Page 24 of Secrets Beneath the Waves (Beach Read Thrillers #2)

CHAPTER

TWO

Alexandria, Virginia

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the secure compound, casting warm golden hues over the mahogany table in the kitchen. Jamie Austen, Ellie’s mother, sat with her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, her eyes fixed on the lush Virginia forest outside.

Their estate sprawled over several hundred acres and was a fortress in every sense of the word.

High, reinforced walls surrounded the property, and the main entrance was guarded by a small army of highly trained soldiers wielding machine guns, their presence a stark reminder of the dangers that came with their line of work.

The centerpiece of the compound was AJAX, their cutting-edge cyber lab.

The facility was housed in a sleek, modern building reinforced with state-of-the-art equipment and materials designed to withstand potential attacks.

Inside, rows of servers hummed quietly. More than a hundred employees monitored global cyber threats and facilitated covert operations worldwide under Ellie’s father, Alex’s leadership.

Surveillance cameras dotted the property like pixels on a television screen, their feeds constantly monitored by a dedicated security team.

Hidden motion detectors and biometric checkpoints added an extra layer of protection.

Drones occasionally buzzed overhead, ensuring no corner of the property went unwatched.

The oversized garage housed three armor-plated SUVs that would withstand a small IED, although Alex and Jamie rarely ventured out in them.

A hangar at the end of a long runway housed a plane and a helicopter, their preferred modes of transportation.

Much safer to fly from the compound to a secure point and travel from there rather than go to the trouble of organizing an escort that looked more like a presidential motorcade than a trip to the grocery store.

Such were the inconveniences of more than thirty years of wreaking havoc around the world and waging war against despots, oligarchs, drug dealers, sex traffickers, and the axis of evil nation states intent on destroying the United States and its allies.

These types of precautions had kept them alive all these years.

Despite its intimidating defenses, the compound’s interior was surprisingly warm and inviting.

The main house, where Jamie and Alex lived, featured a blend of modern design and rustic charm, with hardwood floors, stone fireplaces, and expansive, although bulletproof, windows that brought the beauty of the outdoors inside.

Alex stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with an ease that belied the intensity of the work he did daily.

“Ellie will be fine,” Jamie said, going back to a conversation they’d started the night before.

Alex glanced over his shoulder, arching a brow. “You sound pretty confident.”

“Because I am,” she smiled, her expression a blend of pride and reassurance.

“How can you be so sure? There are no guarantees in our line of work.”

“Ellie’s better than I was when I started,” she said. “I trained her myself. Every skill she needs, she’s mastered. And the assignment in the Cayman Islands? It’s not exactly life-or-death espionage. She’s looking for a mole on cruise ships. No gunfights. No extractions. No storming fortresses.”

“Yet,” Alex muttered, sliding a pancake onto a plate and turning back to her. “How often do things really go as planned?”

Jamie’s lips twitched in a smirk. “She’s ready, Alex. Trust me. She’s got this.”

Alex brought over the pancakes and set them down between them, taking a seat. He studied her face, his blue eyes darkly serious.

“Where is this coming from?” Jamie asked. “I thought you were for Ellie starting to go on missions by herself.”

“I’m not questioning her skills. She’s brilliant, and she’s had the best training anyone could hope for. But you can’t ignore the risk. It’s not just the assignment. It’s who her parents are. That’s what I’m worried about.”

Jamie’s expression softened, her hand reaching across the table to touch his.

“I know what you’re saying. But right now, only a few people know she’s our daughter.

She’s working under an assumed name. To the world, Ellie is another low-level CIA operative.

A nobody. We’ve worked hard to keep her connection to us hidden. ”

“And what happens when someone finds out?” Alex pressed. “We’ve made a lot of enemies, Jamie. People who’d love nothing more than to hurt us. What better way than through her?”

Jamie clenched her coffee mug as the memories of her own missions flashed through her mind. The burn of adrenaline as bullets whizzed by her, the gnawing dread she’d carried for years.

