Chapter 4 Section II Subheading Three

“What are you doing?” Pen asked.

Scotch walked around the room pulling dark colored clothes out of the closet and a pair of cheap, dark sneakers out of a shoe box sitting inside.

Pen immediately recognized the ensemble. “Mission clothes?”

Scotch ignored the question and disappeared into the bathroom returning a few minutes later. “Our friends outside are looking for a man in gray dress pants and a matching coat, a white dress shirt and dark oxfords. My features are not remarkable. I look like at least five other men who live in this building. I’ll be using a different exit and wearing different clothes in case I run into one of them while they’re taking a smoke break. If you get a text on the phone from me that looks like a green light I need you to pull up Jeremy 5J out of Contacts and send him a text. Tell him that his dog has gotten out of the building again. It went out the front door.”

Pen looked at Scotch. She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“The text means that one or all of our friends are following me and I need a distraction. Jeremy looks just like me and his sudden appearance should redirect them. I’ve done this before.”

“What about Jeremy?” Pen asked.

“What about Jeremy.”

“Does he know that you do this? That you’re putting him in danger?”

“I checked in with him on previous occasions, he has never been aware of anything more than a strange feeling that he’s being watched. He has a black belt in Judo. Jeremy can get out of almost any scrape without much trouble."

 "He's a civilian." Pen countered.

 "So are you as you are so fond of reminding me. Our new friends are professionals. If you text him and Jeremy goes out, I can tell you what will happen. They will follow Jeremy, watch, realize that he’s looking for his lost dog, check their intel, verify that neither one of us owns a dog and return to their original spot outside this building.”

Pen began to argue and Scotch raised his index finger indicating that he was not done talking. “The only time that they might attempt to pick Jeremy up would be if someone had an interest in garnering a quick promotion or if they were instructed to pick him, I mean, me up.”

Scotch sat down on the edge of the bed to put on dark socks and shoes. He looked up to find Pen standing over him.

“I don’t like it.”

“What don’t you like?”

“Any of it. Me here tucked away like a child. Jeremy playing your stunt double.You going out alone when you’ve clearly been targeted.”

Scotch stood up giving Pen no choice but to take a step back.

“You’re worried about me.” He grinned. “I knew that somewhere underneath all that...you liked me.”

Pen glared at Scotch. “Even if I did like you, using Jeremy as a decoy stinks. You’re losing points with me with each passing minute.

“Agent Training Chapter 4 Section II Subheading Three: When things go wrong—Improvise. I’ve been doing this for a long time Pen and I’ve never lost a single decoy. Relax.” Scotch turns and walks towards the door with Pen on his heels. “Stay here. Make your appearance at the window and try to get some sleep. I’m locking everything up behind me. When I enter this room again it will be through the bookcase to the left of the fireplace. Upon entering, I plan on making a stop at my beloved drink cart for a quick belt.”

“That was detailed.”

“It is all the details you’ll be getting from me tonight Pen.” Scotch stopped in the doorway and turned back to face her. “Would you like to kiss me before I go?”

Pen reached up and closed the bedroom door leaving Scotch standing in his own darkened hallway.

“The lady says, ‘No’.” He whispered.

“It was a strong ‘No’!” Comes from the other side of the door.

Scotch grinned as he walked through the darkened hallway and into his mission.

 *This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.