Addison nodded. "For the most part I feel a lot better." She pulled her leg back, grabbing hold of her foot and stretching out her thigh. "How are you?" Addison asked. She referred to Skyler's mental as well as her physical state.

Pus.h.i.+ng both hands through her hair, Skyler sat down upon the mattress. She looked up to Addison and offered a lopsided, weary smile. "I'm pretty much scared, tired and confused." Skyler watched Addison as the soldier continued to warm up her limbs. "I feel like there are millions of thoughts whirling around in my mind and I can't make sense of any of them. The only thing keeping me grounded is the knowledge that you're here and I know you'll do everything in your power to get us both out of here."

Addison stopped her movements. She bent down in front of Skyler and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her left ear. "You have my word, Sky." Turning, Addison sat back against the wall beside Skyler. Her side still hurt and she could feel it throbbing with persistence. Addison looked to where Skyler sat beside her. The doctor smiled softly. "What?"

Skyler shrugged. "Nothing, I just like you calling me Sky is all."

The British agent grinned in return. The way Skyler's eyes sparkled when she smiled was enough to warm her heart. Addison looked away feeling suddenly self-conscious. Skyler was an extraordinary woman, she acknowledged. She was so willing to open up and express what was in her heart and mind. Was it really so simple?

Aware that Skyler's focus had moved from herself, Addison looked back to her. The blonde seemed lost in her thoughts. Addison wondered what was going on behind those expressive features. She nudged Skyler with her shoulder, pulling her from contemplation.

"What are you thinking about?"

Stretching out her arms, Skyler turned to face the wall and lay down upon her back. Facing Addison she lifted both knees and placed her feet upon the floor. Skyler folded her arms across her chest and addressed the soldier. "I was thinking this morning and one thing stayed in my mind. I was wondering... I mean... how do you do it? How can you find it so easy to pull that trigger, to deliver that final blow of death?"

Addison looked down at Skyler. She swallowed, suddenly finding difficulty in the subconscious act. The agent was more than surprised by Skyler's question; it scared her. Did people really see her as a cold-hearted killer? Able to take a life as easily as she could snap her fingers? Addison had to accept that was probably the a.s.sumption many people would initially take.

"Easy?" she asked. "You think it's easy to do it?" Addison looked down at her hands resting in her lap. She pressed her fingertips together. "It's not easy, Sky, but it's my job. I do it because I believe what I am doing is right. You know... the first time I ever came up against Brodie I almost killed her then and there. I stopped myself, believing she would learn from her mistakes and become a better person." Addison shook her head. "Because of my foolishness and idealistic beliefs many hundreds of people have died. Innocent lives that should never have been in the line of fire but were because I let Brodie live to see another day."

"You can't believe that is your fault, Addison."

"It doesn't matter whether it is or not," Addison insisted. "As far as I am concerned it is all my fault. I work within the law doing a job we all believe is right. All we are trying to do is protect the innocent and stop the villains... whatever it takes. It isn't easy, Skyler, but I am prepared to face the consequences when I stand in front of the big chief."

"General Blithe?" Skyler asked in confusion.

Addison smiled. "No... G.o.d." She brought up one leg and balanced her wrist on her kneecap.

Silence fell between them. Skyler slid one arm under her head and stared up at the ceiling. She drifted deep into thought yet Addison could see a question was forming in the blonde doctor's mind. The agent waited, wondering what was going on inside Skyler's head. Addison sighed and let her head fall back against the wall. She closed her eyes and prodded her bottom lip, noting that the swelling had lessened.

"When did... how old were... no, it doesn't matter."

With a frown, Addison opened her eyes and looked down at Skyler. "You know you have to ask me now!"

Skyler shook her head. "No, I really shouldn't' ask. It probably isn't an appropriate question."

"Oh no, those are the ones I love the most." Addison smiled. She turned around onto her side, lying in a similar position as Skyler. "What?"

"You don't have to answer."

"Out with it."

"Well... I was thinking about how it must feel to take a life and I wondered how old were you when you first took a life. The first time you killed."

Addison remained silent. She rolled onto her back, looked up at the lighting. "The very first life?" she asked quietly.

