CAPTIONS

 

Fulcrum

 Claire needed to convince the other side. She had a few contacts, but nothing high enough up to make decisions.on the matter or to take it up the chain without someone finding out, but  she knew someone who did.  

Fan Li, the head of Mekong LLP, a consulting firm in Engineering, Management and Accounting was a profitable legitimate company, but was in reality a front for FORCE agents, their consultants leading a double life, one as experienced business consultants, the other as deadly femme fatales.  She was part of Claire’s executive team, a close confidant and the only person within FORCE who had the contacts they needed.

They met in Claire’s office over tea, where everything was laid out.  

Fan understood everything that needed to be done even as Claire explained it, even adding a few things in her mind for extra insulation from discovery.

‘Shouldn’t be too hard, I’ll start later this week, I just need to finish up an assignment I’m working on then I’ll make arrangements and fly to Zhuhai,’ she smiled taking a sip of tea.

‘Don’t take this the wrong way but no one is even sure where the main HQ is, they have offices and compounds everywhere,’ Claire asked.

‘Exactly, but that is only true from the outside looking in.  I know several people, all retired, but really there is no retirement from our type of work, doesn’t matter what side you're on.  Rather than go through current members, I’ll use the back door approach.  These people I’m speaking of have their own businesses now, some very large all with foreign sales for just the purpose as before, gathering information and intelligence, except this time it's under the guise of capitalism.  However, even the most competent spy sometimes needed the aid of a more competent consulting firm to set things up.  I undercharge for my services, as you know sometimes, I like to think of it as a delayed quid pro quo and now it's time to collect,’ Fan explained with a smile over the rim of the cup.

^^^

Fan had returned to Mekong LLP HQ, located in Macau to go over her files on who she would contact, in truth she had already settled on the person, a woman named Fei Ling Zhao who she knew lived in Zhuhai, China’s first Special Economic Zone.  The city was located right next to Macau.

Fan flew into Zhuhai as promised.  She kept herself as inconspicuous as possible, good looks attracted attention and being almost constantly on surveillance camera, standing out was not a good plan.  

Before she had retired Fei had been a very low level operative in Bangkok. Her cover was that of an export agent for the Fú (Good Fortune) Trading Company.  Bangkok was a sleepy assignment, so to fill her time and ingratiate herself to her masters in Beijing and gain more access to the city's business and political elite, she concentrated on her cover job and soon discovered she had a knack for it.  Money flowed back to Beijing making her overseers happy and rich, she knew, invites and access flowed her way from the city's tycoons, she also didn’t send all the money back home.  Beijing was over 3200km away.

‘It was a long way to see, especially if you're not looking,’ she used to say.

In time she started Xīn Fú (New Good Fortune) Trading Company.  Both firms prospered and Fei was soon very rich, very well connected, both in Bangkok and Beijing.  She cultivated rising stars in the Ministry, insulating herself from hard line zealots and jealous rivals, she spread money about and when needed sweetened the deal with herself.  Her machinations kept her out of the eye of suspicion for her entire career.  The cruel fate of all female spies caught up with her in her mid forties, her masters thought her too old to be of much use in the alluring department and replaced her as a field agent bringing her back to Beijing where her assorted lovers clearly did not think that true at all.  She retired at 55, by then her business interests were established in the mainland as well and even in Macau and more importantly all her efforts inside the Ministry had bore fruit.  Her lovers occupied several of the highest positions and a couple of others had power in places it was useful to have.  Fei was free to run her businesses, pay her bribes, enjoy the fruits those bore and when her lovers wanted a more skillful woman, she was there, exerting power over them without them knowing it.  

David Jacobs, FORCE’s brilliant Head of IS had provided Fan with all she needed to make the contact.   He tapped into her company’s email and discovered Fei was looking at a new warehouse property.  It was a simple task to replicate an idea and pass for Fan as the rep for the realtor.  

Fan met her outside the warehouse, David again coming through by creating a loop in the security camera feeds taking away any chance of a hack from another party.  Fan kept her back to Fei as the woman called out, holding her mobile to her ear as a pretense until Fei was close enough that Fan turned and they shook hands, Fei immediately recognizing Fan.

Fan wondered why they have ever retired her, she was still stunning, both in beauty and fitness, certainly FORCE would have kept her as an active agent.  

