TERRY

We’d arranged with Dover MacLuhne to have a car on the tarmac beside the jet, and we would hand Veronica off to him. Should be a piece of piss, if everything went according to plan.

Diana had a pretty good notion of our plan, but I’d not filled her in on all the details; I wanted her to have plausible deniability in case things got dicey. She’d been an operative in the sense that she’d planned and managed covert operations and had sat by the radio in the situation room, waiting for any transmissions that would give her a clue as to the status of the operation. That would be her role on this extraction. She’d not been a field operative. On a couple of occasions in the past, she’d been pulled into closed session Congressional hearings when a mission went south. Given that she’d been able to sit in Congressional hearings and protect her superiors, I had little doubt she could deal with the Egyptian authorities. If things went bollocks up and the police and press got into it, the only thing fair to her when asked questions would be to answer honestly with, “I don’t know.” That was the least I could do in terms of shielding her from what could be a very nasty situation.

Our basic plan – subject to immediate, on-site revision – was to get in quietly, grab Veronica, and slip out as quietly as we’d entered. Ideally, we would take whoever answered the door completely by surprise and silence him before he could make another sound. Grab anyone else who appeared and dispatch them as required, find Veronica, and get the fuck out of Dodge …or Cairo, in this case. Aside from the obvious goal of retrieving the cargo, the secondary goal was to somehow carry this out in silence if humanly possible. It could work, and we would do everything in our power not to have a single shot fired; all of us had managed to do so in the past. We’d have our blades in hand when the door opened; not too many people are going to argue with blades such as those pressed into their external carotids. Realistically speaking, we knew it wouldn’t go that smoothly; it never does.

By Wednesday evening, I was likely as pleasant to be round as a lion with a thorn in his paw, and I knew Diana was paying for it. I know I can be a moody bastard under the best of circumstances, but this job was getting to me. It had me thinking about Henry as a nipper, and I was amazed at how calm Max and Reags were. I knew they were planning to have a family, else Reags wouldn’t have been in hospital last Thanksgiving, and we’d not have done that trip to UK back in the winter. I’d actually had a couple of nightmares about this, having waked with a cry whilst dreaming that it was Max and Reags’ child that we were going in to retrieve. I’ve had nightmares in my time and about extractions past and pending …but never involving someone close to me. That scared Diana pissless, as she’d kept at me until I told her what I’d dreamt. I chalked it up to not being the one planning extraction and, thus, having less than my usual degree of control of the situation. Neither of us mentioned it to Max or Reags. They didn’t need anyone reminding them that, if and when, they had children, those little ones would always be a target for anyone wanting to get a bit of their own back from us.

REAGAN

Maximus was going through the plan again, and I thought it sounded as good as it was likely to get. I did feel sorry for Mahmoud having to carry me up to the door of that villa with our M-16s under my abayah – eight pounds each - in addition to my side arm and extra ammunition clips – two 30 mm clips for each M-16 at three pounds each - but that couldn’t be helped. I figured I’d just walk slowly up the street behind him, feigning distress, and gasping like a woman in labour, then collapse with a shriek as we got right in front of the villa. At least he’d only have to carry me about 20 feet if I did that, but I still felt sorry for him. Mahmoud isn’t that large a man and roughly 150 total pounds of me and weaponry would be a lot for him to handle. We were counting on there being no more than two men in the villa. We could deal with two men without much difficulty as long as whoever met us at the door didn’t have a weapon in his hand and didn’t get off a shot. If more of them were there, we might have no option but to open fire, something we wanted to avoid for fear of further traumatizing Veronica, as well as the other compelling reason. As always in this type situation, we would plan for the worst and pray for the best. Sometimes you get lucky.

We knew that those of the kidnappers not at the villa would likely get away clean, as when they returned they would see evidence of the intrusion even if we were successful in getting away with no shots fired. If the local police showed up, it would turn into a three-ring circus. Police in Middle Eastern countries show up in droves when there’s a problem, and there would be police cars everywhere. The kidnappers returning from prayers would see the police and just keep walking.

Our worst-case scenario was that one of us - or Veronica - might be wounded in the takedown. In that event, we had to make all possible efforts not to be taken to one of the local hospitals; that would result in an international incident, the repercussions of which were more than any of us wanted to consider. The implications were simply too awesome to risk. We would have our own medical team available within minutes should the worst transpire, and Lachlan would be waiting for us on the tarmac at Cairo International Airport for immediate take-off to Larnaca, Cypress.

Terry will spend most of today at the American Embassy, working with the Ambassador to secure diplomatic immunity for all of us in the event we had to make a hasty departure. We wouldn’t have to do the usual Customs and Immigration checking-out-of-the-country bit but could go straight to the ramp, board, and put wheels up; we had approved exit visas in our passports. Fortunately, Larnaca is less than three hours flying time, and all three of the principals had contacts in the various embassies there; after the American Embassy in Cairo made some strategic phone calls, they had assured us our arrival in Larnaca would be seamless. We would be expedited through Customs/Immigration and transported to Larnaca General Hospital in the event we had to bring that option into play. We had chosen Larnaca as an emergency stop because of the excellent trauma and surgical facilities available at Larnaca General and the fact that Terry had a friend from his SAS days who was now Chief of Surgery there, a man to whom he felt comfortable in disclosing the possibility that we might have need of he and his staff’s assistance and discretion.

MAXIMUS

“Diana, whilst I do appreciate the view of your posterior, why are you crawling round under the table and tracing the cables?”

“Just stay right there, Max. I’m going to need your fingers in a few minutes.” Given her present position, that comment was somewhat suggestive.

We were in the process of packing out the electronics in the communications room. Diana had been at work several minutes before I joined her. Clearly, she had a strategy in mind and was intent on seeing it to fruition.

“It is obvious that you have a plan in mind, and I appreciate your efforts. Would you mind telling me what that plan is, in order that I might assist you?” She was under the table, and one hand appeared, pointing to the tabletop.

