Undercover

Chapter One

Outside the window the snow was blowing sideways. With the sun long gone behind the thick, heavy clouds, the visibility past the panes of glass was nonexistent.

Grimm Rapier drew in a breath and fogged a fresh spot of glass, then proceeded to draw shapes in it.

Two days. Two full days stuck in this tiny two-bedroom duplex with—

Stop doing that! Jack snapped from the room behind him. You’re leaving fingerprints all over the glass!

It was juvenile and he knew it but that didn’t stop Grimm from blowing on the glass again. He turned his gaze towards Jack as he drew a smiley face.

The woman seated at the kitchen table glared at him before muttering something under her breath and refocusing her attention on the computer before her.

Two days.

Two days with no outside contact beyond email.

Two days without a female body keeping him warm at night.

Well, all right. If he was being honest, it had been longer than two days since he’d been with a woman. It was more like a month. Maybe two.

Turning away from the window, Grimm moved a few steps over and fell on the couch with a dramatic sigh. A glance in Jack’s direction revealed no reaction so he sighed again.

Jack spoke up after the sound of his third heavy sigh died down. If you’re looking for something to do, you could always help me.

No.

Grimm arranged himself in a new pose—one arm flung in protest over his eyes—and he could almost feel Jack’s eyes on him.

If I can’t see her, then she can’t see me, was his absurd thought. Then he relented, and peeked out from behind his arm.

Jack was glaring at him.

Again.

So he sighed. Again.

Dammit, Grimm. Jack slammed the lid of the laptop down, startling him with her sudden intensity. She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, fixing her fierce glare on him. There’s not a damn thing you can do about the weather or how we’re stuck in here right now. Acting like a child is not going to change things either.

It got you talking to me, didn’t it? He left his arm over his face as he spoke.

She exhaled on something that sounded almost like a laugh. I’ve been talking to you for two days, you jackass. You’ve just been too busy sulking because you can’t get out to see any of your sweethearts.

Grimm grinned at her choice of words and allowed his arm to drop to one side, hanging off the edge of the couch. He didn’t bother correcting her about his supposed ‘sweethearts.’ At the very least, her current reaction was a source of amusement.

His eyes met hers and she maintained her glare even as he continued to grin at her. Sweethearts?

She rolled her eyes and stood up. She crossed to the kitchen to pull a glass down from a cupboard. What word would you use to describe your…little friends?

Definitely not sweethearts.

Grimm sat up on the couch. He regarded her silently for a minute as she moved around and sat back down at the small kitchen table, opening the laptop once again.

As her attention began to waver from him, he smiled and reclined on the couch. Nothing sweet about any of them.

Jack raised her eyebrows at him but tapped away at the computer in front of her, not taking the bait.

She was remarkably good at that, avoiding his attempts to draw her into an argument. In fact, she was very good at avoiding him altogether. Especially considering they’d been alone together in this one-level duplex for two days and practically alone together for over a month now.

A month. Jeez.

Grimm shook his head as he recalled how long it really had been since they’d arrived on the island, the necessary first stop before heading to HQ.

When it had become apparent to Grimm that Rhodes had no intention of returning from Greece anytime soon, he and the rest of the team had decided to take action without him or the petite sniper who’d stolen his heart. By a quick vote, Grimm and Jack had been selected to travel across the country to Prince Edward Island, the location of the screening and preliminary training facility for HQ. After getting through the facility in Charlottetown, they were to move on to Ottawa and the final destination. All of this in an effort to sniff out the leak that had put all their lives in jeopardy two months before.

In spite of their differences, Jack and Grimm had agreed on their plans during the trip to the island. Jack would be the one to work in the training facility under the guise that she wanted to ultimately work in Ottawa. Grimm was to pose as her oblivious roommate, providing support and back up should the need arise.

So far the plan had been working. With Jack occupied as a ‘trainee’ in Charlottetown, Grimm had been free to investigate the rest of the city and the island. He’d met some interesting people but it hadn’t taken long to figure out that whatever was going on in the training building in Charlottetown, the locals knew nothing about it. In the end, he’d had far more free time than he was used to. Then this snow storm had hit the area and he’d been even more bored than before.

After a few minutes, Grimm’s eyes refocused on Jack and he realized that she’d said something to him.

What was that?

She scowled at him over the top of the computer as he moved from the couch to the kitchen, where he poured himself a glass of water.

I said, it may not be much longer before we move anyway, she said slowly and patiently, as though she was speaking to a child and not her superior on the team.