        

‘It's good to see you again Wei, I would like to talk to you I could?’ Fan Li spoke, but Wei saw more in her eyes than her words and she followed her inside the warehouse.  

Fan made a detailed and full explanation of everything that had happened so far, what had happened with Claire and then what they needed from her.  Fan knew there was no danger of overloading Fei with information, she had been after all a spy and a very successful businesswoman, but more importantly and this Fan knew as well, she could see an opportunity. 

‘You’re my magic little talisman,’ Fei smiled. ‘Everytime you show up, fortune smiles on me.  The first time was when \i wanted to take my business to the next level and you showed up.  Tell me were you working for FORCE then, or was it still COIL at that time?’

‘It was FORCE, and no I was not working for them, that became a reality right after I had finished my project for you.  I went to relax and reward myself and well, if it wasn’t for this woman, ,my good friend now, I would have been killed.  I became a recruit that night,’ Fan explained.

‘And now you show up again, asking for my help, it seems our roles are reversed this time and now you’re the client,’ Fei responded, then added.  ‘How do you know you can afford my asking price?’

‘How do you know you can refuse my asking?’ Fan countered letting the comment sink in but not too far, it was merely meant as a tease and a way of establishing a mutual respect.  ‘When I worked for you before, I never changed you what I should have, you knew that, yet you never said anything so we both kept diū liǎn.  I admired you, the path you had chosen, you were tough, smart, ambitious and guarded.  Took me a little while to figure out the last part, but when I was doing up the finances, well let’s say, numbers don’t lie and they also tell good stories as did the letters of incorporation.  I see my work helped keep you safe.  I may have been young, but I wasn’t foolish,’ Fan stated.

‘No you weren’t, part of the reason I liked you,’ Fei replied.  

‘This warehouse space is very nice, but you know I think two would be better, so would priority dock and launch for ships, first truck access and no question documentation, both shipping and receiving, that by the way would include inspection,’ Fan said.  ‘How’s my price now?’

^^^

Everyone likes to show off their latest thing, the higher up you are the more audience you have and this was about as high as you could get.  The Asia Economic Innovation and Trade Conference brought together more than half the world's population as well as risen and rising economic powers such as China and Japan in the former and India, Vietnam and Indonesia in the latter so it was no surprise that high ranking members of the ruling Chinese Government were on hand for the official opening and the party afterward.  It was the party that Alice Hamilton was more interested in.  

The trip down the stairs to the convention room made Alice’s introduction for her.  She caught many eyes including the one she wanted to, then disappeared into the crowd catching a drink along the way and mingled with the throng of people.  

She chatted with people as she edged closer to the podium where speeches of welcome and self congratulation were going on.  The mic was passed to another dignitary for more of the same when a voice, in perfect proper Mandarin said. ‘Opportunities multiply as they are seized.’

He turned around expecting to see a Chinese woman, shock then a delightful surprise crossed his face.

‘To answer a proverb with one, ‘Opportunity knocks at the door only once.’

Alice continued in Mandarin, making small talk for a few moments before moving the conversation to an uncomfortable place.  ‘I hear through a mutual friend of ours that we have a common enemy, well more your enemy than mine.’

‘Perhaps we should talk more in private,’ he said and nodded toward the washroom. ‘Meet me in five minutes,’ he said bruskly and moved off.  She smiled and sipped her drink.

‘Your Mandarin is excellent, like a native speaker, perhaps too native,’ he said as Alice entered the deserted Men’s Washroom.  The Minister stood at the far end of the tiled room, urinals on one side, stalls on the other and the sinks behind him.  Alice could see he was a very handsome man, in his mid thirties well put together and in excellent condition. The fact that he was so young and in a high position within the state meant that Fei was a shrewd judge of talent and an excellent lover to keep him fascinated with her for so long.

‘Perhaps, but my Mandarin is rather old, from the 1730’s so of course it would seem a little strange to you,’ she answered seriously and he did not know how to take it.

‘Fei Wei Ling is a wonderful agent, but she has a nasty habit of looking out for herself and aligning her desires with people who can make that happen regardless of whether that is for the benefit of the state over her own plans,’ he said flatly.

