Honor Under Siege полностью

wanting desperately to do something. Valerie looked so white,

so stillso lifeless. “Please.

“Here. Felicia tossed Diane a thermal towel from the emergency

kit brought over from the marina. “Dry her hair and when

that towel gets cool, Ill get you another hot one.

Valerie moaned, her body twitching reflexively when

Diane touched her. Diane blocked out the sound and

concentrated on doing anything she could to get her warm and

dry. “Is she going to be all right?

“Yes. Renée placed an oxygen mask over Valeries face.

“Here, hold this on. Its real y important. The warm air will heat

the blood in her lungs and help raise her core temperature.

“Ive got it, Diane said, taking the mask from Savard.

When Valerie moaned again and jerked her head away,

threatening to dislodge the mask, Diane leaned down and

whispered in her ear. “Valerie, darling, its Diane. Youre all right.

Youre safe. Let us help you.

Valeries eyelids, so bloodless that the blue of her irises

shone through the skin, flickered and opened. Wordlessly, she

stared into Dianes eyes.

Diane smiled and caressed her forehead above the re-

breathing mask. “Youre going to be all right. I love you.

Valerie nodded almost imperceptibly and closed her eyes

again. Diane shivered, not from cold, but from the pain of

losing that brief connection. “Tell me what to do. Tell me how

to help her,

she said desperately.

Renée slid an arm around Dianes shoulders and hugged her briefly.

“Youre here, and she knows it. Thats exactly what she needs.

* * * * *

“Do we know yet what happened out there? Renée said,

slumping into a chair in the command center. Mac and Paula

hunched over the monitors. Printouts spewed from several nearby

machines.

“Theoriesno confirmation. Mac said, looking over his

shoulder. “How are they doing upstairs?

“Both stable. Valeries in for a rough ride for a

while.

“Mac, Paula said, pushing away from the computer console,

“take over here for a second.

“Sure thing, Chief, Mac said.

Paula grasped Renées hand and gently guided her to her

feet. Then she wrapped an arm around her waist and led her

toward the hal . “You need to change your clothes. Theyre wet.

Renée looked down as if realizing for the first time that her

shoes and jeans and shirt were dripping. She shivered. “Yeah.

Good idea.

Once upstairs in their bedroom, Paula took Renée into

the bathroom. “Are you okay?

“Yeah. Renée kissed Paula and brushed her fingers through

her hair. “Im fine, sweetie.

“Okay, Paula said shakily, wondering why she always seemed

to lose it after she knew Renée was safe. “Stand there. She pul ed

off Renées T-shirt and unzipped her jeans. “Take your shoes off

and get out of these pants.

Renée steadied herself with a hand on Paulas shoulder. “What a

cluster fuck. Who targeted Valeries boat, do you know?

“No, Paula said with disgust. “Weve got satel ite images of close

to a dozen boats, not counting Tanners, that were in missile range.

It will take a while to sort through them, but at first glance, they

all look civilian or commercial.

“Its got to be Matheson. Renée leaned against the vanity

and closed her eyes, moaning with gratitude as Paula wrapped

her in a huge towel. She burrowed her face in the curve of

Paulas neck. “You feel so good I never want to move.

“Works for me. Paula held her tightly and kissed the top of Renées

head. “Scared me there for a while.

“I thought we were going to lose both of them out

there.

I thought I might have lost you , Paula thought, and tightened her

grip.

“I was pret y scared for a few minutes, Renée

whispered.

Paula finger-combed Renées tangled golden-brown hair.

“Me too. Renée raised her head. “Im sorry, sweetie.

“Not your fault. You were doing your job, and Im glad you were. Paula

kissed her. “I love you.

“Yeah, me too. Renée stroked Paulas face. “Big-

time.

“And yeah, Paula said grimly. “I think it was Matheson or one of his

people. Who else could it have been? Henry must have told Matheson

about the meet and Matheson decided to eliminate both of them at

once.

“Makes sense. Who would have figured hed have that kind of

firepower? Renée shook her head. “Were playing in a whole new league,

now, arent we? Domestic terrorism is just another name for war.

“We thought we had everything covered, Paula said. “We were

monitoring for air and water assaults, except we were looking for aircraft

or boats. Who would have expected a missile launch of the New

England coast?

“I dont suppose theres any chance of intercepting

him?

Paula snorted. “Zero. I cal ed Tanners people back in. Besides the

fact that theyre civilians, he could have fired that missile from fifty

miles away and been gone before it even hit.