Skyler nodded, then not thinking Addison could see she said, "Uh huh."

Lying beside Skyler, Addison thoughts drifted to that very incident. She remembered the precise moment she felt the splash of blood upon her face. The way her heart had drummed in fear and the cold sinking feeling as the words, "You are a killer" echoed in her mind. She had never spoken of this incident before but the desire to tell Skyler was as strong as a screaming ball of frustration; coiled and ready to explode. Something inside a.s.sured Addison it was okay to speak of this with Skyler. She felt honoured Skyler had trusted her enough to speak of her father and wanted that to be returned.

Continuing to stare up at the lights above them, Addison said, "When I was a kid, summers really were summers. You could play out in the streets day after day through the summer holidays and generally make a nuisance of yourself." Addison smiled to herself, remembering those times. "In 1976 we had this great heat wave in England. We are talking so hot that we would only venture out in the evenings when the temperature began to cool. Well apart from that one day a water pipe burst in the neighbourhood and it was like an invitation to a kid's street party!"

"I remember it was late one summer afternoon. I was in my bedroom feeling too hot to even move, when my dad came into the room." Addison saw Skyler's head turn to look at her. She knew it was the first time she had mentioned her parents and it seemed Skyler realised that fact as well.

"He came in holding a rifle in each hand, telling me how he had won them in a card game. Naturally I thought it was pretty cool. I saw them as new fodder for my games of Cops and Robbers or Cowboys and Indians... except these were no toys. My dad told me we were going out into the woods for some target practice. He said it was time I made him proud by honouring the family name! I knew he had been drinking, but I only thought we were going to shoot at his empty lager cans." Addison felt like laughing at her own stupidity. Even then she knew her father better than that.

"So, armed with a pocket full of sh.e.l.ls, he took me out into the large wooded area of trees. It was a place my friends and I would play in but it was just too hot so n.o.body was around. Most of them were probably at home, camped out by the refrigerators. Like I said, we only ventured out in the evening when the temperature dropped that year."

Skyler remained silent, listening intently to Addison's words.

"I remember I was standing in the middle of this large wood, loaded shot gun almost two thirds my size, firmly within my grip. The sun was still high in the sky, casting shadows and causing shafts of light to s.h.i.+ne through the treetops. I could feel sweat trickle down my brow and my tee-s.h.i.+rt cling to my back through the moisture."

Addison folded her arms over her chest. However warm she was painting this picture for Skyler, a cold chill pa.s.sed through her spine. "I had been told not to talk. My dad said we had to remain quiet, so I did as he said. I knew better than to ignore or question his words! So there we waited in the middle of this small forest that was only there because the council wasn't allowed to cut it down and build more high rises."

"It was a protected area?" Skyler asked.

"It had been there a long time... hundreds of years, I was told." Addison spoke softly, answering Skyler's question though she never made eye contact. "Anyway... we had been there for about half an hour when we heard this rustle. My dad was the first to see it and he pointed it out to me. It was a fox... a female one, he said because of her size. As soon as he aimed that shot gun... I remember begging him not to do it. I loved foxes." Addison smiled. "I was a major Basil Brush fan."

"Who?"

The soldiers smiled. "Basil Brush was a hand puppet on children's television. He was this hilarious little aristocratic fox who wore a Sherlock Holmes type jacket and told really lame jokes. I remember his laugh the most. It had me in st.i.tches all the time." Addison paused and she brought her mind back to the story. "I couldn't believe he was going to shoot that beautiful fox. She had such a deep red coat, a thick bushy tail. So innocently foraging around, looking for food. I pleaded with Dad not to shoot the fox but he said they were nothing more than a pest and it would be good for me to watch what happened to pests!"

"How on earth would that be good for you?" Skyler exploded. "How old were you?"

"I was eight." Addison returned to her memory. The more she thought about it the more it began to feel like it happened only yesterday. "He fired," she said. "He pulled the trigger and this almighty bang exploded around us. Then I heard a gut-wrenching scream as that fox was. .h.i.t."

"Jesus!" Skyler moved to reach out and touch Addison but something made her stop. "He killed it!"