‘You failed to mention she’s also a lover,’ Alice responded. ‘Ironic that the very thing you accuse her of you seem to have as well.  Let's be polite and call them interests as well and you put them ahead of the state also or perhaps you thought that your position within the state would allow you to abuse those interests.’

He had at least the courtesy to look embarrassed at the omission but adding. ‘What do you know of, my interests?’ 

‘You like to gamble.  When you visit Fei, it's only a short car ride to Macau and the casino’s, but you don’t like the big legal ones, too many cameras and people who might know you and question why a high government official is gambling and how can he afford the rather large sums he likes to wager.  So you go to the unofficial places and now you're in a spot of trouble and that trouble has become known to other people,’ Alice explained.

‘You are indeed very well informed,’ he said.

‘Excellent, then I presume I don’t have to explain what this is all about and what conditions need to be met by both sides so all of this can be resolved to everyone’s benefit and the past stays in the past,’ Alice said.

‘Fei explained everything to myself and my colleagues and after careful, very careful and very private talks, we are inclined to go along,’ he said.

‘Incline or not, there are no half commitments on this, once it starts it cannot be stopped until all is done,’ Alice explained.  In truth she knew she had the commitment she wanted, she just wanted to hear him say it.  

‘Fully,’ he said.

‘Now I am aware there is great risk on both your sides, your sides the greater risk,’ she smiled and walked toward him.  ‘If something were to go wrong and certain information got out, it could be very damaging to you and others so I have an escape plan for you, a bargaining chip to play in the case of, well let's call it, imminent disappearance,’ Alice explained and he got the point.

She reached into her clutch and pulled out her mobile, opened the gallery and began swiping.

‘How did you come by these two books? These have to be fakes, our historians have extensively researched all known avenues and concluded one is a myth and the other had all the mentions of these destroyed by the Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as they violated The Huang-Ming Zuxun,’ he said with his eyes wide.

‘Those are two long stories, but I will tell you, because, the best kind of locked door is that which you can leave open.,’ Alice said, her Mandarin changing yet again as she took his arm in hers and smiled. 

CAPTIONS

 

Sorting it Out

 ‘Why am I here again,’ Alex Chase asked.  ‘I mean, not that I’m complaining, you always do it right, even if it is at twenty thousand feet,’ she added and saluted Claire with her glass.  

‘I just thought it would be good for you and I to spend a little time together, I don’t see you near enough,’ Claire explained, returning the salute.

‘Please, I practice deception for a career,’ Alex laughed.

‘Ok, the part about spending time with you is always true, you know that.  But, I thought you may want to see Yasmin again.  She just happens to be in town and well I thought you and she could meet up again, maybe go to lunch.’

‘Maybe get some information from her?’ Alex chipped in, with an unmistakable sarcastic tone.

‘She won’t know anything about this I suspect, but you never know, I do know she was just transferred to the region in question,’ Claire smiled.

‘She’s my friend, I won’t do anything to compromise her or her career and that includes prying for information,’ Alex stated flatly.  However, should she ask about why you’re here, well, then its all just off the record spy girl talk,’ Alex added.

Claire raised her glass again in salute.  

^^^

Claire’s jet came to a stop by the car awaiting in the tarmac, the stairs folded out and she and Alex glided down the stairs right into the open car, the door closed behind them and they were off from Dulles to the New Headquarters Building at Langley.  No one spoke during the car ride, Claire and Alex in the back seat looked out their respective windows.  It was only 30 minutes and the time passed quickly as did the ride to the main entrance, all security checks had been prescreened, 

‘It's good to know I’m still somewhat of an trusted soul,’ she said to Alex as they walked up the stairs and into the looby.  ‘This part however is unavoidable, doesn’t matter who you are,’ she added, placing her small leather satchel briefcase in a security box along with her shoes, Alex doing the same.  

They walked through the scanner, retrieved their belongings, a smile coming across Alex’s face and that of a familiar one.

‘Yasmin!’, Alex said a little louder than she had planned before quickly stepping into her friend's open arms for a warm embrace.

‘God, it’s great to see you again’ Yasmin Bennett said as they embraced.

‘I’ve never gotten that warm a reception,’ Claire smiled as the to broke apart.

‘Yasmin, my boss, Claire Baxter,’ Alex offered.

