Burned (Vanessa Pierson series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Vanessa sat,balancing her laptop on her thighs, logging in to her secure screen. She found an instant message waiting for her from IM tag X32, Zoe Liang—a thirty-two-year-old laser-sharp analyst at Headquarters.
    Zoe and Vanessa had butted heads more than once—hackles rose on both of them the very first day they met. Now, going on three years of working together, they definitely were not friends. But last fall, on Operation Ghost Hunt, Zoe had helped Vanessa track and identify Bhoot’s Chechen hit man. And Vanessa knew the analyst had developed a grudging respect for her. In fact, over the course of the past year they had managed to build a sense of mutual appreciation. Maybe even trust . . .
X32: OK?
     
    Vanessa had to delete and retype her simple response twice—her fingers didn’t want to find the keys. Finally, she got it right and hit return.
044: we r ok—who? Bhoot?
X32: no takers yet
044: 2nd device?
X32: on it—be careful cuz someone wants you in middle of hornets nest
     
    And almost immediately followed by:
X32: still there?
044: here
     
    Zoe’s warning had stopped her fingers cold for a few seconds because she knew the analyst was right.
044: will take care thx
X32: we’ll get the SOBs
     
    Vanessa smiled wearily and then she typed.
044: copy that
     
    She closed out of messaging knowing that Zoe would be in touch as soon as there was even the slightest link to a group claiming responsibility for the bombing.
    Within days of the attempt on MI5’s director-general last fall, both U.S. and UK intelligence services had formed their respective task forces—there could no longer be any question that security had been severely breached. They had a mole to ferret out—a mole feeding highly classified intelligence to Bhoot, the black market nuclear arms dealer.
    The task force would be looking within the Agency and outside as well. The traitor was (a) someone hacking into the most highly secured servers, or (b) someone who already had access. The pool of potential suspects was massive.
    Zoe Liang had been picked to serve on the Agency’s internal task force.
    Vanessa looked up from her laptop to find Hays standing in the doorway to the dining room. He held the sweeper in one hand and a ceramic lamp in the other.
    Jack appeared from the kitchen gnawing slowly on a sandwich. He stopped about six feet behind Hays, chewing thoughtfully.
    “Hey,” Hays said loudly to Vanessa. “Toss me my laptop case, will ya?”
    Before she could look around for the case, Hays smashed the lamp to the floor, where it seemed to explode and pieces flew everywhere.
    “You’re not playing on my team—you hit the lamp!” Hays said, mugging.
    Vanessa waved her middle finger and smiled. “Oops, sorry about that. I must still be shaky.”
    Hays began rooting around among the pieces on the floor. He stood and stomped around heavily several times. After a moment, he collected a broken black bug and held it up in his fingers, his expression triumphant.
    But he didn’t have time to celebrate. Monitors came to life behind him.
    Hays swiveled around, thrusting an index finger at Vanessa. “We’ve got the feed from Headquarters, you’re on.”

8
     
    With Jack by her side, Vanessa faced the largest monitor and—via live feed from Headquarters—the Agency’s clandestine services deputy director of operations, Phillip Hawkins. She took a deep breath to help steady herself and focus.
    “Hell of a mess,” the DDO said grimly. At 0715 hours EST, his day was young, his pale green Charvet shirt still crisp and buttoned at the collar, ivory Hermès tie knotted perfectly in a half-Windsor. He said, “I thought we were done losing assets in the field.”
    Vanessa heard the pointed accusation in his voice and knew he was directing it at her. So did Jack, who shifted his posture in discomfort. She felt hollowed out and sick to her stomach. “I thought we were done, too,” she said, meeting the DDO’s ice-blue eyes and refusing to