Ellie was ready, but readiness didn’t erase risks. Alex was bringing up a worry she had tried hard to bury.

“You’re not wrong,” she said, her jaw tense. “It’s something we’ll have to stay ahead of. For now, we’ve done everything possible to keep her safe. And she’s chosen anti-corruption, not?—”

“Sex trafficking,” Alex finished for her, his tone grim.

“Right.” Jamie’s voice grew quieter. “That line of work . . . it’s not something I wanted for her.

It’s an emotional minefield, Alex. I’ve seen things that .

. .” She trailed off, swallowing nervously before meeting his gaze.

“I’m glad she chose differently. Anti-corruption is challenging but manageable. It doesn’t drain your soul.”

“It certainly is a lot easier to chase one bad guy than an entire organization of them.”

In the CIA, anti-corruption efforts focused on identifying and dismantling internal and external networks of bribery, fraud, and abuse of power. Officers investigated government officials, foreign operatives, and even agency personnel who exploited their positions for personal gain.

Jamie took a deep sip of coffee and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.

Alex squeezed her hand. “You carried that burden for so many years. It’s okay to feel relief that she doesn’t have to.”

Jamie nodded, grateful for his understanding. “Still, she’s got her own challenges. And I have no doubt she’ll face them head-on. She’s a fighter.” Jamie smiled, her pride shining through.

Alex chuckled. “You’re the one who taught her how to fight. There’s nobody better in the world to do so.”

“Let’s not forget who taught her how to shoot,” Jamie countered, pointing a finger at him. “Although we both know I’m a better shooter than you are.”

Alex raised his hands in mock surrender. They’d had that running argument about who was the best since they fell in love and started running missions together decades ago. Underlying tension was no longer behind the words like before, and they could laugh about it now.

“Fair enough. But I still don’t understand why you refuse to go on a mission with Ellie,” he said.

Jamie’s smirk faded, replaced by a more contemplative expression. “No. I couldn’t. I love her too much.”

Alex frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’d be a wreck the whole time,” Jamie admitted. “I’d overcompensate, second-guess her decisions, try to protect her when she doesn’t need it. I’d compromise the mission because I wouldn’t be thinking clearly.”

Alex tilted his head, a teasing grin spread across his face. “But you go on missions with me?”

“That’s different. You’re not my child. I didn’t carry you for nine months and give birth to you. Even though you sometimes act like a child, it’s not the same thing.”

Her grin was wide so he’d know she was kidding.

Alex leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. “The Bible says we’re one flesh, you know. So, are you saying you love Ellie more than you love me?”

Jamie hesitated, her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. The corner of Alex’s mouth twitched as he watched her struggle. “It’s taking you too long to answer that question.”

“Yes . . . No! I suppose I do. In a way.”

He grimaced.

“That’s not fair,” she finally said, narrowing her eyes at him. “I love you, but it’s different.”

“I see where I rate now.”

“You’ve always known where you rated,” she said. “Somewhere between the dogs and the coffeemaker.”

“When did I move ahead of the coffeemaker?”

“After we got the espresso machine.”

Alex made a motion pretending to stab himself in the heart. Then clutched his chest like he was deeply hurt.

“Alex,” Jamie said, her voice dripping with mock exasperation. “If I didn’t love you, do you think I’d put up with your nonsense all these years?”

She locked her arm in his and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I do love you, Alex. We’ve built a great life together. You won’t see me complaining.”

“I thought I just heard you complaining.”

“Seriously, I’m proud of our twins. I have to admit that I’m glad Joshua decided to follow in your footsteps and work with computers at AJAX. One child being shot at is enough.”

“I don’t think Ellie is going to get shot at any time soon. Moles are usually nerdy, geeky guys who wear wrinkled shirts and worn-out ties with jelly stains on them.”