The soldier shook her head. "I thought he had but I followed him over to the body and he'd caught it in the stomach. She was still alive... whimpering in pain." Addison brushed both hands over her face and sighed heavily. "Blood... it was everywhere."

"My dad just sneered at the sight and told me to leave her, that she would die soon enough. I felt this overwhelming urge to protest but I feared him too much to dare. Luckily he thought he spotted a rabbit and went off after it, leaving me alone with the fox." Swallowing, Addison finally turned to look at Skyler. She feared the blonde's reaction but Skyler showed nothing but compa.s.sion and understanding.

"I'll never forget her expression, the look of absolute fear... fear of me. Her body trembling and blood soaking into the ground around us. This beautiful animal... she was dying a slow and painful death." Addison bit her bottom lip hard. She felt the recently knitted wound re-open. "I remember I started to cry. I honestly tried to stop myself because if my dad caught me I would be in so much trouble for being weak." The agent looked back to the ceiling. "I couldn't help it though. The fox was whimpering... crying in pain... it was the most awful sound. I fell to my knees trying to calm her. I didn't know what else to do. She was dying, terrified and alone. I tried stroking her, it didn't matter that I was getting blood all over me too. I just wanted to ease her suffering. To try and make her understand that it did hurt to get hit, but the pain never lasted." Addison felt her eyes cloud with tears and tried valiantly to will them away. "But that look in her eyes. I could almost feel her terror, Skyler. Her whimpers of pain... the smell of blood. I kept telling her, 'don't cry, I'll make it better... please don't cry'."

Sniffing, Addison closed her eyes. Her brow dipped into a frown. "She was so beautiful Skyler. I wanted to take her home and nurse her better. I briefly wondered whether I would get away with hiding her under my bed. It was stupid, I know, but really I was just trying to push from my mind the acknowledgement of what I had to do."

"You had to kill her," Skyler said softly and Addison nodded.

"Well anyway," Addison said quickly, trying to move her tale along. "I got to my feet and took that shotgun. I placed the barrel right up to her head. I was crying so much I could hardly see her through my tears. Taking a deep breath I placed my finger on the trigger, whispering 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'. My whole body shook." Addison felt a single tear stray from her eye and roll down the side of her face. "I looked down at her one last time, seeing that same trembling expression gazing back up at me. She knew what I was going to do and I hated that fact... then I think I counted to three, closed my eyes and fired. My shot rang out through the forest as her blood splattered my face and body. My ears rang with the noise but I dare not open my eyes, afraid of what I would find. Next thing I knew, however, was my dad standing beside me." Addison turned and looked back at Skyler. The blonde's eyes glittered with emotion. "He patted me roughly on my back making me stumble forwards into the remains of the dead vixen. The sound of his voice was one of f.u.c.king pride as he told me I'd done him proud... that I was a killer and had that killer instinct. I didn't want to believe him, you know? But wiping a hand over the moisture on my face and seeing the smears of blood... I thought maybe he was right."

A long silence stretched out between them. Addison began to feel self conscious in her confession, but then Skyler reached out and removed a tear from her cheek.

"He was wrong," she said softly. "Compa.s.sion made you do that, Addison, not a desire to kill." Skyler reached out once again to remove another tear that had slipped from Addison's eye but the agent stopped her. She caught her hand in a swift movement and held the appendage between them.

"Can I ask you something, Sky?"

The blonde nodded silently.

"Do you think I am a cold blooded killer?" Addison felt the doctor's answer would be very important to her. When Skyler looked away, Addison thought she had received it and a sinking feeling plummeted within her stomach... but then Skyler spoke.

"No, I don't. I will admit when I first met you I didn't see a difference between either you or Brodie, but now I see you at opposite ends of the spectrum. Addison... you don't kill because you enjoy it... you do it because you're prepared to take whatever means necessary to uphold the law and protect the innocent. It takes a lot of strength to do that. Brodie kills because she gets a kick out of it. She enjoys the power."

Addison smiled softly. She felt a rush of... something... towards Skyler but unsure of how to express herself she simply lifted the hand still within hers and kissed Skyler's knuckles reverently. "Thank you," she whispered.

