Johnson flashed his lights in the proper sequence when they approached the farmhouse. He didn’t want Mary to put a bullet through the windshield.
Mary met them at the car when they stopped. “You’ve been gone so long; I started to worry about you.”
“We had a lot of talking to do, Mary”, Johnson said. “Excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve got to make some phone calls.” He jogged off and took the front steps of the old porch two at a time.
Johnson explained to the other agent what he thought about Panin’s girlfriend and what he wanted the agent to do. “You call her when I get the phone number for you and you tell her that you are a friend who has something for her and will meet her somewhere in the morning. When you meet her, you give her money and a plane ticket to the U.S. in an envelope”. He told the agent the rest of what he wanted him to do and then hung up.
“Hey pretty lady, did you miss me?”
“You know I did, Kurt. I’m not sure I’d be able to pull this trigger if I had to. I’m not especially attuned to this type of work.”
“You’re doing fine. Did the doctor arrive while we were gone?”
“Yes he did and I almost shot him! He flashed his lights and I wasn’t sure of the sequence, but thought, what the heck and waited to see who it was before I released the safety on the gun. Good thing I did. I don’t think he would have appreciated being shot while trying to attend to someone else who had just been shot!” She laughed nervously.
“Good thing you hesitated. Nonetheless, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“The doctor took Casey back into Moscow with him to the American Embassy. He said they have full medical facilities and will be able to bring Casey back to full health in no time.”
“Glad to hear that too. Casey is one heck of a guy. What do you say we sit on the porch while Johnson is finishing his phone calls? We have to get on the road as soon as he comes back with the okay.”
Mary hesitated a second longer and then quickly moved into him and put her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily on the mouth. Okay, so you’re a brazen hussy Mary. You are shaking like a leaf and he looks so desirable you just couldn’t help yourself, right? Don’t let go just yet, because you will fall down with your knees turning to Jell-O! Kurt was a bit shocked at Mary’s bold move, but he didn’t mind at all. He took advantage of the moment and parted his lips and ran his tongue along her lips, which she parted and let him insert his tongue into her mouth. She pressed hard into him and held him tight. He soft warm breasts were exciting him and he was becoming erect up against her. She felt the hardness and quickly ended the kiss. She was out of breath and said in a shaky voice, “I’m sorry, Kurt. I don’t know what came over me. I guess all this pressure has gotten to me a bit and I just needed to hold onto you for strength.”
“I’d never object to that kind of support for you, Mary. I like the way you kiss and if you feel you need some more of that at any time, just let me know. In fact, just grab me like you just did. I was melting on the spot with that kiss!”
Mary blushed and took his hand as they walked up onto the front porch and sat in the two old rockers the Polynakas kept there for their evening respite. They didn’t talk for a while, but just started rocking as soon as they sat down. Finally, Kurt said,
“Automatic reflex, isn’t it? Get in a rocking chair and you start rocking right away. Kind of therapeutic isn’t it?”
Mary smiled and said, “Yes it is. I guess I need to get my mind off seeing Casey with that bullet wound. I was forewarned that this mission would have dangers, but I didn’t think anything would happen so soon. I have to admit one thing, Kurt; I’m more
than a little scared. I hope I’m not disappointing you. I just have to be honest with you. This stuff is like another world to me.” Actually, I am frightened out of my wits. This big handsome man is becoming more to me each passing minute. I am drawn to him by his strength and calmness in a time of crises. He has a wonderful effect on me. I feel so protected when he is near. Not only that, I think I’m beginning to fall for him in a big way. He is everything I have always dreamed of in a man, but didn’t ever expect to find.
I hope we are successful in this, because I want to be near him for a very long time. “Being scared is good in one way, Mary. It releases adrenaline into your bloodstream and gives you strength that you would not normally possess. The trick to it is to learn to use the adrenaline in a positive way. Once it is in the blood, most people react in a panic and make mistakes. It takes a practiced and conscious effort to control your thoughts during this time. If you can do that, you can do some pretty fantastic things that you never would have dreamed possible. Fear will release the adrenaline, but you must learn to use it in a positive way. Use it as you would one of your scientific tools. Adrenaline can make you ten times stronger than you normally are. Using it right will turn you into one incredible machine. It could save your life, pretty lady.
Remember what I have just told you if we get into a situation that causes fear. Don’t ever think that men like Casey, Johnson and myself are never afraid. We become filled with fear just alike any other human being. The difference with us is that we have learned to use that fear to help us. We let it turn a switch in our mind that gives us an advantage over our adversaries. We isolate our thoughts into quick and positive thinking. The adrenaline cannot only make