Kennedy heard the car first and then looked to her left. The white van was rolling down the tarmac toward the Agency's hangar. She had been expecting it. As the vehicle neared she pointed inside the hangar and watched as the nondescript vehicle rolled past her. The van contained three individuals whom she knew Rapp would approve of. They were former Navy SEALs. The leader of the group was Scott Coleman, a former commander of SEAL Team 6. He'd brought with him two of his most trusted operators, Kevin Hackett and Dan Stroble. Rapp had worked with them before. If the President and the Special Forces guys got their way, Rapp would be leaving the country very quickly, and that meant somebody was going to have to baby-sit Donatella. It had to be somebody who Rapp trusted implicitly, and that meant the guys from the CIA's Office of Security were out of the question.

Coleman approached Kennedy and extended his hand. In his late thirties he was still lean, and even a casual observer would notice that he was someone not to be messed with. The former naval officer had a very interesting past. He had killed both abroad and at home, and not all of it was sanctioned by the U. S. government. Kennedy took his hand. "Thanks for coming on such short notice."

Coleman looked at her with his blue eyes. "No offense, Irene, but you don't look so good. Have you had any sleep lately?"

"Not enough I'm afraid, but I'll make it."

"So what's this all about?"

"Mitch is bringing someone back from Italy."

"Who?"

"The woman who killed Peter Cameron."

Coleman looked at her with genuine surprise. He'd been with Rapp when they'd discovered Cameron's body in his George Washington University office. "Woman?"

"Yes"

"Is she coming back of her own free will, or is he dragging her back?"

Kennedy didn't answer immediately. At some point she had to decide how much she would reveal to Coleman. She trusted him, but the events of the last several weeks had reinforced the need to know axiom of spying. Theirs was a world where the less that was said, usually the better. In response to Coleman's question she replied, "Yes, she is. Other events that have occurred have driven her into our arms."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't want to get into it just yet. When they get here we'll know more."

The plane proceeded to the Agency's hangar where the large doors were closed and the engines cut. Kennedy had directed that her own detail stay outside. She didn't want anyone getting a glimpse of Donatella She wanted no record that the woman was in the United States. Donatella was a very valuable card, and Kennedy knew she would be most effective if no one knew she had her.

The door to the plane opened and Rapp stuck his head out. He waved to Kennedy and Coleman and then he went back in. A few moments later he appeared with a pale and weak-looking Donatella and helped her down the steps. Donatella was wearing a white sling over her bad shoulder.

Coleman whispered to Kennedy, "It looks like she didn't come of her own free will."

Rapp walked across the smooth cement floor. He looked all around the hangar, checking the exits and looking to see who was there. He was in operation mode. Nothing would get past his heightened senses.

He stopped a few feet short of Kennedy and Coleman and said, "This is Donny." "How is her wound?" asked Kennedy.

"Pretty good, so far, but we should have it checked again."

"I'll make the arrangements," pronounced Kennedy.

Gesturing to his boss, Rapp turned to Donatella and said, "This is Irene Kennedy."

Without lifting her eyes Donatella said in a raspy voice, "I

know."

"And this is Scott."

Donatella lifted her eyes for only a second, but said nothing.

"It's really nice to meet you, too," replied Coleman.

Rapp smiled. "Donny is usually a wonderful person, but the last day's been a little rough."

"I called on Scott and the boys to protect Donatella until we figure out what to do. In the meantime you and I have some business to attend to."

Donatella became animated and spoke to Rapp in Italian. "I am not leaving your side."

"That's not possible." Rapp put his hand on her good shoulder and held her hand. "I've trusted Scott with my own life. He and his people are good."

"But he has people inside the Agency." She was clearly referring to Freidman.

"Scott and his people don't work for the Agency."

Kennedy did not like not knowing what they were saying. "Translate, please." Rapp told her of Donatella's concerns. Kennedy almost winced when he told her that Donatella had said, he has people inside the Agency. She remained cool and said, "I assumed that he did, and that is why my own security people are outside right now. I've called on Scott because he is someone I trust, and more important, he is someone who Mitch trusts."

Rapp could tell that Donatella was still not enthralled with the idea. "Donny, you have to trust me. In order to help you I have to do some things. I have to meet with some people and you can't be seen. We need to keep you under wraps until the time is right."

Reluctantly she relented, and they walked over to the van. Coleman introduced Donatella to his two men who said only hello. When they had her buckled in, Rapp asked for a moment alone with her and the others walked away.

Rapp brushed a curly black lock of hair from her face. "Donny, don't do anything stupid." She scowled at him. "I'm serious," he said. "These guys can protect you. They're good."

Looking out the window she sized them up. "Military."

"Yep. Retired Navy SEALs."

She sized them up again.

"I know what you're thinking and I want you to get it out of your head right now. They are my friends. Don't even think about running. If you kill them I will kill you." Donatella would not look him in the eye, so Rapp grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "I'm serious. I want you to give me your word that you won't kill any of them. Give me your word that you won't try to run. I can help if you trust me." Rapp looked into her tired eyes. "Do you trust me?"

She did not answer right away, but when she did it was sincere. "Yes, I do"

"Good. Now promise me that you won't hurt any of them."

"I promise." Donatella was looking down.

"Look me in the eye and mean it."

"I promise."

"Good." Rapp retrieved Donatella's silenced pistol from his jacket and handed it to her. "You gave me your word."

"And I meant it." She wasn't able to pull the slide back so she asked, "Is it chambered?"

"Of course." She looked at the weapon and said, "Thank you."

"No problem. I know you'd do the same."

"I would, you know," she said a little defensively.

Rapp touched her cheek. "I know, and don't be sad, Donny. I'm going to get you your life back." Rapp kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be checking in with you later. Be nice to Scott and the boys."

Rapp got out of the van and went over to the group. "I need to tell you guys a few things about Donny. First of all, she's armed and second of all she's really good."

None of the former SEALs spoke, but Kennedy did. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I'm sure you don't, but I do. If I were in her shoes, I'd want to be able to protect myself. And besides, if something goes down, believe me, you want a gun in her hand."

"I don't like it," replied Kennedy firmly.

"Well, you're going to have to live with it, because I don't think we're going to get it back from her." Rapp and Kennedy were very close. Sometimes, like this, when Rapp spoke to her like they were siblings Kennedy thought they'd gotten a little too close. She'd learned over the years to not take it personally, though. Mitch was a one-man show, and when things got tense the traits that had helped him to survive in the field for all these years came to the forefront. He showed little patience, he was controlling and any pretense of civility or respect for a superior was thrown out the window.