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she confessed. “I am the only engineer currently working on a robotic prototype. It will be completed and fully operational in three weeks. Once it is complete, it will be able to fly, undetected, into any terrorist hold up in the world, and release a pharmacological weapon, a powerful anesthetic and sedative chemical compound that degrades the functioning of the brain and renders the subject incapacitated for eight hours. In theory, that is enough time for the military to move in and clean up the cell. There is, however, a black market for this type of technology. If this technology fell into terrorists’ hands, not only would they have a new weapon but they would have a delivery system for all of the biochemical weapons which are currently against the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Terrorists could mist targets with Sarin, mustard gas, cyanide, phosgene, or any other number of agents which are out there that cause incapacitation or death.” She sighed audibly when she finished speaking, accepting the tea Michael handed her. “I’m the only one with the knowledge of a working delivery system. I can see why someone wants what I know,” she continued.
    “Are you working for a terrorist organization?” he uttered, knowing he would believe the answer she gave him. There was something about her he instinctually trusted.
    “No, I don’t work for a terrorist organization,” she professed.
    “Then the people I am working for are not people who want to keep you from divulging state secrets to terrorists?” he questioned, a spark of recognition in his eyes.
    He did believe her with all of his heart. There was no way this beautiful, intelligent, courageous woman was working against the very country she pledged to be protecting with her new weapon.
    He believed her and it wasn’t just because he wanted to pervert her. He believed her because she was worthy of a top-secret security clearance, the highest level security clearance available. He knew what he had to go through to get that level of clearance. One’s whole life was evaluated and inspected until the government found sufficient proof of trustworthiness. Credit checks were run, college classmates were contacted, and siblings were investigated. He believed her because her eyes communicated what words never could, truth .
    But this left Michael in a precarious position. He trusted Rob. Why would Rob set him up in anything that wasn’t above board? He would wait until his employer called and make his plan then. He was, however, certain about one thing, he wouldn’t be delivering Emma anywhere but to her bed.
    He walked around to stand beside her, gun still in his right hand. He placed his gun on the counter within his reach and took the hand holding her tea cup and lowered it to the counter. Spinning her around on the stool, he spread her knees with his leg. He stepped inside her legs coming closer to her lips. Instead of kissing her, he placed his big arms around her rather petite body and hugged her.
    He whispered in her ear a sincere promise, “I will protect you.”
    She felt goose bumps rise along the edges of her skin. She sat there, and for some strange reason, allowed Michael to hug her. Maybe it was because he believed her. Maybe she was able to convince him he was working for the wrong side. Whatever the reason, it felt good, too good, to be held by him. He was, after all, the direct conduit between her and the men who wanted her.

 
     
     
« Chapter Five »
     
     
    As they stood in the kitchen, Michael could never remember a time when a woman felt so good, so right, pressed against him. He felt her soft breasts mold against his hard chest. He pulled her closer; her arms still hanging at her sides.
    He wasn’t a bad looking man and knew women found him attractive, but he wondered about her, because Emma felt completely different in his arms. The thought of losing her plagued his mind. Now, the hard part would be convincing her to trust him.