Star #6) Read Online Free Page A

again, she’d been trained by the Farm. Grady applied the brakes and came to a standstill behind the navy blue Honda Accord he’d allowed into the flow of traffic a block back. He took advantage of the stop to look Brienne’s way. She was holding herself together, considering the initial shock of her public outing as an agent was wearing off.
    “It’s over,” Brienne said somewhat dejectedly. “My name is out there and now all of my cases are compromised, as well as possibly other assets who I work with. The only thing that matters at this point is finding out who leaked the information to the newspaper, how they uncovered my personal data to begin with, who else is next based on my association with them, and then try to prevent any further damage from happening. SSA Telfer has the Director’s assurance that the Technical Collections boys from the Science and Technology Division is all over this. There’s nothing Starr can do that our resources can’t accomplish on their own.”
    “You would be surprised at what Starr can achieve,” Grady informed her, catching sight of a grey Ford Focus pulling alongside of them a little too close for comfort. The man driving was singing along to his radio and clueless as to what was going on around him. “She has the seemingly magical ability to get things done in a timely manner without causing even a ripple in the water. You and I both know the CIA and the FBI have a tendency to overshoot these things and make the situation worse.”
    Grady admired Brienne’s sense of right and wrong. She saw things black and white in a grey world, which was how she conducted her business. She fit right into the Agency’s mold and was able to make calculated decisions based on the collection of solid, supporting facts.
    It did run through Grady’s mind that Brienne was handling their relationship in the same lock-step manner, but again, this wasn’t the time or place to get into that. She was a true professional and this violation of her covert status was ultimately a tragedy for the Agency and a setback in the region her desk managed. Would he be able to convince her to make a mutually beneficial deal with Starr in an attempt to salvage her career?
    “Grady, do you happen to have a backup piece on you?”
    Brienne’s question was said with the calm of a seasoned field agent. No one else would have caught the concern lacing her soft-spoken words. It helped that Grady had already caught sight of the male figure beside them drawing his weapon a little higher than he’d realized, giving away the reason he’d furtively pulled so close to Grady’s vehicle. He’d essentially blocked Brienne inside the car. She wouldn’t have known that from the direction she was looking, though, meaning an additional threat was present and within her line of sight.
    “Glove box. It’s condition one.”
    Grady hadn’t finished saying his last word before Brienne had efficiently opened the compartment in front of her in one fluid movement. The weapon was smaller than his preferred Kimber 1911 TLE, as was par for the course when it came to a spare weapon. She would have known he’d kept a round in the chamber without his statement to that effect, which was why she didn’t hesitate to bring the Berretta PX4 Storm in .40 S&W up with a purpose. He’d already done the same and the discharge of both firearms inside such an insulated luxury sedan instantly compromised their hearing. Only time would tell just how much damage had been done on a permanent basis.
    That didn’t stop Grady from reaching for his door handle, ignoring the shards of glass that had shattered everywhere upon the bullet’s impact with the vehicle’s safety glass. He rammed his shoulder into the door, confident Brienne had neutralized her target or she would have followed up with continued fire. She was an accurate shot, on and off the range.
    The ringing in his ears overtook the city noise, as well as the construction zone up ahead.