Dead Love - By Wells, Linda Page 0,3

body against him, and not just when dancing.

One night in the back seat of his parents’ car, they made love; it was the first for them both. It had been awkward and Joey was overwhelmed. He had to make love to this girl and make her his forever. He knew she was scared and so was he but she didn’t say no to him and he knew she never would. He gave her his class ring that same night and told her he loved her and wanted to marry her. It was a promise he would keep.

Joey headed out the door to get to work by 6:15 a.m. It was a boring job, in some ways, but each day was different. He had many responsibilities, from maintenance and inspection of the subway platform, to cleaning the restrooms. He had not been able to get a better job with just two years at the community college. He and Donna were doing okay though, because she had worked in the makeup department at Macy’s until Rosa came along. His city maintenance job for the Metropolitan Transit Authority paid well enough, and the benefits were great. A secure home and family meant a lot to Joey, but he often felt like a failure for not making more money and only being a glorified janitor. He knew Donna was proud of him no matter what he did. Their marriage wasn’t perfect, but all in all, they had more than enough, and the love they shared was all the happiness she ever wanted. Baby Rosa had made their happiness complete.

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4

Dr. Suzy Chen left her condo at midnight and walked the five blocks, carrying only her purse and the package. The late model silver Taurus was just where they told her it would be.

The nondescript cutoff man was at the drop site at 3:00 a.m. The city was dark with few cars passing. Suzy Chen saw the shadowed figure standing at the bus stop. She pulled alongside the curb, lowered the passenger window, and the unknown contact strode forward, reaching into the window with gloved hand, grabbing the department store bag from the seat. Suzy clutched the .38 S&W with her left hand, invisible to the hooded figure.

He leaned forward and, in the briefest instant, with a raspy indistinguishable accent, asked, “How do I start the discharge?”

Suzy said, “There is a black lever, just under the lid of the canister. The lever beside the discharge valve… push it all the way to the right.” She cautioned him. “Remember, it cannot be reversed, and the delay is only two minutes. Don’t forget. Put the cap in this weighted bag and toss it in the river.”

Those were the last words spoken. The contact turned so fast, she couldn’t really see him, only his dark hooded sweatshirt, as he faded into the shadows.

Dr. Chen drove off slowly, careful to avoid notice. It took about three hours for her to get back to Edgewood. She left the car where she found it and walked quickly back to her condo. Her heart was beating rapidly. She was relieved to have gotten rid of the canister.

Chen was a respected biochemist and assistant director at Edgewood Laboratories, part of the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and she had to be at work by eight o’clock. The return drive had given her time to decompress. She had labored for months, following with precision the instructions delivered to her by the Organization. The plan had been carefully formulated. Only two more tasks and her assignment would be complete.

The fear of discovery and the magnitude of the event overshadowed the exhilaration at what she had done. But the Director had assured her that she would be protected, and the rewards, on many levels, would be beyond gratifying.

What the Organization Director did not know was that her actions were also driven by a broken heart, which would directly avenge the man who had made many promises to her but had kept none.

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5

It was in January that Suzy had met him at a dinner, hosted by the Secretary of the Army, at a luxury hotel in Baltimore, overlooking the Inner Harbor. Dr. Chen was in a high-profile position as assistant director of research and development at the Edgewood Laboratories. She was often a guest at formal governmental affairs. Beyond her status and accomplishment, she was a beautiful woman with striking Asian features, long straight black hair, and brown almond-shaped eyes of depth and eroticism. Her intellect, beauty, and reserved demeanor