‘A pleasure to meet you Miss Baxter, Alex has told me about you, your exploits and well from what I picked up from loose chatter in the field, its an honour and well to be honest, a bit of a thrill,’ Yasmin offered with a firm handshake.  

Claire had heard this before, in part it was nice to hear, everyone likes a compliment, an ego boost if you will, the other part was not so nice, she thought it made her sound like a fossil, a woman of the past, but she chose to focus on the first part, both for her and the person offering the comment, so she smiled and thanked Yasmin.  

I’ll take you to Mr. Russo then you and I,’ Yasmin said. ‘Can have some fun,’ she said smiling at Alex.  

Yasmin started off, the other two followed, Claire knew better than to ask questions and Alex took Claire’s lead.  This was a courtesy call, Claire knew she didn’t have to do it, but it would be better all around if she did, these visits greased wheels which in turn kept information flowing and that helped everyone.  The meeting had been arranged with Tanner Russo, The Head of South East Asia Section.  That was his official title, he also dealt with other groups, namely Claire’s and a few others, but that was on a need to know basis and Claire was sure even Yasmin was clueless about the real reason she was here.  Claire had met Tanner several times before, they were the same age, once on a mission as while ago, they’d helped each other out and everything had worked out well for all concerned.  They other time was when she smoothed over the entire Yasmin/Alex escapade in Dubai.  

All three walked across a blue/white marble floor to the elevator, entered and rode it up to the fifth floor.  Yasmin exited and turned right, the others trailed after her, they past wood door after wood door, Claire knew this was director level frontage, a steel door usually lead into a large room of cubicles populated by analysts and other CIA drones, this was the level they were all trying to get to and especially, this one, the corner office, where Yasmin stopped.

‘I don’t have permission or clearance to enter, just you Miss Baxter, but on the plus side, I get to spend time with Alex,’ she smiled.

‘Should I meet you in the lobby later?’ Alex asked.

‘No sense, who knows how long this is going to be, these dick wagging sessions can go on and on.  Why don’t you just meet me at the hotel. Go and have fun, as much as you two can handle,’ Claire answered.

‘Seems like we’re getting the better deal?’ Yasmin said looking at the door with some unease.

‘All depends on who’s doing the wagging,’ Claire smiled and opened the door, she heard two sets of heels clicking away.

‘Claire Baxter,’ she said to a man in a blue suit behind a desk.  The anteroom was somewhat like a doctor's waiting room, non comfortable metal framed chairs, square table in a corner, with a spread of badly outdated and uninteresting magazines.  He looked at her and she back at him, her stare cold and impatient.  He was going to tell her to sit down, but her eyes said she was having none of that and that he better skedaddle inside and tell his boss she was here, which he did, not sure why he was doing it, but somehow it seemed the right choice.  

He returned a minute later, left the door open and motioned her in, he thought of saying something about Mr. Russo will see you now or you may enter, but left it at the silent gesture as being the one that would get him the least offense look or comment.  Claire gave him a warm smile to smooth things over as she passed by him, the door closing behind her.  

‘Corner office Tanner, long way from when we first met,’ Claire said, a warm smile coming over her face as she stepped across the carpeted floor to him.

‘See, I told you she was a hard ass, you owe me lunch, just like I said she’d bust my balls right away,’ Tanner Russo said to the other man in the room who was sitting on the sofa against the far wall where Claire had come in.  She had noticed him, but decided to establish herself and her relationship with Tanner in case he hadn’t disclosed it to this other man. 

The two exchanged a warm embrace, Tanner careful not to let his arms fall down around her waist.

‘The only hard thing I remember was inside me, what was it 4 no five sensational times,’ she whispered into his ear then felt a little pulsing beat against her.  Claire broke the embrace and provided cover for Tanner to sit down and recover, the other person seeing nothing.

‘Claire this is..,’ Tanner started to say before Claire cut him off.

‘Incredible, you are the spitting image of, what would he be, your great grandfather, Clark Eddings.’

‘Claire, please,’ Tanner said in a pleading way.  

Claire just gave him a smile and turned her head back to the man who was clearly taken aback by this introduction, one he had not expected or even anticipated.

‘Did you know my GG?’ he blurted out.

‘His pictures on the wall at NSA HQ, he is a legend in the security services, but you know that.  I have a memory for faces, helps in this biz and you look just like him, even down to those glasses you’re wearing,’ Claire said leaning a little closer.

