Jackpot

14

Room 3347 at the Golden Desert Casino and Resort was packed with CIA protective agents on loan from the local Agency field office, room service staff, three of the U.S. government delegates, and Millie Martindale. She wasn’t sure how her room had become the operations center for everything, but as she hung up with Arrow Donaldson, she was happy they were all together. Millie banged on a room service platter until everyone in the room was quiet.

“We have a change in plans. We’re getting Li Feng out tonight. Right now.”

“This feels more like a kidnapping exchange than a transfer of custody,” one of the agents said.

“I don’t trust this guy any more than I trust a kidnapper,” Millie said. “Maybe even less.”

“Then why are we doing this? Why are we negotiating with a private citizen for a government asset?”

“This is a complicated situation with multiple stakeholders, private and governmental,” Millie said. “Your job is to follow my directions.”

Another agent joined them, and then two more. All men.

“What if you’re sending us into a trap?” another one of the agents asked. He was the tallest man in the room, and he loomed over Millie.

“We are men and women of the CIA,” Millie said, squawking a bit at first, but finding the depth in her voice quickly. “Every room we go into could be a trap. Every restaurant, every drive, every phone call could be our last. If you want a safe job and a boring life, go work for Treasury.”

Millie stood on the balls of her feet as she finished, partially to compensate for the male agent’s height, but also because she was energized and excited after her speech. Perhaps, naïvely, she expected the speech to be enough that the rest of the group would fall into line and head out, even if they didn’t cheer out loud for her. But nobody moved and everyone in the room continued staring at her.

“You’re the only woman here,” the first agent she’d been talking to said.

“What if the person we’re going to rescue doesn’t need to be saved?” another agent asked.

The tall one kept looking at her with a crooked smile, and she hoped he was about to say something to galvanize the crew to her side. Instead, he said, “Treasury took down Al Capone.”

Millie was spared further embarrassment when the phone in her room rang. She pushed through the group of men to get to it.

“I own a high-rise of beautiful condos near the site where I’m building my arena,” Arrow said.

“Are they as beautiful as the casino you built?”

Millie could hear Arrow sigh on the other end of the line.

“Li Feng is in the penthouse expecting your visit.”

“I’m on my way over there right now,” Millie said.

“I know you want to protect her, but maybe don’t take an entire army over there. She’s used to a certain level of luxury and discretion. I fear your goon squad dressed like an assault team might do more harm than good.”

“I hate to admit it, but you might have a point.”

Millie hung up and looked around at the men in the room. Almost all of them were dressed in military gear, including all three who’d been taunting her. Three others, though, would work. One was wearing casual office attire and could have come from an IT department, and the other two were dressed in blazers, dress shirts, and dress pants. She pointed to the three of them and told them to follow her.

“The rest of you stay here and make sure no one steals anything from the minibar.”