EXFIL by Anthony Patton (best book reader txt) 📕

our marriage, it seemed that we were getting caught up in life at the expense of the two of us, but I was honest enough to understand that this was probably the most exciting development for her in many years. She had to grasp this opportunity. She had given up her Army career to dedicate time to our family, and she was now going to be a college professor at West Point, with a book deal on the horizon, and only me standing in the way.

One of the most interesting developments during this time was my initial contact with Captain Chen. Our analysts said he was working for a cyber unit based in Beijing run by Lieutenant Colonel Li, who was the mastermind of several destructive cyberattacks, including denial-of-service attacks and IP theft worth billions. As far as we could tell, Chen was working for Li in a notional administrative position in the Chinese Embassy, to provide cover for his more nefarious activities. After two meetings with me, it turned out that the chemistry just wasn’t right, due to our age and personality difference, so I opted to arrange a casual encounter with Tom.

This might sound magnanimous of me, but it wasn’t easy for my ego to recognize that I wasn’t the right person for the job and to pass the lead to Tom’s capable hands.

Everyone in Washington was screaming for more intelligence on China cybersecurity issues, and while the system usually didn’t reward team players, I knew that failure would be the worst possible outcome. I just hoped that the powers that be in Washington would recognize my mentoring of a young captain when considering my promotion to brigadier general.

To my credit, Tom and Chen hit it off, and so did their wives.

The two couples had productive dinners and tourist outings, but as far as we could tell, Chen was an ambitious family man with no clear motivation to divulge secrets. In fact, we couldn’t rule out the possibility that Chen viewed Tom as a potential source.

We were in the Chen business for the long haul and we were prepared to do all the heavy lifting, or so I thought. To my dismay, the response from Washington was lukewarm after several meetings with modest results.

Informally, we learned that CIA thought our frequent public meetings with Chen would highlight our interest in him and compromise future collaboration. We were told to stand down.

This seemed shortsighted: China continued to launch cyberattacks, so what did we have to lose? We were trained to salute and follow orders, even to be deferential to the CIA, but I had been around long enough to know that big egos and turf battles were often the driving forces behind the cold logic of bureaucratic cables. So, in short, I wouldn’t take no for an answer.

As the weeks passed, Beth and I found creative ways to avoid the discussion about whether I would remain in Bangkok for a third year. My best guess was that she was giving me time to cool down, with the understanding that I would come to my senses and join her at West Point.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t handle not being on the promotion list, and I understood that my chances for promotion would plunge if I accepted a teaching position.

As much as I was trying to make a rational decision that would work out the best for me and for the family, in many ways, I was hoping for the decision to be made for me.

This was why I accepted Jewel’s invitation to enter Club Ecstasy outside of work.

I had met a source for drinks down the road, and for no particular reason, found myself walking past Club Ecstasy on the way to a taxi stand. It was apparently a painfully slow night, and so Jewel was standing outside sipping a Cuba Libre with a straw, luring clients with her glossy red platform high heels, white stockings with lace trim, and a skin-tight red dress that enhanced her cleavage and also revealed the bottom of her delightful ass cheeks. Without saying a word, she set her drink down, took my hand, and led me inside.

She knew what I wanted before I did.

As she led me toward the back rooms, I scanned the area vigilantly to ensure that no one who mattered could see me. My observation skills were on high alert. All clear.

The secret of intelligence collection was remaining clandestine.

We entered the VIP room and she closed the door with a deliberate twist of the lock. My heart raced as almost two years of innocent flirting suddenly became very real. Jewel released my hand and walked to a table with a bottle of Scotch, a bucket of ice, and two tumblers. I watched, mesmerized, as she dropped two cubes into a tumbler, removed the cork to pour the amber fluid, and took a sip. With a devilish grin, she set the tumbler down, leaned up against the wall, and beckoned me with a flip of her hair to reveal her neck. I kissed her, caressed her ass, and raised her dress to reveal a white cotton G-string with pink polka dots. Goose bumps prickled on her skin as she reached back and fumbled with my zipper to reach inside and stroke me to teakwood hardness. I slid her panties down, and she grabbed my hand.

“Rip it off,” she said.

Aroused like never before, I dropped my pants, ripped the cotton G-string with a firm snap, to her moaning delight, and shuddered with ecstasy as I slid inside her with scintillating friction.

After several thrusts, I pressed her against the wall and gripped her hair.

“Harder, general, yes.”

As we lay on the bed after, I knew I had broken a seal that could never be closed.

I was most surprised by how I didn’t care. Who knew I had something like this lurking within? Nothing could have stopped this tide of desire. During an awkward discussion about money, she told me not