The moment was broken instantly as Addison heard approaching footsteps from beyond the door. Simultaneously, both women righted their positions and waited for their visitor to enter. The huge metal door unlocked and in walked Shamus, followed by Brodie. The redhead held another tray upon which was two plastic bowls.

"Morning," Brodie greeted insincerely. "I brought you breakfast. You may want to make it last, however, as this is all you get today." Brodie placed down the tray. "I won't apologise for the food. It's porridge and of course being the last to eat you get what none other would. Naturally it's cold... oh and the black bits are just pan sc.r.a.pings. That's what you get for eating the last dregs." Brodie pushed her hand into a pocket. "If you don't like the taste, try these." She dropped a handful of small paper containers around the tray, one of which fell into the bowl of cold, burnt porridge.

The Irish woman waited, her eyes moved from Addison to Skyler and back to Addison again. When nothing was said, Brodie spun on her heels and left the room. The door locked behind her.

"I think she was expecting you to say something," Skyler said as she shuffled over to the feast Brodie left them.

Addison shrugged. "Just letting her think she has us a touch demoralised."

Skyler dipped her finger with great caution into a bowl and tasted the contents. Her face contorted in disgust. "G.o.d, that's vile. At least we have sugar!" Skyler tore open one of the sachets.

"Hold on." Addison picked up another sachet and inspected the paper containers. Its name and contents were written in Hebrew. "Well I got some good and bad news."

"Huh?" Skyler looked down at the packet of white grains. "What is it?"

Shaking the sachet, Addison ripped open one corner. "The bad news is this isn't sugar. The good news on the other hand, is that it's salt!"

Chapter 19.

Skyler didn't say anything for a moment. "Okay, I'm stumped. Why are you so excited about the salt? Are you planning on experiencing sodium depletion or is this some mysterious British porridge ritual I haven't heard of?"

"Salt, you dozy b.u.g.g.e.r!" Addison said playfully. "We can use it to treat my wound infection. I would have thought a well educated woman such as you would have known that."

"Right, salt to treat the infection. Did you learn that technique in spy school?" Skyler asked.

"Well, no, but everybody knows it's a fact. I even saw it in a movie once."

The American nodded. "This movie, did it have John Wayne in it?"

"It might have," Addison admitted sheepishly.

"I thought so. Look, Addison, salt is a great thing. I wish we had some yesterday when I was sewing your wound up. I would have preferred to clean the wound with saline instead of water before I st.i.tched it, but it's a closed wound now. Saline can clean nicely, but it's not a treatment for an infection. I'm sorry, it's just a myth."

"d.a.m.n Hollywood!" Addison growled in mock annoyance. "First I find out there really isn't a Wonder Woman and now this!"

"Reality kind of sucks, doesn't it?" Skyler asked, looking around at her place of confinement. Her countenance fell a little.

"Oh, I don't know. This reality isn't too difficult to take." Addison's sweet comment had Skyler feeling better again.

"Oh, h.e.l.l, I almost forgot! I do have some good news."

"Give it to me, we could use a little about now," Addison instructed.

"Well, I've done a little more rummaging around here and it's not quite as bare as I thought at first."

"Really? Did Brodie leave a traditional English breakfast with all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs lying around by any chance?" the Brit asked.

"I wis.h.!.+ No, but there was something I couldn't figure out and it was bothering me. I thought about it when we were rinsing your eyes yesterday, but forgot about it because other things interested me more then." Skyler indicated Addison's unusual eye color. "In every lab there is a sink or some area that is designated for decontamination in case of a spill or accident. Brodie wouldn't give a d.a.m.n about it, but the scientists working in an area like this would and I found it!"

"You did? Where?"

"Well the hose was curled up behind the toilet tank where it is connected to the water supply. Add that to the fact that you've got a small drain in one corner of the bathroom and you've got a decontamination room!" Skyler exclaimed.

"That's terribly interesting, Skyler, but I'm not quite able to see why you're so excited."

"Because, Super Stinky Spy, yesterday you were sweaty and dirty and das.h.i.+ng, but you've had overnight to ripen. This morning you just need a shower."

As much as Addison enjoyed the thought of rinsing the residual perspiration and filth from her body, she homed in on the other aspect of Skyler's comment first. "So, you think I'm das.h.i.+ng, eh?"