Jamie’s confidence turned to worry faster than a shooting star appeared, then disappeared in the sky at night. “If she’s anything like me, she’ll be shot at soon enough.”

As often happened with them, the conversation had flipped. Alex was making the argument she set out to convey. She now found herself expressing his concerns.

Alex leaned across the table to kiss her forehead. “Yeah, trouble does seem to find you. I’m sure Ellie will find her share as well. But you’re right. She’s ready. She won’t run from it.”

Jamie sighed, her smile turning into a grimace. “Yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

The sound of the phone dialing filled the air of the nervous man’s car. When the call connected, he spoke in a low, controlled voice, his words carrying the weight of betrayal. Almost whispering as if someone could hear the conversation.

“I have information that might interest you,” he said, his tone devoid of emotion.

“I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.” The voice on the other end was thick with an Iranian accent. “Your last bit of intel was gold.”

“If you thought that was gold, then you’ll love this.”

A pause, then an excited response. “And what do you have for me today?”

The man leaned back against his car seat. His face was obscured by dark windows on his car, but he still looked in every direction before answering. “Jamie Austen.”

A sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line caused his heart to skip a beat. “What about her? She’s out of the picture. She’s a ghost. No one can get to her.”

The man allowed himself a cold smile. “She has a daughter.”

Silence hung heavily over the line before the Iranian spoke again. “Go on.” His voice was laced with interest.

“She’s CIA as well. Her daughter is in the Cayman Islands right now on an assignment. If you want to strike at Jamie Austen, this is your chance.”

“Why are you telling me this?” the Iranian demanded.

“Let’s just say I have my reasons. Do you want the information or not?”

The Iranian paused again before he replied. “Yes. I’ll organize a team immediately. If this is true, we’ll make her pay.”

“Speaking of pay, I expect double the usual amount.”

“No problem. I’ve been wanting to get back at Jamie Austen for years.”

“I’ll expect half in my account. The other half when you verify the information.”

“That’s not how we do things. I’ll send the other half when she’s dead.”

“No! I want it all up front. I’ve taken a great risk giving you this information. If Jamie Austen knew what I’m doing, she’d rip my heart out and make me watch.”

“The money is on its way.”

“A word of warning. I hear the girl is as good as her mother.”

A groan on the other end confirmed the Iranian knew all too well what he meant.

The line went dead, leaving the man’s emotions as dark as his soul. He set the phone down and leaned forward, his head rested on the steering wheel. Regret pumped through his body like water through a water hose.

Years of being overlooked, passed over for promotions, and watching his brilliance go unrecognized had led him here.

But as the Iranian's words echoed in his ears, a cold fear trickled through him. It’s one thing to sell information, quite another to give up the name and location of an undercover CIA operative that would result in her death.

Especially this one.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d made a mistake.

Double? No amount of money was worth it if Jamie Austen found out he was behind the treasonous act.

A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. His breath came shallow, the weight of what he’d done settled over him like a lead blanket.

He’d sold out before—small leaks, bits of intel that wouldn’t shift the balance of power but were enough to keep the money flowing. This was different. This wasn’t just intelligence. This was a name. A target. An American asset would die. And not just any asset.

His fingers twitched toward the satellite phone, a brief urge to call back, to rescind the offer, to undo the damage. But he was too late. The money would be hitting his account within minutes, and once the Iranians had a lead, they wouldn’t let go even if he paid the money back.

Jamie Austen was a legend in the intelligence community, her name whispered with both admiration and fear. And if half the stories about her were true, and he knew they all were, he may have just signed his own death warrant.

He exhaled sharply, forcing logic over panic. No one would know he had anything to do with this. He’d covered his tracks well. And the Iranians wouldn’t reveal their source. Still, deep down, a chill settled in his bones. Because if Jamie Austen found out, it wouldn’t matter how well he hid.

If she found him, there’d be no deals. No negotiations. No mercy.

He knew what everyone else knew. She never left enemies standing.