“There’s some tags up there,” she was motioning to the right side of the table, “and I need you to write the numbers one through 12 on them …in Arabic script …and hand them to me one at a time. I’ll ask for them when I need them.” I pulled a pen from my pocket and followed her instructions. I have learnt long since that when a woman makes a request in that tone of voice it is not a request so much as a command. I was writing as she backed from under the table and stood. She turned the radio round so that the back with all its cables was accessible to her and unhooked the power cable, asking me to write the number one – in Arabic script – on the receiving jack on the radio. I complied, and she proceeded with her instructions.

“Hold up your hands, index fingers about eight inches apart.” I did as she asked, and she looked at my hands, started to move them, then stopped. “I’ll be damned. You actually do know what eight inches looks like.”

“Why would I not?” She grinned.

“I’ve never known a man who actually knew what eight inches is …my experience is that men have no depth perception.” I raised an eyebrow at her.

“Diana, I assure you, I have eight inches well engraved in my mind.” She laughed.

“You sure of that?”

“Trust me.” This was the second time Diana and I had shared an innuendo with sexual overtones, and we laughed together; she had no notion as to the thought her fingers comment had evoked moments earlier. She proceeded to wrap the cable about my fingers and thread the label onto the tie before wrapping it round the centre of the cable. She had three boxes sitting on the floor, and dropped the cable into one box.

“Max, write RADIO on the outside of the box in Arabic and English …thanks.” As well as she gives orders, she would make a good drill instructor. “While you’re at it, write LAPTOP on that one,” she pointed, “and PHONES on this one.” I did as she requested. “Now, would you write the numeral one – in Arabic – here,” pointing to the back of the radio, “and here,” pointing to the back of the computer. “We’ll do this with each cable as I remove it, and whoever sets this stuff up the next time shouldn’t have any problem figuring out what goes where. If I recall correctly, it took you and Terry longer to set up this rig than it did Reags and me to get the household in order. It shouldn’t take more than half-an-hour next time.” Unfortunately, she was correct on our set up time; when we left Le Meridien, we had not marked any of the cords. When I next used the equipment, I had only to match the numbers.

We had the entire communications system broken down, labeled, packed, and ready for Mahmoud to take to our storage facility within the hour. Diana had sanitized the hard drive associated with the communications systems. Anything stored in country was clean. As all our documents were on the laptops, all hard copies, including the maps, went through the shredder. Diana removed five pages from the top of each writing pad in the room and ran those through the shredder as well. I am convinced there is no security precaution unknown to her. The unused portions of the note pads went into the boxes with the equipment; she is also quite frugal.

VERONICA

I know the man – Max – wanted me to call him back as soon as I could, but there’s been someone here ever since I called him that one time. Tonight they’ve all left again. I heard them talking about some restaurant with girls. Even I know what that means, and they’ll probably be gone for a long time. The phone wasn’t in here for a couple of days, but now it is. Guess they forgot it because they were anxious to leave. I’d been saying the number Max gave me ever since I talked to him so that I wouldn’t forget it and dialed it now. 65343119 …. They answered on the second ring.

“Hello?” It was a lady this time.

“This is Veronica.”

“Veronica, this is Reagan. Do you remember Max telling you I might answer the phone?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I heard her talking to someone before she answered.

“Veronica, I’ve sent my friend to get Max. You’re alone now, right?”

“Yes …they’ve gone to dinner. I can talk for a while as long as I listen for them to return.”

“Okay, Sweetie …here’s Max.”

“Veronica. This is Max. Are you safe?”

“Yes, but when are you coming to get me?”

“It will be soon, Little One. We are finalising our preparations …you have only a short time to wait. Be patient.” I kind of think he doesn’t want me to know exactly when he’ll be here in case these guys start asking me questions. I guess if I don’t know anything, I can’t tell them. He was talking again. “Veronica, there will be four of us when we come for you – three men and a lady …Reagan, the lady from the museum and with whom you spoke a few moments ago. Do you remember how you are to be sure it is us when we arrive?”

“Yes. You’ll use Wills’ name for me.”

“That is correct. Veronica, you must listen carefully now. There are things you must know – and things you must do – when we come for you to ensure your safety.”

“Okay …what do I have to do?”

“You are kept in the middle bedroom, is that correct?” How did he know that?

“Yes. How do you know that?”

“We have been watching the villa, and we know. You need not worry about how we came by that information. Listen to me carefully, Veronica.”

“I’m listening.”

“When you hear strange noises or voices, you are to stay in your room, under the bed. Do you understand?”

“Yes …will there be guns?”

“Yes, Veronica, there will be guns, though we will try not to use them. That is why you must stay under the bed until we call for you by your secret name. Promise me you will do so.”

“I promise.”

“Stay strong, Little One. We will see you very soon.”

“Okay. I promise. Please, Max, I’m afraid. Please come soon!”

“We will, Veronica, I promise you that. Now turn off the phone and rest.” He hung up, and I turned off the phone. How long is ‘soon?’

MAXIMUS

There is a time before going into battle when a soldier must pause and think back on his or her life. What has been important in the larger scheme of things? What memories will you hold dear in those final moments, should you fall in the fray? What legacy will you leave your children, your wife, or husband? Will your sacrifice have been worth the cost? I cannot answer those questions for any save myself. There is one question none among us can answer but to which we pray the answer will be all that we might hope …what memories of us will those we leave behind hold most dear?

I thought back on that frosty morning in Germania, the day of my final battle for Marcus Aurelius and the glory that was Rome. As I walked in the dawn, I thought of Ileana and my son Marcus, named for his Emperor, the man I honoured above all others. I recalled walking in the fields of ripening wheat on my farm in Hispania, the feel of my wife’s body in my arms, her scent, the pleasure of her recently discovered passion, my first sight of my son. I thought again of the moment when at last Marcus was placed at my feet and Ileana watched nervously, looking to see if I would acknowledge him as my own or spurn him as I had done when first learning of his birth. I thought of her smile and her tears when I raised him above my head and proclaimed him my son …my heir.

