The Double

I reached out and brushed my fingers against Konstantin’s back, but all I could feel was the hard plastic of the screen. For a second, I wished….

I wished I could get close to him. Just for a second.

Then I realized what I was thinking and I went cold. Am I going crazy? After two years of watching him, had I forgotten who he was? The man was pure, undiluted evil.

And he was suddenly moving, crossing the room in huge strides. My throat went tight. “He’s on his way!” I managed. “Get out of there!”

A sudden intake of breath from Calahan. “I found his laptop!”

“I don’t care!” Impatient, Konstantin wasn’t waiting for the elevator. He was taking the stairs three at a time. “Get out now!”

“It’s booting,” said Calahan. I heard him tapping keys. “Hardware key? What’s a hardware key?”

I flipped through cameras, tracking Konstantin as he moved. “He’s on our floor! Move!”

Calahan cursed under his breath. Then I heard the laptop close.

“Hurry!” I begged.

“I’ve got to put it back where it was,” muttered Calahan. “Or he’ll know we were here.” I heard the rustle of clothes and then the closet doors closing and footsteps. “Okay, coming out—”

I checked the cameras and my heart nearly stopped. “Wait!”

Calahan’s footsteps stopped as he froze.

“We’re too late,” I moaned. “He’s in the hallway! He’ll see you coming out!” I could feel the blood draining from my face. This was way worse than getting caught by hotel security. Konstantin was likely carrying a gun. If he found Calahan in his room, he’d shoot and then claim self-defense….

Konstantin arrived outside his room. I imagined Calahan standing on the other side of the door: they were practically face to face. There was only one thing to do. “Hide!” I told him frantically.

I heard footsteps in my earpiece as Calahan turned and ran. His breathing suddenly went echoey. The bathroom. He’s hiding in the bathroom.

Konstantin opened the door to his room. I held my breath...but there was no yell of shock, no gunshot. Calahan must have gotten out of sight just in time. Konstantin went inside... and closed the door.

I sat there frozen, staring at the screen. Calahan was trapped. And as soon as Konstantin went into the bathroom, he was dead. I started to panic, breathe. What the hell do I do? I wasn’t a field agent like him, I just did surveillance. Should I call the cops? Call Carrie? We’d broken into a hotel room without any sort of warrant. We’d be arrested, our careers would be over, and Konstantin would find out he was being watched. He’d be too suspicious for Carrie’s undercover plan to work. We’ve blown the whole thing! And even if I did call for help, it probably wouldn’t come in time. Konstantin would find Calahan any minute.

Unless….

My eyes lifted from the screen. I looked towards the hallway, and Konstantin’s room.

Unless someone distracted Konstantin while Calahan slipped out.

My heart came to a juddering halt. Go in there?! With Konstantin?! I couldn’t be a diversion, I’ve spent my whole life not getting noticed.

But if I didn’t do this, Calahan was dead.

I ran for the bathroom, stripping off my suit as I went. I didn’t have a plan, I had an idea, and I didn’t have time to worry if it was a good one or not. Naked, I turned the faucet on the sink on full and dunked my head under. When I lifted my head, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and froze. This is crazy. This needed someone like Alison, someone pretty and confident and brave. But all there was, was me, with my mop of frizzy hair the color of dirt, freckles and scared brown eyes blinking behind thick glasses.

And low down on my side, an ugly, raised scar. The reason I learned to be invisible.

I grabbed one of the fluffy white bathrobes and pulled it on, then ran out into the hallway, slamming our room’s door behind me.

I lifted my hand to knock, then faltered. What the hell am I doing? This was Konstantin.

But this was Calahan’s only chance. I knocked.

Distant footsteps, coming closer. My legs twitched with the need to run, run! But I made myself stand firm. My vision swam, the door distorting. I felt giddy and weak.

He threw open the door.

And I was face to face with Konstantin.

3

Hailey

I’D THOUGHT that I was used to him. I’d spent more time staring at this man than most married couples spend together. But it had always been from a distance. However close the camera lens had brought him, it was nothing like being in his presence.

I’d known he was big because I’d seen him tower over other men. But looking down on him from a rooftop was very different to looking up at him from two feet away. Being in bare feet made me even smaller: the top of my head barely reached his shirt collar. I had to crane my head way, way back to see his face. And...God, he filled the doorway, his shoulders almost brushing the sides, his chest a wall of solid muscle that filled my view. His body was beyond intimidating: he could easily pick me up with one hand.