Tanner watched him buy this explanation and he was relieved because the truth was something he didn’t want to go into and something very few people had clearance for, he reminded himself to chew her out later for this, not that it would do any good he knew, Claire liked games and pushing the envelope.

‘Sorry I didn’t get your name, Tanner is sometimes too focused on business for pleasantries,’ Claire added, as she held out her hand and Tanner hoped to didn’t wander off into some cryptic explanation of what pleasantries meant to her. 

‘David Eddings,’ he answered, holding out his hand.

‘Pleasure,’ Claire answered.  ‘Now we’d better make Mr. Russo happy and get serious about business,’ she added walking over to a large table, pulling out a folder.  She waited for them to catch up to her before she opened and spread out the contents, Claire wanted to see eyes, facial expressions and body language as she dealt her hand. ‘I’m subtle when I have to be, blunt when needed, this is a when needed moment.  All of these people are on either the CIA’s or the NSA’s payroll, now before one of both of you jumps in with a no, let me say my piece and then you can deny, if you still believe it.’  Claire looked at both of them, she saw in their faces that she had her answer already, she pressed on.

‘This is the head of the snake from what we know so far, we’re still working on more.  This man, I’m sure one or both of you know his name, in fact all these names.  He recruited this person, who recruited this person and so on,’ she said, placing down the pictures as she went. ‘Now, to be clear, I have no issues with informants and well placed double agents, what I do have a problem with is when these agents go rogue.  Your guys and gals in these pictures have hooked up with this man Yang Zheng He, owner of Golden Valley Mining entered into a contract with the government of Myanmar to create a gem mine in Northern Myanmar along the China/Myanmar border.  All fine on the surface, Myanmar gets an economic boost, development, everybody makes money, except Mr. Yang decides his company’s not making enough off a lopsided deal, heavily tilted in his favour, so he began secretly selling the best gems to private investors, mostly in China, the best gems he’s pulling from his less than safely run mine and not reporting them to the Myanmar government.  Funny how his best customers turned out to be these people,’ Claire said tapping her finger in the pictures.

‘Ok, now my turn,’ Tanner said, taking the lead. ‘I see Miss Tamblyn has been busy.  We know she runs the ops for you there.’

‘That’s because I told you, remember, inter organizational cooperation,’ Claire interrupted.  ‘Mr. Yang contacted her, because she’s actually an excellent businesswoman, her import/export business, her cover, actually makes very good money.  She has contacts deep inside the Myanmar government, she told them what she knew and they trusted her and they told her they had suspected much the same but did not want to ruffle feathers with, well let's be truthful, their economic masters in China.  Now you can not tell me it's a coincidence that Mr. Yang sells his wares to people who just happen to be one either or both of your payrolls, something  else is going on, all of these people have interests in very specific industries and well nobody needs that many gemstones.  So what is going on, are you guys not paying enough to your contacts?’ Claire said looking at them.

‘It's a little complicated, I don’t know if..’ David started to say before Tanner cut him off. 

‘We can be honest with Claire, she’s earned that.  They all were assets, but as you have noted things have gone a little off centre, if you will,’ Tanner explained.

‘Way off, I’d say.  What happened, did they get a little homesick, sudden wave a patriotism wash over them, returned to mother?’ she asked.

‘Mr. Yang, he’s what you would call a Dark Water Man,’ Tanner said and left it at that. 

‘’Well, so China has Deep State actors as well.  This guy must have juice on some very high ranking people to get away with this. So he’s protected but that doesn’t answer the question of what he and these people might be up to.  He obviously picked them for a reason and I suspect had them pick other people he wanted as well.  It’s a large web and growing,’ she said.

‘We were hoping you could fill us in a little more, both of agencies have limited assets to draw upon,’ Tanner explained.

Claire looked at him, she knew him well, as some people said, both old and new testament well.  She went past the blank face and knew he was lying, she said nothing, this was not the time or the place for scoring points and measuring dicks, she already knew she was ahead on both counts, so she let it pass and just told them she would have her people dig deeper and keep them informed in return for that promise everything the two agencies had came out.  Most of it FORCE already knew, but some of it was new and interesting and helped fill in gaps.

