"Oh, I don't think so." Renee curved her arm back and spread her fingers into Stark's hair, drawing her head down. Against Stark's mouth, she whispered, "Just remember how good it is when I make you wait."

Closing her eyes, Stark groaned softly just before Renee's kiss claimed her.

2330 l0Sep0l

The phone rang in a back room in a dingy apartment in Chelsea.

"Yeah," the Patriot leader rasped.

"Our target has returned to the nest. We have a green light."

"How many opposition forces can we anticipate?" The heavyset man gave a thumbs-up sign to his three comrades, who sat around a low table cleaning their rifles and readying for the morning assault.

"The routine briefing will be over by 0830, and only the day team will be on-site. Three, maybe four people in the command center, and one in the lobby." In a flat, emotionless tone, the Secret Service agent went on, "I'll handle things upstairs while you eliminate the person on the door and secure the exits."

"What about Roberts?"

"I'll make certain she doesn't get in the way."

"Tomorrow is the dawn of a new era in this country," the large man in the khaki fatigues said fervently. "And may God bless us all."

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

0430 11Sep0l

Patriot encampment, Tennessee

G eneral Matheson, in a crisp, starched khaki uniform with his rank insignia gleaming on his collar, sat down behind his desk and with a steady hand opened a predetermined satellite channel to monitor the real-time events that were about to reshape history and define his destiny. He pictured a heavily bearded man in coarse, dirty robes, crouched in the caves of his mountain stronghold half a world away, doing the same. They were not compatriots, merely temporary allies forged by necessity, and though their motivations differed, their goal was the same—to demonstrate to the world the weakness and decay at the heart of the greatest superpower history had ever known.

Whatever success their parallel battle plans achieved, life as they knew it was about to change forever.

0500 11 September 2001

Cam awakened without the benefit of the alarm, slipped quickly from bed, and pulled a T-shirt and gym shorts from her bureau. She dressed quickly and walked to the window that faced Gramercy Park. Across the square, above the trees, she could see the windows of Blair's loft. They were dark now, but the lights had still been burning at 2:00 a.m. when she'd finally gone to bed. She imagined that Blair had been painting, or perhaps reading, and when she herself had been unable to fall asleep, she'd briefly contemplated calling her. She had resisted the impulse, however, because sometimes hearing Blair's voice and knowing that she was so close was harder to bear than the simple pain of missing her.

With a sigh, Cam pushed the nonproductive thoughts away and buckled on a small pack containing her beeper, cell phone weapon, and credentials.

After the briefing, I'll surprise Blair and take her out to breakfast. For once, her schedule is clear.

As she started her run, Cam thought fleetingly of how pleasant it would be to have a few unhurried hours with her lover.

0545 11Sep0l

Report: Confirmed - Team One pilots have passed through security check in Portland, Maine. Departure as scheduled for Logan Airport, Boston.

0550 11 September 2001

With her arm around Renee's waist and her breasts against Renee's back, Stark nuzzled her face in the sweet, warm skin of Renee's neck. "What kind of disciplinary action do you think we'd get if we skipped work today?"

Lazily, Renee turned onto her back and threaded both arms around Stark's neck, guiding her lover down on top of her. Lids heavy with the remnants of sleep and the first stirrings of desire, she murmured, "Do you have something besides duty in mind?"

"Oh, yeah," Stark said with a grin, settling her hips between Renee's thighs. "First I thought I'd start with this." She dipped her head and nipped the tip of Renee's chin, then licked the spot as Renee arched beneath her with a gasp of surprised pleasure. "And then," she ran her tongue slowly over Renee's lower lip, "I thou—"

"Sweetie," Renee interrupted, her voice pitched low and husky, "I have to leave in thirty-five minutes."

"Uh-huh." Stark lifted her head, a perplexed expression on her face. "And your point is?"

Laughing, Renee reached up and brushed the hair from Stark's forehead. "You're going to wear me out."

"Is that even possible? Is there like some magic orgasm quota, and once you hit that number, you can't have any more?"

In a swift movement, Renee lifted her hips and rolled Stark over onto her back, following in one fluid motion until she straddled her. With her palm in the center of Stark's chest, she leaned forward, her breasts swaying in silent invitation. "If there is, I'm going to get there pretty fast, especially if you keep after me the way you have been."

