Chapter 6

- BEEP - BEEP -

Groaning, I opened my eyes and reached over to shut off the beeping alarm. I slid my arm from behind Caroline and stood up stretching as my muscles groaned. I went to wake Caroline up but had a nasty idea. I knew I'd pay for it but it was worth it. It wasn't often I got to mess with my team. Sadly, it was normally the other way around.

With a few quick changes to the security alarm system, I hit Enter and laughed a little as a klaxon sounded in the safe house. Caroline sprang up alert and ready to fight. I just laughed at her as Corbin skidded into the living room, a SCAR in one hand and a pistol in his waistband. When he saw me standing by the computer and laughing, he groaned as everyone ran in after him guns up.

As everyone yelled at me, I hit the cancel button and said calmly, 'Nice of you to join us. Sleep well last night?'

Katie rubbed her eyes with her free hand and cursed, 'Fuck off man. You could have woken us nicely.'

I just laughed, 'Ah but now you're all up and ready to go. So much easier this way.'

Corbin grunted, 'I'll show you easyÉ.' He tossed the SCAR on the couch and started my way before Emily rerouted him down the hall. She gave me a pissed off look as she followed him to the shower.

Nick meanwhile was smiling, 'Have to admit that was pretty good. I'd be so much more pissed if I actually had gotten any sleep but the damn doctor took forever.'

Caroline walked over and checked his bandages, 'He clear you for today?'

Katie nodded, 'Yep he's fine for everyday duty. He'll have to keep off anything extreme for a few weeks but is okay for normal duty. So we'll have to keep him away from Corbin.' We all smiled at that and with a silent agreement wandered apart, Caroline and I headed to the shower first as they grabbed breakfast.

I whistled as Caroline stepped in the shower with me. 'Well I'm awake now.' I joked.

She frowned at me and turned me toward the showerhead, 'Well I'm fucking awake after that stupid ass prank. Couldn't wake me up first huh asshole?'

I laughed but continued to enjoy the view. She got annoyed and commanded, 'Eyes forward mister. We're on a timeline today.'

I groaned but looked back and said, 'So next time then?'

She just pushed my head under the water and shook her head. 'You better be careful boy. One word and I'll sick Corbin on you. He'll be happy to kick your ass.'

I laughed and just enjoyed the water pulling her against me. 'Yes Ma'am. I'll behave.' Just as she smiled the water turned cold and we both groaned. I laughed, 'Seems like that's a signal we should hurry up.'

Caroline nodded and we quickly finished showering, anxious to get out the chilly shower. I enjoyed the view as she stepped out the shower and I brushed my teeth for a few seconds though. Corbin knocked on the door interrupting us though, 'Leaving in 10 guys. Hurry up.'

I finished up as Caroline started putting on makeup and I rolled my eyes. She just elbowed me in the stomach and pushed me out the door. I smiled and grabbed clothes from the bedroom, dressing in simple jeans and a black pullover. I walked into the living room and found Corbin and Nick in the same thing lounging on the couch.

I plopped on the couch as Nick opened his eyes and nodded to me. Corbin looked up and asked, 'So umm are we carrying weapons today?'

I shrugged, 'Yeah I guess so. They can take them when we get picked up if they really care that much. My guess is that after the other day no one will care.'

Corbin nodded and got up, tossing us each Glock 19s and three additional mags as the girls came in. Caroline looked at us and asked, 'So did anyone think to toss the guns from yesterday?'

Emily nodded as she grabbed and passed out Glocks 26s to the girls. 'Yep, tossed both of the ones that were used yesterday. No worries.'

Nick nodded his thanks and then whistled as Katie bent over to stick a second G26 in an ankle holster. We all laughed as the elevator pinged it's arrival. As we rode down, Corbin brought up a question, 'Umm do we have a car?'

Nick nodded, 'Yep, the doc dropped an extra Tahoe off last night. We're fine.'

Corbin smiled, 'Thank god. I did not want to have to jog this morning.'

Emily just poked his stomach; 'Maybe I'll just stick you in front and chase you down. Getting a little flabby there.'

Corbin just pulled up his shirt and showed his six-pack as Katie and Caroline ooohed and aaahed. I rolled my eyes along with Nick. Showoff.

As the doors opened and everyone exited, Caroline leaned over to me and whispered, 'It's okay. You still have the cutest butt.' She slipped past me, grabbing my butt in the process. I smiled at that. Hey, I'm a teenager okay? Give me a break.

Nick went to climb in the driver's seat but I took the keys from him, 'Yeah how about we try something different today. We don't need to shoot up D.C. any more than we did yesterday.'

Nick shrugged, hating to give up driving but understanding. I climbed in and started up and drove out the garage, cursing the CIA for putting the entrance seven levels up by the time I got out. Silence reigned as I cut through the streets winding my way to the Lincoln Memorial.