Oh yeah? Grimm sat down at the table with her, genuinely interested in what she’d have to tell him.

In spite of the fact that he’d determined there was nothing clandestine going on throughout the island, he was still in the dark about a lot of what went on in the training facility. Jack had been the one taking care of that end of things and Grimm had done his best to follow her progress but after a month of mock operations and report filing, he’d lost his enthusiasm.

It would be better once they got to Ottawa, where the entire team suspected the leak had occurred.

Yeah. Look at this. Jack turned the computer around for him to see.

While neither of them was as proficient with computer programming as Cricket or Fly Ratio, Jack had done a decent job of tracking their progress.

To Grimm it all looked the same.

What am I supposed to be looking at?

He took a deep swig of his water, wishing it was beer. They hadn’t ventured to the grocery store since the storm had started and they were startlingly low on a lot of things, not the least of which was the beer.

Jack shifted her chair around so they could both look at the screen together.

These are the assignments I’ve been given over the last week, she explained. Before the storm began, anyway. This column shows the degree of classification and difficulty.

So that means…?

Grimm downed the last of his water as his eyes met Jack’s. She was glaring at him again. In response, he grinned.

He understood most of what he was looking at but in order to keep himself entertained during this snow-induced exile, he wanted to hear Jack explain it to him.

It means that I’m on the verge of a promotion. She turned the screen back towards her. I think once I finish the project I’m working on, they’ll be sending me to Ottawa.

That was good news. Excellent. Once we’re there, I’m sure I can find something to do so close to my old stomping grounds and you can solve the entire mystery on your own.

Jack raised her eyebrows at him but offered no other reply.

Damn. He’d hoped for at least as smidgeon of interest in his seedy Montreal past.

What are you working on right now anyway? He leaned forward and tried to peer around at the screen.

She raised a hand as though to block his view but relented when he flashed a grin at her.

It’s a top level assignment and Mark made it plain that this would decide my future.

He couldn’t help but notice the note of pride in her voice as she spoke.

And we both know that means a transfer to HQ before the month is out. She raised her eyes and smiled a genuine smile at Grimm. And that means no more being snowed in.

Grimm snorted as he stood up and walked to the couch. I doubt that very much. The latest weather reports show its no better in Southern Ontario right now.

Well, then I don’t know what to say to make you happy, Grimm, she snapped, her smile gone as quickly as it had appeared.

When he glanced back at her, he was surprised to see her still looking at him. For a moment he didn’t know what to say to her. That never happened.

She dropped her eyes to her computer, breaking their gaze. Grimm let his eyes roam over her features as she turned her attention back to the laptop.

She was above average height for a woman but he stood a few inches taller than her. Her hair hung down her back, golden in color, and at the moment she had it tied securely behind her head. The eyes that scanned the screen before her were a light honey color, amber in darker lights and almost a pure golden in the sun.

Not that there’d been much sunlight lately.

Grimm shook his head and reached for the remote control. Flicking on the TV, he was dismayed to find nothing but grey static. Frustrated, he turned the volume up, earning another huffing admonition from Jack.

Turning the volume up as high as it will go will not make the cable come on again, Grimm.

But it makes me feel better. He gave her a half-smile.

Fine. She stood up and closed the laptop. If you’re going to do that, then I’m going to have a bath and go to bed. With that, she stalked away from him.

Grimm listened as she slammed and locked the bathroom door behind her. He reclined on the couch and began to idly flip through the channels, unsure why he was even bothering.

Two long days…

* * * *

Two damn days too damn long.

Jack clicked the lock on the bathroom door and turned to start the water running in the bathtub.

She’d been cooped up for two days inside this tiny house with a man she’d barely said anything to beyond the daily pleasantries of life. She didn’t feel guilty for snapping at him either; she knew perfectly well that he wasn’t any happier with their arrangement.

For the most part their work kept them both occupied but they couldn’t deny the tension during the evenings they were home together.

Jack started to pace the few steps across the bathroom. He wanted to be the one to cruise around all day and search for clues that way. It’s not my fault he’s bored now.

The noise of television static reached her through the door and she turned a scowl in that direction. She grew more and more irritated with each passing moment. With a frustrated noise, she yanked the elastic out of her hair and threw it on the counter. Then she undressed and did her best to ignore the sounds coming from the living room. She counted to one hundred in an effort to take her mind off of it.

By the time she’d calmed down, the bathroom was filled with steam. Jack leaned on the counter before the mirror and studied her face in silence. Turning her head one way and then the other, she exhaled slowly and tried to clear her mind.

