Heroes Never Die by Lois Sanders

straight for the kitchen.  She began to wash some cups that were in the sink just to keep herself occupied when she heard Brian walk up behind her and put his arms around her waist.  “Don’t you think those could wait?” he asked as he kissed her neck.  Stephanie didn’t respond.  She didn’t want him to see the silent tears streaming down her cheeks.  Brian turned her around to face him.  “Hey,” he said as he dried the tears on her face with his hand.  “I know the war is on your mind, but you can’t let it get you down.”
    “But what if you receive orders?  I can’t bear the thought of being without you.”
    “Don’t do this to me, Stephanie.  It would kill me to have to leave you, so let’s hope it never happens and leave it at that.”
    Stephanie almost felt ashamed for being blind to her husband’s feelings.  His pain would be just as great as her own, and now that the war was a threatening reality, there no longer seemed to be the bright promise of tomorrow, but only the remnant of today, and she needed him to hold her tight so she could feel safe again.  “Make love to me, Brian,” she pleaded, wanting him with all of her might.
    Brian grinned the mischievous grin that melted her heart.  “My pleasure.”  He scooped her off of her feet and carried her to the bedroom.  Afterward, she fell asleep in the warmth of his arms.
     
    Chapter Eight:
    CIA Headquarters
    Langley, Virginia
    Kyle sat in his private office analyzing the latest intelligence report on Saudi Arabia.  It was difficult to make sense of the sudden shift in Saudi policy, but he felt pressured to find a solution before the delicate balance of power changed forever.  Kyle’s deep thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the intercom.  “I want to see you in my office right away.”  He recognized Barry’s familiar voice.  Barry Braxton was the Director of the CIA.
    Kyle immediately secured the file he had been working on by locking it in his drawer and walked six doors down to Barry’s executive suite.  He had made the routine walk many times to update Barry on other national security issues, so he knew that Barry was going to press him for answers this time, too.  Only this time, Kyle was as baffled as the rest of world.
    “Go right in,” Barry’s assistant, Shannon, told him.  “Barry is expecting you.”
    Kyle walked past Shannon without acknowledging her.  He walked into Barry’s office and closed the door behind him.  He stood before Barry looking his usual cool and professional self.  He noticed the overhead light shining on top of Barry’s head like a spotlight, but he thought that the light seemed brighter to perhaps compensate for the dark clouds rolling in from the east side of the building.
    “Have a seat, Kyle,” Barry said as he waved his hand toward a chair in front of his polished mahogany desk.  “I’ve just returned from seeing the President.  The news is not good.  King Hamid rejected our proposal.  He refuses to allow our military access to his airbase, and he has raised the price of oil to a whopping sixty dollars a barrel.  Pat believes that Crown Prince Tareef, if given the opportunity, would be more cooperative.  He has ordered us to eliminate King Hamid.  Tell me what you know about him.”
    Kyle responded casually, his Virginian accent smooth and confident.  “Hamid is anti-Western, but not to the point that he would close his air base.  I’m convinced there has to be another reason.  He lives behind a shield of armed guards, so getting close enough to make the hit presents a challenge.  He has numerous holdings throughout the world.  In this hemisphere, most are located in the Caribbean.  He has greatly increased the standard of living in his country, and his people have high regard for his authority.  They say that miracles occur when he prays.  Hamid is a stable man, he’s deeply entrenched in tradition, and he only has one weakness.”
    “And that is?”