A soldier is often sceptical of the children borne of his wife if he has been often absent. Many of my fellows acknowledged sons they knew could not be theirs because duty had called them away; they were absent when the child was conceived. The daughters they spurned and thus condemned to death by abandonment. The acknowledgement of the male child as their own was, in many instances, less painful than publicly acknowledging their wives’ perfidy. I had buried my doubts of Ileana and thanked the gods for their intervention in the person of my groom. Ileana had been virgin when we married, of that I was certain, and Rufus – my groom – had persuaded me of her loyalty even though I had not trusted her initially. As he grew, Marcus was my own image.

It would seem that in my former life I had a penchant for virgins, married or otherwise. When Cassandra came to me in the bowels of the Coliseum that day, she was virgin. For myself in this day, I am glad the women I have known were not virgins. I dislike causing a woman pain, and the taking of a virgin is painful for her, even if the man is restrained; such is women’s lot. Further, I have come to a time in my life when I prefer women of experience, those with a certain knowledge of themselves and of men. I find that knowledge brings more pleasure to both partners, and the pleasure of one serves to enhance the pleasure of the other. I know that some of my fellows feel the world to have been conceived with men’s pleasure in mind. Once I agreed with them; that is no longer the case. I believe it was conceived with the notion of the pleasure men and women would find in each other, and the relationships that would ensue as its primary purpose. I digress, as soldiers are wont to do on the eve of battle; such occasions are always times of reflection.

Diana would be waiting for us at the airport with Lachlan and the medical team whilst we went in to take back the child. If the gods smile on us, that departure would simply be one of leave-taking of Egypt following the return of Veronica to her parents.

TERRY

Lachlan and the medical crew had arrived about 1630, and they were camped at Le Meridien. The rest of us – Diana, Max, Reags, Dino, Mahmoud, and I – were sitting round the dining table going over tomorrow’s plan for the last time. It was going on eight, and we’d done take-out; there were empty Chinese food cartons everywhere. I pulled the schematic I had made from Mahmoud’s draft of the villa where Veronica was held from my briefcase and put it in the centre of the table.

I’d included everything Mahmoud had told us about the villa, including the roof terrace and the ten-foot retaining wall that surrounded the villa. The closer we got to the extraction, the more my mood improved despite my behaviour. It wasn’t just that we were going to be bringing Veronica home …Diana and I would be going home. I’d never realised just how much her farm meant to me, and how much of a home it had become for me until I left it all those weeks ago.

Perhaps the reason I think so fondly of the farm as ‘home,’ is because that’s where Diana is. I had literally bulled my way onto this job because Diana was in Cairo; this was one of the few times I'd volunteered for a possibly dangerous assignment. I did it to get to her. She means the world to me, and she had more than proved my love for her was not misplaced; it was revealed in how she had been with me here. She’s been an operational partner, no matter how hard I try to shield her from it. She lightens the load I carry with a word, a look, a touch.

We had the plan down. Reags and Mahmoud and Reags’ faked labour would get us in the door. Max, Dino, and I would follow them. I looked across the table. “Dino, once inside, you go left, through the lounge, dining room, and kitchen, then up the hall and clear the third bedroom. I go right and clear the front bedroom – bedroom one – Max, you and Reags check the bathroom, and then go for Veronica’s room. As soon as you have her, you two make the first call for clear, then Dino; I’m last. Mahmoud will be waiting in the front garden. We want this to go down in silence …anything other than blades is to be used only as a last resort.” I looked at the others; no comments. Good. This may have been Max’s deal to negotiate and put in play, but final approval on the raid was mine, and now I was calling the shots.

“Dino, you stay at the door of bedroom three and cover the hall – be careful not to get anyone in a crossfire situation - until Max is out, and I’ve got Reags’ back. We retrace our paths back to the front, and we’re out. Count on taking down at least two of the kidnappers. Mahmoud will be in the front garden and signal to Ismail in the Merc, which will be at the corner. Ismail will walk away through the neighborhood, and Mahmoud will drive us to the airport. Remember Dover MacLuhne, from Quito? He’s a Consular Officer here now; he’ll meet us at the airport. We hand Veronica off to him, and he takes her home. Lachlan will be waiting on the tarmac, ready to put wheels up as soon as we board.” I looked round again.

“Any questions?” Nothing but relaxed looks all around. They were all professionals and knew the drill. I knew I could count on every one of them.

“Good. Then we’re on.”

*

The house had finally quieted but for Diana's last flurry of activity. One last load of house laundry was in the dryer when she came to me in the softly lighted lounge. She sank into the far end of the sofa.

“You had a busy day today.”

“I'm incredibly glad I stopped at the American Embassy first. They made the stops at the Cypriot and French embassies mere formalities. The American Immigration Secretary had both of them awaiting my arrival and had cued them not to ask questions. Veronica's kidnapping has made every foreign bureaucrat here most anxious to cooperate. Every one of them is thinking, 'There, but for the grace of God, go I.' Most of my time today was spent in traffic.” I extended my hand to her, motioning it was time to go upstairs.

“I'd really rather stay down here to talk for a while. When we go upstairs, neither one of us will be in any mood to talk.” She did take my hand but didn't start caressing my knuckles. She did want to stay down here and talk for a bit. A good conversation can be romantic for Diana; I haven't given her much in the way of foreplay of any sort this week.

“Upstairs, downstairs – it hasn't mattered much to me in the last week, has it? I've been a randy bugger.”

“Have you noticed it bothering me? Except when Reags walked in on us right here.” Diana's embarrassed laugh was infectious.

“Reags walked in on us? Which time in here? She's seen my bare bum on this trip?” So much for discretion. I truly had no idea anyone had seen us. I exaggerated my shock and horror to make Diana laugh. We hadn't been doing much laughing of late, either. Dino had seen to us having enough time for anything we wanted tonight; he took both watches.