I pulled up on the behind the Lincoln Memorial behind two blacked out Secret Service SUVs, figuring it was a pretty sure thing they were waiting for us. We stepped out and an agent nodded to us, ushering us into the cars. I climbed in the lead vehicle with Caroline, the others climbing in the second one.

The agent in the front seat turned to us and introduced himself, 'I'm Agent Jake Lowe. I'll be escorting you all today. I assume you are all carrying weapons?'

I nodded. He smiled, 'You all have been cleared to carry them. So no need to hand them over, just thought I'd check. We're just heading out the city to a helicopter pickup to take us to Camp David. The President is taking some personal time after the attack yesterday, I'm sure you understand.'

As Agent Lowe stared at me, I got the impression he understood just as much as we did. Caroline and I nodded our agreement. He smiled, 'Great then. Shouldn't be too long then. Just sit back and relax. We'll try our best to not let you get shot at this time. Looks bad on the Secret Service.'

Caroline looked like she wanted to pipe a joke in but she managed to hold back. I thanked her silently for that. No need to mock the dead. Caroline's head found my shoulder and we enjoyed the quiet trip out of the city.

We pulled into a large estate off the interstate and climbed out, a helicopter resting on the front lawn. Agent Lowe ushered us to the helicopter and it started up as we boarded. 'Please take your seats. We'll just be a quick jump up to Camp David and back.'

As we reclined in the luxury seats, I smiled at Katie as she fussed over Nick checking to make sure the seatbelt didn't rest on his wound. Sometimes I wished Caroline were as much as a mother hen as Katie, but Caroline was much more reserved. Guess that was the problem all growing up together, we all grew too close.

Caroline pinched my leg, bringing me back to reality. She smiled at me, her eyes showing she knew my thoughts. I smiled, accepting I'd been caught. Sometimes she was a little creepy in how accurate she was in reading my thoughts.

Katie and Nick chatted quietly with Agent Lowe as we flew, the rest of us just relaxing and enjoying the luxury seats. Give us a break; we fly military planes most of the timeÉ.

We settled down onto the helipad at Camp David and Agent Lowe lead us out but instead of heading for the main area, he led us a few hundreds yards across the field to the skeet range. We walked into the range and found Bob standing outside a shed area. He smiled and waved us over to him beckoning for Agent Lowe to leave. He gestured us inside before greeting us. 'Glad you could make it ... Well not that you really had a choice.'

We all laughed at that, not many people turn down the Commander in Chief. Even more so when he's your boss.

'Now we brought you all out here so this meeting could go a little under the radar. As you can see we didn't even bring you into the camp so you won't be signing into the guest book. The President will be joining us in a few minutes to talk with you. But first, I just wanted to thank you for the other day. I'm sure I'd be dead without you all.'

We all nodded, wanting to avoid the subject. Caroline answered quietly, 'Just doing what we are here for sir.'

Bob thought about that for a moment and smiled but the door opening interrupted the moment. President Collins walked in and closed the door. 'Hello again. Nice to see all of you under better circumstances. ' He joked.

'Hello sir. Glad to be here. Even more so without any gunfire around us.' Caroline replied. I kept quiet in most cases, Caroline was easily the best conversationalist among us. The rest of us weren't too great with other people.

He smiled, 'Well I was hoping to do a little skeet shooting while I was down here. You all mind?'

We laughed and shook our head. 'Not a problem sir.'

He grabbed two of the shotguns and two boxes of shells and headed back out the door. President Collins loaded the shotgun as Bob loaded some clays into the thrower. 'Now first I want to say thanks for the rescue the other day. Bob and I were lucky we just happened to have you all aboardÉ Pull!'

Bob let the clay go and President Collins smoothly tracked and fired, blowing apart the clay. He turned back to us and cycled the shotgun. We all smiled as he continued, 'As thankful as I am for that, it isn't why I called you all here. You're here to have the conversation we never actually had the other day. Pull!'

Bob let another clay go and the President smoothly took another clay out. I laughed inside, trying to decide if the President was trying to impress us or merely have some fun. Caroline asked, 'So what can we do for you sir?'

President Collins laughed, 'First, please call me Jason. As much as I like the title, it's a little awkward in everyday conversation. And this one is going to be one I'd like to have as equalsÉ. Pull.'

A third clay flew smoothly up in the air and once again the President calmly shot it out the air, cycling the shotgun and leaving the slide back as smoke drifted out. 'Not too bad in my old age.'

I laughed, 'Seems like your getting old if you can only take one clay at a time sir.'

President Collins looked at me and laughed, 'Well then care to show us how it's done son?'

I smiled, 'Not a fair challenge sir. I think Emily might be able to give you a fair challenge.'

President Collins turned to her, 'Well then Emily?' He offered the shotgun to her.

She stepped up and took it from him. 'Five left sir?' He nodded. 'Nick care to throw for me?'

Nick took over for Bob and loaded a clay into the thrower but also loaded two more in adjacent throwers. 'Ready.'