Chapter 18

Present – Jens – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

Now is not the time to dwell on my nightmare about Ben and Stacy's wedding: It was just a dream – it had better been just a dream! The airport FAA liaison enters the room and announces: "Everyone please gather, we have some information on Elizabeth Morgan's flight." It's about fricken time!

As we gather around, he waits for us to get quiet then he continues, "This is just a short briefing to let you know we have a good idea where the plane crashed. We don't have the exact location because radar contact with the plane was lost on the way down. Coast Guard vessels are preparing to leave for the presumed crash site and should arrive in the vicinity within an hour or so then we will know more. Are there any questions?"

I look at Jack, he gives me a sharp return look and chews some ass, "Excuse me! You're telling me you lost radar contact with the plane on the way down and it was over the ocean? Just how the hell did that happen?"

The liaison waffles, "We aren't sure exactly."

I can smell the bullshit from a hundred miles away, then I remember something about the time we rescued Ben when he dove off Daddy's sailboat when rescuing Frankie. Now it's my turn so I bitch, "You're telling us it's going to take over an hour to reach the water landing site (I almost said crash site). That is totally unacceptable! With the water temperature this time of year any survivors will be dead from hypothermia by then. Why the hell can't you immediately send out a chopper for them?"

He looks like a deer caught in the headlights when he replies, "I'm sorry I don't have an answer for that question. However I will go and see if I can get an answer."

He retreats from the room. I look at everyone and order, "Look I don't know what sort of bullshit they're trying to feed us, but I for one am not going to swallow it. Jack, you handle things on this end - get yourself and everyone else on the fricken horn and call in any and all favors. Linus, you're coming with me..."

We start to leave the room when we hear...

Present – Maria – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

My Princess Boss takes charge of the situation, then starts to take off with Linus and I ask, "Jens, is it okay if I come with both of you?" I wasn't sure what she was going to do with Linus, but sometimes (okay much of the time) she's a crazy as a moonbat Princess Boss! And now that I finally have a man, I sure as hell don't want to lose him to one of her crazy antics.

Jens laughs and apologizes, "Sorry Maria I forgot to include you. Of course you're invited to come with us."

Linus smiles at me, I take his hand and he asks, "Jens, what's your plan?"

I can't believe what she says next! I'm sure glad I'm coming along to keep Linus safe!

Present – Linus – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

I'm not really sure how I feel about Maria yet, but I'm sure as hell too smart to acknowledge that tidbit. I mean she's awesome in the sack, she's good looking, smart as hell, but are we really compatible? In her mind we're already a couple and I bet she's even planning our wedding, but damn I've only known her a single day and that's just too fast for me!

Maria tags along with us, which is good because we can get to know each other better. I ask Jens, "Jens, what's your plan?"

Jens says, "We're going to rent a chopper and go out and search for the survivors because I can't just sit around on my rear and wait for those incompetent nincompoops to do anything. When we find them Linus and if they need any help, then since you were a Seal you're going in the water to rescue them."

Maria says, "Excuse me? Linus is going to do what?"

Jens repeats, "He's going in the water to help them. Do you have a problem with this?"

The last thing I need are Jens and Maria fighting over me, so I interject, "Look you two, I have no problem going in the water if they need help but not without my wet suit because Jens you're right, it's too cold this time of year to stay in the water for more than a few hours."

Jens asks, "Okay Linus where's your wetsuit?"

I reply, "It's back at the extended stay hotel. We can get the chopper to land in the parking lot and I can go get it."

Maria surprises the hell out of me when she says, "And I can go get mine too, because I'm going to help."

I ask, "Maria, do you own a wetsuit and know how to swim?"

She punches me in the arm and answers, "Linus, just because I was Army and not Navy, doesn't mean I don't know how to swim..."

I want to say, "Just because you own a wetsuit doesn't mean you know how to swim." But instead I show some intelligence and squeeze her hand.

Present – Jens – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

I bite my tongue to keep from laughing at those two because they remind me of Ben and me when we first met. And Linus, just like Ben, has no idea he's been roped and tied (the branding will come when they get married) – I sure as heck hope that he doesn't go crazy like my Ben did and run off on Maria since she's not as forgiving as I am.