“I have no idea which time. She either saw your bum or one of my boobs. I doubt my boob would have warranted a second look; she has her own. So I suppose it was Sunday and your butt. Speaking of butts. I got the giggles packing up the office today. I was on my knees under the desk when someone walked in; I thought it was you. I thought you had come looking for me again for a little afternoon delight. Instead, it was Max. At least I hadn't stripped for action.”

“What happened to equal opportunity? If Reags has seen my arse, it seems only fair that Maxie sees yours.”

“There's a bunch of reasons why he didn't and shouldn't. First, I didn't have time to drop trou before I knew it wasn't you. Second, when I found out it was Max, I didn't want to give him a heart attack. You need him tomorrow. Third, your naked bum was an accident. Mine would have been intentional. NO ONE sees my bare ass but you from now on. Except for the dogs. They don't count.”

Diana doesn’t use language indiscriminately. She’ll search for minutes, looking for the precise word to express herself. If she doesn't think she can express it correctly, she says nothing; that can be aggravating. She'll start the thought and then say, “Never mind,” if she can't come up with her word. Eventually her subconscious either finds the right word or gives her the context to say what she means. Mind you it may be days after the initial convo, creating whiplash in the uninitiated. I have learnt to listen for the nuances in her words and to triangulate which convo is being referenced. In her own inimitable way, Diana had declared herself to be mine.

I pulled her to my side, and she buried her head in my chest. I cleared my throat trying to find my voice. “That means I had best be sure the Kevlar is tightly fastened tomorrow then. Couldn't have your lovely arse viewed only by the dogs.”

“I love the way your voice rumbles around in your chest.”

“Some of the things I have yet to say to you tonight will need all the help they can get.” I stroked her silky hair, then tilted her head so I could see her expressive eyes. “Don't hide from me tonight. Let me see what you really feel – all of it. Don't hold back because you want to be brave for me or try to protect me.”

She let me see the disappointment in her eyes. “I thought I was doing the right thing. Having a rookie like me even being here has been enough of a burden for you. If the negotiations had gone as planned ....”

“They never do. You've been the utility man for us. You've pitched in everywhere. If you think I'm out of sorts now, you ought to see me when you aren't here. I'm glad you had a chance to see this side of me and my work – the ugly, sordid side. It isn't pretty. You've seen it now; it's done. I never want you to be near it again.” Her eyes flashed in anger, but she wasn't as angry as she had been the night of the Mena House debacle.

Her voice had life and fire in it. “I won't argue about your wanting to protect me, at least not tonight. Your over protectiveness and my need for independence will be an ongoing negotiation for us, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You do know I adore you for wanting to keep me safe?” I nodded. “I do reserve my right to chew on you about it but not here. I never wanted to come to the Middle East; it’s never held any fascination for me. Because you were here, I wanted to stay.

“As far as pitching in is concerned, I'm a fish out of water in this environment. I don't have combat skills; I was trying to stay out of everyone's way. There were things I could do, so I did them.”

Diana was having a go at letting me see all her emotions. Since she had no intention of hearing my voice for a while, she sat up and rubbed her neck. “Kidnappers are horrible; they’re sub-human, no more than things. The FBI and cops have whole sections devoted to apprehension with officers who specialize in each skill needed to get a kidnapped person home. You guys have to be generalists – you have to gather the intelligence, negotiate, and go in when necessary. You can't fob off the intelligence gathering onto specialized individuals who only do that and are immune to the slime. You have to deal with the underworld; nice people don't kidnap others.

“I’d much rather have a man with a strong sense of morality act illegally every so often for a good cause. You aren't some whack job bending rules for the hell of it. You’re a good man bending laws for a good purpose. If I were to run a poll of the man-on-the-street, your approval rating would be high. I do worry what it costs your soul.”

I sighed. “What it costs me never used to be a bother. I didn't even realise that I had lost my soul. Now I compartmentalize what I do on the job and don't examine it. It doesn't pay. It would upset you, and I would lose the peace that is the rest of my life.”

Her voice was soft when she answered me, her eyes beseeching. “How do you know it would upset me? I'm sure whatever you tell me couldn't be any worse than my imagination. It might take me a bit to get my head wrapped around it; I might have to pick at your motives to understand them. I might not even agree with the choices you made, but I wasn't there. I’m lousy at dealing with hypothetical situations. Put me in a practical environment with facts, and I can understand anyone's reasons for their actions. Particularly yours. I want to understand yours. I'm glad I came back. I got to see another side of you and some of how you have to operate. The more I know about you, all of you, the better our life will be.”

Jesus, we had talked more tonight than we had in weeks. The information was more meaningful as well. “I haven't said much that was pleasant to hear this week. I don't know how you've put up with me though I'm glad you did.”

“Terry, every single person I've ever worked with has a different approach to readiness. You’re ramped up; you need to control and dominate.” She straddled my half-hardened cock; fuck. Why couldn’t she have on a skirt tonight? “That goes for planning sessions and briefings; it often seemed that you and Max were only seconds away from blows. The testosterone in here got so thick you could swim in it. I didn't expect Dino to take orders so well; he seemed to duck the confrontations. Even when you banged me like this, you were in control.” Diana was rapidly driving me out of control, and all she was doing was resting on me; she hadn't moved a muscle. “You were using me. You knew it was me, but you used me for your release. Your arms moved my cunt on your cock. I'm just lucky you know all my buttons so well; you know what gets me off. Your own pride wouldn't let me go without, but you had to control when and how I came.”

My groan came from need, a little discomfort, and regret – then it became want when Diana moved her weight down to my thighs. “I can't hide a bloody thing from you.” She laid forward, put her head on my shoulder, and looked up at me.

“I had some help. Dino ....”

“He told me. He also put me on notice where you’re concerned. I've had to control our sex life. I was afraid of hurting you, and you wouldn't say anything. Diana, I know you would do anything for me.”

“When are you going to learn how tough I am? I want you to do whatever you need to get ready for tomorrow so you can come back to me. You have always, always put me first; you have to be first now. I want you to take what you need from me.”