We will figure this out, she whispered.

A loud bang from the front room startled her and she squeezed her eyes shut. It sounded like the remote control being thrown across the room, accompanied by Grimm’s frustrated expletive.

Jack opened her eyes again and nodded firmly at her reflection before turning away from the mirror. She leaned over the bathtub and shut the running water off. Tentatively she touched a toe to the surface of the water and winced as the heat stung her chilled skin. Bracing herself, she lowered her foot and stepped in.

As she settled down in the bath, she gave a contented sigh and ignored the sounds of Grimm stomping around the house. Inside her steamy retreat, she wanted only to relax and wrinkle and not think about him.

And not think about how much time they’d been spending together over the past month. Or how many nights he’d spent away from the house.

She shook her head and frowned, trying to banish the thoughts from her mind.

The longer she stayed in the tub, the longer she thought about not thinking about him. She knew that meant she was actually thinking about him. And that pissed her off to no end.

Who did he think he was anyway?

Sure, he was handsome and his smile alone did unfamiliar things to her inner workings but that was no reason to think he could get away with whatever he wanted. So what if he had dark hair that just curled over his ears and across his forehead? His dark eyes did not draw a person in or turn their insides to jelly with a simple glance. And he most certainly was not tall and broad and proportioned like a god ready to whisk a mortal woman away on a single breath.

Eventually the hot bath began to relax her. Jack rested her head on the rim of the tub and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. The noise from the apartment faded; no TV, no cursing and no traffic. It was almost peaceful.

Almost.

Then the lights went out.

Seconds later she heard a loud thud followed by Grimm’s colorful shouted expletive.

So much for peaceful.

A minute passed and a knock sounded at the door.

Yes? Jack’s tone was lazy and tranquil in spite of the sudden blackout.

Are you decent?

No.

The doorknob rattled.

Jack jerked upright, sloshing water over the side of the bathtub. What the hell are you doing? She crossed her arms over her chest even though she couldn’t see anything in the absolute darkness.

On the other side of the door Grimm chuckled and gave up on opening the door. I just wanted to give you a flashlight.

Oh.

That’s practical, she thought. I don’t really want to grope around in the dark for my clothes.

Uh, just a second.

Jack stood up carefully, gripping the edge of the tub. She stepped out, touching the wall with one hand and feeling for a towel with the other. As she straightened she pulled the towel from the rack and wrapped it around herself. As she tried to find her way in the dark, she heard the door knob rattle again.

Cut it out, Grimm!

Why do you even have it locked? He sounded indignant. Don’t you trust me?

Hell no.

No.

She opened the door and was greeted by a bright light in the eyes.

Dammit, Grimm. She threw a hand up to block the blinding light and almost dropped her towel. Put the light down, she ordered as she clutched the towel to her body defensively.

He did as she asked and his hand dropped to point the flashlight at the floor. Then, for a long, tense moment, he said nothing. Nor did he move. Jack felt her face grow warm when she saw his gaze raking her damp, towel-clad form.

She was desperate to break the moment, all too uncomfortable with his scrutiny. My light, Grimm.

He handed it over and their fingers brushed together. Jack felt her throat constrict as his eyes rose to meet hers.

This isn’t good. She began to feel the panic set in.

Lucky for her the side door to the house blew inward with a massive crash. The force of the blast threw them against each other.

Maybe not so lucky after all.

Chapter Two

The next few seconds passed by as if in slow motion.

Grimm lurched against Jack from the impact and together they stumbled back into the bathroom. Jack gasped as she hit the counter behind her with Grimm pinning her in the front. His hand came up to cover her mouth and he groped at the flashlight she held.

She read the look in his eyes and helped him flick the switch, enveloping them in utter darkness. They stood absolutely still, barely breathing, and listened for any sounds outside the bathroom.

Sure enough, footsteps crunched over the debris of their blown-in doorway and the familiar sound of gunfire altered by silencers reached their ears. Jack’s anger boiled up.

Before she could form a thought beyond that, Grimm gripped her waist and thrust her to the floor and followed to cover her body with his. She hissed as her hip connected with the buckle of her belt, left lying on the floor when she’d undressed for the bath.

She refocused and listened to the sound of someone moving around inside the house. It wouldn’t take them long to get to the bathroom.

Then Grimm shifted and she felt his mouth brush the skin under her left ear. She was concentrating so hard on not moving or reacting to the touch that Jack missed what he said to her. It registered a minute later and she turned her face to his ear to respond.

Under the sink, she murmured. And the back of the toilet tank.