"Jeez, you look so sexy when you sit on me like this." Stark lifted both hands and cupped Renee's breasts, brushing the tight pink nipples with her thumbs.

Surprised yet again, Renee arched into Stark's hands with a groan. "I love the way you touch me."

"That's good," Stark said, her throat dry and her stomach already simmering with need. "Because I can't seem to stop."

Renee dropped forward, catching herself with her palms on either side of Stark's shoulders, her breasts pressed into Stark's hands, her face inches above her lover's. She rocked her hips over Stark's stomach, slicking the soft skin with the warm, silken evidence of her desire. The tantalizing friction teased her already stiff clitoris, and her thighs trembled. Her eyes, glazed with urgent pleasure, found Stark's. "I don't want you to ever stop."

Before Stark could reply, Renee raised her hips and slid higher on the bed until she knelt just above Stark's face. Curling her fingers into Stark's hair, she held her head down while she lowered herself carefully to Stark's mouth. "One kiss."

With a groan, Stark wrapped her arms around Renee's hips as she took her into her mouth, thirsting for her passion. The wild heat and sweet scent overwhelmed her, and she closed her eyes to immerse herself in the wonder of her lover's desire.

Renee's stomach tightened at the first soft touch of Stark's tongue, and when the sharp pull of Stark's lips around her clitoris sent fire streaking along her spine, she pushed herself away and collapsed onto the bed, panting. "Okay. That will have to do until tonight."

"Oh my God," Stark exclaimed, rolling onto her side toward Renee and sliding one hand down Renee's abdomen, seeking entrance between her thighs. "I'll die, I mean it. I can't wait until tonight."

"You have a fabulous mouth," Renee gasped. "And I'm going to be thinking about it the entire day."

Stark stared in shock as Renee jumped from the bed and hurried naked toward the bathroom. Half a second later, she catapulted up in pursuit, shouting, "I'm going to make you pay for this!"

Outraged, delighted, and indescribably in love, Stark followed the beautiful sounds of her lover's laughter.

0800 11Sep0l

Report: Team One aboard American Airlines flight 11 has departed Logan Airport en route to Los Angeles. 81 passengers and 11 crew members.

0805 11 September 2001

"That's it, then," Cam finished. "Egret has no public appearances on the docket for the rest of the week, and her personal calendar is flexible. Standard shifts the rest of the week. She has a luncheon scheduled with the board members of the American Teacher's Association in DC on Saturday. Mac will go over those assignments tomorrow."

When she and Mac left the conference room to review reports and intelligence updates, the remaining agents began to gather their notes. The conversation was desultory as the night shift prepared to go off duty and the day shift sorted out their assignments.

Stark, the day-shift leader, looked toward Cynthia Parker. "You've got the lobby this morning, Cyn."

"Sure," Cynthia Parker replied. "I'll head down to relieve Foster as soon as I grab a cup of coffee."

Glancing at Felicia, Stark said, "You feel like joining me in the gym for a workout?"

"You go ahead. I'll join you as soon as I check my e-mail messages."

"No problem. See you there." Stark's nerves still jangled with an undercurrent of excitement and lingering arousal. An hour or so pumping iron sounded like just the antidote she required to clear her head.

0814 11Sep0l

Report: Confirmed - Team Two aboard United Airlines flight 175 has departed Logan Airport en route to Los Angeles. 56 passengers and 9 crew members.

0815 11 September 2001

"Everything looks to be routine, Mac," Cam said after a swift survey of the printout's that had come in from the various intelligence agencies. "I'm going to check in with Egret. We may be going out-—I'll let you know."

"Sure, Commander." Mac rose as Cam left the room and crossed to the desk where Felicia sat studying her computer monitor.

"We haven't had much of a chance to talk lately," Mac said. When Felicia glanced up, a curious question in her eyes, he shrugged. "I know you're not interested in anything serious between us, but how about a friendly lunch sometime?"

"Do you really think that men and women can do anything that's just friendly?"

"I don't know," Mac answered honestly, "I'm not sure that I even want to where you're concerned. Maybe I'm hoping you'll change your mind when you discover what a nice guy I am."