We sat silently for a few long moments with our arms round each other; we were both lost in our own thoughts. Diana had taken the conversation I had intended away from my important topics and down another equally important road. I had to return to my agenda. “Right now I need for you to listen to me. There are a couple of things you need to know. TEO has kept the military tradition of writing letters before we go on a mission.”

She nodded so I continued. “I stopped at your park today to write mine. It took me a long time because I didn't want to face the fact that you might have to read it.” I could feel her breathing stop.

I waited until she breathed again before continuing. “It's on my computer on the desktop. The folder is marked with your name. There's also one for Henry. Do you remember my passwords?”

Her “Yes,” was quiet and choked.

“That's where they all are. Every time I’ve gotten on a plane since we met, I have written to you.” I put my hand on her soft cheek and made circles on it. She wouldn't want me to mention the tears that leaked from her eyes; I brushed them away.

“I also stopped by the British Embassy today. I've changed my will. It's in the zipped, right side pocket of my briefcase, signed, sealed, official. It will be able to withstand any legal challenge in the world. Henry will receive $750,000 in trust with you as the Executrix. Be sure he gets all the way through uni. If you don't think you can do that or don't wish to act as the executor, Marjorie is the alternate. She's a good mum, no matter our problems. I'm sure he's a proper young English gentleman now. He probably acts more like Max than he does me. There was no time for my wild colonial ways to corrupt him.”

“I'll be sure he has everything he needs. I'll make sure he gets the best education available for whatever field he wants to enter. When he becomes a man himself, I'll show him what a wonderful man his father is.” She couldn’t say ‘was;’ she used 'is,' telling me loud and clear that ‘was’ was not an option.

“You get my share of TEO. Before you start going on about it, I know you don't need the money, but I want you to have it. I can't think of anyone else who could manage it any better than you. Hell, you wrote our disaster communication plan and the business plan for this year. If we execute it, this will be the best year we've had since we started.

“One last thing. Dino, Reags, and Max all have instructions on their laptops; their passwords are in sealed envelopes with your name in their briefcases. If the worst happens and none of us are around, Curry will get you directly back to DC. I don't want you anywhere near the Mid East again. State, the Embassy here, and Ackermann can help you sort things out.”

Her mouth dropped open. She had never stopped to think that she could lose ALL of us. Now she had to imagine the possibility of all of us dying or being taken by the kidnappers; I wanted her to have a sense of what her emotions would be. It would help her deal with the situation if it happened. No flip words could keep the emotions at bay. I wouldn't see her emotions on this; her HR masque had dropped into place. She had given me her every emotion earlier. This was too much for Diana to process – only work mode could help her now.

“OK. I need you to hold me tighter.” I tightened my arms round her.

“I know it's a lot to process. Deal with the facts, Lady. Don't look too far down the road. The facts are you have four extra briefcases and laptops to cart round tomorrow. Don't go deeper than that.”

DIANA

I didn't process any of it. I shoved the possible loss of everyone in my chosen family into a compartment and locked it. Then I mentally jumped up and down on the box holding those emotions to make damned sure it stayed closed.

I’d held other letters before. I had delivered two. Now I held those same letters for the four people closest to me in the world.

It had taken me several minutes to pull myself together; Terry hadn't let go. I think only his arms kept me together. My hands were frozen. Had he not been there I would have been so cold; he’s my own personal space heater. I finally managed to get out “OK.”

He pushed me to arm's length. “OK, what?”

“I've got what I need to know. If this is our last night together, I don't want to spend any more of it down here.” I reached across him and turned off the light. He lifted me to my feet. He could toss me around so easily if he ever wanted. I stood before him and extended my hands to him. He smiled at the familiar gesture. I put my bare feet on the toes of his shoes, and he let me pull him up from the sofa. We were trying to get back to normal. We walked up the stairs intertwined, bumping hips, unbuttoning clothes, and kissing the exposed skin.

Terry tried to reassure me. “It won't be our last night. You’re dwelling on possibilities; they aren't probabilities. We all know what we’re doing, and we've worked and trained together before.”

“Yeah, and you haven't even thrown in 'the miracle factor.' One guy I worked with always threw in 'And then a miracle occurs' as a line item on the planning documents with all the team members' names listed as the resource. He used it as a placeholder when we didn't know what the fuck to do at a particular point. One time we forgot to take it out. It’s migrated to many ops rooms around the world now, I hear.” Our bedroom door muffled Terry's laughter to the rest of the house.

Why the hell had I told Terry the miracle story? I was nervous. I always revert to work stories when I'm nervous. Terry was stripped down to his shorts, and I was still frozen by the door. Downstairs I had almost begged the man to treat me like the whores he was used to at this point in a mission. Hell, I'd almost raped him. Now I was afraid to deliver. Maybe I was afraid I wouldn't be good enough.

I gave myself that mental shake I’m so famous for and walked to our bed shedding clothes along the way. I can do my best. Please God. Don't let me see how disappointed in me he is.

I had planned a long, slow seduction for tonight. Often plans need to change to suit the circumstances. I wanted Terry to finally lose the control he had kept with me all week. If he wouldn't lose it on his own, I wanted to push him into freeing himself. I thought I’d done a pretty good job downstairs. I walked behind Terry and nipped his shoulder blade as I tugged his shorts down and off his legs. He turned to take me in a breath-constricting embrace and stepped out of the shorts nudging them towards the chair where his Egyptian clothing for tomorrow laid waiting.

I looked up to see that his eyes shone with a determination I hadn't seen before. “Let go, Terry. Take what you need from me tonight.” I lifted my head to meet his attacking lips; I'm quite sure my lips will look like they’ve had collagen injections tomorrow.

His fingers reached down and touched my slit. “You’re already so wet. So ready for me,” roughly kissing and nipping my neck and shoulders. He bit down on the point of my shoulder.