We find a chopper and a pilot. I call Jack, get the last known coordinates of Liz's plane and we take off to get the cute couple's wetsuits...

Present – Jack – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

I just finish giving the last known coordinates of Liz's plane to Jens after almost having to beat them out of the FAA liaison. I just hang up my mobile phone when it rings again. I answer it and hear, "Jack this is Mike I have some good news and some bad news."

I want to say what the fuck is worse than Liz's plane crash but I bite my tongue and cautiously reply, "Okay Mike let's hear the bad news first, then the good news."

Mike gives me the bad news, "Jack we're damn sure someone put a bomb on that plane and that's why it went down. And because of the bomb damage and some other reasons that we can't fathom the plane sank like the proverbial rock."

Shit! Someone purposely tried to kill them! My blood boils as I respond, "Mike, I want to know who the bastards are that put a bomb on that plane!"

Mike says, "Jack, simmer the hell down because I'm taking care of it. Now do you want to hear the good news?"

I smile because having worked with Capt. M, I know how it's going to be taken care of – heads are going to roll - literally. I'm much happier when I say, "Okay, your bad news wasn't that bad, don't tell me this is another fucking trick where the good news is actually the really bad news."

He laughs and answers, "Jack you old SOB, I told you I'd never pull that trick on you again."

I interrupt, "That's a good thing otherwise I'd have to kick your ass again."

Mike chuckles, "In your dreams old man. Listen we just happened to have a satellite over the area and I was lucky enough to get access to it for this mission. We have eyes on two life rafts with what appear to be part of the crew on them."

Yeah I had heard the 'just happened to have' excuse before and knew it was BS but I wasn't going to give him shit about it. I also wasn't surprised that he knew exactly how many of the crew are in the rafts. I'd seen satellite images years back and even back then they could easily distinguish an object the size of a golf ball. But it did bother me that he said 'part of the crew.' I query, "Mike how many of the crew are missing?"

He replies, "Well Jack, that's hard to tell because these damn flights of Liz's are so clandestine. Using infrared we were only able to count five passengers in the rafts which seems a little shy of what we would have expected for her normal entourage."

I do the math and realize they are missing three people. I respond, "Well Mike all this information is great but what the hell are you doing about rescuing them?"

He answers, "Jack I don't know what the hell is going on, but everyone was dragging their feet. I'm sure going to find out why and make whomever is responsible pay for it. So I said fuck them all and we have two Marine choppers headed to the location. They should be onsite in twenty minutes. Now is Jennifer Donaldson around, I'd like to talk with her about Ben."

Someone else is fucking with my friends? I bristle and say, "Mike, if possible I'd sure like a piece of the person responsible for the slow up. And unfortunately Jens has left. She got tired of no one doing anything so she took off with a couple of the team to rent a chopper."

Mike gripes, "Jack call her and get her ass back to the main building right now. She's just going to be in the way."

I wonder why the hell she would be in the way, but I know better than to bother Mike when he's on a mission so I answer, "Mike, I will call her and get her back here ASAP. Two more things, first I think we are short three people in the rafts. Would you do a search for them? And second, remember I want a piece of the fuckers that did this..."

Present – Thom – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

I see Jack Reynolds talking on his mobile phone and I know if Jack is here and Jennifer isn't that he's running the show. So Byron and I wander up close enough so we can kibitz on his conversation. His wife Masha gives us the evil eye but I ignore it because I hear Jack say, "I want a piece of the fuckers that did this..." And then ends the call.

I clear my throat and say, "Well then stand in line because we're going after the bastards first."

Jack looks at Byron and me, smiles, shakes our hands and challenges us, "Like hell you are! Shit! You two look like hell twice warmed over. Byron's got a broken arm and you're walking like the sorry old bastard you really are. Don't you know at your age you're supposed to be sitting on the porch at some retirement home in a rocking chair?"

Byron bristles and berates him, "Just who are you calling old. You're so old you were there when Moses parted the Red Sea."

Jack chides in retaliation, "Well if I saw Moses part the Red Sea, you saw Noah put the animals on the ark."

I add to the teasing, "Jack, last thing I heard, you were a mall cop in Hawaii so you're a great one to talk."

He gripes, "Mall cop like hell! I was in the State Patrol."

