Mission: Out of Control by Susan May Warren Page B

turned to slam the door, but of course he charged in, caught the door, and shut it behind him with a soft click.
    Leah looked up from where she was working on her computer at the glass table. Lyle’s door was closed, light pulsing from it, evidence of a television on in a dark room.
    â€œGet out,” Vonya snarled.
    â€œYou’ve got to be kidding me,” he said softly.
    Leah closed her laptop. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She eyed Brody and shook her head before closing the bedroom door behind her. Perfect.
    â€œI’m fine now, you can go.”
    â€œSo you can leave again? I’m done trying to figure you out, or even trust you, Ronie. Congratulations, you have a new roommate.” He turned, threw the dead bolt on the door, then walked over and sat on the sofa.
    Seriously? “Listen, Brody, okay. I’ll stay here.” The lie slipped through her teeth, tasting sour even to herself. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
    His explosion of laughter rocked her back. “Okay, darlin’. What was I thinking? Of course you will.” He walked over to the closet, opened it and grabbed theextra pillow from the shelf. Then he tossed it down in front of the door. “I think I’ll just sleep right here if it’s all the same to you.”
    She stared at him, at his set jaw, his dark eyes.
    â€œOh, of all the overreactions. Fine. Suit yourself.”
    Her room had a door, too. She marched into her bedroom, turned on the light and locked the door behind her. Then she went to the outside door and flung it open.
    â€œGoing somewhere?” Luke turned and smiled, his arms folded against his chest.
    â€œJust down the hall for some ice.”
    Luke looked at her empty hands.
    â€œFine!” She slammed the door, turned and sank down against it. Nice. Perfect.
    She’d stolen Damu’s computer. And when he found it missing, it wouldn’t take him long to figure out who had taken it. Which meant that General Mubar would discover someone was onto him and send the smuggler deeper into hiding.
    She’d never get Kafara out of the Zimbalan army.
    Stupid hot wig. She yanked it off, threw it across the room and ran her fingers through her short, mousy hair. Then she pulled the computer out of her sleeve and turned it on.
    That same annoying password prompt lit up the screen. She tried Damu. Incorrect. Mubar. Incorrect.
    She stared at it, shaking it in her hands. “Why?”
    â€œAre you okay in there?” came Brody’s hard voice.
    â€œLeave me alone.”
    â€œNot on your life.”
    She wanted to hurl the computer at him, but, well,that wouldn’t quite get it working, would it? But she was itching for something—someone—to hurt.
    This much of her father, yes, she had in her.
    Instead she climbed to her feet, set the computer on the bureau.
    She walked to the window, staring down onto the street. Bright lights shone on the Brandenburg Gate, underlighting the Quadriga on top, the four horses drawing a chariot as if emerging from battle. She still found it hard to believe that this city had once lain in rubble. That even this hotel had been nothing but stones and rebar before they’d rebuilt it to its original grandeur. She wanted to linger every time they passed through the lobby and listen to the pianist, maybe belly up to the piano herself and plunk out a tune.
    There had to be a way to figure out how to get into that computer.
    Leah might know—she acted as her computer guru. Or even Lyle. The kid seemed to know how to make her cell phone do things she never dreamed it could do.
    No, she needed a serious techie.
    What about Artyom? Okay, her synapses simply weren’t functioning. She needed someone who wouldn’t shut her down—like one of Bishop’s contacts.
    She dug her phone out of her bag and texted him.
    The CIA couldn’t kill her if she was trying to solve her problem, right?
    She waited a