Chapter 22

Flashback – Ben – At the hospital - Earlier

I was pissed about the new fucking car bomb! We were lucky as hell it exploded prematurely and didn't destroy more of the hospital. I decided to once again take the fight to the cowardly Chechens. I began to get ready when Elena demanded, "Ben what do you think you are doing?"

I replied, "I'm fed up with the fucking Chechen bastards blowing this town to hell and I'm going to go back out and kick their asses again."

She got a funny look on her face, paused for a few moments then she suggested, "Ben if you do that you will be playing right into their hands. I might have a better idea."

I scoffed, "I doubt that! My plan is that the bastards need to die a slow and lingering death."

Elena stated, "That is an obvious fact. However, if you attempt to fight them right now and die then it creates two problems: First, who will kill them if not you; and second, once you are gone they will lay waste to this whole village in retribution."

I thought for a moment, fully considered her objection, and dammit, she was right! I then asked, "Okay, what's this better plan of yours?"

She smiled and detailed her plan, "The problem is the Chechens know where you are. So, if we hide you from them, then they will be occupied hunting for you and not trying to destroy the hospital."

I thought about it, liked the hell out of the idea but questioned, "Okay, if I agree to this plan how do you get me out of the hospital without being seen and then how do we tell the Chechens I'm no longer in the hospital?"

She grinned, "That is my contribution to the solution. Now you wait right here and please do not do something stupid! I will return in less than five minutes."

I decided this time I would trust her and true to her word she came back into the room right on time. But I couldn't believe what she brought with her. I began to complain...

Flashback – Jack – At the hospital

The Spetsnaz squad gathered, we joined them and they reported, "Sergeant Blaine is still missing."

The Spetsnaz Captain complained, "Where the hell did he go? My superiors will have my head if we do not find him. Sgt. Reynolds do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

I thought for a minute then I suggested, "You don't suppose that his new personal nurse has anything to do with this?"

I was shocked when Tatiana boldly exclaimed, "If she did something to him I will kill her and then kick his ass!"

The captain looked at Tatiana and questioned, "I thought you were Sgt. Blaine's personal nurse."

I stated (and later realized, stated unwisely), "She was until Banzai fired her..."

Flashback – Masha – At the hospital

Sometimes my husband to be ... Well, he said the wrong thing or said it the wrong way (a typical problem with men). When he reminded Tatiana that Ben fired her, it was not a prudent thing to do and Tatiana naturally reacted explosively, "Firing me and hiring that lesbian reporter and supposed nurse were two of the biggest and possibly the last mistakes Ben ever made."

Before I could stop him, Jack countered (with typical male inattention to wisdom) with a chuckle and obvious sarcasm, "Like a little woman your size could do anything to him. Hell, he's kicked the shit out of our whole Spetsnaz squad!"

I grabbed Tatiana's arm and steered her out of the room and away from my Jack before I had to protect him from her.

She swore as we left, "Заткнись, иди на хуй! Долбо еб!!!"

Zat-knees, ee-dee na khuy! Dolbo yeb - Shut up and fuck you! Dumb fuck!!!

Flashback – Jack – At the hospital

Damn! I'm not sure what pissed off Tatiana, but as Masha guided her away from me, she yelled something in Russian that had the Spetsnaz laughing like crazy.

I asked, "Yuri, what did she say?"

Yuri still chuckled and answered, "She told you to shut up and fuck you and then called you a dumb fuck."

I shook my head and questioned, "What the hell pissed her off?"

The captain stated what I now realized was obvious, "Sgt. Reynolds, you did. You should know better than to mention to any Russian woman about getting fired - they take it very personally."

I defended myself, "What the hell! I was just answering your question."

Yuri pulled me to the side and tried to explain...

Flashback – Masha – At the hospital

I pulled Tatiana to the side and ordered, "Tatiana control your emotions!"

She yanked her arm away from me and countered, "Like hell I will! Your boyfriend insulted me and I am going to kick his ass!"

I decided sterner words were needed so I swore, "Завали ебало!"

Zavali yebalo – Shut the fuck up!

Then I slapped her and reminded her, "Just which one of us is the agent in charge???"

Flashback – Tatiana – At the hospital

I looked down at the ground and replied, "You are in charge Masha, and I am sorry ... But ... But ... But I am frustrated that Ben won't let me be both his nurse and his girlfriend like before ... And now he's missing and I feel it's my fault. I bet that little reporter сука (bitch) took him somewhere."

Masha smiled and strangely advised, "Then you should thank her profusely."

I complained, "Like hell I will! I will kick her ass and then make him dread the day he was birthed!"

Masha clucked like a mother hen and continued, "Tatiana what happened the last time Ben felt like the town was under continual danger from the Chechen сволоч (bastard)?"

I replied, "He made himself a target..." I stopped when suddenly it made sense to me ... If Ben wasn't here then the hospital wasn't a target ... And if the hospital wasn't a target then Ben wouldn't do something crazy again.

I looked at Masha and began to cry...

Flashback – Masha – At the hospital

Tatiana had been properly chastised for her outburst and she finally realized that if Ben was moved it was for the best. She began to cry and hugged me.

Jack walked over and I worried he might again say something to upset her but instead he surprised me when he said, "Tatiana, I want to apologize to you for the things I said. I didn't mean that you weren't an excellent nurse, I really was just answering the Captain's question."

I smiled at him and suggested, "Why don't you see if the Spetsnaz can find out in which hotel Ben's new personal nurse is staying? Because if you find her you will most likely find Ben."