I laugh, "So just how much highway is in Hawaii for the State Patrol to cruise."

Just like a woman to end all the fun! His wife Masha interrupts, "Jack honey, don't you need to call Jennifer?"

He says, "Damn honey you're right. Guys let me call Jens."

Jack moves away to call Jennifer, I look at his wife and she gives me a rather peculiar smile: Now what the hell is she thinking?

Present – Masha – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

I listen to Thom, Byron and my husband Jack. If I do not put an end to their silly posturing, it will continue all night. So I gently remind Jack to call Jennifer (yes I was also listening in on the phone call with Mike). During the time at the spy school, when he first contacted my husband and Ben, he was of serious interest to my government, but now he is of major interest to my government and they are more than highly interested in the current mission to find Elizabeth Morgan's flight.

I love my husband with my whole heart! It wasn't supposed to happen, but happen it did when Ben 'introduced' us in Moscow. You see it wasn't a real introduction, it was an arranged meeting. It was determined that Ben couldn't be coerced to divulge information after the monumental failure with Miranda Sedankina. However Jack was thought to be highly susceptible. So the meeting was planned and I was to become his girlfriend. I had no idea I would actually fall in love with him but I was 'swept off my feet.' Unlike Miranda though, I was older and had just enough information on just the right people in my government that I was allowed to semi-retire from working for them. I say semi-retire, because there are still times they call on me to help with minor things. The funny thing is Jack, my husband, never did and I now know never will divulge any of the information they wanted - and believe me, I have tried. He always says, "Loose lips sink ships."

So I am a happy and content 'soccer mom' as the Americans like to call me, who is also just a little bit of a spy. But I would never give my old country any information which would jeopardize my new country because just as with Jack, I have fallen in love with my new country.

After my husband leaves to call Jennifer I look at Thom and Byron and smile. Thom says, "A penny for your thoughts."

I continue the smile and state, "Your American euphemisms are so quaint and amusing. However Thom I am thankful you didn't follow it with the normal line you use on available women, otherwise I would have been highly offended."

He grins and lies, "Masha, I don't know what you're talking about."

I knew he would fall for my trap so I smile and reply, "Are you trying to tell me you don't normally ask, 'A penny for your thoughts and ten dollars for your body?'"

Byron starts laughing and says, "Damn Thom your legend precedes you!"

Thom says, "I don't know what you're talking about. Now would you mind moving out of the way so we can get a cup of coffee?"

I continue to taunt, "So you can tell some other sweet young girl, 'You like your coffee like you like your women, hot, instant and cheap. By the way you two both need a bath..."

I hear Byron laughing as I walk away...

Present – Byron – Private Airport – Washington D.C.

Damn this isn't Thom's day – no, that's not right - this isn't Thom's week. The only good thing that's happened is he and none of the team died on the mission to save him. Masha handed his hat to him and I just can't stop laughing. How the hell did she hear about Thom?

Thom looks at me and gripes, "What the hell happened to you, did you get bit by a laughing hyena?"

I continue to laugh and respond, "Come on Thom, don't get your nose all bent out of joint. Masha was just having fun with you and didn't even mention your black eye."

He touches his face and says, "Yeah thanks for reminding me. I owe Linus's new female panther something for giving this to me."

Thom's entirely too upset with Maria so I grab him by the shoulders, look him in the eye and argue, "Thom, you need to snap out of it. I know you're upset because the team came and rescued you and then got injured. But dammit Thom, what did you expect because we're not just a team, we're a family. And like it or not this family has gained one more member named Maria. Shit Thom if it wasn't for her we would have lost Hammer and possibly Todd. So yeah you owe her, you owe her the thanks and respect just as if she was your daughter."

I watch Thom's eyes, they finally soften as he chuckles and states, "Byron, you know I hate it when you're right. But I sure as hell never thought I'd have a daughter that could kick my ass!"

I laugh back and say, "I wonder if she can cook as good as she looks?"

Thom continues with a chuckle, "Damn! I could go for some homemade tacos. Changing the subject, just how in the hell do you think Masha knows so much about me?"

I look at Thom and suggest, "I would say there's a lot more to Masha than the soccer mom she pretends to be. Now let's get our cup of coffee and see what sort of help we can provide."