“All I have to do is think about you, and I'm ready.” I wriggled my arms so I could stroke his fully aroused cock trapped between our bellies. I could feel the velvet heat against my stomach and each throbbing vein, each twitch let me know my caresses were turning him on more. I gathered some of my wetness to ease my hand movement up his cock. I mixed his own pre-cum with my moisture and cupped my hand around most of him as my hand circled downwards. His sharp intake of breath as I left his dick and held his wiry haired sack in both hands left no doubt that my technique was appreciated.

I kissed down his chest, his belly, moistening the strip of hair as I slid down his body to take his cock in my mouth. As his hips twitched forward pushing his cock into my mouth, I looked up to find him watching me. His look of wonder, need, lust and love made me want to give him more feeling, more of anything he wanted. If he was lost in the sensation, he might turn loose of the control. I ended on my knees in front of him still rolling his balls in my hands. I could almost feel the instant that his brain clicked over, and I went from being Terry’s woman to being a tool. I could feel the war going on in his head, allowing him to detach as he realized that I was willing to be his whore tonight, to give him anything he needed before this mission. Before I started to service him, I circled the head of his cock with the flat of my tongue to give him the most sensation I could. His one long exhalation came in short, stuttered breaths. He spread his legs to give my hands room to hold and fondle his balls. I shifted each within its own sack, marveling at its movement. His hands rested on my shoulders, tugging me forward to take in more of him.

I wrapped my arm around his sturdy thigh to pull him closer. His knees almost buckled. As I pulled back to run my tongue just under his helmet and then down his shaft, he reached under my arms and pulled me up. I backed my mouth off his meat and half rose, helping him pull me to my feet and then lift my feet from the floor, my legs dangling around his. I could only wrap my legs around his waist for support with my arms resting around his shoulders. He continued lifting me until I was centered over him, his prick just outside my box. He had my butt in his big hands; he was massaging and kneading my cheeks. I was expecting him to toss me on the bed, but Terry was doing the unexpected. Some switch had tripped in his head. His eyes were closed as if he didn't want to see what he was fucking.

“I need inside you NOW.” He jerked me down onto his cock. I could hear his “Ummh” in my ear as gravity helped him seat me on him. I wiggled down and leaned back slightly. His sigh as the last bit slipped in fit my feeling; he was so deeply inside me. He kneaded my cheeks again. Terry clenched and unclenched his butt muscles moving his cock for his own enjoyment.

“Move on me.” I could do as he ordered; I needed to move. I undulated my hips, rocked them side to side. I lengthened my spine trying to rise on his cock. My clit was lost in his wiry hair and enjoying every moment of it.

Terry turned to the bed and bent down until my back was on it, never missing a stroke. Each of his drives into me shoved me farther across the bed until his knees were on the bed, and he could thrust the way he wanted – hard, fast, impersonal, and rough. Terry had very definite ideas on how he wanted me arranged for him. He reached behind his back uncrossing my ankles so he could rest my thighs and butt on his thighs, pulling my whole pelvis up so he was driving down into me so deeply, filling me. He was almost sitting upright; our only contact was thighs and crotch. His hands grabbed my breasts at the base; he moved to my nipples and pinched in time with his thrusts.

He opened his eyes to watch his cock moving in and out of this snatch that was attached to him. He stretched the lips wide, ignoring my hands on his. I was trying to get him to release the tension on my folds by moving our hands closer together so the tug wasn't so strong as my lips tried to move with the motion of his cock. His varied movements – some softer, some stronger – weren't excruciatingly painful, but his movements bit into the tender flesh even as wet as I was. He was in his own place, oblivious to my wishes.

After several strokes he moved our hands to my clit hood, dragging his fingers through my wetness to it. He pulled his fingers a few inches from my snatch and rubbed his fingers together almost savoring the lubrication; my hands were still on his. He circled my clit with one finger, stimulating all the nerves around it and teasing it with his thumb. In some perverse way it was what he wanted; my satisfaction was not a consideration. He brought me higher and so close. All I needed was a few more touches, and I would be there. He didn't notice or care that I had become more guttural in my noises or that I held my breath. Terry took our hands away.

He leaned over me and supported his weight on his right arm and knees, a looming figure over me. His other wet fingers transferred my moisture to my back as if I were a towel and he was drying his hands as his hand traveled upwards. He stopped at my shoulder. With each in stroke, he pulled my whole body from the shoulders down more firmly onto his cock.

“Move more.” His own internal metronome beat faster. He pounded into me, lost in his own need, whatever it was. His articulate eyes were shut, and those impossibly long eyelashes rested on his cheek bones, his beautiful face closed to me. Each time he banged his cockhead on my cervix, I grunted from the contact. My own now pained grunts mixed with his effort filled ones.

Nothing about this coupling was slow, easy, or elegant; everything was centered on what he wanted for himself. I couldn't see how he could be deriving pleasure from the punishment and pain he delivered. He pulled almost out quickly and drove back in even faster, again and again, enjoying the act itself. He was not looking for release; the act of fucking was a pleasure in itself for him. He punched deeper, faster until his rhythm became erratic, his breathing mirroring his thrusts. With one final shove, he was deeply inside me, and his orgasm released. His head was thrown back, sweaty from the effort, his open mouth sucking in air. He collapsed on me while his cock still twitched inside me. I rippled my internal muscles around his sensitive head. He stayed laying on me heavily but moved enough for his cock to pop free. We laid there for a very long time; for the first time, I just wanted him off me and away.

He lightened his weight slightly. “Are you all right?” His voice was emotionless.

I didn't know if I was or not. It wasn't the beating I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't the loving, caring man I knew. I needed to answer him quickly, or his own self-doubt might begin. “I'm OK.”

TERRY

I had crawled off Diana, putting as much distance between us as I could. She thought I had fallen asleep; she crept over to snuggle on my chest. I didn't deserve the comfort her contact brought, but I needed it. I roused at 1:30 AM, used to the routine of guard duty.

“Boomer, you don't have to go up tonight, remember? Dino's here.” Her voice told me she hadn't slept either. It was alert if subdued.