She felt him nod and together they moved; him towards the guns and her up against the wall. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and she could just make out Grimm’s dark outline as he reached behind the toilet to retrieve the gun secured there.

Meanwhile Jack attempted to get dressed and keep an ear trained on the movement outside the bathroom.

A sudden click very near the bathroom door drew her attention and she froze. Grimm moved in front of her, gun in hand, and she knew he’d heard the same thing.

Soundlessly Grimm moved back until he was pressed against the wall beside her. This left Jack in a state of partial dress as she couldn’t move without disturbing Grimm’s ready stance. So she sat, pants partially pulled up her legs and t-shirt on, no bra. She shivered just as a large shadow entered the space of the bathroom doorway.

Grimm didn’t hesitate. He had his gun at the ready and squeezed the trigger. The man fell into the bathroom with a grunt and a loud clatter. Grimm was already moving, reaching for the body.

Jack managed to yank her pants on and took the gun Grimm had taken off the fallen man. Crouching beside Grimm, Jack listened; waiting for any sign of a second intruder.

After a moment of silence, Grimm grabbed the towel Jack had been wearing and gathered it up in one hand. He tossed it in a lump across the doorway at the height of an average man’s head while standing.

The muffled sound of silenced gunfire echoed oddly and the towel fell to the floor in pieces.

Without hesitation, Grimm leapt forward as he threw another towel ahead of him. As the second intruder fired again, Grimm aimed by the flash of the weapon and returned gunfire. Another few rounds went off and then all was silent.

Grimm eyed the hall. Clear.

Take the flashlight. Jack handed it over. Do a sweep and I’ll check this guy for ID.

Grimm nodded as he clicked the light on. As he moved out of the bathroom, Jack turned on her flashlight. She crawled to the side of the fallen man and turned him over with a groan. Feeling for a pulse, she determined that he was dead. In spite of her disgust in dealing with corpses, she checked his pockets for any sort of identification. He was wearing some sort of utility jacket, bulky with added insulation.

For the weather, Jack mused silently as she rummaged around.

Grimm reappeared in the doorway. Find anything?

Jack looked up and noticed that he’d already slung a rifle over his shoulder and two extra clips protruded from the waist of his jeans. No. You?

No ID and no phone or ear piece.

How many are out there? Jack jerked her chin towards the open doorway.

Just one. Grimm crouched down beside Jack. Who the hell are they?

Jack gave him a shrug and continued to search the man’s pockets, moving inside his jacket.

They were most likely sent to kill us. Jack knew the second she spoke that Grimm would roll his eyes and say something about stating the obvious. A glance over at him confirmed the eye roll but he said nothing.

Sent by whom?

The leak?

You think? Grimm frowned at the man on the floor. That would mean the leak is here, not at HQ.

Jack nodded as she absorbed the information.

They had allowed for the slight possibility that the leak was located in Charlottetown, with the training facility, rather than HQ in Ottawa. That was part of the reason Jack had entered the training program; better to cover all the bases, no matter how remote the possibility.

Have you been keeping a list of possible suspects?

On the computer. She paused. Shit! The computer…

He understood right away what she meant. He rose and strode back into the kitchen to ascertain any damage to the laptop.

Finished with the dead man in the bathroom, Jack stood up as she placed her gun at the small of her back. She stepped over the body and joined Grimm near what was left of the kitchen table.

I think its toast, Grimm told her, holding up something that resembled a laptop but was too charred and mangled to be sure.

Dammit.

Grimm looked up as he set down the wreckage of the laptop. Jack met his gaze and looked away before he could tell just how upset she was.

It’s just a computer, Jack.

I know. She reached across the table for it, desperate to find out if anything had survived.

What’s the problem?

I had everything on there. She turned the mangled lump over and over in her hands. She knew Grimm was looking at her but she didn’t care. All she saw was the destruction of her work from the past month. All my notes, names and dates and assignments…

Now what? We start all over?

We’re going to need to get out of here, Grimm said a minute later and moved out of the kitchen.

What? Why?

Her teammate paused before disappearing down the hall and looked back at her, a curious expression on his face. Because someone just tried to kill us?

Jack looked up at him with a frown. She gestured at the two fallen bodies. And they’re dead.

Rolling his eyes, Grimm walked down the hall towards the bedrooms. I’ll wait, he called over his shoulder.

Jack stared at the space he’d just vacated, mystified. Her brain turned the situation over and she began to puzzle it all out.

Someone had just tried to kill her and Grimm and even though these two guys were short a couple of heartbeats, there could be more coming after