Chapter 25

25

The heavy doors of the Smithsonian Castle swung shut behind them with a soft thud, sealing away the tension and danger they'd left inside. Paige blinked rapidly as they emerged into the brilliant sunlight, her eyes stinging from the abrupt shift from fluorescent gloom to natural radiance. But it wasn't just the sun making her feel dazed and off-balance.

Her lips still tingled from Cody's unexpected kiss in the dim corridor, the memory of it sending a warm shiver down her spine even as they power walked away from the scene of their daring escapade. Part of her brain was busy cataloging their escape route, watching for potential pursuit, but another part kept replaying that moment—the urgency of his lips on hers, the heat of his body pressed close, the look in his eyes when they'd separated.

A mile melted away beneath their feet, marked only by the steady rhythm of their footsteps and the occasional brush of Cody's arm against hers. Each contact sent a fresh jolt through Paige's system, a confused jumble of adrenaline, attraction, and the ever present weight of their mission.

Finally, a nondescript van materialized from the urban camouflage of parked vehicles. As they clambered inside, greeted by the relieved and curious faces of their team, Paige found herself wondering which would prove more challenging: explaining their heist or deciphering the new, electrifying tension between her and Cody.

"Did you get it?" Tai asked, his eyes fixed on the briefcase in Paige's hand.

Paige nodded, her grip tightening on the case. "Affirmative. The drive's secure."

Fenn leaned forward, his expression serious. "Any complications?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Cody replied, his voice neutral.

The ride back to the embassy safe house was thick with unspoken words. Paige's skin prickled with awareness, hyperconscious of Cody's presence beside her. His silence was deafening.

Fenn's voice cut through the quiet. "So, what happened in there? You two look like you've seen a ghost."

Paige forced a laugh, the sound brittle even to her own ears. "Just the usual. Bioweapons, secret labs. You know, a typical Tuesday."

Cody's response was equally vague. "Mostly, we just stuck to the plan."

His words hung in the air, laden with double meaning. Paige's fingers twitched, itching to touch her lips where the ghost of his kiss still lingered.

She snuck a glance at Cody, noting the tightness around his eyes, the slight clench of his jaw. Probably wondering when she was going to blow his cover.

The memory of the kiss flashed through her mind again, unbidden. The warmth of his lips, the jolt of surprise, the fleeting moment of connection. She pushed the thought away, her inner voice scoffing. It was just a ploy, a calculated move by a master spy to throw her off balance, to win her over to his side.

Well, it wasn't going to work. No matter what he said about having a crush on her in school, she wouldn't be swayed. She was a seasoned operative now, not some starry-eyed schoolgirl easily manipulated by a handsome face and a soft kiss.

As the van wound its way through the DC traffic, she steeled herself for the confrontation to come. She had a job to do. A team to protect. And if that meant exposing Cody's true identity, then so be it.

The kiss meant nothing, she told herself firmly. Nothing at all.

As they entered the safe house, Paige's grip on the briefcase tightened, her knuckles turning white. She hesitated, unsure whether to hold onto it or set it down.

Kate's sharp eyes caught the tension in Paige's stance. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Paige swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. "Everyone, sit down," she managed, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears. "We need to talk."

The room stilled, a sudden hush falling over the team. Even Cody, his face a careful mask, lowered himself onto a nearby chair. The air crackled with anticipation as all eyes turned to her.

She took a deep breath, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it. Then, like ripping off a bandage, she blurted it out. "Cody is Tanner."

For a moment, stunned silence reigned. Then Fenn blinked, his brow furrowing in disbelief. "Tanner, as in Consortium Assassin Number One? That Tanner?"

She nodded.

The room erupted into chaos. Tai lunged towards Cody, his face contorted with rage. Mason and Graham reacted instantly, their strong arms restraining the furious agent.

"Let me go!" Tai's voice was a low growl. "I'll knock that lying jerk out myself."

Bridger's calm voice cut through the commotion. "Everyone, settle down. We need to approach this rationally."

Tai's head whipped around, his eyes narrowing at Bridger. "Who are you? Why aren't you more upset about this?"

Paige's gaze darted between Bridger and Cody, her mind whirling. The confusion on her face mirrored Tai's words. She felt as if the ground beneath her feet had suddenly become quicksand, every certainty sinking away.

Hurt, anger, and a deep, unsettling confusion roiled her insides. But beneath it all, a traitorous part of her mind had that kiss on replay. Cody. The guy she'd harbored a secret crush on since college. Even after his betrayal. How pathetic was that?

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the conflicting thoughts. The lingering feelings had never been an issue, until he just had to bust back into her life, dragging her whole, painful past back with him.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. She couldn't wait for him to be gone. And he would be, soon. All they had to do was deactivate the virus and contact Jason. Then they could regroup and go after the Consortium together.

Cody's voice cut through the chaos, firm and unyielding. "Enough! I am Tanner. But Tanner doesn't really exist. It's more of a … borrowed … identity."

The room fell silent, confusion replacing anger on the team's faces.

Cody continued, his words tumbling out. "Paige's father, Atticus, and I created the persona a long time ago. We needed a verifiable alter ego to fool Consortium security if necessary. And someone to blame if the Consortium ever caught wind of our spying."

Paige's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Like a back door in a software program," she explained to the team. "It gives the program's coder a secret way back into the code, if they need it."

The team exchanged glances, comprehension slowly spreading across their faces.

Mason's brow furrowed. "Tanner assassinated people. His victims didn't fake die."

Cody nodded, his expression grim. "You're right, they didn't. But Tanner didn't kill them. Atticus and I made sure Tanner was credited with kills that weren't verifiably attributable to other Consortium assassins."

Skepticism clouded the team's faces, but Bridger stepped forward. "That's legit," he told the team. "We're talking about high-value targets here. Who's to say they weren't killed by other interests besides the Consortium?"

"Exactly," Cody agreed. "I can show you proof. I have records of how we constructed the Tanner persona, but it'll take time to access them without drawing the Consortium straight to us."

The tension in the room slowly ebbed as Bridger's calm logic prevailed. Paige watched as her teammates' faces shifted from anger to reluctant acceptance. The air still crackled with unspoken accusations, but the immediate threat of violence had passed.

Bridger's voice cut through the uneasy silence. "We need to focus on the task at hand. Cody's expertise could be crucial in understanding and neutralizing this virus."

Fenn's jaw clenched, but he nodded. "Fine. But he doesn't leave our sight."

"Agreed," Tai grumbled, his eyes still locked on Cody with suspicion.

Kate sighed, rubbing her temples. "Let's get to work then. The sooner we deal with this virus, the better."

As the team grudgingly began to set up their equipment, Paige found her gaze drawn to Cody. He moved with a careful precision, aware of the team tracking his every movement. The memory of his kiss flashed unbidden through her mind, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine.

She turned away, busying herself with unpacking the briefcase. But even as she worked, she could feel the phantom pressure of his lips on hers, the memory refusing to fade.

At some point, she was going to think about it. After Cody/Tanner/whoever rode off into the sunset.