My grunt was an affirmative acknowledgement that I had heard her as I left for the loo. I closed the door but didn't turn on the light. I leant on the sink for as long as I dared, staring into the mirror in the dark though I really didn't want to see my own craven face. The bed sagged as I crawled back in next to her.

I snuck my arm under the small of her back; she was staring at the ceiling, even though her eyes were closed. I pulled her close into my side. She didn't reject me outright, but every fibre of her being was on alert for the next round of indignities I might inflict. My cock was asleep against her thigh but gave every indication that he would be willing to wake. I kissed the top of her head, her temple, her cheeks, her kissing place where her neck joins her shoulder – all of her favorite places. Anywhere but her lips. I ran my hands down her body asking her to come to me. It’s a silent vocabulary that we’ve perfected over the months. I cupped her perfect breast in my hand, bending my head to kiss it with the softest of touches as Jack Aubrey would kiss a lady's hand before I laid my head on her breast's upper swell. My hand continued its leisurely exploration of her body; I had gotten as far as her hip and its hollow when I took her hand and put it on my cheek. Somehow, I had to get her to relax so I could make amends – not for letting go, but for ignoring that it was Diana with whom I was letting go.

“You haven't rubbed my ear in a long time. You said it soothes you.” If she wanted to slap me for my earlier behaviour, I had gotten her hand staged for it.

She began rubbing my lobe and shell with her thumb on the back. I heard her sigh and felt her sag into me. I threaded my finger into her bush and softly rubbed her pubic bone. “Did I hurt you?”

“No.” Her voice was soft, low, and remorseful, but she opened slightly for my finger to find her folds.

“Liar.”

“You took what you needed as I'd asked you. It was a physical twinge, nothing more, but you acted like you didn't even know it was me. Like you were fucking someone else.” Her hand smoothed then twirled my cowlick taking the sting out of her words.

I stroked her sex seeking the valley between her lips, stroking round her entrance, waiting to feel a wince. It didn't come. I could feel her body getting itself ready for me. Having her mind and heart take me in right now was an entirely different question.

“I was operating on an old paradigm. I've only ever been with indifferent strangers before a mission. Women whom I could and would leave when I was satisfied. My old instincts kicked in. I'm ....”

“Don't apologize. Please, don't say you're sorry. I should have loved you, but I thought you needed to lead me tonight, to dominate someone. I wanted that someone to be me.”

I looked up into her pained face and kissed her lips softly with intention. “Let me show you that I can lead you, Diana, and stay with you.”

She took her hand from my ear and used that same stroking motion on my already wakening prick. She hesitated with her hand still wrapped around me.

“It's all right. I promise it will end differently this time.” I kissed her lips again, and she opened her arms to me as I slid over and into her. I drove into her just as surely as I had earlier, and Diana moved on me with even more wildness than before. I love listening to her breath catch as she joins me; I love watching her head jerk back in pleasure when I touch a particularly sensitive spot. I know her body so well; earlier I hadn't even tried to give her pleasure. She moved her right hip slightly up and then groaned ending in her 'Mmmmm' with my next movement. I pushed into her deeply and felt the warmth of the flush in her cheeks under my hands. I changed my angle and felt her breathing change; I was bringing her very close to her orgasm. I pulled the small of her back up and felt it begin to tighten under my hands. I sped up, enjoying the smooth friction on my dick and feeling her loving body wrapped round me. The different ways she can wrap her legs about me drives me crazy. She needed my pillow under her hips to bring her higher onto me, and I kissed the outer edges of her flush as I felt it expand down her chest. When she came the first time, I had her aureole in my mouth. My thrusts were regular as a pendulum, and I was lost in the moment with her, enjoying the shared abandon. Neither of us was in control or barking orders, yet both of us were getting precisely what we needed.

Our bodies were sliding against each other when my nads started to tighten, and my shaft began to feel the surge upwards. I hitched in my thrust and held her to still her movement. I wanted to savour the moment. Diana ground her clit on me just enough to cum for me one more time as I came in her. I held us both up until my arms started to shake; Diana laid back down taking me with her.

“Don't leave me yet.” I don't know how she can find the strength to support me. We lay together with our eyes and bodies locked together as I gradually transferred more of my weight to my forearms. When I felt her arms begin to loosen her hold on me and her eyes showed their agreement, I slid to her side pulling her close.

“Thank you for trusting me again.”

“I never stopped.”

DINO

The good and right thing for me to do is to volunteer to take both watches tonight so the couples can have tonight together. Just because I’m not getting a pre-mission fuck is no reason for Max and Terry to miss theirs. Am I generous enough to do that …grudgingly, but yeah, I am. So here I am, all by my lonesome except for the phone in my pocket, on the fucking roof, watching the night.

Max and Reags’ relationship is one that still amazes me. Of all the men and women I’ve known in my life, those two are the last I’d ever have seen together. I’ve known Max for four years and have never seen a man more unyielding where women are concerned than he is. The day I met Reags, she damned near castrated me in Max’s kitchen. She’s one fucking independent woman.

I’d never seen Max behave in any other than a totally politically correct and polite way to a woman, even if she was an acknowledged whore, but I’d also never seen him engage in any form of PDA until he met Reags. The Old Roman was as circumspect as I’d been taught to be in the Corps. Having said that, my experience is that when Max speaks to a woman, he expects her undivided attention and immediate compliance with his wishes; it’s that unyielding thing. I’d seen that demonstrated on a number of occasions. At least he’d expected immediate compliance until that fateful night in the supermarket. Over the year since I met Reags, I’ve seen Max ‘issue’ instructions, orders, whatever the fuck you want to call them and watched her response. Sometimes he got a slight tilt of her head, acknowledging that she’d heard him. Sometimes she cut her eyes around at him before rolling them as if to say ‘You’ve got to me kidding me.’ Most times, she flat fucking ignores his efforts to control her. She’s her own woman and while she may adjust to accommodate him on occasion, there’s no way in Hell she’s going to bend totally to his will. Now here’s where it gets interesting.