Skyler rolled her eyes. "Oh G.o.d, I forgot that monumental ego of yours." Skyler fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly. "Oh yes, Agent Black, I think you're das.h.i.+ng and brave and dangerously s.e.xy. Does that make you happy?" she asked sarcastically.

Addison puffed up just a bit. "I have heard it before, but it's nice to know I still have it! Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to the bath. Have this place spotless by the time I return if you please and by the way, I won't be breakfasting." She glanced down in disdain at the bowls Brodie had brought. "I'm afraid I've started on a low c.r.a.p diet!" With that, she disappeared into the bathroom.

Skyler laughed but had to agree with the sentiment about the porridge that was now looking more and more like concrete.

Addison's head popped out from the bathroom door. "You know, it's too bad we don't have a bar soap in here instead of the powdered stuff. We could use it to soap the floor by the door and when Agnes came in here next time, she might just 'slip up' and let us catch her off guard."

Skyler almost laughed. "Nah, that will never work. She's way too clever for that."

Addison looked thoughtful a moment. "You're probably right," she said and ducked back inside.

Skyler saw Addison in her mind's eye, slowly stripping off her garments. A big part of her wanted to go into the bathroom, catch the agent removing her clothing and look at the revealed form. Addison's body was firm and strong and Skyler wanted to know what it would be like to feel that body respond to her with ardor. To see those amazing eyes darken with pa.s.sion. To...

Skyler's l.u.s.tful daydream was interrupted by a shriek from the bathroom. The American tossed the images from her mind and raced to Addison's a.s.sistance. As she pulled open the bathroom door, Skyler saw that her daydreams were a pale comparison to the actual sight of a very naked British agent.

Addison stood there with the water spraying away from her. She was obviously at ease with her completely exposed body. Skyler ran through her extensive list of adjectives again to describe the solid, beautiful and slightly battle-worn body. She settled on the word "devastating".

"Oh my G.o.d, that was bleeding cold! Why couldn't they decontaminate with warm water?" the agent asked as she s.h.i.+vered a little. Noticing Skyler staring at her, she grew concerned. "Are you okay, Skyler? I didn't scare you, did I?"

"No, no," Skyler said hastily as she backed slowly from the bathroom. "Don't worry about it. You're good. You're very good." She blushed as she closed the door. Dropping her forehead to the door, she drew in a shaky breath. She could hear Addison humming in the shower and knew she would need a cold one next.

"G.o.d-d.a.m.n it, I'm in charge here and I say how they are treated!" Agnes screamed into the phone. She had been annoyed by the unexpected phone call from her superior. 'Dr. Kleein' had spies everywhere and it seemed had received reports on Brodie's handling of her two prisoners.

The Irishwoman listened to the voice on the other end of the line and then spoke. "Well, maybe if you shared a little of your plan with me I'd understand. Why do I have to keep Addison Black alive?" She sat down behind the desk as she heard what she had previously only guessed at. She let out a whistle between her teeth.

"Okay, I see your plan and I have to admit I like it. The destruction, in any form, of Addison Black is more than welcome."

Instructions were received and acknowledged. "And what about Skyler Tidwell? I should inform you that I think she's the weak link in Addison's armor. They're lovers, I'm sure of it. We can use that to our advantage and to Addison's great dismay." The redhead smiled as her observations were welcomed by her contact.

"Oh, one last thing," Brodie said into the phone. "Our work here is proceeding at a remarkable pace. Our scientists report that we are well ahead of schedule and I believe we will be able to put the plan into action very soon. Completing this project and the downfall of Addison Black, has there ever been a sweeter combination?"

The voice on the phone effectively ended the conversation and the connection was broken. Brodie sat a moment as she formulated her plans. A decision being made, she picked up the phone again and tapped in an extension. "Infirmary? Send Dr. Richardson to see our guests in Lab Three. I want them checked over carefully. Oh, tell him to arrange some food for them as well." There was a brief pause. "Of course with the usual precautions, stupid! If Addison Black so much as gets a toothpick to use against me, I will use your skin to wallpaper my office." She smiled, knowing the threat was not an idle one. "Good, get it done."