‘You may want to be careful of this woman, her name is Htet Miang Cho, but she prefers to be called Honey.  Although she is Myanmar but is actually a chinese agent, that much we know.  Mr. Yang knows this but seems to tolerate her, most likely he flipped her, money is a strong motivator, now matter where you come from,’ David explained as he placed her picture on the table along with several others he drew from a folder.

‘Ex Chinese agents, dubious players, most likely business men and women, recruited because of their wealth and travel to other countries.  As far as we can tell all have been cut loose, we suspect because of conflicting interests, theirs and Beijing’s.’

‘I assume these are mine to take, just as what I brought are yours to keep,’ she said and got dual nods of agreement.  

They worked through lunch, Claire was careful what she promised and what she offered.  The balance of information was not equally distributed, FORCE had far more to give than get, so she played her cards close and did not play them all during the meeting.  It finally ended about 4pm, Claire said her goodbyes and left. She was driven back to her hotel, Alex and Yasmin had come and gone again, Claire knew she would see neither again until morning, which suited her fine.  

^^^

‘It was very nice of you to provide me with a keycard, else I would have had to pick the lock and that could have taken some time,’ Tanner said as the door closed behind him in Claire’s suite.

‘That would have taken to long and besides, this isn’t the warmest of attire,’ Claire responded as she emerged from the bedroom and leaned against the door frame. 

‘And I thought the outfit you had on today was designed to drive me crazy,’ he said.

‘If I remember, although my memory is a little hazy, it was a short drive that turned into a wonderful road trip,’ she smiled as they stepped toward and into each other's embrace, their lips ravenous for the other.

They kissed as Claire deftly undid his belt and pants then his shirt, their lips never parting.  He didn’t remember discarding the remainder of his clothes, but there he was picking her up, Claire’s long wonderful legs wrapped around his waist, ankles crossed to support her as she rocked her hips up and down to catch his granite pole in her embrace.

‘I think it's time you drive home and fast,’ Claire added, her voice heavy and sexy.

He lowered her to the bed, Claire unlocking as she gently melded into the mattress, he doing as requested with one thrust she moaning in delight even as they rocked together in a frenzied dance for a very short time both exploding in joy seconds later, Tanner thrusting maddly, faster and faster with the pleasure she delivered, his back arching up and down, Claire holding on to his hips to keep his motion going while he became lost in pleasure, her action giving him an extended orgasm.  

She climaxed a short time after him, she knew it would be wonderful, it always was with Tanner, but even this took her surprise, stilled for a faction of a second then it hit her, a wave of delirious pleasure that twisted her on the mattress.  Her back arched, she tilted her hips up, hoping to envelop more of his manhood into her.  Tanner’s arms slipped under her ass, grasped and pulled her toward him as he pushed more of his staff into her, his timing, her desire for him, and how he held her quivered her entire form, the pleasure was almost too much, she barely remained conscious has his tool refused to cease inside her, each thrust crashing a tsunami of joy flooding her entire body until mercifully it died away, she hot, heart racing and shallow of breath.

Claire looked up at him, her hands trailing down his chest as he undid the buttons of the shirt.

‘That was incredible,’ he said and she smiled her total agreement.  ‘I’m a little scared of what will happen now,’ he added as the last button was undone and Claire rolled them over, free of the shirt and now on top.

‘Too scared to find out? she teased. ‘I can feel the answer is no,’ her hips churning around his stem as his hands crept up her stomach and cupped her wonderful breasts and soft purring sound escaping from her as he worked.  Claire swirled about changing in motion as she watched looking for the movement that worked.  She quickly found it and took the session in overdrive.  Her undulations twists soon felled his hands from her breasts, she didn’t mind, Tanner had done a wonderful job and she took it as a compliment that she could deliver this much pleasure for him.  Claire could feel his wand throbbing and quivering inside her as she pulled and stoked, a sudden gasp, an instant stillness, then a gigantic thrust and turn of his hips, followed by an explosion of pleasure and release.  She knew just how to prolong his pleasure, his hips arching and slamming against her mound as she wrung his essence from him, his hands cupped about her hips pulled weakly but Claire followed their lead and gave them the added strength them needed as she pistoned around him and in fervent action.  