Max takes it from her and seems to enjoy it. That drunken night I’d spent at their house before Labor Day – Max was on a trip and Reags and I’d tied one on – I’d expected him to rip my head off when I woke the next morning to find him standing beside the bed looking at me. Didn’t matter that I wasn’t in HIS bed with Reags, just that I was alone in the house with her, and clearly had been all night. He’d seemed to find all of it funny as shit and got in more than a few pointed comments about our hangovers. He was a lot nicer in his barbs to Reags than to me, but he was still chiding both of us for our mutual lack of common sense. Perhaps he enjoys having a woman with enough balls to stand up to him. Max is dictatorial – and I’ve seen that behavior in him more than once where women other than Reags (and now Dee) are concerned – and in the past, he hadn’t taken too well to his dicta being ignored. With Reags, he makes a pronouncement and even if she ignores or defies it, you see this tiny little smile on his lips …not one of annoyance, but sort of a ‘that’s my girl’ kind of thing. I think he’s inordinately proud of her, and he should be. Perhaps he’s not truly as much of an Old Roman as Tio and I’ve believed all this time. I do know that I’ve heard him say he could learn and change his behavior as well as anyone else; I’d say his relationship with Reags is a pretty good indicator of that.

Terry’s acting as if this is just another assignment, aside from the fact that he has a more than warm and willing woman in his bed this time. He’s appropriately grumpy, and when Dee’s around, you’d pretty much think we were all back in Dallas instead of Cairo. His openness with Dee seems to have him forcing himself to communicate better with all of us, and everyone has fallen in step; we’re all talking more. The two of them – Terry and Dee – seem to have negotiated a center place between her wanting to be her own woman and his need to protect her.

Having Dee here is easy for me. She may be the best female friend I’ve ever had. She’s a lot like being with the guys, and I don’t have to watch every word I say with her. Often, she can out swear me. Now, that’s just fucking shameful for a Marine to have to admit. I haven’t had to call on her yet for female advice, but that day may be on the horizon. I looked around …all quiet on the Egyptian front, and I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed. It was 0200 here, that meant 1800 in Texas. Her voice answered on the second ring.

I’d met Ellen Hughes last year. She was Reags’ friend in Palestine and the attorney who had pulled our collective fat from the fire after that little drinking escapade at Lake Palestine. I’d liked her immediately but hadn’t called her until after the first of the year. Since then, one or the other of us had been on the road between Dallas and Palestine a couple of times a month.

“Ellie, Honey, how’s everything in Palestine?”

“Hey, Darlin’. This is a little quicker than I’d expected to hear from you. When you called to tell me you were leaving, you said you didn’t know how long you’d be gone. I’d expected to wait a while longer.”

“Well, I’m not back in Dallas yet, but it looks like it’ll be soon. Can you take a couple of days off mid-to-late next week?” She laughed, that soft, low, intimate laugh I’d come to love from her.

“Yeah, I think I can manage that. I don’t have anything on the docket next week. With this much notice, the two wills I have in progress will be wrapped up, signed, and filed by noon on Tuesday. Even if I was arguing a case before the Supreme Court, I’d find a way to continue it or run in a ringer. How are you doing, Baby?”

With those last few words, I could almost feel my heart swell. Sounds like a kid, I know, but that’s the effect she has on me. I never felt like this even with Sherrie, didn’t know feelings like this existed. I’m not sure where Ellie wants me, but wherever that is, I think she’s got me there. I had to be circumspect in anything I said because I couldn’t assume that someone out there wasn’t monitoring the villa with a parabolic mike.

“I’m eating well, but for the first time in my life, I’m not enjoying being the fifth wheel.” Nothing, no response, not a sound. “Ellie? You still there?”

“I’m still here. You kind of caught me off guard with that one …you want to explain it to me?” Yeah, I did.

“Until recently I haven’t wanted to be part of a team, other than on the job. Being here, watching Terry and Dee, Max and Reags …the comfort they have with each other is making me think of how I feel when I’m with you. I miss you, Honey.” I counted to five before she answered.

“So, does this mean I can make dinner reservations for us at the country club next Saturday night?”

“You’ve never offered to do that before.”

“I was afraid if I did I’d scare you away …and until just now, I wasn’t sure I was ready. If the club’s as full as it usually is on Saturday nights, you want to bet how many cell phones come out when we walk in the door? If it’s as busy as usual, I’m betting ten within the first 15 minutes.”

“Sure, I'll bet. What are the stakes?

“Loser pays for a week in Saint Croix?”

“That'll work. But it will have to be after September. Max and Reags settled on a date. What’s the population in Palestine?”

“About 18,000 …why?”

“If I’m gonna bet, I need comparison data. Let’s see …two judges, Palestine’s the county seat so there’s probably 50 attorneys, the insurance guys and commodities brokers, the ranchers and oil barons. Okay, I’ll call, and raise you five.” We both laughed. Small towns …nothing like’em for the gossip mill. “The country club crowd is probably politically correct, so we won’t see them pull out the cells at the table, but there’ll sure be a lot of people excusing themselves within 15 to 20 minutes.”

“You’re pretty good at on-the-fly analysis.”

“Goes with the job, Honey.” I thought for a minute. Everyone at the club would see the Spyder in the parking lot and be looking for it at her house. “I’ll book a room at the Holiday Inn.”

“Fuck the Holiday Inn. Let them look for the Spyder at the house. The women will envy me when they find it, and the men won’t care. The women may have their knives out for me after that, and the men will talk in the locker rooms, but I’m still the best criminal defense attorney in Anderson County. They need me.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. Are you on watch?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you need to get back to work. Let me know what time you’ll be in.”

“You got it, Honey. See you next week.”

“Take care, Baby. Later.”

I closed the cell, stuck it back in my pocket, and smiled. I was still alone, but I wasn’t lonely any longer.

To be Continued

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