Trapezoid (The Base)

Chapter 39

Three months later

Fluorescent lights shone from above, the only source of light in the unnerving basement of a toy store, air conditioners humming an ominous tune. The pristine white walls and the grey tiles had remained unchanged. Two pairs of eyes expectantly faced the wall they knew would part and display the semi-sinister woman, the four guards in black in the room hardly noticed.

Lisa's mind sailed on the seas of memories. It had all started here in this room—where she'd been "enlisted" into the life of the CIA. She had no idea why she was back here though. D. Smith had not the graces to at least state the reasons for this meeting of the members of the Trapezoid—Stevens and her. The other two sides of the Trapezoid—well, she knew what had happened to Christina. What a solemn yet heavy blow it was. That was the unavoidable or possible end of an Intelligence agent.

But somehow for some reason, Lisa wasn't ready to hang up the gloves. She hadn't even gained a scratch! The man who towered at her side was under story though—and Hopper. But she wanted this still so badly. Life as an agent had, especially the time of being undercover as part of staff of the Greenwoods, seemed a whole lot more exciting and saturated than life as an acrobat or a waitress. She wanted to stay.

But D. Smith had the say in all that.

And there she appeared, unnervingly portraying perfection, not a single crease in appearance showing. Her sandy-brown hair was strictly up in a bun, coal-black suit and pristine white blouse expertly pressed to perfection. She walked out of the elevator, heels tapping monotonously. Her green gaze landed on Stevens first—then slid to Lisa.

Stopping several feet out of her vicinity, her head nodded slightly if at all. "Welcome back, Mr. Stevens and Ms. Troy." Her tone lacked the warmth of a welcome yet didn't contain the chill of rejection. "I trust morphing back into everyday life has not been too difficult."

Her lifeless gaze swept once more to Levi. It was as if she knew the struggle he had. He'd left and come back a different man—in so many ways. For one, coming back a Christian. That had surely never been part of his plan. His father, who was his boss too, was afraid he was suffering from some sort of depression from the battlefield because his attitude had "softened." He'd moved out from his brother's apartment to his own after spending a painful week there and enduring a partying weekend. Keeping himself severely busy helped keep his mind off Chris. If his mind dared to dwell there, he'd go insane—though at the same time it was always on her. Not being a relative, the hospital in Britain didn't inform him of her condition. She could be dead for all he knew. But his heart told him the opposite—though he was too scared to start his own search for her. After all, D. Smith had charged him not to mix private life with CIA life. He'd turned to her for information—and got nothing but a deathly silence.

He could tell D. Smith knew of his attachment to Chris Hopper—for why would she insist on him moving on?

Well, if this meeting was about Michael and Chris no longer being members, he'd been bracing himself the whole trip here.

Her auto-toned voice echoed in the room. "We still have need for the Trapezoid, so it will not be disbanded anytime soon." Her head turned with liquid motion to Lisa. "However, upcoming cases will be more difficult to complete due to a loss of resources."

Resources.

The word echoed in both Levi's and Lisa's minds. What a cheap word.

"We are well aware of the dangers every member went through and are offering congratulations for closing the Greenwood case." Her eyes stilled for a moment on the eyes of the two members.