He rested for just a second then following her leading motion pumped and rubbed inside her as his hand found renewed strength and began again caressing her nipples.  This was more than enough for Claire, she rose up on her knees and let the orgasm take her.  Claire’s body was seized in pleasure, she shook in joy, her incredible body nearly toppling over, only his guiding hands prevented it while they provided the base for him to turn her mound about his obelisk sending in even deeper in bliss, her moans filling the still space until she opened her eyes and looked at him in wonder, Tanner turned and thrust several more times, giving her sensuous aftershocks that left her weak.  His hands slid up her slim waist and pulled her down to him, she willingly falling against him as they kissed her arms slipping about his neck.  He was still, oh so very rigid inside her and both wanting more.  Each seemed to sense it and they began to slowly rock together, neither in a hurry.

They made love a few more times, each a different position, Claire on her stomach in an Entwined Crab which allowed them to kiss and gave full body contact, she revelled in the position as each could feel the pleasure they gave the other.  They concluded in a Janakurpara then collapsed into the bed, side by side they kissed lightly and smiled.

‘Do you get out into the field still,’ Tanner asked.

‘Why do you ask, oh, no, am I losing my touch,’ Claire asked.

‘You would still be incredible even if you have, which you most definitely have not.  Any more intense and I might not have survived.  No, just curious, I know I don’t, the desk is my field now, I just send others and hope they’ll come back.’

‘Once in a while I do sometimes. Most of my staff think it would be bad for morale if I ended up dead.  Not bad for me mind you, but moral,’ she smiled.  ‘But I know what they mean.  ‘I’m mostly a mother hen now, brooding a new set of chick to continue the fight. ‘The hardest part is getting them to be themselves and not trying to Claire 3.0 or some other nonsense.  But, they read the old mission reports, oh not just of me, but of their trainers or active agents in the field and think they can be just like that.  Getting that thought out of their heads is harder than teaching them the skills they need.  Do I miss it, yes and no, depends,’ she said, softly stroking his hard smooth chest. ‘You?’

‘The same,’ he answered, his voice tinged with a small trace of regret.

‘Well if it's any consultation, you behind a desk has not affected your performance on other areas,’ Claire said kissing his chest as she climbed on top, not for more sex, well not just now, but to talk. 

‘I know you handed me this whole mess because of geopolitics.  No, no, let me finish,’ Claire said putting a finger against his lips.  ‘I know who delicate this is, the eagle and the dragon, neither trusting the other, so why not let a third party do the work. I understand and even approve of it, but I will tell you I will not take sides, both parties will know what we do and why and both will get the same reports.  I’m the one taking all the risks, so I set the rules, any interference or, lets just call it extracurricular activities by either side and I’m out.  I want you to know that and I will make it clear to your counterparts in Beijing, both agree or no deal.  My only promise to the both of you is I will clear this up and bury anything that needs to be buried.  ‘I only trust you on this end Tanner, it's up to you to find select people you trust, also to tell me of people you don’t trust.  You and I both know this thing is bigger than just some mine in Myanmar, that’s why you were so tense during our meeting today.  You twist your left foot when you're cautious and you did it a lot today.  I take it that your briefcase contains the real intel and not the fake stuff you gave me today.  You don’t trust David, do you?’

‘He’s fine, even a straighter arrow than Clark Eddings, no he’s good, it's others, it's always them, the lower downs, people with a grudge, money issues, things that can be easily exploited.  We try to root them out, but with this, a person with cyberskills and intel, well he can get to people and data or they can get to data and change things, it makes the whole thing much more difficult.’

‘If I may, pull Yasmin Bennett into your orbit, she’s fantastic and completely trustworthy, make her your mole.  She knows if she knows anyone in the NSA who she can use as a mole.  I will work the other side to balance it out once I manage to find the right person inside Guoanbu.  You have to give me time to get this started and to see where it goes, who knows it all may amount to nothing if they choose not to cooperate,’ she said.

‘You think it could go that way?’ Tanner asked.

‘No, embarrassing secrets and staying in power and control are universal human traits, I think they will be onside right away.  Both of you need to learn that power used to come from money, one got you the other, now its information brings you both power and money, the snake has grown another head. And speaking of heads,’ Claire honeyed as her hands slipped between them.  ‘Is there no way to tire you out,’ she started to say then gasped as his pleasure spear penetrated her